Foot Heavy Weapons - Rules Clarifications

[Tony]

Dear Martin,

Could I ask for some very simple clarifications about Foot Mounted HW. The questions follow my cross referencing the various paragraphs concerning HW.

1. They are defined as HMG, Recoilless Rifle, Mortar, Missiles.

2. All foot HW have to deploy to fire and pack up to move.

3. All foot HW when deploying or packing up pay the 4inch movement penalty

4. HMG may fire in the turn it deploys others may not.

5. HMG may fire and then pack up

6. Recoilless Rifles may not pack up if they have fired

7. May Mortars and Missiles fire and then pack up

Many thanks

Tony

[Tony]

Dear all,

Thank you all for reading the above. Perhaps there were too many questions for a definitive answer so let me reduce it to one key question:

"Must foot heavy weapons deduct 4" from movement in order to deploy or pack up?"

I strongly believe the answer is yes due to the entry on the modifiers chart on page 75 and the statement on the QRS under foot movement. I believe the contention is also supported by several other rules, hence the plethora of questions.

That therefore is the way I have played it since 2009 when I first acquired the rules. However recently on another forum I have been strenuously informed by Julian Bonney that I am playing this wrong and that there is no deduction for foot HW packing up or deploying. This deduction only applies to towed guns including AA. Given that Mr Bonney has built quite the reputation on this site in the last 15 months, I searched high and low for this amendment yet can not find it anywhere.

Having played almost all RFCM rules over the past thirty years and never seen such a major divergence from the written word I decided to pose the question of the rules writer and his team. I should be most grateful if this single point could be cleared up for me.

Tony

[martin goddard]

Sorry it has caused a conundrum Tony.
I am surprised by it.

You are totally correct.
"Deploy or pack up foot heavy weapon or towed gun    -4"

I am open to suggestions of how I can make it clearer in the next edition

I have had no problems playing the rules,  but it might be fair  for players to ask for a new edition with more clarity if such matters are causing problems??


martin

[Tony]

Thank you for your prompt reply. I find the rules clear and have played them happily since you published them. I have not noticed a huge groundswell of opinion for a reprint but others will definitely have a better finger on the pulse.   

Tony

[Tony]

Martin replied on June 29th quite succinctly.

Tony