HOTT for Science Fiction

By John Leahy. Based on an original concept by Bruce McFarlane

Troop Types

HQ  [Generals] - Divisional Headquarters and Command Center

Heavy Weapons Infantry [Blades]  - Heavy weapons companies  armed with heavy machineguns, Plasma guns, Rocket Launchers, mortars, AT rockets, etc.

Infantry  [Warbands] - All reasonably trained regular armed foot soldiers

Shock Infantry [Hordes] - All poorly or partially trained troops that rely weight of numbers rather than firepower to intimidate the enemy; Orc wave tactics

Assault Infantry [ Blades]  - All troops armed with short-range, rapid fire weapons or jaws, claws or mandibles that must get in close to the enemy to bring their destructiveness to bear.

Engineers [Blades] - All troops trained, primarily, in constructions, demolitions and specialized weapons (flamethrowers etc.)

Recon [Beasts]  - All troops who's primary role is to seek out and find the enemy, rather than meet the enemy in a firefight

Cavalry [Warbands] - All armed mounted infantry which used mounts to move to the battlefield, but could fight on foot if needed; Imperial Guard Cavalry.

Heavy Cavalry [Knights]- often well armored warriors on heavy horses or other beasts whose charge is designed to sweep away their foes.

Titan Class Vehicles [Behemoth]- Machines of exceptional size, utilized to smash through the heart of an enemy's defenses. AT-AT's, Bolo's, Ogre's, Squat Cyclops, Colussus, Leviathin, 40k Titans, etc.

Super Heavy Vehicles [Heroes] -  The later generation large tanks that had exceedingly thick armour and long-range cannons; BaneBlades, Shadow Swords, Eldar Tempest's, Cobra's, Scorpion, Squat Land Trains, Orc Battle Fortresses, BattleTech Atlas, etc.

Heavy Vehicles [Knights]  -  All large vehicles that were meant to achieve a breakthrough in the enemy line. Leman Russ, Land Raiders, Pattons, Rommels, Slammers Tanks,etc.

Medium Vehicles [Riders]  -  Main line vehicles that most armies of the day depended upon.  Tanks capable of Anti-armour warfare as well as Close support for the infantry. Predators, Vypers, Falcons, Landspeeders, Snowspeeders, Orc Battlewagons, etc.

Light Vehicles [Beasts]  -  All thin armoured, small-caliber cannon or machine-gun armed vehicles that depend on stealth and speed rather than armour for protection.  Armoured Cars and small tanks used for Reconnaissance and scouting rather than infantry support of breakthrough; War buggies, War Walkers, Jet Bikes, War Tracks, AT-ST's, etc.

APC's [Rider]-  All armoured vehicles used to transport infantry and towed weapons rather than be a fighting-vehicle themselves. Rhino,

Trucks [Lurkers] - All soft-skinned vehicles that were used primarily to transport troops, supplies and towed weapons.   Note although listed as "Lurkers" these vehicles are not restricted to any one terrain feature on the table and may travel anywhere on the board.

Horse [Lurkers] - all wagons, limbers etc. that used horses to carry supplies, troops and towed weapons. Note although listed as Lurkers these vehicles are not restricted to any one terrain feature on the table and may travel anywhere on the board.

Towed Light Anti-Tank Guns [Shooters] -  All light towed weapons used as an anti-tank weapon.

Towed Heavy Anti-Tank Guns [Shooters]-  All heavy towed weapons used as an anti-tank weapon.

Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Vehicles [Behemoth] - All lightly armoured vehicles with large-caliber cannon, used primarily in an anti-tank roll, rather than infantry support; Dreadnoughts, etc.

Towed Light Artillery [Artillery] - All light cannon designed to deliver indirect, high-explosive fire.  Only fires in the opposition's fire-phase and only if it did not move or pivot in its previous movement phase.

Self-Propelled Light Artillery [Artillery] - All light cannon designed to deliver indirect, high-explosive fire, mounted on its own tracked vehicle. Only fires on the opposition's fire-phase, but does so regardless as to whether it moved or pivoted in the previous movement phase.

Towed Heavy Artillery [Artillery] - All heavy cannon designed to deliver indirect, high-explosive fire.   Only fires in the opposition's fire-phase and only if it did not move or pivot in its previous movement phase.

Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery [Artillery] - All heavy cannon designed to deliver indirect, high-explosive fire, mounted on its own tracked vehicle. Only fires on the opposition's fire-phase, but does so regardless as to whether it moved or pivoted in the previous movement phase. Goliath Mega Cannon, Death Strikes, etc.

