Routing DM and night

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For those getting into the intricacies of ASL I have been developing a mini CG and have come across some subtle points about routing.

I thought I might share this and see also how many people are aware of the content below.

ROUTING:
...nor—regardless of terrain—may it end a RtPh ADJACENT to or in the same Location with a Known enemy unit that is both unbroken and armed [EXC: Night; E1.54].

This is not very common which is why it is confusing. In woods it can happen ( and indeed has) that broken units from both sides rout in such a way that they end adjacent.

It seems to be the case that these units CAN remain adj without causing DM to one another ( both broken), it even seems that DM units can "shimmy" next to broken enemy units insofar that they are not required to move away. This can be vital in some circumstances in that it allows the much needed separation that is needed in " close encounters".

Presuming the above is true, then it is a rally race as to who becomes UN DM first, which will immediately place the other unit then under DM . ( Which gives it the chance to "move away").

ON A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT Q: At night

In this instance we are trying to STOP the infernal enemy from routing to his lines thus kill him for "failure to rout". It seems that the best way is provide enough GO units ( any type) such that any move is ( in fact) towards a KUE. Since by the last sentence of E1.54 ".. and does not have to Low Crawl towards any particular terrain type, but still may not rout toward a Known enemy unit."
 

Vinnie

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Broken units can remain ADJACENT TO each other as they do not force rout however once you start routing, you cannot move ADJACENT to an armed enemy unit even if he is broken.
 

klasmalmstrom

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It seems to be the case that these units CAN remain adj without causing DM to one another ( both broken),..
No, two broken units of opposing sides ADJACENT to each other, will cause DM.

A10.62:
"..A broken unit is also automatically under DM whenever a Known armed enemy unit is ADJACENT to it..."
 

jrv

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ON A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT Q: At night

In this instance we are trying to STOP the infernal enemy from routing to his lines thus kill him for "failure to rout". It seems that the best way is provide enough GO units ( any type) such that any move is ( in fact) towards a KUE. Since by the last sentence of E1.54 ".. and does not have to Low Crawl towards any particular terrain type, but still may not rout toward a Known enemy unit."
Not 100% clear what you have in mind here, but units never die for failure to rout at night. If a broken unit is surrounded on all six hexsides by Known, unbroken enemy units, it cannot rout anywhere but it does not die (for failure to rout). It will just sit there broken and DM until game end unless it rallies or dies for some other reason.

JR
 
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UNARMED: Any unit without inherent FP usable on the IFT unless mounting or possessing a functioning...

The first question. I took it that a broken unit was unarmed because it had no "usable" FP... I mean I know it has
potentially usable FP when it is not broken.

Second question. Yes the last line is in fact the core of that question. " unless it rallies or dies for some other reason."

I wanted to know what other reason. HOW does it just, well, die... Otherwise it will be like RB where the Russian has a wall of broken units typically in factories and the German is FORCED to go at crawling pace for while.

Thus I am trying to figure out HOW to avoid this at night as there are so many encumbrances without that one...
  1. Vehicle +1 MP per hex
  2. Units +1 MF for concealed loc entry
et etc

I guess you just have to blow it away ( literally). " Movement via destruction"..
 

jrv

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See the index under "armed": "any Personnel unit is Armed unless currently represented by an Unarmed counter (A20.54) not possessing a functioning Gun/SW." A broken unit is still armed by this definition, as is a leader without a SW.

Other ways to die: get shot, have location turn into blaze, box jellyfish, have rubble fall on you, sinkhole, pyroclastic flow, scurvy, dengue fever, saltwater crocodile, casualty MC on self-rally DR, old age. I am sure there are others.

The zombie defense is a well-known tactic at night. It usually is hard to put together a solid wall of broken units. Even if you do, the other side can waltz up and blast away in the AFPh. In a CG such as red barricades I would be very happy if my opponent tried to hold me up with a zombie defense, as that would mean I would be reaping CVP at an extraordinary rate. In an ordinary scenario it might be a more useful trade of time for bodies.

Cloaked units pay daytime MF costs (i.e. no +1 for concealment terrain). Combined with their six MF, cloaked unit can slide through a poorly-set-up bunch of defenders stuck on no move counters and slice them to ribbons. The defender wants to get the attacker out of cloak and himself off no move counters. That is the fundamentals of combat at night.

Vehicles suck at night. That is true in reality and in ASL. At least until they get searchlights, then all the world's their stage.

JR
 
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Cloaked units pay daytime MF costs (i.e. no +1 for concealment terrain). Combined with their six MF, cloaked unit can slide through a poorly-set-up bunch of defenders stuck on no move counters and slice them to ribbons. The defender wants to get the attacker out of cloak and himself off no move counters. That is the fundamentals of combat at night.
That is a good catch " Cloaked units pay daytime MF costs (i.e. no +1 for concealment terrain)" the rules are bit spread out so missed it.

One thing I note is that PREP fire starshells done (obviously) before movement are done with 2 things in mind:
  1. Blind the opposition
  2. Increase your movement potential ( after CL loss) out of LOS
The defensive aspect is a bit more complicated:

E 1.92
In the allowable phase, one attempt to fire a Starshell may be made per hex by one friendly leader, one friendly CE AFV, or one friendly MMC in that hex.

then


In addition, after the Player Turn in which the first Starshell/IR of the scenario is fired, any unit [EXC: a leader] that fires a Starshell must do so at the start of the PFPh/enemy MPh before the ATTACKER commences firing/moving during that phase.

If I read this correctly, a stack with MMC and SMC have one option either use the SMC ( dr< 5) or use MMC ( dr<3) if they
elect to use the SMC ( only) the attempt can be made during the enemy MPh there is no possibility of the MMC having done a Starshell attempt ( successful or otherwise) at the start of the enemy Mph AND the SMC in the same stack having a go in the enemy Mph. This would be 2 attempts in 1 hex.

Correct?

This can be rather deadly if the force with SMC has a few for sacrifice to use the "starshell on top 1 hex error trick" and have a heap of tanks/guns / HW units ready to slam the now carnival atmosphere thus created.

I know, I must be s I c k..
 

jrv

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If I read this correctly, a stack with MMC and SMC have one option either use the SMC ( dr< 5) or use MMC ( dr<3) if they
elect to use the SMC ( only) the attempt can be made during the enemy MPh there is no possibility of the MMC having done a Starshell attempt ( successful or otherwise) at the start of the enemy Mph AND the SMC in the same stack having a go in the enemy Mph. This would be 2 attempts in 1 hex.
Yes, there can be only one attempt per hex per phase, with (per a Q&A) the enemy MPh and DFPh considered one phase. The one exception of sorts is that a stack may try for a starshell and also fire IR.

JR
 
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