Crews for 1/2" SW counters

[Kevin Kenneally]

Should you, would you or could you use Infantry crew counters for the 1/2" Inf SW's?

 

[Jazz]

It Depends....

Should you, would you or could you use Infantry crew counters for the 1/2" Inf SW's?

Of course, the first priority for crews is manning weapons that need crews to be used without penality....usually 5/8 guns, but also Japanese MMG/HMG/ATR.

If I have the crews to spare, I'll use a crew to man a MG in an isolated position that may not have access to leadership to facilitate rally.

Another potential use of crews is manning LATW in similar isolated positions.

 

[SamB]

If you have more crews than 5/8" ordnance - what else would you use them for? :bite:

 

[Michael Dorosh]

"British" (as defined by the ASLRB) MMG and HMGs didn't even exist in the OB of infantry battalions - they were specialist weapons only, held at divisional level. Crew counters would make perfect sense for them, since they were not employed within infantry units. HS would make no sense since HS can combine into full squads.

 

[M.Koch]

Voted for SSR...

BUT...a crew for a LMG ??? Or an ATR ??? FT ??? DC ???

Wouldn´t like that.

MK

 

[Roadtogundagai]

A number of TPPs do this with penalties for HMG/MMG use by non-crews and extra crews in the OBs (e.g. SS packs from HOB).

Personally, I think this would have been a good idea if it had been part of the original ASLRB. There's the rub - so many scenarios have been created, tested and balanced with any MMC able to man a HMG/MMG without penalty (excepting Japanese/Inexperienced). To change this now would cause so much grief I would hate to see it made official.

Same thoughts on the -1 TEM for bridges (sorry in advance for mentioning it) - it might be a good idea, but causes issues for all the existing bridge crossing scenarios. IMHO it would be better to keep the system tinkering to a minimum. Have errata to fix and clarify issues - absolutely. The bridge TEM change, and crews for HMG/MMG, perhaps go far beyond that. It ain't broke, don't fix it.

The British began to see the light towards the end of the war and split up the divisional MG battalions into MG companies assigned at brigade level. Too little, too late. These potent weapons should have been organic at company or (worst case) battalion level - this would have greatly increased the chances of having them where needed when needed. Just my 2 cents.

Having said all that, spare infantry crews are fantastic for manning 1/2" SWs - Elite, Self Rally, Immune to HOB (anyone that has had a HMG manning squad go berserk and charge off into oblivion will appreciate this) - what's not to like?

Only problem is that I rarely have "spare" infantry crews. About the only time I get them is when my Gun malfs itself to death - and then they are often in the wrong spot to pick up a HMG or other critical weapon quickly.

 

[Faded 8-1]

Depends on my other MMC. If I have a bunch of German (for example) conscript squads and a couple infantry crew, hell yeah I'm giving my best weapons to the crews.

 

[Mike Murphy]

... Personally, I think this would have been a good idea if it had been part of the original ASLRB. There's the rub - so many scenarios have been created, tested and balanced with any MMC able to man a HMG/MMG without penalty (excepting Japanese/Inexperienced). ...

That says it all for me. "So it is written, so shall it be!"

Mike

 

[Commissar Piotr]

Hi Guys

Crews have a lot of other abilities that make them far better than to use for some SWs than for other SWs.
Regarding HoBs use of them, it is not that well thought through since the experienced players tend to use the Crews in other ways than the designer intended.
As long as that is the risk I would say NO to Crews for other purposes than those stated in the ASLRB.

 

[JG53_Jaguar]

Yes why not, if the gun that a crew was using got broken and there nice juicy heavy MG42 lying around I would tell me crew to pick it up and use it instead.

 

[commissarmatt]

If I have extra crews, yes I will often use them for a SW. However, I dislike the SSRs that I have seen in some cases that try to duplicate the Japanese crew rule for all nationalities. I'm with the "don't tinker with the rules unnecessarily" crowd. I did not vote because I'm not really sure what the real underlying question is.

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

Hi Guys

Crews have a lot of other abilities that make them far better than to use for some SWs than for other SWs.
Regarding HoBs use of them, it is not that well thought through since the experienced players tend to use the Crews in other ways than the designer intended.
As long as that is the risk I would say NO to Crews for other purposes than those stated in the ASLRB.

I like the HOB rule, frankly and have (or would have) no problem if it was adopted system-wise.

As for HOBs version being poorly thought out, I disagree. I believe if/when their SWs are X'ed out, the crews must leave the board to prevent the silliness you allude to. Perhaps you refer to other scenarios in general that include additional half squads/crews?

 

[waltermcwilliam]

Anytime the scenario presents the option I use them. Mostly for Mtr or LATW but on occassion for MMG/HMG.

 

[Houlie]

If there are extra crews in a scenario, I will absolutley use them with the most valuable/critical SW on the board for the situation I find myself. For example, if I am faced with many lightly armored vehicles with limited AT tubes, the crew would get the ATR or PSK. I will also use it when their self-rallying capability is required, i.e., not stacked with a leader.

 

[Jim McLeod]

Should you, would you or could you use Infantry crew counters for the 1/2" Inf SW's?

Absolutely.

In ASL, all M/HMG, ATR, Lt. Mtr and other such 1/2" heavy weapons should all be "crew" served.

Any other MMC useage should incurr inexperienced use penalties.

JMO

 

[trevpr1]

If I have extra crews, yes I will often use them for a SW. However, I dislike the SSRs that I have seen in some cases that try to duplicate the Japanese crew rule for all nationalities. I'm with the "don't tinker with the rules unnecessarily" crowd. I did not vote because I'm not really sure what the real underlying question is.

Sums up my position entirely. If I were a scenario designer with a hankering after this (in my opinion unnecessary) chrome, I'd just put some crews in the senario and leave the player to decide.

My problem with forcing the issue is that a crew manning a SW takes up a full HS of room in the hex. There's stacking issues which make your kill stack more of a problem.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Sums up my position entirely. If I were a scenario designer with a hankering after this (in my opinion unnecessary) chrome, I'd just put some crews in the senario and leave the player to decide.

IMHO, it would be better to throw in some Elite Half-squads for this purpose.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

IMHO, it would be better to throw in some Elite Half-squads for this purpose.

Which leads to the ahistoric ability for trained weapons specialists to combine into elite rifle squads...it would have been extremely unusual to see soldiers of a British machine gun battalion pick up rifles and go off to do battle as part of an infantry company, which is what that allows.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Which leads to the ahistoric ability for trained weapons specialists to combine into elite rifle squads...it would have been extremely unusual to see soldiers of a British machine gun battalion pick up rifles and go off to do battle as part of an infantry company, which is what that allows.

Using Inf. Crews leads to HMG/MMG/etc. trained personnel suddenly being better at taking out tanks in CC, not sure that is very historic either.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Using Inf. Crews leads to HMG/MMG/etc. trained personnel suddenly being better at taking out tanks in CC, not sure that is very historic either.

Good point, but I wonder - which is more likely to occur in any given scenario?