Moving leaders with troops

[richvalle]

It's my day to ask questions...


I think this is less of a rule then a 'what is fair' question. When moving units stacked with a leader up into range of op fire, do you move each unit without the leader and then move the leader as a separate move so he won't be op fired at with the troops?

Along those same lines, do you stack leaders with the troops or move them in empty hexes behind the troops where they can still give orders to adjacent troops?

[plloyd1010]

The first question, as I understand it, you could do that, or the leader may move with one unit. (Because units are moved individually, he cannot move with the stack.)

Question 2 would be a tactical decision. You can do it, it can work, it also makes the leader a target.

[richvalle]

Right. It just seems... gamey to not move him with the troops.

[plloyd1010]

It is. Then I might consider trying to scrab him as moves by himself, to keep him away from his command.

[Poor Yorek]

Of course, if the leader has a morale bonus, one loses his ability to assist with checks by not having him move with one of the combat units. This has always seemed to me to provide a pro vs. con as to moving the leader with a unit (in the face of OF) vs. moving one at a time.

[richvalle]

Of course, if the leader has a morale bonus, one loses his ability to assist with checks by not having him move with one of the combat units.  This has always seemed to me to provide a pro vs. con as to moving the leader with a unit (in the face of OF) vs. moving one at a time.

There is that. 

What you could do... say you have 2-4 inf units with a +1 moral leader, and +0 moral leader and you are going to move up next to a town to assault it. 

You could move the +1 leader up first and stop 2 hexes away from the town. The defender could take a shot at you, but he knows he's going to get some +3 column shift shots soon so holds off. Now move each inf unit up next to the town. As they take the op fire they get the +1 moral bonus. After the op fire is over you can move the +0 moral leader up with any units that survived the rush to the town so he can assault next turn.  

Of course all that happens in one AS so you're not leaving the leader hanging out there by himself.

[richvalle]

Actually you can kind of always do this with a + moral leader. Move him first 3 spaces, then move the troops. They will be moral bonus-less for the first hex, but the next 2 (adjacent to the leader and then stacked with the leader) they will get the bonus.

[Poor Yorek]

Yes. This presents to the firing side the conundrum as whether or not to attempt to fire at the LDR with one of the OF shots.

[Hugmenot]

Keep in mind that an "X" result will eliminate the leader if (opportunity) fired upon when moving alone. Also, if the leader is moving alone and becomes disrupted due to Opportunity Fire, none of his troops may be able to move forward. Plus they make juicy targets for powerful bombardment fire (30+factor).

I often keep a shot or two in reserve to shoot at leaders if my opponent likes to move leaders after his troops.

I generally prefer to move leaders with a unit (they're far less likely to die) unless they are staying at least 3 hexes away from enemy units. I rarely leave leaders alone in a hex unless the enemy has weak OBA and no way to reach him. I've conducted sorties against lone leaders to try to capture them; I find it can be worth the risk, especially with the Soviets INF and other weak units.

[richvalle]

Keep in mind that an "X" result will eliminate the leader if (opportunity) fired upon when moving alone.  Also, if the leader is moving alone and becomes disrupted due to Opportunity Fire, none of his troops may be able to move forward. Plus they make juicy targets for powerful bombardment fire (30+factor).

Why would the units be unable to move? They are already activated. The state of the leader after that is moot. Maybe I didn't explain the sequence of events very well. 

What I was picturing is all the units (2 leaders, 2-4 inf) activating together. Then the + leader moves up first and stops short. Then the inf so they get the moral bonus as he waves them forward, then the last leader bringing up the rear.


It all seems valid but I have to say we've not really played this way. I did move a few leaders without troops to avoid the upcoming op fire but felt bad for doing it and stopped.