- Command a platoon up to a company
- Geared for 15mm, but can use 10mm, 12mm, and 20mm figures — no rebasing
- Each Team stand equals one troop squad or single tank, vehicle, or gun
- Asymmetric turn sequence with 'CAC' interrupt allows you to size up the situation, seize initiative, and coordinate small unit tactics
- Clever Data Cards for each unique Team account for training, morale, experience, and weaponry — you spend more time commanding, not counting
- Includes 24 Data cards covering major US, German, and Soviet units, plus artillery, aircraft, AA, snipers, HQs, mortars, and specialty weapons like Molotov cocktails
- Points system for tournaments and balanced scenarios
- Two 1944 scenarios included: Saving Private Ryland (West Front) and Saving Field Marshall Model (East Front)
- Requires six-sided dice, twenty-sided dice, a scatter die, and a ruler
Combat Action Command simulates a platoon, several platoons, or a force as large as a company battling another platoon or company. While I participated in company-level training maneuvers with the US Marines, I never fought in WWII or anywhere else, so what I know of those wars is only what I've read in books, watched in documentaries, and seen in movies and TV shows. I wanted a game that would recreate those passages and scenes. CAC was created as a tool for gamers, historians and the military to simulate and study small unit combat — and to have fun.
CAC is more of a simulation than a game, so I encourage people to test its limits and try new things. If you discovered a special Team in a book without stats in CAC, perform a little do-it-yourself analysis of other Teams' stats and create the stats for that special Team. For armor, take the effective armor and actual penetration, divide by 5mm, and include a subjective allowance for defects — such as the early Panther's turret shot trap or the Sherman 'Ronson' effect.
The distance scale is 3 inches equals 100 meters, with movement and ranges at normal movement speeds and effective weapon ranges, not the fastest speed or longest range. There are enough small arms stats given that you should be able to recreate any Team that does, or ever will, exist. Combat Quality is self-explanatory. Remember that even the worst-trained troops have an advantage over mobs and militia. Hit Results and Damage Tables reflect research into various battles and small-unit actions. So go ahead. Experiment. Have fun. Learn something.
If you don't like a rule, change it! I have had the opportunity to play with many gaming groups, unfortunately, that means I have also spent countless hours arguing over rules. So I will make this real simple, if you have a question about a rule that is unclear, resolve it by mutual agreement. Or roll a dice or flip a coin. But if you understand a rule, and simply don't like it, then change it or the Team's stats. Whatever. Instead of hours of debate or grumbling about the Armor or Penetration of a given AFV or weapon, if you think I've gotten it wrong, then by all means, adjust the stats. Experiment. Have some fun. Learn something.
Or e-mail a question or visit the CAC web site: www.combatactioncommand.com
Double Time Movement and Double Rate of Fire are factored into the CAC interrupt mechanism but without lots of detailed rules. If you want to move Double Time, use CAC to get a second move during the Fire Phase. Or, if you want a higher rate of fire, use CAC to fire in the Move Phase. CACs reflect the reality that you can move faster or shoot more, but not both during a turn.
Finally, some rule prohibitions were made just to keep things simple. One example: Forward Air Controllers call Air Strikes using Sighted Fire and NOT Suppressing or Searching Fire. However, if you want to make a house rule, go right ahead. As you should expect by now, I hope you: Experiment. Have some fun. Learn something.
Glossary
- (#d6 Rolled) or (roll#d6)
- The number of d6 that you roll To Hit Target Teams.
- (2d6 Accuracy)
- The basic accuracy of a gun firing Direct Fire HE or AP; to this number you add/subtract all applicable Modifiers on the Firing Team's Data Card.
- d6
- A normal six sided die used for all dice rolls except Damage/Hit Result rolls (which use d20).
- d20
- A twenty-sided die used only to roll for Damage/Hit Results.
- CAC
- Combat Action Command — lets you Fire during a Move Phase or Move during the Fire Phase. Also allows FAO/FAC to call in Artillery Barrages/Air Strikes.
- Combat Quality (CQ)
- The noncom leadership, training, morale, equipment level, supply status, tactical doctrine and discipline of a Team.
- Cover
- Four Cover Classes: In The Open, Light Cover, Heavy Cover, Dug-In.
(See rulebook for full glossary.)