A reaction describes a situation where a unit’s order and subsequent action can potentially trigger a response from the opposing side. These reactions interrupt the normal turn sequence. Exactly how they work depends upon the situation as described in this rules section. Remember, reactions are always made in response to actions resulting from an order. A unit cannot react to another unit’s reaction, nor to movement or shooting that takes place in any other circumstances – for example, defensive fire that takes place during an assault, or consolidation moves at the conclusion of close quarter fighting.
The reaction rules introduce a layer of additional complexity to the game, offering many interesting tactical possibilities. However, they take some getting used to. It is therefore a good idea for players to familiarise themselves with the basics of game play before attempting to use the reaction rules.
A unit can attempt a reaction if it has no order or, in some situations, if it has an Ambush order. A unit that already has an order other than Ambush cannot attempt a reaction. Units with an Ambush order are treated slightly differently to units that have no order, so we’ll deal with Ambushing units separately for ease of explanation (see here).
When a unit wishes to make a reaction it must take a reaction test. If the test is passed the unit makes the reaction. If the test is failed it does not make the reaction and receives a pin marker. There is therefore a risk of not only failing to react, but of suffering a pin to represent the unit falling into confusion over conflicting orders and threats.
As an exception to the necessity for a reaction test, if a unit wishes to make a go down reaction it does not need to make a test. This is comparable to a unit making a Down action following a Down order – in both cases no test is required.
All reaction tests are made the same way. Roll a 2D6 and compare the result to the unit’s morale value, modified by pin markers as normal. The unit’s modified morale value is therefore its morale with a –1 penalty for each pin marker on the unit.
If the dice score is equal to or less than the unit’s modified morale value, the test is passed. If the score is more than the unit’s modified morale value, the test is failed. If the test is passed it can react as described.
If a unit makes a reaction, then an order dice is drawn from the dice bag and given to the unit. Every reaction is equivalent to one of the orders on the dice as explained in the description of the reaction. If a unit fails to react then it suffers a pin marker, but it does not receive an order dice and is therefore free to be given an order later in the turn, or to attempt to react to another enemy unit at some later point.
A unit that is targeted by enemy shooting can react by going down. This happens when the shooting player declares his target and before measuring range and rolling ‘to hit’. The player whose unit is being shot at declares his unit is going down. The unit is immediately given a Down order. Take an order dice from the dice bag and place it by the unit with the Down side uppermost to show that it has gone down. No reaction test is required for a unit to go down.
A unit that has been successfully assaulted by an enemy can react by shooting as the enemy approach. Make the test as soon as the enemy has successfully moved into the assault, or moved after failing to make contact in the assault. If successful, this gives the unit a Fire order and enables it to shoot the assaulters before moving on to close quarters combat. Place a Fire order by the unit. Calculate the unit’s defensive fire as normal shooting, removing casualties from the assaulting unit, adding any necessary pin marker and making a morale check where necessary. Note that heavy weapons and vehicle must be able to target the assaulting enemy in their fire arcs as normal.
Once this is resolved, the assaulting unit can continue its assault as per the close quarters section of the rules, assuming it has not been wiped out or broken.
A unit that has been assaulted by an enemy can react by making an immediate Run move to try to place itself out of reach. This reaction has to be made before the assaulting unit moves, when the opposing player announces the unit will make an assault.
If a unit makes a successful escape reaction it immediately gets a Run order. Take a dice from the dice bag and give the unit a Run order. The unit must make a Run move that puts as much distance between it and the assaulting enemy as possible. In other words it must run away from the enemy in so far as it can. The escaping unit can skirt round any terrain, or obstacles, that would potentially slow it down so long as the resulting movement takes it consistently away from the assaulting enemy.
Once the escaping unit has made its move, the assaulting unit must complete its move in so far as it can, as described in the Assault rules here. If the escaping unit hasn’t moved far enough to get out of the way of its enemy, then the assault happens anyway. In this case, the escaping unit cannot conduct point blank fire because it is too busy trying to escape. If an escaping unit escapes through a friendly unit, the assaulters conduct an assault against this new unit if their move brings them into contact.
Important! Remember that it is not permitted to make a reaction against a unit that is making an escape. Reactions can only be made where units are taking actions resulting from orders they have been given.
