The Purist
Elder Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2004
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- In my castle by the sea, Trochu, AB
- First name
- Gerry
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Ok,.... it's been pouring rain for two days, I can't hike or cycle and who like jogging in the rain. My next VASL game is Thursday, my LC and Cave Complex game start has yet to be confirmed and the continuation of Singling is dependent upon Lee's work schedule..
So,... with all the talk about AFV combat and how to get better at it I played this scenario. All the moves and results are actual, none are presented as 'examples' purposes. I've broken the narrative into a few bits because the text is so involved.... so,.... so,.... so wordy. ?
Fitzroy: Good afternoon to everyone here in northeast Africa, those at home in Britain and to all our allies and friends in the Empire, Commonwealth and elsewhere. I am Reginald Fitzroy coming to you live from the pitch near Nezvet Ghirba in Libya.
Harris: ‘Allo to all listening in. Oi’m Tom ‘arris and Oi must say that Oi‘ve not seen a pitch in this sort of condition in all me years. Just look at all the rocks and scrub out there, it ‘ill be a wonder if anyfing but a camel could manage much distance out there. An’ the heat. Glory be, it must be 120 degrees out there.
Fitzroy: Aye, Tom, it is hot at that. Note the Light Dust (F11.71) and the Intense Heat Haze (F11.621). Why don’t you give the folks at home a description of these Arid Climactic Conditions (F11) and how they might impact todays match.
Harris: Whoiy, I’d be delighted Reggie. Well, it’s quoit simple really. Light Dust adds a DLV Hindrance DRM equal to a sub-see-quent dr that is halved (FRD) to awl IFT an’ TH DR. Note this don’t apploi to OBA, DC, FT, Fire Lane or Specific Collateral Attacks.
Intense Heat Haze adds a DLV Hindrance DRM of +1 to awl attacks on the TH tables and the IFT against infantry at range of 7 hexes or more and continues to add +1 for every six hexes thereafter. Against a vehicle the same +1 DRM is apploid beginning at range 13 and adds an additional +1 for every 12 hexes after that.
Since Oi commented on the rocks and scrub, Reg, whoiy doant you explain t’ the lis’ners about their effects on movement, etcetera.
Fitzroy: Quite right, Tom. Well, there is not much to it you see. The rocky bits are called Hammada (F3). Fully-Tracked AFVs needn’t worry about Hammad and most other wheeled vehicles are not affected all that much as long as you stay out of the Hammada directly. Although, if one is in a lorry or on a motorcycle or sidecar one might want to apply some caution. A driver can offset many of the dangers by expending twice the normal MP cost to enter Hammada or a hex that is Accessible to Hammada.
A handy table is provided in the PRB, or, for those with the original Chapter F Rules, on the chapter divider.
As our boys from Arsenal are in armoured cars today they would not normally have to worry about hexes accessible to Hammada as long as they pay the extra MP cost. However, and this is important, both the Morris CS9 and the Royals Royce armoured cars use truck movement, so there is some danger of puncturing a tire or breaking a leaf spring. So ‘slowing down’ would be in order except in the direst of circumstances.
Harris: And Scrub, Reg. ‘ow will that terrain affect today’s festivities?
Fitzroy: There again, Tom, there is not much to it. Scrub is not an obstacle nor a Hindrance to LOS and is treated as Open Ground (1.1) other than for Gun Emplacement (F.1A), movement costs, (2.21), concealment (2.3), Hammada Immobilization (3.31), and when Accessible to Broken Ground (13.1). That said we’ll leave the more complicated items out of it for today as they won’t be applicable.
Movement cost for Infantry is one MF; cavalry and wagons, two MF; full-tracked vehicle, two MP; halftrack, three MP; armoured car or motorcycle; four MP; truck, six MP. Scrub is also concealment terrain but only for Infantry, Dummy Stacks, entrenchments and Emplaced Guns.
All very simple, really.
Harris: Thanks, Reg. That was a vewy concois and informative description. Oi can jus’ picture both terrain types in me minds oi as we sit ‘ere.
