Operation Konrad
Rules
Page 4
The Combat Phase and Battles
Keep
in mind that all sectors always belong to one side or the other, and never
both. A sector is either
Friendly or Hostile.
When a friendly DSU enters a hostile sector, and it is occupied by an enemy
DSU, then
a battle will take
place. The player to whom the sector is friendly is always considered the
defender in the
scenario that is
generated.
A challenged sector will always have a
friendly half and a hostile half, with the imaginary line separating
the 2 areas at about
the halfway point between the defender’s map edge and the map edge where the attacker
enters. Note that this dividing line may not always be in exactly the middle of
the map, for example, when the
attacker has 2
different DSUs entering from 2 different sectors….but here, the principle still
works the same
way, and common
sense will dictate the attackers’ and the defender’s areas. Again, this is
another simply
visualized concept,
and should be understand in its simplicity. It is in respect to the imaginary
dividing line, or
No Man’s Land (NML),
that dictates where FORW and REAR units will set up.
When a battle takes place, the following
steps will occur:
-The defending player will be sent the
scenario map and his scenario OOB file. The OOB will reflect the actual units
available, which will vary due to orders,
previous casualties, etc. All eligible units must set up on the map, with the only exception being empty
transport. The defender will be instructed where particular RSUs can be set up,
based upon the OF received by the GoW, including any fortifications available….any
permanent fortifications will already be on the map. Due to the nature of the
CS engine, units will always be shown as at full strength in the scenario OOB…however,
the player’s DSU webpage will show the actual strengths…players should be aware
of the actual state of their platoons.
-After placing his units, the files will be
sent back to the GoW, where the setup will be checked, strength and morale
levels properly adjusted. Then the GoW will finish the scenario creation by
placing the attacker’s forces
and any remaining
elements required.
-At that point, the scenario creation is
finished, and sent to the attacking player. The battle will begin, and proceed
in normal PBEM fashion.
All scenarios will last 14 turns. Note that
the scenario will probably list 20 turns, as this is the default number.
However, the scenarios will always be over at
the end of turn 14!!! Victory will be judged in the normal fashion
at that point. Again this process is due to the nature of the CS engine…this
method is the only way for the GoW
to assess casualties
correctly. With this in mind, players should refrain from plotting IF on turn
14, since turn 15 is considered to not exist for the players, and any
casualties caused then would complicate matters for the GoW.
Continuation of
It will be determined right after the battle,
in the morale phase, whether the defender retains the sector or retreats
according to the morale rules. If the defender keeps control of the sector,
then the attacking player is considered to pull back into the sector he
originally attacked from. If the defender chooses to continue defending the
sector, and the attacking player to attack it again, then battle will continue
the next day. In short, a sector will not change hands until the defender
chooses or is forced to leave it due to retreat.
Fortifications and Engineers
When
a defending RSU is given a DEF order, any unit on the map that belongs to that
RSU may set up with an Improved Position (IP). IPs are not permanent
emplacements, that is, after the scenario, all IPs disappear but may be rebuilt
by units in future scenarios.
Permanent emplacements may be created by
the use of “Engineer Action Points” (EAPs). For every defending engineer
platoon that belongs to an RSU that received a DEF order in a friendly sector,
the player receives 1 EAP. The defending player will be informed with his setup
files how many EAPs he has available
to use…they may be
spent in any legal hex in friendly territory. Below is a list of possible uses
of EAPs, and remember, these are permanent…they remain on the map until removed
by an engineer:
-trench 1 EAP
-bunker 3 EAP
-pillbox 6 EAP
-minefield 1 EAP per level
-block 1 EAP
-bridge 6 EAP per level per water hex
It costs only 1 EAP each to remove any of
the above…it’s a lot easier to blow something up!
If players are interested in such things we
will come up with a EAP schedule for doing things such as building roads,
clearing forests, etc. There is no limit
to what is possible, if you have enough engineers and the time to do it…
Unspent EAPs may be accumulated until the
next battle as long as a DSU with engineers with DEF orders remain in that
sector. For example, if a RSU with engineers occupies a sector for 3 days, and it is attacked, it will have 3x the EAPs
to use. The EAPS must be spent then, and any left over will be lost. Inactive DSUs, if attacked, will
automatically have accumulated EAPS. This is especially true of the Russian
Zone Defense Division, which can’t move at all…it will accumulate EAPs starting
with turn 1 until it is attacked!