6. TARGET BASED HIT DETERMINATION DRM

All Firer and Target To Hit Determination DRM are cumulative except where noted otherwise on each applicable To Hit DRM line.

6.1 CASE J; MOVING/MOTION VEHICULAR TARGET: Ordnance firing at a Dash target (A4.63), or at a vehicle which has entered a new hex during that Player Turn, or is/was in Motion status during that Player Turn, must ad the +2 DRM of Case J to its To Hit DR.

6.11 CASE J¹; RESTRICTED AIM: If ordnance Defensive First Fires at a moving vehicle which at that point has just expended ≤ three MP in the firer's continuous LOS, it must add Case J¹ to its To Hit DR. Case J¹ = Case J (+2) plus (+1) = +3.

6.12 CASE J²; LIMITED AIM: If ordnance Defensive First Fires at a moving vehicle which at that point has just expended ≤ one MP in the firer's continuous LOS, it must add Case J² to its TH DR. Case J² = Case J (+2) plus (+2) = +4. Case J¹ is not applicable to Case J².

6.13 CASE J³; FFNAM: Ordnance using Defensive First Fire vs any moving Infantry using Non-Assault Movement must add the -1 DRM of Case J³ to its TH DR.

6.14 CASE J⁴; FFMO: Ordnance using Defensive First Fire vs any moving Infantry in Open Ground must add the -1 DRM of Case J⁴ to its TH DR.

6.15 Cases J¹ and J² both deal with a moving (C.8) vehicular target's expenditure of time in the LOS of a firer since the last hex occupied by that target out of the firer's LOS. A target that begins its MPh (or a portion thereof while subject to neither Case J¹ nor J²) in the firer's LOS is unaffected by these Cases until it is out of that LOS after entering a new Location/vertex; i.e., the target's being momentarily out of the firer's view as it moves from center-dot/vertex in his LOS to another in his LOS does not constitute leaving his continuous LOS.

6.16 A moving vehicle that ends its MPh with MP remaining is assumed to expend all those MP in its present hex (D2.1). However, the subcases of J apply only to Defensive First Fire shots; ordnance firing at a moving vehicle during the DFPh is subject to Case J only.

6.17 An ordnance weapon may not Defensive First Fire at the same target in the same Location more times (including the use of Multiple-ROF/Intensive-Fire) than the number of MF/MP (including Delay MP; D2.17) expended by that target (in its current Target Facing, if an AFV) in that Location. Within this restriction, all MF/MP thusly expended by the target in that Location before the firer takes his first shot may (must, if engaging in a Gun Duel; 2.2401) be used to minimize the application of Case J¹/J² DRM to that first shot, or (if not engaging in a Gun Duel) may be applied in increments to a series of shots at it. Q&A

EX: A tank expends five MP to enter 3W6 from X6 and enters the LOS of the AT Gun In T4 for the first time. The tank has expended > 3 MP in W6 in the AT Gun's LOS, so the AT Gun can Defensive First Fire on the tank without application of TH case J¹ or J². However, if the AT Gun retains its Multiple ROF and wishes to First Fire on the tank again in W6 before the tank moves farther during that MPh, it can fire only one more time (again using case J) because the tank has expended only an additional 1½ MP in its LOS since the 3½ MP expended (the minimum MP expenditure in LOS to void the application of Cases J¹ and J²) before the previous shot.⁹ Alternatively, the Russian theoretically could shoot five times (once per MP expended), using Case J² for the first shot, Case J¹ for the second and third shots, and Case J for the fourth and fifth shots.

6.2 CASE K; CONCEALED TARGET: Ordnance firing at a hidden/concealed target [EXC: pillbox occupant; B30.7] must add the +2 DRM of Case K to its TH DR vs that target [EXC: when firing SMOKE, Case K applies only if the target hex contains ≤ one non-hidden enemy ground unit but none of those units are Known to the firer/Spotter]. The effect of a hit that used Case K is not halved as Area Fire. Q&A

6.3 CASE L; POINT BLANK RANGE: Ordnance [EXC: LATW; 13.] firing at a range of one or two hexes is considered to be firing at Point Blank Range and adds the -1 DRM of Case L to its TH DR if firing at two-hex range, or the -2 DRM of Case L to its TH DR if firing at one-hex range, unless firing at a Motion/Non-Stopped vehicle or Motorcycle-Rider. Case L is not applicable if using the Area Target Type, firing at a target in the firer's hex (including Aerial targets), and/or the firer is in-Motion/Non-Stopped/Aerial. Q&A

6.4 CASE M; BORE SIGHTED LOCATION:¹⁰ A Gun, or allowed SW (6.41), firing at a target in a Location it has Bore Sighted may add the -2 DRM of Case M to its TH DR. If Cases M and N both apply, the firer may choose one or the other.

6.41 Bore Sighting may be used only by a Scenario Defender (see Index). All Guns (including only the MA, and SA [Secondary Armament, as per Chapter H Vehicle Listings], of vehicles [EXC: not FT or LATW]) of such a force may be Bore Sighted, but the only SW that can be are MMG, HMG and light mortars (9.2).

