Dear Sir: Some Questions: 1) Integral Antitank During the later war years many nationalities had integral AT weapons. Do the non-dedicated stands operate as if they are HIW? The implication is central; it could mean that the British after '43, Germans before '44, and the Americans could not run. HIW limitations are for stands which carry weapons such as medium mortars, water-cooled MMGs, and AT weapons such as RkPzB, the American 3.5" bazooka, 75mm recoilless rifles, and the 28/20 TB AT gun. These weapons are either heavy or must be set up before they are fired. Weapons such as LMGs, ATRs, PIATs, and the 2.36" bazooka should not be considered as HIW. These weapons do not cause the HIW limitations on stands carrying these weapons The error was caused when the chartmaker assumed that all manpacked weapons were HIW. Therefore, non-dedicated stands may run without the limitations imposed by their carrying these weapons. (Incidentally, the British Airborne Division of '44/'45 has no "notes." Does this mean no PIATs? I am told that the British paratroopers were lavishly equipped with the same.) The notes to the 1944-45 British Airborne Division are on page 156. There is no mention of the PIAT. This was an oversight as all infantry, recon, and command infantry stands have integral PIATs. 2) Definition of the Group Do stands of a company that doesn't move (has not been issued with a chit) test as part of the same group as stands of the same company that did move (that was issued with a chit)? It seems to me that the Morale Example in Rule 9.12 stands in direct contradiction to Rule 9.1? Until detached and assigned elsewhere by a take command order, stands remain as part of their parent formation even when that formation moves off and leaves that stand behind. The example in Rule 9.1 covers a case where an MMG stand was left behind when the rest of the company moved off. (See Rule 2.22 for an example of how this would work.) The MMG stand must check morale, even though it did not move, as it is still part of the group. 3) Call Fire Can battery command stands (or even support stands) act as an FO for one artillery element in their battalion using the rule that allows infantry to access indirect battalion HE assets like mortars and battalion guns? Under normal circumstances, the battery commanders should not be used as an FO as they are not equipped for this task. Under special circumstances, the referee may allow this to happen as part of a scenario. The battalion HE fire rule for infantry is designed to reflect the fact that communications system within the battalion is designed to allow the battalion weapons to serve as "vest pocket" artillery, that can be put where needed as quickly as possible. 4) Handing Off Line of Sight A stationary tank is adjacent to a stationary recon stand of a different unit. An enemy tank rumbles though the woods toward them. It will be impossible for the stationary tank to spot the advancing tank during the Movement Phase, because only one spotting attempt is made per phase, and the infantry has a better chance of spotting. Thus, the stationary tank will not be able to carry out opportunity fire against the enemy tank because it had a lesser chance of spotting than did the infantry. You are correct in your reading of the rule. If you put stands of two different elements out together, and neglect to tie them under a single commander, then it appears to me that you are asking for trouble. A take command order can be placed so as to assign both stands to the same formation, and avoid this problem.  5) Take Command Take command involves command stands. This means that a Soviet tank desant company can not be incorporated into a tank battalion as the desant company does not have a command stand. The same would involve early war German MMG companies, as they do not have command stands, and so cannot be integrated into the infantry companies. A Take Command order does what it says: It takes command of a stand or group of stands and assigns them to a new commander. A command stand need not be part of this formation being taken over. The confusion that you have is due to the fact that Rule 2.331 is designed to remind people that a command stand which is part of a formation to which a take command order is given may not also issue an order that turn. A command stand which is part of a group to which a take command order is given loses its command ability for that turn. If there is not a command stand in the group being taken over, this problem does not exist. In the case of the Soviet desant company or German MMG company, there is no command stand, so this reminder is not needed. These companies may be issued an order on the following turn by the new controlling command stand. Your reply to these questions are awaited with anticipation and interest. --Bill Ramsay Answers are in itallics above--RL Dear Greg, It was nice meeting you at Cold Wars. Sorry I didn't get to the CD meeting there. I enjoy the new format Command Post very much. I have a few questions that might have been addressed earlier, but here they are anyway. 1. Could you do a full example of close assault from movement to the end of the turn? Units attempting to move into close assault must have a move full movement order. (3.81) Stands under a move full order may be forced into close combat if there is a hidden enemy unit in the path of the stand within 4", which is the minimum distance that the stand MUST move. Stands which are attempting to move into close combat are then moved to within 1 " of their target. (3.83) They may be fired at in the OpportunityFire Phase and the General Fire Phase at that location. They may fire in the General Fire Phase if eligible. Neither the attacking nor defending stand may fire in the Close Fire Phase. Stands fired at must check morale in the Morale Phase. If they pass the check, the attacking stand(s) is moved into contact with the defending stand. If they are pinned or forced back, then no close combat is fought. The close assault is fought out as per 10.2 with the addition that the stand which loses takes one hit AND IS CONSIDERED AS BEING FORCED BACK FOR MORALE PURPOSES. (The last was omitted from the rules by mistake.) 2. At night, troops go down one level in troop quality. Does this affect the number of hits needed to eliminate them? If so, what happens when day comes? Yes, the number of hits needed to eliminate the stand is reduced. When daylight comes, the number of hits reverts back to the usual number. 