Overview

Fortress America is an asymmetric wargame in which the United States must defend itself against three simultaneous invasions: the Asian People’s Alliance from the West, the Central American Federation from the South, and the Euro-Socialist Pact from the East. One player controls the U.S. forces while one to three other players control the invading armies. The U.S. has a powerful laser defense system and partisan reinforcements, while the Invaders have overwhelming numbers but finite reserves. The Invaders win by capturing 18 U.S. cities; the U.S. wins by surviving long enough (advancing the turn marker to the U.S. Victory space).

Components

• 1 Game Map (depicting U.S. territories, invasion zones, turn tracks)
• 4 Reference Sheets, 1 Graveyard Sheet
• 13 Dice: 4 red d6, 4 white d8, 4 blue d10, 1 black d10
• 240 Normal Plastic Figures: 96 Infantry, 48 Hovertanks, 36 Mobile Units, 36 Helicopters, 24 Bombers (in 4 player colors)
• 65 Special U.S. Plastic Figures: 30 City Miniatures, 24 Partisans, 11 Laser Miniatures
• 55 Cards: 31 Partisan Cards, 24 Invader Cards (8 per Invader)
• 90 Cardboard Control Markers (35 Western, 30 Southern, 25 Eastern)
• 11 Targeting Markers, 1 Turn Marker, 3 Foothold Overlays

Setup

1. Choose Forces: One player is the U.S. Player. Remaining players control Invaders (2P: one player controls all 3 Invaders; 3P: one controls West + East, one controls South; 4P: one per Invader).
2. U.S. Player: Places a city miniature in each of 30 city territories. Places 2 units of any type in each city territory (60 units total). Lasers and partisans start off the board.
3. Each Invader: Takes 20 units (8 Infantry, 3 Mobile, 4 Hovertank, 3 Helicopter, 2 Bomber) and distributes them across 6 invasion zones (max 5 per zone). Remaining 40 units are reserves.
4. Place turn marker on space “1” of the U.S. Turn Track.

Turn Structure

Turn order is always: Western Invader, Southern Invader, Eastern Invader, U.S. Player. Each player completes their full turn before the next.

Action Sequence

1. Reinforcements: Invaders add 8 units from reserves to invasion zones (max 5 per zone). U.S. Player places 1 laser in a city without one, then draws and resolves 2 partisan cards (plus bonus cards from previous turn).
2. Declare Battles: Player places control markers (“Combat” side up) in territories they intend to attack.
3. Maneuvers: Player moves units into position. Movement values vary by unit type.
4. Fire Lasers (U.S. only): Each laser fires at one Invader unit in any territory without a targeting marker. Roll black d10; result of 5+ destroys the target.
5. Combat: Resolve battles in declared territories containing defending units. Defender fires first, then attacker.
6. Invasion: Player moves units again to secure declared territories left undefended or cleared of defenders.
7. Supply Check (Invaders only): Each Invader unit must be connected to an invasion zone by a supply line through friendly territories. Unsupplied units are destroyed.
8. Capture Territories: Take control of conquered territories (place control markers “Control” side up). U.S. Player may receive bonus partisan cards for recapturing cities.

Actions

Unit Types and Combat

Unit	Class	Combat Die	Maneuver Movement	Order of Casualties
Infantry	Foot	Red d6	0 (cannot move)	Foot/Mech/Air
Partisan (U.S. only)	Foot	Red d6 (white d8 if lone partisan firing)	0	Foot/Mech/Air
Mobile Unit	Mechanized	Red d6	1	Foot or Mech/Air
Hovertank	Mechanized	White d8	1	Foot or Mech/Air
Helicopter	Air	White d8	2	Choice
Bomber	Air	Blue d10	4	Choice
Laser (U.S. only)	–	Black d10	–	5+ to destroy

Combat Resolution

Each battle has two parts: Defender Fires, then Attacker Fires. Within each part, units fire by class order: Air first, then Mechanized, then Foot.