Heavy Bomber [God] - All aircraft designed to deliver a large quantity of high-explosive bombs over a wide area;

Nightwing, Overlord Armored Airship, etc.

Fighter Bomber  [Dragon] - All medium and dive bombers intended to deliver a high-explosive bomb or armour penetrating missile to a specific point on the ground; etc.

Transport VTOL's [Air Boat]-variety of different air vehicles whose primary role is ground support or AT fire.

Attack VTOL's [Air Boat]- variety of different air vehicles whose primary mission is to transport men and material or to be used as a gun platform or ground support fire.

Fighter [Dragon] - All planes that were designed primarily to shoot down other air vehicles; etc.

Anti-Aircraft [Magician] -  All ground weapons, including Flak and multi-barreled weapons which were designed to bring down enemy air vehicles.

Special Forces [Sneakers]  -  All troops which use stealth to infiltrate and disrupt the enemy;  Commandos, Rangers, Frogmen, Resistance cells etc.

Mines [Lurkers]  - All manner of passive anti-personnel and anti-vehicle explosives, booby-traps and land-mines.  Although labeled "Lurkers" mines do not have to be placed in a terrain feature (although they may be).  Before the game the player may secretly designate any 6" by 3" area on his half of the table as a minefield, for every mine he has purchased.

Landing Craft [Artillery] -

Combat

*HQs add 1 to the die roll when the element it is attached to is in combat.  HQs can move 10" and attach to another element in its command for a cost of 1 PIP.  If the element an HQ is attached to is destroyed roll a d6 for the effect on the HQ:

1,2,3 = no effect HQ moves to closest element in its command

4,5   =  HQ disrupted remove from table for d6 turns, after which it returns to any element in its command.  All actions take 2 PIPS in HQ's absence

6    =  HQ destroyed remove from table permanently.

All actions take 2 PIPS in HQ's absence

Since the Regiments, Brigades, Divisions of the various nationalities vary so much in size we cannot use a d6 as the command roll for all of them. Instead we use a d2 (head=1; tails =2), d4, d6, d8, d10 or d12, depending on the size of the formation, (excluding transport elements - horse, trucks, APC's etc.) as listed:

formations of 1-6 elements use a d2;

formations of 7-10 elements use a d4;

formations of 11- 14 elements use a d6;

formations of 15-18 elements use a d8;

formations of over 18 elements use a d10.

In addition we can now rate the commanders;  Poor commanders use a die one level lower than called for  [ie. a d6 becomes a d4]; average commanders use the die, as listed; superior commanders use a die one level greater than called for [ie. a d10 becomes a d12].

Movement and Factors

Combat Results

Optional Rules

(Highly Recommended)

Limited Recoils

Each element is only allowed a limited number of recoils.  Once that limit is reached the element is removed from the table. Conscript = 2 recoils; Regulars = 3 recoils; Veteran = 4 recoils;  Elite are removed upon their 5th recoil.  For points values multiply the base AP value by the number of recoils allowed  (ie. Elite Infantry would be 2 elements x 5 recoils = 10).

Aircraft

Aircraft take only ONE PIP to move

TRANSPORT NOTES

Trucks, horses and APC's are transports and  can carry one element of Infantry, Artillery or Anti-tank.  There is no cost to disembark - just remove the transport element and replace it with the element stand. Riders cannot disembark while the transport element is in contact with enemy units, however.  While riding in the transport the rider cannot fire or melee and suffers the same fate as the transport when hit.

Embarking is more difficult.  The combat element must not be in contact with any enemy elements.   To embark onto a transport costs each element 1 CP.  Place a transport element on the table and remove the element stand.

OPERATIONAL MOVES

In Large scale games if an element or group of elements starts a turn more than 6" away from any enemy ground elements and on a road, it may move at as many march moves as the commander has PIPs to spare.  Infantry units move at regular road speed.   Elements that move via march move cannot make a tactical move at the same time.

Players may want to experiment with instituting flank marches and ambush rules from DBM, as well.

COMBAT FACTORS

+1  If the element is with a general and in close combat or shot at.

+1  If in close combat and either up hill or defending a riverbank (except AIR).

+2  Target being shot at in cover.

+2  Infantry, Assault, Heavy Weapons, Recon, Sp. Force  in close combat while in cover.

+2  Infantry in close combat against cover, with Engineers support.

+2  Infantry in close combat against open with Medium or Heavy vehicle support (tank may not used ranged fire in such a situation).

-1  For each flank overlapped, and/or each enemy element in contact with flank or rear, or for each 2nd or 3rd element aiding in shooting.

Divisional Organizations