Berserkers and surrender

[Philippe D.]

Here's a situation that just happened to me in a PBEM game.

A Russian Berserk squad is in a Location with an enemy (Hungarian) squad and leader - not yet in Melee, they just arrived. Fire at the enemy results in a Heat of Battle for the squad, and it rolls a Surrender result. What happens?

My understanding is that the Hungarians do surrender, and that the Russians have to reject the surrender and invoke No Quarter since Berserkers do not take prisoners. But does this trigger Massacre? (Actually, No Quarter was already in effect - does this change anything to the Surrender?) And does the squad lose its Berserk status? It didn't reach CC stage, and the leader is broken and will rout away.

(Actually, this very Berserk squad already ruined the Hungarian game; they went Berserk on turn 1; on turn 2 they charged a StuG that was forcing the Russian armor at a distance, survived all fire defensive fire and entered the StuG's hex, allowing the armor to close in. The StuG escaped CC, then managed to discharge its sD, then survived all Defensive Fire and CC Reaction Fire when it started in reverse, moving under cover of smoke. Now the same berserk squad is taking out the HMG squad next to the StuG.)

 

[klasmalmstrom]

If there are no Russians ADJACENT to them to Surrender to (a Berserk isn't in Good Order so it can't take Prisoners), the squad just becomes Disrupted instead. See A15.5.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

(Actually, No Quarter was already in effect - does this change anything to the Surrender?)

Yes it does. The Hungarian squad will become Berserk now.

A15.5 SURRENDER: A Final Heat of Battle DR ≥ 12 causes the affected unit to become broken if it is not already, and Disrupted (19.12), and to Surrender immediately to any ADJACENT Known Good Order enemy Infantry/Cavalry as if they shared the same Location.22 If no such enemy unit is ADJACENT, the unit is only Disrupted instead [EXC: Units subject to No Quarter, Japanese, Gurkhas, Partisans, Fanatics, and Commissars never surrender by the RtPh method nor do SS vs Russians (20.21); nor do they become Disrupted whether thusly ADJACENT or not. They instead become berserk on a Final Heat of Battle DR ≥ 12].

 

[Gordon]

Wow, it's like a berserker-nuclear chain reaction.

 

[Philippe D.]

Thanks Klas.

I wonder why there is this " by the RtPh method" in the rule - what other kind of surrender is there, if a HOB surrender is counted as "by the RtPh method"?

 

[klasmalmstrom]

I wonder why there is this " by the RtPh method" in the rule - what other kind of surrender is there, if a HOB surrender is counted as "by the RtPh method"?

You can Surrender when someone is Mopping Up (A12.153). Of course, Mopping Up is NA when NQ is in effect.

E.g., a SS unit will potentially Surrender to a Russian unit that Mopping Up.