IRON COW 2103 AD:

P HAS E L IN E B R AV O

A Fan Supplementt of House Rules

for Iron
n Cow 2103
3AD
6mm Sc
cience-Fiction Micro-A
Armor Rule
es
Compile
ed by
Andreas Udby
June, 2010

Iron Cow 21
103AD is a copy
yright of Steve Blease
B
and Wess
sex Games. This
s unofficial supp
plement is not produced, supporrted, or
endorsed by
y them, and they
y retain all origina
al rights.

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Table of Contents

IRON COW 2103A

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FOREW
WORD
Iron Co
ow 2103AD
D is a set of
o light rulles for scien
nce-fiction g
ground-com
mbat wargam
ming.
The rule
es generally
y match th
he excellentt line of 6mm sci-fi microarmorr available from
Brigade Models, whiich I highly recommend
d.
IC2103, being a light rule set, forms a co
ore rule set that does not,
n
at this time, delve
e into
more spe
ecific warga
aming possib
bilities. Thu
us this supp
plement was
s born. The
e contents of this
supplement first saw
w life as pos
sts on the Brigade
B
Models discussio
on forums. I want to thank
t
all the po
osters there
e for their time and participation.

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Table off Contents

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INFANTRY ................................................................................................................ 4
General Infantry Rules: .......................................................................................... 4
Close Assault ........................................................................................................ 4
Targeting infantry (tanks) ...................................................................................... 4
Targeting infantry (artillery) ................................................................................... 4
Urban cover ......................................................................................................... 4
Special Infantry Teams .......................................................................................... 5
Forward Observers ................................................................................................ 5
Jump Infantry ....................................................................................................... 5
Anti-Tank Infantry ................................................................................................. 5
Medics and Mechanics ............................................................................................ 5
Snipers ................................................................................................................ 5
Mortars ................................................................................................................ 5
Dragoons ............................................................................................................. 5
Anti-Aircraft Infantry ............................................................................................. 5
MISSILES, ROCKETS, AND MORTARS ............................................................................... 7
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) .......................................................................... 7
Salvo Rockets ....................................................................................................... 7
Mortars ................................................................................................................ 7
Counter-Mobility ................................................................................................... 9
Emplacement ....................................................................................................... 9
M-Type Obstacles .................................................................................................. 9
L-Type Obstacles................................................................................................. 10
Scatterable Mines ................................................................................................ 10
Demolitions ........................................................................................................ 10
Breaching .......................................................................................................... 10
Bridging ............................................................................................................. 11
Clearing ............................................................................................................. 11
SUPERTANKS.......................................................................................................... 12
Composition ....................................................................................................... 12
Stats ................................................................................................................. 12
Damage ............................................................................................................. 12
Firing ................................................................................................................ 13
Movement .......................................................................................................... 14
Command, Control, and Electronic Warfare ............................................................. 14
UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ...................................................................................... 15
Nanite Clouds ..................................................................................................... 15
Chemical Weapons .............................................................................................. 15
Tactical Nukes .................................................................................................... 16
Remote or Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) ........................................................ 16
Shield Generators ............................................................................................... 17
LOOKING FORWARD .................................................................................................. 18

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Table of Contents

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

INFANTRY

In most 6mm scale sci-fi games, infantry

are either steroid-addled, power-suitwearing, tac-nuke-carrying superhumans
(think OGRE) or they're there to give the
tanks something squishy to feel between
their roadwheels (BattleTech). Infantry
also present a challenge towards the
game designer in terms of balancing their
advantages
and
disadvantages
and
incorporating both in gameable terms.

General Infantry Rules:

Close Assault
Infantry who are in base-to-base contact
with another unit are considered to be in
Close Assault. They receive double their
normal effectiveness against hard targets
(so, for instance, the ONESS infantry
squad would double their effectiveness
from 8 to 16). This gives them a chance
to actually kill some heavy tanks by
overwhelming them with RPG's, satchel
charges, and limpet mines.

Let's start with a list of key advantages:

Low profile/Can hide easily

More mobile in certain terrain (urban,
jungle, etc.)
Superior infiltration abilities
Important communications link (think
spotting for artillery)
Can enter tight spaces (buildings,
tunnels, caverns, etc.)
Can capture some objectives better
than tanks (buildings, intel, etc.)

Targeting infantry (tanks)

Tanks may only target infantry at the
300mm range band or under, and must
treat Static infantry as if the target stand
were one range band further away (i.e.,
infantry 140mm away would normally be
in the 150mm range band, but if under a
Static order, would have to be engaged
using the tank's values for the 300mm
range band). This represents the effects
of the infantry hugging the ground.

