BKC Solo Game of Juno Beach

[Big Insect]

Here we are at the end of Move 5. The Canadians have closed up to the sea wall and are rushing the two exits. However there are PAK 75 covering each exit from the rear of the village. The Germans manage 4 actions on their command rolls and concentrate on the AVRE as the most dangerous enemy at this stage, eventually racking up enough hits to brew it up.

The power of a strong defensive position in BKC cannot be underestimated.
NB: Smoke that PAK 75 is my advice 

[holdfast]

I rolled to see whether the AVRE crew had seen where they were hit from and they didn't. The other tanks in the area didn't have line of sight so they had to drive through the gap. They did so, and scouted and located the PAK but then failed the command roll for their next action which would have been to drench to PAK with fire. Over to the defender!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Run it over! 

[Big Insect]

Don't forget your Opportunity fire 

[holdfast]

The well constructed contents list in the rules is a great help as I stumble through the different options open to both sides.

[Big Insect]

Also check the Initiative actions and what is in range for your Tanks 

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Shell it, and smoke of course !

[holdfast]

All will happen when its the Allied turn but if the PAK is firing from some distance I cannot see how the non phasing player can intervene until the German has finished. Am I missing something?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

OPertunity fire may well help.

[Big Insect]

As Ian states the moment after the PAK fires - all tanks within LoS and range (that are not suppressed or knocked-out) can shoot back using opportunity fire. T
hey can do this after the PAK has fired its initial Commanded order (assuming the Command unit passes the Command roll)* - so before the 2nd order to shoot can be issued by the German HQ.

*if the German HQ commanding the HQ fails their initial Command roll, there is no Opportunity fire possible as the PAK has fired no shots for the tanks to react to. In these circumstances you could choose to use the German CO to attempt to order the PAK to shoot again (but he is on a -1 to his CV to make this order).

NB: If the PAK is within its Initiative range its initial shot does not require a Command order - as the crew are assumed to shoot using their own close range initiative.

[holdfast]

Thanks for this clarification. My difficulty was that I was looking at the piece on Opportunity Fire on Page 20 without reading on to Opportunity Fire on page 37. All is now clear. Or clearer.
So, assuming that there are some Shermans left after the first rounds from the two PAK 88, which there are, the surviving Shermans have the opportunity to pop smoke. But what does that do to protect them?
Does it
a: totally obscure them from the wicked PAK?
or
b: reduce the hit roll for the PAK next shot, assuming that they pass the command roll?
And then,
If the German manages to roll below his command requirement for several rolls, and thereby has the opportunity for several shots, does the smoke last as long as the German command roll or does it dissipate after one phase? (My knowledge of smoke dispenser availability on Shermans is vague).
Finally, how many times can an FAO call down fire from a battery in one turn? If the player is fortunate enough to keep beating his reducing command roll, can he order the battery to fire again? Or are the guners prostrated by their earlier efforts and in need of a nice cup of tea?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Shermans had a small proportion of 75mm rounds as smoke and had a 2" bomb thrower in the roof,

[holdfast]

Thanks for this. So it sounds as though the Sherman has a better ability to drench the opponent with smoke than to cover itself. The smoke projectors that every Cold War A vehicle had came later then I suppose. And of course, it being white phosphorous, having WP shot at you generates burning stuff that sticks rather than just smoke.
However, the ability of the low profile anti tank guns to escape detection remains an issue.

[Big Insect]

If the 88's have fired and the Shermans can see them and are in range they can fire back.
The 88's are harder to hit - as they are in a defensive position - but if you have 2 or more Shermans - some (1) can fire live ammo (HE) at the 88's (don't forget your +1 d:6 for being under half range & also for your MGs) and then others can fire Smoke at the 88's - which if successful would mask the 88's from firing on the Shermans in their next game turns.

It is a risk to shoot at the 88's - as the Smoke shells might miss. But the Shermans putting smoke out on themselves, whilst guaranteed to happen, just ends up with a stalemate situation, as the Shermans cannot see the 88's (& vice versa) but the moment the Shermans move (in their game turn) the 88's get opportunity fire.  So unless you have a plan to flank the 88's with something else (infantry ideally) or drop artillery on them - it is probably worth trying to suppress or knock out the 88's. Remember just 1 successful hit could result in suppression.
Remember, this is a combined arms game - so infantry mortars - sighted by the Shermans nearest the 88's - are also potentially very effective.

Also remember to mark your Shermans to show they have made an Opportunity fire action - as that adversely effects Commanding them in their next game turn.

BTW - 2 x 88's are a formidable defensive arrangement, especially if dug-in! The range alone makes then really difficult to get at by armour.

Sounds like you are having fun 

[holdfast]

Thanks for this Big Insect. I will have to think the sequencing through carefully.
Given that the 88s are well cammed up, I would think it is not a foregone conclusion that they will be spotted the first time they fire. I am going to be rolling more dice than in a Warhammer game at this rate!