Optional Rule Guide Manual defensive fire

[typhoon]

Just got back into playing Panzer Campaigns and the ACW titles which I used to play a lot and find that manual defensive fire is hardly ever used in PBEM games. Now I only have two of the Napoleonic titles and found it tougher to like than the other two series but thinking about trying it again and prefer PBEM. I have read the optional rule guide and found that the use of manual defensive fire is recommended to give realistic results I prefer this but would like to know if most people use this option in PBEM games as it would significantly slow games down? On a side note I would also like to know if the Campaigns are played? I think I would prefer a campaign to an individual battle any feedback appreciated.

[agmoss99]

Just got back into playing Panzer Campaigns and the ACW titles which I used to play a lot and find that manual defensive fire is hardly ever used in PBEM games. Now I only have two of the Napoleonic titles and found it tougher to like than the other two series but thinking about trying it again and prefer PBEM. I have read the optional rule guide and found that the use of manual defensive fire is recommended to give realistic results I prefer this but would like to know if most people use this option in PBEM games as it would significantly slow games down? On a side note I would also like to know if the Campaigns are played? I think I would prefer a campaign to an individual battle any feedback appreciated.

MDF is in some ways more realistic. However it very much slows games down so I recommend it for smaller scenarios.  It is not a common feature in PBEM games, I know only a few folks who use it regularly. Campaigns are big so I would not recommend it for them. ,.....yes, campaigns are played pretty often - normally the big single games rather than the small linked scenarios.

[krmiller]

Without Manual Defensive Fire turned on you play in what is often called Turn Mode, you can move, fire and melee anytime during your turn.  This can lead to very ahistorical outcomes where a player can move units from the back into position, shoot or melee an opposing unit out of position then move through the hole created and surround other units, a blitzkrieg type attack.
The other big problem is all defensive fire in Turn Mode is done at 50% strength in addition to any other modifiers that may be in effect, such as Terrain, Disruption or Fatigue and the chance of units firing is random and units often do not fire at all while the enemy moves up and shoots.  This reduces the chance of disrupting attacking units.  The big difference between Napoleonic and ACW warfare was the effectiveness of defensive fire in breaking up attacks and this is more difficult to do in Turn Mode.

Using Manual Defensive Fire sets the game to play in what some call Phase Mode.
During Phase Mode Defensive Fire, whether handled using the Automatic Defensive Fire option or by the players using two Email files per turn, all units' fire is calculated at Full Strength prior to applying other modifiers, unlike the 50% reduction used in Turn Mode Defensive Fire.  Also all defending units that are eligible will fire under ADF unless the player's range settings prevent it.  Firing at full effectiveness increases the power of the defense and the defender gets to fire first giving him the opportunity to Disrupt the attacking units before they can fire reducing their effectiveness and preventing melee.

If you use both MDF and ADF and play in phases it still only requires one email by each player to complete a pbem turn, players 1 moves, AI handles defensive fire, player 1 shoots, melees and sends file to player 2.
If you elect to do the defensive fire phase manually it will take two emails to complete a turn.  Player 1 moves, sends file to player 2, he shoots, sends file back, player 1 shoots and melees, rinse and repeat.

If you don't use MDF and use Turn Mode I still suggest using ADF, it will have no effect on the AI controlled defensive fire during the opponents turn but will allow you to set ranges for when units will check to see if they fire using the Adjust Auto Defensive Fire option under the AI menu.  This can reduce the ammo wasted by the AI firing guns at long range where they do little damage and reduce the risk of infantry running low on ammo at such shots.

[devoncop]

Just got back into playing Panzer Campaigns and the ACW titles which I used to play a lot and find that manual defensive fire is hardly ever used in PBEM games. Now I only have two of the Napoleonic titles and found it tougher to like than the other two series but thinking about trying it again and prefer PBEM. I have read the optional rule guide and found that the use of manual defensive fire is recommended to give realistic results I prefer this but would like to know if most people use this option in PBEM games as it would significantly slow games down? On a side note I would also like to know if the Campaigns are played? I think I would prefer a campaign to an individual battle any feedback appreciated.

Hi

I have just started a large map Campaign of Eckmuhl and am also doing a full Waterloo Campaign on a single map and can thoroughly recommend it as they add a fascinating strategic level as well as the usual tactical decisions.

I am a relatively new PBEM player but have just had a house rule suggested by a new opponent that all melees take place only after all movement which allows turn based (quicker) mode of PBEM play but prevents the unrealistic blitzkrieg style attacks described above. On first glance this seems an elegant solution.

Cheers

Ian

[LarkinVB]

My Campaign Waterloo does not have any Automated Defenive Fire option. Is this only in the ACW games available?

So the best way to play ACW PBEM games with only one file per turn is with MDF off and ADF on? I'm a bit confused now.

The Auto DF fire dialog for setting ranges is not with the options dialog. So can this be set on a turn by turn basis and how does this work in email games? When it is my turn I can set the values but in this turn my enemy is firing automated. So will I set the values for my enemy?

[agmoss99]

My Campaign Waterloo does not have any Automated Defenive Fire option. Is this only in the ACW games available?

Yes. In Napoleonics you either have manual defensive fire on (turns) or off (single phase game)

[LarkinVB]

My Campaign Waterloo does not have any Automated Defenive Fire option. Is this only in the ACW games available?

Yes. In Napoleonics you either have manual defensive fire on (turns) or off (single phase game)

That's sad. ACW has the great extreme FOW rules too. Hope these improvements find their way into the napoleonic series one day.

[Sir John Cope]

In Napoleonics you either have manual defensive fire on (turns) or off (single phase game)

So for PBEM usually played with it off, I suppose?

[devoncop]

In Napoleonics you either have manual defensive fire on (turns) or off (single phase game)

So for PBEM usually played with it off, I suppose?

In my experience for anything other than very short scenarios PBEM Napoleonics is almost exclusively played turns rather than phases. Even in short scenarios most Napoleonic PBEM's  seem to be played as turns .

[agmoss99]

Indeed. A majority like MDF OFF. That is how the games were playtested.

However, the great things about these games is that you can play a scenario a number of times with different rules and have very different gameplay as a result.