Now some disadvantages:

Slow
Thin-skinned/Lack of armor
Undergunned/Lack of firepower
Lack of systems (ECM, radar, fire
control, etc.)
Less mobile in certain terrain (water,
swamp, temperature extremes)

Targeting infantry (artillery)

Artillery can fire at infantry at all range
bands, not just 300mm or lower, but firing
at Static troops is done as if the infantry
were two range bands further away,
representing the difficulty of injuring
troops who are dug-in.

Of course, both of these lists are using a

modern concept of infantry, with no
provisions made for tech levels or
whatnot. Because the IC2103 rule set is
largely structured along "fast play" lines,
the challenge was this:

Don't overbalance them (turning them

into little tanks, as it were)
Retain the fast-play feel of the overall
rule set

Urban cover
Infantry in bunkers or in buildings ignore
the first successful attack on them each
turn.
A subsequent successful attack
would kill the stand, however.

Give the infantry enough of a punch to

justify including them

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Infantry

IRON COW 2103A

AD: PHASE
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Special Infantry
I
Tea
ams

chanic attac
ched,
vehicular unit has a Mec
orale rolls.
thatt unit gains +1 to its Mo

Forward Observers
Infantry designated as Forward
d Observers
s
(FOs) may
m
only engage
e
in direct fire
e
combat at the "Und
der 50" rang
ge band, as
s
they are
e armed on
nly with light personal
defense weapons. However, artillery fired
d
on a targ
get within their line of sight would
d
use the range to the target as figured
d
from the
e FOs. Exam
mple: an FO
O stand is in
n
woods with
w
line of
o sight to
o a targett
100mm and calls in artillery from a
battery 700mm aw
way. The artillery
a
can
n
roll to hitt using its 100mm
1
% to
o-hit value.

Snip
pers
If us
sing the opttional Morale rules, a sniper
stan
nd causes a decrease in Morale fo
or its
targ
get.
If th
he target is
i infantry, the
Morale penalty is -2 and the stand must
mak
ke a Moralle roll.
Iff the targe
et is
vehicular, therre is a -1 penalty to any
Morale roll ta
aken that turn, butt no
auto
omatic Mora
ale roll is req
quired.
Morrtars
Infa
antry units equipped
e
with mortars may
fire over blocking terra
ain, using the
artillery rules but the infantry range
r
bands. The bla
ast template would only be
50m
mm across ra
ather than 100mm.
1

Jump Inffantry
Jump tro
oops are eq
quipped witth jet packs
s
that allo
ow them to move at normal
n
rate
e
over any
y terrain. Of
O course, unit integrity
y
rules stilll apply! Ju
ump troops attempting
g
to move into Close Assault by air may be
e
fired upo
on by the target unitt as if they
y
were airc
craft.

Drag
goons
Drag
goons are
e mounted
d troops who
have
dism
mount to fight.
D
Dragoons
mottorcycles, an
nti-grav skim
mmers, or some
s
othe
er unarmore
ed, fast forrm of trans
sport.
an
Consequently,
dragoons
s
under
Adv
vance orde
er may mov
ve double their
norm
mal speed,, but cannot make any
attacks that turrn.

Anti-Tan
nk Infantry
AT team
ms receive +25%
+
to-hitt bonus and
d
+4 to their
t
Penetration when targeting
g
armored targets AND when und
der a Static
c
order. If
I not underr a Static order,
o
there
e
is no to
o-hit bonus
s, but there is still a
Because
Penetration bonus.
e they are
e
carrying heavy antii-armor wea
apons, they
y
can only carry lig
ght person
nal defense
e
weapons
s as small arms; therrefore, they
y
can only
y target othe
er infantry units at the
e
"under 50"
5 range ba
and.

Antii-Aircraft Inffantry
Infa
antry stands
s equipped with
w
AA mis
ssiles
targ
get aircraft with
w
increas
sed accuracy
y and
effectiveness, giving
g
them
m +3 to their AA
factor.

Medics and
a
Mechaniics
If using the optiona
al Morale ru
ules, medics
s
reduce morale
m
pena
alties for in
nfantry, and
d
mechanics for vehic
cles. If an infantry unitt
(not jus
st a single stand, butt an entire
e
platoon) has a Med
dic attached
d, that unitt
gains +1
1 to its Mora
ale rolls. Liikewise, if a

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Infantry

IRON COW 2103A

AD: PHASE
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Possible Natiion-Specific
P
c Infantry Trraits:
A
America
Rep
public: ...............................
C
Chinese
Dem
mocratic Soc
cialist Union: ......
E
EuroFed
Reg
gular Army: ........................
E
EuroFed
Legion Etrange
ere: ...................

