From S&T#166 SAIPAN (S&T #162) Q: Can the lake (hex 1523) be entered? A: No; it is prohibited to all units, even though the hex is not completely filled with water. Q: Can All-Sea hexes surrounding the island be entered? A: No, except for US units landing on Beach hexes containing an active Japanese fortification. In that one instance, place the Unit in the Beachhead hex containing an arrow pointing at the landing beach. Units land and remain in the Beachhead hex until the corresponding fortification is destroyed. Q: A star result by itself on the Combat Results Table on the map means that the only loss taken is to a tank unit, if one is present? A: Yes. Q: What do the symbols represent on the Unit Fire Value Chart? (p.7) A: "II" represents a battalion; "III" represents a regiment; "XX" represents a division. The American "X HQ' should read "XX HQ." Q: What is the number in the lower right corner of a combat unit? (1.2) A: Its "Movement Allowance." Q: How exactly should the US invasion waves land? (2.35) A: Each division lands on its own set of 3 connected beachhead hexes. The first wave includes one of the following options: 2 tank units, OR 1 tank and 1 division artillery, OR 2 division artillery units. Select the units from either or both Marine divisions. Units from different divisions may not stack together when landing. Q: Can units from different US divisions stack and perform ground segments together? (5.0) A: Yes, except in the Beachhead or Beach hexes where they land (2.33). Q: Does an artillery unit by itself in a hex negate an EZOC for purposes of tracing LOC? (6. 1) A: No. The rules correctly limit this to infantry and tank units. Q: What happens to an HQ in a moving stack that takes a step loss? (6.15) A: If on its front side, it becomes disrupted. If already disrupted, it is eliminated. Q: How are Japanese Coastal Defense Fire results distributed? (7. 1) A: Any way the player wishes. Q: It says "units or stacks" cannot combine to attack? I thought units could combine into stacks for movement and combat. (8.0) A: You are right. Change references to "units or stacks" to read "stacks." Q: Can units be picked up by a stack performing a ground segment? (8.0) A: No. Q: Do you have to check for Japanese Reaction in each hex other than a destroyed Fort that a US stack enters during its movement? (8.2) A: No, just the first one the stack happens to enter. Ignore any others. Q: Beyond the three conditions listed, are there any other situations that a Japanese Reaction check needs to be made during a ground segment? (8.2) A: If the last US unit in a inoving stack is eliminated for any reason, make a Reaction check. Q: What situations NEVER require a Japanese Reaction check? (8.2) A: Entering a hex containing a Beachhead arrow or destroyed Japanese Fortification never does. The results of Japanese Reaction itself never triggers another Reaction check, even if all US units are eliminated. Q: Now that units in this game system have movement allowances, how exactly do they work? (8.4) A: A unit must pay the number of movement points (MPs) listed on the Terrain Effects Chart on the map to enter the indicated type of hex. Infantry and HQ units sometimes pay fewer MPs to enter a hex than tank and artillery units, as indicated on the chart. A unit may not enter or attack into a hex if it would exceed its printed movement allowance (the number in the unit's lower right corner). Units that cannot enter or attack into a hex can be dropped off so that other units may proceed with the ground segment. Rotate each unit that ends its movement "upside down" (180 degrees). Rotate all units right side up in the US Recovery Phase (3.0G). Q: Can an HQ or artillery unit's support strength be added to the printed strength of friendly units being fired upon by the enemy? (8.5) A: No. Support can only be added to units performing fire, whether as the attacker or defender There are some restrictions on support for defenders; see the Combat Support Summary (p.7) and errata. Q: How exactly do you determine combat odds for a fire fight? (8.52) A: Multiply the current combat strength (i.e., face value minus any step loss) of each firing combat unit (including "in-battery" artillery and an undisrupted HQ present in the stack that have not provided support this turn and wish to fire) by its fire value listed on the Fire Value Chart (p.7). Finally, add any support points (8.8) to the total. Next, determine the target hex's strength by finding the combined current combat strength of any active (undestroyed) fortification and all ground units in the hex, including any undisrupted HQ and artillery ("fired" or "in-battery") present. Use each target's current strength, including the printed value on the "in-battery" side of the artillery. Target unit strengths are not multiplied by any fire values. The target hex may not receive any support. Artillery does not flip to its "fired" side and the HQ does not lose its ability to provide support simply because they are targeted by enemy fire. If the firing strength (F) is equal to or larger than the target strength (T), divide F by T (F/T) and drop any fractions. Express the result (N) as a simple odds ratio (N: 1). If F is less than T, divide T by F (T/F) and round fractions up to the nearest whole number. Express the result (N) as a simple odds ration (1:N). Find the column corresponding to the odds ratio on the Combat Results table. Odds of less than 1:4 are treated as 1:4; odds greater than 10-1 are treated as 10-1. The example Pr (8.52) in the rules remains valid, but "defensive strength" should read "combat strength." Q: Are stacking limits maintained even in Beach and Beachhead hexes? (8.55) A: No, but excess units in either type of hex may not