Joe---I agree it could be clearer....I found these bits:
11.0 Anti-Tank Fire
Anti-Tank Fire targets an individual enemy vehicle unit within range - no other units in the hex with the target unit are affected in any way. Only trucks, jeeps, and AFVs may be attacked with Anti-Tank Fire (some game special rules may add other targets to this list). A unit with an Anti-Tank Fire value that occupies an assault hex may use Anti-Tank Fire against enemy vehicles in that hex instead of adding their Direct Fire value to the assault total.
To me this infers its part of an ASSAULT.... not an independent AT fire......I think this is where the conundrum lies
12.0 Assault
Assault combat takes place between opposing units occupying the same hex.
I (again) infer this to mean that if you are in the same hex, you are participating in ASSAULT combat---for AT, that is how you do your ASSAULT combat in same hex
12.3 Voluntary Combat
If an activated unit enters a hex which was already occupied by friendly and enemy units at the start of the moving unit's action segment, or if the turn begins with both sides' units in an assault hex, then the active player may choose whether or not to attack with those units this turn. If he attacks, any units that moved into the hex this turn, plus any undemoralized friendly units and leaders that began the turn in the assault hex and have not activated this turn, may attack if desired. Not all units must attack. However, all enemy units in the hex defend as one combined strength.
So (again) I infer this means if you make an ASSAULT combat happen, the defenders defend as one group/combined strength in an ASSAULT combat....
12.52 Fire Types in an Assault Hex
Units in an assault hex may not fire on targets outside the hex. They may not fire on the direct fire or bombardment tables. They may conduct Anti-Tank Fire attacks, but only against enemy vehicles in the same hex with them (there is no dice roll modifier for this). Units in an assault hex may not conduct opportunity fire against enemy units entering the hex to initiate or reinforce an assault (exceptions: Cavalry Charge, 15.31; Extended Assault or Overrun, see Optional Rules).
So---fire time in an ASSAULT hex---where units in the same hex conduct ASSAULTs can be AT.....
I think here is the place where the most confusion arises...calling it "Anti-Tank Fire attack" in this paragraph--but it taking place in a hex that enemy units share--it
thus being an Assault hex----
So---the question does remain murky.....
Thinking about it....if an AT Fire Attack is going on---the enemy forces within the 200m hex are they just sitting back and taking it?
This is small arms and hand grenade range...so I think that is why it is ASSAULT combat,
and you don't fire (DF or AT) with impunity(no enemy response at this range),
instead you instigate a fire-fight that is either ASSAULT table or AT Fire based from the defenders....
Important because ASSAULT casualties would be simultaneous, where AT FIRE (not ASSAULT) would not....
I'm still troubled...
