Europa Games and Military History

FAQ Tag: CD

Variable Rebellion Ramifications: El Ferrol and Cadiz artillery

Question:
Why do the El Ferrol and Cadiz artillery disbands cause the CD levels to drop, while the Cartagena and Mahon disbands have no effect on the CD  levels?  Was something dropped from the Loyalist OB, or is their a history based reason for this apparent difference in handling between the two sides?

Answer:
After looking at my FWtBT development notes I think both of the issues cited above about the disbandment of the static artillery units at the main Spanish naval bases were oversights on my part.  Also, looking at this, I now see that there is also a potential problem with how these units are disbanded if Rule 44H (Variable Beginning to the Rebellion) is used.  With variable rebellion, one side may start owning anywhere from 0 to all 4 of these static units, yet per the OBs the only ones they can disband are the historical ones.  To fix all of these problems, consider the OBs and rules changed as follows:

Insurgent OB:

Add to Jan I 37:

Special: If ‘Variable Beginning to the Rebellion’ (Rule 44H) resulted in 1-0 Art X Mahon becoming an Insurgent unit:
Disband: 1x 1-0 Art X Mahon to:
1 art RP
Notes:

  1. The Mahon Art X may be disbanded while isolated; the resulting art RP then accumulates at the port in the hex.
  2. Reduce Intrinsic Coast Defenses of Mahon (33:4625) from Level 2 to Level 1 when the Mahon Art X is disbanded.

Add to Jan II 37:

Special: If ‘Variable Beginning to the Rebellion’ (Rule 44H) resulted in 1-2-0 Art X Cart becoming an Insurgent unit:
Disband: 1x 1-2-0 Art X Cart to:
1 art RP, 0.5 Nat inf RP
Note:
1) Reduce Intrinsic Coast Defenses of Cartagena (23A:4410) from Level 2 to Level 1 when the Cart Art X is disbanded.

Loyalist OB:

Add to Jan I 37:

Notes:

  1. The Mahon Art X may be disbanded while isolated; the resulting art RP then accumulates at the port in the hex.
  2. Reduce Intrinsic Coast Defenses of Mahon (33:4625) from Level 2 to Level 1 when the Mahon Art X is disbanded.

Special: If ‘Variable Beginning to the Rebellion’ (Rule 44H) resulted in 1-0 Art X Cadiz becoming a Loyalist unit:
Disband: 1x 1-0 Art X Cadiz to:
1 art RP
Note: Reduce Intrinsic Coast Defenses of Cadiz (23A:3428) from Level 1 to none when the Cadiz Art X is disbanded.

Add to Jan II 37:
Note: Reduce Intrinsic Coast Defenses of Cartagena (23A:4410) from Level 2 to Level 1 when the Cart Art X is disbanded.

Special: If ‘Variable Beginning to the Rebellion’ (Rule 44H) resulted in 1-2-0 Art X EF becoming a Loyalist unit:
Disband: 1x 1-2-0 Art X EF to:
1 art RP, 0.5 PA inf RP
Note: Reduce Intrinsic Coast Defenses of El Ferrol (23A:0313) and La Coruna (23A:0314) from Level 2 to Level 1 when the EF Art X is disbanded.

Change to 1937-39 Grand Campaign/Mid-War and Late-War Scenario Listings:
The Intrinsic Coast Defenses of both Cartagena (23A:4410) and Mahon (33:4625) at the start of these scenarios are Level 1 (not Level 2).

Designers Remarks:
The access to the ports of El Ferrol and La Corunya is through the same bay and thus the coast defenses of the bay are common to both ports (although in the main the coast defenses here were oriented more to protect El Ferrol than they are to protect La Corunya).  However, in game terms this can cause problems when the ‘Variable Beginning to the Rebellion’ results in each side owning one of the ports at the beginning of the game.  The only entirely clean fix I can think of to this problem is to specify that the coast defenses of La Corunya (23A:0314) are the same as the coast defenses of a friendly-owned El Ferrol (23A:0313).  Examples: 1) El Ferrol has a current coast defense strength of 2 and both El Ferrol and La Corunya are friendly owned so La Corunya also has a coast defense strength of 2 and 2) Same as #1 except that El Ferrol is enemy-owned – La Corunya thus has a coast defense strength of 0.  With the coast defense strength of La Corunya then dependent on El Ferrol you just ignore the mention in the OB of how disbanding the EF Art X lowers the coast defense strength of La Corunya.

Source:
[AEG, Developer, 01-Oct-05]

Rule 20g2i: CD Bombing Mission and Allocation of Hits

Question:
Are only multiples of two bombing hits are implemented as CD strength point damage, and odd bombing hits resulting from this mission are not being carried over from operation to operation?

Answer:
The basic point is that it takes two hits on the bombing table to apply a “hit” to the CD, and there is nothing specifically saying that the total of bombing hits used to arrive at the number of CD hits is divided, so to speak, by individual air operations.

Therefore the number of CD hits applied due to air bombing is based upon the total number of bombing hits achieved in a player turn. Simply keep a side record of the number of bombing hits achieved in all of the CD bombing missions you fly and apply one CD hit for every multiple of two bombing hits you achieve.

Of course, any “half hits”, that is, any bombing hits not divisible by two, are ignored, once the final tally is arrived at. For example, suppose after 7 air missions (and moving on to a phase wherein they can no longer initiate such missions), the Allies have achieved 5 bombing hits on a particular CD. This would inflict two CD hits on the CD and the remaining bombing hit would have no effect.

Source:
TEM 73

Rule 14H4: Coastal Raid and Coastal Defense Fire

Question:
A marine commando unit is landing in a coastal defense hex and is attempting a coastal raid. Is the coastal raid attempt resolved before the CD fires any shot, or does the CD get to fire a shot when the naval unit transporting the commando enters the hex and before it lands the commando?

Answer:
Amend Rule 14H4 (Third paragraph, first sentence) to read:

Immediately when a raiding unit enters the hex, prior to landing in the hex, resolve the effects of the raid

Note: This is an official amendment to the rules and replaces any previous answers that might hve appeared. Note also that this change means that the CD will not fire at the marine commando in its hex prior to the CD rais attempt being resolved. Note also that if the marine commando did not land in the hex, no raid could be conducted, which is why the rule says “prior to landing in the hex”. (This is to stop people from gleefully running up and down the coast with embarked marine commandos, raiding CD without ever disembarking!)

Source:
TEM 66

 

Rule 14H4: Example of Coastal Raid

Question:
Could you please give an example of example of how Coastal Defenses fire at commandos carrying out coastal raids?

Answer:
The commando arrives in the hex, the CD fires once against the NT/LC (you should move adjacent at night for maximum protection), and then you resolve the commando attack immediately when the commando “arrives” (not lands) in the hex.

So the commando, moving in the first naval move step (for example) faces one round of CD and then resolves the attack. It must still spend the 90 MPs to disembark, as do any other units arriving later (but during the same naval movement step) if they want to invade, and face CD if any still survives.

Source:
TEM 53