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16

MORALE
  On this page
16.1 Importance of morale
16.2 Reasons for a morale check
16.3 Resolving a morale check
16.4 Results of a platoon/section morale check
16.5 Company+ morale check
16.6 Resolution of company+ morale
16.7 Results of a company+ morale check
16.8 Rallying
16.9 Morale values
16.1
Importance of morale
Cheerful chappiesA unit’s morale represents its ability to carry on with its orders and actions. These rules represent the effect of events and circumstances on units’ morale. The importance of company and higher level HQs will become obvious, as will the risks in their being committed to the front line, for if they suffer badly or are disabled the cohesion of the entire battlegroup could rapidly disintegrate.
   
16.2
Reasons for a morale check
16.2.1
A morale check must be made by a platoon or independent section under the following circumstances.
16.2.2
The first time the unit suffers an element dispersed, neutralised or disabled.
16.2.3
The first time a unit with a morale grade of 5 or 6 suffers an element suppressed or worse.
16.2.4
If the unit’s command element is disabled.
16.2.5
If a unit loses more than 25% of its elements disabled in one period, or more than 50% dispersed, neutralised or disabled.
16.2.6
If about to break cover under fire, or advance to close assault (checked in the move phase).
16.2.7
If the unit has sufered any form of defeat in close assault or firefight under the unit combat system.
16.2.8
A unit may also take a morale test if it wishes to attempt to recover from poor morale, except for a unit that currently has a ‘retire’ result.
   
16.3
Resolving a morale check
16.3.1
To test morale, take the unit’s morale value and modify by any of the following that apply:
 
+1
If not in command control
If at least 25% of unit is dispersed, neutralised or disabled
If the command element is disabled and not yet replaced
If infantry with enemy armed AFV within 200m and not quipped with ATK weapons
If AFV in poor visibility or close terrain with no known friendly infantry, dismounted and unsuppressed, within 100m to both flanks (and in front if advancing)
If at night, in smoke or in fog
If under indirect HE fire or bombing attack
+2
If at least 50% of the unit is dispersed, neutralised or disabled
If under air-to-ground rocket attack or dive-bombing
+3
If at least 75% of the unit is dispersed, neutralised or disabled
-1
If in field defences, or AFV hull down to all enemy within 500m
If more enemy elements disabled by own unit, or seen disabled within 500m, than lost disabled this period
16.3.2
Note: the percentage factors are not cumulative.
Non-AFV transport elements do not count as losses for morale purposes.
16.3.3
Add the modifier from 1D10 on the following table and consult the Platoon/section test line in the chart below:
 
Die roll
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Modifier
+3
+2
+1
+1
0
0
-1
-1
-2
-3
 
Modified morale grade
4-
5
6
7
8
9+
Platoon/section test
OK
½ move
½ move
Cover
Halt
Retire
Company+ test
OK
OK
OK
Halt
Halt
Retire
   
16.4
Results of a platoon/section morale check
16.4.1
OK
Unit’s morale still good
16.4.2
½ move
Maximum advance or lateral move is at half speed. May retire at full speed. Vehicles under fire will disperse (see 17.2) if advancing. May close assault if the enemy position can still be reached.
16.4.3
Cover
Move in any direction into cover within half move and halt, unless already in cover, do not move to within 100m of any enemy (acquired or not, but known of). If no cover within half move use Halt result. Vehicles disperse while moving. May not close assault.
16.4.4
Halt
Halt in present position (infantry go to ground) or retire to cover. Retire 100m from any enemy element within 100m (acquired or not, but known of) or if under fire. Vehicles disperse in position or while moving.
16.4.5
Retire
For you the war is overRetire from action at maximum speed. Transport may pick up infantry if within 50m, otherwise they move separately.
Troops and crews of a vehicle that is neutralised will abandon it. Any troops on foot within 50m of enemy troops in good morale (½ move or better) will surrender.
Infantry in cover capable of protecting them from enemy fire will remain there and hide.
16.4.6
Vehicles forced to disperse by these morale results will take a full period to cover the half distance usually possible to them.
16.4.7 Extremes of hot and cold weather, such as in the desert, tropical forest or Russian winter, will modify the results above for troops on foot in that they will tend towards doing as little as possible. If in cover giving shelter from the elements or gone to ground they will stay there in all cases. They count as hiding if they get a Retire result, which may mean they are overrun by the enemy as they cannot fight.
   