No Mo
orale penaltty for Ambush
No An
nti-Tank allo
owed; No Morale
M
penalty for Ambu
ush
No Po
ower-Armor allowed; frree Mortar stand
s
per platoon
No Po
ower-Armor allowed; +15%
+
To-Hit when in Urban,
Woo
oded, and Jungle terrain
Indonesian Republic:
R
........................... No Po
ower-Armor allowed; +10%
+
To-Hit when in Ju
ungle
terrrain
K
Khallistani
Le
eague: ............................. No Ju
ump Infantry
y allowed; No Morale penalty
p
for
casu
ualties taken;
O
ONESS:
............................................. One free
f
Power-A
Armor stand
d per platoo
on
P
Pacific
Federration: ............................... One free
f
Medic per
p platoon
S
South
African Commonw
wealth: .............. All inffantry are trreated as Dragoons
N
Neo-Soviet
R
Regular
Arm
my: .................... +20%
% to hit whe
en attacking en masse (four
(
or more
stan
nds attackin
ng same targ
get)
N
Neo-Soviet
P
Peasant
Infa
antry: ................ Double Morale pe
enalties for casualties taken; may
y force a
succ
cessful Mora
ale roll by sacrificing on
ne stand

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Infantry

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

ATGMs above, tied to their Penetration
value, but a salvo rocket launcher may be
up to 1.5 times the carrying vehicles
Front Defence Factor.

MISSILES, ROCKETS, AND

MORTARS
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs)
ATGMs are classified by their Penetration
value, i.e., an ATGM system with a PEN
value of 10 would be a Class-10 ATGM.

A unit firing salvo rockets at a target does

so using the small artillery barrage
template.

Vehicles may only mount ATGMs equal to

their Front Defence Factor. Since there is
no size class statistic in IC2103, the
Defence Factor is the closest proxy.
Example:
the ONESS Thor MBT could
carry ATGMs up to Class-12, while the
Lynx APC could carry up to a Class-6
ATGM.

Damage to the targets under the barrage

marker is calculated as follows: Total up
the Penetration values for all individual
models in the firing unit, then divide by
the number of targets caught under the
barrage template.
For example, three Lynx Salvo Rocket
APCs, each carrying a Class-9 (Front
Defence Factor of 6 times 1.5) salvo
rocket launcher, fire on a collection of
enemy vehicles and infantry. The total
Penetration value is:
9 x 3 = 27
There are five enemy pieces caught under
the barrage template, so each receives:
27/5 = 5
worth of Penetration against it.
The
vehicles are undamaged, but the exposed
infantry are destroyed.
If using the
Morale rules, the vehicles would still have
to account for the attack against their
morale.

The exception to this rule is VTOLs, which

may carry ATGMs equal to 2.5 times their
Front Defence Factor.
Example:
The
AmRep AH-604 VTOL has a Front Defence
Factor of 6;
therefore, it could carry
ATGMs up to Class-15. Fractions should
be rounded down.
ATGMs retain the same Penetration value
no matter the range, although their % ToHit falls with greater range, just as for
ballistic weapons.
ATGMs may not target infantry.
ATGMs can be jammed. At the beginning
of a turn, the opposing player can make a
Jamming roll against the unit armed with
ATGMs; however, instead of stopping or
changing their order chit, the affected unit
would be rendered unable to fire for that
turn.

Salvo rockets, being unguided, cannot be

jammed.
Mortars
Mortars allow a unit to fire over blocking
terrain, using the artillery rules but with
the range bands normally used for that
vehicle's direct-fire equivalent. The blast
template would only be 50mm across
rather than 100mm.

Salvo Rockets
Salvo rockets are unguided rockets fired
in large batches, such as WWII-era
Calliopes or modern Hydra-70 rockets.
Salvo rockets also have a Class rating, as

Mortar fire against infantry under a Static

order
inflicts
damage
using
the

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Missiles, Rockets, and Mortars

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

Penetration value as if the infantry were
two range bands further away
Mortars also cannot be jammed.

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Missiles, Rockets, and Mortars

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

"Obstacle" and the other side with "MType"
or
"L-Type"
or
something
comparative. Or, if you want to be more
descriptive, you could label it "Wire" or
"Dragon's Teeth" or "Mines".
When a
vehicle encounters an obstacle marker, it
stops at a point 40mm from the marker
and flips it over, then treats the obstacle
as described below.

COMBAT ENGINEERING
In IC2103, combat engineers, also known
as sappers, have two main functions:
mobility and counter-mobility.
Mobility (MOB) consists of bridging rivers
and gaps, breaching obstacles, and
reducing terrain features to a point where
maneuver units can traverse them.

