FB and smoke OBA questions

jfardette

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Throwing this out there for help...

Q1- How do fire lanes work with embanked RR? My reading is that a unit actually on the EmRR could only set up an effective fire lane along such a half level obstacle, and any such fire lane would otherwise only effect half level targets like riders or cavalry. If it leaves the embankment, it would effectively fire over the heads of infantry a half level lower. But what about a MG behind such an obstacle, for example a MG in hex FB NW G34 who wanted to place a fire lane A34. My opponent and I agreed that LOS exists but we couldn't be certain if a fire lane would be permissible beyond the EmRR.

Q2- I believe I read somewhere that a smoke OBA fire mission does not need to take a supplemental chit draw for having only unknown units or units out of observer LOS in the blast area. But I can't find the rule and may be misremembering.

Any help on those would be appreciated, and bonus points awarded for providing the pertinent rules section for future reference.

Thanks!
 

Binchois

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1. No great experience with EmRR, but my reading of the rules says you're right about the FL affecting Cavalry Personnel (though not their horses). I don't think PRC, however, as per F6.53 (a unit on an EmRR is treated as if on a Hillock - B32.12):

F6.53 FIRE LANE: A Fire Lane [from ON a Hillock/EmRR] has no effect on units (including Vulnerable PRC and Horses — but excluding Cavalry Personnel) that are at least a half-level lower than the Fire Lane in their hex, nor does a "half-level" Hindrance (as defined in 4.51) whose Base Level is at least a half-level lower than a Fire Lane in its hex affect that Fire Lane. See the "Squads E and F" entry in the 6.6 EX.​
In short, the rules seem to treat Horses and PRC as less than a half-level in height, while mounted Cavalrymen rise a bit above. The reverse of the Hillock/EmRR effect is the Dier where Cavalry within (at "Level -.5") can be clipped by a FL established at Ground Level.

As for a unit placed "adjacent" (F6.4) to the EmRR/Hillock, these are considered "behind" the embankment (F6.44). I would have to assume that they can lay a FL, and that any unit within both their LOS and the FL's LOF must be valid targets (the effect is fairly like a fat, one-hex wide, wall).
2. I don't think this is true. A Smoke FFE would require the extra chit draw.
 
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jfardette

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Q1 clarification. The MG is at ground level adjacent to the EmRR. Does the fire lane tend beyond it?
 

Binchois

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Q1 clarification. The MG is at ground level adjacent to the EmRR. Does the fire lane tend beyond it?
That's my interpretation. The Chapter F RB is the last battleground in need of revision and clarifications. By my reading, Hillocks (and by extension EmRR) are essentially very fat walls which you can stand on top of. If you are directly behind it, you can see across it as far as to the hex directly behind another wall/hillock/EmRR. And If you can see it and shoot at it, you can lay a Fire Lane up to and between it. As a bonus interpretation, I would say that such a FL must be an ordinary, ground-level FL and not the Level .5 FL established by a unit standing ON the Hillock/EmRR.
 

jfardette

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Interesting approach. That would then mean that infantry could then run along the EmRR unhindered by the fire lane? I'm having trouble visualizing this, with the fire lane being completely unaffected by the embankment, except that any unit on the embankment is completely missed by the bullets passing through the embankment below their feet. Of course, this is a game and not a simulation. Maybe we can get Bill Cirrillo to comment on what he intended?
 

jrv

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Q2- I believe I read somewhere that a smoke OBA fire mission does not need to take a supplemental chit draw for having only unknown units or units out of observer LOS in the blast area. But I can't find the rule and may be misremembering.
About the only help I can give here is that Observers treat concealed units in non-concealment terrain as Known [C1.6]. Non-concealment terrain includes some terrain with positive TEM (e.g. graveyard, crag, open ground behind wall or hedge) so you can sometimes find an enemy concealed unit that—treated as Known—lets you avoid the extra chit draw.

JR
 

jrv

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Q2 Maybe I'm thinking of ordnance firing smoke?
Well there are no supplemental chit draws when firing ordnance SMOKE because there are no chit draws when firing ordnance SMOKE. Ordnance SMOKE applies the case K TH DRM when firing at a hex with only on board concealed units. Ordnance SMOKE still gets the C4.4 TH modification at range ≤ 12 hexes, which is sort of unexpected.

JR
 
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