14. Seaborne Assaults
14.1 If a scenario is defined by SSR as being a Seaborne Assault or a Seaborne Evacuation, certain special rules are in effect:
14.2 ASSAULT: The following (14.21-.262) apply only in Seaborne Assault scenarios (see also 14.3):
14.21 SETUP RESTRICTIONS: Nothing in the OB of the side defending the beach may be set up in Beach/OCEAN Locations [EXC: Beach Obstacles; 14.5]. A Watercraft with a Passenger PP capacity may enter play only if ≥ 2/3 [EXC: ≥ ½, if the Watercraft is carrying a vehicle/non-dm-Gun] of that capacity is taken up by Passenger unit(s)/equipment.
EX: A LC or LVT with a 39PP Passenger capacity may enter play only if its still-usable capacity has been reduced by Passenger units/equipment to ≤ 13PP.
14.22 UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAMS: The U.S. side may be able to use UDT in an attempt to eliminate Beach Obstacles; see 14.561.
14.23 WATERCRAFT PRC: The Passenger(s) of each LC may be set up and kept in a Cloaking Box as per E5.123 until that LC Beaches, at which time all of its Passengers are placed onboard stacked on that LC counter. The same principles apply to the Passenger(s) (as defined in 12.12 for these purposes) of an amphibian, except that they are revealed when their amphibian enters a non-reef, non-Beach land hex. When a vehicle/Gun aboard a LC/amphibian is in a Cloaking Box, treat the top of that Box as the front of the LC/amphibian for (V)CA purposes (12.121). A SW/Gun must be, and remain, dm (if possible) while aboard a LC/amphibian during a Seaborne Assault. When a hidden Passenger aboard a Watercraft is eliminated, the opponent is informed only of the Casualty VP he has thereby amassed, and only if scenario Victory Conditions require him to amass Casualty VP.
14.231 UNLOADING: Once a LC has Beached (even involuntarily), all of its Passengers must attempt to unload as soon as possible. Whenever an immobilized LC/amphibian is in a Location in which any of its Passengers can unload, all who possibly can must attempt to unload as soon as possible unless doing so would leave them with no path of enterable hexes to a Hinterland hex.
14.232 RECALL: Each LC/amphibian with a Passenger capacity is immediately Recalled when no Passenger unit capable of unloading by itself is aboard it. All Passenger units aboard each ATTACKER amphibian that begins the MPh in a Hinterland hex must take one combined TC at some point (of the owning player's choice) in that MPh [EXC: they must take it while in a Hinterland hex]. This Passenger TC is taken even if the amphibian is TI/Shocked/Stunned etc., and is resolved as a single NTC (Δ) for all Passengers aboard that amphibian, using the highest current Morale Level among them (and basing that Morale Level on their Good Order side unless all of those Passengers are broken). If that NTC is failed, the amphibian is immediately Recalled. The Recall of an already-immobilized LC/amphibian has no effect [EXC: the Inherent crew of such an armored amphibian must Abandon (and cannot re-enter) it; D5.341]. Recall as per 14.232 can apply to an amphibian carrying ≥ one Passenger unit even if it is unarmored (and thus is not an AFV; D1.2), or is BU, and/or has an Inherent Driver. Q&A
14.233 ABANDONING AMPHIBIAN: No amphibian Inherent crew may voluntarily Abandon its vehicle. Whenever an amphibian with a Passenger capacity is immobilized by an ESB (D2.5) or Mechanical Reliability (D2.51) DR, its crew must Abandon it as soon as possible (and 14.231 will apply to its Passengers); after all PRC have left it, that Abandoned amphibian is flipped over to its Wreck side (but will not count as eliminated for VP purposes).
14.234 "ASAP": Within all otherwise-applicable restrictions (e.g., those conferred by the presence of a Recall/TI/Shock counter), PRC forced to Abandon/unload "as soon as possible" (even as per D5.341) may do so at any time during, but must do so before the end of, the current or a subsequent friendly MPh (whichever is possible first) [EXC: if broken at the start of a RtPh, they would have to Abandon/unload in that RtPh]. Units need not unload as a single stack just to comply with the "ASAP" requirement, but while still aboard the vehicle they and it are prohibited from performing (or even attempting) any activity [EXC: Manhandling] that would (or possibly could) delay/prevent them from debarking at the required time.
