Panzer Grenadier:
The Laskas Rock-n-Roll Variant
By Karl Laskas
February 2013

These rules are intended to create a faster Panzer Grenadier experience for those who want more rock and roll in their wargames.

1. Default Rules.

Except where specified below, use the published Panzer Grenadier rules.

2. Time Scale Change.

This variant changes the time scale to 30 minute turns. The number of turns in each scenario is cut in half. The movement factor of each unit is doubled.

3. I Go, You Go.

The side winning initiative continues to take action segments per 3.1 until he has moved or fired all his units. After that, the non-initiative player does likewise until he has moved or fired all his units.

4. Opportunity Fire.

a. Cheap But Only Once Per Turn. Each of your units may take opportunity fire once during your opponent’s turn if eligible. Taking that opportunity fire does not restrict the unit’s ability to move or fire on its own turn.
Thus the turn sequence becomes:

• Initiative player moves and fires, with the non-initiative player taking any opportunity fire

• Non-initiative player moves and fires, with the initiative player taking opportunity fire.

b. Extended Movement. Any unit that has expended more than its printed movement allowance (but less than its doubled movement allowance) must stop if targeted by opportunity fire.

5. Four Dice.

To prepare for play, you’ll need four six-sided dice. Two of these should be light-colored, two dark-colored. Roll four dice during fire combat, two light-colored dice and two dark-colored dice. The light dice determine the fire combat results. The dark dice determine the results of any required morale check.

6. New Morale Rules.

a. One Die Roll. When conducting morale checks for an entire stack, apply the sum of the two dark dice as the morale check for all units in that stack.

b. Step Losses Instead of Demoralization. This variant eliminates the Demoralized state. Any unit that would become demoralized under the published rules (either by failing a morale check by 3 or more, or by a disrupted unit suffering a second disruption) instead suffers a step loss (or eliminated if it cannot be further reduced).

c. No Markers. Eliminate counter fiddling and marker clutter by just rotating counters to show morale deterioration. Start by facing all your units in a uniform direction toward a hex side. When units become disrupted, just rotate those units 45 degrees to face a hex vertex.

7. Leader Casualties.

If a step loss was inflicted during the combat and a leader was in the hex, check the four dice to see if each of the four dice display an even number (each of the light and dark dice display a 2, 4 or 6). If so, the leader is killed.

8. Tank Leaders.

Ignore the published tank leader rules. Each armored vehicle is assumed to contain a tank leader.

9. Assault.

Assault is results in resolved as a series of three rounds, executed per the published rules.

10. Antitank Fire.

Antitank fire is resolved per the published rules, with the following exceptions.

• After resolving the results of antitank fire, if neither of the light dice rolled a 1 or 2, then the firing unit has achieved a Burst on Target. A Burst on Target allows the firing unit to resolve antitank fire again — but only against the same target. Assuming he or she continues to roll high enough, the firing unit may fire until either the target is destroyed or the firing unit rolls a 1 or 2 on either die.

• If a vehicle is targeted by antitank opportunity fire and a Burst on Target is achieved against it, the vehicle must stop movement in that hex.

Try it out! Order a Panzer Grenadier game right now!