Emplacement
Engineer units may emplace an obstacle
by taking a Static order. They do not
receive the normal defensive bonus since
they are standing out in the open, laying
out mines and wire, blowing cratering
charges, etc. They may not make any
attacks, although they may defend
themselves against aircraft as per any
other unit. At the end of the turn, the
player may place an obstacle marker
adjacent to the unit. An engineer unit
may move out of its obstacle's effective
zone, but may not move back into or
through the obstacle without breaching it.

Counter-mobility (CMOB) is, in effect,

reshaping the battlefield to channel the
enemy where you want them to go;
landmine warfare, tank ditches, wire
obstacles, blowing bridges and roads,
abatis, etc., are all examples of CM ops.
These house rules focus on MOB and
CMOB operations at an appropriate level
of abstraction for Iron Cow. At the level
of abstractness and granularity of IC2103,
specifically-antipersonnel obstacles are
mostly irrelevant, so the rules below don't
differentiate between antipersonnel and
antitank.

Obstacle markers' effective zones may

overlap, requiring multiple breaching
efforts of each one in turn by enemy
engineer units.

Counter-Mobility
Anti-tank obstacles, consisting mostly of
minefields, concertina wire, dragon's
teeth, and ditches, should have one of two
effects: an effect on mobility or a lethal
effect. For simplicity of the discussion,
we'll just call those "M-Type" (for
mobility) and "L-Type" (for lethal).

Obstacles may also be placed within rivers

and water, representing wire or dragon's
teeth being placed along the banks or
mines being placed on the bed of the river
itself.

For game purposes, an obstacle counter

effects an area within a 40mm radius from
the center of the counter (which we'll call
the "effective zone"). Example: if a unit
(or portion of a unit, such as a single
vehicle) moves within 40mm of an
obstacle counter, it has to roll as below.

M-Type Obstacles
When a ground vehicle encounters an MType obstacle, it stops and rolls a single
d10, then doubles it; the result is how
many 10% increments its speed is
reduced by during that turn.
Example:
A Zhu De platoon moves
60mm up a road, where it encounters an

An obstacle on the table is represented by

a simple counter labeled on one side with

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Combat Engineering

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

If an aircraft attempts a FASCAM mission,
it must be called in by a HQ unit as per
the Aircraft rules. Its attack also simply
results in an L-Type obstacle marker;
however, any enemy vehicles in a 10cm x
20cm rectangle extending from the target
point may fire on the aircraft as normal.
A successful hit not only destroys the
aircraft, but it prevents delivery of the
FASCAM mines.

M-Type obstacle. The unit stops to roll

how much its speed is reduced.
The
player rolls a 3, which is doubled to 6;
thus, the unit has had its speed reduced
by 60% this turn, or from 240mm to
96mm.
Since they already traveled
60mm to get to the obstacle, the player
can move them another 36mm before
they have to stop. This represents the
time lost in traversing the obstacle,
manually cutting wire, etc.

FASCAM obstacle markers are always

placed down with "L-Type" facing upwards
(or mine symbols, or whatever you
prefer).

L-Type Obstacles
For an L-Type obstacle, there is no
movement penalty, but the unit moving
into its radius must stop while the
opposing player rolls a single attack on
the unit, at %/PEN of 60/20. For each
10mm the unit travels through the L-Type
obstacle's zone of effect, the unit must
suffer another attack, until it either
withdraws or is destroyed completely.
Withdrawal from a minefield may be
accomplished by moving directly back the
way the unit came at no danger to itself;
exiting it any other direction will subject it
to more attack rolls.

Demolitions
An engineer unit may destroy a bridge by
sitting adjacent to it for a full turn while
on a Static order. This represents the
time it takes to place demolitions or use
breaching guns to destroy enough of the
span to prevent enemy units from
crossing it without special equipment.

Mobility
An engineer unit that is breaching,
bridging, or clearing may defend itself
against Aircraft as would any other unit.

Running into an L-Type obstacle also

results in a -3 Morale effect.
Scatterable Mines
FASCAM (scatterable mines) are remote
mines delivered by artillery or aircraft. If
an artillery battery wishes to fire a
FASCAM mission, the entire battery must
participate (as per the Battery Fire rules);
no gun tubes can be reserved for counterbattery fire or other fire missions.

Breaching
A combat engineer (or "sapper") unit that
enters the effective zone of an obstacle
marker may choose to breach the
obstacle.
This requires a Cautious
Advance order, and the sapper unit stops
moving at the nearest edge of the
obstacle's effective zone. If it is an LType obstacle, then the opposing player
gets one attack on the sapper unit at the
normal 60/20 attack value.

