You've seen it a hundred times in war movies: a platoon is pinned down by deadly machine gun fire coming from a pillbox. Slowly the men creep forward. There is little cover. The situation is critical: the pillbox is stalling a vital attack. Finally a few men storm forward, a hero throws a grenade through the slits of the concrete pillbox, ducks for cover, and it's all over: flames and concussion swoosh from the slits, a few screams are heard, and the pillbox is neutralized.
So what does this mean in ASL terms?
Pillboxes are covered in the ASLRB, chapter B, section 30. There are almost 1.5 pages of rules concerning pillboxes, and another half page of Q&A. There is also some significant changes and additions to pillbox rules in chapter G for PTO/Japanese use of pillboxes. I'm not going to reproduce the rule book here, so I'll wait while you go read B30 for starters. Go ahead. Dum te dum....
Very good. Learn anything? Some people don't know how to play pillboxes, either as the user of the pillbox or as the attacker. This article is for those people. And this issue of Schwerpunkt has 2 scenarios that feature pillboxes (SP14, The Green House; SP18, An Arm and A Leg), so this is a good time to deal with pillboxes. I'm not going to cover every detail about pillboxes; the rules are largely straightforward. Instead, I'd like to list some special capabilities and restrictions.
First, let's deal with the pillbox owner's abilities and responsibilities.
| Issue | Impact |
| Pillboxes are fortifications and can set up HIP [A12.33], although they lose HIP automatically when an enemy is <= 16 hexes and in LOS (except Japanese, [G1.632]). And B30.7 extends that HIP status to the occupants of the pillbox. | This means a pillbox effectively adds more units to whatever HIP allotment you already get, although their location will be reveled as soon as the pillbox comes into enemy LOS, except when Japanese build the damn thing, in which case you’ll probably never see it. And it gives them even more HIP. Great. |
| Pillboxes can contain up to their printed number of squads/squad equivalents plus up to 4 SMC and any number of SW [B30.111, A5.5, A5.4]. A maximum of one of the squad equivalents can be replaced by a Gun of any type or size plus its manning crew [B30.111]. This stacking allotment is in addition to the non-pillbox location in the hex. | |
| Pillboxes can set up in OG, woods, brush, orchard or grain. This includes roads, even paved roads [B30.1]. | The potential to radically change traditional LOS's on a city board by placing pillboxes on paved roads should not be overlooked. Combined with initial HIP, this can be disconcerting. And what a good way to lay a fire lane down a long road. |
| Pillboxes are separate locations in their hex [B30.1]. | A practical issue here is that intentionally stacking units in the same hex as the pillbox leaves them immune from fire directed at the pillbox. If possible, place HIP units in the pillbox exterior hex to protect the pillbox from encroaching enemy infantry. Not only are they ready to defend the pillbox, but they remain unaffected by non-area fire v. the pillbox, which may fool the attacker into thinking the hex is otherwise empty. |
| There is no LOS into/out of a pillbox location when traced outside its CA [B30.2], and its own hex is also not in its CA [B30.1] except for the CA hexsides. | This is a biggie, maybe the biggie to think about defensively. The pillbox is completely defenseless from the side. Some people look at that lack of LOS in the NCA directions and the big TEM and think they're invulnerable. I even know one dude who intentionally set the CA facing away from the expected direction of attack on the basis that it made him invulnerable. Counting on the defensive aspects of the NCA by itself is like closing your eyes and assuming nobody can see you 'cause you can't see them. Be sure to set up pillboxes with defensive support fire covering the side approaches. If available, consider putting a foxhole in the pillbox hex as a place to move into if the enemy begins to flank you. That way you’ll at least be able to fire at them as they approach. |
| Pillboxes are rally terrain (specifically, like buildings) and units in them never need to rout [B30.5]. | Placing pillboxes strategically to use as rally points is obviously a good idea. Duh. |
| It costs two separate MF to enter a pillbox from an Adjacent hex [B30.4]. There is no Advancing from an Adjacent hex into a pillbox [B30.6 & QA compilation 3], except via a trench [B30.8]. | Basically: ya can’t easily skulk with pillboxes, unless they’re bunkers. For movement and stacking, pillboxes are kinda like levels in a building: each level is a separate location for stacking and for movement. You must first enter the hex, then the pillbox. |
| Placing a trench counter in the same hex as/or Adjacent to a pillbox makes it a Bunker [B30.8], which simplifies entering and exiting the pillbox. | This is a great option: it gives you skulking ability and you can move into the trench to deal with anyone that begins to flank the pillbox. Use them trenches wisely. But watch out: they’re potential cover for the enemy, too. |
| Japanese defenders automatically get one tunnel [B8.6] for each pillbox. One end of the tunnel connects to the pillbox. [G1.632] | Read the rules for tunnels. They’re cool, and it gives the already-elusive sons of Nippon another trick in their repertoire. |
| Pillboxes and their occupants can't be encircled [B30.32]. |
Defensive Summary
Pillboxes are great defensive options, and bunkers are even better. They give you more
HIP capabilities, particularly if you’re Japanese, and they can be set up in roads or
other places where you need more TEM. But make sure the approaches to the sides of the
pillbox are covered, and beware: it’s easy to get overconfident in the protection of
the pillbox and get trapped in it. Pillboxes quickly become tombs if too far forward; for
a fallback defense, plan on leaving them the turn before you think you have to. And
consider setting them up behind the front defense line and using them for rally points. If
you’re Japanese, don’t forget the tunnels for escape or to pop up behind the
attackers.
