Recon and Scout Missions

Flames Of War

Recon and Scout Missions

By James Paterson, "Two Tiger" Tony Lesch and David Coles

Identify the Objective Special Rule

If a mission has this special rule the Taking Objective rules on page 195 are modified as follows:

In recon missions Instead of Taking an Objective you must IDENTIFY THE OBJECTIVE. You have Identified an Objective if you start your turn with a recon team within 4”/10cm of the objective.

Objectives cannot be Identified by Independent teams, Tanks teams that are bailed out or Bogged Down, transport teams and teams that moved at the double in their last turn. On the other hand pinned down teams can Identify an Objective, as can Recon Teams that are in the process of reorganising.

An objective is identified regardless of the presence of enemy teams (enemy teams cannot contest the objective).

Recon Mission

This mission is appropriate where one player has recon company and the other player has some other type of company.

This mission uses the Prepared Positions, Scattered Reserves, Delayed Reserves, Mobile Reserves, Ambush and Identify the Objective special rules.

Before the mission

1. The player with a recon company is the attacker.
2. The defending player chooses which long table edge they will deploy in.
3. The defender places two objectives in their half of the table at least 8” from any table edge and 8” of the centre line of the table.
4. The defender nominates at least half of their platoons to be held off table in Delayed Reserve, these do not start arriving until turn 3. Then they nominate up to one platoon to be held in Ambush. Finally they deploy the remaining platoons in their half of the table in prepared positions.
5. The attacker must nominate at least half of their platoons to be held in Scattered Reserve, the remaining platoons are deployed up to 12” in from the centre line of the table.

Attacker’s Orders
The enemy is somewhere in front of our position. Our main force will arrive soon, in the meantime your orders are to scout out and identify the objectives. We need to do this quick before the enemy main force arrives.

Defender’s Orders
Enemy recon forces have appeared in front of your position. You must prevent the enemy from discovering our positions. Keep their recon elements well away from our objectives or make sure they don’t get a good look. Our main force will be along soon, hold them off until they arrive.

DAK Kubelwagen
Beginning the Battle
1. The defender begins the game in prepared positions so their troops are in foxholes and gone to ground.
2. Starting with the defender, both players make recon deployment moves.
3. The attacking player takes the first turn

Ending the Battle
The battle ends either:
• When the attacker starts any turn having previously identified any objective.
• At the start of the defenders eight turn (remember to check defender morale before victory step).

Deciding who won
• The attacker wins if the game ended because they started any one of their turns having Identified the Objective.
• Otherwise the defender wins

Rangers Scout Mission

This mission is appropriate where both players have Recon Companies or where one player has a Recon Company and the other player has one or more recon platoons in their company.

This mission uses the Scattered Reserves, Fair Fight, Mobile Battle, Ambush and Identify the Objective special rules.

Before the mission

1. Both players roll a die. The player with the higher score chooses one of the long table edges to attack from. The other player defends from the opposite table edge.
2. Starting with the attacker both player place an objective in their own half of the table.
3. Both players, having placed an objective in their own half of the table, now place a second objective in their opponents half of the table, again starting with the attacking player.

4. Both players starting with the attacking player now alternate placing their remaining platoons in their own half of the table. The platoons may not be placed within 12” of the centre line of the table.
5. Finally starting with the attacker, both players now alternate placing their Independent Teams in their deployment areas starting with the attacking player.
Attacker’s Orders
Enemy recons forces are somewhere in front of our position. Our main force will arrive soon; in the meantime your orders are to scout out and identify the objectives and to keep the enemy away from our objectives.

Defender’s Orders
Enemy recon forces have appeared in front of your position. You must scout out their position and also prevent the enemy from discovering our positions. Keep their recon elements well away from our objectives or make sure they don’t get a good look.

Beginning the Battle
1. Starting with the attacker, both players make recon deployment moves for any Recce Platoons they have on table.
2. Both players now roll a die. The player finishing deployment first adds +1 to their roll. The player with the higher result has the first turn. In the event of a tie roll again.
3. Remember that this mission uses the Mobile Battle special rule so, for the first turn of the game, all teams are considered moving at the beginning of the battle.

Ending the Battle
The battle ends either:
• When the either player starts any turn identifying an objective.
• You run out of time.

Deciding who won
• If the game ended because either player started any one of their turns having Identified the Objective, the player that identified the enemy objective wins the game.
• If neither side won use the Fair Fight rules to determine victory points.

Recon Missions during tournaments

If you are about to play any Defensive Battle, first determine who the attacker will be. If the attacking player is fielding a Recon Company he or she may elect to play a Recon Mission instead of the listed mission.

[Or]

Scout Missions during tournaments

If you are about to play a Free for All or Encounter mission, first determine who the attacker will be. If the attacking player is fielding a Recon Company he or she may elect to play a Recon Mission instead of the listed mission.

Once this choice has been made if the defender is not fielding a Recon Company, the defender may elect to play a Recon Mission instead.

Alternative Idea

Instead of the missions listed above, introduce the “Identify the Objective” special rule for players fielding Recon Companies.

Rule in Defensive Battles (except Fighting withdrawal and Fort battles)

Any time a player fielding a Recon Company is the attacker in a Defensive Battle they may use the Identify the Objective special rule. This now becomes the only way to “take” an objective.

A Hold the Line now becomes a Recon in Depth mission, and a Breakthrough mission becomes a Recon by Fire mission etc.

Rule in any other battle

Any time a player fielding a Recon Company is the attacker in a battle that is not using the Defensive Battle special rule they may use the Identify the Objective special rule. This now becomes the only way to “take” an objective. The other player takes objectives as normal.

If both player have Recon Companies they may both elect to use the Identify the Target special rule.

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Last Updated On Monday, August 2, 2010 by Blake at Battlefront