English Channel Op-Fire bug?

[soapboxalpha]

I don't have a save game handy, but this one is pretty easy to create on Germany's first turn:

1) park German surface fleet off the coast of the Netherlands and provide bombardment support to attacks on the Netherlands and Western France (don't use the West German heavy bombers in these attacks).
2) Use West German HBs and the atlantic sub to knock out the British light fleet and transport off the coast of Western France.
3) Sail the German surface fleet through the narrows, picking up 1 interdiction but *no* op-fire from the British air units. Any surface fleets that didn't participate in the bombardment of the Dutch/French units will get nailed with 3 op-fire points.

I've been able to get the entire german fleet (excluding transports and the med fleet) into western france on the first turn without losses. Does the bombardment fool the code into treating the German fleet as if they started their turn in the sea zone on the coast of the Netherlands?

[Oleg Mastruko]

You will be happy to know fix for this bug is already on the list for the next patch. In fact right now I have to test exactly the fix for this one [:D]

O.

[Big Lou]

Oleg,

This may be changed in the next patch. But it is currently working as intended according to the rule book. The German fleets are in the sea zone east of England. They are participating in combat by bombarding Denmark/W.France and/or attacking the Danish light fleet that retreats to this zone once Denmark is attacked. Their subsequent move through the narrows of the English channel should not be subject to op fire because they are moving out of that zone (and I dont think it matters to where).

Rule Book page 61 "Also, units that have just attacked will not be op fired at by enemy units in the just completed combat region if the attacking units move out of the area."

I have assumed that the artillery and aircraft in southern England, for purposes of op fire, are considered to be in the combat region. You own example seems to support this - any fleets that did not bombard (or participate in surface combat) get the op fire if they try to move through the narrows; those that bombard (or participate in surface combat) can move through.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Narrows should *always* opfire. There should be no way to avoid narrows opfire (like in Eneglish chanel). Page 61, paragraph 4.

I think rule you quote applies only if the opfiring unit would be sub. I don't see any other possibility for unit from side A to leave area X where it just fired on enemy, side B. The ONLY enemy unit that does not retreat (not even if the battle is lost) is sub. Thus, only sub may opfire on the unit leaving the area just fought over. This is how I see "your" rule, but it's something different altogether from narrows opfire not working. Narrows should always opfire, and I think it would in the next patch.

O.

[Joel Billings]

Oleg is right this was a bug. The section of the rules quoted only applies to enemy units in the actual area of the just completed combat. Those in surrounding areas are still free to Op fire at units that just fought in a battle. The fact that they didn't was a bug. Hopefully Oleg will confirm the patch fix has worked as intended.