The infantryman's battle

Green Dragon Hobbies' Fire & Maneuver v4.1 uses one figure for one soldier, vehicle, or gun. A tabletop inch represents two yards, and a tactical turn covers roughly six to thirty seconds. That puts the player close to the action: crossing a patch of open ground is a substantial decision at this scale.

The publisher's sample describes squad and platoon scenarios. It recommends 20mm figures but also accommodates other sizes. Its setup advice allows a 4-foot-square table for small engagements and suggests 4 by 8 feet for platoon actions or armor. Measure your available space before building an ambitious scenario.

Fire supports movement

The sample turn sequence proceeds through morale, suppressive fire, movement and spotting, defensive fire, and combat. Suppression can limit movement and fire, while a suppressed unit needs an activation check before acting. The appealing idea is that putting fire onto an enemy position can create an opportunity to advance; casualties are not the only useful result of shooting.

Training and combat experience are separate ratings. That is a worthwhile distinction: troops can be well trained yet inexperienced under fire. The system offers more scope for describing that difference than a single blanket label such as 'elite.'

What needs patience

Morale, suppression, individual positioning, and spotting all demand attention. The contents also list armor combat, explosives, mines, flamethrowers, optional rules, and examples. Players looking for an effortless introductory skirmish should inspect the sample before committing. More detail is useful only when the group enjoys making decisions at that level.

There are also passages worth checking in the complete rules or with the publisher: the sample uses inconsistent labels for the middle training category, and its example of squad spacing needs care. These do not establish that the whole game is unplayable, but they make a small learning scenario the sensible starting point.

Sources and review basis

A documentation-based assessment of the six-page publisher sample and the Green Dragon Hobbies product listing. The full paid rules were not inspected and no personal playtest is claimed. Version 4.1 is the WWII miniature rules, not the similarly named computer game.