Creating a simple WW2 table top tank game. anyone have any suggestions for my rules? btw all X's and 99's are place holders.
WW2 table top sim
Setting:
WW2 was raging across Europe in August of 1944. Paris, France, currently under enamy control, was about to be invaded by the American and British troops. This battle would later be known as the liberation of Paris because the objective was to drive the enamy out of the city, and ultimately out of the country entirely. You will be simulating this brutal conflict in miniature form with your own personal division of tanks. The Axis, already being in the city, will get to start closer to the objective. The Alias, having the element of surprise, will get the first turn.
Core rules:
This game is played between two teams, 2 players on each team. Each player controls 3 different tanks (or armored divisions) the goal of the game is to use the tanks to either capture the designated objective point and hold for one turn uncontested, or eliminate all enemy tanks from the game. Each tank has a unique data sheet card that lists its stats and abilities. The two teams will be divided between axis and alias, 2 players on axis and 2 players on alias. The alias will have the first turn but the axis deployment zone will be closer to the objective.
Tank operations:
Each tank will have a unique data sheet that shows the stats and abilities of the tank. The top of the data sheet card will have the movement, armor strength, and HP of the tank. The middle of the section will have the weapon profiles. This will state the range, shots, strength, and damage of the weapon.
Movement: movement (M) is how many inches the tank can move across the board. The tank can not move through walls or other tanks. The tank can move in any direction and it does not have to be in a straight line, but every inch it moves costs (M) once it has reached its maximum movement it stops and cannot move anymore.
Armor strength: armor strength (AS) is the number you have to roll to stop an enemy shot. If your enemy hits five shots then you must roll the number on under the AS characteristic.
HP: HP is how much health your tank has. Every shot the enemy makes on your tank will lower your HP by the number designated in the weapons damage profile.
Weapon profile:
The weapon profiles will tell how to shoot the tank.
Range: range is measured in inches. Anything within a straight line from the tank, within range and in any direction (because the turret can rotate.) can be shot at. You can not shoot through walls or other tanks. If a tank is partially behind a wall it can still be fired at.
Shots: shots are how many dice you roll when you shoot. If it says 5, you roll five dice.
Hits: your weapons hit is the number that your shots hit on. Once you have gathered your shots dice you will roll, anything that equals or exceeds the hit number goes through and hits the targeted tank.
Damage: damage is how much the opponents HP characteristic will be lowered per hit. For every successful hit, lower the HP characteristic by that much.
Shooting order:
Declare target
Check range & line of sight
Roll number of dice equal to Shots
Each roll ≥ Hit value = a hit
Defender rolls armor:
One die per hit
Each success blocks 1 hit
Remaining hits deal damage
Special abilities: special abilities are listed at the bottom of the data sheet. Each tank has an ability they can perform during its activation that can get it out of a tight spot. For example the ability, high alert. To activate this ability the tank must not shoot for its entire turn. If so then you can activate the ability, and anytime an enemy tank gets within a six inch radius, that tank will halt all operations and the tank under high alert can shoot one gun at the tank.
Setting up: all players will need a ruler, lots of 6 sided dice, a three tank armored division, and the tank data sheets. The board should have a decent amount of terrain with no less than three inch pathways between each piece. The objective should be somewhere near the center of the map.
Terrain rules: terrain allows your tanks to hide behind cover. Put your tank behind the terrain to obstruct enemy view. If any part of the tank is within line of sight to the enemy player then they can shoot at it, no partial cover. Tanks cannot pass through pieces of terrain and must go around. No tank is allowed to touch the terrain.
Pre game: The first step is to deploy models. The Alias and Axis teams each roll a D6, and the highest roll gets to deploy first. The team that won, puts all 6 tanks on the board anywhere in the deployment zone. The team that lost waits until all enemy tanks are deployed to deploy theirs. After all models are on the board the game begins.
Turn one: Alias will always have the first turn. The two players on the team one of their tanks to activate. Each player may activate one tank per turn. The player can move the same tank for multiple turns in a row but it is not recommended
Activation: An activation includes movement, shooting, and ability, all of these can be used once per activation. You may do these in any order unless an ability has a certain trigger time but cannot split steps. For example, move half way, shoot, finish movement. The activation ends when all three of these have been done or the player declares it over.
Turn order:
Alias player 1: tank activation
Alias player 2: tank activation
End of alias turn one.
Axis turn begins.
The player on the Axis team may perform the same actions.
The round is over when both teams have had 3 turns.
Tank classes: 3 tank classes. Heavy, medium, and support. Heavy tanks have high armor and damage but low mobility. Medium tanks are mid armor, damage, and mobility. Support tanks have low armor, low damage but high mobility.
Heavy tank
Ability: high alert. activate this at the end of this tank's activation. This tank cannot use this ability if it has shot during this activation. Put a high alert circle around the target. The tank can be on high alert for as long as it likes but can not perform any other actions until the high alert is triggered and stops or the controller decides to remove the ability. Any enemy tank that moves any part into the circle must halt all immediate actions. The tank on high alert can shoot at the tank. After the shot resolves the high alert tank will no longer be on high alert, and the enemy tank resumes its activation.
Medium tank
Ability: fire support. Activate this at any time during this tank's activation. This tank can move another X inches towards a teammate's tank.
Support tank
Ability: Repair. Activate anytime during this tank's activation. If this tank is within one inch of a friendly tank or the controller decides to use it on itself, it can raise that tank HP characteristic by X. This ability can only be used 3 times per game.
Posted Apr 2, 2026, 10:42 PM UTC