WAR PLAN CRIMSON (Mk II)V.2.1, 4 March 2018

1.0 INTRODUCTION

WAR PLAN CRIMSON is a simulation game of a hypothetical invasion of Canada by the United States some time between 1935 and 1939. The game is for two players, one representing the leader of the armed forces of the United States that could be deployed against Canada (the US player) and the other representing the commander of the Canadian and British forces that would defend against a foreign invasion (the Commonwealth or CW player).

IMPORTANT NOTE: This “Mark II” version of the rules for War Plan Crimson is a revision of the original version of the game that was published by Tiny Battle Publishing in 2016. It incorporates a new sequence of play and set of mechanics and replaces the old rules and charts completely.

The only physical conversion required is that players must make two distinct sets of three markers each to serve as Operations Chits. For example, they could take six blank markers from other games and write “CW OPS” on three of them and “US OPS” on the other three; or take three red and three blue poker chips and draw them from the Randomizer blindly; etc..

2.0 GAME COMPONENTS, CONCEPTS, DEFINITIONS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

2.1 MapThere are two 11”x17” maps provided for the play of the game, one depicting the area around the city of Halifax in Nova Scotia (the East Map) and the other showing the approaches to Montreal from the American border (the West Map). Each map has a hexagonal grid printed on it. The ‘hexes’ function like squares on a chessboard, in that the counters representing your military forces will move from hex to hex during the game. Each hex is about 3 map miles (5 kilometres) across. Note also that the two maps are separated by about 300 miles of territory, though it is possible for the Commonwealth player to shift forces from one map to the other during the game.

2.1.1 Map Features: There are various symbols and colours used on the maps to denote natural (woods, lake, hills, etc.) and artificial (city, town, border, railroad) terrain. See the Charts and Tables. (Note:

each city hex is also assumed to contain a railroad as well.)

2.2 CountersThere are 176 counters in the game. Most of them are counters representing military units; however the troop scale is somewhat abstract owing to the unknown quality of fighting units. Military units are marked with two numbers across the bottom of the counter (respectively the Attack and Defence Factors, abbreviated AF and DF). Generic markers used by both players or for game functions are coloured white. Otherwise, each player commands units from several forces, told apart by colour:

2.2.1 US Player Unit Colour Key:United States Regular Army: dark greenUnited States National Guard: light greenUnited States Marine Corps, US naval units: blue

2.2.2 CW Player Unit Colour Key:Canadian Permanent Force: light beigeCanadian Non-Permanent Active Militia: dark beigeBritish Expeditionary Force, CW naval units: redVolunteers: orange

2.3 Definitions and Concepts

2.3.1 Asset Points (AP) and naval units: Asset points are generic markers (coloured white) that come in three flavours: Air, Armour, and Artillery. They are represented by iconic markers of an airplane, a tank, and a howitzer, and represent concentrations of aircraft, tanks, and heavy artillery. Air AP are held off either map in an Air Holding Box until they are committed to combat. Armour and Artillery AP move about on the maps like military units (though they are not considered to be units themselves). A naval unit acts as a combination transport unit and floating Artillery AP: see 12.0.

2.3.2 Commonwealth (CW): Collective term used for the Canadian and British troops that would have been mobilised or sent to resist the advance of the American forces. There are four forces under the control of the CW player: Permanent Force (PF) (Canada’s professional

standing army); Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) (part-

time reservists, somewhat like the American

National Guard except that they were under federal control);

British Expeditionary Force (BEF) (whatever units or equipment of His Britannic Majesty’s Armed Forces that might be sent by sea or stationed in Canada before the outbreak of hostilities) and

Volunteers (ad hoc formations of private citizens with personal weapons).

2.3.3 United States (US): collective term used for the assorted military forces that could have been sent to invade Canada. There are three forces under the control of the US player: Regular Army (America’s professional standing

army); National Guard (part-time soldiers normally

under the control of state governors, but in this case have been ordered under federal control) and

United States Marine Corps (a force of ground troops that normally operated with the United States Navy).

2.3.4 Control: There are several references in these rules to one side or the other controlling hexes. Generally, players control a hex if they were the last player to have a unit traverse that hex during movement (players are also assumed to have automatic control of all hexes of their respective national territories at the beginning of the game). However, the US player only controls a town or city hex in Canada if he has at least one unit (not an AP) occupying the hex: if the hex is ever left vacant, it automatically reverts to CW control (which allows Volunteer units to appear there, and has effects on each side's Morale Level). The reverse is true with respect to the CW player controlling the town hexes in the United States shown on the West Map.

2.3.5 Force Unit Pools: During the game, there will be some unit counters not in play. Before play, the pools should be divided into groups of cadre, battalion and brigade/regiment size units. They should be kept separated by force, in small opaque containers (use little dishes, espresso cups, laboratory crucibles, whatever you have). Players will draw from their respective Force Unit Pools before and during the game, to simulate the somewhat random fighting ability of their forces. During play, some units will be eliminated in combat; as this happens, players will put these units in the appropriate Force Unit Pools. They are eligible to re-enter the game through spending reinforcement points: see 6.2.

2.3.6 Halving: when units are required to halve their AF or DF, the player totals the AF or DF of all

affected units and halves that total, rounding factions up. Units do not halve their factors individually.

2.3.7 Shock-capable: Certain units, by virtue of their equipment, organization, or training, are much more effective in assault situations than other troops. If enough troops participating in an attack are “shock-capable”, then the attacking player may roll his attack on the Shock CRT. In this game, the only shock-capable units (marked with an underscored AF-DF on their counter) are US Marine Corps units, Armour AP and the optional Experimental Mechanized Brigades (14.2). The US player may also be allowed to use the Shock CRT if he is using the Poison Gas optional rule.

2.3.8 Unit: Refers to one of the counters representing military forces in the game. There are three unit types: infantry, machine gun, and headquarters (represented respectively by a cross, arrow, or the letters “HQ” in the symbol box). There is an optional fourth unit type, mechanized (see 14.3). Units are of cadre (none), battalion (II), regiment (III) or brigade (X) size. All battalion-size units are backprinted with a cadre size unit rated 0-1; during play, they may take losses and be flipped to this side, then later be restored to full strength (flipped back over) through taking replacements (6.3).

