Big Push Q&A
July 2005

1) I believe F must precede E. But does Command Resource Determination come before Assault Commitment (as in the example) or before as in the rules? I can accept a decision either way but something's not right. BTW, we played the first scenario with the rules as written and found having assault commitment before resource determination inserted another element of uncertainty for the attacking player.

This is not a biggie as far as game-play goes. The sequence of play is correct, but the narrative of the demo doesn't change things any whether you roll for one or the other first. The design is intended to create more uncertainty for the attacker by making commitments go first and then see what resources can hopefully come in to help.  
2) 6.3.3. states any vacant targeted square is marked "Interdicted" while Case 6.5.1 says any adverse result will interdict a vacant square. Which is correct? 

Some sort of result has to be achieved on the Bombardment table for an Interdiction marker to be placed. Case 6.5.1 goes into detail what was described in 6.3.3 (in editorial hindsight a “see reference” should be here...) 
3) Also, what about occupied squares -- are they only interdicted on an "I" result or any adverse result includes "I"? 

In an occupied area only an “ I”  result on the table results in an Interdicted Marker being placed. 
4) And, when is interdiction removed? We ruled at the beginning of friendly bombardment all friendly interdiction was removed. This way interdiction lasts a complete game turn. If interdiction is removed at the end of the turn German interdiction has very little effect on the Allies and never affects Allied movement.  See also No. 9 below.

See Section 12.4 Clearing Interdiction. This is done at the end of the Reorganization Phase. 
5) Are Secondary Attacks the number of hexes which may be assaulted or the number of units that may be committed? We presumed it is the former. 

Since combats are against one defending area the number of Secondary Attacks are the number of defending areas that can be attacked. The Attacking player can utilize as many units as possible, but remember these use the smaller CF as per Case 9.2.1 
6) Does the fact that battalions and brigades start in the replacement boxes mean they cannot be used as step reductions until they are purchased with replacement points? We played it that these units were always available for step losses. 

You can use these units for break-downs, but the counter mix is the limit (players can't make more). If you've broken down units and there aren't enough for others to enter as replacements, too bad. This is war, deal with it! 
7) Also, it would seem a unit cannot be replaced until destroyed. Doesn't this mean a full strength unit cannot be rebuilt until a step loss unit is subsequently destroyed? 

No, if you have the replacements you can re-enter the unit even though its replacement brigade/battalion is still in play. These sorts of "ersatz" formations were common on both sides. Besides, the casualties pile-up so fast in this game anyone who can keep track of all of "who's on for what" is pretty good! Probably can count cards, too! 
8) 10.2 states defenders in or adjacent to areas where close assaults are declared may fire DF. Should it also be a requirement that the defensive firer also be adjacent to an attacker? Otherwise units behind an assaulted square could DF. 

Huh? DF fire can only fire into adjacent areas. By definition then the defending fire has to be adjacent to an assaulting unit's square.  The attackers are on the square line of the defender and receive their fire at that point.

9) See Section 12.4 Clearing Interdiction. This is done at the end of the Reorganization Phase. 
In effect this means the Germans cannot interdict Allied movement. Was the Allied arty that much more capable or German supplies not up to it or something else? 

The Reorganization Phase occurs after both players have had their turn. See Section 4.1, Turn Sequence: 

Pre-game (Campaign Game only) 

1. Weather Determination 
2. 1st Player's Phase 
3. 2nd Player's Phase 
4. Reorganization 

The German player could get Interdiction results in counter-battery, as well as his usual bombardment phase. Remember that interdiction confers an adverse Assault Combat DRM, as well as having an effect on movement. The Germans did suffer from the Allies having air superiority, and this would make "on the fly" interdiction missions harder in having an effect. Initiative is important in many ways! This is another case of why I strongly encourage players to use the Optional Rule (in the errata) where Counter-Battery fire is resolved using the Bombardment Table. This will simulate more realistically the blow-counter blow of the artillery duels raging along the front.  If players choose not to use the Optional Rule, then I suggest that British interdiction markers clear in the Reorganization Phase and German interdiction markers clear at the end of the next British Movement Phase.  In this way, both sides will have the full benefit of interdiction markers.

10) Nowhere in the rules for counter-battery can I find which units can fire. I guess it can be either: 

a) Artillery that hasn't fired in the turn (the "fire once" paradigm)
b) Artillery that hasn't fired counter-battery earlier in the phase (the "once per player turn" paradigm)

A: See Case 6.4, "B" is correct. 

11) Does a bombardment result of ST, D, or S also cause the hex to be interdicted if there is a unit in the hex. The way I read it, no, but it does seem strange that a unit would "suck up" the interdiction effect. 

A: No. This is a design effect. My interpretation is the increased casualties from the bombardment have caused the broken survivors to flee and steer clear of the area. This could actually make follow-on forces to be able to move through (say in a secondary assault or Breakthrough) more easily than if the enemy was laying down a slower but more sustained shelling.  

12) The rule for displacement after retreating from defensive fire makes no sense to me. How could a hex end up over-stacked if you just back off to where you came from? Presumably, you never left the hex (there is nothing in the rules suggesting assaulting units leave their hex to enter the target hex) and anyway, stacking is checked per phase, so the moving units would have to get in before assault commitment, in which case the stack would have been illegal long before we got to the retreat part. 

A: The displacement rule is there in case earlier attacks resulted in units retreating to the area. Just covering all of the bases. Admittedly this will be a very rare occurrence. 

