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.

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