ASL Red Barricades : Rules

RB AFV and Gun substitutions

In order to introduce more variety (and also use all those lovely AFV and Gun counters provided with ASL), after choosing an AFV or a Gun Platoon, and checking whether it is Full or Depleted, the owning player makes a dr per AFV Platoon, and a dr per Gun in a Gun Platoon.  

On a dr of 1 or 2, the AFV or Gun type is <-  downgraded, on a dr of 5 or 6, it is -> upgraded.  On a dr of 3 or 4, followed by a subsequent roll of 1-3, it [substitutes] for an equivalent vehicle if such a substitution exists. 

An AFV Platoon cannot be both Depleted and downgraded; should this occur, the purchasing player chooses which effect to apply.

 

German AFVs :

StuG III B - no change

StuG III F - no change

StuIG 33B - no change

Pz38t(E) <-  Pz IIIH [Marder II]  ->  Pz IIIJ

MarderIII(t)H <-  PzIIIL [PzIIIJ] -> PzIIIL

PzIVE  <-  PzIVF1 ->  PzIVF1

PzIVF2 <-  PzIVF2 ->  PzIVH

PSW222 <-  PSW222L -> dr 1-3 PSW231(8R)  or  dr 4-6 PSW232

 

German Guns :

75 PaK 97/38 <-  50L PaK 38 ->  76L PaK 36r

76L PaK 36r <-  75L PaK 40 ->  75L PaK 40

Russian AFVs :

T-60M40  <-  T-60M42  ->  T-26S M37

BA-6  <-  T-70 ->  T-70

T34M41 - no change

T34M43 - no change

KV-1 M42 - no change

Russian Guns :

37L PTP obr 30 AT <-  45L PTP obr 32 AT ->   45L PTP obr 32 AT

45LL PTP obr 42 AT  <-  45LL PTP obr 42 AT ->   57LL PTP obr 43 AT

76* PP obr 27 INF - no change 

76 P obr 02/30 ART <-  76L P obr 39 ART  ->   76L P obr 39 ART

 

OOB House Rules 

Solo play requires a few adaptations to the OOB purchases.

-  Mines.  An AP minefield always costs 12 FPP for Russians and 4 FPP for Germans.  Instead of being placed HIP, two mine counters are placed for each minefield, both in valid terrain and within 2 hexes of each other.  When a HIP minefield would be revealed, roll 1d6.  On 1-3, the minefield is live; on a 4-6 it is a dummy (remove it) and any other mine counter within 2 hexes is live (and, in general, marked but not revealed).  When a minefield strength would be revealed, roll 1d6 : on 1-2, it is at 4 FP; on 3-4 it is 6 FP; on 5-6 it is 8 FP.

 -  HIP.  When any unit should be placed HIP, the owning player can choose to place one, or two, ? counters.  If two are placed, roll a d6 whenever ? should be lost for a given counter.  On 1-3, the unit is under that counter; on 4-6, it is under the other. 

 

A compilation of specific rules to remember 

a) Movement

-  A leader can add his 1PP to a squads 3PP if he stacks with it all phase (useful for Russian MMG..)

-  A CX unit check at +1 for inherent SW (Smoke, but also MOL)

-  The PP of a CX unit is reduced by 1

-  Dummy stacks may claim leader bonuses and CX whilst moving

-  Disrupted units do not prevent enemy from entering their hex

-  A vehicle can end in Motion with MP remaining, only if these are insufficient to enter the next hex (hence, a vehicle might wish to spend Delay MP at the beginning of its move) 

b)  Firing (General)

-  Hindrance DRM can never exceed range (including for smoke ??)

