Split and move of stack units

turlusiflu

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Rule A4.2 states that "...units may choose to move together as a stack at their own risk and may break up the stack during the MPh to continue to move separately but all members of that moving stack must end their MPh before another unit not in that stack may move.4 Units moving as a stack expend MF simultaneously and need not spend MF for the same purpose, but must designate at the same time all actions for the same MF. "

So, let's consider that I have a stack with one leader and 3 squads that start moving together. They advance 1 hex in OG, spending 1 MF, and then one squad and the leader go on moving to another hex, spending 1 more MF. Are the two squads that have been left behind allowed to spend this same MF to move to a different hex, and then proceeding both "substacks" in two different directions while spending the same MF simultaneously?
 

Binchois

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Basically yes, but you are describing a sort of "impulse movement" which would not be correct mechanics.

The stack would move 1 MF. Assuming no excess portage, they still have 5 MFs after the leader bonus. Once the leader and squad decide to split off, that new stack continues until it uses all of it's remaining 5 MFs (though, I suppose leader and squad could also split up at some point...).

You would then return to the two squads left behind and continue their move having already expended 1 MF. They have three MFs left as the leader didn't remain with them throughout their MPh.

What you can not do, after completing the leader and squad's movement from the original stack, is to move totally separate units and later to complete the movement for the two squads left behind. Once other units move, the 2 left-behind squads are assumed to have completed their MPh.
 
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turlusiflu

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Basically yes, but you are describing a sort of "impulse movement" which would not be correct mechanics.

The stack would move 1 MF. Assuming no excess portage, they still have 5 MFs after the leader bonus. Once the leader and squad decide to split off, that new stack continues until it uses all of it's remaining 5 MFs (though, I suppose leader and squad could also split up at some point...).

You would then return to the two squads left behind and continue their move having already expended 1 MF. They have three MFs left as the leader didn't remain with them throughout their MPh.

What you can not do, after completing the leader and squad's movement from the original stack, is to move totally separate units and later to complete the movement for the two squads left behind. Once other units move, the 2 left-behind squads are assumed to have completed their MPh.
So the units left behind are in "stand by" untill the first stack finishes its movement, then those units continue with their remaining MF.
 

Robin Reeve

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Sounds like an excuse for more counters. I'm thinking purple on white "Movement in Progress".
It rather begs for the application of the "don't stack" principle.
That is : why did those three squads start moving as a stack?
 

Magpie

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It rather begs for the application of the "don't stack" principle.
That is : why did those three squads start moving as a stack?
Only one I can think of is so they could cross an area of potential enemy fire but still have the leader in the hex to help with any resultant morale checks.
 

jrv

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Three squads and a leader want to get past a LMG that will probably lay down a firelane. The LMG has a +5 soft hindrance (SMOKE? Perhaps grain) to the point where the three squads and leader want to cross that potential firelane. If they move separately, the first unit moves through and the attack is at two FP up four (FFNAM, +5 hindrance). It likely gets through safely but the following units all face a one FP down one (FFNAM) firelane. If they all move as a stack they all face the two FP up four attack. They didn't want to move to the same place in the end, but by starting out together and splitting up later several of them avoid a potentially annoying firelane.

But I suspect the original poster put together an example because he wanted to know how the mechanics work. Nevertheless, there are situations where it might make sense. That is also an example of a situation where it might make sense to move as a stack without a leader. Don't tell @Brian W I told you to do this. I will disavow all knowledge of it.

JR
 
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Robin Reeve

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You always can find corner cases which contradict a general rule.
Actually, they confirm it.
 
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