Fire and Dice: Infantry

The basic infantry unit is the cornerstone in the game design for Fire and Dice. Whether you organise your battlegroups for play around a platoon with multiple sections, a company with multiple platoons or a battalion with multiple companies, the infantry unit will start the game with anything from 5-12 figures.

The greater the number of figures in a unit, the more damage it can dish out and receive and likely the longer it can continue to operate.

An infantry unit can split its fire across more than one target provided it has the figures which achieve a minimal dice value of D4, D6, D8, D10 or D12 - rounding down. Only if the unit is operating at less than 4 figures, then a unit fires using D4 and applies a -1 to the score per figure below 4, so a group of 2 figures would roll a D4 with a -2 modifier.

For example, a ten-figure unit of regular infantry spread out across a small field successfully observes two enemy units within effective WD range and wishes to split its fire across both of them. In this case it can split fire only two ways - across a D4 and a D6 roll which together make up their normal D10 value. In this case both rolls have the Regular +1 WD modifier applied and of course each roll takes into account the target modifiers.

Provided any figure in a unit can maintain one move distance from any other figure in the same unit, there is no limit to how far apart you can spread your infantry.

When using support weapons within a unit (such as grenades or anti-tank weapons) be sure to deduct the crew numbers from the WD value of a unit. Of course, you can always interpret the rules differently and add the WD of support weapons within range to the unit strength as an alternative - provided this is done consistently within the game.

As mentioned in my Morale post, all morale is based on the unit - there are no higher organisational level considerations or tests. There can be bonuses or penalties for friendlies within proximity and there is a bonus for a higher order command withn 12.

Support elements for an infantry battalion (for example) fight and test as individual elements. Whilst they will likely form part of a HQ, Support of Heavy Weapons company, this is an administrative rather than tactical arrangement. Best to keep them to the rear and with good fields of fire as they have small ML values and are vulnerable.