Game #4 Questions

[richafricanus]

Starting to get the hang of it now and actually played a game to conclusion! But a few more questions.

1. Can FAOs call in off-table artillery as Opportunity Fire - we assumed not?
2. Presumably the move is over for the HQ group after a blunder has occurred?  (We seem to roll an inordinate amount of double 1's and double 6's!)
3. You roll a double 1 and so get a command bonus and a free extra move or shot.  Can your opponent Opportunity fire before you get the bonus 2nd move or shot?
4. AFVs firing at infantry in the open from within 20cm: they get +1 Attack for firing at a soft target within 20cm.  Presumably they also get +1 Attack for firing within 1/2 range?
5. What conventions do people use for reacting to enemy your troops can't see but you, the player can see?  Obviously honesty is the best policy but are their any clever conventions people have come up with.
6.  Partly a question, partly an observation:  Russians with a Rigid tactical doctrine actually seem to get quite an advantage by getting a +1 to their CV so long as every unit performs the same action.  While they lose the flexibility of each unit doing something different, they can afford to buy cheaper HQs (and so maybe get more of them) because they're almost guaranteed a free +1.  Are we playing it incorrectly or is this how it works?

Thanks again for so patiently answering our barrage of questions after each game.  We're really enjoying the rules and the games!  Getting ready to place our 2nd orders for more stuff!

[Big Insect]

Starting to get the hang of it now and actually played a game to conclusion! But a few more questions.

1. Can FAOs call in off-table artillery as Opportunity Fire - we assumed not?
2. Presumably the move is over for the HQ group after a blunder has occurred?  (We seem to roll an inordinate amount of double 1's and double 6's!)
3. You roll a double 1 and so get a command bonus and a free extra move or shot.  Can your opponent Opportunity fire before you get the bonus 2nd move or shot?
4. AFVs firing at infantry in the open from within 20cm: they get +1 Attack for firing at a soft target within 20cm.  Presumably they also get +1 Attack for firing within 1/2 range?
5. What conventions do people use for reacting to enemy your troops can't see but you, the player can see?  Obviously honesty is the best policy but are their any clever conventions people have come up with.
6.  Partly a question, partly an observation:  Russians with a Rigid tactical doctrine actually seem to get quite an advantage by getting a +1 to their CV so long as every unit performs the same action.  While they lose the flexibility of each unit doing something different, they can afford to buy cheaper HQs (and so maybe get more of them) because they're almost guaranteed a free +1.  Are we playing it incorrectly or is this how it works?

Thanks again for so patiently answering our barrage of questions after each game.  We're really enjoying the rules and the games!  Getting ready to place our 2nd orders for more stuff!

Here you go:
1). No - you are correct

2). Yes - although the HQ still has its own final move it can make

3). Yes -  it will be subject to Opportunity fire between the 2 actions - this is in effect another 'free' order

4). Yes - you got it. Assuming they have hull mounted MGs - they get that extra +1d6 (those AFVs without it are usually marked in the lists) - it reflects tanks acting as mobile pill-boxes against infantry

5). Not sure I understand you on this - if you have an enemy unit 'hidden' behind a hill (for example) - you the player can see it, but there is no Line of Sight (LoS to it) from any of your own troops on the table - technically your troops wouldn't react to it, but in reality in the game this is hard to police and short of creating some really complex rules about hidden movement (which we have to a certain extent) it is hard to replicate the true element of surprise on the table top. But it would help if you could provide me with an example of what you mean? 

6). Not at all - that is exactly how it works. Rigid Tac.doc is often underestimated and can be very effective - however, having played for many years with Soviets/Warsaw Pact armies in CWC - which operate under the same Rigid Tac.doc I can tell you it is not all plain sailing - advances tend to stall - often at a critical moment because of failed command rolls and also as the units move rapidly out of command radius, they start collecting distance penalties very easily.

Sounds like you are having fun - do keep us posted
Cheers

Mark

[Amra]

Also on (3) , the player can see what the forces couldn't, how does everyone deal with which platoon has the bazooka ? The player knows so keeps his tanks away from that one ...

[Ithoriel]

I tend to find my tanks have bigger problems than a guy with a short-range, one-shot wonder.

By and large, if infantry are close enough to use a bazooka they are close enough to Close Combat you.

So, support your armour with infantry ... and vice versa.

If you manage to do that consistently .... tell me how

[Amra]

Thanks, we haven't tried infantry assault on a tank yet ,is it effective?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Most of the time. Best method if circs allow is to hit the vehicle with IAT in opertunity fire and hopefully suppress it, then Close Assault it in following move. Or shell it with a shed load of arty.