-  Only the upper level and the roof of a non-roofless building are affected by indirect fire (ie. mortars)

-  Units may not claim a TEM if behind a rubble hexside (B24.3)

-  A Gun that changes covered arc lowers it ROF by 1 for the next shot

-  Area Fire target type consumes all ROF of non-mortar guns

-  A 15-40mm Gun rolling doubles to hit, has achieved Multiple Hits

-  Concealed targets cannot be Acquired using the Infantry / Vehicle Target Types 

-  The armour facing for a Turret Hit is based on the TCA, and not the VCA (of course, but sometimes forgotten in the heat of the action)

-  Berserk units cannot participate in multi-Location FGs

-  A Vehicle which is in Motion, may not Prep Fire

-  A Vehicle in Motion is not subject to Point Blank To Hit Case L

-  Bounding First Fire / Motion Fire cannot be used with Area Target Type

-  A Gun set up in HIP is Emplaced, and may retain Concealment after firing, depending on its coloured dr

-  Concealment is not lost even when firing, if no Good Order squad has LOS; hence fire on a broken squad who alone has LOS would not reveal

-  Selecting a unit for Opportunity Fire removes its Concealment status (providing Good Order enemy can observe it)

-  Spraying Fire places Residual Firepower in all target hexes (even if empty); remember that all MGs can Spray Fire

-  SW can only fire >16 hexes if directed by a leader; such a leader will also prevent Cowering; remember that such units will also maintain Concealment, if all Good Order enemies with LOS are >16 hexes !

c)  Defensive Fire

-  Snap shots do not benefit from FFNAM/FFMO

-  A Dashing unit cannot be fired at if a change of CA is required

-  Units in trenches are not subject to FFNAM (A4.6)

-  Multiple ROF weapons only leave Residual FP if they forfeit additional shots

-  Units marked with First Fire may fire again in the DFPh, but only against same hex or adjacent targets 

-  Units moving from a Factory Roof to Level 0, in a Factory with printed stairwells (hence 2.5 Levels high) can be shot at on a fictitious "Level 1" (O.4C)

-  Defending units that are not in Melee MUST use TPBF vs. enemy that enters its location, be it First Fire, Subsequent First Fire, or FPF (the latter with association Morale Check)

-  The notion of Field of Fire (CA) applies specifically to MMG and HMG in Woods, Rubble and Buildings, and not to LMG

 

d)  AFPh

-  Assault Fire bonuses to do not apply to Opportunity Fire 

-  FT FP are not halved in the AFPh

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e)  Terrain

-  Single Hex 2-storey buildings do not have Rooftop Locations 

-  A Vehicle in Motion is not a LOS Hindrance

-  A roadblock counts as a wall for TEM; it extends into adjacent hexes but only if these contain buildings or woods (and one can suppose, rubble)

-  It costs 3MF to enter rubble (including from a connecting trench)

-  In RB, Rubble is treated as a building for Ambush and Street-Fighting

-  Orchards block higher level LOS...in October, but not in November

-  Mortars can fire out of RB roofless factories, and can do so (although less effectively) by using a spotter on the roof; if the spotter is a squad, it can also use a SW such as an HMG...

-  RB Trenches and AT Ditches connect to adjacent rubble and building Locations (and directly to the RB Cellar, if it exists), but not to Debris Locations (SSR RB6)

-  Unlike a wall, an RB Factory Interior Wall,unless Breached, blocks LOS across it, vertex included, even for units adjacent to it; Interior Walls, in Roofless Hexes, extend nonetheless up to the underside of what would have been the roof (ie level 1.5 or 2.5)

-  Factory hexes can be Fortified Buildings, but in a building with Roofless hexes, offer no additional protection from fire coming from the roof

-  The base number of Blind Hexes is the obstacle's Level, not simply 1

 

d)  Various

-  Massacre increases enemy ELR by 1 for the scenario

-  +1 to Recovery attempts if CX

-  Heroes cannot be Pinned

-  Guards (of Prisoners) that become Berserk will Massacre their Prisoners instead of charging nearest enemy

-  Unarmed infantry are no obstacle to movement

-  A Commissar increases morale level by 1 (cumulative with the +1 from being Fanatic, eg Russians in a RB Factory), ignores DM and gives a -1 DRM to Rally attempts

-  Self-Rallying has a +1DRM, even for a leader

-  Conscripts have only base 3MP, lose 2 columns from Cowering, add 1 to B#/X# and are Lax for CC Ambush