13) Is the tank/cavalry resource some kind of asset that applies to stacks regardless, or does it require a tank or cavalry unit in the attack? If so, how is this supposed to work? Do you commit tanks and infantry to an attack in the hopes of getting the resource? If you don't get it, what happens then? Presumably one or the other of the tanks/cavalry or infantry have to back out from the assault, but there is nothing in the rules on this. 

A: The resource does require a tank and/or cavalry unit to be implemented. If you don't have this resource and these units are involved you resolve the assault as a regular assault. You don't get any bonus for having both in combat. Note as well that the German player can attempt to “trade” for the tank/cavalry command resource since he/she doesn’t have any of these… 

14) The flank modifier says you have to attack a hex from two hexes, of which at least one has to be a diagonal, rear or side attack. How could it possibly be that one of the attacking hexes WEREN'T, since there is only one hex that isn't any of the above? 

A: Again, covering the bases here. Also, given 11.7.2 (see the illustration), units may be attacking from non-front areas, but not qualify for a flank attack since there is a good-order enemy unit to their front that is not being attacked. Just because a unit is attacking into an enemy’s flank or rear doesn’t mean they will qualify for it.

15) The Operations: I take it the cost for the Ops REPLACE those listed in the table, they are not in addition? Despite the errata, this is not clear. 

A: No, these VP awards are in addition, and as per the errata are only as a play-balance. 

16) The command center option says you get to add +2 to ALL command center rolls on any ONE turn. What is this supposed to mean, you only roll once per turn, don't you? 

A: Yes, once per turn for any one turn. 

17) British Victory II (Campaign game). If the German Strength Point VP marker IS drawn, can the British win Campaign Victory II simply by having 1 more VP than the Germans? Why? 

A: Yes. If the Allied player can inflict such staggering losses on the Germans, then Haig's war of attrition approach will have been vindicated with a 1 VP margin. 

19) But do they need to actually fulfill the condition of the chit, or just pull it as the rules say? 

A: With the German Strength Point marker the Allied player "only" needs to inflict 1 less strength point loss, AND eliminate at least 150 German strength points, to win the game. 

20) Anz 4, NZ, CDN 3 and the tank cos are never listed as reinforcements. How am I supposed to know when they should enter? 

A: As per 15.0.1 the units enter on the first turn of the scenario they first appear for the Campaign game. 

21) 15.1, the part about combining brigades. Say I could rebuild a division by combining two brigades "and pay for the 3 new replacement points". What is this supposed to mean? 

A. You pay 2 points as it would require at least 2-step brigade to make up the difference. And if you rebuilt it reduced, you'd pay 1 point, as you would need at least a reduced brigade to make up the difference. 

22) 5) 11.7.3 says "close assault units surviving interdiction fire..." This means DEFENSIVE fire, right? 

A: Yes this should read Defensive Fire. 

23) Where do they enter, these reinforcements without listings? 

A: Unless otherwise directed in the individual scenarios, Allied reinforcements enter anywhere along the west map edge, German along the east map edge.  However, the entry squares must be free of enemy zones of control and enemy units.

24) 18R/89 seems to arrive one whole scenario later than the rest of its division. Is this really right? 

A: Yes. 

25) Can you use road movement diagonally when the road connects the two hexes but doesn't exactly cross the hex corner? Like K10/J11? 

A: Not if you want to use the Major Road movement rate. You have to follow the road's path to use it. 

26) The rules don't really say how air observation works. Do you roll once per turn for each side, or once per bombardment/counter-battery fire? 

A: As per Sections 5.2 and 6.6 you roll for air observation once per turn. 

27) The rule you quote above say you roll for "these" turns as well. "These turns" being the ones with fair weather, which, according to the table automatically gives air support! What does this mean? 

A: You roll on those turns that are not Fair, per the Weather Determination Table.

28) 9.3 says you could use all seven resources in one combat. The table says a maximum of 4 is allowed in a combat. Which is right? 

A: The line in 9.3 was to have been changed to comply with this but for some reason it fell through the cracks. Up to 4 of the Command Resources can be used in an attack.

29) 9.2.4 says tank/cavalry can advance further after combat. This actually has nothing to do with that resource, has it? 

A: 9.2.4 is part of the Command Resources Rule. This provides the 1R Column shift, as well as allowing these units to advance even further than normal per Case 11.8.2. Otherwise these units are treated as any other unit in an Assault. Note that without the Command Resource per Case 11.5.2 tank/infantry units do not confer these benefits. 

30) 11.2 Any HQ in Supply mode in an engaged square only supplies that square (to do this it would have to be stacked). 

A: The HQs in supply mode cannot stack. Case 7.3.3 and Section 11.3 are correct. 

31) Are Close assault and assault separate things? 

A: Close Assault and Assault are one and the same thing. Aside from bombardments, there aren't any other forms of combat. All units must pass a DR check per 8.0, 8.6 and 8.7 (I highly recommend use of 8.7.1 BTW) to actually attack. Those that do pass the DR check have a -1 DR modifier in defensive fire. Those that don't pass the check can still be fired upon defensively, but without the adverse DR modifier (the cowards are skulking!)

32) Rule 7.4.3 says two brigades can be used instead of three if no more are available. Can you breakdown a division into 3 instead of 2 brigades (a 6-rated division into 2 3-rated brigades, for example) even if there are enough brigades available? The rules seem to say no, but then, how would you ever break down a division weaker than 9? 

A: The rule does say you can do exactly this. Any combination of brigades, provided they do not exceed the parent division's combat stength/number of steps, can be used provided they are available. Just because the example cited in the rules uses 2 brigades doesn't mean it trumps/limits the entire rule. 
33) Can you use reduced brigades when breaking down? 

Yes, provided of course the terms of the rule are met (don't exceed the parent unit's steps/CF and are available).