Skirmish Action WWII Miniature Rules
TITLE: Skirmish Action WWII Miniature Rules: Fast Furious Action At Skirmish Level 15-40MM
AUTHOR: Lee Sowers
PUBLISHER: On Military Matters
PUBLICATION DATE: 2016
WEB SITE/SUPPORT FORUM: None known.
PRICE (with date): $42.00 (in 2025)
REVIEWED BY: Mark “Extra Crispy” Severin
PERIOD COVERED: World War II
THE BOOK: Skirmish Action (SA) is a wire bound book of 92 pages. Of those 41 pages are rules and one scenario, and the remainder are army lists, charts and blank rosters. The book contains numerous color photographs throughout.
SCOPE: SA covers all of World War II in Europe and the Pacific.
ARMY SIZE: A true skirmish game, players will control a few dozen troops and perhaps a few vehicles.
BASE UNIT: Individual soldiers, guns or vehicles. Units are squads and vehicles.
GAME SCALES:
Ground Scale: There is no fixed ground or time scale.
BASING SIZES: Figures should be based individually. An optional rule allows for the use of multi-based figures.
TURN SEQUENCE:
SA uses an Activation Deck where every unit and leader has one or more corresponding cards in the deck. The deck also include one red and one black joker. In each turn cards are drawn one at a time and the corresponding unit is activated. Once the deck is exhausted, the turn is over.
GAME MECHANICS:
Activation: When a unit or leader's card is drawn, that unit immediately activates. When a leader's card is drawn, his unit may activate, or he may activate a subordinate leader or unit.
When a unit is activated it may perform two actions. Allowable actions are:
- Move
- Spot
- Fire
- Improve Cover
- Go On Overwatch
- Qtest to Rally or repair Main Gun
There are several limits on actions. Units may not fire twice in their turn. Performing a second action other than Move requires a Qtest (see below). A Rally must be the first action taken.
QTESTS: Each unit in SA has a Quality (Q) rating. To perform a QTest roll a d6 and score equal to or higher than the unit's Q rating. Units suffer a -1 for 50% casualties and -2 for 75%. Failing a QTest simply means the unit fails to perform the given action (dig in, spot or rally, for example).
MOVEMENT: Using a Move action allows a unit or model to move up to it's maximum movement distance. Movement for infantry varies from 6 to 10". Vehicles may move very fast indeed, with a standard truck, for example, moving 30". Movement may be reduced for terrain, or being wounded, suppressed, etc. Movement on roads is doubled (!) for most vehicles.
SPOTTING: In order to fire at a target not in the open it must first be spotted. A unit may spend an action to detect an enemy in a terrain feature within 6". Recon units during a Move action may spot as many eligible terrain features as they can.
REVIEWER’S COMMENTS:
PLAYER’S COMMENTS:
