Moving and Shooting

Designer's Note: Be sure to read this section carefully as there are several changes that will significantly affect the way vehicles fire.

Vehicles can mount a frightening array of weapons. These can be divided into two broad categories: defensive weapons and main weapons. Main weapons are the primary means by which the vehicle will achieve its set objectives. They are defined as any weapon of Strength 6 or greater. Weapons with a random Strength which can possibly be greater than 6 are treated as main weapons. Defensive weapons are not specifically required for the vehicle to operate but provide it with important protection against enemy infantry. Defensive weapons have a Strength of 5 or less.

The normal restrictions for infantry moving and shooting don't apply to weapons fitted to vehicles. So, a heavy weapon mounted on a tank can still shoot even though the tank may have moved. Rapid Fire weapons can shoot once up to the weapons' maximum range or twice up to 12". Otherwise, Heavy and Assault weapons shoot the number of times listed. Ordnance weapons (a special type of extremely heavy weapon normally only mounted on vehicles) are dealt with in more detail later.

Note that a twin-linked weapon counts as a single weapon for the purposes of shooting.

Defensive Weaponry (Strength 5 and below)

Many vehicles have a range of weapons with relatively low Strength but high rate of fire. These weapons are intended to help protect the vehicle from enemy infantry and because of their relative lightness and high rate of fire are largely unaffected by the movement of the vehicle. Consequently, a vehicle may fire any or all weapons of Strength 5 or below if it moves up to 6" in addition to any main weaponry allowed.

Main Weaponry (Strength 6 and above)

Some vehicles carry main weapons as well as defensive weapons. This is normally what distinguishes battle tanks from personnel carriers. Any weapon of Strength 6 or above counts as a main weapon.

General rules for moving and firing main weaponry:

• If a vehicle does not move, it can shoot all its main weapons.
• If a vehicle moves up to 6", it can shoot one main weapon.
• Vehicles that have moved more than 6" do not shoot at all with their main weaponry.

Fast vehicles and Walkers follow their own versions of this rule, allowing them to fire more freely on the move.

Designer's Note: The changes made to the Moving and Firing rules for vehicles are intended to make vehicles more dynamic in battle and to encourage the use of tank sponsons and other back-up weaponry. Given the ranges of such weapons, it is quite likely they would be able to find a target anyway so game balance will not be massively altered. The main difference will be that they are more fun to use.

Vehicle Moving & Firing Summary

Turrets can also be turned to face a target without counting as movement — see Turning to Face.