Notes: These game rules make reference to “brigades” throughout; a regiment size unit is treated as equivalent to a brigade in all respects. Also, for game purposes there is no difference between infantry and machine gun unit types within the same Force Unit Pool: these are added simply for additional colour.

2.3.9 Operations Chit Randomizer: At the beginning of each turn, players place up to six Operations Chits in a small opaque container called a Randomizer. They will draw from it during the game turn, see 3.0.

2.4 Abbreviations

2.4.1"?d6": the sum of the roll of one or more six-sided dice, where ? is the number of dice to roll.

2.4.2 AF/DF: Attack Factor/ Defence Factor: a quantification of a unit’s offensive/defensive fighting power.

2.4.3 DRM: Die Roll Modifier: add or subtract the indicated amount when rolling the die.

2.4.4 HQ: Headquarters units. Each player has several of these. They are very important for

purposes of entering reinforcements, re-organizing remnants of eliminated units, and coordinating attacks. All HQ units are cadre size units and have a Command Radius of three hexes.

3.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY

The time scale is 1-2 days per turn. Each turn, the two players perform the following sequence of steps, in order of the listed Phases. Each Phase is described in detail in the following rules.

(a) Random Events Phase. One player determines what random event occurs this turn (see 4.0). Then, players will place up to six Operations Chits in the Operations Chit Randomizer, to control the action during the upcoming Operations Phase.

(b) Reinforcement/Replacement Phase. Both players simultaneously receive reinforcement and replacement points, “spend” them to draw units and AP from those available, and place them on the map within the restrictions of the rules (see 6.0). (If players do not trust each other enough to place new units simultaneously, they can do it one unit at a time, player with the higher Morale Level going first.)

Note: skip this Phase on the first turn of the game.

(c) Operations Phase. One player (it doesn’t matter who) draws one random Operations Chit from the Randomizer. The indicated player will conduct the first Operations Segment. When he is finished, then another Chit will be drawn to see who will conduct the second Operations Segment, and so on until all the Chits have been drawn.

(i) First Operations Segment. The player indicated by the draw of the Operations Chit chooses to do one of three things: Overland Movement - his units may

move from hex to hex on the map under the rules governing such movement (see 7.1); OR

Railroad (RR) Movement - his units may move along railway lines marked

on the map under the rules governing such movement (see 7.2); OR

Combat - his units may fight enemy units in adjacent hexes under the rules governing combat (see 8.0).

(ii) Second Operations Segment. The player indicated by the next Operations Chit draw may choose to have his units move, by either method, or have them engage enemy units in combat, as in the First Operations Segment.

(iii) Third, Fourth, etc. Operations Segments. The players continue until all Operations Chits have been drawn from the Randomizer. Note that normally there will be six Operations Chits, therefore six Operations Segments, but a player with Morale of 4 or less will have only two of the three Operations Chits available (5.1).

(d) Recovery Phase. Units belonging to both players that were disrupted as a result of combat may now attempt to recover (see (9.0). Used Air AP return to the “Ready” compartments of their respective Air Holding Boxes. Advance the Game Turn marker one box.

This concludes one Game-turn. This cycle repeats until one player resigns, a Sudden Death Victory occurs, or the end of the final Game-turn is reached. See 12.0.

4.0 RANDOM EVENTS PHASE

One player (it doesn’t matter who) rolls 1d6 twice in succession. Use the first number rolled as the "tens" and the second as "ones": hence, a roll of 4 followed by 6 would indicate Random Event 46. Check the number rolled against the Random Events Table and follow the instructions.

5.0 POLITICAL RULES

5.1 Morale LevelsEach player has a Morale Level generally reflective of the fighting spirit and efficiency of his troops and their leaders. This concept has been worked into the various subsystems of the game. Morale Levels are expressed as a number from 0 to 20, and each side records its level independently of the other player at all

times during the game. Morale cannot go below 0 or above 20.

Morale will fluctuate up and down during the game as a result of random events and the fortunes of battle (see the Morale Level Adjustments Summary), but generally good things happen to a player if he has high Morale, and the opposite if his Morale is low. In the Reinforcement/Replacement Phase, a player's current Morale will determine what kind of reinforcements he will get, and what portion of his combat losses from the previous turn may be recovered.

If a player’s Morale is 4 or less: he will place only 2 Operations Chits in

the Randomizer at the beginning of the turn (see 3.0);

all his attacks on the Combat Results Table (CRT) have a l-column leftward shift (see 8.13);

it is less likely his units will recover from Disruption (see 9.0);

his units will Desert in combat situations (8.27).

If his Morale is 16 or more: all his attacks on the CRT gain a 1-

column rightward shift (see 8.13); his units have an increased chance of

recovering from Disruption (see 9.0).

6.0 REINFORCEMENT/REPLACEMENT PHASE RULES

6.1 Reinforcement pointsEach player will receive a certain number of reinforcement points for his different forces in this phase, depending on his Morale (see the Reinforcement Chart). Reinforcement points may be accumulated from turn to turn: keep track of any unused points on scrap paper.

Reinforcement units are “bought” with these points and chosen blindly from their respective Force Unit Pools. Reinforcement points received for a particular force may only be used for buying battalion size or HQ units from that force. (There is one exception: BEF reinforcements may be used to buy Canadian PF units.) Each battalion size unit is worth one point. A HQ unit or AP is worth one point but only one such unit may be bought per turn (Volunteer reinforcement points may not be used to obtain these units). Unless otherwise stated, the maximum number of

reinforcement units that can enter at any particular hex in one turn is limited to the stacking limit in that hex, and of course the hex must not contain any enemy units.

6.2.1 US Player reinforcements: All US Player reinforcements appear in or adjacent to any hex or hexes occupied by a US HQ unit that is undisrupted and in supply, or at any railroad hex on the south edge of the West Map, or they may appear “aboard” a US naval unit on the East Map, if one is present there.

