Defensive Fire (lack of) - Sigh...

[Volcano Man]

Well, I know what you mean about requiring killer stacks to deal with German armor, but I suggest not staking them into one single hex. Try concentrating your tanks, but keeping them behind your infantry (IF enemy armor is known to be heavy in the area). If you have to concentrate your tanks, certainly do not do it in clear terrain, or try to do it when enemy takes have just crossed a stream or elevation so that it minimizes their ability to move up and shoot. But generally, the best solution for German armor in the _Alt scenario you speak of is constant bombardment with artillery, infantry in their path to force the need to assault, then stalk them in front and ambush them at a predetermined spot with a goal to move up and shoot and move back on your turn.

I generally like the current ADF behavior because it goes both ways. I mean, sometimes the AI doesn't fire when you want it to, but it also (thankfully) does not fire when you do not want the enemy to shoot at you. It is generally accepted that on your turn you trash the enemy, and on the enemy's turn they trash you -- a tit for tat arrangement. There are times when I get unlucky and blunderbuss into a kill zone. I am sure Rick or Foul (mostly the latter) can attest that I am guilty of blundering into a move-shoot that turns into a move-disruption, then sending more and more units in to help get it back out again.

If there was ever any change here, it would probably have to revolve around (as odd as it sounds) the American Civil War series, and it would need to be an Optional Rule. In that series there is a system where there is unlimited opportunity fire in ADF mode, but the opportunity fire is weak. When the enemy chooses to assault, the opportunity fire is at full strength. I believe also that the opportunity fire that occurs is proportional to the fire brought against the hex. In any case, those that think this is important -- mark it down as a topic of conversation at the next Tillercon. Who knows what could come of it.