Now, for the attacker:
| Issue | Impact |
| Any non-aerial weapon can attack pillbox occupants through the CA and applies the CA TEM [EXC: TEM NA for AP, B30.35; FT, A22.2], but the FP of canister is halved [B30.30.112]. | Of course, the nice idea is to stand back and hose the bunker down with long-range massive leader-directed firepower. Hope you have it. If not, read on. Another nice weapon to use v. the CA is a BAZ, PF or PsK. These weapons can be used only through the CA, however, including a WP attack from the BAZ 45. Makes them a little less fun, eh? Note: After writing this, it was pointed out to me that LATW are ordnance in the ASL sense and therefore can attack through the NCA. --bw |
| Only ordnance, aerial/indirect fire, DCs and FTs can attack through the NCA, and apply the NCA TEM [B30.113]. [EXC: AP, B30.35] | Again, if you have it, use lashings of vicious HE against the pillbox from long range. But if you don’t have that option, DCs and FTs are the close-in weapon of choice. Interesting, since the attacker can use them v. the pillbox (and therefore v. the occupants) even though there is no LOS between the pillbox occupants and the attacker. Also interesting since the NCA TEM (+5 or +7) does affect the FT attack [A22.2]. Note that no LATW or SCW (BAZ, PsK, etc.) qualify to attack through the NCA. See above note. Also note that although CH is resolved normally as per B30.113, the NCA TEM is considered to be 0 for CH DRM. |
| IFT v. a pillbox and its occupants is never halved for concealment [B30.7]. | However, if you’re area-firing the entire hex, the pillbox occupants are affected by only the area firepower. |
| AP fire v. a pillbox uses HE equivalency [C8.31] and does not apply the NCA or CA TEM (i.e., TEM is 0) if the basic TK on the AP to kill chart is > twice the CA/NCA TEM [B30.35]. | For instance, a 37mm Gun can fire through the CA of a pillbox using AP for a 2+0 on the IFT because its basic TK of 8 is > the CA TEM of +3. A 57L could fire through a +7 NCA for 2+0. This may seem small, but a 5 yields a NMC and with a high-ROF weapon banging away at them from a direction they can’t even return fire to, the occupants of the pillbox may have to leave. |
| According to B30.43, neither a pillbox nor its occupants can stop enemy infantry from entering the pillbox hex, and according to B30.2, no LOS exists between the pillbox and the hex location it occupies. | This is a big deal. It means you can just walk into (and maybe past!) the hex, but it also means you won’t inflict target selection limits [A7.212], otherwise known as "sleaze freeze." The only way sleaze freeze works v. a pillbox is to end an AFV’s (or unarmored vehicle with loaded PRC) movement phase in Bypass and with the vehicle’s CAFP in the single vertex that is centered in the pillbox’s CA. [Note: again pointed out after proofreading, an alert reader noted that the vehicle's PRC would need to be CE to cause target selection limits as per A7.212.] Iffy, very iffy. Other than sleaze freeze, the cool thing to do is to drop a smoke grenade in the hex to make it tough for the occupants to fire out. On the other hand, if the pillbox is in a Woods hex, you have a great chance to ambush it since they’re +2 on the ambush roll [A11.4], but you can’t ambush unless you advance in. |
| The only type of attack between units in the pillbox and units in the same hex outside the pillbox are: DC, CC, or fire traced to the CA vertices (i.e., bypass), or to the CA hexsides (i.e., as a unit enters the hex. [B30.2]. |
Offensive Summary
Watch out: the pillboxes are HIPed (and if the enemy is Japanese, the pillbox is connected
to a tunnel.) If ya can, use aerial attack, 200mm+ bombs, OBA, or long-range weapons, like
HE from a gun of 80mm or better, v. the CA or the NCA if the HE is really big. More
realistically, since you wouldn’t be reading this for that kind of obvious stuff, Use
your small-bore AP v. the NCA to nag the occupants; no TEM and you’ll get a CH
eventually. Apply at least 12+FP from MGs directed by a 9-2 or better, v. the pillbox CA,
if you can stand off at a longer range than they can effectively shoot. Yeah, sure,
that’ll work (snicker). No, you’re gonna haveta go up there and do it the manly
way: approach from the sides if possible, or send in that idiot hero first to restrict
SFF, and take in the FTs and DCs. If you don’t have those, what the hell are you
thinking about, trying to take this thing out with your teeth? Oh, well, if you must: get
your friends to fire SMOKE or throw infantry smoke on the thing (I hope you’re not
Russian!), approach from the sides, advance in (don’t forget the +2 for ambush if in
woods) and kill ‘em with grenades in the CC phase. Remember there is no Melee, since
you’re not in the same location; if it takes more than one turn of CC to kill them,
you’ll be subject to fire from other enemy units with no effect on the pillbox. You
also can fire out of the hex, and even move out if needed.
Good luck, pillbox trainees. Go play SP14 and SP18, and have fun. See how many of the goofy rules you can use. Me, I’d call in an air strike, myself.