HMG Bunkers in Blitzkrieg in the West: Northern Campaign

Binchois

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In the first three scenarios for Blitzkrieg in the West: Northern Campaign, the Dutch receive Pillbox/bunkers with an HMG that is removable on a 1-3. What is the process for this dr and removal? I am torn whether the SSR is meant to be a pre-game option, a no-risk option during the Dutch Player Turn, or a full-on scrounging attempt complete with TI. It seems like the latter is correct.

Also, are the Dutch fortifications still setup HIP for scenario BWN-1? I played concealed only since the Dutch set-up said their forces "set up concealed." Didn't seem to matter - Germans couldn't establish a workable bridgehead!

But I've really enjoyed this simple CG - just the ticket for these lonely days of forced isolation!
 
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George Kelln

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According the SSR state "The 1-2-7 with the HMG must setup in the Pillbox." therefore you cannot remove the HMG in the pre-game.

All fortifications set up using HIP

A12.33 FORTIFICATIONS: Fortifications in Concealment Terrain may always set up hidden and remain hidden until use of its protective TEM is claimed, or a unit therein loses its concealment, or a Good Order enemy ground unit gains a LOS to its Location and is within 16 hexes. [EXC to all: Minefields; B28.1.] Fortifications set up in non-Concealment Terrain are treated as if set up in Concealment Terrain [EXC: they also lose their HIP status due to enemy LOS regardless of range]. A roadblock also loses HIP status if it blocks the LOS of a Good Order enemy unit to any Location. The presence (but not the actual strength) of minefields can be discovered by a successful Search (12.152). A unit entering/exiting a hidden Fortification pays no MF/MP to do so, provided that Fortification remains hidden including Infantry/Cavalry (only) crossing a roadblock hexside. Hidden Fortifications revealed by LOS during setup are placed onboard just prior to placing non-OB "?".

And Pillboxes

B30.7 CONCEALMENT: A pillbox Location is Concealment Terrain; however, "?"/HIP in a pillbox neither halves the FP of, nor adds a TH DRM to, an attack on it/its-contents. The contents of a pillbox cannot be inspected by an opposing player except to verify the details of an announced attack (or successful SMOKE placement) from that pillbox. Once an attack has been made (or SMOKE has been placed) from within a pillbox, all units therein (even if they entered-subsequently/did-not-fire-originally) are considered Known to all other units (even those outside the pillbox's CA) within 16 hexes that have/gain a LOS to that pillbox. If a pillbox sets up hidden, so do its contents.
 

Binchois

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Thanks George! So Bunkers and trenches can still set up HIP in scenario BWN-1. And yes, I thought the SSR was indeed saying that the "scrounging" dr couldn't be used to remove the HMG at start.

But the biggest confusion for me remains...when can the removal dr be made? Is it a RPh activity, Fire Phase activity (like dismantling), is it made simply as the unit exits the pillbox, or is it actually a scrounging attempt which will cause the attempting unit to become TI? Must the "scrounging" unit come from inside the Pillbox, or can it be Scrounged without entering? As written, I can't decide:

On a dr ≤ 3, the HMG can be removed from a Pillbox as a dismantled MMG; regardless of outcome, mark the Pillbox with a Scrounged counter (D10.5).
 

George Kelln

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It is a modification of the Scrounging Rule:

The HMG Scrounging attempt is made during the Dutch RPh and the unit is TI'd for the rest of the Player Turn

This rule was an earlier version and I have since made modifications to it and with the release of Blitzkrieg in the West - Central Campaign the following changeto the MG Nest/Bunker/Pillbox SSR will occur:

BWN-1 Their Baptism of Fire SSR Modification:

2. The Dutch must setup two (three) MG Bunkers. Each MG Bunker consists of: 1x Pillbox, 3x Trench, 1x HMG, and 1x 1-2-7 crew; each Trench/Pillbox must be set up so that it is accessible to > 1 Trench counters and the each Wire must setup < 3 hexes from a Pillbox. The 1-2-7 with the HMG must set up in the Pillbox. To remove a HMG from a Pillbox make a dr; if dr is < 4, HMG it is removed; if dr is > 5, HMG is removed, but suffers from Ammunition Shortage (A19.131) – mark with Low Ammo counter. There is a (cumulative) +1 drm if the removing MMC is Second Line, +2 drm if the MMC is Green/Conscript, and/or +2 if Captured. If a HMG is returned to the Pillbox by a Good Order Dutch unit – remove the Low Ammo counter. A 6 on a Repair dr does not eliminate a HMG in a Pillbox.
 

Binchois

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Perfect!

And a very cool SSR - even in the BWN iteration. I like how the rule requires the fortifications to be netted together into a more-realistically built-up defense (than what you'd get if you just received freely positionable counters in your OB). It makes a real puzzle out of the Dutch Wire/Trench/Pillbox placement in BWN-2 as well as for the Germans deciding how to pry open (or at least in-between) that nut!

You can be sure I will order BWC!

P.S. My suggestion would be to state in the SSR that this is played as a Scrounging attempt.
 
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