Pacific Battles Series is a complete makeover of the SPI Island War Quad. Decision just published Volume 1 with Singapore, Bataan, and Guadalcanal. More volumes are expected in the future. This is the place to discuss the games, check for errata and variants, and talk about the future volumes design and scenarios. Mark Mokszycki - May 25, 2007 6:11 pm (#244 Total: 244) current/recent: L'Armee du Nord, Gaines Mill, Antietam- Burnished Rows of Steel, Napoleon at Leipzig, Operation Kremlin Compiled Q&A plus Errata Ok, I have compiled what is hopefully a current list of all Q&A plus all errata items. Please feel free to comment or correct. When appropriate, I have taken the liberty of rewording Q&A as a statement. Also note that there is still an outstanding question as to when artillery fires- before movement (as in the rules) or after movement (as on the expanded turn sequence card). Here's the current list... 1. Terrain and movement. In hexes where the predominant terrain is not evident, use the least costly terrain type for movement purposes; however, the least costly terrain type must be present in the hexside being crossed or else the more costly terrain for movement applies. For combat purposes, the defender always receives the most advantageous terrain in the hex. 2. Initiative. 4.1 Only attacks conducted with a least one ground unit are valid for purposes of gaining the initiative. 3. HQ units (14.1) To prevent HQ units from being using in an ahistorical manner, 14.1 is modified as follows: Headquarters units are not considered combat units. They may not attack or defend and possess no steps for loss determination purposes. If alone in a hex, any enemy unit may enter their hex at no cost and continue movement. In this case, the headquarters unit will displace to the nearest friendly combat unit of its formation. If there is more than one unit equidistant, the opposing player determines where to place the displaced headquarters. If there are no further combat units remaining from that headquarters' formation, it is eliminated. When it displaces for the first time, it is flipped over to its less capable side and remains there for the rest of the game. 4. HQ units.14.1 the command range of a HQ is measured in hexes. A unit in the range of his HQ is "in communication" with it to employ a reserve die roll, even when an enemy unit is in between unit and HQ blocking supply. This radius is in hexes -- terrain and enemy units do not block it. Communication would be by radio in this case. 5. Artillery fire is directed at a unit, not the hex or stack, and certainly not several hexes. 6. Artillery can be fired once each player turn, offensively and defensively. reworded: You can fire ONCE per complete player turn. So that is TWICE in one complete game turn, once in one player turn and second in the other. 7. The Artillery Bombardment chart is correct- There is a -1 DRM if the target unit is attacking (it is the active player who is firing the artillery. In other words, artillery is more effective for the defending/inactive player). 8. Artillery. 11.1 when an Arty unit is adjacent to an enemy, it may still fire at any enemy in its range. It is not required to attack by bombardement the adjacent enemies (but bear in mind that this may be suicidal). 9. Step Losses. The owning player decides which units take step losses (after the lead unit, if appropriate). 10. Step Losses. It is not necessary for all units in a combat to take a single step loss before any unit takes multiple step losses. 11. Attrition Losses. HQs units cannot be used to absorb attrition losses. 12. Concealment.Clarification: The real value of concealment markers are that they prevent the opposing player from examining the stack during interdiction and prevent the top unit of the stack from being observed. 13. Fortifications. Engineers and construction units that are in reserve cannot construct fortifications. 12.2 14. When fortifications are not manned by a friendly combat (non-HQ) unit at the end of a movement phase, they are removed from play. 15. Replacements. 5.2 a unit cannot take replacements when out of supply at that moment. 16. Replacements. Clarification: You keep track of losses during each turn. Then during the replacement phase, if you have enough losses to give you replacements, you get them (and have to take them, or they are lost). In any case, the count of losses is then zeroed, and the process begins over again. So if the Japanese lose, say, four steps in one turn, they then get a replacement point (3x0.4=1.2, rounds to 1), but if they lose four steps in four turns (or even three in one and one in the next), they get nothing. 17. Interdiction: 13.3 is poorly worded. The Expanded Sequence of Play chart describes how interdiction should work. The phasing player removes all enemy air and naval interdiction markers in phase D (after he has moved). He places new interdiction markers in phase F. This correct phasing allows each player's interdiction to affect the other's movement. 18. Lead Units. If a lead attacking unit is destroyed by defensive bombardment, the attacker designates a new lead unit. If the lead unit becomes disrupted, it is still the lead unit (for purposes of DRM and first step loss requirement). Fall of Singapore scenario- 1. All British artillery units should have a range of 1if not marked otherwise. 2. 2.53 Japanese supply sources: Any headquarters unit is a valid supply source if it can trace a line of supply of any length along a road or railroad to the ports of Singora (1707) or Patani (1910) or the road hex which exits the map at hex 1506. (as an aside, the road hex on 1506 should actually be shown exiting the map) 3. Not all of the parts of the Japanese divisions come on board at the same time. These divisions have to wait until all their parts are on board to qualify for formation integrity. 4. There are 17 turns in this scenario. The rules are correct. The map is missing turn 17 on the turn track. Turning Point Guadalcanal scenario- 1. The terrain chart for Turning Point Guadalcanal is incorrect. Motorized units can cross river hexsides at a cost of 3 MPs. See case 2.8 for the only exception. 2. A clarification on the artillery in Turning Point Guadalcanal --- you can bombard (offensively or defensively) an enemy artillery unit to disrupt it BEFORE it can bombard itself (counterbattery). This is intentional. 3. See also the notes above pertaining to fortifications.