Multiple Fire Zones in WaW

[pixelgeek]

Was looking in the WaW rules about this but what happens when you have weapons that create different sized FZs?

A German squad with Kars and an MG42 create a 3" and a 6" FZ. In SST you would resolve fire separately. I can't see a reference to what you do in WaW.

 

[Rabidchild]

IMHO this is something that has never been adequately explained. What feels right to me is to allocate the 3" FZ dice, followed by the 6" FZ, but I'm curious what other people think.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

I had a similar question with Modern Combat. I believe the rules are basically the same in that regard. Maybe Matt can answer this one for us?

 

[SgtHulka]

Really good question. The way I play it is I allocate the dice normally but the machinegun dice, only, can allocate to the 6" firezone.

For example, in a full-strength Desant Squad, Trooper 1 is the center of the firezone, and is the closest figure. Troopers 2 and 3 are within 3" of 1. Troopers 4, 5 and 6 are within 6" of one.

A prone MG-42 and his half-squad fire: that's 4d6+1 dice with the auto trait, and 3d6 of rifle fire.

The rifles roll: 1, 5, 2.

The MG-42 rolls: 7, 2, 5, 4.

The MG-42's "7" is allocated to Trooper 1. The MG-42's "5" is allocated to Trooper 2, and the Rifle's "5" is allocated to Trooper 3. The MG-42's "4" is allocated next, to Trooper 4, since it's from the MG-42 and has the Auto trait. The MG-42's "2" is allocated to Trooper 5. The Rifle's "2" can't be allocated to Trooper 6, since it doesn't have the Auto trait, so it's allocated back to the dead Trooper 1. The Rifle's "1" is discarded.

Trooper 1 is killed by the 7. Troopers 2, 3 and 4 get armor saves. Trooper 5 isn't hit. And since Trooper 6 is never allocated a die, the Germans fail to suppress the Desant Squad. If the Germans had been firing M1 Rifles with the "auto" trait, the last "2" would have been allocated to Trooper 6, and the Desant Squad would have been suppressed.

I don't know whether or not that's the correct way to play it. But in the absence of further clarification it's how I've interpreted it.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

That looks pretty sane, actually. Nice one. 8)

 

[MongooseMatt]

Resolve one, then the other (firer's choice which - though it should be fairly obvious which he will do first ), using the same centre point.

 

[Rabidchild]

Thank you Matt!

 

[hithero]

Unexpected answer as it does not follow the games general rules and is certainly not mentioned in there to resolve this way :? Would have thought just roll as per normal firing and allocate as usual with the proviso that dice are allocated within their firezone.

 

[SgtHulka]

Based on what Pixelgeek said I'm guessing this is a Starship Troopers rule that fell between the cracks because it seemed obvious to everyone except for those of us who never played Starship Troopers.

Thanks, Pixelgeek, for bringing it up, and Matt for clarifying!

 

[MongooseMatt]

Would have thought just roll as per normal firing and allocate as usual with the proviso that dice are allocated within their firezone.

More or less boils down to the same thing