Rather than a blast template, the mission

simply results in an L-Type marker being
delivered on the targeted spot, which
must, of course, be within range of the
battery.

The sappers may not make any attack

other than their breaching effort, which
also consumes any unused movement

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Combat Engineering

IRON COW 2103A

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Clea
aring
Arm
mored doze
ers and co
ombat engineer
vehicles (CEVs
s) may atte
empt to re
educe
the movement penalty of difficult terrrain.
During this task, they may not make
e any
othe
er attacks.

they may
y have had left. They also do nott
receive the
t
defense
e bonus norrmally given
n
with Cau
utious Adv
vance orde
ers, as they
y
are standing right out
o in the op
pen as they
y
attempt to breach th
he obstacle!
The brea
ach is automatic and reduces
r
the
e
effective radius of the
t
obstacle
e marker by
y
1d10 x 5mm (millimeters, no
ot percent)..
So, if the
e d10 roll is
s 8 or greate
er, then the
e
obstacle marker is removed entirely;;
otherwis
se, it is redu
uced by thatt amount. A
die or small
s
chit can
c
be plac
ced on the
e
obstacle marker sho
owing the ne
ew effective
e
zone.

An engineer un
nit may mo
ove into Wo
oods,
Jung
gle, or Urban
U
terrrain while on
Cau
utious Adva
ance orders
s and clear away
a
brus
sh, trees, debris,
d
and
d rubble. After
mov
ving into th
he terrain, the unit must
stop
p, and then may roll a single die,
perm
manently re
educing both
h the movement
pena
alty and defensive bonus of that
Or, while
terra
ain feature
e by 1d10%.
w
already on terrrain of this
s type, the unit
may
y reduce the
t
terrain''s modifiers
s by
2d10% by takin
ng a Static order.

Example
e: A Zhu De
e platoon moves
m
into a
minefield
d and lose
es a tank..
On the
e
players next turn, he issues a Cautious
s
Advance
e order to a sapper platoon
p
and
d
then mo
oves them up
u to the ne
earest edge
e
of the minefield (40
0mm from th
he center off
the marrker). They
y execute the
t
breach,,
and the player rolls a d10. He rolls a 5, so
o
the effe
ective radius of the minefield
m
is
s
reduced to 15mm from
f
the ce
enter of the
e
L-Type marker
m
(40m
mm minus 25mm).
2
He
e
places a small ha
and-written chit with
h
"15mm" on it to
o show th
he reduced
d
effective zone.
Bridging
Bridging requires an engine
eer unit to
o
move to the edge of
o a river or gap. Theirr
order the next turn
n must be Static,
S
and
d
during this time they may nott make any
y
attacks, and neithe
er do they receive the
e
normal defense bo
onus for being
b
on a
Static order.
o
Afterr one full tu
urn spent in
n
this posiition on a Static
S
orde
er, you may
y
place a Bridge marker across the river orr
gap, sho
owing that units may now move
e
normally
y across the
e river or gap
g
at thatt
specific point.
p

Plac
ce a chit on the spot where the
engineer unit was sitting
g, showing the
new
w modifiers in effect fo
or that piec
ce of
terra
ain. The ch
hit covers an area 20m
mm in
radius, so multiple clearing
g efforts ma
ay be
requ
uired to imp
prove a patth through thick
swathes of vege
etation.
An engineer un
nit may exe
ecute this order
o
multiple times
s on the same piec
ce of
grou
und if neces
ssary, so long as it is given
g
the proper orde
ers each turrn.

M67A2 Wolfhound
W
Combat Engineer Vehicle
aken at Jethro Colon
ny, Mars
Photo tak
April 9, 2098
2

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C
Combat
Engineering

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

The Shnlng, our example supertank,
has the following stats:

SUPERTANKS
A fun theme to play with in sci-fi games is
the concept of the supertank, such as
Keith Laumers BOLOs or Steve Jacksons
O.G.R.E. tanks. These massive constructs
tend to overshadow everything else on the
battlefield.

CPU unit: Armor 22

Drive units: Armor 20; Speed 120mm
Forward Hellbore battery:
Armor 20; %/PEN: 80/30, 72/28, 64/26,
56/24, 48/22, 40/20; no AA factor

One of the challenges associated with

supertanks is making them impressively
powerful but balancing that with enough
drawbacks that not everyone in a game
will rush to replace all their tank platoons
with BOLOs.

