Good evening Gents.
Apologies in advance as I am sure this post will be somewhat lengthy. If it gets to be too long I will split the post into two parts:
i) a straight forward fire attack using infantry only but with multiple DRMs as per A.5 and how it works with A7.4 target Determination (an example will follow).
ii) the To Hit process and how it translates to the IFT (with an example showing both standard and critical hit resolution on the IFT).
I have no doubt that everyone reading this post will already be aware of 99% of what I am describing and that only the conclusion may may leave some questioning their previous understanding. Thanks in advance for your patience.
As above, we start with A.5 - Attack DRM :
Whenever an
attack (italics are mine) is made against multiple defending units, if a modifier applies to some but not all defending units, that attack is made with only one DR by applying the appropriate DRM only to those units - thus getting two or more Final DR from the same Original DR....
For our infantry fire attack example we will assume a woods hex. In this hex are the following a German units (no leader present to keep things simple):
- 548 with FT
- 548 with DC
- 467, concealed and in a 1S foxhole.
Two hexes away will be a British HS w/ an HMG and an 8-1 SMC.
With A.5 safely ensconced in the forefront out brains let's quickly run through the pertinent Rules of A7 Fire Attacks.
A7.1, 7.2 - .26 do not have any earth shaking revelations other than to state what a fire attack is and how firepower may be modified by various methods or in different phases (ie: PBF, TBF, Long Range FP, AFPh or Opportunity Fire).
Before addressing A7.3-7.306 we should jump forward to
A7.4 Target Determination which notes the following:
"Except during Defensive First Fire (8.1), all Personnel-units/unarmored-vehicles/Vulnerable -PRC in the same Location are considered targets of fire that does not have to specify a particular target, with the outcome of such fire affecting all those enemy (or Melee) units in the target Location (italics are mine)...
After noting a few exceptions to the above case the paragraph continues...
...Although all targets are affected by the results of such fire combat, some may escape harm entirely while others are eliminated, broken, pinned, or affected by Heat of Battle ?(15.)...
It is important to note here how this rule section dovetails and reinforces A.5. It also makes no mention of second or separate attacks for enemy units that may have different DRMs applicable to the Fire Attack. In fact, it specifically states that the affects of a single attack may vary from unit to unit but there is no change to the A.5 rule.
With the above in mind lets execute a particularly nasty result to the German units in the woods hex and bring the rules together with A7301-.306.
Example: The British HS w/ HMG and directed by the 8-1 SMC applies a modified 6FP attack against the enemy units is the woods at a range of 2 hexes.
- the 548 w/ FT will be attacked with a 6 FP attack with a -1 DRM (+1 for woods, -1 for the leader mod, -1 for possessing an FT [as per A22.4])
- the 548 w/ DC will be attacked with a 6 FP attack with no DRM on the IFT (+1 for the woods, -1 for the leader mod)
- the concealed 467 in the foxhole will be attacked by a 2 FP attack with a +1 DRM (1/2 FP for concealed target, +2 for the foxhole, -1 for the leader mod)
As per A.5 and A7.4 the attack is made with a single DR on the IFT. For our purposes we will assume an Original DR of 3 (colour dr 2, white dr 1). The HMG retains ROF.
The Final DR result for the attack on each unit are as follows:
- 548 w/ FT Final DR is a 2 which is a 1 KIA
- 548 with DC Final DR is 3 which is a K/2
- concealed 467 in the foxhole Final DR is a 4 which is a 1MC.
Applying these results is clearly explained in A7.3-.306 which state:
A7.301 #KIA: At least as many targets units in each specifically targeted Location... as the number indicated (#) are eliminated (as determined by Random Selection); all remaining units are broken... The number of units eliminated can exceed the number specified if Random Selection results in a tie for the last unit to be eliminated , but in no case are more units affected than are subject to that attack.
The only change to the above that is applied to our example is that Random Selection is not used because the Final DR affect of 1 KIA is applicable to only one target unit, the 548 w/ FT.
Note that the rule is clear - ...all remaining units are broken... there are no exceptions given to the affected units. Also note that the breaking of the "remaining units" is not a result of the attack on the IFT being applied to them specifically. The breaking is the result of another target unit in the same Location being eliminated by a KIA result applied against it.
This is an important distinction.
Further, nowhere in A7.301 does it absolve the now broken units from the specific affects of the same IFT attack being applied to them.
- the 548 w/ DC is broken as per A7.301 and then suffers a K/2 result as per A7.302 and is reduced to a broken 238 HS. Because this unit is the only one that can be affected by the K/2 due to the FP and DRM above it must take the 2MC. If it passes the 2MC it will continue on normally but if it fails, it will be eliminated.
- Finally, the concealed 467 is broken, loses concealment and must now under go its own 1MC as per A7.304, If it passes it will carry on as is. If it fails this 1MC it will be reduced to a 247 HS.
Try as I might, I could not find any rule, exception or other caveat that exempts the above units being affected as per this example. I will note
that this scenario would be very rare and would take a convergence of both bad luck and an error in judgement on the part of the player with the 548 w/ FT as well as a well placed shot by the owner of the British HS w/ HMG and 8-1 Leader. I can recall only one instance in a RB CG where a similar event occurred with catastrophic results for a German stack.
Normally, had three infantry units been in woods and an attack result in a 1KIA, one (or more) of the units would be chosen via Random Selection to be eliminated and the survivors broken without further consequence. What complicated the results above is the application of A.5 and A7.4 in particular and understanding the affects of a KIA result on surviving units.
Phew!!! That looks far more complicated than it actually is. I suppose the moral of the story is to remember Rule #1 of ASL,.... never stack. And never stack units with FTs with other units. It's asking for trouble