Activating to move, not moving

[richvalle]

In a game I was playing I activated a couple of stacks to move. While doing the movement I decided not to move the Eng unit there so as he wouldn't come under Opp fire and I could save him for future assaults.

While I moved the other units the opposing player asked if all the other units in the stack were going to move. My reply was 'they are activated to move' thinking I would not move the Eng but slap a Moved counter on him. He disagreed with that assessment. I told him the Eng were not going to move and he did his opp fire accordingly.

So... is it ok to activate units but NOT move them and mark them as moved?

rv

[Hugmenot]

Yes.

There are reasons for not moving the unit. Say you wanted two units to make it adjacent to an enemy unit and the first two made it in good order. Or were both demoralized on their way.

From my perspective, the defender has to decide if it's worth shooting at a unit or wait in the hope a more juicy unit comes along. The defender should make a decision without full knowledge of what the attacker will do.

[richvalle]

Right. Or you activate 2 guys to move up and the first unit gets X'ed or Dem'ed. Why throw the good away with the bad and keep the 2nd guy back.

[Poor Yorek]

Rule 3.13 "Movement" includes moving (5.0), digging-in (16.2), limbering/unlimbering (5.63) or attempting to recover morale (14.4).

When you activate and declare a "move" action for the ENG (amongst others), you do not have to determine what, specifically, you are going to do until you come to that piece. Personally, I think a "no move" is a viable option for "moving," but if someone throws a spittle-flecked-nutty about it, just make a morale check (oh gosh, I stay in good order) or dig-in: nothing is lost as you are going to eschew the action anyway by placing the M/F marker on the unit.

If you move or whatever next turn, nothing is lost by the previous digging-in declaration.

[tlangston28]

In a game I was playing I activated a couple of stacks to move. While doing the movement I decided not to move the Eng unit there so as he wouldn't come under Opp fire and I could save him for future assaults.

While I moved the other units the opposing player asked if all the other units in the stack were going to move. My reply was 'they are activated to move' thinking I would not move the Eng but slap a Moved counter on him. He disagreed with that assessment. I told him the Eng were not going to move and he did his opp fire accordingly.

So... is it ok to activate units but NOT move them and mark them as moved?

rv

You should have replied (and we ALWAYS do on Skype):

"The hex is activated. Are you going to opp fire?" If he says "No" then you should say "Done moving" slap the M/F marker on the ENG and no Opp fire at all.

[plloyd1010]

We always play that a unit may be activated yo move or fire, and not do so. Of course that unit cannot do anything else later in the turn, because it has been activated. So I agree with the initial assessment.

We've always played a little loose with OP fire. Since units are moved individually, and the decision is made when a unit enters a hex, it gets tedious fast. Anyway, the basic point is; since the ENG in the example didn't enter the in this activation it is not subject OP fire.

[richvalle]

We always play that a unit may be activated yo move or fire, and not do so. Of course that unit cannot do anything else later in the turn, because it has been activated. So I agree with the initial assessment.

We've always played a little loose with OP fire. Since units are moved individually, and the decision is made when a unit enters a hex, it gets tedious fast. Anyway, the basic point is; since the ENG in the example didn't enter the in this activation it is not subject OP fire.

Yeah, the Defender was trying to figure out if he needed to save a unit to fire on the Eng.

[Hugmenot]

Withholding opportunity fire made the ENG hesitate and stay put. He may not have gotten everything he wanted but neither did you.

[tlangston28]

Yeah, the Defender was trying to figure out if he needed to save a unit to fire on the Eng.

Right - but it sounds like he was trying to find out what you were going to do with the ENG before making that decision.

Did your opponent actually take the shot on the ENG? If so, that is clearly wrong and I would have called out on that. if he decided to take the shot on the other unit, That I probably would have let go and just reminded him that the opp fire has to be called on on the move.

In the end it is just a game, right?

[richvalle]

In the end I told him I wasn't moving the Eng and he took his shot at another unit that did move.

Right, in the end it's just a game and it was one small bit in 5 hours of gaming a large battle. I figured I'd make him happy for now but check on the rule later. With you guys agreeing with me I've already emailed him to clarify the rule for next time.

Thanks guys.

rv