Infinite repeaters:
Armor 18; %/PEN: 75/18, 60/14, 45/10,
30/4, --/--, --/--; AA factor: 3
Vertical launch missile system:
Armor 18; %/PEN: 80/12, 70/12, 60/12,
50/12, 40/12, 30/12; no AA factor

Composition
A supertank is treated as a single-model
unit within an Iron Cow brigade.
So
rather than multiple tanks moving and
fighting together, the unit is a single
supertank consisting of an equal number
of components as it replaces individuals in
the order of battle. Perhaps, for even
bigger ones, it might even take the place
of an entire tank company!

Air defense system:

Armor 18; AA factor: 6
Damage
The various components are targeted and
damaged independently, but rely on each
other to keep the supertank functioning.
For instance, the CPU and drive units have
no weaponry, whereas the weapons
components have no independent drive.

A supertank's components each have stats

as for an individual vehicle. For instance,
the CDSU Shnlng supertank has eight
components:

Again, one of the difficulties is in properly

balancing
the
super-duper
weapon
systems, such as Hellbores, so that they
don't unbalance the game.
The BOLO
series features Hellbore cannons that can
shoot starships out of near orbit! But
there needs to be some offsetting
weaknesses;
in this case, the limited
firing arc and tweaks to the firing and
defensive bonuses should hopefully be
sufficient to keep some balance in play.

The CPU
Front drive unit
Rear drive unit
Forward Hellbore battery
Left side infinite repeaters
Right side infinite repeaters
Vertical launch missile system
Air defense system

The Shnlng takes the place of two, fourtank units from a tank platoon in the
CDSU order of battle.

A diagram of the supertank should be

sketched out showing the location of the
various components:

Stats

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Supertanks

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

moving at one level of orders lower; so, if
it is on Advance orders, it fires as if at
Cautious Advance, and if on Cautious
Advance orders, it fires as if on Static.

Front Drive
Hellbores
Left
Repeaters

CPU

Right
Repeaters

As a target, the supertank does not

receive the defense bonuses associated
with order types;
it does, however,
receive the cover bonuses of terrain
types, if it is completely on the far side of
the terrain from the firing unit.

VLMS
Rear Drive
When taking direct fire, the targeted
component must be one of those facing
the firing unit. For instance, if a tank is
shooting at the Shnlng from the
supertank's right-front quarter, then the
tank may target the Front Drive, the
Hellbores, or the Right Infinite Repeaters.
If the Hellbores or Right Infinite Repeaters
are already destroyed, then the firing tank
may target the CPU.

A supertank targeted by artillery and

aircraft may have all its external
components targeted at once (but not its
CPU). However, because of the massive
nature of the tank and the interlocking
armor plating, the defending player may
roll 1d10 and reduce the artillery or
airstrike's Penetration value by that much.

The CPU acts as the HQ unit, issuing

orders to the whole monstrosity. If it is
destroyed, the tank shuts down.
The
supertank
may
have
backup
CPU
components; if a CPU is destroyed, the
supertank must take a Static order for
the following turn, after which the backup
CPU may come online and the tank may
resume normal function.

An artillery battery firing at a supertank

may choose to target its attacks on a
single external component, using Battery
Fire. When this happens, the attacking
player may roll 2d10 for each gun in the
battery and add it together to get the total
Penetration
being
applied
to
the
supertank's target component. However,
the maximum value contributed by each
gun is its maximum Penetration, and this
value may still be reduced by a 1d10 roll
by the defending player.

If a single drive unit is destroyed, the

supertank's possible speed drops by half;
if the second unit is destroyed, the unit is
immobilized. If a weapons component is
destroyed, then those weapons are gone.

Example: The Shnlng is being targeted

by a battery of three EuroFed Sigurd
SPG's, which normally have a maximum
PEN of 14 each. The EuroFed player rolls
2d10 for each gun, resulting in a 7, 18,
and 15. He is able to apply 7+14+14 in
PEN towards the attack, or 35. The CDSU
player then rolls 1d10 to see what the
amount of PEN reduction is, but only rolls
a 6, so the final PEN value of the EuroFed
battery is 29. The attack destroys the

Firing
Weapons components may only fire in a
180 arc in their facing (Front, Left, Right,
Rear), unless the component in question
is a missile system, such as on the
Shnlng above. Then it may fire on any
arc.
Because of the stability of the supertank,
its weapons always fire as if it were

