"One Thing About..." Fire Lanes

[DaveStory]

My last scenario had me attempting Fire Lanes three times and cowering each time (where is a leader when you need one!). After that, I didn't even try for another one.

So, as a fitting starter to this thread:
"Fire Lanes are not placed if the initial attack cowers"

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Fire Lanes can be placed when making a To Hit attempt as well as an IFT attack, and TH attempts are not subject to Cowering.

 

[Will Fleming]

Klas that is freaky. I must admit that would be good to know, but people think about that? I will put that in my bag of tricks....THANKS! Now can I roll a TH with a MG on infantry targets? Sometimes it is better to get the fire lane down that to shoot at the 'bait'. I suspect you can with a 1FP AP equivalent???

Anyway, no SFF (other than TPBF) for joo if joo place a firelane. Joo can fire jour inherent normally as First Fire provided joo don't cower (or just fire it with the initial shot).

Q. If a unit fires a MG to create a firelane and then uses its Inherent FP as SFF later, does this cancel the firelane? A. A squad can fire its inherent FP as First Fire after previously firing only its MG to lay down a firelane. A HS that has laid down a firelane (or a squad that has both laid down a firelane and used its inherent FP as First Fire) cannot use SFF unless in a TPBF situation (which cancels the firelane). {97}

 

[Jon]

Now can I roll a TH with a MG on infantry targets? Sometimes it is better to get the fire lane down that to shoot at the 'bait'. I suspect you can with a 1FP AP equivalent???

You can lay a FL with an MG while making a TH attempt against an AFV using the VTT

You can't use a MG to fire at Infantry using the To Hit procedure and ITT. See A9.6, A9.61, C3.32 and C8.31

Cheers
Jon

 

[applecatcher4]

Squad and MG loose all fire options once firelane is in place,except for TPBF. Enemy squads can move adjacent without any risk.

 

[mgmasl]

Only hexes whose center is in LOS from the MG firing hex are affected with this residual Fire Lane FP. Any unit spending MF in those hexes are attacked, even those ones moving in bypass out of the original firer LOS.

 

[mgmasl]

Squad and MG loose all fire options once firelane is in place,except for TPBF. Enemy squads can move adjacent without any risk.

I think that the squad can still fire using First Fire. He cannot SFF or FPF, but IMO he can use his inherent once.

 

[Robin Reeve]

"Fire Lanes are not placed if the initial attack cowers"

But, once placed, they are not affected by cower

A9.222 : ... Fire Lane Residual FP attacks cannot cause the firer to Cower and need not be made if they could cause no effect. ...

 

[Jazz]

But, once placed, they are not affected by cower

But they are affected by breakdown....rolling the breakdown number resolving a FL Resid attack for the MG in question breaks the gun and cancels the firelane. A9.223

 

[JD Sullivan]

Alternate grain FLs force you to pick a side for the resid to apply.

I used to think the split hexes got 1/2 of the FL resid in each.

 

[Bret Hildebran]

Firelanes vs. a human wave/banzai get to apply the effects of the initial shot plus the firelane immediately affects any units moving in that impulse w/i the just placed firelane despite the fact that the firelane wasn't placed until after they moved...

 

[MrP]

OTA firelines is......that people do not use them enough. Or set up their defences to take advantage of them.

 

[Robin Reeve]

OTA firelines is......that people do not use them enough. Or set up their defences to take advantage of them.

Experience, though, reveals how much dangerous are 1FP -2 or 2FP -2 attacks and lead to more FL usage.
I hesitate using FLs with HMGs, as I hope to get some ROF.
But a LMG is nice, to cover a road.

BTW (on topic again), if it hasn't been said yet : a FL is not reduced vs a Dashing unit.

 

[CHERDE]

You can't use a MG to fire at Infantry using the To Hit procedure and ITT. See A9.6, A9.61, C3.32 and C8.31

Cheers
Jon

Hi Jon,
could You please explain?

Your statement comes not clear to me when I read Your cited rules.

After reading klasmalmstroms statement I would think that one could fire a MG as ITT vs. Infantry.

 

[Bret Hildebran]

After reading klasmalmstroms statement I would think that one could fire a MG as ITT vs. Infantry.

MGs don't have an HE equivalency. Therefore you cannot fire TH vs. infantry with an MG. Unless you want to argue for a TH using a 0 Firepower resolution of course.

To do the TH trick you have to fire the MG as ordnance against a vehicle, or armored cupola, i.e. something that you could make a TK roll against.

Back to the OP: You can lay firelanes at night outside your LOS by firing at your pre-reg hex...

 

[CHERDE]

You must have a valid LOS in the DFF attack which places the FL.

(was strongly debated and contested some months ago ..)

 

[jrv]

One of the very surprising things you can do with a firelane is use them offensively. I was conducting a withdrawal through grain when my LMG armed opponent started laying firelanes, making my movement much more difficult. They're not just for the defender.

JR

 

[jrv]

A FL's FP is not halved vs a Concealed unit.

JR

 

[Brian W]

A FL's FP is not halved vs a Concealed unit.

Nor vs. dashing units.

 

[Brian W]

I used to think the split hexes got 1/2 of the FL resid in each.

You used to be right, as the original ASL FL rules stated just that.