LIF LITE

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These rules are intended to supplement and replace the Leaders in Flames rules for WIF. I felt the LIF rules made leaders too powerful and gave some of them capabilities never really displayed in history. LIF Lite is an attempt to redo the LIF abilities to make leaders important, unique, and fun to use but not dominating.

LIF rules clarifications:

A leader does not have to attack to use its abilities even on offense, unless the ability specifically states it must (e.g MacArthur's ability requires him to invade with his units).

Unless otherwise stated, a leader's abilities apply to any units with which it cooperates. When units of a Major Power are referenced, it includes all units controlled by that Major Power (unless otherwise specified).

A leader may be transported on any naval unit (except a CP) or by any aircraft unit. To transport on a naval unit, the leader must embark and disembark as if it were a land unit and the ship a transport. However, the ship does not flip when disembarking the leader, nor does the leader flip if the ship moves from sea into port. To transport on an air unit, the leader must start the air mission stacked with the aircraft unit. A leader may shuffle between any and all naval or air units at sea in its section. It may not shuffle to a unit in a different section. Moving a leader requires no actions and may be done in any type of impulse except a Pass Impulse.

A leader may be overrun by PART. It is destroyed. A leader may be overrun by land units. It is destroyed. A leader may not be "attacked" by any unit.

Nation

Leader

Ability
Communist China Mao Up to 3 Communist land units within range of this leader may move and attack while out of supply as if they were in supply. However, after the combat and advance after combat phase, the units flip.
CW Browning Any PARA stacked with this leader cause their attackers to attack at -1 on the land combat die roll if the PARA is adjacent to a river.
CW Cunningham When applying the results of naval combat against the enemy in a surface combat, may choose the first enemy casualty as long as at least one CW SCS is involved in the combat.
CW Dowding All CW FTRs based within range of this leader add +1 to their interception range
CW Harris Any single CW 4-engine bomber flown from within range of this leader during a night mission may attack with its full strategic factors.
CW Montgomery Attacks with CW units only and with final odds (counting ground support and shore bombardment and HQ support) of 3:1 (on the 1D10 CRT, or +6 on the 2D10 CRT) or greater receive a +1 to the combat dice roll. However, even on a B result, the attackers may only advance 1 hex. The leader must be stacked with one of the units attacking, but does not have to take part in the attack.
CW Mountbatten Up to 3 land units that invade from transports (or AMPH or SCS) in the same seabox section as this leader do not count against activity limits (both for purposes of land movements or land attacks) during a Combined Impulse. All of these units must land in the same hex.
CW O'Connor +1 to the attack die roll when combatting only Italian defenders (including Italian controlled TERR). Non-Italian units controlled by Italy are not affected by this. The leader must be stacked with one of the units attacking, but does not have to take part in the attack. At least one CW land unit must take part in the attack.
CW Sommerville All shore bombardment from CW naval units in the same seabox section as this leader are treated as if the naval units were in a section one higher than that in which they reside.
CW Wavell Up to 3 CW land units within range of this leader may move and attack while out of supply as if they were in supply. However, after the combat and advance after combat phase, the units flip.
Finland Mannerheim +1 to the defensive value of each and every Finnish land unit within range while both the leader and the unit(s) are in Finland.
France Darlan French controlled territorials within range of this leader are not subject to TERR combat penalties (offensive or defensive) during land combat.
France DeGaulle Increase the chance, before combat, that any Vichy French unit will convert to Free French (per the rules) by 1 if the attacking units are within range of DeGaulle.
France DeGaulle While in the capital city of the Free French home nation, this leader counts as a factory.
France DeLattre Up to 3 French land units within range of this leader may move and attack while out of supply as if they were in supply. However, after the combat and advance after combat phase, the units flip.
France Pretelat

French units stacked with this leader may enter any neutral minor country provided Vichy France is not currently installed. Each time they enter a minor country, roll for US entry. If you roll '3' or less, remove a chit from the Ge/It Entry Pool and return it to the common pool. While in the minor country, the units may trace supply through the neutral hexes as if they controlled them, and may freely move inside the country (and attack out of it) provided they all move with the leader (you cannot drop off units during movement).

If the minor country is aligned by a major power from the other side while the leader and the units stacked with him are in the country, remove the units and leader from the map and place them on the production circle to arrive as a reinforcement in the following turn. Similarly, should this leader not be stacked with French units in the neutral minor at the end of any step, those units are immediately removed from the map and place them on the production circle to arrive as a reinforcement in the following turn.

French units in a neutral minor country may not be attacked by enemy units, even if adjacent to the French units.

