Understanding Defensive Fire

[GerryM]

1) It seems to me that when you have your turn and fire at a unit it gets an awful lot of defensive fire. So I am trying to understand this.

Say there is a single enemy infantry unit on the map and you can move 12 units, one unit at a time, into the six adjacent hexes. So you would have two units in each hex. How many defensive fire shots will that enemy unit get? (three total, one per unit advancing, etc....).

2) Sometimes it seems that if you don't fire the enemy doesn't use defensive fire. Is that right? If so it seems strange as why would the enemy not always fire as you are attacking them in general.

Thanks,

Gerry

[Ricky B]

Each action, by each unit, can trigger defensive fire from each enemy unit. For example, firing a stack of 3 units against a defender, where no other defending units can see the stack and no IF artillery, can result in up to 3 return fires by that defender. Defenders are not limited in the number of shots taken. So sometimes taking offensive shots can be a mistake, at least until you get enough friendly units in position to try and overwhelm the defender.

Rick

[GerryM]

Thanks Ricky. I just think that this gives the defender an advantage. How would they be able to fire so often? In my example of 12 units moving adjacent would that give the lone defender 12 shots?

[wiggum]

Huh, i always thought there was no limit to opportunity fire in PzB...

[fastphil]

Thanks Ricky. I just think that this gives the defender an advantage. How would they be able to fire so often? In my example of 12 units moving adjacent would that give the lone defender 12 shots?

It does as it should I think.  The defense almost always has an advantage. 

[GerryM]

How then does a very large number of attacking units overwhelm a small force as they should in general? Say my 12 units to their one? The defender is putting out a disproportionate amount of fire.

[Ricky B]

I would say it gives the defender the advantage compared to what? Typically, the defenders are going to be firing at everything they can, not the first 3 units they see and then let the others move up completely unmolested. Since the game turns are already an abstraction of real life shoved into I Go You Go, and in general most people I know feel the attacker already has at least a bit of an advantage, even with the multiple fires that a defender can make.

Wiggum, there is no limit? Did someone say there is a limit above, I missed it if so, or maybe you misunderstand what I said? I do believe that a single action for one unit will trigger just 0-1 defensive fires per unit that can see that unit, or for IF whatever rules may apply. I have never seen a single unit firing or moving that has drawn more than 1 shot per defender in view, but have seen up to say 3 shots from a single defender when there are 3 of my units doing something together, moving or firing.

Rick

[wiggum]

The manual says:
"Unlimited op fire (as in Squad Battles)."

[miller41]

How then does a very large number of attacking units overwhelm a small force as they should in general? Say my 12 units to their one? The defender is putting out a disproportionate amount of fire.

True but I have found that the defender will also run out of ammo very quickly, and that is a very bad thing.

[Ricky B]

The manual says:
"Unlimited op fire (as in Squad Battles)."

Exactly. There is no limit to how many shots a unit may take during an enemy's turn.