-  Encerclement also applies to units "trapped" on the upper floors of a building, but not in RB Cellars

-  Encerclement is only obtained if incoming fire is at Normal Range

-  Broken units do not suffer ELR loss; certain elite units are ELR 5 and break down, on ELR failure, into two half squads
 

 

e)  Tips

-  Use of Harassing Fire 

-  A Defending Vehicle can make a Motion attempt (to gain better DR modifiers vs incoming fire)

-  It is possible to Withdraw from Melee (without risk, if Concealed), and it is also possible to attempt Capture of opposing units (with a -1 for Inexperienced Personnel; this is harder but offers more CVP).

-  Use of Sewer Movement is an excellent way to move troops out of enemy LOS

-  Russians can use Human Wave

-  Russian 5-2-7 can use Assault Fire 

-  Thrown DCs are pretty effective

f)  Red Barricades

- Other than their very specific LOS and FP rules, RB Cellars count as a Stone Building Location for victory purposes.  They can only be reached via inherent or printed stairwells, adjacent cellars, or connecting trenches or tunnels, or a manhole

-  Access to Factory Rooftops : see O.4B

-  Guns can set up in Trenches, and can be removed at the beginning of the following CG Day

-  Russians have an automatic Level C booby-trap capability

-  Russians are Fanatic within a Factory (place a Fanatic marker in each as a reminder)

-  Most Russian troops (Elite, 1st Line) are Stealthy (aiding Ambush in CC)

-  A house rule, which I appreciate, prevents Kindling and avoids destruction of key buildings

 

Play Tips 

I have kept these from previous plays of the opening days of the RB Campaign Game, and will add to them as the game plays out.

 

Russians : 
Set HMGs up in machine-gun nests at distance, even 2 for a squad, preferably with a low grade leader to avoid cowering.  Level 2 Stone Locations are ideal.  50mm mortars - especially two allocated to one squad spotter up on a roof - are also useful, due to their high ROF.

Russian MMGs are too heavy to rout with, so they are best used at medium range, close enough so that the infantry using them can also fire at half effect.

Russian OBA is cheap but, with a field phone, useful.  One or two well-placed bombardments can significantly disrupt enemy plans. 

Russians are Fanatic in factories (or on rooftops) which make Factory Militia far more interesting.

Purchasing infantry companies as Reserves is a very interesting option, but remember they only activate (except for incoming fire) if the enemy moves within three hexes and in LOS.  In any case they make a good second line, although on days when the Russians can only purchase 2 RGs it is a tough choice to make.

Sewer movement is not very risky, and is a great way to recloak.

Germans :

Running one or two trench-lines across the railway embankment to any toe-hold in the south-east of the factory would be a good idea.

OBA is extremely useful, especially with an offboard observer and at least one pre-registered hex.  Ammunition is generally sufficient to keep it firing most of the game and it breaks up enemy troop concentrations, keeps broken troops DM, and can fire a smoke mission if needed.

Light tanks are not to be underestimated; once they acquire an infantry target, any hit (as the result does not suffer TEM) can be quite deadly. 

The AFPh capacites of 5-4-8 Sturm units are amazing (basically, 4 FP at normal range)

AFVs should be used aggressively without overly worrying about possible losses.  Uses are then : point-blank fire into buildings without Street Fighting risks; overruns of strategic locations; "AFV freeze", as infantry with a target in their hex (even invulnerable to their shooting) may not engage any other, obtained either by VBM or overrun.

For this same reason, AFVs lead well in factory assaults; for this task MG capacities (which are the key element of overruns) are more important than MA.

AFVs are also useful at laying down Smoke; check the S number of the vehicle.

The Germans need to seek some height, so as to get more LOS opportunities, and avoid recloaking.  They can more easily exploit Level 2 Rooftops than the Russians, due to the lower ranges of Russian MGs.

Encirclement is a powerful means of attack, as broken Encircled units will surrender to adjacent enemies.