Rethinking Smoke

[Blackcloud6]

No, it's not, because it is not clear.

Juiceman writes:

Smoke and Illumination (4[sup]th[/sup] Rules Edition Page 50)
Unless forbidden by scenario special rules, all mortars, on-board artillery units and off-board artillery increments conducting bombardment attacks have a limited ability to fire smoke or illumination rounds instead of causing damage. A unit or off-board artillery increment firing smoke or illumination may not also conduct Bombardment or Direct fire in the same turn (place a Moved/Fired marker on it, or make a note if it's an off-board artillery increment).
 
This paragraph to me means that each individual “on board BF unit” and any “OBA increment” can fire either a smoke or illumination round instead of BF during its activation or turn. (I added the bold & underline).

I reply: the quoted paragraph does not address how many smokes can be fired; it only establishes which units can fire smoke and states that they have limited ability.  

Juiceman writes: 

Limited Ammunition (4[sup]th[/sup] Rules Edition Page 50)
Each side in a scenario has a number of turns of smoke equal to 10 percent of the turns in the game, with fractions rounded up. So a 12-turn game allows for two rounds of smoke/illumination, while a 36- turn game would allow four turns. To track usage, place either a Smoke or Illumination marker under the firing unit to indicate one usage, or note off board artillery's usage on a piece of paper.
 
Why would you have to mark the individual firing unit(s) unless it is rounds per “on board BF unit” or “OBA increment?”  Each unit has a certain number of turns or activations to fire either smoke or illumination rounds instead of your typical BF. 

I reply:  You simply mark the number of turns smoke has been fired.  So, in the examples given in the rule, one you make two for the former example, you're done for the scenario firing smoke.  The latter example, you are done when four are marked.  Rules the number have to fire by turns.  It is very specific.  It does not say, each gun or increment has a number of turns.

One could argue, quite convincingly, I might add, since the unclear mind you, writing of the rule says, "number of tunes," in a 12-turn game all of your guns and increments can fire smoke in two tuns...meaning the turn you choose to fire smoke, they all can fire smoke.  Say you choose to fire smoke in turn 3, then all the guns/increments can fire smoke in Turn 3.  Then you can do so again in another Turn.

This, problem, is frankly due to poor rules writing, compounded by AP not willing to comment on/fix/update rules, errata, etc. post publication.  And is one, among many, why I no longer will play PG against another human.  The game is over 20 years old, into four editions and still has issues.