Andy Cowell
19 Sep 1996

The Dirtside II Q&A Page

Errata, question and answers

Errata

These are from Mike Elliot, the on-line voice of GZG.

The text at the top of p.36 is in error, delete the words "Damage Validity and" thus it should read: "(Note that in all the above cases, the point totals necessary to kill infantry elements are the same as for INFANTRY FIREFIGHTS.)"

In other words you should use the chit validities from p.29.

Suplementary question:
If you use the validities on pg. 29, how do you provide infantry a bonus for being in cover or dug in? The rules on page 36 did this by altering the damage validities. Except for artillery attacks, cover modifiers are not included in this chart, and infantry attacks cannot use the same modifiers as against vehicles since no dice are rolled.

Answer:
You DON'T provide infantry a bonus for being in cover or dug in vs vehicle fire (except in the case of artillery fire). They are hard enough to hit as it is (Yellow chits only) so its not really necessary.
On p24, in the "UNDER FIRE" MARKERS section, DELETE "+0 for". that is, the Threat Level for being under fire is always +1.
On p53, example 2 is wrong. It either must be fitted with an MDC/1 or have FGP power.

Questions and Answers

These are from players on the GZG mailing list. Answers from Mike Elliot are listed as such.

Not all the questions has been processed yet. Take a look at all the questions is parts 1, 2, 3, and 4

Q: The definition of the RAM Mortars says they can be man-portable, but I didn't see design rules for them.
A: Mike Elliot (one of the credited DSII designers) has posted onto the GZG mailing list that Mortar teams are purchased as any other infantry specialist team, and add 50 pts to the cost of the team. He has said that the battery carries the normal three markers of ready ammo.
Q: What would be a good strategy for designing lets say a laser tower, class four?
A: From Mike Elliot:Referring to DSII p46, isolated buildings (such as towers and bunkers) are treated as immobile vehicles as far as design is concerned (it doen't actually say it, but it is implied). Just omit the cost of the mobility system. You'll still need a power plant though to provide power for your weapons systems.
Q: Does Urban go along with Dug-In for Close assault, as it does with firefights?
A: From Mike Elliot:Yes.
Q: If a Green unit gets a Panic marker & becomes Broken or Routed, which do they do 1st, remove the Panic marker, or move to cover? What if the unit is more than one move from cover?
A: From Mike Elliot: See p.22. A unit that is Broken must withdraw to cover. This may takes more than one turn. If there is no cover available, then it may well end up withdrawing off the table.
Q: It sounds like you can't destroy buildings in an urban area, only isolated buildings can be fired at. If this is so, then infantry in urban areas can never have their cover reduced, correct?
A: From Mike Elliot: Urban Areas are treated very much like woods (see p46). The major difference is that vehicles can move inside Urban Areas. An Urban Area is therefore counted as SOFT COVER when infantry/vehicles at its edge are fired at by enemy outside it. You can't fre at the Urban Area itself except by artillery (see p46) If this is successful it has the effect of reducing a part of the UA to rubble, which allows infantry to count as DUG-IN. Let's face it, you're going to have to send in the grunts to get 'em out....
Q: If infantry are in a building that is destroyed, what kind of damage do they take?
A: Treat infantry in isolated buildings as you would for infantry in disabled or damaged vehicles - if the building is disabled or damaged. If the building is destroyed, then the infantry are destroyed as well.
Q: How do you deal with on table and off table artillery "shooting and scooting?"
A: From Mike Elliot: The idea of the rules is to balance the advantages/disadvantages of on or off table artillery.
On-Table Artillery
May FIRE and then MOVE in one activation ("shoot and scoot"), thus giving it an advantage against CBR. It is recommended that only RAM mortars are used on-table.

Off-Table Artillery
May _not_ fire and move in the same activation. I find the best place to put "off-table" arty is along the edge of the table. Thye should be declared to be off-table at the start of the game. They can then be moved along the edge as required. In reality, of course, they are several miles behind the table. In scale (and in DSII, 1 mile is about 16ins) they would be in the next room or even out in the street!

This makes off-table arty more vulnerable to CBR (since they can't "shoot and scoot"). OTOH, on-table arty can "shoot and scoot" to counter CBR but in turn are vulnerable to normal spotted arty fire and attacks from other enemy forces (such as aerospace strikes). The rules don't specify how far, but sensibly it should be far enough to get out from under a CB barrage aimed at their last known position.

Therefore, the way to deal with on-table artillery is NOT with counter battery fire, but with any other type of attack you choose. Off-table artillery can ONLY be attacked with counter battery fire and are penalised for not moving. To avoid this they can thus only fire on alternate activations.

