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Decapitation Rule (6.72) - Coniglius - 10-14-2015
The rule states that when a leader of MAJ or above is eliminated, the decapitation rule is triggered. I'm curious due to the circumstances I ran into. I'll give the scenario situation and how I played it, then ask you all to give me your interpretation.
Playing Afrika Korps scenario 2. It is night time and I have successfully crept forward with the Australians and played a couple stacks adjacent to the Italian entrenchments. The Australians have survived the opportunity fire and ensuing point blank fires, and have recovered morale. The Italians have not, and still have at least one demoralized unit in the stack (satisfying the surrender rule conditions). The Australians demand surrender and the Italians in the fort fail their morale roll, thus surrendering the stack. The Italian Colonel was part of the stack. I think this satisfies the conditions for triggering decapitation and I continue to play the scenario under that supposition (the nearest Major takes over as the CO). Thinking about after the fact though, I have to wonder due to the visibility rules. It's night so visibility is one hex, and one of the two adjacent fort hexes is already occupied by Australians. The third fort hex has the Major and some other Italian units. They are the only ones who could see the surrender. It would not be as instantaneous as raising the white flag during daylight for all to see. Sure, when the sun does come up, everyone within 12 hexes will know that the fort has fallen (mostly), but for the night turns... I could see the argument against decapitation, at least initially. Call it fog of war.
What do you guys think? In this case surrender = elimination => decapitation should prevail, given the written rules, but again, I can argue against immediate triggering of decapitation due to dark of night and a general lack of visibility. Additionally, I had pounded the position with the 25pdrs for a few turns to make sure everything was demoralized prior to the night time calls for surrender and prep for assaults. It can be reasonably assumed that any phone lines were cut by then. What do you think? Too far fetched? Am I stretching the written rules too far?
RE: Decapitation Rule (6.72) - Matt W - 10-14-2015
I don't think so. The decapitation rule has an effect scenario wide and in most cases the leaders affected would not be in a position to "see" the senior leader anyhow. The effect is a result of a failure of the overall command of the larger unit (regiment, battalion, whathaveyou) and the cessation of communications from the overall command, be it because they are dead, running away or captured. Mind you I am using the fourth edition decapitation rule here.
For the third edition the three hex rule was in effect and you could consider it to be reflective of a line of sight concept but the same rule holds true when the terrain in the intervening hexes would block LOS at least as completely as night. So I would still use the rule and, in fact, would almost demand it for the same reasons as I mention in defense of using it in the fourth edition rule.
In the end analysis, however, if it feels right do it. PG is a very robust system which can endure all sorts of craziness in rules and still provide a very satisfying game.
RE: Decapitation Rule (6.72) - Coniglius - 10-14-2015
(10-14-2015, 08:04 AM)Matt W Wrote: I don't think so. The decapitation rule has an effect scenario wide and in most cases the leaders affected would not be in a position to "see" the senior leader anyhow. The effect is a result of a failure of the overall command of the larger unit (regiment, battalion, whathaveyou) and the cessation of communications from the overall command, be it because they are dead, running away or captured. Mind you I am using the fourth edition decapitation rule here.
For the third edition the three hex rule was in effect and you could consider it to be reflective of a line of sight concept but the same rule holds true when the terrain in the intervening hexes would block LOS at least as completely as night. So I would still use the rule and, in fact, would almost demand it for the same reasons as I mention in defense of using it in the fourth edition rule.
In the end analysis, however, if it feels right do it. PG is a very robust system which can endure all sorts of craziness in rules and still provide a very satisfying game.
That's kind of what I was thinking. I'm using 4th edition as well, and going back and replaying several scenarios that I have enjoyed in the past. The 3 hex rule is kind of where I was leaning, more so due to the night visibility effects. It seems that 4th edition has more cut and dry rules but still leave a bit of room for interpretation. Thank you for your insight Matt.
RE: Decapitation Rule (6.72) - Proff3RTR - 02-24-2016
I would go with the fact that the command as a whole would not hear anything from 'The Boss' for a while so command of the whole unit would divulge down to the next in command/highest survivng officer as per the 4th Ed rules, night time would not effect this in real life so it should not here.
if say for example you have not heard from the location where you know the commander was and prior to this there was a lot of gun fire etc from that location the next highest officer in the Chain of Command would take over, if when things were a bit clearer the real commander surfaced again he could retake command, no harm done etc.