Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Fields of Fire: Normandy Campaign - Mission 1 - Turn 8

HQ Higher Event

An HQ symbol is found on the Action Card, so I draw another card to determine what event occurs. The result is 5: Trouble on the Flank, so no forward movement is allowed this turn.

Unfortunate, since the plan was to advance to take possession of Objective 1 this turn. Instead, we will largely stay put, and build up some saved Orders for the final push in turns 9 and 10.


Friendly Command Phase

Activation Segment
  • BN HQ Impulse - Not on the map, so CO HQ is activated automatically.
  • CO HQ Impulse - Draw a 5/4 card. -1 for Green, = 4 Activations. Activate 2nd Plt HQ.
  • 2nd PLT HQ - Draw a 4/2 card. -1 for Green, +1 under Cover; -1 Pinned = 3 Activations (& 1 Saved)

Activation Segment - Orders:
  • 2nd PLT: 2/2nd will attempt to Concentrate Fire against one of the Parlyzed Teams in the Hedgerow/Bocage (R4C1). Two cards are drawn (2/2nd is Line) but the attempt is not successful.
  • 2nd PLT HQ: Saves 3 Commands

Initiative Segment
  • 1st PLT HQ: Draw a 4/3 card. -1 for Green; = 2 Activations (& 1 Saved). 1st PLT will save all 3 Commands.
  • 3rd PLT HQ: Draw a 2/1 card. -1 for Green; +1 for Cover = 1 Activations (& 3 Saved). Unfortunately, with the HQ restrictions, he has nothing to do, so he loses the Command, and keep the 3 saved commands.
  • XO: 1 Activation (Saved, now has 2 saved)
  • 1st SGT: 1 Activation (Saved, now has 3 saved)
  • General Initiative: Draw a 3/2 Card. 2 Activations.

General Initiative Orders:
  • The unpinned US Fire Team in the Cemetery (R2C2) uses both commands to transport the Casualties back to the Village (R1C2). They are marked as Exposed, and placed in the Strong Building cover. Hopefully we can find a spare activation to evacuate them before the end of the scenario.

Offensive Mission: Higher HQ Event

No HQ symbol appears.


Offensive Mission: Enemy Activity Phase
  • German Paralyzed LAT (R4C1): This unit is pinned not under cover. A draw of "5" (out of 5) indicates he Falls Back, into the Church (R5C0). He is placed under cover of the Foxhole and marked as Exposed, but the US fire cannot reach this card, so he is no longer under a VOF.
  • German Paralyzed LAT (R4C1): This unit is pinned not under cover. A draw of "1" (out of 5) indicates he takes No Action.

  • German Paralyzed LAT (R3C4): This unit is a Paralyzed Team on a US-occupied card. He automatically does nothing.
  • German A/C Fire Team and German S/C Fire Team (R4C4): These 2 Fire Teams are not on a US-occupied card. They attempt to Reconstitute, drawing 2 cards, but without success.
  • German 1/3rd PLT (R4C4): This unit is Not Under Fire, but has opened Fire. He automatically attempts to Concentrate Fire, on the cover marker in the Cemetery. His first card draw indicates a Jam, but this has no effect since he is not a Weapons Team. The second card contains a cross hairs symbol, so a Concentrate Fire marker is placed in the Cemetery.
The Cemetery is becoming a bad place to be!


Mutual Capture & Retreat Phase

The US 3/2nd Plt captures the Paralyzed German Team in the Woods (R3C4) because they are now alone together in the card. (This may have been supposed to happen last turn, but I missed it.)

Activity Level is reduced to "Engaged."

The US 3/2nd shifts fire to the Woods in Front (R4C4), placing a PDF and a Small Arms VOF.



Mutual Combat Phase


Evaluate Potential Contact Markers

I could not move forward, so no contact.


