flames of war - d-day bocage rules

7/28/2019 Flames of War - D-Day Bocage Rules

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Bocage

Te Bocage is an area covering the southern and western parto Normandy. It is made up o many small irregular eldsbordered by the hedgerows that give the area its name. Bocagehedgerows have thick stone banks, ormed when the elds

were cleared in antiquity, topped by dense hedges o treesand bushes. While the hedgerows are excellent or keeping cattle rom straying, they are almost impassable to vehiclesand even to troops on oot they present a major obstacle.

Te area is rural, so most roads are small lanes designedor horse-drawn carts, barely wide enough or a motorisedvehicle. Te main roads between the towns are wider andmore modern, but ew and ar between. Roads are usually

banked up on both sides and lined with trees.

Te armers o the area mostly raise cattle to make the amouscheeses o the region and grow apples to make into potentCalvados brandy. Crops like corn and wheat are mainly re-stricted to the atter open areas around Caen.

Te Bocage extended 60 miles (100 km) rom north to south,and over hal o that east to west. Apart rom armhouses,small villages, enclosed orchards, and occasional woods, theentire area o a battle ought in the Bocage should be coveredin bocage hedgerows.

In Flames O War , bocage elds are typically 6-12”/15-30cmacross by 8-16”/20-40cm long. Tey are usually entirely sur-rounded by bocage hedgerows with ew gates through the

banks. Some elds do not have a gate at all, just an opening barely wide enough to pass a wheelbarrow or cow.

Bocage in Flames oF War

Apart rom a ew wider main roads, most o the roads in thebocage are narrow lanes. ypically they have bocage hedge-rows pressing in rom both sides and are not wide enough oranything bigger than a jeep to pass another vehicle. Otenthe trees rom the sides o the lane meet overhead.

Te arm buildings are usually made o the same grey stoneas the hedgerow banks. Te tile-rooed houses are rather

plain with little in the way o decoration to break theirsquare lines.

+++D+35: german forces counterattack towarDs carentan+++


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Bocage rules

Hedgerows are the dening eature o the bocage. Tey makecross-country movement a nightmare and give the enemy plenty o cover and concealment.

Crossing BoCage

Te banks o bocage hedgerows are stone walls 6 eet (1.8m)or more tall and up to twice that thick. Te roots o the treesgrowing on the banks bind them together into an impen-etrable mass.

Bocage hedgerows are Very Dicult Going, but are Impassable

to Cavalry and teams with Remote-control Demolition

Carriers. Tis means that only troops on oot and Fully-tracked

armoured vehicles can cross them at all, although Fully-tracked

vehicles need a Skill test to do so. Overloaded vehicles must

re-roll successul Skill tests to cross Bocage hedgerows.

In addition, the hedgerows are so overgrown that teams must

start their movement adjacent to a bocage hedgerow to cross it,

and must stop their movement on reaching a bocage hedgerow.

Tis can result in disjointed movement with a platoon taking

several turns to cross a hedgerow as each echelon moves up to the hedgerow and crosses in turn.

eams cannot end a Step sitting on a bocage hedgerow. Tey

must be on one side or the other and clearly either adjacent to

the hedgerow or back rom it.

G ates

While gates are much easier to travel through, they arenarrow and overgrown, making negotiating them tricky.

Gates in bocage hedgerows are Dicult Going. Like the hedge-

rows, teams must start their movement adjacent to a gate to use

it, and must stop their movement on reaching a gate.

Belly Up!

anks stuck on Bocage hedgerows usually ound themselvesstranded with their nose pointing to the sky—and their belly pointing to the enemy!

Any Armoured vehicle Bogged Down on a bocage hedgerow uses its Side armour rating as its Front armour rating when

hit rom the ront. Te hit still counts as being on the Front

armour, just with a lower armour rating.

seeing Through BoCage

Bocage hedgerows are very tall and thick, totally blocking vision. Everything on the other side is hidden rom view.

Since Bocage hedgerows are taller than any tank, only teams

adjacent to a Bocage hedgerow can see or be seen through it.

Bocage hedgerows provide Concealment or any team seenthrough them, except by a team that is itsel adjacent to the

same hedgerow. Even the gates tend to be overgrown and block

visibility in the same manner as the hedgerow.

