[Rules] Assault hex recovery/retreat order

[richvalle]

If there are 2 dem platoons only in an assault hex and they try to recover and fail, is the 'recover, fail, retreat' process done for one before doing the process for the 2nd or are they considered simultaneous? 

This is in reference to the rule where units leaving an assault hex get a free shot at them. If it is one at a time then only the last unit fleeing gets the shot. If it's simultaneous it's both of them. 

[Michael Murphy]

If there are 2 dem platoons only in an assault hex and they try to recover and fail, is the 'recover, fail, retreat' process done for one before doing the process for the 2nd or are they considered simultaneous? 

This is in reference to the rule where units leaving an assault hex get a free shot at them. If it is one at a time then only the last unit fleeing gets the shot. If it's simultaneous it's both of them. 

If possession of that hex is important to you then you might want to try rallying the two units in separate action segments. You are not obligated to activate them together. 3.11, last sentence applies - "It is not necessary to activate all units in a stack during an activation."

Hope that helps.


Peace. Michael

[richvalle]

Thanks Michael. That doesn't exactly answer the question though it implies they happen simultaneously.

I'm leaning towards they happen separately. You roll for the first unit, he fails and has to retreat. You roll for the 2nd unit, he fails and has to retreat taking a free shot on the way out.

[Greyfox]

I think technically you can avoid last shot on both units as you are only supposed todo actions for one unit at a time. Second or final moving unit would be the one the parting shot would be fired against. Makes logical sense since one unit could normally be considered to be froviding cover fire while the other moves, but has no other unit to provid the same. The only issue with that common sense approach is that both, under your description are breaking - soldiers are in a panic and without leaders to hold them in place. Don’t hold me to that interpretation of the rules as I am at Cadet Summer Training and don’t have a copy of fourth edition rules in front of me right now.

Rich’s I’ll is detailing a method by which you can do exactly what you are trying to do; I think you are just talking past each other. If you activate the entire hex in one activation your hand is somewhat forced. you just have to conduct tit as two separate activations. You activate one unirt roll and either recover or retreat. Your activation ends and then your opponent activates or passes. You conduct a fog of war roll, if applicable, and activate the next unit to conduct a recovery roll.

[richvalle]

The situation I'm in now is that I've already activated the hex and rolled recovery and both have failed. Now I'm pondering how to correctly play it out.

[Hugmenot]

The answer is in the second paragraph of 12.12.

12.12 Exiting a Hex
Active units may exit an assault hex but may only move a single hex when doing so. The hex entered may not be enemy-occupied (except for unarmed, empty enemy transports and enemy leaders).

If, during a given action segment, ALL of a player's combat units exit an assault hex (leaving no combat units to guard their retreat), then ALL the exiting units (not just the last unit to leave) may be assaulted by the enemy units in the assault hex using the Assault Table. This is a "free shot."


In your specific case, if the two demoralized units are activated in the same activation segment and both failed to recover, they are both subject to the free shot. If you're free shot results in a "1" result, then one of the demoralized unit must take a step loss and both (assuming the one that the one that lost a step was full)  must then take a "M2".

[richvalle]

Ahhh, I see that. Misses that bit about all taking the free shot.

Thanks!

rv

[J6A]

I think 3rd edition it was only one unit that suffered the free shot. 4th Edition it's all of them.

[rerathbun]

I think 3rd edition it was only one unit that suffered the free shot.  4th Edition it's all of them.

In 3rd edition the rule was the same.  Quoting from 3rd ed., rule 12.12 (see also 5.32):

If, during a given action segment, ALL of a player's combat units exit an assault hex (leaving no combat units to guard their retreat), then ALL the exiting units (not just the last unit to leave) may be assaulted by the enemy units in the assault hex using the Assault Table. This is a "free shot."

[Hugmenot]

Sorry to correct you but it was the same in 3rd edition.

My biggest issue with Assault is the verbiage change to the first sentence of 12.4 (highlight is mine):

Each player totals the Direct Fire values of all his units in the hex (that are not firing Anti-Tank Fire, 12.52), applying any penalties due to disruption (14.2) and demoralization (14.3), and adding the combat bonuses of any eligible leaders present (6.42).


It was clear to me that units defending in an assault hex could NOT use AT Fire in 3.0. It's not so clear if the change in 4.0 means all AT-capable units defending in an assault can now use AT Fire (and do they get two shots if they are efficient?) or if the change was made to accommodate the revised verbiage in 11.5 Special Foot Anti-Tank Fire.