28. MINEFIELDS

28.1 Minefields are a form of Fortification but are represented by counters only after they are revealed during play [EXC: A-T mines in hard-surfaced terrain; 28.53]. Minefields are available only per scenario OB. The type, Location, and strength of minefields are secretly recorded prior to the start of play by the owning player. Minefields may not be placed in a bridge, paved road, runway [EXC: Non-hidden A-T Mines; 28.53], sewer, marsh, crag, Interior Building Hex, rubble, or Water Obstacle hex. The presence and type of a minefield is not revealed until a unit susceptible to that type of attack enters that minefield hex or discovers it by Searching. The minefield's strength is not revealed if the minefield attack results in no effect. An Anti-Personnel (A-P) minefield must be constructed with a strength of six, eight, or 12 factors and is not reduced in strength due to the resolution of an attack by that minefield. Q&A

28.2 Minefields present no obstacle or Hindrance to LOS.

28.3 The TEM of a minefield hex is equal to that of the other terrain in the hex. However, there is no TEM (including FFMO/FFNAM) or FP modifier to a minefield attack [EXC: A-P minefield attacks are resolved with half FP in Deep Snow].

28.4 There is no additional movement cost to enter a minefield hex beyond that of the other terrain in the hex. However, entry and exit of a minefield hex has other consequences.

28.41 Whenever a unit enters/leaves a minefield hex, the owning player must announce a minefield attack vs the unit (as per A12.11) on the IFT, revealing the minefield factors involved only when necessary to verify the IFT results [EXC: A-T mines do not attack Infantry/Cavalry]. Once the minefield factors have been revealed, mark the hex with an appropriate strength minefield counter. Q&A

28.411 An A-P minefield attack affects only moving/routing/advancing units and those withdrawing from CC. Any other unit in the same Location is not affected. A concealed unit attacked by a minefield is attacked at full (not half) strength and loses its concealment due to that attack (A12.14) only if it breaks, or suffers a Casualty Reduction.⁴

28.412 A unit is considered to be in the minefield hex which attacks it when the attack is resolved.

EX: A unit moving from one minefield hex directly to another can undergo two minefield attacks. If it survives the first (exit) attack unaffected, it is moved into the new hex where it must undergo a second (entry) attack in the newly entered minefield hex. However, if broken or pinned by the first attack, it does not leave the original hex and does not undergo the second minefield attack. Consequently, it would not discover concealed units in the hex it attempted to enter or be subject to Snap Shots along that hexside since it failed to leave the initial minefield hex.

28.413 ROUT: A routing unit need not move through a known A-P minefield hex and may opt to take a longer route to a building/woods hex instead. However, if a broken squad is Reduced to a broken HS by minefield attack, that HS may continue its rout in the same RtPh at its option. Should a routing unit also be subject to Interdiction, the Interdiction would be resolved after any minefield attack.

28.42 VEHICLES: Vehicles entering or leaving an A-P minefield hex also undergo attack on the IFT. A-P minefield attacks are always resolved before A-T minefield attacks, and if they result in Immobilization they cancel any yet-to-be resolved A-T minefield attack vs the same vehicle. Unarmored vehicles use the ★ Vehicle line of the IFT normally. Armored vehicles do not use the ★ Vehicle line but are unaffected by minefield attacks resulting in other than a KIA; a KIA result immobilizes an AFV. There is no armor modifier to a minefield attack, but any AFV whose lowest hull AF is 0 is treated as an unarmored vehicle for purposes of any type of minefield attack.

28.43 PRC: PRC are immune to minefield attacks unless their vehicle is eliminated or immobilized. If their vehicle is eliminated, the PRC roll for survival normally. If their vehicle is immobilized, any Vulnerable PRC are attacked Collaterally (all PRC of an unarmored vehicle [including those with a 0 hull AF] are considered Vulnerable to minefield attacks). PRC which disembark or Bail Out into an A-P Minefield hex must undergo minefield attack as if they were entering that hex for the first time.

28.44 MINEFIELDS IN BUILDING HEXES: Minefields are allowed in non-Interior Building Hexes but do not attack units entering/exiting those hexes through a building hexside unless using Bypass Movement. Neither would mines attack units using Trench movement. Q&A

28.5 ANTI-TANK (A-T) MINES: At the start of a scenario, a player may opt to exchange all or part of his OB minefield factor capability for A-T Mines. An A-T Mine can be selected by the defender for every three A-P minefield factors he forfeits. A-T Mines may compose a minefield hex of their own of from one to five factors, or be included in any strength from one to five factors in a normal A-P minefield. A-T Mines are not detonated by traversing Infantry/Cavalry. Only a wagon or a vehicle [EXC: motorcycles] may trigger an A-T Mine attack. Q&A

28.51 ATTACK: The number of A-T Mine factors per hex is the number which must be rolled ≤ with one die after a vehicle enters/exits an A-T minefield hex in order to cause an A-T Mine attack.⁵ During Deep Snow, the A-T Mine factors present in a hex are always considered to be one less than normal. Any A-T Mine attack that causes other than no effect results in loss of "?" to the attacked unit(s), provided an enemy LOS exists to it.

