A4.61 Assault Movement and ROF

[Willhog]

Hello Peeps,

I expect this question has been raised before but here goes. An infantry unit declares Assault movement and expends 1 MF to enter an Open Ground hex. An enemy MTR fires at this unit and retains ROF. Can the MTR fire again at this target during the MPh ?
I suggest the answer is no but what do you think ? I know what I would argue from a Reality point of view and that answer would be different.

 

[Reepicheep]

No. As First Fire (conducted during the MPh), you may only fire at a unit as many times as the number of MF or MP spent. But of course your MTR can keep firing endlessly at the same unit during the DFPh if it still has rate of fire.

So one shot now, since only 1MF spent, but potentially endless shots in succession once the DFPh comes around.

 

[Legion]

I suggest the answer is no but what do you think ? I know what I would argue from a Reality point of view and that answer would be different.

Remember from a 'reality POV' that the MTR effects are simulated to include time available to fire, the relative speed fo the weapons ability to fire and also the amount of lead neded to get good 'coverage'. This is also assisted by the ROF abstract which simulates the MTRs ability to cope with these events as well as other restraints like ammo and the extraneous events of the battle-field.

AM on the other hand is used to represent a unit using the terrain and time to their best advantage while all the rest is going crazy around them.

Thus an AM of 1 could represent a unit making a last second dash after all the other units have moved. It could just as easily represent a unit hugging the terrain to provide little or no LOS.

 

[Jazz]

No. As First Fire (conducted during the MPh), you may only fire at a unit as many times as the number of MF or MP spent. But of course your MTR can keep firing endlessly at the same unit during the DFPh if it still has rate of fire.

So one shot now, since only 1MF spent, but potentially endless shots in succession once the DFPh comes around.

The above answer is exactly correct.

Please remember that if the unit was AMing into a woods hex, the mortar could have fired at that unit twice (given ROF) during the movement phase (2 MP to enter, hence 2 MP opportunities to fire at the target). Note also that the 2nd shot in this instance would be with -1 Acq.

And of course (as mentioned above) in the D-fire phase, if the mortar maintains ROF, the unit can be shot at as long ROF is maintained.....

 

[Robin Reeve]

The initial question raises a second one...
If the AFV and the Infantry spend a different number of MP/MF, which expenditure is taken in count to decide how many time the mortar can fire?
Let us say Infantry is Armour Assaulting with an AFV moving uphill (in Open Ground).
Infantry will spend 2MFs and the AFV 5MPs.
May the mortar fire two or five times?
BTW, I don't see a way its fire (Area Target) could only affect the AFV and not the Infantry, if it were allowed to fire a 3rd, 4th and 5th time...

 

[Brian W]

May the mortar fire two or five times?

Five times, but only the first two affect the infantry.

A8.3 & D9.31 While Armored Assaulting, an AFV spends three MP to enter a hex but the Infantry spends only one. Having First Fired once, may an enemy unit fire again at the same moving stack?
A. Yes, but the second shot could only affect the AFV. [J1; Mw]

 

[Robin Reeve]

Thanks, Brian!

 

[daniel zucker]

Five times, but only the first two affect the infantry.

Brian

is that because the infentry unit may not be attacked more times than the #of MF it expanded? That's in first fire right, A8 someting?

daniel

 

[Brian W]

Brian

is that because the infentry unit may not be attacked more times than the #of MF it expanded? That's in first fire right, A8 someting?

daniel

That is my belief, although I always treated offical q&a as rules unto themselves, needing no justification.

 

[Ole Boe]

I agree with Brian that official Q&A don't necessarily needs a rule to be justified. The Q&A is pre-second edition ASLRB though, and therefore has lost its official status.

The Q&A is still correct though, for the reason that Daniel suggests.

There will be a Platoon Movement + Armored Assault example in the new Impulse Movement rules, dealing with a very similar situation, so that example should make clear how this works for non-PM Armored Assault too.

This example will not see official light for some weeks to come, but I guess it's safe to quote it here anyway:

EX: Two AFV moving as a platoon expend 2 MP in an impulse while the squad Armored Assaulting with the second AFV spends 1 MF. A Gun attacks and eliminates the first AFV on the first MP and attacks the second AFV on the second MP. This second shot cannot affect the squad, which spent only 1 MF.

 

[daniel zucker]

:coolban:

i guessed something right
:toast:

daniel

 

[Willhog]

Many thanks to all who replied. I thought Assault Movement represented a Unit that was moving just one hex using either leopard/ monkey crawl or some form of squad level fire and movement (pepperpotting) as we English refer to it. Generally minimising the enemies opportunity to get a Good shot. It is good to get other peoples ideas.
All the best,

Will