Fields of Fire: Normandy Campaign - Mission 1 - Turn 4

HQ Higher Event

No HQ symbol is found on the Action Card, so no Event occurs.

Friendly Command Phase

Activation Segment

• BN HQ Impulse - Not on the map, so CO HQ is activated automatically.
• CO HQ Impulse - Draw a 2/1 card. -1 for Green, = 1 Activation (& 2 Saved). Activate 2nd Plt HQ & 3rd Plt HQ.
• 2nd PLT HQ - Draw a 1/1 card. -1 for Green, = 1 Activation (& 3 Saved).
• 3rd PLT HQ - Draw a 2/1 card. -1 for Green, = 1 Activation.

Not a lot to work with this turn.

I am going to push a unit from 3rd Plt forward to the Orchard (R1C1) from which the Arty FO could put artillery into the Woods at R4C4, as well as clearing the back row. Hopefully with Activity at Engaged, I won't find anything bad.

I'll also get someone from 2nd Platoon into the Woods (R2C4) to add pressure to Objective 2 (Woods at R3C4).

Activation Segment - Orders:

• 2nd PLT: Platoon Move to the Woods. Units marked as Exposed. Everyone goes into cover, which overloads the cover quite a bit. But I intend to move units out next turn, so hopefully I won't find myself regretting the overload.
• 2nd PLT: Order Cease Fire. I take the PDFs away, change the VoF on R3C4 to All Pinned, and remove the Crossfire marker.
• 2nd PLT: 3/2nd Moves forward to the Woods (R2C4), Marked as Exposed. He places an "S" VOF in the Woods and restores the Crossfire marker.
• 3rd PLT: Move 1/3rd to the Orchard (R1C1). He is marked as Exposed.

Initiative Segment

• 1st PLT HQ: Draw a 4/3 card. -1 for Green, +1 for being under cover = 3 Activations (& 1 Saved)
• 1st PLT HQ: Orders 1 Wpns (MG) to infiltrate to the AP. Draw 2 Cards (1 Wpns (MG) is Line) but there is no Infiltrate marker, so they are marked as Exposed, although under cover. 1Wpns (MG) opens fire along the same PDF, so VOF into the Woods (R3C4) is back to the "A" level.
• 1st PLT HQ: Moves to the Orchard (to join 2/1st). He is marked as Exposed.
• 1st PLT: Seeks cover, drawing 3 cards, but to no avail.
• XO: 1 Activation (& 3 Saved)
  
• XO: Orders 1/60mm Mortar to the Orchard (R1C3). Marked as Exposed.
• XO: Moves to the Orchard to the Orchard (R1C3). Marked as Exposed.
• XO: Calls for Indirect Fire from 1/60mm to the 1/2nd German Position (R1C4). Place an "H" VOF on the card.
• 1st SGT: 1 Activation (saved)

General Initiative Orders:

• General Initiative: Draw a 5/3 Card. 3 Activations
• 1/3rd seeks cover in the Orchard (R1C1). He draws 3 Cards and finds cover.
• 1 Wpns (Bazooza) moves to the Orchard and is marked as Exposed.
• 3.2nd Plt seeks cover in the Hedgerow/Bocage (R2C4) and finds cover
  

Offensive Mission: Higher HQ Event

No HQ Event card is drawn, so no effect.


Offensive Mission: Enemy Activity Phase

• German 1/2nd Plt (R3C1): He is trading fire with a unit in the Cemetery but the best US unit has a better NCM, because of the Mortars. His card draw indicates that he take no action, so he maintains his fire into the Cemetery.
• German A/L Fire Team (R3C4): This unit is pinned under cover. A draw of "1" (out of 4) indicates he takes no action.
• German S/C Fire Team (R3C4): This unit is pinned under cover. A draw of "3" (out of 4) indicates he attempts to Rally and remove the Pinned marker. He draws one card (-1 because LATs are Green) which has no Effect.
• German Paralyzed LAT (R3C4): This unit is pinned under cover. A draw of "2" (out of 4) indicates he takes no action.
• German 1/3rd Plt (R4C4): He has opened fire, but is not under fire, so he attempts to concentrate fire on the cemetery, unsuccessfully.

