Army Men:
Dirt Bombs not Included by Benjamin Tan - Friskypiranha.com
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Introduction
These
rules are aimed at the army men enthusiast; not the
hardcore-centimeter-accurate-wargamer (measurement is in inches) and
are designed to facilitate an epic
campaign across a hosehold, not a table. House rules are encouraged.
The Goal
The teams
involved will either be attempting to eliminate the opposition's
leader, exterminate all enemies, capture the enemy's flag, or have
control over all areas, as determined prematch.
Specifications
two dice per player
ruler(preferrably yard stick)/measured string (1 inch, 3, 5, and 12)
play money
army men or substitutes
an imagination
5 circle venn diagram (see below for one I created)
multiple flags and stands
Recommended
Objects
coins
condiment packets
wood blocks or bricks
anything else that would go nicely with army men, such as cardboard
boxes for hangars
Starting the Game
Players
are allotted 1 started area, 1 leader and $1,500 each to bolster their
army with
units, vehicles, and various objects. It's okay if there's
leftovers
after all players have run out of funds or have verbally agreed that
buying is over, place the unpurchased items in a box for later. Each
player can place objects and units anywhere within their starting area,
except for their leader unit. Both these steps can be skipped for
simplicity/less down time by just divv ying up the units and objects
equally. Leaders are placed by the opposition. An
enemy's leader must be placed in their starting area, within 12 inches
of one of their units, and out of range of friendlies.
Prices
Leader - Free
Officer - 1 Free Officer for Each Area, Then $100.
Melee/Shotgun - $10
Pistol/Flamethrower - $20
Rifle/Minesweeper/Radio Operator/Binocular - $30
SMG - $40
LMG/Engineer/Medic/Mortar/Grenadier - $50
Grenadier w/ Launcher/Paratrooper w/ SMG - $75
Sniper/Bazooka - $100
Paratrooper w/ Sniper A.K.A. Elite Special Operative/Super Trooper - $225
Add $20 if the unit is sprinting.
If
a unit is multiple types, for example, the rifleman throwing a grenade,
take the most expensive type and add on half of the other type(s). For
example, a rifleman throwing a grenade can act as a grenadier and rifle
and costs $65.
Medic Kit - $5
Tool Box - $10
Jeep w/ Machine Gun Turret - $100
APC, Troop Truck, and Humvee w/ Machine Gun
Turret(Land vehicles can only be harmed with explosions.) - $150
Transport Helicopter - $225(Aircraft can only be harmed with anti
aircraft turrets and bazookas.)
Tank w/ Machine Gun Turret - $250
Attack Helicopter/Jet - $325
Anti Aircraft Turret(Stationary turrets can only be harmed with
explosives) - $50
Machine Gun Turret - $125
Explosive Turret - $175
Segment of Barbed Wire - $5
Tank Blockade - $10
For objects and units not listed, have two players suggest an amount
and make the average the price.
Turns
There are three phases to each turn: movement, attacking, reinforcing.
Each phase is ended by all players mutally agreeing they are finished.
For movement, roll to see who goes first, highest roll goes first,
second highest second, etcetera. Reroll to break ties.
The following units are allotted no more than these measurements:
2 in: tanks and prone soldiers3 in: kneeling or crouching soldiers, mortars, bazookas, and radio
operators4 in: all other units8 in: sprinting infantry, supply trucks, APCs, half tracks12 in: aircraft, jeeps, motorcycles, and humvees
All measurements are rounded down.
Units cannot pivot after movement. Vehicles cannot pivot more than 45°
during movement.
For simplicity's sake, units cannot climb and can only go over an
object their height or less. Climbing would be defined as going up a
surface too steep for a unit to be put on its base and not slide.
Each vehicle has 1 operator that cannot exit unless the vehicle is
maimed, then they are ejected and can be used as pleased.
Next,
attacking. Combat is turned based and takes place after all movement is
finished, which is signified by players verbally anouncing they are
done.
| Type |
Accuracy/Range (Add
1 to accuracy and 10 to range if within 10 inches of a binoculars unit.) |
| Melee |
0/1 in. |
|
| Shotgun |
1/10
|
|
| Pistol/Flamethrower |
2/20 |
|
| SMG |
3/30 |
|
| Rifle/LMG/Machine
Gun/Explosive/Anti Aircraft Turret |
4/40 |
|
| Sniper |
10/100 |
|
| Grenades |
--/20 |
| Bazookas/Grenadiers w/ Launcher |
--/30 |
| Tank Cannon/Missle |
--/40 |
| Mortars/Artillery |
--/A friendly radio operator must be within 4
yards of the target for artillery to fire. |
| Type |
Can Attack this Many Times per Turn |
| SMG/LMG/Machine Gun Turret/Anti Aircraft |
3 |
| Pistol/Shotgun/Flamethrower |
2 |
| Everything Else |
1 |
Accuracy
means that that for every listed inch benchmark, the amount you must
roll with two dice to hit the target increases by 1. A partial
benchmark does not count. To clarify, if a pistol is fired from 10
inches away, a roll of 5 maims and higher than a 5 kills. For a rifle
firing 23 inches away, you must also roll a 5 to injure or greater to
kill. A sniper firing from 69 inches must roll a 6 to maim and greater
than a 6 to kill. Range is the maximum amount, in inches, that a target
can be fired upon.
