HELL ON THE MARGIN:
Rules Clarifications

Q:What is a "phase"?

A: We think a phase is the same as taking one group's move. In other words, if you roll "3" and have three Command Points, then you have three phases in which you can move one group per phase.

Q:Won't players want to form all their units into a single group, then give all of their sequence chits to that group? Wouldn't this allow the player to move and fire all his units for the maximum number of times?

A: We suggest that players come up with house rules to limit the size of combat groups.

Q:When do you spend your Command Points?

A:We think taking a phase with a group automatically spends a Command Point. You don't have a choice when to spend your points, since you must follow the order of the sequence chits you placed earlier.

Q:On pg. 4, the designer suggests gluing company bases into group bases. Why would you want to do this?

A: Yes, this is confusing. When the author speaks of infantry bases here, we think he means the infantry pieces (bases with infantry molded onto them); we think the card base he is refering to is the normal company base (the 5 cm x 3 cm base). We don't think the author is suggesting gluing all stands in a combat group to the same extra-large stand...

Q:Also on pg. 4, the designer mentions "HQ bases" - what are these?

A: The author seems to assume that there is an infantry HQ figure available from the manufacturer, but this is not the case.

Q:What's the range of the weapons?

A: Based on the chart on pg. 5, we're guessing that weapons have a range of up to 8 cm unless you buy the "long range" option (up to 30 cm). Artillery has unlimited range.

Q:How does the combat terrain bonus work?

A: Our guess is that the attacker adds the bonus to his roll, based on the terrain of the defender.

Q:Does range matter in combat?

A: Though the rules don't state this, we presume that attackers must be in range of their targets in order to make an attack. Similarly, we presume the same applies to supporters in combat. Our guess is that the range table on pg. 13 is a modifier to ranges; that it reduces range but never increases range.

Q:Do weapons need a line of sight (LOS) in order to make an attack?

A: The rules don't say, but we presume all weapons need LOS in order to attack. The exception is artillery, which (based on the rules on pg. 14) can fire if any friendly unit can trace an LOS to the target unit.

Q:If an attacker fires on a target unit, does this mean every unit in the defender's group is eligible to return fire?

A: Yes, we think so - note that combat is group vs. group (see pg. 10).

Q:Can more than one attack be made in the same phase against the same defender?

A: We don't think more than one normal attack can be made against the same defending unit in the same phase, as that would seem to be against the spirit of the rules (i.e., limits on number of direct attackers and supporters). However, we think the defender can be attacked once per sub-phase (i.e., once by ECM, once by direct fire artillery, once by everything else).

Q:On the combat table on pg. 10, when it says "troop type," does it mean the attacker or the defender?

A: We think the table only makes sense if troop type refers to the defending unit. However, note that if an attacker doesn't have the ability to attack that troop type, the attack must be made using the 'default' column on the table.

Q:Which of the combat modifiers on pg. 11 apply to the attacker, and which to the defender?

A: We believe that all modifiers are based on the attacker's situation, unless the modifier specifically says otherwise (i.e., "facing veterans" means the modifier applies if the target is veteran).

Q:In what order are combats resolved?

A: Based on pg. 2, we'd say all ECM attacks are resolved, then all direct artillery attacks, then all other attacks. Within these sub-phases, we presume that order doesn't matter; that all combat is considered simultaneous.

Q:How many dice does the defender get to roll?

A: Our guess is that the defender always rolls one die; however, we think that the defender can also make an attack in the same phase, in which case other bases can add their dice to the attack.

Q:Can a combat unit receive support from a unit outside of its group?

A: The rules are more than confusing, but here's our house rule: Normally, support units can only aid combat units from within their own combat group. An exception is that if a phasing group attacks more than one non-phasing group, then the units in the defending groups can freely support each other even if they were from different groups. Another exception is that artillery and air units can support a group to which they do not belong (see pg. 14, third paragraph).

Q: How often can an artillery or air unit support combat?

A: The rules seem to suggest that artillery and air units can support a combat without being part of the combat group, and therefore without having to spend command points. We suggest that these units can make one support effort per phase, or one support effort per command point.

Q:Can an attack be made on a support base?

A: Not ordinarily. The "Combat Outcome" rules on pg. 12 seem to suggest that support bases can only be attacked if their group is disrupted and outnumbered. In order to prevent a defender from declaring all of his stands to be support bases, we suggest players may want to come up with a house rule.

Q:According to pg. 12, a flying unit whose group has been disrupted "cannot continue its mission..." What does this mean?

A: Our presumption is that the flying unit can make its attack(s) this phase as normal, but retreats as the rule describes during the morale step at the end of the current phase.

Q:Does the morale roll to recover from disruption, as described at the bottom of pg. 12, apply to individual units or to disrupted groups?

A: We think that one roll is made per group; a success will either recover an entire disrupted group, or all disrupted units in a non-disrupted group.

Q:According to the Armour Chart on pg. 13, certain attacks can only be made in "Close Combat" - what is Close Combat?

A: We presume this requires the attacker to be adjacent to the defender.

Q:According to pg. 2, "direct artillery" attacks take place before other fire. What is a direct artillery attack?

A: A direct artillery attack is when an artillery base makes an attack of its own, rather than acting as a support base. Do not confuse this with direct fire vs. indirect fire, as these rules do not seem to make this distinction.

Q:Under "Electronic Warfare," the first paragraph says that a combat group makes an ECM attack, but the second paragraph says ECM can be used in "any combat." Which is true?

A: Our guess is that a single ECM combat may be resolved prior to the normal combat sub-phase, and that the results apply to all units of the losing group. ECM is resolved on a group vs. group basis, not an individual basis.

Q:It says on pg. 16 that the penalty for losing an ECM communications attack is that the combat group "...can no longer communicate with the rest of its friends." What effect does this have?

A: We believe this would prevent the combat group from receiving combat support from units outside of its combat group.