14.24 BATTLEFIELD INTEGRITY: Battlefield Integrity (A16.) never applies to the Assaulting side.
14.25 FG: No unit of the Assaulting side may form/participate-in a multihex FG while in a Beach hex. See also 13.421.
14.3 ASSAULT/EVACUATION: The following (14.31-.34) apply only in scenarios defined as Seaborne Assaults or Seaborne Evacuations (see also 14.4):
14.31 BU/CE AMPHIBIAN: If an armored amphibian with a Passenger capacity is marked with neither a BU nor a CE counter, its Inherent crew is considered to be CE and all Passengers aboard it are considered BU through its armored Target Facing(s). If an armored amphibian with a Passenger capacity is marked with a CE counter, its Inherent crew and all Passengers are considered CE through their/the-amphibian's armored Target Facing(s). No Passenger aboard an amphibian may be CE or claim any CE benefit while the crew is BU.
14.311 DEPLOYING: During offboard setup, each squad of the Assaulting side may Deploy freely (i.e., without the need of a leader/TC and regardless of any normal Deployment limits) in order to enter play in Watercraft. Good Order squads of the Evacuating side may Deploy freely as they (or one of their HS) load onto a Watercraft.
14.32 INFANTRY/CAVALRY: Each non-prisoner Infantry/Cavalry unit of the Assaulting/Evacuating side is considered Fanatic while in a Beach Location or Wading in shallow OCEAN. If entering a Beach Location from a Hinterland hex, or unloading from a vehicle into a Beach/shallow-OCEAN Location, it instantly becomes Fanatic, prior to Defensive First Fire vs it. If wishing to advance into a Hinterland hex from a Beach Location in order to CC an AFV, it need not take a PAATC since it is Fanatic when required to take it. A unit already Fanatic receives no further benefit. A unit that receives a "Fanatic" Heat of Battle result while in a Beach Location is marked with a Fanatic counter and remains Fanatic as per A15.3. Q&A
While in a Beach Location, Infantry/Cavalry of the Assaulting/Evacuating side treat LLMC as LLTC, treat Heat of Battle "Berserk" and "Surrender" results as "Battle Hardening" results, and if subjected to a break/Step-Reduction result [EXC: one caused by a Wreck Check, para landing, OVR Prevention MC, or Panji MC] always suffer a Casualty Reduction result instead.
14.33 RECALL: No vehicle of the Assaulting/Evacuating side suffers Recall due to MA disablement. A Recall due to attack effects (not due to 14.232) suffered by the Inherent crew of an AFV of the Assaulting/Evacuating side is always treated as a Stun result only (i.e., no Recall ensues from that attack); however, the +1 DRM effects of all Stun results vs an AFV crew of the Assaulting/Evacuating side are cumulative.
14.34 AIR SUPPORT: Aircraft of the Assaulting/Evacuating side treat all friendly units in Beach/OCEAN Locations as hidden for all Sighting-TC and Mistaken-Attack purposes. The opponent may not place, prior to rolling for Accuracy, a Mistaken-Attack FFE in such a way that its Blast Area includes ≥ one Beach/OCEAN Location occupied by any unit(s) of the Assaulting/Evacuating side. If all units of the Assaulting/Evacuating side are in Beach/OCEAN Locations, then no Mistaken Attack occurs.
14.4 EVACUATION: The following (14.41-.42) apply only in Seaborne Evacuation scenarios (see also 14.3):
14.41 ROUT ONTO LC/AMPHIBIAN: Infantry of the Evacuating side may rout onto LC/amphibians as if those LC/amphibians were buildings, ignoring those that are Immobile/burning and/or lack the PP capacity necessary to allow the routing unit to load onto it. Such an Infantry unit has only four MF if it will load during that RtPh, and must expend the applicable loading cost as if it were the MPh.
14.42 VP: Broken/Recalled units, and heroes, can count for Exit VP purposes in a Seaborne Evacuation scenario (a hero would be worth one VP). See also 12.84.
