- [12.0]? BARRAGE
- Artillery units can attack enemy units in adjacent and non-adjacent hexes through the process of "Barrage." A player may only conduct a Barrage during a friendly Barrage Segment. Because Barrage occurs before Ground Assaults, it is useful in weakening or eliminating enemy units before the upcoming Ground Assault segment.
- [12.1.0]? Barrages
- Each attack by artillery units against an enemy-occupied hex constitutes one Barrage. Barrages must be conducted one at a time. Another Barrage may not be started until all of the results of the previous Barrage have been satisfied. The choice of when and where to barrage is always voluntary. There is no such thing as a mandatory Barrage, and an artillery unit is never required to barrage. Artillery units are never affected by the results of their own barrages.
- [12.1.1]? The Target Hex
- To initiate a Barrage, a player chooses a target hex that contains enemy units. A hex cannot be chosen as the target hex for more than one Barrage in the same segment, although units in that hex may have already been barraged in another hex. All units in a target hex are subject to the effects of a Barrage.
- [12.1.2]? Barrage Participation
A friendly artillery unit may take part in a Barrage if the following conditions are met:
- The unit is within range of the Barrage target hex (12.1.3)
- It has not used all of its Barrage Factors in the current Barrage Segment (12.1.4)
- The unit is part of the formation or command conducting the Barrage (12.1.5)
- The number of artillery units allowed to participate in that Barrage has not been exceeded (see 12.1.6)
- The Artillery unit is not Ammo Depleted (12.6.0).
- [12.1.3]? Barrage Range
Artillery units participating in a Barrage must be within range of the target hex. The range is the shortest path of hexes from the barraging artillery unit to the target hex - do not include the firing unit's hex. If the range is equal to or less than the unit's Range (see Unit Type Chart), the target hex is in range. Terrain has no effect on range - count each hex as one hex.
If an artillery unit is adjacent to an enemy-occupied hex, its barrage range is reduced to one. It may only barrage an adjacent hex.
Artillery Range:
The two artillery units above may both fire on unit A for total Barrage Value of six factors (this would be one volley).
- [12.1.4]? Barrage Factors
- An artillery unit's Barrage Factors, (see Unit Type Chart), are only used when it participates in a Barrage. A Barrage Factor can only be used once per Barrage Segment, and when a unit has used all of its factors, it should be marked with a "Artillery Fired" marker or oriented in a way that helps players remember the unit is done firing. A unit may participate in two different barrages, but the total number of Barrage Factors it contributes to both Barrages can't exceed the unit's printed total. Range has no effect on Barrage Factors.
- [12.1.5]? Barrages & Command Structure
- Only artillery units that belong to the same formation and/or command as the unit observing for the barrage may participate in a specific barrage. All units of a division or independent brigade belong to the same formation. Corps or Army artillery units are part of the same command if the observing unit's formation is subordinated to that corps and army.
- [12.1.6]? Barrage Limits
- For each barrage one friendly unit must be picked to "Observe for the Barrage." The location, mode, and nationality of the unit observing for the barrage are all factors affecting the number of artillery units that may participate in a barrage. A unit can observe for a barrage if it can see the target units. To do so the unit must be able to establish a valid LOS (see 8.4.0). Players should note that these limits are for number of units per Barrage, not number of Barrages per observing unit. A single unit could observe for barrages against all of the target hexes it can see. Artillery units that barrage an adjacent target hex do not count against Barrage Limits.
- [12.1.6a]? Prepared Assault Mode
If the observing unit is in Prepared Assault Mode:
- The US side may use any artillery units of the same formation, plus any units from one other formation, plus any Corps/Army units of the affiliated command
- The German side may use any artillery units of the same formation, plus three Corps/Army units of the affiliated command.
- [12.1.6b]? Other Modes
If the observing unit is not in Prepared Assault Mode and not in a fieldwork (units in Strat Mode may not observe) or the enemy is Air Observed:
- The US side may use up to two artillery units. At least one must belong to the same formation; the other may be any Corps/Army artillery unit of the affiliated command.
- The German side may use only one artillery unit from the same formation.
- [12.1.6c]? Fieldworks
If the observing unit is in an Improved Position:
- The US side may use any artillery units of the same formation, plus two Corps/Army units of the affiliated command.
- The German side may use any artillery units of the same formation, plus one Corps/Army unit of the affiliated command.
If the observing unit is in an Entrenchment or Fortification a player may use the limits listed in 12.1.6a above (Prepared Assault Mode limits).
