The TCS firing conundrum, or how I stopped worrying and started liking single step losses.

I thought I would write a little about some of the delicious choices you have to make whilst playing this simulation.

Its not like choosing Vanilla or Chocolate.  Oh no sir. nothing that easy. I personally like both. In fact I like both but really like Mexican Vanilla Icecream, and Dutch chocolate Icecream. Those  of you not from Texas will think I’m nuts the rest of ya….All I can say is God loves happy cows.

No. TCS fire exercises are a flavor smorgasbord. Do I use the Mortar and the MG, the Platoon 1 & 2 with the MG or wait, shoot, should I keep a guy to cover for Return Fire, and Overwatch, and what if….OMG… more IFs.  If choices were orgasms you would be a happy man.

In the begining

The 3 platoons face 2 soviet platoons. 2 Ger. pltns decide to shoot at one of the Soviets. Fair enuff I hear you say. 2×3=6, at range 4 its -1 col shift to the left, -2 for that half arsed building the Soviet is in. a net -3 shifts. Ger. rolls 33 = No Effect(NE).

oh, cool lets fire these two guys! But wait!
Yes wait, ’cause I get to fire at your ass right back.

15.2(d). A bitch of a rule.

“A fire based trigger occurs when SFA, PFA”….”or a stack conducts OW Fire against a Movement based Overwatch trigger.

So if you shoot, I can shoot back at you with a unit that does not have a Fire marker.

IF I shoot at you because you were moving, you can fire at me with a guy who has not got a FIRED marker on him…..

You got that?

Is that right rules gurus?

Note the Soviet  returns fire at one of the units. Atk str of 3 -3 col. shifts also. rolls 11= NE.

so you fired, no effect, you move anyway…WRONG!

Moving in the open =bad.  Moving adjacent or next to a unit when they have no LoS from the hex you cam from and the one you are moving into is Protective or Partially Protective =good

That sucks. Suppress those guys.

With 3 fire strength it takes a 55 or thereabouts to hit. Nice one.

But if I did not fire in the SFA earlier – I can return fire on the dude who shot my dude….Thats a lotta dude.

The Germans now cannot return fire as both their chaps fired in the beginning…Ooops.

plan B

In the begining
Lets pretend only 1 Platoon fires-Platoon on the left, with the Mortar out of picture.

This way you have 2 platoons available to fire, move or ow or ow return fire. Lets assume you still missed.

Yes wait, ’cause I get to fire at your ass right back.

They return fire on you. They miss. You decide to move.

They fire OW. You cannot use your mortar for OW, but you can use the Pltn3 hexes away,

3 Str -2 col shifts.

In the begining

Lessons I learned.

  1. Look to Mortars first for everything.
  2. What can the mortar hit?
  3. Where will it benefit your men in the front the most?
  4. Who do you hold for OW fire?
  5. Where is the best location to be for that unit/units?
  6. Who SFA’s? Are you trying to suppress for a close assault? OR are you trying to move safely?
  7. Where are there CrossFires available?
  8. Can your units move safely enough with minimal risk of suppression in the open or taking a step loss?
  9. If you SFA is it worth being unable to Fire for possibly 2 rounds of enemy action?

What would you do?

8 thoughts on “The TCS firing conundrum, or how I stopped worrying and started liking single step losses.

  1. “You cannot use your mortar for OW, but you can use the Pltn3 hexes away”

    I’m assuming that the mortar has already fired, which is why it can’t OW. Mortars _can_ fire OW, but they can only fire one OW in an action phase (as opposed to the theoretically unlimited number of OW fires by other units).

    1. I thought the 2 possible OW sequences were:

      1) you fire SFA, i fire OW

      2) you move, i fire OW, you fire OW back.

      that is it. there is no you fire OW after i fire OW in option 1 above.

      it has been a while since i read the rules but i am pretty sure the structure was to prevent OW’s from going on and on and …

  2. Just stumbled on this post, remembering when I was learning TCS. That was when I ‘met’ you, so to speak. Was it really 5 years ago? Good Lord, how time flies…

  3. Yeah I love TCS, wish I could play it more. We did a scenario of Canadian Crucible in November. I never got far enough into it to use the op sheets, but one day I will.

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