Activating Close Support Units
Close support units are activated either as part of a close support Command Group or as part of a mixed Command Group (containing other units).
Close Support Units Only
Close support units are more flexible when acting on their own or with other close support units.
When activated individually or as a part of a close support Command Group, a close support unit may target any unit within range and within LOS of itself, or within its range and LOS of its Forward Observer.
One close support unit is selected to fire and its fire is resolved. All other close support units in the Command Group must fire at a target within 6” of the first unit’s target or be activated separately requiring an additional Forward Observer and Command Dice. This is like movement where all units have to end their move within 6” of the group’s leader.
Bill activates a US Command Group of two M8 Howitzer Mortar Carriages with one Command Dice. One M8 targets a German Machine Gun Platoon within its LOS. The other fires at a German Rifle Platoon within 6” of the Machine Gun Platoon. Both M8s fire for one Command Dice.
Later both M8s are activated again. One fires at a German Rifle Platoon in its LOS. The M8 disperses the Rifle Platoon. Bill could decide not to fire his other M8, but he decides to fire it at a Pak 40 Anti-Tank Gun behind a wood. Bill uses a US Rifle Platoon with LOS to act as the M8’s Forward Observer. As the Pak 40 is more than 6” from the first M8s target, Bill must use a second Command Dice to order the M8 to fire. He also needs to make a Comms Check to successfully hit the unit.
Mixed Command Group
When activated as part of a Command Group containing other units, close support units are restricted to targeting units within its own LOS or the LOS of another member of the Command Group. Only units in the activated Command Group can act as Forward Observers.
A German Command Group consisting of an 8cm mortar and three Rifle Platoons is activated with one Command Dice. The mortar doesn’t have LOS to any enemy units. One Rifle Platoon has LOS to a Soviet Machine Gun Platoon and acts as the mortar’s Forward Observer. Following a successful Comms Check the mortar fires against the Machine Gun Platoon.
If Max had wanted to target a unit not in LOS of one of his Rifle Platoons, he would have needed to activate the mortar separately and use another unit as its Forward Observer.