28.52 Each A-T Mine attacks on the 36+ column of the IFT. No TEM are applicable. Vs an AFV, a KIA results in elimination, and any other result causes Immobilization. The Aerial AF corresponding to the AFV's lowest hull AF is used as an IFT positive DRM for KIA purposes only. Versus an unarmored vehicle (including any AFV with a hull AF of 0, elimination is automatic, but a Burning Wreck applies only on a DR of ≤ 6 (i.e., ≤ 1KIA). Random Immobilization does not apply. An A-T Mine detonation has no effect on Personnel in the same hex other than PRC of the same vehicle who must roll for survival normally if the vehicle is eliminated, and Passengers/Riders who are attacked Collaterally with halved FP (i.e., 16) on the IFT if the vehicle is immobilized [EXC: the crew is also Vulnerable if the vehicle is armed but unarmored]. An A-T Mine attack does not reduce the number of A-T Mine factors in the hex. Q&A

28.53 PLACEMENT: A-T Mines may also be placed on a bridge, paved road, ice, or runway where A-P minefields are not allowed, but they must be in full view (i.e., their presence must be marked with an A-T Mine counter) and are eliminated at the end of the MPh by any Infantry expending an additional MF in that hex for that purpose which is not pinned, broken, or eliminated in that hex prior to or during that MF expenditure. Q&A

28.531 DAISY CHAIN: A SSR may allow a certain number of A-T Mine factors to be placed across a road during the enemy MPh as a Daisy Chain. A Daisy Chain is a number of A-T Mines tied together and pulled across a road while a vehicle is passing. These mines can be placed at any time during an enemy MPh (even as an enemy vehicle enters the placement hex), or during a fire phase of the owner's Player Turn, by an unpinned Good Order Infantry unit possessing that Daisy Chain counter in an ADJACENT hex. Such placement is noted on paper, and not revealed to the opponent until one of his Good Order units has a LOS to the hex containing the Daisy Chain. If the placement is announced immediately after a vehicle expends MP to enter (or change VCA within) the placement hex, the placer then immediately rolls as per 28.51. A Daisy Chain A-T minefield can attack only once; thereafter it ceases to exist. Any Daisy Chain counter which has not yet attacked can be Recovered like any other SW. Placement of a Daisy Chain does not cause loss of concealment, but otherwise is considered use of a SW. The portage cost of a Daisy Chain is one PP per A-T mine factor. All other mine rules apply normally.

28.6 CLEARANCE: Infantry may attempt Minefield Clearance as per 24.74.

28.61 TRAIL BREAK: A TB may also be used to show fully-tracked AFV movement into or through a minefield [EXC: the TB may not be placed if that AFV is using VBM]. Units may enter a minefield hex via a TB at twice their normal MF/MP cost (see the example) without coming under minefield attack, but Infantry/Cavalry are subject to the TB Defensive First Fire -1 DRM (13.4212). A unit exiting a minefield hex via a TB in that hex is not attacked by that minefield. [J8]

EX: Infantry normally expend 1½ MF to enter woods via a TB, while cavalry does so at a cost of 3 MF. However, if they expend twice that MF cost (i.e., 3 or 6 MF respectively) to enter that woods via the TB, they enter free of minefield attack. Q&A

28.62 FFE: All A-P and A-T Mines in a hex are eliminated by any HE Concentration FFE or HE Aerial bomb attack resolved in that hex, provided an Original KIA was obtained. If an Original K result is obtained with such an attack, the strength of an A-P/A-T minefield is reduced by one column/factor. If both types of mines are in the hex, the strength of both is lowered. If an A-P minefield is already six FP, it is eliminated instead. The opponent does not have to inform the FFE/bomb player if a minefield is eliminated/reduced.

28.7 FLAIL TANKS: A Flail Tank (U.S. Vehicle Note 20; British Vehicle Notes 24 and 26) may engage in Mine Clearance by specifying at the start of its MPh that it will do so and expending its entire printed MP allotment (other than any MP for Starting/changing-VCA) to enter a hex, using neither Reverse nor VBM nor ESB. It is then marked with a Motion counter and is immune to minefield attack in the hex entered. A Flail Tank clears (i.e., creates as per 24.74) a TB through the minefield in its hex at the end of its CCPh on a Mine Clearance Final DR of ≤ 10 (Δ), provided it did not fire or become Immobile/eliminated during that Player Turn. The TB path cleared must be between the hexside crossed by the Flail Tank and a hexside within its current VCA. A Flail Tank may not clear a minefield occupied by its own Infantry/Cavalry/Vulnerable-PRC.

28.71 On a Mine Clearance Original DR of 12, the Flail Tank is destroyed by any A-T Mines, or immobilized if only A-P Mines are in its Location.

28.72 FLAIL BREAKDOWN: Any Mine Clearance Original DR of 11 destroys the Flail mechanism and prohibits the Flail Tank from clearing mines thereafter. Entering a building, or woods without benefit of a TB, also destroys the Flail mechanism. There is no other effect on the tank.

28.8 SAPPERS: Laying hidden minefields during play is NA. However, squads designated by SSR or DYO purchase as Sappers may deduct two (one per Sapper HS) from their Clearance DR (24.74).

28.9 BOOBY TRAPS: Prior to setup, a player may spend some or all of his minefield factors for a Booby Trap capability on a particular board(s). Booby Trap attacks are triggered by an Original TC [EXC: Sighting TC; E7.3] DR of 12 if the player has spent ten minefield factors (Level C), or of 11 if the player has spent twenty minefield factors (Level B), or of ≥11 if the player has spent thirty minefield factors (Level A). Infantry normally immune to PTC must take them for Booby Trap resolution purposes only, and their PTC cannot activate a Sniper. A Booby Trap attack causes Casualty Reduction to at least one (if any) Personnel unit (as determined by Random Selection, and not necessarily the unit that took that TC) in that Location. Booby Trap capability costs are per board (inclusive of its half-hexes). A player may purchase Booby Trap capability for a board only by SSR - or if he is allowed to set up on any part of that board and, in order to satisfy his victory conditions, does not have to capture terrain or exit the playing area via a non-Friendly Board Edge. Booby Traps do not affect units of the side that placed them, except as per Random Selection caused by an enemy TC. See also A12.154.