An initial barrage attacks enemy Blinds. It occurs before the first turn of the game after Planned Fire Missions have been allocated.
Cost to Call
An initial barrage does not cost any Staff Orders.
Batteries in an Initial Barrage
All direct support artillery batteries are used in the initial barrage regardless of whether they have been allocated to Planned Missions.
Initial Barrage Rounds
An Initial Barrage Round is one round of fire by a battery or group of batteries. The table below shows the number of rounds available to the attacker and defender for each mission type.
| Mission | Attacker Rounds | Defender Rounds |
| Meeting Engagement | 0 | 0 |
| Attack/Defend | 2 | 1 |
| Flank Attack | 2 | 1 |
| Hold the Line | D3 | 1 |
| Take and Hold | D3 | 1 |
| Counter-Attack | D3 | 1 |
| Rescue | 1 | 1 |
Each battery fires in each Initial Barrage Round. Initial barrages may use the battery’s Fire Dice in one or more rounds then fire smoke in the last round. Smoke remains on the table until the start of the next Friendly Logistics Phase.
Fire Dice
The Fire Dice of direct support batteries may be used individually or may be combined to increase their effectiveness. Any number of batteries may be combined into one initial barrage. Each battery after the first adds half (round up) its Combat Dice to the total.
Tom is firing an initial barrage at the German positions. He includes three batteries in the initial barrage all with 4D. The first uses its full 4D, the second and third add 2D each (rounded up) for a massive 8D.
Allocating Targets
Each Initial Barrage Round targets a Blind. You can concentrate all Initial Barrage Rounds against one Blind or choose to target different Blinds.
Sheaf Type: Regular or Smoke
No Deviation
Initial barrages do not deviate.
Arrival
Initial barrages fire for effect immediately.
Initial Barrages Against Blinds
Use the rules for Artillery Fire Against Blinds.
Ammunition Supply
Initial barrages are not subject to artillery supply rules.
