3 Infantry

The basic unit in Skirmishers is the infantry trooper. This section covers the basic rules for standard infantry.

Unit Card

The unit card shows the current capabilities of a trooper and tracks damage. A unit card can be formatted in any way so long as it contains all the essential information. Below is a sample unit card for a basic infantry trooper.

Basic information about the trooper, such as their name, rank, squad position number, and skill level are tracked at the top of the unit card.

Damage to the trooper is tracked in the HP section. HP cells are labeled by their HP value, from highest to lowest, 10 to 1, from left to right. HP cells are fully crossed out when the trooper takes standard damage (X). The current HP of the trooper is given by the first cell to the right of the lowest fully marked HP cell. For example, if the trooper has HP 9, 7, and 6 marked off and HP 5 partially marked, their current HP is 5.

If the trooper is wearing armor, mark the contiguous block of HP cells protected by the armor in the Armor section. Armor must be destroyed before the corresponding HP cell is marked off.

Total action points (AP) for the trooper are given in the AP section. Use the value in the column corresponding to the trooper’s current HP. For example, if the trooper has 5 HP, then they have only 7 AP.

Similarly, the modifier section tracks the current modifier for the trooper’s target numbers based upon current HP. For example, if the trooper has 5 HP, then add +2 to all target numbers.

The weapons and equipment section list the primary and secondary weapons the trooper is equipped with, along with their damage values and range brackets. Basic troopers also carry 4 hand grenades and may carry additional equipment. Any rifle automatically comes with a bayonet equipped.

The leadership section lists the squad leader for the trooper and their leadership score. This section contains the information required for morale checks.

Weapons and Equipment

Troopers carry one primary weapon, one secondary weapon, and 4 hand grenades. All troopers have a helmet and combat knife. The combat knife is assumed to be affixed as a bayonet if the trooper is carrying a rifle or SMG. In some cases, troopers may carry additional equipment.

Primary Weapons Troopers may use the following primary weapons:

Note, the auto pistol, SMG, and Laser SMG can fire into the same firing arc multiple times. All other weapons may only fire into a firing arc once per turn.

Secondary Weapons Each trooper can have a maximum of 1 secondary weapon. Troopers may use the following ranged secondary weapons:

Instead of a ranged secondary weapon, troopers may use the following hand to hand secondary weapons:

Explosive Weapons Troopers may use the following explosives:

The ammo indicates how many rounds come with the weapon. The damage is given is descending order for the point of detonation, the adjacent dots, the dots 2 away from the detonation, and so on. It takes 1 AP to throw a hand grenade 1 dot, and it takes 2 AP to throw a satchel charge 1 dot.

A trooper can carry a maximum of 4 grenades in addition to their primary and secondary weapons. A satchel charge is a secondary weapon, so a trooper cannot carry a ranged or hand to hand secondary weapon if they are carrying a satchel charge.

Body Armor Troopers may equip body armor. Body armor protects a number of contiguous cells in the armor section of the unit card. Cells protected by body armor ignore bludgeoning damage. Standard damage is marked like bludgeoning damage on the cell of body armor. The first hit with standard damage partially marks the cell (\) and the second hit fully marks the cell (X).

To equip body armor on a trooper, mark the cells covered by body armor on the unit card. Then, reduce the AP to account for the body armor. For example, with basic body armor, mark 4 contiguous cells as protected by armor and reduce all values in the AP row by 2.

Movement

Prior to any combat actions, troopers can move and take special actions.

Basic Movement Troopers can use a maximum of 8 AP for movement. Troopers move between adjacent points on the map so long as the the new location is on valid terrain and the path between the points does not pass though an impassible obstacle, such as a solid high wall or the truck of a tree.

Movement between adjacent points with no obstructions between them costs 1 AP. Movement between adjacent points with an obstruction between costs 2 AP. Obstructions include objects that are shorter than a person, such as furniture, light vegetation, and low walls.

Troopers may only enter and exit buildings through doorways and windows. Movement between adjacent points that passes through a doorway costs 2 AP. Movement between adjacent points that passes through a window costs 4 AP; however troopers cannot voluntarily fall out of an upper story window or off of a building.

Troopers may use ladders and stairs to change levels in or on a building. Movement between levels costs 3 AP. The trooper stays on the same point when changing levels. The current level of the trooper should be tracked on the unit card or next to the miniature.

Troopers may hide behind solid obstructions, such as furniture and low walls. It costs 1 AP to crouch or go prone. It costs 2 AP to stand from a crouching or prone position. Movement while prone costs double the standard AP.

Special Actions A unit may take the following special actions during their movement:

A unit can only have one weapon active at a time. It costs 3 AP to change active weapons, including to change to an explosive. A unit automatically switches back to their primary weapon after using the explosive.

Units may exchange weapons or equipment. It costs 6 AP to take a weapon or equipment from another unit, including a dead or unconscious unit. A unit cannot exceed their basic carrying capabilities given on their unit card. A unit may drop weapons or equipment for 0 AP; however, any unit, friendly or enemy, may then pick up the dropped weapon or equipment.

Combat

After moving, troopers may use any remaining AP for combat actions, such as establishing a firing arc, engaging in hand to hand combat, or using explosives.

