The Great War adds some very interesting rules for tanks. Though the tanks are relatively protected against rifle fire, they do not have super heavy armor - artillery in direct-fire seems like it would be super-effective. But wait! There are several special rules for tanks that add some interesting mechanics for tank survivability, especially for the massive Landships.
GENERAL TANK RULES
MOVEMENT
Tanks are very slow in The Great War, so you need a little something to get them going. With the Push It rule, you can push your tanks a little farther with a skill check immediately after normal movement, but watch out: if a 1 is rolled, your tank either gets Bogged or takes a Damage marker (more on this later). If you succeed, your tanks can move an additional 2". Using the Slow and Steady rule, tanks cannot move at the double. This rule also states that tanks move 4” in rough terrain or slow going. You can still Push It in slow going, but you take an additional bog check, if necessary.
SHOOTING
One good thing about moving so slowly is that it is nearly the same as standing still! Because of this, tanks get to shoot all of their guns at full ROF, even when moving! The tanks also get to target different platoons with each individual gun.
Infantry and Man-packed Gun teams shoot at tanks normally. All other teams reduce their ROF by half when shooting at a tank that isn’t Bogged, Bailed or Damaged (They aren't trained for shooting at a big, moving target!). As normal, take a +1 to hit if your ROF is already 1.
ASSAULTS
When assaulting with these lumbering hulks with tons of guys inside, it becomes a bit more difficult to take these iron juggernauts out. Tanks equipped with Self-Defense Machine Guns cannot fire them as normal. Instead, when a tank that isn’t Bailed Out is hit in assault, the successful hit must be re-rolled (similar to turret rear MGs in WWII).
These slow guys also need a bit of help breaking off from assault. If the tank breaks off and is not Damaged (more on this below!), Bogged or Bailed, then it doesn’t have to get outside of 4” to end the assault and it isn’t captured. I think this rule helps alot, as these guys are SLOW and it would make for some easily killed tanks without this rule.
Only the largest tanks are "Landships"- the Mk IV and the A7V. These are not your normal tanks. These are the big boys! They get all of the tank rules above, plus some additional things mentioned below.
MOVEMENT
Landships do not bog down, instead they take a Damage marker.
SHOOTING
So, these Landships are very hard to kill. If shooting or an arty bombardment kills a Landship, re-roll the firepower test. If successful, BOOM! If unsuccessful, add a Damaged marker. However - if the Landship was already Damaged, it is blown up without a re-roll. This can happen many times in one go, so roll these as necessary if a platoon scores multiple penetrating hits.
Landships are not Bailed either, and instead take a Damaged token.
ASSAULTS
If a Landship is also a Mobile Fortress, then the monster rolls two dice in assaults.
LANDSHIP DAMAGE AND REPAIR
Ok, this gets a little complicated....and there is a chart. It is not that bad, though, we promise! Let’s start with some fairly simple rules. A Landship with a Damaged marker cannot move, but can shoot and fight back in assaults. If there are two Damaged markers, it cannot move, shoot or fight in assaults. When you have two Damaged markers, each time you are Damaged again, make a motivation test -- if passed, no marker is placed and the Landship fights on. If the test is failed, the Landship is Destroyed.
So, does this thing just stay Damaged? Heck no! In the Starting Step of the owner’s turn, roll a Skill Test for each Damaged marker - one is removed for each test passed. Proceed accordingly this turn.
When a Landship has Damaged markers and is involved in an assault, there are some special rules to apply: If there is just one (or zero) Damaged markers, the assaulting platoon cannot win the assault if it is within 4”, and Tank Terror also still applies. So, basically you can’t just put a Damaged marker on a Landship and then win the assault. If there are two Damaged markers, then no Tank Terror and the assaulting platoon can win the assault if within 4”.
Helpful Chart:
THE TANKS
BRITISH TANKS
| Name weapon | Mobility range | Front ROF | Side AT | Top Firepower | Equipment and Notes |
| Mk IV Female | 4" Movement - | 1 | 1 | 1 | Four side-mounted MG, Landship, Mobile Fortress, Self-defense MG, Wide Tracks. |
| Name weapon | Mobility range | Front ROF | Side AT | Top Firepower | Equipment and Notes |
| Mk IV Male 2x 6-Pounder | 4" Movement 24" | 1 2 | 1 6 | 1 4+ | Landship, Self-defense MG, Wide Tracks. Side-mounted |
| Name weapon | Mobility range | Front ROF | Side AT | Top Firepower | Equipment and Notes |
| Mk A Whippet | 8" Movement | 1 | 1 | 1 | Two MG |
GERMAN TANKS
In addition to taking captured Mk IVs, the Germans can take the monster A7V!
| Name weapon | Mobility range | Front ROF | Side AT | Top Firepower | Equipment and Notes |
| A7V 5.7cm Gun | 6" Movement 24" | 2 2 | 1 6 | 1 4+ | Four side-mounted MG, Two hull-rear MG, Landship, Mobile Fortress Self-defense MG, Overloaded. Hull-mounted |
