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FAQ Tag: Rule (Page 1 of 6)

Rule 20E: Switching Missions from CAP

Question:
The rules state that planes already flying CAP (during initial phase) can switch their missions during the movement phase so I know they are not allowed to do anything (patrol intercept) during initial phase while the enem yplayer is flying his CAP or any bombing mission. Is this correct?

Answer:
No. A mission force on CAP may always react to an enemy mission force that occupies or passes through the CAP hex. Rule 20E says that the owning player may (but is not required to) convert the CAP mission to Patrol / Interception / Escort during “the mission movement step of a subsequent air operation”. CAP may be switched to another allowable mission at any time during the player turn, without regards to particular phase.

Source:
TEM 59/60

 

Rule 20: Air Missions during Initial Phase

Question:
Can patrol attacks and interception missions be flown during the initial phase? I would assume they can because of three factors: (1) all air missions use the standard air operation sequence that allows for patrol attack interception; (2.) both patrol attack mission and intercept mission both state that “Fighters mayfly patrol attacks interception missions during any air operation initiated by the enemy player “, (3.) how else would you patroll intercept planes flying CAP Harassment / Naval Patrol during the initial phase, so you must be able to fly patrol/ interception. Is this correct?

Answer:
Yes. The rules say nothing about phases because the phase in which an air operation occurs has no effect upon whether or not it can be patrolled or intercepted. Rule 20C. states that you can initiate an interception mission during any air operation initiated by the enemy player, regardless of particular phase.

Source:
TEM 59/60

 

Rule 17D: If an intrinsic airfield (a city hex, for instance) is reduced to zero capacity, can it be abandoned?

Question:
If an intrinsic airfield (a city hex, for instance) is reduced to zero capacity, can it be abandoned? If it can, can it be rebuilt normally?

Answer:
No, the intrinsic capacity of a city is not an “airfield”, it is intrinsic capacity, so the abandonment rules [which specify airfields] do not apply to intrinsic capacities. Moreover, the cited rule even specifies which types MAY be abandoned, ie permanent and temporary. The intrinsic capacity of a hex is neither of the types specified so the rule does not apply.

Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf

 

 

Rule 17: Can a fighter scramble ftom an airbase that has a capacity that has been reduced to zero?

Question:
Can a fighter scramble from an airbase that has a capacity that has been reduced to zero?

Answer:
No. WitD Rule 17.A (airbases, Capacity) says specifically:

“Exception: Air units may not take off from or land at an airbase if its capacity is currently zero.” SF goes so far as to say “may not use” which covers a lot of ground.

One has to be careful about remembering this provision, when getting used to the new air on demand system, where base capacity has less effect upon initiating missions from a base, since capacity is normally most important for operative/ inoperative considerations. But the rule is clear, no use, that is, taking off or landing at a base with zero capacity. This prevents multi-leg transfers and staging as well, of course.

Source:
TEM 59/60

 

Rule 16D: Who gets Priority if both Players want to initiate an Air Mission

Question:
I can imagine situations where both sides will want to initiate an air mission at the same time (e.g., one side wants to bomb a port to prevent a landing, the other wants to bomb the bombers which want to bomb the port before they can leave base). Who gets priority?

Answer:
If both sides simultaneously want to initiate an air operation, then choose at random which side gets to initiate the air op. The easiest way is to roll one die: 1–3 means the Allied player initiates; 4–6 the Axis player. (Use this in cases only when both sides truly wanted to initiate an air op. For example, if one player announces an air op and the other player lets him start moving air units unchallenged, then the second player can’t decide later that he really wanted to start an air op, too.) At the end of the air op, the other player may now initiate an air op, if he still wishes to do so. Continuing alternating air ops between the two sides until at least one of the players no longer wants to initiate an air op.

It’s also been reported that both players want to fly air ops at the same time, but they want the other side to go first (for example, so that they can see where enemy CAP is going). Follow the same procedure as above: randomly select one player to initiate an air op, and then alternate air ops between the two sides until at least one player is done.

Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf

 

 

Rule 15E: Can a detached Panther battalion be attached to a plain old Panzergrenadier XX, thus making it a Panzer XX?

Question:
Can a detached Panther battalion be attached to a plain old Panzergrenadier XX, thus making it a Panzer XX?

Answer:
Rule 15E allows a detached panzer battalion only to be attached to a panzer division, and not to a panzergrenadier division.

This covers all the historical cases I can think of off-hand, although I would not be surprised to hear about exceptions to this. I note that a panzer division had a panzer regiment headquarters, capable of controlling several panzer battalions. A panzergrenadier division, having only one panzer battalion, did not have a panzer regiment headquarters and thus on paper was less able to handle multiple panzer battalions. In reality, however, the German’s practice of cross-attaching units and forming battle groups (Kampfgruppen) probably meant that a panzergrenadier division could competently manage a second panzer battalion. So, if you want to add this to the game as a house rule (and your opponent agrees), go ahead.

Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf

Rule 15E: Detaching Panzer IV Batallions

Question:
What strength Pz XX can detach the Pz IV Bn, and does such a Division become PzGren just as if it detached a Panther Bn? Should there be a (-2 PzG) marker to reflect this detachment?

Answer:
The single Pz IV detachment in the game enters play already detached. The SF rules allow you to operate it independently or to attach it to a panzer division. Thus the question about what type of panzer XX it can detach from is immaterial, because the game does not allow you to do this. The Pz IV detachment operates in a similar manner as a Panther Bn (again per the SF rules), thus a 16-10 Pz XX with a 2-1-10 Panther Bn attached would be treated as a 18-10 Pz XX.

Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf

 

Rule 15E: If you attach a Panzer IV battalion does it add 4 or 2 to the strength of the panzer division?

Question:
If you attach a Panzer IV battalion does it add 4 or 2 to the strength of the panzer division?

Answer:
“While attached, the battalion is considered to be part of the division: it contributes its strength to the division but neither counts against stacking nor increases the RE size of the division.” Since the strength of the Panzer IV battalion is 2, it would add 2 to the strength of the panzer division.

Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf

 

Rule 15E: Losses of attached Panzer Batallions

Question:
If a panzer division with an attached Panther (or Panzer IV) battalion suffers losses in combat, is the battalion considered to be a separate unit from the division for loss purposes?

Answer:
Here’s how it works: if a 15-10 panzer division with a 4-2-10 Panther battalion attached is reduced to cadre, the division would count as 19 for loss purposes and you would be left with an 11-8 panzer cadre (a 7-8 panzer cadre with a 4-2-10 Panther battalion attached).

If a 7-8 panzer cadre with a 4-2-10 Panther battalion attached suffers losses in combat, the cadre would count as 11 for loss purposes, and both the 7-8 cadre and the 4-2-10 Panther battalion would enter the replacement pool.

Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf

 

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