6.2.2 CW Player reinforcements: The CW Player’s reinforcements enter at different locations, depending on what force they belong to. Reinforcement units cannot appear in hexes that are occupied by enemy units. Canadian PF and NPAM units appear in or

adjacent to any hex or hexes occupied by a CW HQ unit that is undisrupted and in supply, or at any hex on the west or north edges of the West Map, or at any railroad hex on the north edge of the East Map.

BEF units may appear in any hex of Halifax or Montreal (they are assumed to be transported there by elements of the Royal Navy not otherwise shown in the game, or have arrived by rail from Quebec City after landing there).

Volunteer units appear in Canadian town or city hexes, no more than one per hex.

6.2.3 Asset Points and Naval units. Asset Points (AP) appear with the player’s initial forces or are obtained with reinforcement points. The receiving player may choose what kind of AP (Air, Armour, and Artillery) he wants. Air AP are simply added to the player's Air Holding Box for either map. Armour and Artillery AP arrive like reinforcement units (Canadian PF or NPAM units, for the CW player). A player may choose to take a naval unit instead of an AP if one is available; see 11.0.

6.3 Replacement pointsIn the Reinforcement/Replacement Phase, each Player examines the total AF of units in each force under his control that have been eliminated in combat the previous turn, multiplies the total of lost AF by a percentage figure equal to his Morale level, and receives that number of replacement points (round fractions down). (A handy chart has been provided ot help you with this cipherin’.) Unlike reinforcement points, replacement points may only be used to restore NPAM or National Guard (only) battalions that are currently both on the map and on their cadre (0-1) side back to full strength. To be eligible for the exchange, the cadre unit must be undisrupted, in supply and in the Command Radius of an undisrupted

friendly HQ unit. Flip the unit back over to its full-strength side. Also unlike reinforcement points, replacement points may not be accumulated from turn to turn. A player may use reinforcement points like replacement points if they wish.

6.4 Building up and breaking down unitsUnits may be built up or broken down in the Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase in the following combinations: a brigade size unit may be replaced with three

battalions; or three battalions may combine to form a brigade;

or three cadres may combine to form a battalion.

The unit or units doing this must all be from the same force, located in the same hex, undisrupted and within the Command Radius of an undisrupted friendly HQ unit. The unit or units are replaced with a unit or units of the right size, chosen at random from the same Force Unit Pool.

Brigades that take losses in combat are removed and replaced by battalions drawn randomly from the same force’s Force Unit Pool; see 8.2.1. Note that this may cause the hex to be overstacked at the end of the Combat Phase, at which time the owning player will have to disrupt some units. If there are not enough battalions in the Force Unit Pool when a brigade breaks down due to losses, too bad – take what is available.

6.5 Disbanding unitsPlayers may, for whatever reason, disband any of their units on the map by simply removing them in the Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase and placing them in the appropriate Force Unit Pool. Players do not garner any points for doing so, but there are occasions when they may want to do so (for example, disbanding a HQ unit that is certain to be destroyed next turn, in order to deny the enemy player points).

6.6 Deserting unitsSome units may Desert due to a Defender Panics result, or an Elimination result while their side had low Morale or if they were Isolated (8.1.8). These units are removed from the game; their unit counters may not be used again, and their loss is not recorded in the tally of lost AF for next turn’s replacement points.

Example: In the Reinforcement/Replacement Phase, the CW player sees that his current Morale level of 12 gives him 2 Volunteer units and 2 NPAM units. He chooses randomly 2 Volunteer units and 1 NPAM battalion, and takes the second NPAM reinforcement

in the form of an Artillery AP. He enters the NPAM battalion and an Artillery AP at the 4th District HQ unit’s hex. He then places 1 Volunteer unit in each of Halifax and Montreal . He also sees that in the last Game-turn’s Combat Phases he lost a total of 20 AF from his units. This will give him (20 x 12%= 2.4=) 2 NPAM replacements He flips 2 NPAM cadres in the Command Radius of the 6th District HQ unit back to their full-strength battalion sides.

6.7 Shifting Units Between MapsThe areas represented on the two maps are separated by over 300 miles. However, it is possible for players to shift forces from one map to the other.

6.7.1 Shifting Air AP: Both players may do this. It takes one turn to shift an Air AP from one Air Holding Box to another: simply pick up the Air AP from the “Ready” section of one map’s Air Holding Box in the Reinforcement/Replacement Phase and put it in the “Used” section of the other map’s Air Holding Box.

6.7.2 Shifting Ground Units: Only the CW player may do this. It takes a variable number of turns to shift ground units from one map to another. The CW player removes as many eligible units or Armour/Artillery AP as desired at the beginning of the Reinforcement/Replacement Phase (to be eligible, a unit or AP must be undisrupted, in supply and not adjacent to any enemy units) and place them in the “Going East” or “Going West” Transit Box. In the Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase of each succeeding turn, the CW player rolls 1d6 for each unit in the Transit Box. On a roll of 1-4, the unit leaves the box and arrives on the appropriate map like a reinforcement unit: otherwise, it stays in the Transit Box. The CW player may move units from one Transit Box to another without a die roll (so you can change your mind mid-journey) but units always have to roll to leave the Transit Box to go onto a map.

7.0 OPERATIONS: MOVEMENT

In a given Operations Segment, a player may opt to move his units in one of two modes: Overland Movement or Railroad Movement. All units must move in the same mode in that Segment.

7.1 Overland Movement Segment Procedure. In this procedure, a player may move his units from hex to adjacent hex. Every hex on the map has an associated cost in Movement Points (MP) to enter it. See the Terrain Effects Chart.

All units, Armour AP and Artillery AP have a per-turn allowance of 2 MP. Movement is voluntary but a unit must stop when it runs out of MP.