Die Results:

• Hit: Destroy one targeted unit per the firing unit’s Order of Casualties.
• Combined Arms Hit: Always a hit for defenders. For attackers in city/mountain territories, only counts as a hit if the attacker has at least one unit of each class (air, mechanized, foot) among current firing units.
• Retreat/Disengage: Attacker rolls this — one defending unit must retreat to a friendly non-declared territory. Defender rolls this — one attacking unit disengages and returns to its previous territory.
• No icon: Miss.

Special Unit Abilities

• Mobile Unit “Transport”: When moving, may carry 1 infantry or partisan from the same territory.
• Helicopter “Scouting”: May remain in an unoccupied, non-city declared enemy territory at end of Maneuvers (flipped upside down; cannot move or attack further).
• Bomber “Bombing”: May end Maneuvers in an occupied declared enemy territory (can exceed the 5-unit limit with up to 5 of your own bombers). Must attack in combat.

Partisan Cards

The U.S. Player draws 2 per turn during Reinforcements. Cards specify territories and unit types to place, events, or effects. Units are placed in friendly or unoccupied enemy territories (never in occupied enemy territories or invasion zones). Must resolve as fully as possible.

Lasers

Each turn, the U.S. Player places 1 new laser in a city territory without one. During Fire Lasers, each laser fires once at any Invader unit in any territory not already targeted. Roll black d10; 5+ destroys the target. Lasers are lost when their city is captured by Invaders.

Territory Control

• 5 Unit Limit: No more than 5 units in any territory/invasion zone at end of an action (exception: bombing ability).
• Invader Supply Lines: Each Invader unit must trace a path of friendly territories back to an invasion zone. Unsupplied units are destroyed.
• Invaders Treat Each Other as Enemies: For movement and combat purposes, other Invaders’ territories are enemy territories.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Invader Victory: If 18 city miniatures are on the Captured City Track at the end of the U.S. Player’s turn, the Invaders win collectively.

U.S. Victory: If the turn marker reaches the “U.S. Victory” space (after enough turns), the U.S. wins. The U.S. also wins if all Invading armies are destroyed or the Invaders surrender.

Individual Invader Victory Variant: After a collective Invader win, individual Invaders compete based on number of cities captured.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Mountain Territories: Attackers need Combined Arms (air + mechanized + foot) to convert Combined Arms Hit results into actual hits.
• City Territories: Same Combined Arms requirement as mountains for attackers.
• Invader First Turn: Each Invader skips the Reinforcements Action on their first turn (they start with their initial 20 units already deployed).
• Destroyed Units: Invader units are permanently destroyed (placed on graveyard sheet). U.S. units are returned to reserves and can reappear via partisan cards.
• Bonus Partisan Cards: The U.S. Player receives bonus cards for recapturing city territories from Invaders, resolved during the next Reinforcements Action.
• Invader Card Variant (Optional): Each Invader gets special ability cards and foothold overlays that create new invasion zones.
• Adjacency: Territories sharing a border are adjacent. Territories meeting at a point are NOT adjacent.
• Lakes and Oceans: No effect; units cannot enter these areas.

Player Reference

Turn Sequence

1. Reinforcements (Invaders: 8 units to invasion zones; U.S.: 1 laser + 2 partisan cards)
2. Declare Battles (place control markers)
3. Maneuvers (move units into position)
4. Fire Lasers (U.S. only; each laser rolls black d10, 5+ kills)
5. Combat (Defender fires first by class, then Attacker)
6. Invasion (move into cleared territories)
7. Supply Check (Invaders only)
8. Capture Territories

Victory Conditions

• Invaders: 18 cities captured at end of U.S. turn
• U.S.: Survive to U.S. Victory on turn track, or destroy all Invaders

Combat Die Results

• Hit = destroy 1 unit (per order of casualties)
• Combined Arms Hit = hit only if attacker has all 3 classes (in city/mountain); always hit for defender
• Retreat/Disengage = move 1 unit away
• Blank = miss