Fitzroy: That should be easy, Tom. If you open your eyes you can see the Scrub and Hammada right out on the –
Oh, you cheeky devil, you were having me on. I’ll remember that.
Harris <guffaws>: Oi got ya there, mate. Anyway, time for a message from our sponsors and the Ministry of Supply.
Harris: Roight, welcome back everyone. The Ministry is roight, of course, so don’t forget to donate your old aluminium pots and’ pans and any other bits of metal you ‘ave lay’in about. Spitfires an’ ‘urricanes don’t grow on trees.
Fitzroy: Excellent point Tom. Looks like we’re only moments away from the coin toss so why don’t you give us all a rundown of the upcoming match.
Harris: Wot we ‘ave today is a motorized column from the 1st Libyan Division protected by a number of Italian assault guns and tank destroyers moving north just the other side of the border wire. Those AGs and TDs are manned by a number of drafts from the Milan Football Club. They are all new to the desert and their vehicles, so are considered Inexperienced Crews (D3.45), which means they all ‘ave a 6+1 armour leader and cwew morale. That is a handicap where TH DR and weapons Malfunction are concerned.
On this side of the wire the British will need that handicap as they will be outnumbered from the outset. A large number of our lads from the 11th Hussars are drafts from London Arsenal and they have crossed over the border wif’ the mission to interfere with the column’s movement. Arsenal needs to score 6 VP more than Milan to win. That sets up the match.
Oi! ‘ere comes the Ref, looks like he is ready for the coin toss. Up it goes,… and he is signaling that the British kick off the match with the first move.
Fitzroy: Inexperienced Crews, Tom? Combine that with the vehicle notes for the L3/35 and its aa and cc variants that will mean the crews will have the added problem of only being able to make attacks while being buttoned up.
Harris: You are correct Reggie.
Fitzroy: And here comes the Italian column moving onto the pitch. I see that they are moving quite slowly in order to avoid raising much dust. Very thoughtful for the passengers in all of those trucks further back. It must be frightfully hot in those assault guns with the hatches all battened down.
To be continued. ?
So,... with all the talk about AFV combat and how to get better at it I played this scenario. All the moves and results are actual, none are presented as 'examples' purposes. I've broken the narrative into a few bits because the text is so involved.... so,.... so,.... so wordy. ?
****
Announcer: This is BBC London. Today we are pleased to bring to our sports fans Game 1 of the 1940 World Cup between London Arsenal and Milan FC. We take you now “Across the Wire” to Nezvet Ghirba, Libya and our Sports Sunday team, Reginald Fitzroy and Tom Harris.
Fitzroy: Good afternoon to everyone here in northeast Africa, those at home in Britain and to all our allies and friends in the Empire, Commonwealth and elsewhere. I am Reginald Fitzroy coming to you live from the pitch near Nezvet Ghirba in Libya.
Harris: ‘Allo to all listening in. Oi’m Tom ‘arris and Oi must say that Oi‘ve not seen a pitch in this sort of condition in all me years. Just look at all the rocks and scrub out there, it ‘ill be a wonder if anyfing but a camel could manage much distance out there. An’ the heat. Glory be, it must be 120 degrees out there.
Fitzroy: Aye, Tom, it is hot at that. Note the Light Dust (F11.71) and the Intense Heat Haze (F11.621). Why don’t you give the folks at home a description of these Arid Climactic Conditions (F11) and how they might impact todays match.
Harris: Whoiy, I’d be delighted Reggie. Well, it’s quoit simple really. Light Dust adds a DLV Hindrance DRM equal to a sub-see-quent dr that is halved (FRD) to awl IFT an’ TH DR. Note this don’t apploi to OBA, DC, FT, Fire Lane or Specific Collateral Attacks.
Intense Heat Haze adds a DLV Hindrance DRM of +1 to awl attacks on the TH tables and the IFT against infantry at range of 7 hexes or more and continues to add +1 for every six hexes thereafter. Against a vehicle the same +1 DRM is apploid beginning at range 13 and adds an additional +1 for every 12 hexes after that.
