8. SPECIAL AMMUNITION

[The use of Special Ammunition Depletion rules requires that players maintain a written side record of the current capabilities of each Gun in play. The following information is not meant to be all inclusive, but rather is supplemental in nature; the game effects of these ammunition types are in some cases described elsewhere.17]

8.1 APCR18 (A)/APDS19 (D): A Gun capable of firing APCR/APDS must announce its intention to do so prior to rolling that To Hit DR. The Ammunition Depletion rules then govern the effects of the To Hit DR. Guns with a Multiple ROF may choose a different type of ammunition for each shot. Unlike certain other special munitions, the availability of APCR and APDS varies with the time frame of the scenario as per the Ammunition Supply Chart but is listed on the back of each applicable counter in any case (8.9-.91).

8.2 AMMUNITION SUPPLY CHART: Some AFV have a different Depletion Number printed on their counter, which applies to that AFV. Increase the Depletion Number by one for Elite units of any nationality. U.S. ordnance includes Guns in British/Commonwealth service, while British ordnance includes Guns in Commonwealth service. A parenthesized month indicates the start of availability in that year. Q&A

Nationality/Date & Gun Size 1941 1941 1943 1944 1945
GERMAN: 50L A5 A6 A5 A4 -
  37L, 47L, 50, 88L A4 A5 A4 A3 -
  75L,76L - A5 A4 A3 -
AMERICAN: 76L - - - A4(Aug) A5
  90L - - - - A5
RUSSIAN: 45L, 45LL, 76L, 76LL - A4 A5 A6 A7
  57LL, 85L - - A4 A5 A6
BRITISH: 57L - - - D6(Jun) D7
  76LL - - - D5(Sep) D6

8.3 HEAT (H): HEAT20 is available to the Germans starting in May 1942, and to the U.S., Britain, and Russia starting in 1943. SCW also fire HEAT, but without use of a Depletion Number (availability of rounds has been factored into their X#). SCW HEAT has the same effects as other HEAT rounds.

8.31 HE EQUIVALENCY: The explosive force of HEAT was considerable and, although less than HE, could still have a devastating effect on exposed personnel. Therefore, all HEAT ammunition (whether used by SCW or ordnance) has an HE Equivalency FP which is used against Personnel targets or for Collateral Attack and rubble/fire determination purposes. HEAT may only be fired at a vehicle or Gun, or at Infantry/Cavalry receiving a wall/building/rubble/pillbox TEM. AP is also given HE Equivalency for normal A-P use, as well as for Collateral Attacks. However, AP/APCR/APDS/ATR attacks never leave Residual FP.21 Q&A

AP1 HEAT
< 37mm2 ≥ 37mm BAZ/PIAT PSK/PFk4/
H#[9]3 4		 PF4 Other Ordnance
1 2 8 12 16 Use IFT column to the left of Gun's normal HE FP
1: No AP-type attack can leave Residual FP. ATR can use AP HE Equivalency only if it is 20mm.
2: Includes all APCR/APDS/ATR,but not MG (including 12.7 and 15mm).
3: As used by German 37mm AT and AA Guns.
4: PF/PFk/H#[9] cannot leave Residual FP.

8.4 CANISTER (C): Canister22 is ineffective vs armored targets (but not their Vulnerable PRC). A To Hit DR is not required for Canister, but if the AFV has moved during that Player Turn (or if Infantry move to and man a Gun during the MPh and then fire Canister in the AFPh), the FP of the Canister is halved as Area Fire. Canister is resolved on the IFT using its FP and adding any applicable DRM for TEM, LOS Hindrance, and/or hexspine changes in the CA. See the Ordnance Listings for the correct FP value of each Canister type. The IFT DR also serves as the Ammo Depletion and armament breakdown checks usually resolved with the To Hit DR. If the Canister Depletion Number has been exceeded, 8.9 applies. Canister is fired at a common vertex and elevation shared by three hexes which is two hexsides distant (excluding the firing hex) and, barring obstacles in the first hex of the cluster, affects all occupants of all hexes per A7.4 at that elevation (and in the firer's LOS) although the individual TEM of each Location may vary the results in each hex. Instead of firing at a vertex, Canister can also be used to fire at any three contiguous levels of a building hex by firing at the middle level, provided it is two hexes away. Q&A

EX: Due to the limitations on minimum and maximum range of Canister, only five possible vertex aiming points (and corresponding three-hex target clusters) exist in each CA as illustrated.