Combat Effects Segment

Since their cards are not under any VOF, Pinned Markers are removed from:
  • US Paralyzed LAT (R2C3)
  • US 2nd PLT HQ (R2C3)
  • German Paralyzed LAT (R5C0)
Once again, resolving from lower left to upper right.
  • US Fire Team in Cemetery (R2C2): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +1 for Card; +3 for Cover; +1 for Pinned, -1 for Concentrated Fire. Final Modifier is +4. The result is MISS so the Fire Team is no longer Pinned.
  • US 2/1st Plt in Cemetery (R2C2): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +1 for Card; +3 for Cover; +1 for Pinned, -1 for Concentrated Fire. Final Modifier is +4. The result is MISS so the US 2/1st Plt is no longer Pinned.
  • German Paralyzed LAT in Hedgerow/Bocage (R4C1): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +1 for Card (firing over white edge); +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +2. The result is a MISS so the Paralyzed LAT is no longer Pinned.
  • German A/C Fire Team in Woods (R4C4): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +2 for Card; +2 for Cover. Final Modifier is +4. The result is MISS.
  • German S/C Fire Team in Woods (R4C4): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +2 for Card; +2 for Cover. Final Modifier is +4. The result is MISS.
  • German 1/3rd PLT in Woods (R4C4): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +2 for Card; +2 for Cover. Final Modifier is +4. The result is PIN, so the German 1/3rd PLT is Pinned.

Changes to VOF and PDFs:
The German 1/3rd PLT is the only unit from the Woods (R4C4) capable of reaching the Cemetery (the rest have range "C"), so the VOF is changed to All Pinned.

No firing unit this turn was using Ammo, so no changes are made to Ammo.


Conclusion

That HQ Event was not pleasant. Still, I am in command of the AP and Objective 2, and have plenty of Commands saved up for a final push toward Objective 1. There is only one German unit on the board in Good Order, and that unit is Pinned. And I should only have to flip a single Possible Contact Marker (the PC "B" Marker in Objective 1) to satisfy the mission Objectives. So, unless the HQ keeps me in place again, I am still feeling fairly confident.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Fields of Fire: Normandy Campaign - Mission 1 - Turn 7

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 1/0 card. -1 for Green, = 0 Activations (& 2 Saved). Activate 1st Plt HQ & 3rd Plt HQ.
  • 1st PLT HQ - Draw a 1/0 card. -1 for Green = 0 Activation (& 1 Saved).
  • 3rd PLT HQ - Draw a 5/3 card. -1 for Green, +1 under Cover = 5 Activations (& 2 Saved)

OK, well, 1st PLT is taking no initiative this turn either.

Luckily 3rd PLT is ready to move and 2nd PLT has 3 saved commands, so they will be responsible for the majority of action this turn, which involves re-occupying the AP and moving from the Village into the Orchard/Grove (R2C1) to clear that Row.

Activation Segment - Orders:
  • 3rd PLT: Orders a Cease Fire for his card, removing the PDF pointing toward the Orchard/Grove (R1C2). The VOF remains, coming from the S/C Fire Team in R1C1.
  • 3rd PLT: Orders 2/3rd to Infiltrate to the Orchard/Grove (R1C2). 2/3rd draws 2 cards, and successfully infiltrates, so it moves to the card and into the Cover marker (left behind by the Sniper), but is not marked as exposed. 2/3rd opens fire on the Orchard/Grove at R3C1, which changes the VOF to Small Arms, and adds a Crossfire marker.
  • 3rd PLT: The Platoon moves into cover, which moves the 3/3rd and the PLT HQ to the Upper Story cover marker, joining the 3Wpns (Bazooka). The units are marked as Exposed. But at least now they are all in Communication.
  • 3rd PLT: Saves 3 Commands.



Initiative Segment
  • 2nd PLT HQ: Draw a 2/1 card. -1 for Green; +1 for Pinned = 1 Activations (& 3 Saved).
  • 2nd PLT: Platoon move, with 2/2nd & 2Wpns (MG) to the AP. All go into Cover and are marked as Exposed. They open fire on the Sniper in the Hedgerow/Bocage (R3C2), placing an Automatic Weapons VOF.
  • XO: 1 Activation (Saved)
  • 1st SGT: 1 Activation (& 4 Saved)
  • 1st SGT: Activates the Jeep.
  • 1st Sgt: Orders the Fire Team to Transport the Casualties.
  • 1st SGT: Attempts to Rally the Litter Team. Draws 2 cards, but is not successful.
  • General Initiative: Draw a 3/1 Card. 1 Activation.


General Initiative Orders:

The US Fire Team in the Orchard/Grove (R1C1) moves, with the Casualties, back to the Staging Area. This removes the PDF and VOF into R2C1 and results in the Casualties being evacuated.



Offensive Mission: Higher HQ Event

No HQ symbol appears.


