There are a few rules that restrict the set-up locations of guns, but these are easily summarized. They are worth remembering both for your own set-up, and for checking your opponent’s. Gun set-up is mainly restricted by the gun’s size and the type of terrain.

In standard ETO terrain, guns can set-up emplaced in any terrain that they can set-up in, except for paved roads (C11.2). Emplacement gives the gun a +2 TEM that is not cumulative with other TEM. Alternatively, AT and INF guns have gunshields which give the crew a +2 TEM. Emplacement is only available to guns that haven’t moved and aren’t hooked up, and if a gun is emplaced in concealment terrain, it can set-up HIP. So where can guns set-up?

Guns cannot occupy the upper level of a building unless it is fortified, and even then, only ART/AT/INF <= 76mm can be upstairs. Mortars are the exception, they can set-up on rooftops of buildings if <= 82mm. Mortars can even be carried onto a rooftop if they are disassembled (B23.85). Guns cannot occupy crags, except for mortars. Obviously, guns cannot occupy water obstacles or marsh unless on a boat.

Small guns of any type, or small / normal AT/INF guns can occupy a building or rubble (C2.7). However, any size or type of gun can occupy the ground floor of a building if it is fortified. Guns in a fortified building can never be moved, though, and suffer from restricted mobility (guns in buildings, woods and rubble have a fixed CA after firing, doubled case A DRM, C5.11). Gun size can be determined by the format of the gun’s M#. If the M# is in a white circle, the gun is a small target, and gets a +1 TH DRM. If the M# is red, the gun is a large target and gets a -1TH DRM. Note that target size is not applicable to guns set up in pill boxes (B30.32).

Gun size is important to remember, especially in the desert, where it may be the only protection you have if you're manning a British 6-pounder! The desert is a very different place for guns. There aren’t a lot of places a gun can emplace in the desert due to the hard ground (F1.A). Guns can only emplace (and set-up HIP) in scrub (F2.3). However, guns can gain crest status in wadis (F5.43).

In the PTO, guns can emplace in the same kinds of terrain (equivalents) that they can in ETO, though remember that mortars can’t fire out of dense jungle (G2.24). Also, guns can’t be moved into bamboo except across a trailbreak (G3.2). Gun also can’t be emplaced in bamboo, but they can set-up there, using HIP. Any size or type of gun can set-up in a cave (G11.92), but only one can occupy a cave location at a given time. The CA of the gun must always coincide with the cave’s CA. Only the Japanese light mortar can fire out of a cave, other mortars and AA type fire are not allowed out of a cave.

Recoilless Rifles have their own restrictions and penalties (C12). RCL can never be emplaced, or set-up in a building, rubble, entrenchment, pillbox or vehicle.

I am still checking on additional set-up restrictions for guns, so if you find any that I missed, please E-mail me at: danowsen@aol.com. I would also appreciate feedback and error corrections. I am working on some charts that list the set-up restrictions for all different guns.