14.5 BEACH OBSTACLES: Mines, Tetrahedrons, Wire and Panjis are referred to collectively as Beach Obstacles.
14.501 HIP: Normal HIP and HlP-loss procedures apply to Beach Obstacles.
14.51 TETRAHEDRONS: Tetrahedrons34 may be set up only in Beach/Ocean/reef hexes (but see also 14.56), with no more than one such counter per hex. A tetrahedron is neither an obstacle nor a Hindrance, but its Location is considered non-Open Ground. The vehicular COT of a Location containing a Tetrahedron counter is increased by one [EXC: this increase is NA for boats (other than LC), motorcycles and wagons]. There is no extra MF cost to enter a tetrahedron's Location. The reverse side of each Tetrahedron counter is called a Tetrahedron-Wire counter, and is used to show the presence of both Fortification types in the same Location; see 14.52.
Tetrahedrons may attack only LC. Whenever a LC enters, or changes VCA, or becomes (un)Beached as per 13.442, in a tetrahedron-Ocean hex the tetrahedron's owner makes a dr (Δ; one dr per VCA hexspine changed); a -1 drm applies if Heavy Surf effects (besides just Heavy Wind; 13.448) apply in that hex (13.445). If the Final dr is a 2, the LC is destroyed but no Wreck Blaze or Collateral Attack ensues. If the Final dr is ≤ 1, the LC is considered to have detonated an A-B mine (14.53) Inherent to the tetrahedron (no B28.51 dr is made), and the LC (and its PRC) are affected as per 14.53. A Final dr of ≥ 3 has no effect. If a LC enters a hex that contains both tetrahedrons and actual (i.e., non-inherent) A-B mines, their owner may roll for either attack first; if wire is also present (14.52), its effects can come into play only after rolling for those other attacks.
A ⅝" parachute that lands in a tetrahedron's Location must take a NMC as per E9.42, and receives an extra +1 DRM due to the tetrahedron. A glider that lands in a tetrahedron's Location must add an extra +1 drm to its Crash dr.
14.52 WIRE: Wire may be set up in Beach hexes that contain no panjis, and in OCEAN/reef hexes that contain tetrahedrons. The presence of wire in a shallow-OCEAN Location adds a +1 DRM to a LC's Aground (12.21) DR unless the LC's Target Size is -3 or -4. If the LC (even if its Target Size is -3 or -4) does not run Aground due to that DR, it eliminates the Wire counter if the colored dr of that DR was a "1". Amphibians treat wire in OCEAN hexes the same as wire on land. A boat (E5.) entering a wire-OCEAN hex sinks; all SW and Guns aboard it are eliminated, and its Personnel become Wading Infantry above that Wire counter [EXC: wire in an OCEAN Location has no effect on boats and their contents if Heavy Surf effects (besides just Heavy Wind; 13.448) apply in that Location]. A Wire Exit dr (B26.4) made by a unit in an OCEAN Location receives a +1 drm.
14.53 A-T/A-B MINES: A-T mines may be set up in Beach/OCEAN/reef hexes. Those that begin play in shallow OCEAN are termed A-B (anti-boat) mines. A-B mines are treated exactly like A-T mines except as stated otherwise. A +1 drm applies to the B28.51 attack dr vs a LC if Heavy Surf effects (besides just Heavy Wind; 13.448) apply in that hex (13.445). A Final B28.51 dr of ≤ the number of A-B mine factors attacks any LC entering/exiting that A-B minefield (all LC are considered unarmored vs A-B mine attacks). The attack is resolved vs the LC with an Effects DR on the ★ Vehicle line of the IFT's 36 FP column; the Original DR subtracted from "13" equals the number of DP inflicted on the LC. 12.68 applies for Blaze purposes.
All PRC (selected as per 12.678, if applicable) of a LC affected by an A-B mine are subject to a 16 FP Collateral Attack [EXC: a Passenger AFV (and its PRC) can be Vulnerable only if its lowest hull AF is 0, in which case it is treated as an unarmored vehicle]. Use the 16 FP column's ★ Vehicle line for each Passenger vehicle/Gun thusly attacked.
Mud/Deep-Snow do not affect A-B mine attacks. A-B mines can also attack Wading vehicles, but are resolved as normal A-T mine attacks.
14.54 A-P MINES: A-P mines may be set up in Soft-Sand Beach hexes, and in Hard-Sand Beach hexes that are adjacent to ≥ one Hinterland hex, provided (in both cases) that those hexes contain no panjis. EC are ignored when determining whether a Beach hex is Hard or Soft Sand for A-P mine setup purposes.
