Maginot Line Defensive Bonus Clarification

[Chris_Henry]

Hey all,

In playing our current game, something happened regarding the Maginot Line that I hadn’t really considered before, wasn’t sure how to answer, and couldn’t find in the rules.

The Germans had taken Picardia the turn before, and now were planning on attacking Lorraine from both Picardia and Munich.

Because Lorraine is being attacked from two territories, one where the Maginot Line defenses come into play (Munich), and another one where they do not (Picardia), how is the combat resolved?

How do you determine if the French get the bonuses from the Maginot Line on that first turn or not? I don’t really see this addressed in the rules.

My initial guess would be to treat similar to an amphibious assault situation, where if there are units attacking from the sea and land at the same territory, the amphibious attackers are taken as casualties first, then the units from land. As in, the first turn defenses rolls in Lorraine would be applied to the attackers from Munich first, and then to those on Picardia after, if nothing had survived from Munich?

Thanks for your thoughts on this!

Chris

[Wildcat6305]

@Chris_Henry
For Reference:
Maginot Line: Any land attack from Munich into Lorraine crosses the Maginot line. Any land
attack across from Munich or Luxembourg into Lorraine gives all defending land units a +3 on
the first round of combat and gives France two first strike artillery attacks at 6.

I think what you are saying about designating your defenders is correct. I think the French should get to decide how many and which units defend the attacks from each land zone. The combat will have different bonuses and penalties for both sides, similar to if attackers from two different land zones cross different terrains. And conversely, the Germans will have to assign hits from the fortification to the Munich attackers.

[Chris_Henry]

@Wildcat6305

Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking too. I think the defender should get to choose there.

This particular attack doesn’t give any bonuses/negative affects to any of the attackers, it’s purely the Maginot Line defensive bonus at play.

The issue was definitely raised though, and just not something I’d every really considered!

[Wildcat6305]

@Chris_Henry
My question for the German player is “why take picardia if you are still going to attack from Munich?” My thought is you take picardia to avoid the maginot line.

[Chris_Henry]

@Wildcat6305
Haha that was directly related to being new to the game. My brother’s first time playing. I’m trying to remember what he said, but he either had forgotten about the Maginot Line rule, or just didn’t think the attack also coming from Picardia would make it happen (thus my asking the original question here).

In the end he knew he’d blow by (and he was right, I think I only rolled one kill from the defenses there), and wanted to use his Lightning Strike ability. It was the last turn to use it, and his men in Munich would have been out of place to help if they didn’t also attack.

Just a learning curve mistake! I will say, teaching someone new makes you realize how much there is to learn in the game. I’d read the rules multiple times over before even purchasing the map, so I already had/have a good base, as opposed to him or others going in completely blind.