participate in combat. When units in the hex are fired on, excess units suffer losses if participating friendly units cannot absorb all required losses, including the extra step loss for not being able to retreat. Q: Can units in a stack retreat separately? (8.55) A: Yes, but units that retreat across the same hexside must retreat together. If any unit(s) in a stack cannot retreat due to stacking limits or for any other reason, then the extra step loss is assessed against one of the non-retreating units. Q: How are step losses kept track of? (8.62) A: An artillery unit that takes a step loss is eliminated. An HQ unit is flipped over to its Disrupted (DIS) side, or is eliminated if already on its "DIS" side. All other units lose one strength point per step loss. If flipping a unit over would cause it to lose more than one point from its current strength, place a "1" step loss marker beneath it instead. Subtract the loss marker number from the unit's face value to determine its current strength. A non-HQ unit with a "1" marker beneath it that receives a loss must flip over and remove the marker. If already flipped over, the unit is destroyed and the marker removed. Q: When a fort is destroyed, do you use whatever other terrain is in the hex? (8.64) A: Yes. The reference to "clear terrain" is incorrect. Q: Can a Disrupted HQ contribute its strength when fired upon, or count toward defense when fired upon'? (8.71) A: It cannot fire, but counts as "1" toward the target stack's strength when fired upon. Q: In what situations can support be provided? (8.8) A: The following is an expanded description of what is summarized in the Combat Support Summary (p.7), as corrected by errata. Bear in mind that the US support units were "riding shotgun" on US units performing offensive operations and subject to a sudden Japanese reaction, whereas deliberate Japanese attacks came "out of the blue." HQs without a "1" marker beneath them, "in-battery" artillery, and support points (air, naval, engineers) may always add their support strengths to a US attack. Regimental HQs with no "1" marker beneath them, "in-battery" artillery, air points, and naval points may add their support strengths to US units firing back against an Assault or Banzai Charge resulting from Japanese Reaction (9.2). "In-battery" artillery, and naval points may add their support strengths to US units firing back against an Assault, Coordinated Assault, or Banzai Charge (during a Japanese Tactical Actions Phase (9.3) Q: How do you indicate that a unit has provided support and cannot do so again during the turn? (8.8) A: Once a unit provides support, place a "1" marker beneath it if an HQ or flip it over to its "fired" (F) side if artillery to indicate that it cannot provide support again for the rest of the turn. HQs, but not artillery, can still perform direct fire; see errata for (8.5). Each air or naval point used to provide support is expended. Q: What does "corresponding command" mean for artillery? What are the range limits of artillery? (8.83) A: Regimental artillery can only support units belonging to its own regiment. Divisional artillery supports units of its own division. See errata, rule (6.16) for details about artillery range based on LOC. Q: Can a "fired" artillery unit still move? (8.84) A: If it has not yet moved during the US Ground Phase, it may do so using its normal movement allowance printed on the "in-battery" side of the counter. A: An artillery unit that retreats is also flipped over to its "fired" side and may not provide support. Q: How should the expenditure of Engineer points be recorded? (8.87) A: The "Engineers Deployed" marker begins each game turn to the left of the "1" box on the Status Track. Move the "Deployed" marker to the next highest numbered box for each demolition team used. When the marker must be moved out of the box containing the "Engineers Available" marker, there are no more Engineers available for use for the remainder of the turn. Q: Are Engineers reset each turn, and if so how exactly is it done'? (8.88) A: Engineer casualties are determined at the end of' the Japanese Tactical Actions Phase (3.OF). Reset the "Engineers Available" marker after subtracting casualties from the US Engineer Losses table on the map. The number of Engineer points lost may not exceed the number in the box containing the "Engineers Deployed" marker. (No losses occur if no Engineers have been used during the turn.) Then place the "Engineers Deployed" marker as described in rule (8.87). The Engineers are now ready to go for the next turn. Q: Do you multiply the printed number in a Fort by the multiplier (xl through x5) in the space currently containing the '50 JRL' marker on the Japanese Resistance Track? A: Yes. Q: How are Coordinated Assaults performed? (9.34) A: Roll for tanks as in (9.32). Select the weakest US stack that lies within the Japanese stack's remaining movement allowance. In case of ties, the player chooses the target stack. Keep track of the stack's movement Point expenditure during the Coordinated Assault, following normal movement rules (8.4). The Coordinated Assault can also end when the Japanese stack runs out of MPs and is not adjacent to any US stacks. Remove all surviving Japanese units at the end of the Coordinated Assault. Q: How do you indicate a Japanese Resistance Level of 500? (11.2) A: Place the "JRL 50" marker in the "450" box, the "JRL 10" marker in the "40" box, and the "JRL 1" above the '9' box. When the first point is lost, move the "JRL 1' into the '9' box. NB submitted by John Kula (kula@telus.net) on behalf of the Strategy Gaming Society (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/~sgs), originally collected by Andrew Webber (gbm@wwwebbers.com)