"Frontal Assault" Tourney 16 Feb 2013

[SonBae]

*****PLAYER PACK AVAILABLE AS DOWNLOAD BELOW*****

"Frontal Assault" Tourney

Sponsored by The Foundry and the WWPD Podcast

Date:  16 Feb 2013

Location: The Foundry
7914 Memorial Parkway SW
Huntsville AL 35802
256-213-7467

Period:  Mid War (North Africa/East Front/Burning Empires or Official Battlefront MW PDF)
Points:  1500 points

Entry Fee:  $15 ($10 if complete army is fully painted/based).  Fees collected go to prize support.  Pay at the door.

Timeline:
0830-0930  --- Registration
0930-0945 --- Tournie Briefing
1000-1200 ---  Round 1
1200-1300 --- Lunch Break/Painting Competition
1300-1500 --- Round 2
1530-1730 --- Round 3
         1745 --- Awards Ceremony

Time hacks will be given at the 1 hour remaining mark, the 30 minute remaining mark and the 10 minute remaining mark.

Format:  "Battle Plan" format with all missions being either "Mobile Battle," or "Defensive Battle" types or "No Man's Land".

Battle Plan Format:

Players will be divided into 2 teams.  All attempts will be made to maximize Allied/Axis pure sides.  All battles will be fought over a "campaign" map. Team A (Axis) is the Campaign Attacker and is conducting an offensive.  Team B (Allied) is the Campaign Defender.  The campaign map is divided into sectors with each sector having an active battle location.  Each sector has a total 5 locations (one neutral and 2 on each team's side of the Campaign
map). 

Each round's battle for a sector determines the location for the next round's battle.  Depending on the type of mission fought in the previous round, a particular sector's next active location will move left or right in favor of the victor (towards the losing side).  For the next mission, the winning side of the previous battle will be the attacker and the losing side will be the defender.  The mission type is predetermined for that battle location based on which side won the last battle and what type of battle that was.

Players will be assigned to sectors by "High Command" (i.e the Tournament Organizer), based on ability and previous successes.  The top ranked player from Team A will play the top ranked player from Team B each round. Should a situation develop where the top ranked players have already faced each other, they will instead face the second player from each side.  All attempts will also be made to ensure players do not play a 2nd game on the
same table.

Victory Conditions:  The team that has more battle locations under their control after Round 3 will be declared the winner.

Awards:

- Best Commander each side (Tie breakers are Head to Head, painting score, sportsmanship score) will receive a a trophy and store credit
- Best Painted Army will receive a trophy, store credit and a 4 tank PzIV-f2 platoon painted by WWPD Dirty Jon.  All armies will be inspected during the lunch break by a Staff member.  This member has been a GW Golden Daemon Finalist and a judge at several GTs.  Notes on how to improve your painting will also be provided privately.
- Winning Side.  All members of the winning side will receive a medal commemorating their achievement.
- There will also be a drawing between the 1st and 2nd round and between the 2nd and 3rd round with prizes provided by WWPD as well as a grand prize drawing for a Battlefront US Cavalry Group (USAB04) provided by The Foundry at the end of the tournament for all those players who are present and completed all their games to that point. 
- Also, 10% on in store Flames of War merchandise 15% on Flames of War Special Orders (FoW items not in store)
*Not valid with any other offer or discount

Registration:

- Make a post in this thread or email SonBae at "FoWTourney@knology.net" to sign up.
- In your post or email, please include the Nationality and book your force is coming from.
- SonBae will maintain a running list of registered competitors in this thread below.
- Updated information will be posted here as well as emailed to players.
- As of now, the max we can handle is 20 players (10 tables) 30 Players (15 Tables).  Should we get more interest, I will work with The Foundry and see if we can expand.  (** EDIT  Based on interest to date and coordination with the Foundry we have expanded the tournament to a max of 30 people and 15 Tables)
- To help speed registration up, please send me a copy of your list to "FoWTourney@knology.net" prior to the tournament that will help out a great deal.

Registered Players (as of 28 Jan 13):

Axis:

Steve*	Hungarian	Eastern Front
Jason Tucker*	Romanian	Eastern Front
Fuzzy	German	North Africa
Ben Tucker	Italians	North Africa
Mark	German	TBD
Jeffrey Hauk	German	TBD
Kip Perkins	German	Eastern Front
Daniel McCoy	Finnish	Jaakarikomppania pdf
Charlie Clay	German	North Africa
Daniel Ashby	German	TBD

Allied:

Michael R	US	North Africa
Jeff Hauck	Soviet	Eastern Front
Adrien	US or British	TBD
Bill Tucker	US	TBD
Chase Perkins	US	North Africa
A.J. Lancing	British	North Africa
Jose Sto Tomas	US	North Africa
George P	British	North Africa
Paul A	British	North Africa
Rick Ashby*	TBD	TBD
Robert Ramey	Soviet	Eastern Front