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Supertanks

IRON COW 2103A

AD: PHASE
E LINE BRA
AVO
targeted componentt, which had an Armorr
value of 20.
Movement
Supertan
nks are so big that their
t
tracks
s
and susp
pensor lifts can
c
pretty much
m
ignore
e
most terrrain that would be a re
eal problem
m
for norm
mal-sized tanks.
T
The
terrain
n
moveme
ent penalty is
i therefore reduced by
y
3d10% each time the superttank moves
s
through it.
Supertan
nks cannot move acros
ss standard
d
bridges, and must fo
ord rivers. This means
s
they ma
ay have to find
f
some way
w
around
d
the ends
s of a steep canyon.
If using the optiona
al Combat Engineering
g
rules, the
t
superta
ank ignore
es obstacle
e
markers.
Comman
nd,
Contrrol,
and
Electronic
c
Warfare
The CPU (or CIC
C, if it's a manned
d
supertan
nk rather th
han a BOLO
O or OGRE))
issues a single order that app
plies to the
e
entire ta
ank. The weapons systems fire
e
independ
dently, but with the bonuses and
d
penalties
s described above.
The CPU
U on board the superttank cannott
be jamm
med, since itts communications run
n
along hard-wired systems
s
inside heavy
y
anti-mag
gnetic and radiation
r
sh
hielding. As
s
such, su
uccessful jam
mming rolls
s cannot be
e
applied to
t the superrtank. The CPU is able
e
to mount a jammer,, however.
The sup
pertank can
nnot sufferr a Morale
e
failure, iff using the Morale rules
s.

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Uncon
nventional Weapons

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

Nano-D can only be given Move or Static

orders. They attack automatically if in
base-to-base contact with a target.

UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPONS
Just to add more variety and flavor, here
are a few ideas for unconventional
weapons for the Iron Cow battlefield.

Nano-D can be jammed. At the beginning

of a turn, the opposing player can make a
Jamming roll against the Nano-D cloud
itself; the result would be an automatic
Static order chit. There is also a 15%
chance per jamming vehicle that a NanoD cloud can be ordered to disperse,
effectively removing it from the game.

Nanite Clouds
Note: I've taken some inspiration for this
from Ian Douglas's Inheritance trilogy as
well as other sources.
Nanite disassemblers ("Nano-D") are
microscopic, semi-independent robots that
attack targets at the atomic level,
breaking the bonds between molecules in
order to reduce the affected materiel to a
simple grey sludge.

Nanite clouds can attack and reduce some

terrain elements, as well, such as fighting
positions, buildings, bunkers, and trees.
Land masses and water are not affected
by Nano-D. The cover bonuses for terrain
are reduced by the same amount as for
attacks above.

"Clouds" of floating Nano-D are delivered

by artillery.
A player would have to
declare during the Orders phase that he
was firing Nano-D onto a target. The
blast template would be a 1" circle or
25mm base topped with a ball of cotton (it
would be good to maybe paint some
streaks of green or silver or something
onto the cloud to differentiate it from
regular smoke!).
Nano-D clouds would have the following
stats:

Nanite clouds cannot be attacked using

conventional weapons, so counter-nanite
clouds, chemical or acid aerosols, and
electronic jamming are among the
countermeasures available. Most vehicles
in this environment would be equipped
with such countermeasures, so if a NanoD cloud fails its attack roll on an enemy
unit or bunker, it is removed from the
game under the assumption that it was
effectively neutralized.

Speed: ............... 50mm

Defence Factor: ... *Special*
%/PEN:
85/5, --/--, --/--, --/--, --/--, --/-AA factor: ........... None

Chemical Weapons
Chemical weapons can be delivered by
artillery or aircraft. A unit firing chemical
weapons at a target does so using the
small artillery barrage template.

Nano-D clouds can only engage in close

assault. A successful hit by the nanites
reduces the target unit's Defence Factor
by 5 points on all sides. If a target is
reduced to less than 5 Defence Factor on
any one side, it is destroyed.

Chemical weapons only have lethal effects

on exposed infantry, and have a PEN
value of 10. However, vehicles moving
through a chemically-contaminated area
have to move at half-speed due to being
buttoned-up.

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Unconventional Weapons

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

catch fire; add smoke markers (cotton
balls) to represent the obscuring effect.

Chemical agents are persistent. The area

under the blast template is contaminated
for the rest of the game.
Any unit
entering the affected area faces an attack
or movement restriction as per the above.

The area under the blast marker cannot

be moved into or through for ten turns.
After that, vehicles may move through it
at half speed, while dismounted infantry
cannot move through it at all without
suffering an attack as above.

Example, three Lynx APCs and their

dismounted infantry squads are caught in
a chemical strike. The infantry all take
attacks at the % chance To Hit of the
firing artillery unit and a PEN value of 10.
All three infantry squads die, and the
APCs decide to beat feet out of the
affected area. However, their movement
is halved as they do so.

Neutron Artillery
Essentially the same as for tac nukes
above, except that there is no thermal or
overpressure
damage,
so
buildings,
vehicles, trees, etc., under the blast
template continue to exist and don't catch
fire.

