Basic newbie question on ? placement in buildings

[paulyj]

Complete newbie to SASL getting v confused re. ? placement in building locations.

I set up ? according to case a in ground level and level 1 of a building. However, it is a city board so I have to abide by 4.12 and make a dr on A9e for each building hex. I roll a 3 on A9e (None). Does that mean I remove all the ? from the building, leaving none, or I leave them all in place - ie. remove none? Similarly, if I roll a 1 on A9e (Ground Level), does that mean I remove the Ground Level ? and leave the Level 1 ? or keep the Ground Level ? and remove the Level 1 ?.

I'm sure this is very simple - just can't seem to get my head around it.

Many thanks for any guidance.

Paul

[Vinnie]

I'm pretty sure the none refers to the number of ? in that location. It does not affect the other locations.

[Paullus]

The wording in the rules here aren't very clear. It's better when you check the A9e table and read the title for the second column. It says "Placement Location(s). It means that you only leave S? counters in those hexes that are stated for that dr. For exampel a dr of 3 means no S? placed (unless the hex contains VPO Locations), a dr of 6 means S? are placed in ground and 2nd Level Locations so to answer your questions:

dr = 3 => Remove all
dr = 1 => Only Ground Level remains

The wording of this rule was actually changed between 1st and 2nd edition of SASL. In the 1st edition the rule told you to place a S? in those locations that you roilled on table A9e.

[paulyj]

Thanks very much. Got it now.

Paul

[indy_go_blue60]

paulyj, I think you'll find it easier if, instead of setting up and removing your S? counters, don't place them until you've rolled for the hex then set them up per 4.12, 4.13 instructions. Another thing suggested by one of our SASL players is, instead of using building level counters, use different colored S? to indicate their location until it's activated. That sure cuts down on board clutter. Different colored "?" work just as well. Also remember your VPO sites are getting S? despite what your A9e dictates.

[hayman]

Good suggestion for the colour level indicators for the S? from indy-go-blue.

I always took the intent of the rule for Built-up boards that you rolled for each individual building hex, and placed S? in any appropriate levels that each hex contained e.g. a single hex bldg with a 'Ground & 2nd level' result just left a S? in the hex; and a '1st level' result would leave no S? in the hex.

[indy_go_blue60]

Hayman, according to rule 4.12 you're doing it wrong, but if you're satisfied with it I doubt your opponent will complain:

"No S? is placed in that hex if none of the determined location(s) exist in that hex (eg, a Final dr 3 ["none'] or 5 ["second level] {A9e} would have no effect for a single story house) the exception being a VPO; reroll until at least one S? is placed. This rule applies to "c" (city) boards.

EDIT: After re-reading this and the rule, I think maybe I'm doing it wrong. Not that it matters much, I still get my butt kicked in every city mission I play

[hayman]

indy-go-blue60,
I tend to agree with you on the city fights- I just took my Ger Coy through board 45 on "Fight through the Town" (a GSASL scenario) and won 56 to 55 against substandard Russian opposition. I started with 12 & a 1/2 squads + 5 crew and ended by exiting 6 squads and 1 crew. Basically decimated!

[Paullus]

City fighting is a brutal thing. I'm currently playtesting VotG SASL CGII and wow what an experience. There is a lot going on all over the map and sometmes it's spookily close to what actually happened in central Stalingrad.

Here is a picture of my CG, I'm in scenario 4 of CGII

CGII-Sc4-GT4b--Playtest-1-G.jpg

[indy_go_blue60]

In my last city mission, part of my May '40 France Campaign, I played "Block Busters." Can't recall the board but it represented the "last large village or medium town" before Dunkirk itself; victory would have cleared the path for panzers to rush the port before the defense was firmly established.

As far as directions go, I don't follow the FBE is east. Here the VASL board's L side was north, so I was attacking from the bottom of the screen. I used the optional engineers. They cleared one 3 hex building then moved into an empty location. To their left was 1 S? and above it 1 S? The left one was a half squad and 8-0 leader; their DFF broke 1 (of 2) engineers. The unit above was a squad, MMG and 8-1 leader, a 16 +2 attack. Frigging snake eyes and K/3. Lost the 9-1 leader to the wound roll plus both squads broke (1 elim for dbl brk) and they kept their ROF. Wham, my engineers were gone, damn Limey's got the casualty points and I never could get rid of that MG nest.

Meanwhile a little further west a half squad wiped out 3-1/2 squads in CC, one of them a 4:1 attack (the got an ambush.) I announced at that point there was no reason to continue the war and that I'd even help Britain defend its empire...