8.41 Canister has no effect on units in the firer's hex, but if firing at a same-level target it attacks units in the hex adjacent to the firer along the LOS as Area Fire with no doubling for PBF. If the LOS in the adjacent hex is traced exactly along a hexside, the fire affects both adjacent hexes but is quartered instead of halved.

8.42 Canister cannot be used to rubble a building, set a Fire, or clear Wire. A Canister KIA result has the same chance of destroying a SW in the hex as an HE KIA result.

8.5 SMOKE (s): Smoke23 may be placed by ordnance/OBA only at the start of the owner's PFPh/DFPh. Once any unit fires anything other than SMOKE during that PFPh/DFPh, no SMOKE may be fired during that PFPh/DFPh. Smoke is treated as a two level Hindrance to LOS and does not Hinder firing, Observing, or Spotting occurring above that elevation; smoke from both artillery and smoke grenades falls into this category. SMOKE does not block LOS [EXC: B.10]; it only Hinders it. See A24 for further effects of SMOKE.

8.51 Due to the timed effects of smoke rounds, such ammunition may be fired with full effect by Ordnance/OBA only in the PFPh, prior to all other non-smoke placement Prep Fire. Such smoke fired in any other phase is placed as white Dispersed smoke.24

8.52 SMOKE ammunition is always placed at ground level in any target hex, except Interior Building hexes, even if the only visible part of that hex is the upper level of a building. A Gun cannot place SMOKE in its own hex, although some AFV may place smoke in their own hex without their Gun (D13).

8.6 WHITE PHOSPHORUS (WP):25 Unlike Smoke, WP may be fired by ordnance/during (but prior to any friendly unit firing anything other than SMOKE) any friendly fire phase - not just the PFPh/DFPh - although placement in other than the PFPh results in Dispersed WP (see A24.5). See 1.71 and A24.31-.32 for further effects. Q&A

8.7 ILLUMINATING ROUNDS (IR): Many Indirect Fire weapons were capable of firing carrier rounds containing flares on parachutes for illuminating the battlefield. These are described in the Night Section of Chapter E.

8.8 AP/HE LIMITED STOWAGE: Due to their specialized role, some AFV types carried limited amounts of AP or HE ammunition, because it was deemed more expedient to carry more rounds of AP for use vs armored targets (Tank Destroyers), or HE for use vs non-armored targets (Assault Guns). Such AFV types have a Depletion Number (in the form "AP#" or "HE#") listed on the back of their counter for usage of the ammunition type in limited supply.

8.9 DEPLETION NUMBERS: The number following each special ammunition symbol is a Depletion Number which defines its availability to the firer. This Depletion Number is applicable if the firer announces his intention to use special ammunition prior to a To Hit DR. If that Original To Hit or Placement DR is < the Depletion Number, the firer uses that ammunition to resolve the effect of any hit/placement it achieved with that DR. If that Original To Hit or Placement DR equals the Depletion Number, the firer uses that ammunition to resolve the effect of any hit/placement it achieved with that DR, but the firer runs out of that Special Ammunition in the process and may not use it again for the remainder of the scenario. If that Original To Hit DR is > the Depletion Number, the firer had no such ammunition and is considered not to have fired yet for any purpose except possible Gun Malfunction. The firer is free to fire again (unless it malfunctioned) with other ammunition at the same or different target with a new To Hit DR or refrain from firing altogether. The Gun may not use that special ammunition again in that scenario. Depletion Numbers do not apply to OBA or Vehicular Smoke Dispensers. Q&A

8.91 If more than one Depletion Number is listed on a counter for a Gun's particular Ammunition type, the first number is for the first year of availability, and the exponent following it is the last digit of that year; the next number is for the next year of availability, and so on.

EX: The T34-85 has an APCR rating of A5(4)/6(5), so its Depletion Number is 5 in any scenario taking place in 1944, and 6 in any scenario taking place in 1945).

8.92 Intensive Fire does not change Depletion Numbers.