A squadron's morale can make all the difference in a battle. During the Morale phase, the leaders of squadrons who have suffered damage or losses will make morale rolls to try and hold their squadron together. Leaders can attempt to rally their pilots in this phase, possibly improving morale. Also in this phase, broken squads who aren't able to rally are moved.

Morale Levels

At the time a squadron is created, it is rated as Average, Veteran, or Elite. Elite squadrons begin the game with a morale level of 7, while veteran and average squadrons begin play with morale levels of 6 and 5, respectively.

The other factor involved in a squadron's ability to maintain order in battle is its leader's command skill. An average squadron commanded by a very capable leader may fare better than a veteran, or even elite squadron with a rookie commander on their hands.

As a squadron takes damage or losses, its leader must use his command skill to keep the squadron together - the more damage inflicted on the squadron, the harder the difficulty. If the leader can't keep his pilots cool, it is possible the squadron may flee the battle. Squadrons begin the game with steady morale, but events may lead them to become Shaken or Demoralized, which has a negative effect on their combat abilities, or cause them to become Broken, in which case they will attempt escape.

If a squadron did not fire its weapons in the Combat phase, its Leader may attempt to Rally the pilots, improving their morale level.

Keeping Track of a Squadron's Morale

Use the Morale Level track on the Squadron Record Sheet (and pictured here) to keep track of morale. Before the game, blacken in the boxes to the left of the squadron's starting morale level. As the game progresses, if morale declines, simply cross off the boxes as the level drops. If morale improves through Rallying, erase those crosses as morale works its way back up.

Morale Statuses

A squadron begins the game with steady morale, after which it may become shaken, demoralized, or broken.

Steady: Morale Level 4 or Higher
This the starting, and optimum morale status. There are no penalties suffered by a squadron with steady morale.

Shaken: Morale Level 2-3
When a squadron is shaken, the difficulty of all its combat rolls is increased by 1, and the threat level of future morale rolls is increased by 1.

Demoralized: Morale Level 1
At this stage, the difficulty of all combat rolls is increased by 2, as is the threat level of future morale rolls.

Broken: Morale Level 0
When a squadron becomes broken, it will attempt to flee the combat area. The squadron immediately makes a Full Throttle move toward the nearest map edge.

In subsequent Morale phases, the squadron's leader makes a rally test (explained below). If he succeeds, the squadron stops fleeing, and can once again move normally in future Movement phases (Note: broken squadrons are moved in the Morale phase, not the Movement phase). While a squadron is fleeing, all of its skills, with the exception of the leader's command skill, are reduced to 0. The squadron may not perform any actions in the Combat phase.

When the first craft in a fleeing squadron reaches the edge of the map, it halts, and the rest of the craft complete their moves, halting if they reach the map edge. Next Morale phase, the squadron has one final chance to rally. If it fails, the squadron is removed from play.

Morale Tests

When a squadron receives casualties, its leader needs to make a morale test. In the Morale phase, the leader in question rolls a die, adding his command skill to the roll. The opposing player also rolls a die, adding the Threat Level of 4, plus any of the applicable modifiers below:

Morale Test Results

Compare the opposed rolls to the table below, bearing in mind that a squadron's morale level may never decrease below 0, and may never increase above its starting value.

Rallying

In the Morale phase, leaders can attempt to rally their squadrons. This can only be attempted if the squadron did not fire their weapons in the Combat phase. An opposed roll is again required, the leader's (or acting leader's) command skill, versus a Threat Level of 4, modified by the following factors:

Now compare the results to the table below:

You may not want to bother with the Morale rules in your first few games, but I think you'll find that, once you add them, you'll enjoy the extra sense of drama they can add to the combat scenario.