Germany Doenitz In any sub combat including convoys, including SSW, this leader's side gains +1 surprise point if at least one SUB participating in the combat is German.
Germany Guderian When the attacker calls a blitz and this leader is stacked with at least one of the attacking land units, the attack gains a +1 on the combat chart. The leader is considered to have taken part in the attack and flips and may advance after combat as normal. He may not be taken as a casualty from the attack, but is treated as a unit for purposing of flipping after combat. All attacking units must be German controlled in order for this bonus to apply.
Germany Kesselring German or Italian units within range and defending behind a river (including frozen lake hexsides) and/or in mountains receive a +1 to their combat strength (after adjustment for terrain). Units that are both behind a river and in mountains still only receive +1.
Germany Kleist Up to 3 German land units within range of this leader may move and attack while out of supply as if they were in supply. However, after the combat and advance after combat phase, the units flip.
Germany Manstein During the land attack step, may declare one non-HQ Italian or German land unit within range to avoid flipping when required to do so. This ability works during both offense and defense. The unit to be saved from flipping may be declared AFTER the results are generated that require it to flip. With regard to range, this is calculated at the moment of attack. With regard to usage, the unit being saved must be chosen before a subsequent attack roll is made.
Germany Raeder In any surface naval combat including convoys, this leader's side gains +1 surprise points if at least 1 German SCS is taking part in the combat.
Germany Rommel Up to 3 German and/or Italian land units (Italian only if Germany and Italy are cooperating) within range of this leader may move and attack while out of supply as if they were in supply. However, after the combat and advance after combat phase, the units flip.
Germany Rommel On a B result, units that took part in the same attack as the leader and which are entitled to advance a second hex may advance a third hex if and only if the first two hexes advanced through cost no more than 1 movement point each. If the third hex advanced into costs more than 1 movement point, the advancing units flip. The third hex advanced may include an overrun. The leader does not have to take part in the attack, he merely has to be stacked with one of the units that attacked.
Germany Rundstedt A single German unit per impulse may rail move without counting against the rail move limits if it begins its rail move within range of this leader. The unit must satisfy all rail move requirements and flips at the end of the movement just like normal. Factories may not be railed using this ability. This ability may be used during a Naval Impulse, but not during a Pass Impulse. The units railed can be a land or air unit no matter if a Land, Air, Naval, or Combined Impulse was chosen.
Germany  Student Any units (including notional units) defending against a paradrop (i.e. a land attack made solely by units attacking via paradrop) made with this leader do not double (or triple in the case of MTN units) their defense factors in mountains. The leader is considered to have taken part in the paradrop attack. He may not be taken as a casualty from the attack (except if the hex is not taken then the leader is removed from the game), but is treated as a unit for purposing of flipping after combat.
Germany Von Richtoffen A German single air unit per impulse within range of this leader may rebase without counting against the air activity limits. This may not be used during a Pass Impulse.
Italy Balbo This leader, when face-up, may reorganize any single Italian aircraft he is stacked with just as if he were an HQ. He then flips face down.
Italy Cavagnari For a single surprise point, any Italian naval and/or air units in the same sea box as this leader may avoid combat and abort the sea zone before the combat round takes place. If this election is taken, all such Italian naval and air units must abort the sea zone, with the exception of subs that were not included in the combat.
Italy Fougier Italian aircraft (only) may abort before the first round of any air combat that includes this leader.
Italy Graziani Basic supply range of any HQ stacked with this leader is increased by 1 (before adjusting for weather)
Italy Messe Up to 3 German and/or Italian land units (German only if Germany and Italy are cooperating) within range of this leader may move and attack while out of supply as if they were in supply. However, after the combat and advance after combat phase, the units flip.
Japan Hata In any attack where this leader is stacked with a Japanese leg unit (i.e. units that use the leg movement rates on the terrain charts), he may declare a banzai charge attack. The attack gains a +1 to the combat die roll, but the attacker suffers an EXTRA loss. The leader is not required to take part in the attack.
Japan Mikawa When involved in a naval combat wherein his side consists only of Japanese fast cruisers (i.e. 6 movement point, non-CV, 1 point first build cycle cost), his side gains +1 surprise point.
Japan Nagumo May conduct a port strike with Japanese carrier planes based on carriers in his seabox section after naval movement at the end of the naval movement phase. However, after conducting such a port strike, all ships from that side must abort from the sea zone (except for subs). Such a strike may ONLY be conducted during a surprise impulse, and only against a port that contains naval units (including convoys but only including subs if located in a minor port or damaged major port) of the country or countries being surprised by Japan. If a port contains naval units of a country already at war with Japan, then this ability cannot be used.
Japan Nagumo This leader, when face-up, may reorganize any single Japanese aircraft he is stacked with just as if he were an HQ. He then flips face down.
Japan Ozawa When flying in the lead Japanese carrier plane during a naval air combat (not a port strike), this leader adds +1 to the air to air value of the carrier plane in which he is flying. If his plane is shot down and loses its pilot, the leader dies as well and is removed from the game.
Japan Terauchi When face up and stacked with a Japanese HQ, if Emergency Supply is declared, instead of turning the HQ face down, this leader is turned face down when the HQ normally would be turned over. The leader may not then use this ability for the rest of the turn.
Japan Toyoda All shore bombardment from Japanese naval units in the same seabox section as this leader are treated as if the naval units were in a box one higher than that in which they reside.