16.5
Company+ morale check
16.5.1
Company and higher-level commands take a company+ morale test.
16.5.2
The test may be caused by the same reasons as a unit morale check (16.2)
16.5.3
They will also check morale if any of their primary subordinate units suffers a retire or halt morale reaction.
16.5.4
The company+ morale check is made after all platoon morale checks, that for a battalion after all company checks.
   
16.6
Resolution of company+ morale
16.6.1
Take the command group’s morale value and apply any modifiers from the unit morale check (16.3.1) that apply to itself, then modify it by the following factors:
+1 for each subordinate unit that has a halt reaction
+2 for each subordinate unit that has a retire reaction, or has been totally disabled
16.6.2
Use 1D10 and consult the company+ test line in table 16.3.3
   
16.7
Results of a company+ morale check
16.7.1
OK
Formation carries on with its orders
16.7.2
Halt
All subordinate units able to receive orders or seeing the cause halt in present position or retire to cover within half move. They must retire 100m from any enemy within 100m, unless in field defences
16.7.3
Retire
The entire formation must retire off-table or to a designated rally point, at maximum speed, except that a directly subordinate unit that has all its sub-units with good morale (½ move or better) may act as a rearguard and need not commence retiring until all other units have left the table or reached the rally point. They need not retire at full speed and will defend other units until they rally.
16.7.4
The effects of neutralisation and surrendering are as in 16.4.5 while retiring.
   
16.8
Rallying
16.8.1 A rallying point may be designated anywhere on or behind the starting positions, only in orders issued at the start of the action. If this is overrun by the enemy or is under fire when attempting to rally there, or if no rally point has been designated, the unit must retreat off-table.
16.8.2
A unit or formation that reaches a regroup point may rally after two periods, providing that it is in command control and has commanders for its constituent units (see 7.3). If not, it must wait until these requirements are fulfilled.
16.8.3
If a rallying unit or formation is forced to take a further morale check due to enemy action after reaching the rally point it will retire off the table instead.
16.8.4
A rallied unit must be given new orders.
   
16.9
Morale values
16.9.1
The following is a guide to nominal morale values:
 
Morale value
Troop type
1
 Fanatics such as Japanese infantry
2
 Elite formations; British Paras, US Rangers, commandos; SS Pz Grenadiers
3
 Veteran or experienced regular formations
4
 Average combat troops; regular British, American, German and Russian units
5
 Poorly led or inexperienced units; Italian infantry
6
 Unwilling or unprepared units
16.9.2
Any troops of morale value 1 that get a +3 or –3 result on table 16.3.3 must immediately charge any enemy within 200m and close assault them, regardless of any other morale result.
16.9.3
Units fighting against an enemy with a morale value double their own (rounded down) and suffering any poor morale result themselves, have their morale value increased by 1 for the remainder of the action.
16.9.4
Partisans and other irregulars will generally start as level 3 or 4, but will suffer as in 16.9.3, regardless of the quality of the opposition, if suffering a poor morale result.
   
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Index
Introduction
Scales
Game Requirements
Pre-Game Reconnaissance
Sequence of Play
Orders
Command Control
Movement
Visibility and Hearing
Acquisition
Direct Fire
Direct Area Fire
Indirect Area Fire
Smoke
Night Fighting
Morale
Suppressed, Neutralised...
Aircraft Operations
Airborne Operations
Engineering & Mines
1:200th Scale
Points Values
Ammunition
Army lists & playing aids