7.2 Railroad (RR) Movement Segment Procedure. A number of undisrupted units or AP equal to half the owning side’s Morale Level (round up) at the beginning of the Operations Phase may use RR Movement. Units in excess of this number may not move at all in this Phase. Each unit or AP moving by rail must fulfil the following conditions: during its RR movement, the unit

moves an unlimited distance along connected railroads (i.e. from a hex containing a railroad to an adjacent hex containing a railroad, with the railroad itself passing through the hexside shared by the two hexes);

all railroad hexes moved through must have been friendly controlled (2.3) prior to the current Segment;

the unit may not start, stop or ever be in a hex adjacent to an enemy unit, unless another, non-moving friendly unit is also in the hex.

7.3 Movement Restrictions. MF may not be saved or accumulated from Segment to Segment, or Game turn to Game turn, or transferred to other units. Units may not enter hexes containing enemy units. Armour and Artillery AP cannot enter, and Armour AP may not attack into, woods or wooded hills hexes unless they are moving along a railroad line entering that hex (in either mode of movement). Units may not cross unbridged lake or sea hexsides (i.e. not crossed by a railroad line). Units may cross a bridged Lake hexside at no additional cost.

7.4 Stacking. See the Terrain Effects Chart for the maximum number of units (battalions or brigades: HQ units, cadres and AP do not count against the stacking limit) that may be in a hex at the end of any Segment. Units discovered by the enemy player to be in excess of the stacking limit in the hex are Disrupted (8.23) and moved to an adjacent hex that is not overstacked (enemy player’s choice which units).

8.0 OPERATIONS: COMBAT

8.1 CombatWhen a player elects to conduct a Combat Operations Segment, that player's undisrupted units may attack enemy units in an adjacent hex. Only one attack may be made by a single unit in a Combat Operations Segment, but the units in a hex may be attacked any number of times by different adjacent enemy units. Combat is voluntary, but all units attacked in a hex must defend as one total.

The attacking player declares an attack, compares his total AF to the defender's total DF (note that disrupted units defend at half their DF, round fractions up), and derives an odds ratio. He adjusts the odds ratio for Cadre Levels (8.12), a high or low Morale level (5.1, 8.13), or the defender's terrain (8.14). Column shifts for these circumstances are cumulative. He then determines which Combat Results Table (Standard or Shock Combat: see the Charts and Tables) he is able to use. Finally, he rolls 1d6, adjusts the die roll for any AP involved (8.15, 8.16), and applies the result indicated on the appropriate Combat Results Table (CRT).

If, in any single attack, half or more of the units of the attacking player’s units are shock-capable, then he may at his option roll on the Shock CRT. Each battalion or Armour AP counts as 1 such unit, each brigade-size unit counts as 3 units. Artillery and Air AP and cadre-size units are not counted at all in figuring the ratio.

8.1.1 Multi-hex Attacks: In order to involve units from more than one hex in a single attack, all the units must be within the Command Radius of the same HQ unit (three hexes). The HQ may be out of supply but must not be disrupted.

8.1.2 Cadre Levels: This is a quantification of the military professionalism and cohesion of the military forces involved. Use the highest Cadre Level found on each side, shift the odds ratio one column right for each attacking Level, and one column left for each defending Level. Cadre Levels are as follows:

US UnitsNational Guard: 1Regular Army, Marine Corps: 2

CW UnitsVolunteer: 0NPAM: 1Permanent Force, BEF: 2

8.1.3 High or low Morale: the attacking player shifts the final odds ratio one column right if his Morale is currently 16 or more, and one column left if it is 4 or less.

8.1.4 Defender's Terrain: If the defending player's units are occupying a city or wooded hills, or if all attacking units are attacking across river hexsides, the odds ratio is shifted 2 columns left. If the defending player’s units are in a town or woods hex, then the odds ratio is shifted 1 column left. Units normally cannot attack across lake hexsides but they can if they are traversed by a railroad line, through that hexside only, with the odds ratio shifted 2 columns left. Note that column shifts for terrain are cumulative - so attacking into a city hex across a bridged lake hexside would shift the odds ratio 4 columns left! Armour AP may not attack into a woods or wooded hills hex unless they are doing so along a railroad that leads into the hex.

8.1.5 Air AP: are kept in the “Ready” compartment of the Air Holding Box of a map until used. They can be used to support any attack or defence on the associated map, and may be used only once in a Game-turn. No more than 2 Air AP may be used in a single attack or defence. Each Air AP gives a +1 DRM on attack, or a -1 on defence. If an unadjusted "6" is rolled on the die, one or both sides eliminate 1 Air AP, if any on that side were involved in the battle. After use, place the Air AP in the “Used” compartment of the Air Holding Box (don’t forget to return them to the “Ready” compartment in the Recovery Phase).

8.1.6 Armour and Artillery AP: form part of a stack of attacking units. A stack that is composed entirely of AP may not attack and is automatically eliminated if attacked. Not all AP in a stack may be “effective”: each AP can support one unit in the stack on attack or defense, and any excess AP are not counted; also, AP must be in supply (10.0) to have any effect at all. Each effective Armour AP or Artillery gives a +1 DRM on attack, and each Artillery AP gives a -1 DRM on defense. Armour AP must be lost as part of Required Losses if they are used to generate DRM (8.2.5).

8.1.7 Zero AF Units: Units with an AF of zero may not participate in attacks and therefore do not contribute to the attacking player’s Cadre Level (but they do contribute to the defending player`s Cadre Level). They may not be eliminated to satisfy the Required Losses rule (8.2.5).

8.1.8 Isolation. If the attacker has units in or adjacent to all six hexes adjacent to the defender’s hex, and there are no other units friendly to the defender adjacent to the defending units, then the defender is Isolated. The odds ratio is shifted one column right and the defending units will Desert (8.2.7) if an “E” result is rolled. Units in towns and cities cannot be Isolated.

8.2 Combat ResultsMost results on the CRTs consist of two numbers separated by a slash. The left number applies to the attacker; the right to the defender. Players will apply their combat results in a combination of losses and retreats, as described below, up to the total indicated. The attacker always applies his results before the defender. There are also several “letter” results on the CRT. Follow the instructions in the Combat Results Key to apply them.