[Big Insect]

Also on (3) , the player can see what the forces couldn't, how does everyone deal with which platoon has the bazooka ? The player knows so keeps his tanks away from that one ...

You can always paint a coloured spot on the underside of the base of the unit with the bazooka - or a sticky coloured paper dot, if it is a concern.
Then when you get to an assault situation put out a marker next to the unit - I use a bazooka team on a small coin or small round base.

I also mark the back base edge of my infantry units bases with a coloured flash system - a red stripe for anti-armour (which might also include the base with the Anti-tank rifle etc) - I use blue for AA, purple for engineers, etc. etc.

But the alternative is to up-arm as many as your infantry with Bazookas as you are allowed 

[richafricanus]

Thanks for the replies. 

The other example of reacting to what you can't see:  A a T34 just on the other side of a hill.  A Stug that the enemy hasn't seen is on the opposite side of the hill 40cm away.  The T34 player moves his T34 over the hill at a very sharp angle so that he's out of arc of the (unseen) Stug and so avoids taking opportunity fire.  We both agreed the T34 couldn't do that and had to first stick his nose over the crest and face the music before he could start trying to outflank the Stug.

Good idea about marking under the base which unit has the bazooka.  Does this mean you don't have to tell your opponent which unit has the bazooka until it actually fires? 

On the Rigid tactical doctrine question, presumably the +1 for all units performing the same action can also be applied when using mobile deployment or an outflank and dicing to bring formations on table?

[hammurabi70]

Good idea about marking under the base which unit has the bazooka.  Does this mean you don't have to tell your opponent which unit has the bazooka until it actually fires? 

Do you have to decide in advance?  Some rules allow it to be undetermined until the unit goes into action and fires a support when, which then fixes its location for the future.  It is very helpful in creating initial uncertainty in their opponents mind, as it might pop up in the hands of any component element.

[Big Insect]

Yes you do need to identify which unit has the bazooka upgrade at the start of the game.
You do not have to declare it to you opponent - if you do not want to. But in most general games it isn't really an issue (in my experience).
The reason you must identify the unit is that that unit might get caught in an area template or be shot at (without the shooter knowing it has the bazooka attachment) and be knocked out and then you lose the upgrade (like in real life). Only allocating it when you need to fire gives you far too much advantage and means the upgrade will always be with the unit that faces enemy tanks.

With regards to the question about the hill, the STUG and the T34 - there is nothing to stop the T34 player manoeuvring his tank to try to avoid being shot at by the STUG.
It is impossible in gaming terms to prevent the players from seeing where all the units are on the table - unless you are playing the Hide rule, or have bought an Ambush or are using the Reserve option for your units.
You cannot force a player to make a move that puts their units in danger of being Knocked out (unless it is via a Command blunder). In reality the tank crew drive up to below the crest of the hill and send a crew member forward to scout the countryside on the other side and then take appropriate action. If the T34 commander wants to take a cautious rout around the hill that is down to experience (maybe). Equally if you have a number of T34's it would not be unrealistic for a Soviet officer to nominate & send one T34 over the crest to draw any fire and then the rest go speeding over ready to shoot up the STUG.

[Amra]

Thanks all .
For bazookas & the like I was thinking mark the base as suggested then reveal at the enemy's initiative range . That way long range fire can't target it first .

[Big Insect]

Yes - that works for me.

I also use a similar system with units in half-tracks/carriers or trucks - by marking the back edge of the bases I know which ones have the HMG, which one the IATW, which one the Engineers or flamethrowers etc.
I also mark underneath bases to show the units formation - so if it is in a fixed formation - such as a Warsaw Pact Cold War Motor Rifle Regiment (for example) I will make the BTR-60s up as follows:

1st Platoon - which consists of 3 x 3 BTRs per platoon - each BTR is marked as 1/1, 2/1, 3/1 for 1st platoon = 1/2, 2/2, 3/2 for 2nd platoon and 1/3, 2/2, 3/3 for 3rd platoon.
As each platoon has an HMG, a Sagger ATGW (or a RcLR) and a mortar - I mark the back of the base of each BTR-60 with a colour to identify which is being carried in each BTR, along with the infantry unit. The platoon also has a SAM AA section - but I put that in Reserve in the HQ I use to command the Regiment. Each infantry platoon also has an RPG-7 and that is marked up on the base of one of the units carried the the BTR-60s.

But that is just my way of doing things - the same would work equal well with German or US half-track formations.

Cheers
Mark

[richafricanus]

Thanks Mark.   That all makes sense.