Re-arm order

How far is the "must be in contact" for a unit with the resupply ability to resupply another unit? Is it 1"

Thanks

Our group play it as within 5" like close combat. We simply declare at the beginning of the game how we handle this. Our reason is that our supply trucks NEVER leave the safety of the rear board. This is our system.

1. Unit hikes it's dress and runs like no tommorrow to the supply area.
2. Next turn unit uses order to re-arm. (We generally don't allow the supply vehicle to issue the supply order to prevent perceived abuse of the unit like when russians have 10 T34s)
3. Following turn, unit is ready to fight again.

We use that a supply vehicle can re-arm up to two vehicles which are up to 2,5" away.

Hi guys
Very new to Battlegroup rules - thinking of making the jump from FoW to BG
One of the questions that worries me is this whole rearming thing
I am currently reading a couple of books about 3rd and 5th RTR.
During the desert battles they did indeed run out of ammo in the middle of the battle (not in NWE where the encounters were generally a shorter duration I guess)
The process was to retreat 4 or 5 miles from the battle if not further to rearm (and refuel at same time) as it was a lengthy process and left the tanks and the ammo carriers extremely vulnerable.
How essential to the game is the ammo tracking and rearming?
Cheers
TT

TT,

We didn't start ammo resupply until recently. In earnest anyway. I would advise playing without till you get the hang of things. Then add the bits that make it BG as you gain control over rules via memory.

We play that vehicles really do need to be in contact with the supply truck.
I once had 2 Grilles with a supply truck parked in between them (they definitely need it with an ammo rating of 2). Can be very effective but they make an awfully juicy target

You can play without Supply Vehicles the first few games but definitely do track ammo!

This will give you an idea whether you really need them for the units you prefer to bring. I like to field Panzer IV as my main armour and generally don't take supply vehicles to re-arm them.
With StuGs and especially Hetzers, you might run out of ammo before the battle is done.

We play actually touching as well. I had two Stugs and a JgdPzIV pushed up against an Opel Blitz, only to have the Blitz suppressed for three consecutive turns. Very frustrating!

Cheers, Andy

In contact as written means, models touching... in contact. We allow for about .5" not to be overly sniffy, but in general, touching.

Resupply on the battlefield is your last resort.
Units rotated to resupply. Not ideal, but better than having your resupply of ammo and fuel blown-up!
Incidentally, my late friend, Ian Daglish in one of his books on Normandy, stated that the first Tiger 2 killed in combat was blown-up by a 2" mortar.
It hit the resupply truck next to it, whilst it was being resupplied.

I remember a post on the Guild that noted all units with 4" of the supply truck could be re-supplied (based on the 4" dismount allowance for vehicles).

However, Warwick noted above that "in contact" is within .5" or so.

Truscott Trotter wrote:Hi guys
Very new to Battlegroup rules - thinking of making the jump from FoW to BG
One of the questions that worries me is this whole rearming thing
I am currently reading a couple of books about 3rd and 5th RTR.
During the desert battles they did indeed run out of ammo in the middle of the battle (not in NWE where the encounters were generally a shorter duration I guess)
The process was to retreat 4 or 5 miles from the battle if not further to rearm (and refuel at same time) as it was a lengthy process and left the tanks and the ammo carriers extremely vulnerable.
How essential to the game is the ammo tracking and rearming?
Cheers
TT

Depends on the vehicle, and how trigger happy the commander is. If you want to take every possible chance to shoot, you're going to blow through your ammo Very quickly and need constant resupply. Early war tanks have a quite generous supply, and relative to their survivability are likely to get knocked out long before they run out - but their later war counterparts tend to have around 9-10 rounds for a tank, 5-6 for a SPATG or assault gun, and 2-5 for the big howitzers.

For my money, it's a somewhat messy Looking game mechanic that, despite introducing a questionable aspect to the battles historically, results in an experience that Feels right. It, plus the bonus to spotting on targets that have previously fired makes armour combat more tactical - do you spend a round, fishing for the six you will quite regularly need to hit anything, or do you move for a better shot? Do you spend HE firing at enemy infantry, or move closer to use your infinite ammo MGs (but risk coming into portable AT weapon range in return).

It brings the issue of ammunition supply closer to the front lines, making it a gameplay aspect both sides can manage, rather than putting it beyond the scope of the action, where it technically belongs, but thusly making the players subject to the random whims of dice-rolls on pre-game tables.

Which 'feels' better to you? The Germans lone King-Tiger running out of ammo and getting abandoned because RNGesus gave a 'low ammo' roll at the start of the game, representing Allied Air Interdiction trashing the supply network? Or it running out of ammo because a Typhoon turned up over the battlefield, braved the AA cover and managed to push through, blowing their only supply truck to pieces? Or there's the third option, there being No ammo restriction, and the King Tiger being an unstoppable force to be reckoned with beyond all resemblence to reality...

Also, supply vehicles are cool. There's not many games give you an excuse to use any of the various Munitionspanzer, my Americans are getting a Weasel pulling a trailer, some lists force you to use a frigging Horse And Cart! Sometimes things that have no place that close to where the shooting happens are put into the lists anyway because for some people, wargaming is an excuse to put cool toys on a table!

Ammo is the rules is pretty essential... it limits the power of AFVs, so provides an elements of game-balance. Big tanks find it harder to dominate, or to dominate for long. It adds in a real consideration, as said above, about how/when to shoot with what... for me, it makes the AFV combat much more fun, and makes real tanks (with turret stowage), have an advantage over assault guns they actual had. Small amounts of bookkeeping, but really it is very easy, doesn't slow the game and adds a lot.... good luck dealing with a Tiger with unlimited shots... I can't deal with them with limited shots...