Since Oi commented on the rocks and scrub, Reg, whoiy doant you explain t’ the lis’ners about their effects on movement, etcetera.
Fitzroy: Quite right, Tom. Well, there is not much to it you see. The rocky bits are called Hammada (F3). Fully-Tracked AFVs needn’t worry about Hammad and most other wheeled vehicles are not affected all that much as long as you stay out of the Hammada directly. Although, if one is in a lorry or on a motorcycle or sidecar one might want to apply some caution. A driver can offset many of the dangers by expending twice the normal MP cost to enter Hammada or a hex that is Accessible to Hammada.
A handy table is provided in the PRB, or, for those with the original Chapter F Rules, on the chapter divider.
As our boys from Arsenal are in armoured cars today they would not normally have to worry about hexes accessible to Hammada as long as they pay the extra MP cost. However, and this is important, both the Morris CS9 and the Royals Royce armoured cars use truck movement, so there is some danger of puncturing a tire or breaking a leaf spring. So ‘slowing down’ would be in order except in the direst of circumstances.
Harris: And Scrub, Reg. ‘ow will that terrain affect today’s festivities?
Fitzroy: There again, Tom, there is not much to it. Scrub is not an obstacle nor a Hindrance to LOS and is treated as Open Ground (1.1) other than for Gun Emplacement (F.1A), movement costs, (2.21), concealment (2.3), Hammada Immobilization (3.31), and when Accessible to Broken Ground (13.1). That said we’ll leave the more complicated items out of it for today as they won’t be applicable.
Movement cost for Infantry is one MF; cavalry and wagons, two MF; full-tracked vehicle, two MP; halftrack, three MP; armoured car or motorcycle; four MP; truck, six MP. Scrub is also concealment terrain but only for Infantry, Dummy Stacks, entrenchments and Emplaced Guns.
All very simple, really.
Harris: Thanks, Reg. That was a vewy concois and informative description. Oi can jus’ picture both terrain types in me minds oi as we sit ‘ere.
Fitzroy: That should be easy, Tom. If you open your eyes you can see the Scrub and Hammada right out on the –
Oh, you cheeky devil, you were having me on. I’ll remember that.
Harris <guffaws>: Oi got ya there, mate. Anyway, time for a message from our sponsors and the Ministry of Supply.
****
Harris: Roight, welcome back everyone. The Ministry is roight, of course, so don’t forget to donate your old aluminium pots and’ pans and any other bits of metal you ‘ave lay’in about. Spitfires an’ ‘urricanes don’t grow on trees.
Fitzroy: Excellent point Tom. Looks like we’re only moments away from the coin toss so why don’t you give us all a rundown of the upcoming match.
Harris: Wot we ‘ave today is a motorized column from the 1st Libyan Division protected by a number of Italian assault guns and tank destroyers moving north just the other side of the border wire. Those AGs and TDs are manned by a number of drafts from the Milan Football Club. They are all new to the desert and their vehicles, so are considered Inexperienced Crews (D3.45), which means they all ‘ave a 6+1 armour leader and cwew morale. That is a handicap where TH DR and weapons Malfunction are concerned.
On this side of the wire the British will need that handicap as they will be outnumbered from the outset. A large number of our lads from the 11th Hussars are drafts from London Arsenal and they have crossed over the border wif’ the mission to interfere with the column’s movement. Arsenal needs to score 6 VP more than Milan to win. That sets up the match.
Oi! ‘ere comes the Ref, looks like he is ready for the coin toss. Up it goes,… and he is signaling that the British kick off the match with the first move.
Fitzroy: Inexperienced Crews, Tom? Combine that with the vehicle notes for the L3/35 and its aa and cc variants that will mean the crews will have the added problem of only being able to make attacks while being buttoned up.
Harris: You are correct Reggie.
Fitzroy: And here comes the Italian column moving onto the pitch. I see that they are moving quite slowly in order to avoid raising much dust. Very thoughtful for the passengers in all of those trucks further back. It must be frightfully hot in those assault guns with the hatches all battened down.
To be continued. ?
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