Offensive Mission: Enemy Activity Phase

  • German Sniper (R2C1): The Sniper is spotted so he moves back to the Hedgerow/Bocage (R4C2). His PDF and Sniper Marker and VOF are removed from the Cemetery (R2C2), which removes the Crossfire Marker. He targets the AP instead (R2C3), placing a PDF, Crossfire Marker, and a Sniper Marker, targeting 2Wpns (MG) (by random draw). Because the Sniper is moving along the PDF, the VOF & PDF from 2Wpns (MG) move along with him into his new card, where he is Marked as Exposed.
  • German Paralyzed LAT (R3C1): This unit is pinned under cover. A draw of "4" (out of 4) indicates he Falls Back, into the same card as the Sniper.
  • German A/C Fire Team (R3C4): This unit is pinned under cover on a US-occupied card. A draw of "5" (out of 5) indicates he Falls Back to the Woods (R4C4), joining the units there in Cover, and being Marked as Exposed. Though he joins the units on this card in firing at the Cemetery, it does not change the VOF, since he is Pinned. The German VOF on the Woods (R3C4) is removed, however.
  • German Paralyzed LAT (R3C4): This unit is a Paralyzed Team on a US-occupied card. He automatically does nothing.
  • German S/C Fire Team (R4C4): This unit does nothing, as far as I can tell.
  • German 1/3rd Plt (R4C4): He has opened fire, but is not under fire. A draw of "2" (out of 2) indicates he attempts to Concentrate Fire, drawing 2 cards without effect.

Mutual Capture & Retreat Phase

No one meets the criteria, so this is skipped.


Mutual Vehicle-Aircraft Phase

The Jeep was activated. It (and the 1st SGT) move from the Orchard/Grove (R1C1) back to the Staging Area.


Mutual Combat Phase


Update Fire Missions

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


Evaluate Potential Contact Markers

  • Orchard/Grove (R2C1): Potential Contact "A". Three cards drawn, no contact.

Phew!


Combat Effects Segment

The US 3/1st in the Orchard/Grove (R1C3) and the German A/C Fire Team (R4C4) have their Pinned markers removed, since their cards are not under any VOF.

Once again, resolving from lower left to upper right.
  • US Fire Team in Cemetery (R2C2): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +1 for Card; +3 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +5. The result is MISS so the Fire Team is no longer Pinned.
  • US 1/1st Plt in Cemetery (R2C2): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +1 for Card; +3 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +5. The result is HIT and the Hit Effect for "Line" is "C" so the 1/1st is removed and Casualty and Fire team put in its place.
  • US 2/1st Plt in Cemetery (R2C2): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +1 for Card; +3 for Cover; +1 for Pinned. Final Modifier is +5. The result is PIN.
  • US 2Wpns (MG) in Hedgerow/Bocage (R2C3): -3 for Sniper VOF; -2 for Exposed; +2 for card; +1 for Cover. Final Modifier is -2. The result is HIT and the Hit Effect for Line is "P" so 2Wpns (MG) is replaced by a Paralyzed LAT, which is Pinned.
  • US 2/2nd in Hedgerow/Bocage (R2C3): +0 for Small Arms VOF; -2 for Exposed; +2 for card; +1 for Cover. Final Modifier is +1. The result is MISS.
  • US 2nd PLT HQ in Hedgerow/Bocage (R2C3): +0 for Small Arms VOF; -2 for Exposed; +2 for card; +1 for Cover. Final Modifier is +1. The result is PIN.
  • German Paralyzed LAT in Woods (R3C3): +0 for Small Arms VOF; +2 for Card; +1 for Cover. Final Modifier is +3. The result is a MISS.
  • German Sniper in Hedgerow/Bocage (R4C1): -1 for Automatic Fire; +1 for Card (firing over white edge); -2 for Exposed. Final Modifier is -2. The result is a HIT and the Hit Effect for Line is "PF" so the Sniper is changed into a Paralyzed LAT.
  • German Paralyzed LAT in Hedgerow/Bocage (R4C1): -1 for Automatic Fire; +1 for Card (firing over white edge); -2 for Exposed. Final Modifier is -2. The result is a HIT and the Hit Effect for Green is "FC" and since this Step is an LAT, the "F" result is ignored, although the unit is Pinned.

Changes to VOF and PDFs:
  • With the Sniper gone, firing on the AP (R2C3) stops so the VOF. PDFs, and Sniper marker are all removed.
  • Likewise, with 2Wpns (MG) gone, the VOF on the Sniper's card changes to Small Arms.
I reduce Ammo for the German 1/1st Fire Team in (R4C4) (to 0) and mark him Out of Ammo. The Ammo for 2Wpns (MG) is reduced also (to 2).

Conclusion

I believe I am well set up to take the last two Objectives and, barring a counter-attack, this mission looks in good shape right now.