fighting plastic free game

8/2/2019 Fighting Plastic Free Game

1/6

Copyright 2005 T. Sheil & A. Sheil All Rights Reserved

Army Men Homepage

Fighting Plastic

by Corey Butler

This is a game for plastic toy soldiers. The original website is gone, but the author gave

blanket permission to use it wit ha few restrictions. It is simple, easy to learn and easy toplay. The author was obviously inspired by 3DO'sArmy Men PC games. It is our good

pleasure to bring you these rules.

Here are the basic rules for the game as authored by Corey Butler:

Introduction

FP is a miniatures war game for two or more players using plastic army men and vehiclesas units. Because it was designed for maximum fun and playability, the game can be

played with as much lightheartedness as the players desire (e.g. nerf cannons, ping pong

bombs, glue weapons, etc.). It can be played on a large table, in a living room, at thebeach, or anywhere else you happen to be. The only materials needed are these rules, a

supply of different colored army men, some six-sided dice, and a couple of yardsticks ortape measures.

Before beginning the game, players should discuss and agree upon the playing area, victoryconditions, selection of forces, and starting positions. Setup is conducted jointly by all

players before army assignment is determined. Players are assigned armies by drawing

colors ( as in chess ). Each player then rolls a die and the highest roller moves first,followed by the second highest, and so on.

An army typically consists of 30-40 men plus a few fortifications or vehicles. As a general

rule, attackers should be given more troops ( perhaps even double ) than army men who are

defending a fortified position.

Example scenarios ( and victory conditions ) may include such themes as: destroy all

enemies, capture the flag, escape to a safe area, escort vehicles and cargo, rescue prisoners,

capture the enemy leader, destroy a secret weapon, etc. Variants can include space troops,

toy dinosaurs, trains, boats, or any other items on hand.

Additional Game Components


2/6

Pencils = anti-tank obstacles

Big paper clips = barbed wire

Jar lids = fox holesHouseplants = forests

Bottles, cans, etc, = miscellaneous obstacles and cover

Coins = minefieldsRulers = bridges

Boxes of matches = fires and/or smoke

Blankets = low hills or bodies of waterPiles of books = steep hills and cliffs

Dixie cups = small pillboxes ( cut out gunports)

Game Turns

Each Turn represents an abstracted amount of time in which a soldier can move and attack.

Turns are divided into 4 phases which porceed in the following order:

1. Movement ( sequential )

2. Automatic weapons ( simultaneous )3. Other small arms ( simultaneous )

4l Heavy weapons ( simultaneous )

Heavy weapons inlcude tanks, artillery, bazookas, flame-throwers, mortars, and anything

else that is not a machine gun, rifle, or pistol. If exotic, high-tech weapons like missiles

and lasers are involved, they should be fired in the automatic weapon phase.

Since combat is simultaneous, units destroyed in a phase may still return fire during that

phase. Keep track of destroyed units by flipping them on their sides. At the end of the

phase, casualties are removed or replaced by wounded figures and/or dropped weaponaccessories up to a limit agreed upon before the game started. Destroyed vehicles remain

flipped over, serving as cover and obstacles for the remainder of the game.

Movement

The standard movement allowance is one foot per turn for infantry, and two feet per turn

for vehicles. The allowance is halved when going up hills, and is it also halved for vehiclescrossing rough ground. Jeeps and trucks ( as well as trains ) can move up to three feet per

turn on a road.

Tanks lose half their movement allowance when they change directions by turning. There

is no movement penalty to turn the turret, which is positioned during the movement phase.

Tanks can eliminate enemy infantry by running them over.

Soldiers climbing cliffs must roll one die: 1 fall to death, 2-4 no progress, 5-6 climb three

inches. Climbing infantry may not attack during the turn they are attempting to climb.

Swimming infantry move at a rate of 6" per turn. They have a 1 in 6 chance of drowning


3/6

every turn they are in the water. Paratroopers must roll a die when they attempt to land: 1-

2 on target, 3 north of target, 4 east of target, 5 south of target, 6 west of target. If off

target, roll another die to determine how many feet they are off ( max 3' ). Paratroopersmay take no further action on the turn they are dropped.

Opportunity Fire

Army men using direct fire ( i.e. not mortars, etc. ) have the option of attacking any units

that moved through their line of sight ( LoS ) during the movement phase, even if they arenot in LoS at the end of movement. This rule eliminates the possibility of units simply

running by enemy machine gun placements. Units attacked by opportunity fir may return

fire.

Combat

Combat occurs simultaneously, but in different phases for different weapons types. Any

weapon depicted on a given army man may be used, but each figure may never attack morethan once per turn. Check the range ( in feet ) and the attack rating for the appropriate

weapon on the table below. The attack value or less must be rolled on two dice to besuccessful. Infantry units are automatically eliminated if hit. Armored vehicles and other

hard targets may be destroyed by heavy weapons depending on a second die roll ( see Hard

Targets ).

Rate of fire ( RoF ) indicates how many attacks ( on separate targets ) an automatic weapon

can make in a turn. These attacks must be clustered within a 60 degree arc. RoF is

abstracted and does not necessarily correspond to a specific number of bullets fired.

