On Foot

MasnarT · 04-18-2009, 01:59 AM,

does making a Motorized or a Horse battalion in the "ON FOOT" condition in a Hex affect in a way or another:
- the effectiveness of its firing (i mean to cause more casualties in the enemy unit)
- its ability to defend the hex better.
- the number of casualties in it when under attack, or under fire.

Steel God · 04-18-2009, 02:35 AM,

I don't believe so. It's the same unit.

MasnarT · (This post was last modified: 04-18-2009, 03:56 AM by MasnarT.)

inspired from Glenn, i just did a little test:

in scenario #23_01s: The Relief of Bastogne from Bulge '44
i tried to move the american unit at Hex 23,23 one Hex down to "Sibret"
it has 200 Men, A Quality, Fatigue 0

when i moved it, the german unit fire immidiatly .. i lost 9 Men and fatigue is now 34.

i restart this with the American On Foot ... the german unit fire... i lost 9 Men and fatigue is 11

in another test i moved the unit at Hex 25,23 toward "Sibret" the germans fire: 10 Men , fatigue 58
restart it On Foot: 9 Men, fatigue 28

could it be a coincidence? or random results? or the ON FOOT has to do with something?

Volcano Man · 04-18-2009, 05:43 AM,

MasnarT Wrote:does making a Motorized or a Horse battalion in the "ON FOOT" condition in a Hex affect in a way or another:
- the effectiveness of its firing (i mean to cause more casualties in the enemy unit)
- its ability to defend the hex better.
- the number of casualties in it when under attack, or under fire.

Actually, it *should* have no effect whatsoever. When Motorized or Horse units are "on foot" they are essentially the same as when they are deployed, except that when they go into Travel Mode while being "on foot" they ignore their given unit ratings for speed and defense and instead use the assigned PDT infantry defense factor and speed (and switch to Unit Class: Foot).

James Ward · 04-18-2009, 05:51 AM,

Aren't there some units that are in half track that are classified as hard targets? They might have a different defense rating when on foot.

Steel God · 04-18-2009, 06:00 AM,

James Ward Wrote:Aren't there some units that are in half track that are classified as hard targets? They might have a different defense rating when on foot.

They're only "hard targets" when they are in T mode. When they go on foot they default to different values as Volcano Man said and become infantry, foot, and no longer hard targets in T mode.

James Ward · 04-18-2009, 06:10 AM,

steel god Wrote:
James Ward Wrote:Aren't there some units that are in half track that are classified as hard targets? They might have a different defense rating when on foot.

They're only "hard targets" when they are in T mode. When they go on foot they default to different values as Volcano Man said and become infantry, foot, and no longer hard targets in T mode.

Ah ha. Now I know why I didn't do much to those T mode Germans, hiding behind those steel plates!

Steel God · 04-18-2009, 07:47 AM,

James Ward Wrote:Ah ha. Now I know why I didn't do much to those T mode Germans, hiding behind those steel plates!

Half Track mounted infantry is GREAT for fighting a delaying action against infantry with low or no Hard Attack values. The enemy bumps into your units, draws fire, if you spaced it out right will get minimal return fire on you, and then on your turn you switch to T mode and back off a few more hexes to repeat it again next turn. It's a beautiful thing.

Ask Foul. ;)

Glenn Saunders · 04-18-2009, 08:22 AM,

Right - What ON FOOT does is allow you to move the units which are Motorized into hexes such as Swamp or over rivers, ferried by Eng, where the vehicles wouldn't or couldn't go.

It was spec'ed as needed early in the Series when German players in Smolensk couldn't chase Russian Partisans into swamp. It made me pul my hair out when infilling Rough Terrain in ME67, I locked a number of Motorized units into hexes which were not rough when we laid out the Scn originally.

It was added for Bulge (PzC #5) because there is a case at start where the Germans actually ferried PzGs over the Our River to form a bridgehead behind which the Engs could build the Bridge. However in Bulge V1.0 this was an editor feature only - units could start the game ON FOOT and get their transport back when teh HQ crossed the river, but by Bulge V1.01 if I recall correctly, John made this feature active in the main game.

Also - FWIW, I don't see any value in putting Horse Units ON FOOT (at least I hadn't thought of any) as generally Horse Units can enter the same kind of hexes that Foot Units can but which Motorized can't enter, .... although I suppose there might be a case for "Going On Foot" to be ferried over a River - I just can't think of a case where I've seen this come up in the game. But this goes to show how a rule is or in this case was designed and how Horse units were not really considered - but in this case it worked out OK anyway.

Glenn