Mutual Capture & Retreat Phase

No one meets the criteria, so this is skipped.


Mutual Vehicle-Aircraft Phase

The Jeep was not activated, so this is skipped.


Mutual Combat Phase


Update Fire Missions

There are no Fire Missions to Update, so this is skipped.


Evaluate Potential Contact Markers


Orchard/Grove (R1C1) Contact

• Potential Contact C (2 cards at "Engaged") - Contact occurs!
• A draw of 7 indicates this is Mines and a Sniper.
• The US 1/3rd Plt immediately undergoes a Mine Check which results in a Burst marker, and the unit is hit! So the Mine marker is placed on the card, and flipped to the -4 side.
• Drawing for placement of the sniper (5) indicates that he goes to the front at Max LOS, which puts him in the Orchard (R2C1). He is not spotted and placed under normal cover (+1). A Small Arms VOF and PDF are placed to indicate the Sniper is firing into the Orchard, and the Sniper marker is placed on the 1/3rd.

1/3rd Platoon is in big trouble!


Combat Effects Segment

Quite a bit of Combat going on this turn. Resolving from lower left to upper right.

• US 1/3rd Plt in Orchard (R1C1) - Mines NCM is -4; -3 for Sniper; -2 for Exposed; +1 for Card; +1 for Cover. Final Modifier is -4 (the max). The result is a Hit, unsurprisingly. The Hit Effects draw (Line) shows "F", so the 1/3rd is flipped and a Fire Team is placed on the card. Both units are pinned. Truly fortunate!
  
• US Fire Team in Cemetery (R2C2) - A VOF is -1; -1 for Crossfire; +1 for Card; +3 for Cover. Final Modifier is +2. The result is a Hit. The Hit Effects draw (Green) shows "FC", and since the unit has only one step, the "F" is used, which results in no change. The Fire team is Pinned, however.
• US 1/1st Plt in Cemetery (R2C2) - A VOF is -1; -1 for Crossfire; +1 for Card; +3 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +2. The result is PIN, so a Pinned marker is also placed on this unit.
• US 3/1st in Hedgerow (R2C3) - All Pinned VOF is +2; +2 for Card; +1 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +5. The result is a MISS, and the Pinned Marker is removed.
• US 1 Wpns in Hedgerow (R2C3) - All Pinned VOF is +2; -2 for Exposed; +2 for Card; +1 for Cover. Final Modifier is +3. The result is a MISS.
• German 1/2nd in Orchard/Grove (R3C1) - "H" VOF is -3; +1 for Card; +2 for Cover; -1 for Burst marker on card. Final Modifier is -1. The result is a HIT. The Hit Effects draw (Green) shows "PL", so the unit is broken down into an A/C Fire Team, a Paralyzed LAT, and a Litter LAT. All three are pinned.
• German A/C Fire Team in Woods (R3C3) - A VOF is -1; -1 for Crossfire; +2 for Card; +1 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +2. The result is a PIN.
• German S/C Fire Team in Woods (R3C3) - A VOF is -1; -1 for Crossfire; +2 for Card; +1 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +2. The result is a MISS which removes the Pinned Marker.
• German Paralyzed LAT in Woods (R3C3) - A VOF is -1; -1 for Crossfire; +2 for Card; +1 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +2. The result is a MISS which removes the Pinned Marker.

As a result, there are two changes in VOF:

• VOF on the Cemetery (R2C2) changes to Small Arms.
• VOF on the Orchard/Grove (R1C4) changes to All Pinned.

I reduce US 1/Wpns Ammo (to 3) and the German 1/1st Fire Team (to 3) & 1/2nd Fire Team (to 2). The Mortar Ammo is also reduced (to 5) and the Mines Marker is flipped.


Clean Up Phase

All of the Exposed Markers are removed.


Conclusion

1/3rd dodged a serious bullet, although that sniper is going to remain pesky unless we can make him fall back into the Orchard where he will be spotted and then deal with him.

The mines shouldn't be too much trouble, because we can simply enter the map from through the Village instead.

On the right flank, the German LATs are no longer pinned, and I am actually hopeful this will result in them falling back to the Woods (R4C4) which will cause the last German squad on the map to be spotted.

So far, luck has been my best weapon!