(A15.41, A25.223, A20.4) Beserkers and prisioners

[MajorDomo]

This situation occurred in a recent game in a Gurrere Civil scenario ( where the Republicans had a commisar).
Three 238 halfsquads, one with a prisoner squad, plus a 9-0 commissar assault moved into the street. They were subject to defensive fire which caused a 1MC.

1. The commisar rolled snakes and went beserk on his 1MC roll.
2. We declared all three halfsquads beserk immediately. A15.41 says the leader attempts to change accompaning squads after resolving any fire attacks against other units in the hex, however, A25.223 says "should a commisar go beserk all friendly units in the same location automatically become beserk". Since A25.223 is a higher numbered rule, we took that one.
3. We then resolved the 1MC versus the three now beserk 238s, two pased but the 238 with the prisioner failed his with an 11 and was eliminated. The prisioner squad failed its morale check and became a prisoner halfsquad.
4. We tranferred the prisoner HS to another 238 in accordance with A20.5
5. In the ensuing Advance Fire Phase, the now beserk 238 massacred the prisioner halfsquad as A20.4 states. returning to normal. We weren't sure if the other beserk 238 and the beserk 9-0 commissar participate in the massacre according to A20.4 but played that they did partake and all units thus returned to normal status.

Did we do this correctly? What say you?
Thanks,
Rich

 

[Chris Milne]

I say yea.

Not 100% clear from the rules, but it looks as though the choice is open to you. The action's not limited to the guarding unit. If you declare it as the action of all 'serkers in the location, then they all participate and return to normal. Otherwise only those that participate.

 

[Larry]

See A20.4. The berserk units in the same location whether guarding them or not will commit a massacre. No quarter results apply as well as applying the raising of ELR of the other side's forces.

Note A15.432 -- berserk units never take prisoners.

A15.46 supports the return to normal of all units in the location.

 

[Chris Milne]

But (working from memory here), A15.46 indicates that only berserkers that actually attack and eliminate a unit in the same location return to normal, no? Simply having a unit eliminated by some other means isn't enough.

So I think the issue is whether all of the units in that location can participate in the massacre, or if only one can do it.

 

[Larry]

The zerker returns to GO


A15.46:

... whenever it (or the group it attacks with) eliminates all (but at least one)in AFPh ...

How many berserk units does it take to massacre a prisoner? As many as are there.

 

[Chris Milne]

Precisely my comment in post #2.

However, the rules aren't entirely clear on how many units are allowed to partake in the massacre, IMO. (Sounds like a picnic, doesn't it? 'Would you like some massacre with your toast, comrade?' 'Why, thank you, but no. I see some Fascist despoilers in the undergrowth over there. I think I shall go and club them to death with this jar of pickled beetroot.')

 

[Larry]

The rules permit beserk units to massacre prisoners. A20.4 (any beserk unit ... will ... eliminate those prisoners). "Will eliminate" is the future tense version of the phrase "shall eliminate" present tense. There is no option, the beserkers "will" commit the massacre.

The rules permit multible beserk units to participate in the elimination of an enemy unit. A15.46 (the group it attacks with).

So beserk units will eliminate the prisoners in its own location and may attack with other units. There is nothing unclear in the rules read together. The beserk units will eliminate the prisoners wether they are the only beserk units or one of 100 beserk units.

While cracking eggs with a sledge hammer may not fit with our sense of necessity, beserk units are by definition out of control. They do insane things like running down the face of a firing HMG and everyone taking a shot at the heads of defenseless prisoners. Report them for war crimes and return them all to normal status.