Tactical Nukes
Nukes are hard to incorporate into many
games because of their vastly-outsized,
apocalyptic effects. However, here's one
possible way for integrating low-level,
"tactical" nukes into Iron Cow. Examples
of tactical nukes would include manpack
suicide bombs, US Army M110 nuclear
artillery batteries, "Honest John" light
atomic rockets, etc.

Exposed infantry are killed automatically,

including those in buildings and Defence
Factor 0 (thin-skinned) vehicles.
Under the assumption that vehicles are
lined with radiation shielding, they take an
automatic attack at 15 PEN; if they fail,
the crews succumbed to the neutron rays
and the vehicles are out of action. If they
succeed, they may operate normally.

Tac nukes would be delivered by artillery,

aircraft, or suicide attack from a vehicle or
infantry squad. If the delivery mechanism
is destroyed before they can be launched,
the nuke is disabled and doesn't go off.

After a neutron strike, there is no lasting

radioactive effect, so units may move
through the area normally.
Remote or Unmanned Ground Vehicles
(UGVs)
Small vehicles may be remotely piloted in
order to attack enemy targets.
The
Brigade Models Land Ironclad line of
2mm-scale models may make ideal UGVs
for Iron Cow!
Or, for hover vehicles,
small beads mounted on sequins may
work.
UGVs have the following base
stats:

A tac nuke in IC2103 is considered to be

sub-kiloton device. As such, it uses the
large blast template. Everything under
the template is destroyed, period. That
includes
buildings,
trees,
vehicles,
infantry, etc.
Anything within direct line of sight and
300mm range of the center of detonation
takes an automatic attack of PEN 10 due
to thermal damage from the flash of the
bomb. Trees and buildings immediately

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Unconventional Weapons

IRON COW 2103AD: PHASE LINE BRAVO

Speed: 120mm (tracked) or 200mm
(hover/grav)
Defence Factor: 10 (plus special below)

Vehicles with shield generators are able to

create
a
repulsor
bubble
around
themselves that is impervious to incoming
fire. While their generator is on, they may
not do anything but move, and may only
do so at half their normal rate. A plastic
toy bubble is placed over the vehicle to
denote their shielded status.

Because of their small size and fast

movement, UGVs cannot be attacked by
direct fire at ranges beyond 225mm.
UGVs may have a ranged weapon or a
suicide attack. The ranged weapon has
the following stats:

A shield may be raised at the beginning of

the player's movement phase, and may
only be dropped at the end of that
player's turn, after all movement and
firing has been concluded.

%/PEN:
75/15, 60/12, 45/8, 60/5, --/--, --/--;
AA factor: None
The suicide attack is essentially an
onboard PETN shaped charge designed to
detonate at close range. The UGV must
be in base-to-base contact to make an
attack, which has a %/PEN of 80/20. A
failed attack still means that the UGV is
destroyed, as it has blown itself up trying
to kill its target!

Vehicles traveling while shielded are still

affected by terrain, land mines, obstacles,
etc. Only direct and artillery fire are
prevented from damaging them.

UGVs must be commanded from dedicated

command vehicles.
A single command
vehicle can control four UGVs. UGVs can
be jammed if the jamming player targets
the controlling vehicle. If a successful
attack is made, the UGVs assigned to the
jammed C3 vehicle immediately go onto a
Static order.

A vehicle that is shielded is unable to

make any attacks whatsoever. Further,
the stasis bubble inhibits targeting
systems,
laser
capacitors,
railgun
magnetics, etc., so a vehicle may not drop
its shield and then immediately fire. Once
a vehicle drops its shields, it may do
nothing else until the following turn.
Command
vehicles
may
still
issue
commands and jam enemy vehicles.

Shield Generators
This is a concept I have been working on
for my own homebrew 6mm sci-fi rules.
The shields would be represented by the
clear plastic domes of "toy capsules" or
"vending machine bubbles" such as this,
placed over the miniature:

Infantry may be unloaded from a shielded

APC and share its shield until they move
away from base-to-base contact with the
APC. Vehicles may not share a shield.
Units with a shielded unit between them
and an enemy do not have line-of-sight to
the enemy unit for purposes of direct fire.
Aircraft and infantry may not carry shield
generators.

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Unconventional Weapons

LOOKING FORWARD
These are only a few possible ideas for adding spice and variety to your games of Iron Cow
2103AD, and I encourage you to develop your own ideas and house rules. And if you come
up with some you really like, feel free to bring them to the Brigade Models forums and share
them with the rest of us!
Thanks for reading!
Andreas Udby
a.k.a. javelin98
June, 2010

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Looking Forward