PBI Fortifications

[AetherforgeMike]

Hello,

I have been a player of World war 2 games for some time, and PBI is my current favourite when it comes to Company level.  However, my Italians are itching to build some fortifications around a certain city called Tobruk.  However.... I have been wondering how to implement them in the game itself.    Whilst there is already a small amount in the form of "Vital position" that seems to me more ad-hoc than I am planning.

What I had in mind was Emplaced weapons in some form of hardpoint, be it the Tobruk pit machine guns, Tank turrets turned into bunkers, emplaced anti-tank or anti-aircraft guns, or even emplaced Artillery.     I was wondering if there was anything in the works,  or if I should put something together myself.  I had some initial thoughts, but I wanted to hear what peoples thoughts were here. 

[Leslie BT]

The rules were designed to be an infantry encounter with some support.

There was no intention to make a set of siege rules.

But with some lateral thinking you are allowed towed guns, so their is no reason why your fixed defenses cannot be made to work.

I think you need to make a few rule and army list amendments to get it to work.

But you should keep us in the forum informed as their are a number of other theatres where you have the similar fortified defenses.

In the Pacific, Italy, etc.

[Peterloo]

there's a couple of points PBI miss.
Firstly the defender would be dug in - certainly defending veterans and I would dice 456 for average say 56 for raw - digging in would just be troops in any partial or open square can count as closed for saving rolls. won't help defence in assaults.

As for defences , I have put it in assets 12d6 to be played before the first turn - each 56 = 1 square of defences then dice for each square.
1,2 = 1 square of wire effect is +1 to movement for foot. - you could stack squares to increase effect.
3,4 = Dragons teeth - count partial for foot - impassable to vehicles
5,6 - mines - on entering dice 1d6 per base , each 1 = a kill - or a Destroyed vehicle. - rest are pinned. - if no hits then ignore

As for built defences like bunkers I would +1dice to defenders and give it an armour factor of say 7. so if you HE it you have to penetrate before applying the HE effect.
It would be immune to mortars count as closed stationary for offboard HE.

attacking bunkers was a bugger, again - how many bunkers? I would put it in as an asset say 12d6 - each 6 is a bunker.
it would suit games verse Japanese.
Bunkers should not count clustered, but only 3 bases can shoot or fight from a bunker.

[martin goddard]

Those are good ideas and should certainly work. PBI covers defences which are thrown up quickly as a result of fluid battles rather than assaults on prepared defences.  PBI would cover "The germans have secured St Pierre this morning and need to be dislodged before the evening"