Table of Contents
Bounce Into Action: Morale
The morale of the soldier is the greatest single factor in war. **(Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery)**
Overview
Every unit has a morale number. This is determined in advance of the game and then used, with modifiers, to determine whether or not units will do what the player wants when the situation becomes difficult.
Morale checks roll 1d6 and roll less than the modified morale number to be successful.
This is only tested when one of the conditions mentioned below is reached, once morale has been tested once for a particular condition then it should not be tested again for that group.
Group morale
Group morale applies to the entire player command. If there are multiple players on the same side then each player's troops form a separate group.
When any of the following conditions apply then morale should be tested:
- two or more casualties1) (or 25% of group if more than eight members)
- 50% casualties (at -2)
- 75% Casualties (at -4)
Score 6 or more on 2d6 to carry on. If morale is failed the group will withdraw in good order, recovering any casualties and/or fighting their way back to their own line.
If morale has to be tested for more than one group then do so in the following order.
- all attacking groups first from biggest to smallest
- all defending groups second from biggest to smallest
Individual Stand Morale
Test individual morale when any of the following conditions apply:
- coming under fire for first time
- attempting to enter enemy position
- first-time in hand to hand combat
Roll 1d6 for each2) individual/stand or group (i.e. a group all inhabiting the same space). Modify the dice roll if any of the factors below apply.
| Situation | Modifier | Situation | Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Officer leading by example 3) | +1 | Wearing HMA | +2 |
| Each enemy casualty in sight (walking wounded or worse) | +1 | In HoverBus | +2 |
| Under small arms fire from close range or indirect fire/grenades | -1 | In APC | +1 |
| Each friendly casualty in sight (walking wounded or worse) | -1 | Enemy in HMA/APC | -1 |
| Visibly outnumbered (i.e. more enemy than friends in view) | -1 | Enemy Tanks | -2 |
| Melee threatened with edged weapon | -2 | Unarmoured | -1 |
| Officer taking morale | +2 | Under air attack | -3 |
| NCO taking morale | +1 | Enemy weapons can't kill | +4 |
.
| Result | Resulting Individual Morale |
|---|---|
| 3+ over | Attack the enemy. |
| morale number or more | No restrictions, carry on with whatever they wanted to do. |
| morale -1 | Move no closer to seen enemy. May stand where they are and fight. Will not enter a known fire-swept zone unless leaving an enemy trench while under attack from within the trench. |
| 2 or 3 Less | Retire in good order to nearest cover. If no enemy in sight then count as ‘move no closer’. If there is no cover, or nowhere to duck into within a tactical move distance, then stand and fight. |
| 4 or more less | Surrender to nearest known enemy (even if not in sight initially). |
Definitions for Morale
Fire Swept Zone
This is any area that has been fired upon by the enemy in the previous turn, either by direct fire (including being under a MG dangerous area) or by indirect fire or grenades. Generally it should represent a greater danger to the figures than the area they currently inhabit.
Casualties
For group morale purposes any losses from the stands in a platoon or company count towards the percentage losses.
In individual morale only those casualties that are physically co-located with the troops in question and that can be seen count for determining the morale modifiers. All visible casualties count for this purpose regardless of whether or not they were recent or from the same unit as the enemy. Destroyed vehicles do not count, although wounded/dead crew members do if they are visible.