A team adjacent to a bocage hedgerow can see anything on the

other side o the hedgerow, even i the enemy are adjacent to the

same hedgerow urther along it. A team adjacent to the intersec-

tion o two hedgerows can see across either o them as well as

across the intersection into the eld diagonally across rom itsel.

Teamsmust beadjacent

to a hedgerow

to seethrough it

Teams must be adjacentto a hedgerow to be

seen through it

Teams must start adjacent to a hedgerow or gate to cross it

Teams must stop whenthey reach a hedgerow

Fully-tracked armoured

vehicles need to pass a Skilltest to cross

Other vehicles and guns cannot

cross

Gates areDicultGoing

Hedgerows are Very Dicult Going

Fighting in bocage is essentially the same as ghting anywhere else. However, the restricted elds o re and thedifculty o manoeuvre require careul tactics to overcome.

HedgeroWs

CrossinG BoCaGe seeinG throUGh BoCaGe

+++D+35: us trooPs caPture Hill 19 overlooking st. lo+++



Teams can see and shoot any team on

the other side o thehedgerow, even teams

against the samehedgerow

Teams in a corner can

see and shoot across bothhedgerows

t all BUildinGs

Te limited elds o vision in bocage country make elevatedpositions useul or artillery observers. Tey also make themprime targets or counter-re.

eams in raised positions such as church steeples can see over

nearby bocage hedgerows. As with any high ground, you will

need to look rom the miniature’s position to determine what is

visible. Remember, a team that is at least hal hidden by terrain

is Concealed.

ConCealment from a irCraft

Even rom above, the tree-lined hedgerows make it dicultto nd targets in the bocage.

eams adjacent to bocage hedgerows are Concealed rom aircrat

coming rom any direction.

a nti- airCraft fire

Not only do bocage hedgerows conceal troops rom aircrat,they also hide incoming aircrat rom anti-aircrat guns.

Anti-aircrat weapons cannot re at aircrat on the ar side o

bocage hedgerows that are within 4”/10cm o the weapon.

Taking Cover

Tick bocage hedgerows are pretty much bulletproo,although oxholes dug into the side are still useul when theartillery starts alling.

Bocage hedgerows provide bulletproo cover against shooting

rom the other side, but no protection against artillery re,

aircrat, or re rom teams adjacent to that hedgerow. Gates

provide no protection at all.

shooTing over BoCage

Te height and thickness o bocage hedgerows causesproblems or low slung guns as their crews must painstakingly break a gap or them to shoot through. On the other hand,most other weapons can see over the bank or climb up it arenough to shoot.

Any team can shoot through a distant bocage hedgerow at a

team adjacent to that hedgerow, or shoot through Bocage hedge-rows they are adjacent to.

a rtillery

Because o the risk o their rounds hitting the trees along the bocage when they re, gunners need to give some leeway between themselves and a bocage hedgerow when choosing ring positions.

eams ring an Artillery Bombardment must be at least

4”/10cm back rom a hedgerow to re a bombardment over it.

assaulTing in BoCage Assaults in bocage country are not bayonet charges, but ratherclose-range grenade battles. Te impenetrable hedgerow between you and the enemy makes sure o this.

a ssaUltinG a defended hedGerow

Te most common orm o assaults in bocage country areassaults against deended hedgerows.

Te key to this type o assault is to remember that teams in

contact with a bocage hedgerow are deemed to be in contact

with enemy teams immediately across the hedgerow rom them.

Tis sort o ght tends to be messy as it can be dicult to mass

against the enemy as the width o the hedgerow will mean that

teams not in contact with the enemy will probably be more

than 2”/5cm rom them and unable to ght.

Teamsadjacent to a hedgerow are

in contact withenemy teams

adjacent to the

hedgerow and directly acrossrom them

Teams not directly across the hedgerow rom an enemy team must be within2”/5cm o an enemy team to fght

lookinG a lonG hedGerows

a ssaUltinG a defended hedGerow

2”/5cm

2”/5cm

+++D+39: us trooPs attack towarDs st. lo. Bitter figHting ensues+++


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pioneers

Te most obvious method o gapping a hedgerow is blowing a hole in it with a large explosive charge.

Pioneer teams may demolish a section o hedgerow creating a

Dicult Going gap 2”/5cm wide. Gaps in hedgerows are not

subject to any o the rules or bocage hedgerows and do not

provide either concealment or bulletproo cover. o create a gap

a Pioneer team must start the turn adjacent to the hedgerow

and not Pinned Down. Tey do not move in the Movement

Step, but count as moving. Instead o shooting they roll a Skill

est to create the gap. Due to limited supplies o explosives, a

platoon may only attempt to create one gap per turn, but an

additional team on each side o and adjacent to the gapping

team may also roll Skill ests to create the gap. I any team

succeeds, then the gap is created.

Te narrow lanes oten ound in bocage country are easiergoing than the hedgerows, but are dangerous as any advancemust be on a one team rontage. Tey present additionalproblems or vehicles as they can neither pass nor turn inthem.

A team in a narrow lane is considered to be adjacent to the

hedgerows on both sides o the road.

A team cannot shoot past another riendly team down a narrow

lane. A vehicle in a narrow lane can only re hull-mounted

weapons at targets on the same road or adjacent to the hedges

bounding the road.

Vehicles must ace along a narrow bocage lane and cannot turn

their hull to the side without crossing the hedgerow into the

adjacent eld.

a ssaUlts a Cross hedGerows

Less commonly, troops will nd themselves assaulting acrossa hedgerow into an open eld.

Here it is important to remember that teams that cannot be

seen do not restrict movement. I an enemy team is not adjacent

to a hedgerow, it cannot prevent teams rom moving up to that

hedgerow where they can see it and launch an assault.

Sometimes when launching an assault across a wide obstacle like

a hedgerow, there isn’t enough space to t an assaulting team

between the enemy team and the hedgerow. In this case, place

the team somewhere convenient (such as on the hedgerow) until

it clears space to advance or alls back across the hedgerow.

As the rst line o troops goes over the hedgerow, the ollowing

troops will move up so as to be adjacent to it, and thus able to

cross the hedgerow, when the time comes or you to continue the

assault by counterattacking.

One thing to be aware o is that unless you are adjacent to a

hedgerow, you cannot cross it when breaking of. Tis can leave you trapped i you are not careul.

t anks a ssaUltinG in BoCaGe

Bocage is totally unsuited to tank assaults. Not only are tankslikely to be ambushed at short range, but they have great di-culty in crossing the hedgerows to get at the enemy. Oncethey clear a section o hedgerow and cross however, tanks canrampage along the enemy side almost at will.

anks ghting across the hedgerow will need to make a Skill est

each round o the assault to avoid Bogging Down as normal or

assaulting across Very Dicult Going.

Remember, it is also possible to push into the enemy positions i

you are victorious allowing your troops to orce their way across

the hedgerow and ght on the enemy side. Once across your

tanks will no longer need to make Skill ests to assault.

BUlldozers

ank-mounted dozer blades were ound to be a quick andefective way o gapping hedgerows.

Bulldozers use the rules on page 215 o the Flames O War

rulebook to gap bocage hedgerows.

demolition C arriers

Although the Germans rarely used them or this purpose,their demolition carriers could have blasted gaps i needed.

A Remote-Controlled Demolition Carrier (see page 216 o the

rulebook) detonated adjacent to a Bocage hedgerow that makes

a successul Firepower est using its second repower rating creates a 2”/5cm wide gap that is Dicult Going.

gapping HedgeroWs

I there isn’t enoughroom to ft an

assaulting teamacross a hedgerow,

rest it on thehedgerow

Enemy teams do not restrict yourmovement until you can see them, so you can always reach the hedgerow

ready to launch an assault

narroW lanes

a ssaUltinG a Cross hedGerows

+++D+1: rommel seriously injureD in allieD air attack+++



modelling Bocage

A model bocage hedgerow should have a bank o stones andtree roots about ⅝”/15mm high topped with dense vegeta-tion and trees. Te overall height should be 1¼-2”/30-50mmtall with some taller trees higher than this.

o provide the maximum exibility in the layout o yourbocage terrain, you should make your hedgerows in severalsections. You’ll probably need to make our diferent typeso hedgerow section: L-shaped, X-shaped and -shapedhedgerow corners, and o course straight sections o hedge-rows. Te straight sections can be any length you like butthe corners must all be the same size so the whole will t

materials usedMDF board or plywood (3/16-⅜”/4-8mm thick),16 gauge (1-2mm) wire, model trees 2-4”/5-10cm tall

with detachable bases, aluminium tubing, clump oliagein multiple shades, static grass, ready-mix fller putty,PVA wood glue, hot glue gun, sand, kitty litter or smallpebbles, balsa wood, hobby knie, brushes and paint.