Japan Yamamoto When stacked with a Japanese HQ, each naval unit reorganized counts as half a unit.
Japan Yamashita When involved in land combat against a jungle hex, any Japanese corps/armies stacked with this leader are considered white print for the purposes of the modifiers for jungle attacks on the combat chart. The leader is not required to take part in the attack.
Nationalist China Chenault Any Chinese FTRs launched from within range of Chenault cannot lose its pilot.
Nationalist China Chiang Adds +1 to the combat value of any Nationalist defending stacks within range (this is added before ground support)
Nationalist China Stilwell Any Nationalist units stacked with this leader are not subject to attack weakness
Nationalist China Stilwell Up to 2 Nationalist land units within range of this leader may move and attack while out of supply as if they were in supply. However, after the combat and advance after combat phase, the units flip.
Nationalist Spain Franco When Spain is declared war upon, set up all the Republican and Nationalist reserves (face down) and treat these units as Nationalists provided Spain is neutral and not undergoing Civil War.
Nationalist Spain Franco While neutral, if Germany is at war with Russia, Germany may have Spain transfer its INF division into the German force pool. Should Spain become active, then the division immediately reverts to Spain's forcepool. While in the German forcepool, it is treated like a German unit for all purposes.
Russia Koniev In any attack where this leader is stacked with a Russian leg unit (i.e. units that use the leg movement rates on the terrain charts), he may declare a human wave attack. The attack gains a +1 to the combat die roll, but the attacker suffers an EXTRA loss. The leader is not required to take part in the attack.
Russia Kuznetsov Russian ships in port (even if iced-in) may provide half of their shore bombardment factors (further halved by terrain and half again in any weather other than fine) as defensive shore bombardment to attacks made against the hex in which they are based.
Russia Novikov Any Russian bombers that are based with this leader may fly in blizzard as if it were winter.
Russia Rokossovsky Any Russian field artillery within range of this leader gain a +1 to the printed attack value whether on attack or defense
Russia Timoshenko Russian land units stacked with this leader do not count against activity limits for the purposes of land moves as long as they spend the entire movement phase stacked with the leader. These units may move even during a Naval Impulse or Air Impulse, but not during a Pass Impulse.
Russia Vasilevsky A single Russian unit per impulse may rail move without counting against the rail move limits if it begins its rail move within range of this leader. The unit must satisfy all rail move requirements and flips at the end of the movement just like normal. Factories may not be railed using this ability. This ability may be used during a Naval Impulse, but not during a Pass Impulse.
Russia Vatutin Russian units within range and defending behind a river (including frozen shorelines) receive a +1 to their combat strength (after adjustment for terrain)
Russia Zhukov -1 to the attack die roll against any single Russian-controlled city per impulse within range if the city is within the Russian homeland
Russia Zhukov On a B result, Russian units that took part in the same attack as the leader and which are entitled to advance a second hex may advance a third hex if and only if the first two hexes advanced through cost no more than 1 movement point each. If the third hex advanced into costs more than 1 movement point, the advancing units flip. The third hex advanced may include an overrun. The leader must be stacked with one of the units attacking, but does not have to take part in the attack.
US Bradley Any attack made accompanied by this leader is not subject to the multi-nationality penalty. The leader must be stacked with one of the units attacking, but does not have to take part in the attack.
US Doolittle Any single US CVP accompanying this leader gains +1 strategic factor. This means a CVP with no strategic factors has 1 strategic factor.
US Eisenhower When stacked with an HQ, this leader adds 50% to the reorganization value of that HQ for the remainder of the impulse (round up). The leader flips when it uses this ability. This ability affects all abilities dependent upon reorganization value, including Offensive Chits, reorganization, HQ support, etc.
US Fletcher While face up, may return to base with a single US naval unit, which does not flip. The leader flips after doing so.
US Halsey When this leader participates in surface naval combat and at least one US SCS is involved, his side may gain a column shift in each round of naval combat. However, if Halsey chooses to give his side a column shift, the opposing side also gets a shift in column as well. Such column shifts do not persist from round to round, such that in any given round only a single column shift can be provided from this ability.
US MacArthur Any US INF or US MOT corps invading with this leader on the Asian or Pacific maps adds +1 to its combat factors (after halving them for invading). The leader is considered to take part in the attack. He may not be taken as a casualty from the attack (except if the hex is not taken then the leader is removed from the game), but is treated as a unit for purposing of flipping after combat.
US Nimitz When stacked with a US HQ, each naval unit reorganized counts as half a unit.
US Patton When the attacker calls a blitz, the attack gains a +1 on the combat chart. The leader must be stacked with one of the units attacking, but does not have to take part in the attack. All of the attacking land units must be US land units.
US Patton US land units that begin the movement step stacked with this leader and that move with this leader throughout the movement step and end the movement step stacked with this leader gain a +1 to their movement factors during that step.
US Ridgeway Any PARA that land with this leader in a paradrop do not have to flip after they land even if the combat results indicate they do. If the terrain they land in (after adjusting for weather) costs more movement points than the PARA has, it must flip regardless of the presence of this leader. The leader is considered to take part in the attack. He may not be taken as a casualty from the attack (except if the hex is not taken then the leader is removed from the game).
US Spaatz Any single US 4-engine bomber flown from within range of this leader may add +3 to its strategic factors (including carpet bombing missions, but excluding A bombs) if the mission is flown during daylight.
US Spruance May shift the AA column of any fleet he is with by 1 in his favour.

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