If you think about it, both on and off-table artillery are penalised (and made more vulnerable as targets) for not moving, _but in slightly different ways_. In effect, off-table arty can actually shoot and scoot but take two activations to do so.
Q: When are "under fire" markers removed?
A: From Mike Elliot: See p19, top of page it says: "Once the whole unit has...finished its COMBAT SEQUENCE...remove any UNDER FIRE markers"
Q: Can VTOL's spot for artillery in high mode, low mode and when landed?
A: From Mike Elliot: Yes, to all these provided you have paid for an artillery observer element in the vehicle (50 points).
Q: Is there any way to attack High Mode VTOLs or Aerospace fighters other than ADAS or LAD?
A: From Mike Elliot: See answer to next question.
Q: Can two VTOLs in high mode attack each other?
A: From Mike Elliot: The rules don't explicitly say, but I see no reason why not (think "helicopter duel"). VTOLS in high mode cannot attack areospaace craft though (the f******ers move too d*** fast).
Q: Can dismounted troops move and fire on the same turn they dismount?
A: From Mike Elliot: Yes.
Q: What happens to a VTOL that receives a "Firer Systems Down" chit? Does it crash? Is it unaffected?
A: From Mike Elliot: A "Firer Systems Down" chit affect a VTOL in the same way as it does any other vehicle (i.e. no Combat Actions) see p.30.
Q: If I buy an extra APSW, does it need a fire control? Do APSW's count toward the number of weapon systems (since you are not allowed to have more than your vehicle size class)?
A: From Mike Elliot: No, you do NOT need a Firecon for an APSW, either the "free" one or any others. Yes, APSWs _are_ counted as weapon systems for the "no-more-systems-than-vehicle-class ruling".
Q: Is moving the only way to remove Under Fire Chits? I couldn't find anywhere that said they were removed after 1 turn of a unit not being fired upon.
A: From Mike Elliot: Under Fire markers are removed at the end of a unit's activation. See p.19 (top of col 1) "Once the whole unit has performed... then remove any UNDER FIRE markers".
Q: Does a required retreat from a close assault count as the activation for the retreating unit? How do you work dismounted infantry getting back into their vehicles to retreat? Can an assaulting unit follow-up, even if the retreating unit is now out of the 6" range (mounting in vehicles & dashing off)?
A: From Mke Elliot: A retreat from a close assault does not count as an activation. Troops cannot mount up during such a retreat. They will have to wait for their own activation to do so.
Q: Can Powered Armor elements be purchased as specialty teams (ie, a GMS/L PA element)?
A: From Mike Elliot: Yes. A PA element carrying a GMS/L would cost 40 points + cost of the GMS/L.
Q: How do you work IAVRs firing at a vehicle with APFC & Reactive armor? Reactive armor allows only Red chits & APFC allows only Yellow.
A: From Mike Elliot: The APFCs take precedence, so onky Yellow chits count. (i.e you don't get any bonus for having Reactive Armour as well).
Q: For clarification, do all specialty chits count against artillery targets?
A: From Mike Elliot: Yes.
Q: If an assaulting unit has an Under Fire marker, does it need to make 2 Reaction tests, 1 caused by trying to move with an Under Fire marker & 1 for close assaulting?
A: From Mike Elliot: No, you only take ONE test, but the Threat Level will be the highest that applies. (i.e. +1 if Confident and Under Fire.)
Q: Does an Under Fire marker have any other affect on a close assault? It affects the die for fire effectiveness, but I can't find any affect in close assaults.
A: From Mike Elliot: No, Under Fire has no other effect in CA.
Q: How do Confidence tests in close assault affect tests outside of close assault? For example, since a unit that has taken over 50% casualties has a +3 for the fall back Confidence test, does it also have to take a general +2 Confidence test for taking more than 50% casualties?
A: From Mike Elliot: Take a CL Test with a TL of +3 for the fall back test. The unit must then take a CL Test at a TL of +2 (for 50% casualties during battle) the next time it is activated and every activation thereafter.
Q: How do you count causality percentages in a mechanized infantry unit?
A: From Mike Elliot: I would count each vehicle as 1 and each infantry stand as 1. The only time that you might not do this is during a CA when you should only count the vehicles actually involved in the CA. So if your mech platoon dismounts, leaves its vehicles behind and then mounts a CA, only count the infantry stands.
Q: Do you have to take the +2 Confidence test for taking 50% casualties only once when you cross the 50% threshold, or for every casualty taken after the 50% point?
A: From Mike Elliot: P23. states that: "A CONFIDENCE TEST should be taken when any of the following apply:". Since the "50% casualties or more in the battle so far is a persistent condition, then a unit to which this applies must take a CL test on every activation. The effect of this is that while suffering 50% losses is not immediately critical, it will not be very long before the unit has had enough - unless you keep rolling good dice!
Q: Is 'stealth' a system for systems down chit effects?
A: From Mike Elliot: Yeah, I reckon Stealth is a system for the "Systems Down - Target" chit. For the "Systems Down - Firer" chit, though, it is only the firecontrol system that is out.
Q: Is an unarmored vehicle still damaged if it draws chits with sum 0 (since the armor is equal to the sum of the chits)?
A: Only if the chits are of valid color.

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