6.42 During setup, the Scenario Defender may choose one Bore Sighted Location for each allowed weapon. This Location must be outside the weapon's own hex, and within both the LOS of the weapon (or its Spotter; 9.3) and its Normal Range (16 hexes maximum). The Bore Sighted Location, the weapon's and its possessor's/crew's ID, and the setup Location must be recorded. In a building hex only the ground-level Location (which includes its Bypass area) may be Bore Sighted. Q&A

6.43 The Bore Sighting DRM cannot be claimed if the weapon is being fired by other than its original crew/manning-Infantry, but is permanently lost only if the weapon leaves the setup Location or its VCA (not just CA) changes Q&A

6.44 A MG/IFE non-ordnance attack [EXC: all forms of Residual FP; A8.2, A9.22] vs a unit in the firing weapon's Bore Sighted Location may deduct two from its IFT DR unless using Spraying Fire [EXC: vs Infantry, only such an attack conducted as Defensive First Fire (A8.1) qualifies for this -2 DRM]. The -2 Bore Sighting DRM may be used by a FG making such an attack only if all elements of that FG have Bore Sighted that same Location. See also E1.71.

6.5 CASE N; ACQUIRED TARGET: When a Gun (including the MA, and SA [Secondary Armament, as per Chapter H Vehicle Listings], of vehicles [EXC: not FT or LATW]) of ≥ 20mm other than a mortar fires at (not Interdicts) a Known unit or a bridge, it may place a ½" -1 Acquired counter on its target (or flip over an already present -1 counter to the -2 side), and this Acquired counter then applies as a TH DRM for subsequent shots by that Gun [EXC: Acquisition DRM cannot be used for Deliberate Immobilization attempts; (5.71); see also 6.54-.57]. A target can be acquired by more than one Gun, but no target is subject to more than a -2 Acquisition DRM per Gun. The target remains acquired until the Gun/manning-Infantry that placed it leaves its present Location [EXC: Gyrostabilizer; 6.55] - or the Gun changes its CA without firing on its already-acquired target during the current phase - or the Gun (or its CMG) attacks (or Interdicts) a different target - or the Gun malfunctions or fires SMOKE (6.56), canister or IFE - or its crew/manning-Infantry are eliminated or not in Good Order, or they no longer possess it, or they fire Inherent FP/SW or use Interdiction, or they (un)limber it - or the target is no longer in their LOS after entering a new Location/vertex - (see 6.15) (although in this case the last in-LOS Location occupied by the target will remain acquired; 6.51) . Q&A

6.51 A ½" Acquired-counter DRM gained against a stack cannot be retained on all those units should they scatter and enter different Locations. The firer may retain only one such Acquired counter; he may not create more to cover several targets at once. He may choose which of his previously acquired targets will remain acquired, but need not specify which one until he fires at it or that unit has finished its MPh / APh / RtPh / CCPh-Withdrawal (whichever occurs first). If an acquired target leaves its present Location and thereby goes out of the firer's LOS (as per 6.15; a free LOS check may be made to ascertain if this occurred), the ½" Acquired counter remains in the last Location that target occupied prior to leaving the acquirer's LOS. If the firer does not lose that counter as per 6.5, it will still apply should another Known unit occupy that acquired Location. A ½" Acquired-counter DRM applies only to all Known units (/bridge) in that target Location, even if only one such unit therein was previously acquired. Q&A

6.52 BRACKETING: Acquisition DRM gained on one target/Target-Type can be transferred to another target/Target-Type when the firer announces a shot at-that-new-target/using-that-new-Target-Type, provided the target Location (or hex, if using the Area Target Type) remains the same during the transfer [EXC: Area Acquisition cannot be transferred to another Target Type and used vs a concealed unit (6.57), nor can a mortar transfer its Area Acquisition to another Target Type at all].

6.521 AREA ACQUISITION: Acquisition gained while using the Area Target Type is symbolized by use of a ⅝" Acquired counter. Area Acquisition follows all the principles of ½" counter Acquisition except as specified otherwise. An Area Acquired counter applies to all non-Aerial units and terrain which are currently in the acquirer's LOS in that Acquired counter's hex (unlike a ½" Acquired counter, which cannot apply in more than one Location). Using the Area Target Type, a Gun can fire on a hex not containing a Known enemy unit; Area Acquisition can be gained on that hex, and can be used vs any (even subsequent/unknown) occupants of that hex which are in that firer's LOS when he fires. An Area Acquired counter cannot track a moving/routing/advancing/Withdrawing unit as per 6.51; the firer would have to re-acquire such a unit each time it enters a new hex. All (even light) mortars use Area Acquisition.

6.53 MULTIPLE ROF: Acquisition DRM are gained per consecutive TH attempt unless otherwise prohibited. An Acquisition DRM already earned applies to all TH attempts against the allowed target(s) in that fire phase and any subsequent fire phase, as per 6.5.

