Europa Basic Concepts

A construction unit begins building a fort in the initial phase. During the ensuing movement phase may that same construction unit build a temporary airfield in the hex it occupies? (usually Rule 14)

No, an engineer unit may participate in only one construction task at a time. Note that if a construction unit is only maintaining a temporary airfield it may undertake other construction in the hex, such as upgrading its temporary airfield to permanent status or building a fort, as the maintenance of the temporary airfield does not constitute "construction."

How much ATEC does one point of heavy position AA have?

Folks who paid attention last issue know the answer to this one. Units which do not count toward the stacking limit are not counted in ATEC calculations, so the answer is "none."

Suppose a construction unit is undertaking a two-turn task and in the initial phase of its second turn of construction it suddenly finds itself out of supply. Would construction be suspended until the unit was placed back in supply (or even negated), or would the item be completed on schedule? (usually Rule 14)

Construction would continue normally. It is only required that the construction unit be in supply when the item is started and the RP spent. To rule otherwise would open a whole Pandora's box of exceptions and interpretations.

Scorched Earth

Why is it you can fight in the dark in the Arctic? It is dark almost 24 hours a day during the winter up there you know. (Rule 30)

WWII armies could and did right in darkness, both in the Arctic and elsewhere. While night combat was no prize, neither was it impossible. And remember that during the summer it is light almost twenty-four hours a day in "The Land of the Midnight Sun." Should we allow two combat phases then? The fact that resource points must be spent for attacks in the Arctic clearly indicates that combat there at any time is difficult. But there should be no restrictions against righting in the dark.

Rule 34E1 states that "Soviet (motorized and mechanized) divisions may not be rebuilt to their original strength when at cadre strength." Rule 34E2 states, "in addition, cadres of (Soviet tank) divisions may not be rebuilt to full strength." Does this mean that all of the Russian c/m cadres that start the game may not be built up to divisional strength or that they may only be built up once?

Soviet c1m divisions which start the game as cadres may not be built up to full strength. Clm divisions which start at full strength, but are reduced to cadre through losses, may not be rebuilt to full strength. Clm divisions and divisional cadres which are completely eliminated may not be replaced at all. (Exceptions: Guards and foreign contingent cl m divisions and cadres may be replaced and rebuilt.)

Soviet naval units (ships) are in a hex which is subsequently taken by the Axis. Do the ships have to roll for scuttling immediately, and if not then, when? (Rule 28134)

If the ships are in port when the Axis gain ownership of the hex they must roll for scuffling at the instant the hex becomes Axisowned. If at sea in the hex they are not effected. Note that if a ship is scuttled, and the battle against the hex it was assigned to support that turn has not yet been resolved, then its gunfire support would be negated. If it escapes to sea, it remains in the hex and supports its assigned hex as planned.

Although the rules don't say so explicitly, Rule 28B, 2nd paragraph implies that the Soviets must declare at the end of their turn whether each of their ships is in port or at sea. (Note that Axis transports must always end their turn in port per Rule 28B1.) This is required information for properly handling AA fire, airnaval interaction, Baltic restrictions, scuttling and replenishment.

Can one replace a Soviet 3-6 Rifle Division, convert it to a 4-6 Rifle Division and then convert it to a 5-6 Guards Rifle Division all in the same initial phase? (Rule 34)

John Astell was toying with a rule for inclusion in Scorched Earth which would limit a unit to "doing only one thing at a time." However, in the end he decided it wasn't worth adding a special rule to limit this (and such a rule would have been hard to write, as well). As it doesn't seem to give any special advantage to the Soviets to allow this, let's keep it simple and permit it.

And, in conclusion, from Th e Selected Sayings of Marshal Ruhismonger: "Italian pilots green are better than Russian pilots Red."