Phoenix Command Basic Miniatures Rules v.001

Based upon the Terminator 2: Year of Darkness Miniatures Combat System published and Copyright 1994 by Leading Edge Games.

Phoenix Command Miniatures v.001

Modern miniatures adventure and military gaming.  

Introduction:

Phoenix Command Miniatures is based upon the Phoenix Command Small Arms Combat System, published by Leading Edge Games. Although these two games share a certain pedigree, there are some very significant differences.

One of the last products released by Leading Edge Games before the company ceased operations was the Terminator 2 Year of Darkness Miniatures Game. This presented a stripped-down Phoenix Command ruleset and matched humans against terminator robots. Similar game mechanics were presented in the Aliens Boardgame, which allowed players to battle between miniatures of Colonial Marines and Alien warriors. Though never released, a Living Steel miniatures variant code-named “Blasteroo” supposedly adopted a similar rules design. The emphasis on these three incarnations of Phoenix Command Miniatures rules was playability and speed. Though not as complex as the flagship Phoenix Command rules, the miniatures rules carried their own flavour, and tried to expose a wider audience to the Leading Edge rules systems.

This latest incarnation of Phoenix Command Miniatures builds upon the foundations of the Aliens, Terminator 2, and Blasteroo rules, while still cleaving to the standards set by the Phoenix Command Small Arms Combat System.

So, why rewrite a simplified combat system for miniatures?

While Phoenix Command Small Arms Combat System works quite well as a miniatures game, it is at its core a very complex system based completely around small arms ballistics. It is designed for the player who wants the perfect simulation of small arms combat on the tabletop, taking into account every detail. Its modular ruleset allows for easy expandability and modification by allowing new rules to be layered on the core mechanics. The degree of realism offered by Phoenix Command is phenomenal.

Phoenix Command Miniatures, on the other hand, chooses simplicity in an attempt to be more accessible to a wider array of players without sacrificing the degree of realism which is a hallmark of all Phoenix Command games. The Miniatures System allows the players to set up and start playing a game faster, and play through a game faster still.

Additionally, where things happen on the miniatures table very quickly, players can soon find the situation getting away from them if they fail to make sound tactical decisions. Just as in reality, dealing with a rapidly developing tactical situation can be a crucial element in command.

Where the Small Arms Combat System focuses on simulating the decisions of individuals on a battlefield, the Miniatures System instead focuses on the decisions faced by commanders in small unit engagements. Initiative and morale rules take the centre stage here, and commanders must learn to deal with these human factors in shepherding their units towards their objectives.

The Miniatures rules are presented in stages, to allow new players to learn the rules in easily digestible chunks. The first few sections deal with infantry operations, with armor, artillery, and air support being added in later sections. A subsequent rules set will add in special weapons, animals, and other battlefield elements.

Chapter 1. Setup

1.0 Scale and Dice Rolls

Ground scale for 20 to 25mm miniatures is 1 inch equals 2 metres.

One figure model represents a single combatant. One vehicle model represents one vehicle.

All dice rolls require a ten-sided die that will generate a number from 0 to 9. The 0 is read as zero, rather than 10 as is sometimes the practice in other games.

1.1 Definitions

Actions: A combatant performs actions on the battlefield. In the game these actions typically consist of movement, weapons fire, or melee combat. Actions are typically only performed through the use of command points by a combatants fire team, but in certain cases, actions can be performed independently of the use of command points.

Active Combatant: An active combatant is one who is in the midst of battle. In game terms, this means a combatant who:

1. did not perform actions in the Strategic Movement phase (does not include actions performed in interrupts), and
2. is not panicked or incapacitated.

Activation: A unit can be activated once in a turn. An activated unit can either expend accumulated CP by performing actions such as movement or firing, or it can perform no actions and instead accumulate another CP. A unit which chooses to accumulate another CP is assumed to be engaged in planning and coordinating their next move.

Armour PF: Armour Protection Factor. All Armour and Cover has a Protection Factor, which determines whether a weapon can go through the armour to strike the target behind it. If the weapon's PEN exceeds the Armour PF by more than 3, the weapon penetrates and can cause injury to the target. If the PEN is equal to or exceeds the Armour PF by 3 or less, then the weapon glances and has a reduced chance of injury. Finally, if the PEN is less than the Armour PF, the weapon does not penetrate and does not cause damage.