14.55 PANJIS: Panjis may be set up in Soft-Sand Beach hexes, and in Hard-Sand Beach hexes that are adjacent to ≥ one Hinterland hex, provided (in both cases) that those hexes contain neither wire nor mines. EC are ignored when determining whether a Beach hex is Hard or Soft Sand for panji setup purposes.
14.56 ELIMINATION: Each Beach Obstacle that begins play in deep OCEAN, or in a type of hex it would not have been allowed to set up in, is immediately eliminated; see 14.58 [EXC: A-B mines that begin play in Beach hexes become A-T mines, and A-T mines that begin play in shallow OCEAN become A-B mines]. During play, a Tetrahedron (or Tetrahedron-Wire) counter can be eliminated only by a DC as per B26.51 or by an Aerial-bomb/FFE-Concentration HE attack as per B26.52, while other Beach Obstacles can be eliminated in the normal manner for each type. Wire eliminated by vehicular entry (14.52; 15.23; B26.53) does not eliminate any tetrahedron in that Location; flip the Tetrahedron-Wire counter over to show just the tetrahedron. The applicable FP of HE attacks vs OCEAN hexes [EXC: DC Placed/Set as per B26.51] is halved (in addition to all other modifications) for Beach-Obstacle elimination purposes. Vs Bombardment (C1.8; 14.7), all Beach Obstacles can be affected in the normal manner for that type of Fortification (tetrahedrons are affected as if they were wire).
14.561 UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAMS (UDT): The use of UDT is allowed only by SSR or by DYO purchase, and only by the U.S. side in a Seaborne Assault vs the Japanese set in/after 1944. UDT capability is given in the form of a number of dr which are resolved after all pregame setup (and Recon dr, if any; E1.23), but prior to both Bombardment (if any) and the start of play. For each UDT dr allowed, the U.S. player makes the dr and points out to his opponent a number of Beach/OCEAN hexes equal to that Original dr. All Beach Obstacles in those hexes are immediately eliminated; the U.S. player is then informed of what type(s) of Beach Obstacle were eliminated, but is not told of their strength, number or exact location.
14.57 BEACHING: All DR/dr required by the presence of any Beach Obstacle(s) in an OCEAN hex that is entered by a LC/boat (or within which a LC changes its VCA) must be made prior to the Beaching declaration (if any) for that LC/boat.
14.58 DYO: Each Tetrahedron counter has a BPV of "3". The BPV of other Beach Obstacles remains unchanged (hence a Tetrahedron-and-Wire counter's BPV is "8"). The U.S. (only) player may purchase as many UDT dr as he wishes, at a BPV of "5" each [EXC: purchase is NA both prior to 1944 and vs (versus) other than Japanese; 14.561]. UDT Expenditures are recorded as Fortifications on the DYO Purchase Roster. Note that in DYO scenarios the terrain of Beach Obstacle hexes may change from OCEAN to Beach or vice-versa (due to the amphibious player's declaration of the tide as High or Low; 13.97); see 14.56.
14.6 NAVAL OBA (NOBA): NOBA is a specialized type of OBA, and comes in various Caliber sizes of 100mm-400mm.35 All rules pertaining to OBA, radios and Observers apply to NOBA except as stated otherwise. NOBA may be used only by the U.S., British (A25.4), Russians and Japanese, and only if so allowed by SSR or by DYO purchase. However, the Japanese/Russian side may use NOBA only if directed by an Observation Plane (E7.6) or Shipboard Observer (14.68). NOBA uses green OBA counters. Neither Plentiful nor Scarce-Ammunition rules ever apply to NOBA, nor may it use Pre-Registered Fire. Clarification
14.61 SFCP: The only onboard Observer allowed for a NOBA battery is a Shore Fire-Control Party (SFCP). However, a SFCP may be used only with a U.S./British NOBA battery,36 and is always represented by a Chinese, Italian or Axis Minor (owner's choice) 2-2-77 infantry-crew counter. Such a crew is assumed to be the same nationality as its NOBA battery, and to have all normal infantry-crew and Observer qualities except as stated otherwise. A SFCP may possess no SW/Gun [EXC: its Inherent radio; 14.611], nor may it become an Inherent crew. A SFCP is considered Inexperienced Personnel [EXC: it does not lower the B# of its Inherent radio]. A SFCP that sets up onboard may use HIP as if it were manning a field phone. The Casualty VP value of a SFCP is "2".