- [12.1.6d]? Vantage Points
- An observing unit in a Vantage Point hex increases the Barrage Limit by one unit for each Barrage it observes for.
- [12.1.6e]? Breakdown Units
- A breakdown unit that doesn't occupy a fieldwork or fortification may never observe for a Barrage using more than one artillery unit, unless the unit is in a fieldwork or fortification, when it can use the normal limits.
- [12.1.6f]? Air Observation Barrage Limits
Although German units in Clear or Rough terrain (or those using road movement) are observed for purposes of examining their stacks, the following rule must be satisfied to Air Observe for US artillery Barrages:
Any German unit within five hexes of a US unit is considered spotted by that US unit's division (see 12.1.5).
Design Note: Each US division has about 6 to 12 light observer aircraft attached. These planes would fly a radius around the division's units. So the ground unit is not actually spotting, but the planes near it are. This is another good reason for the German to stay in covering terrain when the weather clears.
- [12.1.6g]? Unobserved Barrage Limits
- If a Barrage is unobserved, i.e., no friendly unit has a valid LOS to the hex (8.4.0), the Barrage limit is reduced to one artillery unit (note that there is also a DRM if a Barrage is unobserved).
- [12.2.0]? Volleys & Barrage Values
After participating artillery units and a target hex for a Barrage have been picked, the number of volleys and their Barrage Values must be calculated. This is done by totaling the Barrage Factors allocated to the Barrage and dividing by eight. Every whole number is one 8 factor volley, and any remainder is an additional volley with Barrage Value equal to the remainder. A volley may not be subdivided into multiple volleys with smaller Barrage Values.
Examples: Four artillery units each contribute 5 Barrage Factors for a total of 20 arrage Factors allocated to the Barrage. 20 divided by 8 equals 2, with a 4 remainder. There are then three volleys, two with a Barrage Value of 8 and another with a value of 4. A player could not take one of the 8 value volleys and split it into two volleys of 4. If only 5 Barrage Factors were allocated to a Barrage, there would be a single volley with a BV of 5.
- [12.3.0]? Resolving a Barrage
- A Barrage is resolved by rolling a d10 for each volley and referencing the Barrage Results Table to see how many hits (if any) are achieved. The Barrage Results Table consists of a row of Barrage Values, a die-roll results column under each Barrage Value, and a column of Volley Results on the left side.
- [12.3.1]? Determining the Die-Roll Result
- For each volley find the value that equals that volley's Barrage Value on the row of Barrage Values and roll a d10. Apply any relevant DRMs? to each volley die-roll (They are listed underneath the table - Players should note that some DRMs? are not cumulative with others). Below each Barrage Value are possible die-roll results. Locate the result that contains the die-roll number after applying any DRMs? (if any) for that volley. If a number is followed by a plus sign (+) then any die-roll result equal to or greater than that number matches it.
- [12.3.2]? Determining the Volley Result
- Once the correct die-roll result has been determined, cross-index it with the column of Volley Results on the left side of the table. The corresponding result is the number of hits that volley achieved and/or an artillery shift awarded in the immediately following Ground Assault segment. If a die-roll does not match any of the die-roll results, that volley has had no effect. Also, if a hyphen appears in a column, the corresponding hit number on the left side of the table is not achievable at that barrage value.
- [12.3.3]? Final Barrage Result
After the last volley of a Barrage has been rolled for, the results for all of the volleys are added, resulting in a Final Barrage Result. Numerical hits are added up, but Artillery Shift results (AS) are not. Ignore any additional such shifts after the first.
Example: a Barrage composed of two volleys results in the first volley inflicting 1 hit and one shift (AS). The second volley does the same. After adding the two results together, the Final Barrage Result is one AS and 2 hits.
- [12.4.0]? Applying Final Barrage Result
- To finish the Barrage, the Final Barrage Result must be satisfied. Final Barrage results apply only to the OBSERVED enemy units in the barraged target hex (unless an unobserved barrage).
- [12.4.1]? Applying Final Barrage Hits
- Numerical barrage results are hits that must be satisfied by having affected units take step losses, retreat, become fatigued or a combination of these. Each hit requires one step loss or a one hex retreat. If the Barrage Magnitude rule allows units to not fulfill their entire step loss requirement they are fatigued, instead.