Hot glue the clumped oliage directly onto the top o thestones, leaving small gaps around the slots or the trees.Using multiple shades o oliage adds variety. Tis oliageshould be around the height o an inantryman, making thetotal height o the hedgerow around twice the height o a standing inantryman.

It is best not to glue the trees into their tubes, as leaving them separate will make the hedgerow easier to store andtransport. Apply the static grass to the ground surace tonish.

Mark out the sections on a board about 1½-2/4-5cm wideand as long as required. Cut them out and bevel the edges.Sand any rough edges. Lay all the sections out to ensure thatthey t neatly next to one another to orm a network o hedgerows. I there is anything wrong, it’s easier to x it atthis stage, rather than later.

Mark gaps or gates while you have the hedgerows laid outto make sure you have the right number o them. Constructthe gates using balsa wood. Make them about ⅜-½”/10-12mm high and ¾-1¼”/20-30mm wide.

Build up the pile o stones at the base o the hedgerows withlayers o kitty litter. Place short sections o aluminium tubing amongst the kitty litter to mount the trees in. Leave gaps orgates. Te banks should be about the height o a standing inantryman and should slope inwards at a 45-degree angle,attening out at the top.

Ater the rst layer o kitty litter start putting tree roots intothe stones. wist some wire together, bend and shape it tolook like a tree root, then place and glue. Continue building the stones, then glue the gates in place.

Paint very watered-down ready-mix ller putty over thekitty litter to ll in any gaps. When this is dry, paint theground around the stones to match your tabletop terrain,then sprinkle with sand and leave to dry. Dry brush with a lighter shade o the base colour. Paint the stones and rootsystem and then dry brush.

When all o the painting is complete you’ll need to use a needle le, or similar tool, to clean out the tubes so that thebases o your trees t into them.

together neatly. You might also need some hedgerow sectionsthat are angled slightly to allow or corners and roads etc.

+++D+1: german assassination attemPt on Hitler fails+++

step 1 step 2

step 3 step 4



Close-in fiGhtinG

Te bocage country o Normandy severely limited theability o the Allies to manoeuvre. With the eld o visionlimited to the next hedgerow, battles devolved into a series o platoon-sized actions ought independently o neighbouring units. Each hedgerow had to be cleared in a pitched battleremoving any prospect or large-scale manoeuvres.

Battles ought in bocage country should have the whole table

covered in small elds surrounded by bocage hedgerows. Because

o the close-in nature o the ghting, you should use a hal-sized

table (4’x3’/120cm x 90cm or 4’x4’/120cm x 120cm).

reat tables narrower than 4’/120cm wide as being 4’/120cm

wide when determining how many Fortication points the

deender has available.

a rtillery

In the close bocage country, artillery is less useul close tothe ront lines and the small tables used limit the space todeploy them.

You may deploy artillery platoons that would normally be on

the table using the Across the Volga special rule (page 225 o the

Flames O War rulebook) when ghting in Bocage country.

Platoons arriving rom Reserve may deploy using the Across

the Volga special rule when they arrive. Remember, platoons

deployed using the Across the Volga special rule are not counted

as being on the table or any purpose.

FigHting in tHe Bocage

deployment

With a smaller arena and limited elds o view, battles inbocage country tend to start at much shorter ranges thannormal.

Halve all distances measured rom the table centre, table centre

line, or the enemy when placing objectives and deploying troops

at the start o the game, e.g. in Free-or-all players must place

objectives at least 8”/20cm rom the centre line and must deploy

at least 6”/15cm rom the centre line. Distances measured rom

the table edges remain unchanged.

Tis does not afect special rules like Reconnaissance Deployment

or the British Advance Under Darkness special rule, nor deploy-

ments such as ambushes made later in the game.

r eserves

While the bocage hinders the attacker’s attempts to moveorward and mass their troops, it also hinders the deender’sability to monitor the battle and bring orward reserves atthe critical moment in the battle.

In battles that do not use the Fair Fight special rule, the deend-

er’s reserves arrive on die rolls o 6 instead o the usual 5+.

+++D+: st. lo liBerateD By us trooPs+++

flames of war - d-day bocage rules

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