When a unit makes a concentrated attack or an opportunity fire attack, the attacking player may declare that other friendly units will support the attack with combined fire.
Units may never support an attack initiated by a unit taking a Fire and Movement action.
In a combined fire attack, there is always a leading unit that starts the attack. In concentrated attacks, the lead unit is the active unit. In Op Fire attacks, the attacker must declare which of the friendly units eligible for Op Fire will lead the attack.
To support an attack with combined fire, a unit must be eligible to attack the target – that is, be within range and LOS of the target.
Only fresh units may support a concentrated attack, and only units in Op Fire mode may support an Op Fire attack.
When resolving an attack with combined fire, the leading unit adds all of its firepower to the attack strength, while each unit supporting with combined fire adds half its firepower (round up) to the attack strength.
After a combined fire attack is resolved, both the lead and supporting units are fatigued (in the case of an Op Fire attack, the activation tokens are flipped to their fatigued side).
Multiple Ranges in Combined Fire Attacks
When multiple units are participating in an attack with combined fire, the attacking units are often firing at the target from different ranges. If this is the case, the “success” number, required to hit on the black attack dice, is equal to the least favorable range type contributing to the attack.
For example: The American player activates a unit to make a concentrated attack. The active unit is adjacent to the target unit, and is therefore within close range of the target. However, the American player decides to have two additional units support
the attack with combined fire. These two other units are at normal range to the target.
The American player must treat the combined attack as being at normal, rather than close, range: Only “5” and “6” results will score successes on the attack dice. Had the American player decided to attack the target with only the active unit, the attack would have been at close range, and scored successes on “4,” “5,” and “6” results.
Dice Shortages
Due to the potential size of combined attacks, it is possible that players may run out of dice when resolving the attack. To compensate for this, simply break down the attack into multiple dice rolls, keeping track of results between rolls.
Attack Examples
Concentrated Attack (top picture)
The American squad, which consists of 4 regular infantry, is activated to make a concentrated attack against the German squad, which is within its normal range. The American player decides that it will be a normal attack and rolls 4 black attack dice for his squad as well as 2 red cover dice (for the cover provided by the target’s woods terrain). He rolls 2 successes (“5” or “6” results) on his attack dice and 1 success on the defense dice. The defense success cancels out one attack success, resulting in 1 total hit applied to the German squad. The German player removes 1 figure from his squad, and the American squad is fatigued.
Fire and Movement Attack (bottom picture)
The American squad, which consists of 4 regular infantry, takes a Fire and Movement action. It moves 3 hexes and then attacks. The American player decides that it will be a normal attack, and rolls 2 black attack dice (half its total firepower) and no defense dice (since the German squad is in clear terrain, which provides no cover).
He rolls 1 success and deals 1 hit to the German squad. The German player removes 1 figure from his squad, and the American squad is fatigued.
Combined Fire Examples
This diagram shows examples of combined opportunity fire and combined concentrated fire.
- Combined Opportunity Fire: The German player decides to activate his tank with a Fire and Movement action, and begins to move the tank towards the American building. The two American squads on the hill are both in Op Fire mode, and when the German tank moves into a hex adjacent to one of the American squads, the American player declares that he will make an Op Fire attack against it. The American player declares that the American squad closest to the tank will be the lead Op Fire unit, adding its full firepower to the attack. The other American squad in Op Fire mode supports the attack, adding half its firepower. Although the lead Op Fire unit is at close range, the squad supporting the attack is at long range (the base range of regular infantry unit against vehicles is 1), so this will be a long-range attack (only “6” results will score successes). The American player rolls the attack and defense dice and luckily scores 3 hits against the tank.
The American squads flip their Op Fire tokens to their fatigued sides, and a “heavily damaged” token is placed by the tank. The tank is immediately fatigued, it must stop its movement, and may not fire. - Combined Concentrated Fire: The German player decides to activate his tank in the lower right corner to make a concentrated attack. The German squad in the same hex will participate in the attack with combined fire.
The tank is the active unit, so it adds its full firepower to the attack, while the squad adds half its firepower. The target is within normal range of both the tank and the squad, so the attack is a normal-range attack. The German player declares that this will be a normal and not a suppressive attack, and rolls the attack and defense dice. Note that due to its “Concussive Firepower” ability, the tank receives +3 firepower and +3 range (since the target squad is in a building). Once the attack is resolved, the German player places a fatigued token by both the tank and the squad.