3. Is there any rule on when to halve to-hit numbers? For pinned units this comes after modifiers, and for general support artillery it comes before. No--it depends on the actual rule. 4. The Italians and the Soviets both have mortar units that have 8+cm mortars in them. How do these units fit in to the battalion/ regimental support weapons rules? These units usually can be assigned to regiments/brigades as additional supporting weapons at the start of a scenario, or they may use the battalion commander as an FO. In some defensive scenarios, the referee may assign a mortar company to an infantry battalion, and allow it to function as a battalion mortars. Late-war Soviet mortar battalions do include a spotter stand. 5. Is there any limit on running in multiple turns? No, as long as the conditions needed in Rule 3.41 are present, a unit can run forever. 6. 12cm mortars count as cargo; if they are being moved off of a vehicle do they move as if they were being portered (8"no running) or as man-handled guns (2")? How long does it take to limber/ unlimber one of them? How much space do they take up in a town block? 12 cm mortars move as either cargo or man-handled depending on the circumstances. If moved as cargo being portered, they may move up to 8" in a turn, but may not run. In addition, they must be set up at the cost of 1/2 turn, and taken down at the cost of 1 full turn. Once assembled on the ground, they maybe man-handled as a Class II weapon at a rate of 2" a turn. In a town, they count as 4 points for the tube, ammo, and crew. 7. Should weapons stands have any minuses in close combat like gun crews and MG stands do? Yes, they should be considered as having a -2 in close combat. 8. Do integral ATRs only have two rounds of ammo? Yes . 9. Rule 6.53 on page 22, do all machineguns on a vehicle get the benefit of firing sooner or only those listed as MGs, e.g., HMGs on British MkVI and AAMGs on jeeps?  All MGs mounted on vehicles get the benefit of moving fire. However, Rule 20.7 should apply in cases of vehicles with AAMGs. 10. Rule 7.13 on page 23, do you halve the chance to hit only once if hull-down on cover? What if pinned and hull-down? Hull-down is considered as cover, with the added use of the turret armor and restrictions on hull weapons. Pinned units which are hull-down are halved only once. 11. Rule 7.17 on page 24, is there any range limit on criticals? Do you get criticals if you can't hurt the target at all or if you could hurt on another facing but not on the current one? A critical hit can be inflicted at any range that the weapon can hit the target, regardless of whether damage can be done. 12. Can stands self-spot for indirect fire without plotting? A indirect fire weapon may carry out indirect fire at a target which it can see, but which it cannot fire with direct fire due to range limitations. In this case, a unit can self-spot. 13. Rule 8.42 on page 27, can a 4" shift be made and still do damage in the Opportunity Fire Phase? Can you change sheaves along with the 4" shift or does this count as a new mission? If you shift the fire, you may not do damage in the Opportunity Fire Phase. You may not change the sheave and shift 4" during the same turn; it would be a case of doing one or the other. If you wish to do both, then you must reroll to see if you are on target. 14. Can you use artillery in the Opportunity Fire Phase to catch a stand that starts in the pattern and then moves out of the area? To be hit in the Opportunity Fire Phase by an indirect artillery barrage, the barrage must have been established in the preceding turn, and still be in effect during the following turn. 15. Rule 10.2 on page 32, do the losers stay in contact? Does a second stand just add the plus for extra stand or does it also bring any minus, adding an MG stand into a combat? Losers are forced back out of combat. Additional stands may give both plus and minus depending on their type. Putting extra MG stands into a close assault will not improve the odds, i.e., +2 for the extra stand, -2 for type. 16. Rule 10.4, does an AT assault stand take the -2 for a singlefigure stand? No, this is the only exception to the single-figure rule. 17. What happens to a stand that is in a pillbox when it is destroyed? The stand is now considered as being in rubble. Towed weapons in rubble may not be removed except by being man-handled. 18. Rule 14.121 on page 39, how long does spotting from firing last at night? Just for the turn in question-remember that night turns are 30 minutes instead of the usual 15 minutes. 19. Bridges are built in 6" segments: Do they also take damage separately on each segment? No, damage is taken on the bridge as a whole, though the referee may vary this depending on the scenario in question. 20. Can larger ferries take more than one personnel stand? Not really, though the referee may vary this depending on the scenario in question. 21. Engineering demolitions, explosives are only half as strong as artillery ammo. One ton of 105mm ammo, 6 shots, can demolish a wooden building; it would take two tons of engineering explosives. Correct. 22. Rule 15.534 on page 45, it says engineers can do 12" an hour and infantry 6" a turn. Should this be an hour instead? Correct. Infantry is also 6" an hour. 23. Rule 16.21 on page 47, does a general support mission still do full damage to structures in the area? No, building damage is likewise halved during a general support mission. 24. Rule 17.211 on page 48, if the gun crew carries the gun does it still carry the basic ammo load? No, only the gun is carried. A porter stand will be needed for each ton of ammunition that is carried. 25. Rule 18.713 on page 52, if a direct-support air mission that is on target is treated like direct fire artillery for infantry and guns, what does it do to AFVs and soft vehicles? AFVs take one hit, and roll for a second hit using the AFV Indirect Modifier against the Bombs HE value of 7. Soft vehicles which take a direct hit are destroyed as per the Direct Fire HE rules. Remember that HE Value can only be reduced by a factor of 3. 26. Rule 20.4 on page 54, AAA is too deadly, morale checks and aborts are fairly rare. Will take under advisement as that has not been the case out here. I've had ill luck chasing Russian aircraft off my back. Frank has a fleet of I-16s and MiG-3s that never seem to go away! --Jerry Lane Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Quarterly # 5 To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by Greg Novak. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com