14.611 RADIO: A SFCP is assumed to possess a three-PP Inherent radio (Δ) (thus equaling eight PP for Passenger PP purposes), and may neither Transfer nor drop/share possession of that radio; however, if the SFCP is captured/eliminated, its Inherent radio is immediately eliminated. A SFCP's Inherent radio (referred to hereafter as a SFCP radio) has a Contact value of "8" and a breakdown value of "X12" (G.7 can apply). If the Radio Contact/Maintenance Original DR for a SFCP radio is a 12, the SFCP itself is eliminated (but no VP are awarded). A SFCP radio cannot be used while the SFCP is a Passenger/Rider. No Unarmed unit may be re-armed as a SFCP. A normal radio/field-phone cannot make Radio Contact with a NOBA battery [EXC: the radio of an Observer Plane assigned to that battery], nor may a SFCP radio make Contact with a regular OBA battery or with a NOBA battery other than its own.37
14.62 NOBA LOF: Each NOBA battery uses a NOBA LOF which is traced from the center dot of a predesignated Ocean hex through/beyond the center dot of the hex containing that battery's onboard AR/SR/FFE counter (or, in certain cases mentioned below, to any given hex[es] within its FFE's Blast Area). The Ocean hex is secretly recorded after all setup but prior to the start of play, and must have ≥two hexsides along the edge of the playing area and be ≥ twelve hexes away from all Hinterland hexes. Otherwise, the NOBA battery's owner may choose its Ocean hex, provided that no SSR lists a specific hex for that battery and that each NOBA battery uses a different Ocean hex. Q&A
14.63 BATTERYACCESS: Each NOBA battery, regardless of nationality, uses a Draw Pile of five black and two red chits. Whenever a chit in the Draw Pile of a NOBA battery would otherwise be permanently removed (C1.211), it is instead mixed back into the Pile; thus no chit is permanently removed from a NOBA Draw Pile. Drawing ≥ two red chits does not cause the permanent loss of NOBA Battery Access.38
14.64 ACCURACY: NOBA, regardless of its nationality, is Accurate on a Final dr of ≤ 2. A +1 drm applies to its Accuracy dr if Heavy Surf is in effect (13.449).
14.65 BLAST AREA: The Blast Area of a NOBA Concentration contains nine hexes instead of the usual seven.39 The two extra hexes are determined with the NOBA LOF drawn through the center dot of its FFE counter's hex, and comprise the last hex that LOF crosses as it enters, and the first hex it crosses as it exits the "normal" seven-hex Blast Area of that Concentration. The FFE, if HE, is resolved vs these two hexes with halved FP (or, if the battery is ≥ 250mm, on the 16 FP column with the Heavy-Payload DRM halved [FRD]; C.7), barring a CH. Q&A
14.66 REVERSE SLOPES: If a NOBA LOF being traced to any hex within its FFE Blast Area crosses, in the preceding hex adjacent to that hex, a hill whose Base/Crest Level (whichever is higher) is ≥ that of the hex to which that NOBA LOF is being traced, the latter hex is considered a Reverse Slope hex of that battery. A Reverse Slope hex is immune to attack (including WP placement) by the NOBA battery using that NOBA LOF40 [EXC: an upper building level in a Reverse Slope hex is immune to that battery's attack only if it is lower than the hex that makes the building hex a Reverse Slope hex]. Only hill terrain itself - not woods, buildings [EXC: see 14.661], orchards, etc. - can cause Reverse Slopes. Irrespective of its Observer's LOS, if a NOBA battery's AR/SR is placed (or lands, after all adjustment) in what would be a Reverse Slope hex of that battery if that AR/SR were a FFE, or if its FFE Blast Area lies completely in Reverse Slope hexes of that battery, that AR/SR/FFE counter is immediately removed, that Fire Mission (if any) is Cancelled and that battery's (and Observer's) OBA actions for that phase are ended [EXC: the preceding penalties do not apply if that AR/SR is in a hex with (or that FFE Blast Area contains) an upper building level that is not immune to that battery's NOBA FFE and is in its Observer's LOS, or if that battery is firing an IR].