Firing Arcs A unit may establish a 30 degree, 60 degree, or 150 degree firing arc by paying the corresponding AP. When establishing a firing arc, the vertex of the arc is the dot the unit is standing on and can be oriented in any direction. When an enemy unit enters the firing arc, the friendly unit may fire upon the enemy unit.

Resolving Fire Note: Players resolve fire during enemy movement, which occurs during your opponent’s turn.

If an enemy unit activates in or moves into a firing arc, the unit may choose to fire as long as the unit has line of sight. Draw a straight line between the enemy unit and the firing unit. Obstructions, such as furniture, light vegetation, and low walls, provide cover but do not block line of sight. Impassible obstacles, such as a solid high wall, the truck of a tree, or a unit, block line of sight.

Resolving fire is a 2D6 check with the firing unit’s current active weapon. If the roll meets or exceeds the target number, the attack succeeds.

Count the number of dots in the shortest path between the firing unit and target unit to determine the range. If the weapon is in short range, the base target number is 6, and if the weapon is in long range, the base target number is 8.

Add a +1 modifier for each obstruction in the path of fire between the firing unit and the target unit, except for any obstruction between the firing unit’s dot and any adjacent dots. Use a -1 modifier if the attacking unit is prone. Add a +1 modifier if the target unit is prone and greater than 1 dot away. Use a -1 modifier if the target unit is prone and 1 dot away.

If the attack succeeds, roll an additional 2D6. This is the initial cell to apply damage in.

Each weapon has a damage value, which indicates how many cells to mark. Starting with the initial cell, mark off the number of cells given by the damage value of the weapon, skipping any previously marked cells. If a cell is protected by body armor, destroy the body armor instead of marking the cell. The new maximum AP immediately applies to the target unit. If this new AP value meets or exceeds the AP the target unit has spent this turn, the target unit immediately falls prone and can take no further actions.

If the weapon is not automatic (auto pistol, SMG, or laser SMG), then remove the firing arc once the firing is resolved. A unit may decide not to fire if they wish to preserve the firing arc for a future target.

Hand to Hand Combat It costs 5 AP to make a hand to hand attack. Hand to hand combat is resolved similarly to ranged combat, and the attack is resolved during the target unit’s turn. The attacking unit must have a hand to hand weapon active. The attacking unit may use an affixed bayonet or use their active weapon as a club.

Resolving hand to hand combat is a 2D6 check with the attacking unit’s current active weapon. If the roll meets or exceeds the target number, the attack succeeds.

The base target number is always 4, and only modifiers for damage on the attacking trooper applies.

Standard damage is applied as above. Starting with the initial cell, mark off the number of cells given by the damage value of the weapon, skipping any previously marked cells. If a cell is protected by body armor, destroy the body armor instead of marking the cell. If the attack does bludgeoning damage, indicated by a #B, apply this damage after any standard damage. Bludgeoning damage partially marks any unmarked cell and fully marks any partially marked cells. Starting with the next cell after the last marked cell for any standard damage, partially mark off the number of cells given by the bludgeoning damage value of the weapon, skipping any previously fully marked cells. If a cell is protected by body armor, the bludgeoning damage is ignored.

Explosives AP for attacks with explosives are given by the weapon. A thrown grenade costs 1 AP for each dot its thrown, and a thrown satchel charge costs 2 AP for each dot its thrown. Double these AP costs if the attacking unit is prone. A unit cannot set up a firing arc after using an explosive.

A unit can throw a hand grenade or satchel charge down a ladder or stairs any number of levels, or may throw a hand grenade or satchel charge up one level, at a cost of 3 AP. The unit must be standing on the stairwell or ladder to throw the explosive up a level and may be on or adjacent to the stairwell or ladder to throw the explosive down any number of levels.

Explosives are resolved similarly to ranged combat, but the attack is resolved during at the end of the attacking side’s turn. Place a token at the target dot for the explosives during the unit’s turn and resolve the explosive after all units on your side have activated.

Resolving explosives is a 2D6 check with the firing unit’s current active explosive. If the roll meets or exceeds the target number, the attack succeeds.

The base target number is the number of AP used to throw the hand grenade or satchel charge.

Add a +1 modifier for each obstruction in the path of fire between the firing unit and the target dot, except for any obstruction between the firing unit’s dot and any adjacent dots. Use a -1 modifier if the attacking unit is prone.

If the target number is met, apply damage starting at the target dot and moving outwards. Impassible obstacles, such as a solid high wall or the truck of a tree, block explosive damage. Solid obstructions such as furniture and windows also block explosive damage. Roll 2D6 for each trooper in the radius of the explosive to determine where the damage is applied.

If the target number is not met, the explosive scatters. If the line of fire is not obstructed, the explosive scatters from the target point. If the line of fire is obstructed, the explosive scatters from the closest dot along the line of fire that is before the obstruction. Roll 1D6 to determine the scatter direction, identifying one direction to correspond to a result of 1 and proceeding clockwise with the other values. Roll 1D6 to determine the scatter distance. Satchel charges only scatter 1 dot.

If the path of scatter intersects an impassible obstacle, such as a wall, stop the scatter on the last valid dot along the path of scatter. Then apply the damage as above from the scatter point.