A unit that is shot at by an enemy unit with a Fire order at ranges up to 20” can react by shooting back. This shooting takes place simultaneously with enemy fire, so both units shoot at full effect before both remove casualties and make any consequent morale checks.
Make the reaction test as soon as the enemy range is measured and before rolling ‘to hit’. If a unit successfully reacts, it immediately gets a Fire order. Take a dice from the dice bag and give the unit a Fire order. Resolve the Fire action simultaneously with the enemy.
In the case of weapons that have a minimum range, the enemy must be at a range that would normally allow weapons to fire. Note that there is no additional restriction on what type of weapons can engage in a firefight, e.g. indirect fire weapons can take part in a firefight if they could otherwise shoot at the target.
A unit that has been shot at by an enemy unit with a Fire order at ranges greater than 20” can react by running to cover, either to place itself out of the line of sight of the shooters, behind intervening terrain or within cover, or at longer range.
This reaction has to be made before the enemy unit shoots, once the opposing player announces the enemy unit will fire at the target and the range has been measured. Note that units can’t make a run to cover reaction from indirect fire. If fired at by a mix of direct and indirect fire a run to cover reaction is allowed.
If a unit successfully reacts, it immediately gets a Run order. Take a dice from the dice bag and give the unit a Run order. The unit makes an immediate Run action before the enemy shoots. This move can be in any direction as long as it places the unit either into or behind cover, or behind intervening terrain or an obstacle, or out of sight of, or further away from the enemy unit shooting at it.
A unit moving into or behind cover does not have to get the entire unit to cover, so long as at least one model can reach cover. A unit running to cover cannot make an assault as it does so; however, the move can potentially bring the unit closer to enemy units.
Important! It is not permitted to make a further reaction against a unit that is making a run to cover reaction. Remember, reactions can only be made where units are issued orders.
M8 Grizzly
Ambushing units are treated somewhat differently to other units when it comes to making a reaction. A unit with an Ambush order can attempt any of the standard reactions already described as if it had no order. It must still take a reaction test as explained already. A unit with an Ambush order can also make a special Ambush reaction as described below.
A unit with an Ambush order can attempt any of the standard reactions already described in the same way as a unit with no order. With the exception of a Down order, a reaction test is required to carry out any other reaction as normal. If the test is successful the Ambushing unit’s order dice is turned to show the appropriate order for the reaction, for example a Run order in the case of a run to cover. If the test is failed the Ambushing unit takes a pin and its order does not change – it stays on Ambush. This means that an Ambushing unit that fails to make one of the standard reactions already described is still on Ambush and it can potentially make a further reaction later in the turn. However, it cannot react (or carry out its Ambush) to the same enemy action – it has had its chance to act and failed.
A unit with an Ambush order can react by shooting at an enemy unit that moves within its field of fire with either a Run or Advance order, and which presents a target as it does so. An Ambushing unit can shoot at any convenient point during the enemy unit’s movement; for example, once it has moved from cover, or as it moves into a closer range band.
Where an ambushed unit is making an advance, shots from the ambushers are worked out and any resulting pin added before shots from the ambushed unit are worked out. If the ambush triggers a morale check this must be resolved before the ambushed unit shoots.
A unit with an Ambush order cannot make an ambush reaction against an enemy that has successfully assaulted it, although it could attempt a stand and shoot or escape reaction.
A unit with an Ambush order can make an ambush reaction against an enemy unit that is assaulting another unit. If it does so, the ambush reaction must be made before any point blank shooting during the assault itself, either before or after any reaction from the unit being assaulted.
If an ambushing unit passes its reaction test, work out shooting as if the ambushers had a Fire order and changes its order die to Fire. If an Ambushing unit fails its reaction test, a pin marker is added but the unit retains its Ambush order, allowing it to attempt another Ambush later in the turn.
As an exception to the above rule, a weapon team with a heavy weapon can only attempt one Ambush in a turn and its order dice is always turned to Fire once it has done so. However, a reaction test is still required, and failure results the unit missing its opportunity to fire and it receives a pin marker as usual.
Soviet infantry play a deadly game in attempting to ambush German Schreckwulfen.
