We have used blinds (sort of). Infantry that can't be seen at the start of the game because they are in terrain/dug in etc, were represented by a counter, once the could be seen by someone we revealed them. It worked fine for us, but that's our own rules for certain scenarios, no need to write it into the rules.

Not played those games

Quote from: Last Hussar on 14 October 2015, 06:14:38 PM
Not played those games

Probably because you hate BKC rules.

Well you like them.  Sort of canary in the mine.

Quote from: Last Hussar on 14 October 2015, 08:47:01 PM
Well you like them.  Sort of canary in the mine.

With my reputation, more like Cuckoo in the nest!

Don't tell me - you're waiting for the set 2 versions down?

Please clarify the Recce rules and expand the scenario write-ups to make them a bit clearer. Please don't mess with the activation rules but perhaps consider adding a rule that gives an HQ an automatic activation the turn after failing an activation on the first roll.

Quote from: Last Hussar on 15 October 2015, 08:19:58 PM
Don't tell me - you're waiting for the set 2 versions down?

Precisely If the next one down is an improved version the set 2 versions down is going to be better still. 

A couple more. The cost of panzerfausts need to be reduced and the line of sight/line of fire rules could use some clarification.

Quote from: T Madvid on 09 November 2015, 05:00:42 PM
(...) The cost of panzerfausts need to be reduced (...)

Hello
Could you explain why ? ( I never needed this, but may be I'm wrong. I really don't want to see uber-germans as seen in other rules ..  )

It's more the limitations of all IATW that's an issue, at least within points games.

ATRs are fine, only ten points and have a usable range (but rubbish dice). But they're cheap. So at 50+10pts an infantry stand isn't a massive points sink.

Late war however -

50pts for infantry. OK. Then 50pts for Panzershrek with good dice and probably usable but short range (6/10). You're now as expensive as a light AFV or off table arty battery, but much less useful. THEN you add in the Panzerfaust, with BIG dice but woeful and virtually unusable range (8/5). You're now 150pts (approx), the cost of a useful Medium tank. Only you're slow, squishy, die from arty just looking at you AND have no range, so 100pts of AT capacity is completely wasted. Just get a tank.

Now, playing "historical only" without points that's fine - you just give all the Germans whatever AT capacity you feel they should have (or Allies bazookas, or the Russians Panzerfausts etc etc); in a pick up game it's unworkable. Leads back to the only "sensible" decision ending up with Luftwaffe ear nose & throat platoons for infantry with no AT capacity and spend the rest on something useful. Much like the infamous "I brought an entire Russian Rifle Regiment to the game, and still had room for Battalion of T-34's! approach".

I'd suggest reducing the cost massively, and would be half tempted to just add them anyway except that might make it awkward on historical "breakpoints" - if every German infantry stand from '43 inwards has Fausts & Shreks out the wazoo it's likely not very realistic, at least apart from those that should

You could just massively discount them, or perhaps something like saying on any given turn one in three stands can fire as IATW etc. I'd go for as simple an option as possible though - a massive discount for the short range seems easiest.

I'd lean towards making Panzerfausts an improvement to the close assault value (vs armour/fortifications only), rather than a ranged weapon. Only the very latest versions had a range of 100m (5cm in the default ground scale), and to my understanding they were primarily used as ambush weapons, so quite a short range in practise.

Granted they are quite expensive currently....

That's another, good option - I think at the scale BKC is aimed at I can envision the "platoon position" being the stand, but that the "extra" range represents the couple of teams with 'Fausts sneaking about in useful ambush/flank positions that we can't see on the wargames table (much like Spearheads rationale for infantry AT weapons having a 300m range ).

As the lists are dated, allow a ratio of free panzerfausts and Panzershrecks to the numbetr of infantry stands , depending on the date.


To make the Pzfaust more useful give the force  percentace change of stanmds having panzerfausts.

ie 50% chance then  when decalring fire opn a go they wish to use one,  throw a D6 and 1-3 they  don't have any. 4-6 they have one.  That also stops the stands allocated them being picked off because your opponent know where they are

Quote from: T Madvid on 09 November 2015, 05:00:42 PM
A couple more. The cost of panzerfausts need to be reduced and the line of sight/line of fire rules could use some clarification.

Absolutely not. Panzerfausts and similar IATW are very powerful if used as historically, from ambush, under cover, and in built up areas. If you want to use infantry vs armour, it's up close and personal. The advantage is the big dice numbers that make it very likely a hit is a kill... 

And if infantry is dead meat to artillery in your games, I would suggest that with a decent sized stonk, infantry in the open should be dead meat. Infantry should be in cover, darting about from cover to cover or dug in.

Check out the visibility rules - they are the infantryman's friend. I do think there could be a slightly extended range for IATW to reflect a potentially hidden team or teams in front of the main positions.  It should be possible for armour to be hit by IATW before spotting. (Recce, recce, and more Recce).