Breveting: When a unit's leader is killed or incapacitated, a new leader is automatically appointed or breveted from the remainder of the unit. The new leader must spend CP to reorganize the unit, and has a CP rating one less than that of the previous leader. If the CP of the newly appointed leader would be 0 or less, then the unit is broken and cannot brevet a new leader. The broken unit must retreat.

Broken Units: A broken unit has been routed through morale failure. The unit members are considered panicked, and must move back to their forming up point during strategic movement.

Combatant: A combatant is a single figure representing a soldier, police officer, or adversary.

Command Check: A Command Check is a die roll to determine whether a unit’s leader maintains control over his troops. A 0-9 roll is made for each figure in the unit other than the leader, and the roll is compared to the Command Check Target. The Command Check Target is the sum of the Troop Quality of the Figure and his Leader’s Command Rating. If the 0-9 roll is less than or equal to the Command Check Target, the Command Check is successful.

Command Distance: A leader can only exert command and control over troops within a certain distance. As such, only a leader’s troops within his command distance can be subject to the leader’s expenditure of command points. 

Command Points or CP: A unit leader generates command points through time spent planning. Command points allow the leader’s combat team to perform actions on the battlefield. Combat teams that are out of command points are considered disorganized.

Command Rating: A measure of a leader’s planning and motivation ability. A leader’s accumulated CP can never exceed his command rating.

Defence: A unit attacked by an enemy can return fire and engage in defensive combat. By spending 1 CP, the unit can engage in a disciplined defence, which allows it to fire normally. A unit attacked by an enemy but having no CP can only mount a ragged defence, where all weapons fire and combat is done with a –2 penalty, and all weapons are fired at their maximum rate of fire.

Forming Up Point: Also sometimes called a staging area or start line, the Forming Up Point is where one side’s units were organized for the current operation.

Hero: A rarity on the battlefield, the hero is a solitary combatant that is able to perform actions without being part of a unit. Unlike Stragglers, who have been separated from their unit, heroes were never part of a unit. Heroes may be part of the player’s command structure (such as a platoon or company commander), or they may be independent of the command structure (such as civilians or journalists).

Interrupt: An Interrupt is an opportunity for an opposing unit to stop the performance of another unit’s actions. Typical interrupts include ambushes and defensive weapons fire against a unit performing actions. A successful interrupt causes a unit to stop performing actions, and to lose any remaining command points it may have. To be successful, and interrupt must result in a unit's morale becoming Shaken. An interrupt is automatically successful against shaken units performing actions.

Line of Sight or LOS: Quite simply, units which can see each other have a line of sight to each other. The easiest method of determining line of sight is to stretch a piece of string between two enemy units—if an obstacle intersects the string, then the units do not have a line of sight to each other. Players wishing to make LOS determination more authentic can build a periscope to give a figure's-eye view of the battlefield.

Morale: Morale is a measure of a combatant’s willingness to take actions on the battlefield. For many combatants, morale can be Bold or Shaken. In special cases, combatants' morale can also be Fanatical or Panicked. In general terms, the more concerned that a combatant is with his personal safety, the less he will be able to do on the battlefield. Morale changes throughout the game depending on the danger faced by the combatant, as well as the motivation provided by the combatants' leaders. 

PEN: PEN is the ability of a weapon to penetrate armor.

Ragged Fire: Ragged fire is undisciplined and generally ineffective fire. All ragged fire is performed at the weapon’s maximum rate of fire and at a -2 penalty.

Stragglers: Stragglers are individuals who have been separated from their unit, or who are the last survivors of their units. They can generate CP themselves (up to a maximum of 1 CP), and they cannot perform offensive actions. In the basic rules, Stragglers are simply removed from play.

Strategic Movement: Strategic Movement is performed by a unit that is not expecting enemy contact. Strategic movement does not require command points, but can be interrupted by an enemy through the use of ambushes, overwatch, and so forth.

Unit: A unit is a group of combatants that is organized under a unit leader. The unit is defined by its size (a fire team) or role (heavy weapons). Organization charts are provided later in this rulebook showing the composition of units in many modern military and police forces. In the game, units perform actions together.