8.2.1 Unit Losses: Removing an AP or cadre size unit counts as “one” towards the total required, as does flipping a battalion to its cadre side. A brigade takes losses by breaking down into 3 battalions (picked randomly from the Force Unit Pool of the same force), then reducing 1 of the battalions to its cadre side (if there are not enough battalions in the Force Unit Pool when a brigade breaks down due to losses, too bad – take however many are available). Place eliminated battalions in the Force Unit Pool, from which they may be reclaimed by reinforcement points.

Be sure to keep a record of the total AF lost from battalions being flipped on scratch paper, in order to calculate how many replacements you get in the following turn’s Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase (6.3). Also, if a brigade takes losses and breaks down during the Combat Phase, the owning player may finish the Phase overstacked, and certain units may have to be disrupted at the end of the Phase.

8.2.2 Retreats: Retreating all defending units one hex will count as “one” loss towards the total required. The units do not have to all retreat to the same hex. Units may not retreat more than two hexes. The attacker may not retreat unless he has taken at least one unit loss. Units may not retreat through enemy units.

8.2.3 Disruption: All units that retreat are disrupted at the end of their retreat. Units may also be disrupted by overstacking. Mark these units with a DISRPT marker (players may make more of these if

they run out). Disrupted units cannot attack, receive replacements, conduct Railroad Movement or move between maps until they Recover (see 10.0). They also defend at half their DF (round fractions up). They are not affected by further disruptions. A disrupted unit that takes losses remains disrupted. HQ units lose all their special abilities while they are disrupted. Asset Points are never disrupted.

8.2.4 Extreme Odds Ratios: The odds-ratio columns on the DRT go from 1:3 to 5:1. Attacks at less than 1:3 odds, after taking into account all column shifts, are not allowed. Attacks at greater than 5:1 odds are resolved on that column, but at the attacker’s option, the defender’s combat result can be increased by 1, or the attacker’s reduced by 1, for each notional odds column above this limit (so for example, a 7:1 attack would be resolved on the 5:1 column, but the defender’s result would be increased by 2, or the attacker’s by 2, or 1 of each).

8.2.5 Required Losses If the attacker claimed a DRM or odds

ratio shift for Cadre Levels or Armour AP, or rolled his attack on the Shock CRT, then at least one loss he incurs must come from the troops or Armour used to claim it. Clarification: In the case of a BBX result, where players may remove units in several successive exchanges, this need be observed only once.

Any time a “6" is rolled on the die (before adjustments), one Air AP is lost by the player or players who used them in that battle.

This rule does not apply if the defender took all his losses as retreats.

8.2.6 Disasters. If a player removed units equal to 3 or more losses (as defined in 8.2.1 but not counting AP) in satisfying an Elimination (E) or Defender Panics (DP!) result, he also loses 1 Morale point. Also, note that losing an HQ unit will also lose you Morale (see Morale Level Adjustments Summary).

8.2.7 Desertion. Units removed will Desert in the following circumstances: the player removing units has a

Morale Level of 4 or less; All defending units in a “E” result if

they were Isolated, regardless of the player’s current Morale;

All defending units in a “DP!” result, regardless of the player’s current Morale;

Deserting units are removed from the game: they may not be rebuilt, and their AF loss is not counted for replacement points.

8.3 Advance After Combat and Breakthrough AttacksIf all units in the defending stack have been removed or retreated, the attacker must decide immediately if he wants to advance into the defender’s hex. If so, attacking units may move into the hex, up to the stacking limit permitted by the terrain there. Artillery AP and HQ units may not advance after combat.

8.3.1 Breakthrough Attacks: If all defending units were removed due to losses, the attacker may advance into the hex and then must decide immediately if he wants to conduct a Breakthrough Attack. If so, all Armour AP in the attacking forces plus one battalion or brigade for each AP (maximum) from the units that advanced into the hex may immediately carry out a second attack on another adjacent hex. This hex may be an empty one, in which case the units may automatically advance into it. A maximum of one Air AP may be added to support the attacking units, if available.

Slightly Contrived Combat Example: The US player is planning to take the town of St. Jean with two stacks of units: one of 2 US National Guard battalions (a 3-4 and a 3-3) and one of a 3-3 Regular Army battalion plus one Armour AP. The stacks may attack together, since there is a handy HQ unit within three hexes of both stacks. (If this were not so, the stacks would attack separately and at half AF due to being out of supply.) The town is defended by one 3-2 NPAM battalion and one 0-2 Volunteer cadre. The players total their AF and DF: (3+3+3=) 9 US AF to (2+2=) 4 CW DF. The initial odds column is therefore 2-1. It is shifted down to 3-2 due to the town. The US player shift up to 3-1 due to the Regular Army Cadre Level of 2 is lowered to 2-1 by the NPAM unit’s Cadre Level of 1. Neither side has high or low Morale, and the US player does not have enough shock-capable AF to roll on the Shock CRT (one Armour AP out of four total units). The US player rolls a 2 on the Standard CRT, +1 for the Armour AP gives a 3, and the result is BBX. The US player must flip the Regular Army battalion to its 0-1 cadre side since it was used to claim a column shift (Required Losses 8.2.5) , and it is at least equal to the weakest defending unit's DF of 2 (he cannot remove the Armour AP since it is worth only one AF

in a BBX). The CW player must now match the attacker’s 3 AF loss with at least as many DF, so he removes both CW units, flipping the NPAM battalion to its 0-1 cadre side. The CW player could now retreat one hex, thus ending the BBX, but he wants to bleed the US player for the town. The US player could also stop now, but he wants the town so he reduces the 3-3 National Guard battalion, flipping it to its 0-1 cadre (he also could have removed the Armour AP, since the weakest defending unit has only 1 DF). The CW player must remove the NPAM cadre, and the US player advances into St. Jean with the remaining National Guard battalion, 2 cadres, and the Armour AP. The US player may also now make a Breakthrough Attack on an adjacent hex with the battalion and Armour AP because all defenders were removed due to losses; he chooses a vacant hex northwest of St. Jean and advances into it.

