Bataille Empire

I have a doubt about being able to react to enemy fire once opportunity fire is done (and the unit then gets an action marker).

My case:
Have a battery with enemies at 5UM, in its activation the enemy spend a CP and advances 2xbn in column forward to the battery (no charge), I declare oppty fire at 4 UM expecting to stop at least one. I fire and make 1 1/2 hits, that added to 1/2 casualty already there, makes a 2 hits morale check to one bn that fails and retreats. My battery is marked with an action marker.
Then the enemy spends another CP to bring forward a bn in line formation that is also in my 45 firing arc, I cannot oppty fire but during its fire phase that bn in line fires at 2UM a salvo at my battery... seems I can react fire with -1 for being marked , but cannister close range +3, and inmobile +1 makes a good shot for my artilery...

My enemy questions this reaction fire allowing the battery to fire twice, is everything ok in my example?

thankyou,

This appears to be correct to me taking the rules as written but I suspect that the intention of opportunity fire is to allow you to fire after the other player has completed his movement only if you don't find yourself in a fire combat with another unit shooting at you and you returning fire on that. Anyone have other views?

Thanks for answering, and we saw it initially as you said, but ...

why has the battery to wait the infantry to be able to fire if its greater range allows to fire with same effect at 4 UM in this case and possibly make the infantry retire before (as happened) shooting a salvo to the artillery ?

Seems fair that the artillery uses its range advantage

I am not sure this is what is intended.

In the paragraph about opportunity fire it says it 'simulates the reaction of a unit that can fire at an enemy passing nearby.' In your case the infantry does not pass nearby, it advances directly towards the artillery and finishes the move in front of it.

I am also not sure that opportunity fire happens before the infantry has finished moving. If you look at the sequence of play on P28 Final fire is the last activation.

I believe opportunity fire is for cases where a unit moves into the artillery range and out again in the same move.

Don

Yep, it is correct and what I would have done. If you wait the chances are he stops one of the units at 2.5 mu so giving you -1 for being under skirmisher fire which is the same as losing your +1 immobile bonus which you lose in an opportunity fire. I also think you lose the immobile bonus if you later return fire having already conducted an opportunity fire.

If you were not well supported the charging odds don't work out much different, so a charge would have been better especially if better status troops.
cheers
Jim

My impression is that what the author meant by Opportunity Fire would have been better described as Disappearing Fire, i.e. firing at a target that was moving outside your fire arc (or possibly retreating beyond a more favorable range band). There are unfortunately quite a few key rules that are not worded as well as they could be, leaving much to interpretation (the fire priority rules are another) - not ideal in any rules, but I wonder what will happen at the first tournament?

At any rate, a clarification from the author would be ideal. Can Opportunity Fire be taken at any time at any target? Or, was it intended more as Disappearing Fire as described above?

See Note page 53 : Opportunity fire must remain the exception. Most of the time a unit will be able to return fire against enemy fire when it is resolved. Since firing is simultaneous, it is not necessary to make opportunity fire every time an enemy unit moves.

In your example, you should have wait the other player finish all their moves. During the shooting phase, artillery will be shoot at the infantry in line and so return fire on it.

You could have opportunity fire for example if :
- An ennemy unit that is at canister range move backward : you fire before at canister range
- No ennemy units approach the artillery : with it's longer range you can opportunity fire the ennemy