Weapon Range Attack RoF NotesKnife 0 6 1 silent, no adjacent bonus

Pistol 1 6 1

Rifle 2 7 1

Sniper rilfe 3 9 1 stationary

Submachine gun 1 8 3

Assault rifle 2 8 5

LMG ( bipod ) 2 8 7 stationary, 1/2 move

HMG ( tripod ) 3 8 10 as above, crew of 2Grenade 1 6 1 6" diameter blast

Light Mortar 2-4 6 1 6" blast, stationary, 1/2 move

Heavy Mortar 2-5 6 1 as above, 9" blast, crew of 2

Flame Thrower 1 9 1 6" wide cone, 1/2 move

Bazooka 2 6 1 6" blast, 1/2 move, crew of 2


4/6

Tank gun 4 7 1 6" blast, crew of 3 ( inside )

Light cannon 3 7 1 6" blast, stationary, crew of 3

Howitzer 6 7 1 9" blast, stationary, crew of 3

Missile 9 8 1 12" blast

Laser any LoS 8 1 automatic elimination

Glue Cannon 3 7 1 immobilizes 9" area

Special Units

Leader +1 attack for troops in 12" area

Binoculars +1 to attack with range >3

Radio allows indirect fire without Los, can transfer leader bonus

Engineer can destroy obstacles, stationary

Medic Convert wounded to healthy soldiers on a roll of 7 on two dice

Mine detector locate mines, deactivate a 3" path per turn

Minefields one attack of 7 on all men vehicles during the movement

Barbed wire blocks infantry, can be destroyed by engineers, tanks, guns

Tank obstacles blocks vehicles, can be destroyed by engineers

Miscellaneous Notes

A natural 2 always eliminates its target and a natural 12 always misses.

Automatic weapons jam on a roll of 12. Can be fixed by rolling a 7 or less next turn.

All tanks, heavy guns, and flame-throwers are out of ammo on a roll of 12.

Stationary weapons cannot attack on the same turn in which they move.

At least 50% of a target must be within a blast area to be hit.

Attacks on AFVs use armor-piercing rounds and do not make a blast.

Most tanks and planes may fire LMGs in addition to their other armaments.

There is a 50% chance that a flame-thrower will explode ( 3" blast ) if hit.

Attack Modifiers

Behind cover -3 flame-throwers and grenades are -0

Flying -4 planes can only be attacked by MGs and lasers

Inside pillbox -5 flame throwers are -0

Range >3 -1 NA for high-tech weapons such as lasers

From lower elevation -1

Adjacent +2


5/6

From behind +2

Guns using indirect fire ( and/or range >3 ) are -1 on their first attack on a fixed

location.

Infantry with shovels can entrench ( -3 cover ) after two turns of digging.

Hard Targets

Unlike most units, hard targets such as armored fighting vehicles ( AFVs ) and pillboxes

are not automatically eliminated when hit. Furthermore, they are immune to most

weapons. Bazookas, tank guns, cannons, and flame throwers that land a successful hit have

a chance to eliminate them according to the following rule:

Roll one die... For AFVs: 1-2 no effect, 3-4 immobilized, 5-6 destroyed. For pillboxes: 1-4

no effect, 5 stunned for one turn, 6 destroyed. Die roll modifiers...

Target is a half track +1

Target is the side or rear of a tank +1 ( flame throwers NA )

Target is a heavy tank -1

Weapon is flame-thrower or howitzer +1

Weapon is a high-tech missile +2

Weapon is land mine or bazooka -1

Flame throwers cannot destroy pillboxes... only the occupants can be targeted

Destroyed vehicles are flipped over and remain in place

Crews survive destroyed tanks ( not jeeps or half-tracks ) on a subsequent roll of 1-2,pillboxes 1-3.

Cannons are automatically eliminated when hit by tanks and other big guns.

Trucks and jeeps can be eliminated by tanks, cannons, mortars, and sustained HMG

fire.

Infantry units can eliminate adjacent AFVs with a natural attack roll of 2

Army men in pillboxes cannot fire at targets that are behind the fortification or directlybelow and in front of the gun ports ( Exception: grenades can be tossed onto units in front

of pillboxes ). Enemy units in these safe zones can destroy the occupants of the pillboxes

on any roll other than a 12 if they are armed with either flame-throwers or grenades.

Small arms can be used to attack soldiers in pillboxes and half-tracks. If they score asuccessful nit after the appropriate penalty ( half-tracks act as -3 cover ), they eliminate

enemy units but do not affect the hard target itself.

Heroes


6/6

One or more army men form each side can be designated as heroes. These men may or

may not be leaders. Heroes must be "eliminated" three times before they are actually

removed from the game. They have +1 on all of their attack values and may haveadditional abilities that should be agreed upon beforehand. Figures representing heroes

must be unique or easily identifiable. They should be given names like Tex, Radar, Sarge,

or Bill.

Designers Notes: This game is copyright 2000 by Corey Butler. It may be freelydistributed in its original form, with this notice, but not sold. Modifications and house

rules are encouraged and should be labeled as such.

fighting plastic free game

Documents