9.0 RECOVERY PHASE

In the Recovery Phase, both players: Examine the map and adjust Morale as indicated

on the Morale Level Adjustments Summary for any towns and cities that have changed hands during the turn, or if all US HQ units are out of supply.

Roll 1d6 for each of their units that are currently Disrupted. A unit recovers on an adjusted roll of "6" or more. See the Recovery Table in the Charts and Tables.

Return all Air AP from the “Used” compartment of the Air Holding Box to the “Ready” compartment.

Finally, advance the Game Turn marker one box on the Turn Record Track – unless it is the end of the tenth turn, in which case the game ends and victory is judged. See 12.0.

10.0 SUPPLY RULES

Units need supplies to function at their full capacity.

10.1 In Supply

Units are "in supply" under the following circumstances: If the unit is a HQ unit, it is able to trace a path

of hexes clear of enemy units no longer than its Command Radius to a chain of connected railroad hexes that is itself clear of enemy units and extends back to a railroad hex that is both on the edge of the map and within the borders of his

home country (the United States or Canada), or to a town or city hex that is under his control and adjacent to a friendly naval unit. It may also draw supply if it is in a coastal hex and adjacent to a friendly naval unit.

If the unit is a US or a CW non-Volunteer unit, it is within the Command Radius of a friendly HQ unit that is itself in supply and is able to trace a path of hexes clear of enemy units to the HQ unit. It may also draw supply if it is in a coastal hex and adjacent to a friendly naval unit.

CW Volunteer units are always in supply.

10.2 Out of SupplySupply status is judged at the beginning of the phase in which it matters under the circumstances, e.g. at the beginning of the Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase for units wanting to build up or break down, or at the beginning of the Combat or Counterattack Phases for units wishing to attack. A unit that is not in supply moves normally, defends at full DF but attacks at half its AF (round up). Armour and Artillery APs that are not in supply have no effect. Units and AP are never eliminated solely for being out of supply. A HQ unit that is not in supply cannot have reinforcements enter at its hex but can still coordinate units taking replacements (6.3) and multi-hex attacks (8.11).

11.0 NAVAL UNITS

The US player begins the game with one naval unit on the East map, representing part of the Atlantic Fleet. It sets up with three Marine Corps battalions (either separate or as one brigade) and one Marine Corps HQ aboard it; up to two Regular Army battalions or AP may also set up aboard. During the game, other elements of the United States Navy or a portion of the British Royal Navy may enter due to Random Events, or a naval unit may be chosen in place of an AP. Naval units appear in any sea or coastal hex, but only on the East map: naval units never appear on the West map. A naval unit may move through any number of sea hexes in an Operations Segment where the owning player has chosen to conduct movement (either mode). It can give a +1 DRM on the attack or a -1 DRM on the defence, like an Artillery AP, in a Combat Operations Segment if it is adjacent to the hex being attacked. It may never be removed to satisfy losses in ground combat.

11.1 Naval CombatNaval units may fight if they are in adjacent hexes. Each player rolls 1d6 in any Combat Operations Segment (neither fleet may give fire support to land units

while doing this). If one player scores 3 spots higher than the other player, the loser’s fleet is removed from the map for two turns (it will reappear in the Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase two turns later). If one player scores 4 or 5 spots higher, then the loser’s fleet is eliminated. It may not be replaced.

11.2 Amphibious movementA naval unit may “carry” up to 6 battalions if the owning player spends reinforcement points to put them there in the Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase. HQ and Artillery AP may also be carried: each HQ or AP equals 1 battalion against this capacity. A brigade counts as 3 battalions. The units can be landed on any one coastal hex in an Overland Movement Segment (they may not move any further during that Segment) and remain in supply as long as the fleet counter is adjacent to them. Units may be landed on any vacant coastal hexes that are occupied by or adjacent to the naval unit in the Movement Segment: only 1 battalion may be landed in a coastal hex that does not contain a town or city, but any number of units (up to the stacking limit in the hex) may be landed in a coastal hex that does. Landed units may not move any further during the Movement Segment they land, and are judged to be in supply on the turn that they land. The naval unit may move before or after landing units, but may move only once.

11.3 Naval Exclusion ZoneDue to minefields and coastal artillery batteries not otherwise represented in the game, US naval units may not appear in or move to sea or coastal hexes FIVE or fewer hexes away from any Halifax city hex (marked on map with pecked line).

12.0 HOW TO WIN

The game ends and players judge victory at the end of the tenth turn, or if one player resigns (13.2), or if the end of the game is triggered by the “Deus Ex Machina” random event. Victory is determined by counting who controls the most town and city hexes. A town or city hex counts for victory if a hypothetical HQ unit belonging to that player in that location would be in supply. Remember also that the US player must actually occupy a Canadian hex to claim control of it. The side with higher Morale wins ties. If one player controls more, but less

than twice as many, hexes than the other, he wins a Marginal Victory.

If one player controls twice to up to three times as many hexes than the other, he wins an Impressive Victory.

If one player controls three times as many or more hexes than the other, he wins a Smashing Victory.

12.1 Sudden Death VictoryThe game immediately ends with a Smashing Victory for the US player, if, in the Recovery Phase of any turn, US units occupy all city hexes on both maps and no CW units are adjacent to any of these hexes.

12.2 Player ResignationA player may resign the game at the end of the Recovery Phase of any of their player turns, if their current Morale is less than the other player’s. The game ends and players determine victory.

13.0 SETTING UP THE GAME

Both players first divide their counters into their respective Force Unit Pools, dividing the pools further into battalion and brigade size units. Set the AP and DISRPT markers aside for common use. Players then pick randomly the number of units indicated from the Force Unit Pools and deploy them on the map as described on the Setup Chart. The CW player sets up first. Where a force is indicated as having AP, the owning player may choose any combination of Air, Armour or Artillery AP. Brigades noted in the Setup Chart may set up already broken down into battalions, but not vice versa. Finally, to determine their beginning Morale levels both players roll 2d6 independently of each other, and add 6 to the roll (giving a starting Morale of between 8 and 18).

