Stacks Moving--AM & NAM

[Phil Palmer]

Need some input on an unusal move I saw last night--had never seen anything like it, but don't see anything in the rule book that prohibits it:

Situation: Beginning of RB 10/17 Date.
German player moves a stack into A9 as a "complex move".
Three units are in the stack--a leader, a first-line half-squad, and a
still to be revealed concealed unit. The concealed unit declares it is
using Assault Movement into A9, while the leader and HS declare DT.
Once in A9, the leader and HS split off separately---the HS goes to C9,
and the leader to C11 (getting bumped back to B10).

So here's what I am asking:
1) I am not questioning the ability to split a moving stack---that
appears to be quite legit.
2) Is it possible to move a stack with some units AMing and some NAMing,
and if not, what rule would apply?
3) If it is legit, what would be the benefit of doing it? I thought possibly to
gain the leader bonus to allow the concealed unit to AM (say if a MMC was
carrying a 5PP SW).

Thanks in advance,
Phil "still learning (apparently)" Palmer

 

[alanp]

see A4.12: "Any Good Order MMC which begins and ends the MPh/APh stacked with a leader of the same nationality in the same Location, at the same level (2.8), and with the same wire/entrenchment/panji/ paddy status is eligible for a two MF bonus during that MPh/APh, provided it moves with that leader in a combined stack. . ."

if the infantry doesn't stay w/the leader throughout the MPh, they don't get the bonus MFs. there's no other reason(besides the pp help you mentioned)to move as a stack--it allows D1F against more of your units at a time. Technically, when not abiding by the above rule (or berserk or in column) the units with MFs capacity move one by one. see A4.2

 

[Ole Boe]

1) I am not questioning the ability to split a moving stack---that appears to be quite legit.

That's true, A4.2 says "...and may break up the stack during the MPh to continue to move separately...".

2) Is it possible to move a stack with some units AMing and some NAMing, and if not, what rule would apply?

I didn't think so before, and neither did I think DT with some, but not all was allowed, as both things broke with my vision of moving as a combined stack. There are no such restrictions though, the only requirement is that the stack expends MF simultaneously. So yes, it is possible with some AMing and some NAMing.

3) If it is legit, what would be the benefit of doing it? I thought possibly to gain the leader bonus to allow the concealed unit to AM (say if a MMC was carrying a 5PP SW).

One benefit may be that the AMing unit gets to keep its concealment, and doesn't receive FFNAM, while the NAMing unit can expend one more MF while placing SMOKE or similarily.

Note however that alanp is correct that neither the concealed unit nor the HS receive any leader bonus MF since they didn't end the MPh stacked with the leader. So in this particular case, the only possible benefit of moving stacked, was that the leader could provide a -1 or better modifier if the units had to take PTC/MC. In other words, a pretty bad move, since it made it possible to target all three with the same DFF shot.