14.661 BUILDINGS: A Multi-Story Building (B23.23) that is also multi-hex can create Reverse Slope hexes as if the building were a hill of the same full-level height.
14.67 FIRE MISSIONS: The only Fire Missions usable by a NOBA battery regardless of its nationality/Caliber-Size are HE Concentrations and IR (for the latter see also 14.672). WP Concentrations may also be fired by U.S. (only) NOBA batteries of 120mm-150mm. NOBA may not use other types of Fire Missions (including rockets). Q&A
14.671 NON-CONTINUATION: A NOBA FFE:C may neither be Converted to a SR as per C1.341 nor replaced by a new Fire Mission's FFE:1 as per C1.342. Instead, if that battery's owner wishes it to begin another Fire Mission, he must place a new AR, etc., as per C1.343 (even if the target hex remains the same).
14.672 IR: A NOBA battery of ≥ 150mm with Radio Contact and Battery Access may fire an IR in its PFPh/DFPh even during/at-the-start-of a HE/WP Fire Mission. It first places the IR as per E1.932 [EXC: only method 3 of E1.922 may be used], and then proceeds with its HE/WP Fire Mission in the normal manner.41
14.68 SHIPBOARD OBSERVER: A non-Aerial Offboard Observer used with a NOBA battery is referred to as a Shipboard Observer. A Shipboard Observer is assumed to be at Level 1 in his battery's Ocean hex, and both grants a -1 drm to that battery's Accuracy dr and halves (FRU) its Extent-of-Error dr. However, a Shipboard Observer may place an AR only in/adjacent-to a Known (to him) enemy ground unit, and must make an extra chit draw if a Known (to him) friendly ground unit is within six hexes of that AR.42 A Shipboard Observer who has successfully placed an AR prior to beginning a new Fire Mission may dispense with the SR and instead immediately place a FFE:1 (for which Accuracy/Extent-of-Error are then determined, etc). Otherwise, a Shipboard Observer is treated as a normal non-Aerial Offboard Observer.
14.7 NAVAL BOMBARDMENT: Naval Bombardment is treated like normal Bombardment (C1.8-.823) except as stated otherwise. Each Naval Bombardment potentially affects any playable rectangular area 10 hexes wide by 33 hexes long. Just prior to resolving the Naval Bombardment, the player conducting it declares its exact area (i.e., he does not secretly record the area prior to his opponent's setup).
14.71 IMMUNE AREAS: No C1.81 dr are made to determine immune areas. Instead, when the player conducting the Naval Bombardment declares its exact area he must also specify three parallel (Alternate) Hex Grains that lie within, and run the 33-hex length of, that area. Along their entire length within that area, those three (Alternate) Hex Grains will be immune to its effects. Such an Alternate Hex Grain is always configured like that of a Barrage (see the E12.11 diagrams), aside from being longer than nine hexes.
14.711 NON-IMMUNE HEXES: Each normally immune hex that contains a non-hidden Fortification is subject (i.e., is not considered immune) to Naval Bombardment [EXC: see 14.712].
14.712 REVERSE SLOPES: A land Location is immune to Naval Bombardment if it would be considered a Reverse Slope (14.66) Location of all enemy NOBA batteries if every Ocean hex in play contained the Shipboard Observer of a different enemy NOBA battery. If such an immune Location is also the Base Level of a cave's Entrance Hex, that cave is also immune to Naval Bombardment.
14.72 RESOLUTION: Each Naval Bombardment MC DR receives a +2 DRM. Each hidden Fortification counter [EXC: mines and caves] subjected to a Naval Bombardment MC is revealed (regardless of LOS) unless eliminated.
14.73 SECOND ATTACK: If a non-hidden Fortification counter currently exists in a hex after fully resolving all effects of the Naval Bombardment vs that hex, all non-immune (see 14.711-.712) Locations in that hex are immediately subjected to a second Naval Bombardment attack (of the same MC level[s], and using the 14.72 +2 DRM).
14.261 SAN: The purchased SAN of the Assaulting side in a DYO daytime scenario is increased by the following applicable amount (to a maximum of 7). However, its SAN is decreased by the same amount at the instant the first friendly unit enters any non-island, non-reef land hex.33 While its SAN is thusly increased, the Assaulting side's Sniper counter is not an eligible target for the enemy sniper.