13.1 The First TurnThere is no Random Event or Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase in the first turn. The US player is always the first player to conduct an Operations Segment (pick a US Operations Chit deliberately from the Randomizer). All US units are considered to be in supply for the entire first turn, no matter what the circumstances.

14.0 OPTIONAL RULES AND VARIATIONS

Any or all of these may be used to try and bring a bit more balance or challenge to the game, or just to clutter things up with chrome.

14.1 Poison GasThe US player may be permitted to use poison gas if the appropriate random event is rolled. He may use gas either tactically or strategically. He rolls 1d6 and halves the result (round fractions down). If he is

using gas tactically, this is the total number of ground attacks in which he may roll on the Shock CRT, regardless of the actual nature of the forces involved in the attack. If strategically, then his long-range bomber aircraft (not represented in the game) are assumed to carry out a terror raid on Ottawa or Toronto and the CW Morale Level is lowered by that number. (Yes, apparently there were plans to do this.)

14.2 Experimental Mechanized Brigades (EMB)Between the wars, both Britain and the United States experimented with different types of mechanized units, trying to find the proper balance of men and tanks.

14.2.1 Forming/disbanding an EMB: Either player may create EMB in any Reinforcement/Replacement Phase (players may also form EMB before the start of the game). The player removes 2 US Regular Army or BEF battalions (or spends 2 reinforcement points from the appropriate force) and 1 Armour AP from his in-supply units and places the EMB with any in-supply HQ unit. The player may also, if he wishes, disband an EMB into its constituent units in any Reinforcement/ Replacement Phase.

14.2.2 EMB variable effects: The first time a player forms an EMB, he rolls 1d6 three times on the EMB Chart, once for each column. Make a note of the results. Any other EMB formed by that player will have those effects during the game. The player rolls: first to see whether any attack in which the EMB

participates may be rolled on the Shock CRT no matter what the proportion of other forces involved (result is “yes” or “no”);

then to see with what DRM the Shock Attack is made (if he rolls "no" the first time, he does not roll to see the DRM but the EMB is still a shock-capable unit in figuring ratios); and

a third time to see whether the EMB may always conduct a Breakthrough Attack on its own if the enemy player vacated the hex, whether through losses or retreats.

14.2.3 EMB limitations: An EMB may not enter or attack into a woods or wooded hills hex unless it does so along a railroad leading into the hex. Two or more EMB attacking together do not combine their DRM: only one brigade can claim it. An EMB is susceptible to the Required Losses rule: if it must take losses it breaks down into its component units (2 battalions and 1 Armour AP) and them remove or flip units appropriately. An EMB that is out of supply, in addition to attacking at half its AF, loses all its variable effects as described in 14.2.2 until it is in supply once again.

14.3 Game Variations

14.3.1 Stronger Marine Corps and More Naval Commitment: Give the US player a second naval unit on the East Map at start, and allow the US player a choice of taking a Marine Corps reinforcement instead of an AP when he is due to receive one.

14.3.2 More forces: This assumes there was a certain period of tension and extended mobilization before actual hostilities broke out. The CW player adds 1BEF brigade (whole or broken into 3 BEF battalions) and 2 AP of any types to his initial forces, set up anywhere in Canadian territory. The US player adds 2 National Guard regiments to his initial forces, so he sets up with all 8 National Guard regiments. Players can also raise the rate of Volunteer or NPAM reinforcement points for further play balance adjustment in favour of the CW player.

14.3.3 More Historical Situation: In ‘our’ timeline, both armies were professional but tiny and had little depth; this variation assumes little or no rearmament or mobilization by either country. The US player sets up with 1 division of US Army Regular units (that is, 4 infantry regiments, 3 machine gun battalions, 1 HQ and 2 Artillery AP), 6 AP (2 each of the 3 types), 1 US naval unit and the Marine Corps brigade (3 Marine Corps battalions and the HQ). No Canadian NPAM units set up at start, and there should be only 1 Air AP available. BEF units do not enter the game (but Royal Navy units may). US National Guard units do not enter the game at all - Volunteer units too, if you are mean-spirited and consider that there probably weren’t enough rifles and ammunition available to make them more than patriotic roadblocks. This won't make much of a game but you can see some of the liberties the designer has taken with the balance of forces.

15.0 DESIGNER’S NOTES

Obviously, this game is an exploration of ‘alternate history’, for in reality these two countries had and continue to have very cordial relations. Here is one possible ‘alternate’ timeline that might give rise to a situation like this:

In 1933-34, the “American Freedom Lobby”, a cabal of wealthy businessmen threatened by Roosevelt’s New Deal economic policies, infiltrates a faction of the Democratic Party and uses the American Legion to manipulate thousands of embittered veterans into forming local paramilitary associations. In late 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt is gently moved aside from the Presidency on grounds of ill health while retired General Hugh S. Johnson, as “Secretary of General Affairs,” assumes executive power.

Leftists and populist political organizations, riven by factionalism, cannot resist this coup d’etat in all but name and the United States comes to resemble an Italian-style Fascist state. Continuing economic troubles lead the new leadership to the belief that rearming and expanding the American military will kick-start the economy, and that a revitalized Army could be used in a short sharp campaign against Canada to seize its abundant material resources and manufacturing capacity.

If you think the above is utter fantasy, you should read the non-fiction book The Plot to Seize the White House by Jules Archer, which describes just such a plot by the "American Liberty League" (the plotters had tight connections with the Du Pont, Morgan, Rockefeller and Mellon families, and had the whistle blown on them by retired Marine General Smedley Butler, whom they had approached to serve as leader of the veteran's army). For a fictional treatment, read It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. It is also historical fact that the United States Army did make plans to invade Canada, in the context of the ‘Rainbow’ war plans where potential enemy countries were referenced by colours (Japan was orange, Britain red, and Canada crimson - whence the title of the game). In most cases these Rainbow plans were created, studied and maintained in order to keep staff officers sharp, but the strategic priorities of an actual plan submitted for consideration in 1935 (seizing Halifax and Montreal in a quick campaign before Britain could intervene decisively) are the obvious ones and have been used as the basic framework for the action in this game. Finally, in August of 1935 over 36,000 Regular Army and National Guard troops - elements of five divisions - maneuvered under the First Army in wargames that extended over all of northern New York state, backed up by 15,000 more National Guardsmen conducting corps-level operations in Pennsylvania. Could these maneuvers possibly have become the prelude to an actual invasion, as so many Warsaw-Pact-invades-Germany wargames and scenarios have begun?