6.54 IFE: A Gun using IFE cannot place an Acquired counter, nor can it use or retain a previously placed one.

6.55 GYROSTABILIZER: Only a Stabilized Gun (D11.1) may claim/retain its Acquisition DRM for Motion/Bounding-First Fire TH attempts, and only if it retains its LOS to that target (as per 6.15) during its move. If having Area Acquisition on its target, it must transfer to a ½" Acquired counter before it can use that DRM for Motion/Bounding-First Fire (since use of the Area Target Type is NA for such fire; 3.33) Q&A

6.56 SMOKE: A target cannot be acquired (or Acquisition maintained) by firing SMOKE. However, an existing Acquisition DRM can be used to place the initial SMOKE counter in the hex.

6.57 CONCEALED: A concealed target becomes acquired only if using the Area Target Type - or, when using the Vehicle or Infantry Target Type, if the acquiring shot causes the loss of that concealment.

EX: The tank in 3K4 wishes to Final Fire at M2, each level of which contains a squad (with the one on Level 1 concealed). Using the Infantry Target Type, the tank can fire at either Level 1 or Level 2 of the building; barring malfunction, it will gain Acquisition on Level 2 if it fires at that squad - but if it fires at the squad on Level 1 it can acquire it only if it achieves a "PTC" or better result on the IFT. Alternatively, it can use the Area Target Type to fire at (and acquire) both Levels 1 and 2. In neither case however, can it affect the squad at Level 0 (except via rubble), which is out of its LOS. The tank uses the Area Target Type to fire (and thus has no Multiple ROF; 3.33), so a -1 Area Acquired counter is placed above the Level 1 counter. Assuming the situation remains unchanged through the beginning of its PFPh, the tank can now fire again on the Area Target Type at M2 with the -1 Acquisition DRM, or it can transfer that DRM to a ½" Acquired counter and use it with the Infantry Target Type to fire at level 2. It cannot transfer the DRM to use with the Infantry Target Type to fire at Level 1 if the squad on Level 1 is still concealed; if it fires at this squad its prior Acquisition is lost (6.52).

If the tank has a Stabilized Gun it can forego attacking in the PFPh and instead move to L3, where it can use Bounding First Fire to attack one level of M2. It will retain its Acquisition DRM for this attack, but must transfer it to the Infantry Target Type (using a ½" Acquired counter) when it announces the attack (6.55). It cannot use (and will lose) its Acquisition DRM if it attacks the concealed squad on Level 1 - but it can attack the unconcealed squad on Level 0 using its Acquisition DRM, because it had Area Acquisition in that hex when this squad came into the tank's LOS (6.52).

Now assume that instead of firing during Final Fire, the M4/76 fired on the Area Target Type during its Defensive First Fire when the squad shown on Level 2 of M2 originally entered that Location. Both Levels 1 and 2 would be acquired, and this DRM would still apply at both levels if that squad then descended to Level 1 (or if the squad at Level 0 ascended to Level 1) and the tank fired again on the Area Target Type. However, if the squad moved from Level 2 of M2 into N2 it would no longer be acquired, nor could the tank transfer its Area Acquired counter to a ½" Acquired counter to track that squad into N2.

6.58 Each Acquired counter contains a letter to match it with the Gun it applies to. Acquired counters are provided in several different colors so that different types of Guns with the same ID letter can be kept track of at one time.¹¹

EX: A PzKpfw VG (ID letter C) fires on an Infantry target using the Area Target Type during his PFPh and places a ⅝" -1C Area Acquired counter on the target. The tank fires on the same target in the same hex during his DFPh using the Area Target Type, but this time uses the -1 To Hit DRM for an acquired target. The Area Acquired counter is flipped over to its -2C side. The tank attacks the same target in his next PFPh again in the same hex but this time switches to the Infantry Target Type. The PzKpfw VG still gets the -2 Acquisition DRM for this attack, but switches to a ½" -2C Acquired counter.

6.6 CASE O; HAZARDOUS MOVEMENT: Ordnance firing at a target engaged in Hazardous Movement must add the -2 DRM of Case O to its TH DR. Case O cannot be used with Case J/its-subcases.

6.7 CASE P; TARGET SIZE: All vehicles (D1.7) and Guns (2.271) are rated for size, based on their height and bulk. Ordnance firing on such a target [EXC: units in a pillbox; B30.32] must add the applicable Target Size DRM of that target (ranging from -2 to +2 as depicted on the counter) to its TH DR (see 11.2 and A12.2).

6.8 CASE Q; TEM: TEM¹² applicable to the target must be added as a DRM to the TH DR of a shot taken on the Vehicle or Infantry Target Type or on a LATW TH Table [EXC: BAZ firing WP; HD (D4.2)]. Case Q does not apply to an Area Target Type TH DR (see 3.331). Q&A

6.9 CASE R; HINDRANCE: Each applicable Hindrance DRM must be added directly to the TH DR of any shot. Such application would not apply to the effects of any hit thus obtained (see C.3). [There are numerous other Target-based Hit Determination DRM listed elsewhere in these rules; vs Overstacked Personnel (A5.131), vs Cavalry (A13.5), vs mounted motorcyclist (D15.5).]