New unit type: Leader with direct fire capability

[Crossroads]

Direct fire with the new leader units

Direct fire, with the Stu Leader not selected: business as usual.

Before:



After:



Direct fire, with the Stu Leader participating.

Stu Leader uses 50 AP for his own firing sequence, the allocates 50 AP for the participating Stu platoon for fire support.

Both units selected for direct fire:



Result: Stu Leader is out of AP, Stu platoon has 50 AP remaining:



Direct fire, Stu Leader and 2 Platoons, Stu Leader not participating

As you would expect, the leader allocates 50 + 50 AP to support the platoons. There were two round of direct fire results in the opening Fire Results dialog box. AP situation after:



However, if you now select all three platoons to fire, including the leader with 0 AP, he still participates in the round! As a result there is three direct fire results from the second round. And if you bring another Stu from the same Bn he fires again, ie. one Stu platoon + leader with 0 AP = two rounds.

But if you have say an ATG in the same hex with out of points Stu Leader, he will not be able to fire again.

Direct fire, 2 Stu Leader and 2 Platoons, Stu Leaders not participating

First round: it is the Bn Ldr who supports the firing units with 50 + 50 AP, and ends up with 0 AP. Coy Ldr is still at 100 AP. Two direct fire hits.

Second round: now the Coy Ldr in turn supports the firing units with 50 + 50 AP. Everyone at 0 AP at the end of second round.



Direct fire, 2 Stu Leader and 2 Platoons, Stu Leaders participating

After first round, both leaders use 50 AP for firing, and 50 AP for supporting the two regular Stu Platoons. End: Leaders with 0 AP, Stu platoons with 50 AP each. Four direct fire rounds.



After second round, if you keep the Leaders selected even with their 0 AP, they fire again! I assume the Stu platoons are without the benefit of leader support this time around. Four direct fire results it is.

So it seems you can squeeze some extra firing rounds with these units, as long as there is a unit capable at firing the selected target with APs to do it.

That is the confusing part as how this happens, but there is a logic to these unit types as explained here.

They were created in the first place to even up the Karelian Isthmus scenarios, where they are the sole modern tank types to face IS-2s, ISU-152s, T-34/85s etc... So I guess they do deserve their added edge. Fighting tanks with assault guns is not the easiest task, as I am sure we all can relate to...