Unarmed units

[esprcorn]

Recently had some prisoners 'escape' when their guard was slaughtered by other units in CC. The prisoners were a full squad - so a half squad was rearmed as a green unit and an 'unarmed' hs remained.

What exactly is that unarmed unit allowed to do? I believe it exists as a prisoner counter. Does it have any CC value in defense? Can it move or advance? Can it advance into an enemy hex? Can it deny concealment or routs or keep enemies from moving through it's hex?

I looked in A6.55 and it's subsections.

 

[Tuomo]

Yay! I get a nickel every time I get to shill for Hande Hoch!, the Greatest Article on Unarmed Units and Prisoners EVER!

 

[A_T_Great]

See A 20.5 It tells you what an escaped prisoner can do, and how to rearm it.

 

[von Marwitz]

Yay! I get a nickel every time I get to shill for Hande Hoch!, the Greatest Article on Unarmed Units and Prisoners EVER!

Indeed an excellent article that I have never come across before.
I will print it out and put it to my 'useful stuff' folder. I dunno how many time I have spent with my opponents to figure out prisoner oddities in the past...

von Marwitz

 

[BigAl737]

Yay! I get a nickel every time I get to shill for Hande Hoch!, the Greatest Article on Unarmed Units and Prisoners EVER!

That is freakin awesome! I hate prisoner rules a little less now. Thanks Tom. I’d send you my nickel but I spent the last of my money on a stamp.

 

[jrv]

Recently had some prisoners 'escape' when their guard was slaughtered by other units in CC. The prisoners were a full squad - so a half squad was rearmed as a green unit and an 'unarmed' hs remained.

The prisoners would not necessarily be re-armed if the guard was eliminated by other units. If the prisoners participated in the attack, they are re-armed. If the guard was the only enemy unit then the prisoners would be re-armed (although that is not 100% clear). Otherwise the prisoners would not be re-armed. If there were other enemy units that could guard the prisoners, one of them would become the guard.

What exactly is that unarmed unit allowed to do? I believe it exists as a prisoner counter. Does it have any CC value in defense? Can it move or advance? Can it advance into an enemy hex? Can it deny concealment or routs or keep enemies from moving through it's hex?

I looked in A6.55 and it's subsections.

An unarmed unit (typically escaped prisoner but not necessarily) can be handled by its owner like any other unit for the most part. It may not enter a location with a Known enemy unit [A20.5], and has a CC value of one both for attack and defense vs Infantry, and no CCV vs vehicles. It is an enemy unit, so you can't rout towards it. It is a Good Order enemy unit, so it can perform all the usual concealment functions. It can't prevent movement through its location [A4.14]. In short unarmed units that are not prisoners or escaping prisoners can perform most actions of other units except as limited by their being unarmed (e.g. no interdiction, etc.)

JR

 

[A_T_Great]

The prisoners would not necessarily be re-armed if the guard was eliminated by other units. If the prisoners participated in the attack, they are re-armed. If the guard was the only enemy unit then the prisoners would be re-armed (although that is not 100% clear). Otherwise the prisoners would not be re-armed. If there were other enemy units that could guard the prisoners, one of them would become the guard.

JR

A20.551 If in the same hex as the enemy unit, the prisoners are rearmed no matter who or how the enemy was killed.

 

[jrv]

A20.551 If in the same hex as the enemy unit, the prisoners are rearmed no matter who or how the enemy was killed.

A20.551 "One attacking Unarmed friendly unit of equal or smaller size is rearmed immediately for each armed enemy unit it eliminated/captured in CC (or by any other means if no other enemy unit is currently in the same Location)"

If the unarmed unit is in Melee and an enemy unit (possibly its guard) is eliminated not by CC (e.g. by fire on the IFT) but there are other enemy units in the Location, the unarmed unit is not rearmed.

If the unarmed unit is in Melee and an enemy unit (possibly its guard) is eliminated by CC, but the unarmed unit does not participate in the attack (e.g. it is not attempting escape yet, or it did not attack that unit) and there are other enemy units in the Location, the unarmed unit is not rearmed.

The odd case is where an enemy unit is eliminated in CC and there is no other enemy unit, but the unarmed unit did not participate in its elimination. For example a prisoner squad is being guarded by an enemy SMC. There is also an enemy halfsquad in the hex and another friendly non-prisoner unit. The prisoner squad attacks its guard and eliminates it. It does not re-arm because its guard was only a SMC. It is still a prisoner because there is another enemy unit that can take over as guard per A20.5. The halfsquad is now attacked by the other friendly non-prisoner unit. It eliminates the guard halfsquad. The prisoner did not eliminated its new guard. What is not clear whether "by any other means" should be read as "by a non-CC attack" or as "by a non-CC attack *or* a CC attack which the prisoner did not participate in".

There are two clear cases where an enemy guard unit can be eliminated but the prisoners are not re-armed. I personally think the prisoner should be re-armed in the third case, but the term "other" could be read in a couple ways.

JR

 

[A_T_Great]

I see what you mean JR.