Melee units are those depicted with conventional melee weapons. Melee
attacks always hit and kill, leader units can only melee, like a king
in chess. Bayonets double as melee units and whatever weapon it is
mounted on.
If
a vehicle has a turret, it is counted as an invincible unit that can
fire independently within a 180° radius from where the vehicle is
facing, as long as the vessel is operational. Machine gun turrets can
attack 3 times and explosive turrets once, these attacks are
independent of the times the vehicle can attack per turn. Stationary
turrets can only be damaged with explosives, swivel 360° during
movement, and do not require operators.
A 5 set venn diagram is used to judge where
mortars/artillery and grenades strike. Bazookas, tank cannons/missles,
and landmines always hit dead center of this diagram. Roll two dice to
determine where grenades and mortars/artillery hit.
≤ 3 = N
≤ 6 = E
≤ 9 = S
≤ 12 = W
Doubles = Dead Center
A unit partially within the wound radius is wounded and is killed if
partially in the kill zone.
A
unit with at least 30% of it covered from the
point of view of the attacker is considered under cover. Units at least
90% covered cannot be engaged, except by grenades and artillery. If a
unit
behind cover is hit, the attacker must roll the two dice again and
score greater than a 7 for the shot to be successful. Units with cover
within a yard above them are immune to artillery. As a general
guideline; if you couldn't take the shot yourself and realistically
hope to hit the target, it cannot be attacked. If it's covered enough
to the point where you'd have to aim for a specific section, it is
behind cover.
Finally,
reinforcing, which is optional. Place all items that weren't purchased
prematch into a
box. Each player is awarded $100 per area they contol to purchase the
leftovers in this box. These reinforcements can be placed anywhere in a
friendly area within 12 inches of a friendly unit. After everything
that was passed on in the beginning is taken, begin putting units who
are killed into this box. Do not put destroyed objects in it.
Leaders and Officers
Both leaders and officers can capture areas if within one inch of the flag or marker object if the prerequisites have been met.
If a team's leader is killed, all of the corresponding units are removed from the battlefield.
Leaders are restricted to melee, like a king in chess. Officers can attack with pistols or melee.
Perspective
A
soldier's eyes, not their guns, represent their perspective. Vehicles'
perspectives are drawn from their front windshield/armament.
In the above picture, the bayonetist is not behind cover from the
camera's point of view
From the sniper's perspective, the bayonetist is behind cover.
The
rifle wielder behind the bayonist is more than 90% covered from this
angle, thus it cannot be attacked. Bullets cannot cause collateral
damage.
Controlling Areas
Divide each distinct zone of the playing field by placing flag stands
in them. For
example, segregate each room of a house into different areas. To
control an area, there must be at least 1 officer/leader located inside
it and
no enemy officers/leaders. If there are conflicting officers/leaders or
none at all,
the area is considered contested. A flag can be placed in each area to
clarify who owns what. At the reinforcement stage, each player is
awarded $100 per area they own.
When
leader/officer prerequisites are met, during movement, move the
officer/leader within 1 inch of the flag stand and place your flag to
overthrow/control the territory.
Troop
Transportation
Up
to 6 troops, not including handler, may board an APC, transport
helicopter, or troop truck.
This can be represented by placing the units in, on top, or under the
vehicle. Passengers are invincible and are placed outside the vehicle
if it is disabled.
1 troop can board a jeep or bike in addition to the motorist.
3 troops can enter a humvee in addition to the driver.
Paratroopers
can be deployed anywhere
during
reinforcing if enabled and attacking if not. After being deployed,
paratroopers are disabled and left vulnerable for two turns. A
paratrooper can be armed with an SMG or sniper.
Landmines
Landmines,
respresented by coins, are purchased and placed prematch just as any
other object. They must come into physical contact to explode and can
be destroyed by minesweepers within 1 inch. Enemey units within 12
inches of an enemy minesweeper do not set off your mines.
Wounded Units
Wounded
infantry are knocked over, cannot move, can still attack, and can be
fully revived by a medic with a medic kit. Wounded units are immune to
maim shots and must suffer a kill shot to die.
When vehicles are maimed, 1 submachine gunner(the surviving
pilot/driver)is placed within 1 inch of it that can be used as
desired. Only explosions
can harm land vehicles and turrets, anti aircraft and explosions can
destroy
aircraft. Maimed vehicles and turrets are considered disabled
represented
by placing them on their side and can be used as cover. They
cannot move or attack but can be completely repaired by an engineer
with a tool box. When maimed vehicles are repaired, they receieve a
free replacement operator.
Medics and engineers can move up to 3 medic
kits/tool boxes with them as long as they are within 3 inches and can
only attack if depicted with a weapon. These
kits/boxes can be represented by ketchup/mustard packets.
Healing/repairing takes an
attacking turn.
Barbed Wire and
Tank Barriers
If
an infantry unit crosses directly through barbed wire, roll two dice.
If a 7 or doubles come up, the soldier is wounded. Vehicles
can
pass through unharmed.
Tank barriers prevent all land vehicles from passing within a 1 inch
radius of them.
Barbed wire and tank barriers can only be destroyed by an engineer with
a tool box.
Quick Reference
For redundancy and convienence, here's a highlight of key rules.
Closing
Statements
I've provided the rules, now you must provide the fun. Shoot me an e of mail if you have any suggestions or comments:
spacerace@friskypiranha.com! For those that
actually care;
these rules and images may be distrubuted freely but not sold without
permission.
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