Standby:
None

*Can run Allies if needed

Questions:

- If you have any questions, post them in this thread or email them to SonBae at:

 "FoWTourney@knology.net"

Clarifications:

Since Mid War hasnt been completely morphed into the Third Edition rulesset there will be some questions that arise.  We will us the Third Edition Questions and Answers from Battlefront found at http://www.flamesofwar.com/Portals/0/Documents/Rules/FlamesOfWarThirdEditionQandAApril2012.pdf. 
So 80/81mm/3 in mortars have a direct fire stat and 100mm and up guns have Breakthrough Gun in Direct Fire.  Additional Clarifications below:

Romanian National Rules:

- The MW Romanian Specials rules in Eastern Front will be used as written except as listed below:

    - Central Fire Control.  The Central Fire Control rule from "Know Your Enemy" will be used instead of the rule as written in Eastern Front.

         - Romanian Company Command Teams cannot act as spotting teams for Artillery Bombardments
         - When a Romanian artillery battery that has a staff team fires an Artillery Bombardment, any other artillery batteries with Staff teams may join it before rolling to Range In and fire as a single combined Artillery
Battery.
         - Rationale: Points cost for the same artillery between both Eastern Front and Red Bear were effectively the same.  The rules do effectively the same thing so no impact to historical "accuracy." As a result the rules can swap with ease and bring the rule to V3.

    - French Doctrine.  Portions of the French Doctrine rule from "Know Your Enemy" will be used instead of the rule as written in Eastern Front.

         - The "Know Your Enemy" Rule for Infantry and Gun teams Dig in on a 3+ does apply. (Changed on 14 Jan 13)
         - When conducting Defensive Fire, Infantry and Gun teams that are Dug In or in Entrenchments can shoot over Man-packed or Light Gun teams that are also Dug In or in Entrenchments. 
         - Rationale: No mention of the Digging In advantage was made in Eastern Front.  My take is that the Romanians got better at digging in as the war advanced and this is a LW only rule and therefore not applicable to MW.   Keeping the Digging In on 3+ is based on the "Early War Update" PDF and The Greek use of "French Doctrine" in Burning Empires.  Both keep the 3+ for digging in.  The Defensive fire update is taken from the "Early War Update" PDF from the Battlefront website.

          - Defend The Homeland rule in Eastern Front is the same as the Hated Enemy rule from Know Your Enemy.  No change.

          - The Peasant Army rule from Eastern Front book will remain in effect as written.  Rationale:  The army morale and training changed from MW to LW and since this is a MW event, we should use the MW Peasant Army chart.

Russians National Rules:

           - Hen & Chicks.  The V3 Hen and Chicks will be used.  Rationale is per Battlefornts "Third Edition Questions and Answers mentioned above."       

Special Thanks to The Foundry and WWPD again for hosting this tourney.

[Mad Magyar]

Count me in with one of my Hungarian Honved Forces. -Steve T.


*In event of an 'inbalance' I may possibly switch to Americans.

[Fuzzy]

Put me down on the Axis side with German Afrikakorps

[tuckerjj]

How are we doing national rules?

Specifically:

1.  Hen and Chicks.  I know Steve used the old hen and chicks in the last tournament because the point values changed for late war and not mid-war.  I searched the rules forum over at battlefront, and the answer basically came down to 'ask the TO'.

2. Romanian national rules.  Some of the national rules in Eastern Front no longer really work in V3.  Can we use the late war revisions or are they just SOL?

[Link2edition]

When you say the axis is the attacker in the campaign, do you mean axis is "always attacks" in the missions?

Sign me up, I will run americans, either tanks or paras, not sure yet.

[JohnBoy]

I am planning on having the fame down by then so log me in with a German force either pioneers or recce

[tuckerjj]

Ben will be bringing Italians.

[SonBae]

Awesome....a couple of clarifictions...great questions btw

- Russians:  MW Hen & Chicks.  The points and V3 H&C are just too entertwined to seperate
- Romanians:

    - I can see Central Fire Control (makes like the US) and brings the MW to V3 pretty easy.  A few units get a 5 point break, but others get 5pts more
    - French Doctrine:  Still researching.  The LW V3 ability to reroll digging is out; but still on the fence on the ability to shoot over dug in friendlies.  Have to do some more points comparisons.

- Axis "attacks":  For the first round; the Axis is the attacker in the scenraio.  The attacker thereafter is determined by the mission type and the side who has control.  In most cases the side with control will be the attacker.

[tuckerjj]

Awesome....a couple of clarifictions...great questions btw

- Russians:  MW Hen & Chicks.  The points and V3 H&C are just too entertwined to seperate
- Romanians:

    - I can see Central Fire Control (makes like the US) and brings the MW to V3 pretty easy.  A few units get a 5 point break, but others get 5pts more
    - French Doctrine:  Still researching.  The LW V3 ability to reroll digging is out; but still on the fence on the ability to shoot over dug in friendlies.  Have to do some more points comparisons.

