In this article we look closer to the various unit types and their special capabilities.

Armor

In FAB: Crusader, there are two types of armor-class units and assets: armor and recon. Armor units/assets are tanks and each pip, or step, represents roughly 30-40 tanks. Armored recon and armored car units/assets are battalions with lightly armed vehicles and/or cars that trusts on speed and dispersion as protection. When the rules call for armor-class units, it includes both tanks and recon units. When the rules call for armor or recon, it only applies to that type of unit. The difference between the two types in combat are as follows:

• Artillery Fire – Armor-class units have a -2 SN modifier if targeted by artillery.
• Ground Fire – Armor units/assets have the +2 armor bonus when firing. Armor-class units/assets have -2 SN when targeted by ground fire.

For players who want more detailed realism, there are advanced armor rules in the optional rules section.

Motorized Infantry

This is an additional type of unit in FAB: Crusader (although it saw its first appearance in FAB: Sicily) and is treated as a hybrid between armor-class and infantry-class units. They have six (6) movement points if not starting in a contested area or end their move in a newly-contested area. Otherwise they move as infantry and are always treated as infantry units in combat. Motorized infantry must use infantry movement (3 MPs) to cross certain boundaries. In addition, some particularly aggressive motorized infantry units may end their move in a newly-contested area and utilize the Special Action Breakthrough Movement use, these are marked with a white arrow on their lower left.

Recon Units

Although most recon battalions are represented as assets, there are three Recon units in the game. These units have the option to attempt to retreat before combat by making a morale check. Recon units may also retreat up to two areas (absorbing two hits) as a result of combat.

Intrinsic Artillery

A new feature in this game is that some units have intrinsic artillery use, shown by an artillery symbol in the upper right. This use is treated the same as an artillery asset but is always available to the player when the unit conducts combat. The main reason to introduce intrinsic artillery use was to reduce the number of artillery assets. An earlier version of the game had most Allied infantry units with intrinsic artillery, to show their use of Brigade Groups (each infantry brigade had one artillery battalion attached instead of a divisional artillery regiment). However, it proved that artillery in general became too powerful so a decision was made to group artillery into divisional assets instead.

Ghost Units

It is more important to have people in place, than none at all. The loss of an area can stop-punch your entire operation. You won’t have enough men to maintain a cohesive battle line, so you need to bluff. Pretend to be stronger, or weaker, or pretend not to be where you really are. Ghost units are not just a representation of your sneak skills, but also of all the misinformation and confusion that occurs in an environment with difficult communications. As such they are very important and not to mention really fun to use. We have found that Ghost Units bring about a really thrilling sense of paranoia and that players tend to be very careful of attacking an area that they are not entirely certain of what it contains. Ghost Units are re-usable units in FAB: Crusader and when they are revealed, they go back into a pool and the player can add them to any force that enters or re-enters play. An area can contain up to two Ghost Units, so what looked well defended was in fact a massive gap in the lines. If your units enter an area with just Ghost Units, they are rattled enough to not be able to move any further that turn.

Detachment Units

The players have the option to detach steps from infantry units and create Detachments. These are one-step units that are useful to occupy VP areas as well as being a supplement to Ghost unit tactics and blocking supply. The Allied have two infantry Task Groups and one RTR (armor) available, the Axis have two infantry Kampfgruppe available (one of them being motorized). Detachments may also be merged with non-elite troop quality units of the same type.

German Tank Recovery

The Germans were very effective in recovery of damaged tanks during this period. Due to the war in the Soviet Union as well as from attrition at sea, the Germans received few tank replacements and had to build large repair facilities near Gambut.

When a German Tank unit is hit, a Tank Recovery marker is placed in the area. These markers represent repair and salvage teams working on the wrecks left on the battlefield. In the Supply Phase of a Game Turn, the Axis player roll a die for each recovery marker on the map (there are two of these) and if successful, the eliminated step arrives as a reinforcement during the Reinforcement Phase.

That’s all for now and we hope that you enjoy these articles. Next time we will bring up events and other special features in the game.

Regards,

Michael Gustavsson and CJ Håkansson

---

Introduction to FAB: Crusader Part 1 – Why We Fight

Introduction to FAB: Crusader Part 2 – Use the Right Tools for the Job