- [12.4.1a]? Step Losses
- Barrage hits can be satisfied by suffering step losses. No unit in the target hex can take a second step loss until every other unit in that hex has done so. The owning player chooses which units take step losses.
- [12.4.1b]? Retreat
- Barrage hits can be satisfied by retreating all affected units in the target hex one hex. No more than one hit can be satisfied in this manner. Use the rules for retreat after combat (11.7.0). Any unit that retreated is marked with an Artillery Shift marker. Retreating units already marked with an Artillery Shift do not receive an additional AS marker.
- [12.4.2]? Barrage Magnitude
For each Barrage, no affected unit can be forced to lose more than one step. Exceptions: (1) If no retreat is possible to begin with, the units involved must take the step losses (2) Barrage Magnitude does not apply when units retreat into open terrain adjacent to enemy units. Step losses due to this retreat condition must be taken (11.7.6).
Optional: Players can attempt to take step losses rather than retreat due to Barrage Magnitude restrictions. To do so each unit designated to take such a step loss must pass a Proficiency Check (4.4.0).
- [12.4.2a]? Overkills
- Any hits not satisfied by a step loss or retreated hex are considered Overkills. If an Overkill occurs due to a barrage the surviving units are marked with a Fatigue marker.
- [12.4.3]? Artillery Shifts (AS)
- If the result is an Artillery Shift, or if the defending units retreated, an Artillery Shift marker is placed upon the defenders. This penalizes the units in the target hex by awarding a one column shift to the opposing side in the following Ground Assault Segment. No more than one Artillery Shift marker is ever placed due to a Barrage. Remove all Artillery Shift markers at the end of the Ground Assault Segment.
- [12.5.0]? Advance After Barrage
If a friendly barrage empties a hex of enemy units, any friendly units in PA Mode adjacent to that hex may advance into it. Units advancing into covering terrain may choose to remove the PA marker at this time. Units that advance and remain in PA Mode are still required to attack in the upcoming Ground Assault segment. A unit may only advance after a barrage once per Barrage Segment, and they may not be used to observe for more artillery barrages after advancing.
Design Note: What's happening here is that units are allowed to follow up a successful barrage if they were in some form of attack posture. If the units then advance into non-open terrain, they are allowed the luxury of calling off further attacks.
- [12.6.0]? Artillery Ammo Depletion
- When a barrage occurs, the firing artillery units are subject to Ammo Depletion. Ammo Depletion is an abstract way to simulate the availability of munitions for each side's artillery units. Units that suffer Ammo Depletion are penalized in terms of combat ability and other game functions. During Administrative Phases, each side may attempt to replenish units that are Ammo Depleted if they can trace a valid supply path.
- [12.6.1]? Ammo Depletion Die-Roll
For each barrage, an extra d10 is rolled during the first volley only. The die-roll result is compared to the firing side's artillery depletion value. The US depletion value is 7. The German value is 3. The German value can be modified up or down depending on how many truck points have been allocated to carry ammo and the die-roll on the German Transport Table (see 14.5). The US value can also change if the artillery unit is using a Pocket Supply Source. (See also Extended Korps Supply - 14.3.6)
If the die-roll exceeds the artillery depletion value, a number of barraging artillery units equal to the difference suffers Ammo Depletion. Mark these units with an Ammo Depleted marker. If an artillery unit is splitting its fire and suffers an Ammo Depletion result before participating in a second barrage, those remaining Barrage Factors are lost and can't be used until the unit is replenished.
- [12.6.1a]? Thaw Weather Modifier (Optional)
- During Thaw weather plus one is added to all Ammo Depletion die-rolls for both sides.
- [12.6.2]? Effects of Ammo Depletion
- When an artillery unit suffers ammo depletion, it may not barrage, defends against a ground assault with a defense strength of one, and has an AT value of one. The artillery unit's red hexagon capability is also lost while the unit is Ammo Depleted.
- [12.6.3]? Replenishing Ammo Depleted Units
- During the Mutual Ammo Replenishment step of an Administrative Phase, each side may attempt to replenish any Ammo Depleted artillery unit that can trace a valid supply path (see 14.0). Out of Supply artillery units may not replenish ammo. For each unit, roll one d10. If the roll is equal to or less than that unit's current Ammo Depletion value, the Ammo Depleted marker is removed and the artillery unit may function normally. The non-active side's die-rolls are all modified by a +1.
- [12.6.4]? Automatic Ammo Depletion
- When an artillery unit in Low Supply status fires, it is immediately marked Ammo Depleted.