If you find yourself in fundamental disagreement with this hypothetical turn of events, for indeed a corporate-fascist government could NEVER come to power in the United States, and America would NEVER use its armed forces against a nearly defenceless country just to seize and hold control of its resources, then try thinking along these even weirder lines. Imagine that an isolationist Britain does not rearm in the late 1930s and does not automatically find itself at war with Germany when the latter invades Poland in summer 1939. When the Royal Navy fails to keep the English Channel secure the following summer after the fall of France, the Germans launch Operation Sea Lion, defeat the

British Army and replace the government with collaborators. President Roosevelt receives secret information that Canada (whose Prime Minister Mackenzie King met and was favourably impressed by Hitler before the war) is apparently being drawn into a tight economic and political union with the new “United Protectorates” and will allow UP military and naval units, with their German advisor staffs, to establish bases on Canadian soil “in the interests of common defence”. He decides on a pre-emptive strike on Halifax, the most important ice-free port on Canada’s east coast, and Montreal, another vital port and the chokepoint for all traffic moving in or out of central Canada, in order to deny the Axis a foothold in North America.

ORDER OF BATTLE NOTES

The following gives more information on the possible units that could have been involved in such a campaign.

Commonwealth Forces

British Expeditionary Force: This is assumed to be most of the 3rd Infantry Division, then commanded by General Bernard Montgomery. It consists of: 7 Infantry Brigade, composed of 1st Battalion

Suffolk, 2nd Battalion East York, and 2nd Battalion Gloucester Regiments;

8 Infantry Brigade, composed of 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire, 1st Battalion King`s Own Scottish Borderers and 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Regiments.

Armour and Artillery Asset Points that accompany them would be drawn from divisional field artillery regiments, 2nd Medium Regiment and elements of the 1st Army Tank Brigade.

Canadian Permanent Force: Historically, two elements of the Royal Canadian Regiment were located at Montreal and Halifax. The Royal 22nd Regiment, stationed at Quebec City, will enter the game later as a reinforcement.

Non-Permanent Active Militia: Military District 4, headquartered in Montreal, and the Military District 6, headquartered in Halifax, have been given two divisional HQ units to represent the logistical, signals and other service units that would serve to support the combat units in operations. Armour and especially Artillery Asset Points are assumed to be composites of the various small motorized cavalry and artillery units.

Military Districts 1, 2 and 3, located in southern Ontario, are assumed to be pinned down defending

their own areas against threatened moves across the Niagara River or the Great Lakes; Military District 5, headquartered in Quebec City, would be doing the same to defend the approaches to the St. Lawrence.

Military District 4 commanded the following main combat units: 10 Infantry Brigade: Les Fusiliers de

Sherbrooke, Le Regiment de St. Hyacinthe, The Sherbrooke Regiment (Machine Gun)

11 Infantry Brigade: Le Regiment de Joliette, Le Regiment de Maisonneuve, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, Le Regiment de Chateauguay (Machine Gun)

12 Infantry Brigade: 1st and 2nd Battalions, Royal Highland Regiment of Canada (The Black Watch), The Victoria Rifles of Canada, The Canadian Grenadier Guards, The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun)

Also included are 6th and 17th Royal Canadian Hussars, cavalry units operating in dismounted mode

Military District 6 commanded the following main combat units: 17 Infantry Brigade: The Halifax Rifles, The

West Nova Scotia Regiment, The Princess Louise Fusiliers (Machine Gun)

18 Infantry Brigade: The Cape Breton Highlanders, The Pictou Highlanders, The Prince Edward Island Highlanders, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Machine Gun)

Volunteers: These units would consist of an assortment of paramilitary groups, e.g. local Rifle Associations, Canadian Officer Training Corps units from universities and colleges, the Legion of Frontiersmen, private citizens organized by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other police forces, farmers with shotguns, etc.. Their ability to appear in the rear of the American advance is potentially valuable.

United States Forces

National Guard: The majority of US combat forces in the game are assumed to be federalized National Guardsmen, who could be quickly and cheaply mobilized for what was thought to be a swift campaign. They are assumed to consist of two infantry divisions, still using the old World War One “square” pattern of two infantry brigades, each made up of two infantry regiments (each regiment contains three infantry battalions).

The 27th Division was known as the “New York Division” in World War One. It drew its men from New York and New Jersey, and is assumed to be

composed of the same infantry regiments as in that war (105, 106, 107 and 108 Infantry Regiments). The Division also includes 3 machine gun battalions (historically, the 104, 105 and 106).

The 44th Division was a National Guard division created in 1920. It drew on units from Delaware, New York and New Jersey. It is composed of the 71, 113, 114, and 174 Infantry Regiments.

Regular Army: The 1st Infantry Division (“The Big Red One”) was then located in New York as part of the Second Corps Area of First Army. It is composed of the 16, 18, 26 and 28 Infantry Regiments, with 3 machine gun battalions (1, 2 and 3). Most of the Artillery Asset Points would be from this unit or other field regiments in the corps area, and Armour Asset Points are assumed to come from the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized) and the Experimental Mechanized Force from Fort Knox, Kentucky.

United States Marine Corps: The Provisional Marine Brigade is mainly composed of the three battalions of the 5th Marine Regiment, plus other small units to form and support a landing force.

GAME CREDITS

Design: Brian TrainDevelopment: Brian TrainSuggestions: Joe MirandaGraphics: John CooperProduction: Mary Russell