Gaming & Collecting, Konflikt '47, Official Updates & FAQs

Konflikt ’47 Update

November 24, 2017

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by Chris Hale, Clockwork Goblin Miniatures

A short update article concerning all things rules and zombie related in Konflikt’47…These are going to be in the upcoming Defiance supplement in 2018 and are worth looking at to improve gameplay in the meantime.

THE THING ABOUT TOTENKORPS (AND SHIBITO)

When the original Konflikt ’47 rules were written, the requirement to include the ‘pin-up’ of the alternate war genre, the German zombie, was taken as a given. Although a well-trodden path, it was considered inconceivable that the game could not include such an iconic unit. Without the magic or supernatural element of other games, it was not difficult to create a scientific rationale for their existence. The addition of a neural power pack and re-energiser that could ‘jump-start’ a deceased combatant was a simple creative step and gave all the traditional ‘zombie’ options whilst allowing us to vary their nature as we thought necessary.

Players are welcome to interpret the nature of their Totenkorps as they see fit, this is a core principle behind the design of the game. However, in our view, a Totenkorps soldier is broadly an obedient drone, capable of following basic orders that comply with its former motivations and loyalties. It is this feature that precludes the animation of non-German troops as they retain a vestige of their former allegiances and motivations. However, the Japanese enhancement to this programme appears to have overcome the condition and seemingly includes an element of re-programming the ‘drone’.

From a rules perspective, the intent to ignore morale and pins, with the assumption that this was intuitively straightforward, turned out to be flawed. A number of rule interactions are not in fact as clear-cut as first assumed. This has seen common sense and ‘designer’s intent’ being challenged by ‘rules as written’ in more competitive environments. To that end, the following text seeks to clarify the Totenkorps/Shibito uncertainties that have appeared on the tabletop.

Both the Totenkorps and Shiboto share the common ‘ignore Pin Markers and Morale checks’ mechanic. This is pretty straightforward at first glance, by never suffering from pin markers, they are never forced to take an orders test to receive an order, nor is their base morale ever reduced by such markers. They do not take morale checks, which creates one of the first problems; in a pass-fail situation mandated by a morale check, are they considered to pass or fail?

A gallop through the rulebook throws up the following situations:

a. Routed Units. The term ‘ignore pin markers’ is vague. It is intended to mean, ‘does not receive’ rather than ‘receive but ignore’. Therefore a unit with this rule is not removed by acquiring a number of pin markers – it ignores them and does not collect them either.

b. Taking 50% casualties is straightforward and covered under ‘ignore morale checks’, the test isn’t required so cannot be failed. This interpretation also applies to damage from flamethrower strikes, no test is taken.

c. In the Assault phase, any requirement to take a morale test as a result of reaction fire or casualties is similarly ignored; the test cannot, therefore, be failed.

d. Reactions. A Reaction Test is not a Morale Test, so a Reaction Test must be passed to carry out a reaction. As they ignore pin markers, this will almost always be tested against their base morale value.

e. Officers can improve the morale of a Totenkorps or Shibito unit, simulating clear and comprehensive orders and direction given to the unit.

f. As Horror causers, there is no specific interaction with the Horror rule as they are not subject to it.

g. Tanks Assaulting Infantry. This rule requires the target of a tank assault to pass a morale test to avoid taking casualties. As written, the Totenkorps and Shiboto would not take the test and therefore not fail it. It seems counter-intuitive for these units to be immune to tank assaults, therefore in this instance, they are assumed to automatically fail the test. Though they won’t ultimately take pin markers, they must go through the process as described on page 99 of the rulebook to determine if they suffer casualties.

h. Tank Fear. This rule requires an Order Test at -3 to successfully attack a fully enclosed armoured vehicle. As it’s not a Morale Test, rules, as written, would demand a test to be taken for Totenkorps or Shiboto to carry out an attack. Again this seems counter-intuitive for a unit that is intended to be ‘immune to fear’. Therefore, in an amendment to the rules, Totenkorps and Shiboto are assumed to pass any test required by the Tank Fear rule to attack a vehicle.

The ‘not affected by medics’ rule has also raised some questions. As they cannot be affected by medics, they cannot be ‘healed’ by the medic’s special rules, nor can they be sacrificed by a German Specialist medic to enhance his medical effects.

Keep your books up to date here!

Our excellent community has been helping keep us on our toes and have a direct influence on how Konflikt’47 develops (join us over on the official Facebook page) here are some of the latest updates to make a note of – download the FAQ at the bottom of the list and automatically receive notifications & free updates of any further additions as they happen:

Updates to the KONFLIKT ‘47 RULEBOOK

- PAGE 64: FLAMETHROWERS – Rule updated in Konflikt ’47: Resurgence.
- PAGE 66: TESLA – Rule updated in Konflikt ’47: Resurgence.
- PAGE 81: FANATICS – Rule updated in Konflikt ’47: Resurgence.
- PAGE 81: TOUGH FIGHTERS – Rule updated in Konflikt ’47: Resurgence.
- PAGE 84: FLIGHT – Rule updated in Konflikt ’47: Resurgence.
- PAGE 103: ROLE OF TRANSPORTS – Rule updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.
- PAGE 106: JUMP – Rule updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.
- PAGE 106: RECCE – Rule updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.

PAGE 127: HITLER’S BUZZSAW – Rule updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.
PAGE 131: WAFFEN-SS SHOCKTROOPER SQUAD – Unit entry updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.
PAGE 159. M2 MUDSKIPPER JUMP WALKER – Unit entry updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.
PAGE 175: GRIZZLY MEDIUM ASSAULT WALKER – Unit entry updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.
PAGE 182: COMMISSAR – Add the following to the end of the unit description: The Commissar may be selected instead of a Senior Officer.
PAGE 185: HEAVY INFANTRY SQUAD – Unit entry updated in Konflikt’47: Resurgence.