Commonwealth National Characteristics question

[Jaesen]

Some confusion in our local group as to how Commonwealth countries work, that needs a bit of clarification.   Hoping the forum folks can help out!

Does a Commonwealth country such as India or Canada get the free British FO etc, and the only thing different is the 5 characteristic choices in AoGB are replaced by the associated choices for that country?

For example, India getting the British free FO *and* the free regular squad if Manpower of the Empire is chosen?

Or, does it work where all the British items (the FO etc) are replaced by the book listings for the Commonwealth country and in this example India gets *both* Unsurpassed Bravery and Manpower of the Empire?

Thanks in advance!

[Nat]

You either choose an army from the ‘armies of’ book and gain the 3 special rules, of which 1 is the free FO, OR you choice the specific commonwealth list from the relavant campaign book

eg Indian army from duel in the sun removes the 3 British army rules and ONLY has the two in the duel in the sun (pg 23)

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Nat.

[Mark Prichard]

How does that work with the rules for Commonweaths in the Western Desert Book pg 102 that seems to indicate that you get all the rules for the British army but must choose a national characteristic other than those a purely British force could take. Or are commonwealth Armies not considered “British” for the purpose of the Army rules?

[Jaesen]

In addition, related to the Commonwealth topic…  for purposes of the 1940-42 Commonwealth Infantry Brigade on pg 99 of Campaign:  The Western Desert, is the term “Commonwealth” a shortening or disambiguation of the term “British Commonwealth of Nations”, understood to include Britain, her Empire, and protectorates/dominions of the time such as India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, etc?

As such, is the intent that all such countries (to include Britain itself) can utilize the list, as opposed to the list being reserved for strictly non-Britain members of the Commonwealth?

Most scenario references in Western Desert appear to refer to the terms British and Commonwealth somewhat interchangably.

Thank you in advance!

[Blekinge]

Page 17 of “Armies of Great Britain” lists the Army Special Rules. These are

1. Bombartment

2. Artillery Support

3. A National Characteristic (page 18)

“The Western Desert”, page 102 says

If you decide to take a reinforced platoon from an
Australian, New Zealand, South African, or Indian brigade
then you may either take one national characteristic from
page 18 of the Armies of Great Britain book or take one of
the following national characteristics instead.

 

So clearly, the army special rules Bombartment and Artillery Support are NOT considered National Characteristics and are NOT replaced by selecting one of the two Indian National Characteristics.

 

[Author]

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