WP & flame

[jrv]

Unlike other ways of creating flames with attacks, WP does not seem to create flames on placement:

A24.32 "The player who placed WP must make a DR > the Kindling Number of the terrain during his MPh (even if placed during that phase) to start a Flame in the WP hex."

Is it correct that WP placed as Defensive (First) Fire can not create a flame because it will be removed before the friendly MPh? Does a WP counter placed in the PFPh make two kindling attempts because it will be active during two friendly movement phases (full and dispersed)?

JR

 

[jrv]

The ASOP has checking for flame during the PFPh/DFPh/AFPh [2.12A/4.14D/5.12A], all referencing A24.32. I see nothing in A24.32 that suggests that WP places flames during any phase other than the friendly MPh. Have I missed an erratum?

JR

 

[Honosbinda]

I can only gather that the wording of A24.32 was meant to apply for smoke grenades during their own movement phase and defensive first fire allowed by ordnance firing WP as the first attack(s) during an enemy MPh. C8.5 indicates SMOKE can be placed during PFPh and DFPh; one would think that the roll for flames would occur then. C8.5 is a higher numbered rule than A24.32 and it seems like the ASOP (which isn't part of the rules, is it?) is wrong, but overall the rules for this flame placement seem errant and some kind of errata is warranted, because I can't find any.

 

[jrv]

I can only gather that the wording of A24.32 was meant to apply for smoke grenades during their own movement phase

Since A24.32 specifically calls out, "even if placed during that phase," it seems likely that the rule understood that there were going to be WP counters that were not placed in that phase, and that they are also covered by A24.32. I would like to believe that it was meant to cover only grenades/DFF during the MPh as that would be more in line with what I (and apparently the ASOP) expect, but the phrase would suggest it applies to all WP counters.

JR

 

[von Marwitz]

Just my thoughts:

I believe that the intention might have been to cover the extra possibility of WP grenades by infantry, while otherwise things would be normal.

I.e. if you have WP coming down with OBA or by Ordnance, then I'd care for Flame creation when it comes down - During Prep Fire or Defensive (First) Fire.

They probably introduced WP infantry grenades after the 'big' WP Smoke and then realized that something had to be done in the rules to cover the 'usual' chance for WP Flame Creation during the MPh. In so doing, precise wording was neglected or overlooked so that it appears now, that all WP flame creation might happen during the MPh.

As JR has nicely pointed out all the sorts of confusion that would arise by handling all WP flame creation during the - or more precisely 'his' - MPh, to me this illustrates that this was not the intention.

von Marwitz