Number of platoons?

[bob696]

Total newbie to PBI here so please forgive 

Number of units in a company maximum is 5 (or 6 if raw). Check.

Now we come to page 19
"Note: AA, towed guns, tanks and AC are not "support units"."
Does this mean they can be an addition to the 5/6 limit?
If not, as I suspect, why is the definition "not a support unit" mentioned? What am I missing?

Cheers
Bob

[martin goddard]

Good question Bob.

Support units are Engineers, Mortars and MMGs.
Support units are all allowed to be up to 7 bases in strength.
This 7 base maximum does not apply to tanks etc.
Number of units includes every type of unit.

e.g a  force might have
3 foot platoons Average
1 support unit (mortars) Average
1 tank unit Veteran
TOTAL 5 UNITS

alternatively
2 raw foot platoons
1 RAW support MMG unit
1 RAW support mortar unit
1 Average towed gun unit
1 Veteran AC unit
TOTAL 6 units

Note that all foot must be same quality because they are from the same company.
Other units can be of any qualities.


martin

[John Watson]

Support units might better be described as heavy weapons units. The rules state that support units must be the same quality as the infantry company, so average infantry have average mortar and/or MMG platoons. This rule does not apply to AA, towed guns, tanks and AC which can be of a different quality to the basic company. So you could field, say, a veteran platoon of US marines with a platoon of average Sherman tanks.
John

[bob696]

Thanks both :-)

[martin goddard]

Just to give a bit of insight about force sizes.


The force size was chosen because:-
1.The table saturation was correct for a 480m battle frontage (PBI has a ground scale).
2.Enough units so that the death of a unit does not finish the game. Players can still win after losing a unit.
3.About right for the number of figures to buy and paint (opinions may differ).
4. A force can be carried in a  transportable box.
5.The unit limit imposed means that two units off table at game start is a similar proportion of all armies.  e.g.2 units out of 7 is no great loss. 2 units out of 3 is a terrible loss.
6. It allows/forces players to field an historically accurate company.


This should make PBI a WW2 game, rather than a game using WW2 miniatures.

martin

[Sean Clark]

I'm sure I've read it but can't now find it, but can you only have 1 unit of tanks?

[martin goddard]

Yes indeed.
Page 19.
Only 1 unit of tanks or 1 unit of armoured cars or AA. Just choose 1 or none.
Towed guns are independent of these restrictions.

The advantage of AC is that they help the piggy chase.  The disadvantage is that they are usually pretty poor in gun and armour terms.

Towed guns are usually pretty cheap and get an arrival benefit in the initial units total. They can also use the surprise asset.

martin