- Axis "attacks":  For the first round; the Axis is the attacker in the scenraio.  The attacker thereafter is determined by the mission type and the side who has control.  In most cases the side with control will be the attacker.

Keep in mind when doing points comparisons that the midwar French Doctrine does almost nothing at all in V3.  Gun teams can shoot over stationary (and if they aren't stationary they aren't in foxholes.  Trenches isn't something you're likely to see in midwar.) teams in v3.  pp80.

Axis attacking in the first round is going to make Ben have to rethink his entire list- it has Always Defends.

[Link2edition]

Awesome....a couple of clarifictions...great questions btw

- Russians:  MW Hen & Chicks.  The points and V3 H&C are just too entertwined to seperate
- Romanians:

    - I can see Central Fire Control (makes like the US) and brings the MW to V3 pretty easy.  A few units get a 5 point break, but others get 5pts more
    - French Doctrine:  Still researching.  The LW V3 ability to reroll digging is out; but still on the fence on the ability to shoot over dug in friendlies.  Have to do some more points comparisons.

- Axis "attacks":  For the first round; the Axis is the attacker in the scenraio.  The attacker thereafter is determined by the mission type and the side who has control.  In most cases the side with control will be the attacker.

I just want to be sure that if I run paras I wont have to be charging them headlong into tanks or something equally ridiculous due to being forced to attack an armored company!

[SonBae]

My brain was faster than my fingers were in typing....the attacker goes to Axis in case of ties....scenario rules and special rules are still in place....but no roll offs.

Sorry bout that

[Mad Magyar]

I may change to DAK. Just to do something different.

So TBD, Hungarians or DAK. 

I will be open to changing to my Ami's if there is a shortage of allied players.

[Link2edition]

I already have lists drawn up, I just need to playtest them before I decide which one I go with.

Paras, Mech, armor


All of them sound fun

[SonBae]

Romanian National Rules:

- The MW Romanian Specials rules in Eastern Front will be used as written
specifically:

    - Central Fire Control.  The Central Fire Control rule from "Know Your
Enemy" will be used instead of the rule as written in Eastern Front.
Specifically:

   - Romanian Company Command Teams cannot act as spotting teams for
Artillery Bombardments
   - When a Romanian artillery battery that has a staff team fires an
Artillery Bombardment, any other artillery batteries with Staff teams may
join it before rolling to Range In and fire as a single combined Artillery
Battery.
   - Rationale: Points cost for the same artillery between both Eastern
Front and Red Bear were effectively the same.  The rules do effectively the
same thing so no impact to historical "accuracy." As a result the rules can
swap with ease and bring the rule to V3.

    - French Doctrine.  Portions of the French Doctrine rule from "Know Your
Enemy" will be used instead of the rule as written in Eastern Front.
Specifically:

   - The Rule for Infantry and Gun teams Dig in on a 3+ does NOT apply.
   - When conducting Defensive Fire, Infantry and Gun teams that are
Dug In or in Entrenchments can shoot over Man-packed or Light Gun teams that
are also Dug In or in Entrenchments. 
   - Rationale:  No mention of the Digging In advantage was made in
Eastern Front.  My take is that the Romanians got better at digging in as
the war advanced and this is a LW only rule and therefore not applicable to
MW.  The Defensive Fire rule is MOSTLY the same between the versions.  Since
the Eastern Front version of this rule is now available to all countries,
the V3 version of French Doctrine attempts to give the Romanians some
related benefit.  The way the rule is written it does not appear to be
related to a specific period (i.e. the ability got better over time). Points
wise, Red Bear (V3) Infantry and Gun teams are either the same cost or more
expensive than the same unit in MW (the Eastern Front book). This cost
increase could account for the "Digging In" advantage for LW. So the
Defensive Fire part of the rule is interchangeable and doesn't have a cost
impact.

    - Defend The Homeland rule in Eastern Front is the same as the Hated
Enemy rule from Know Your Enemy.  No change.

    - The Peasant Army rule from Eastern Front book will remain in effect as
written.  Rationale:  The army morale and training changed from MW to LW and
since this is a MW event, we should use the MW Peasant Army chart.

[tuckerjj]

For an apples to apples comparison on the French Doctrine, look from Stalin's Europe to Red Bear.  Stalin's Europe had the same rule as MW, and the prices mostly didn't change (the cost curve in the light AT guns flattened, but that seems unrelated.  Taking 9 got more expensive, but taking six or three got cheaper)

The only change I was looking for on Hated Enemy was the rewording that British Bulldog got to make clear that units that passed the first roll still pass if the second is worse.  Romanians are even more likely than British to have different ratings in a combat.

*edit*
Never mind about this, there is a line in the main rules that covers this.
*/edit*

Peasant Army is fine as is, I agree.