The Commander Series Forum

Last night I played a very enjoyable 2nd game of BKCII. We're playing the scenario from Kenneth Macksey's "Battle", which is a British Battalion assault on German lines in Normandy. Terrain is exceptionally close, and the table was only about 3 feet by 2. (in 10mm)

1)
We had a situation where a visibly JagdPanther behind a hedgeline was Close assaulted in Initiative by a unit of British infantry frontally. However, there was a unit of Germany infantry immediately beside the tank which had neither moved nor fired so was invisible.

Are you still supposed to stop at 5cm from a unknown unit, even if you're assaulting a known one?

2)
Using the new Mortar rules for calling in using the LoS of a unit in the same formation, do you pay a -1 to the command roll if that unit used initiative? The unit otherwise wasn't doing anything else but was the only one which could see the target unit and was within 20 of the CO.

2b)
Can the unit doing the "spotting" actually do anything else during that command phase? ie, can it be used to bring in mortars AND move/shoot at the target itself?

My take:

1) Don't stop at 5cm. Continue with the assault, but the hidden German unit could fire on the hapless Brits, and then support the JadgPanther.

2) I don't think so, as the CO/HQ (presumably) isn't ordering the spotting unit, just the firing one, which hasn't had any orders (yet).

2b) Don't see why not! They are just relaying information, so should be free to do so again, and/or move/shoot etc.

KD

Further to 2): If you include the spotter in the units under orders, then the -1 would apply

Cheers KD, your answer to 1 is exactly what we did. Unfortunately I didn't take them out, but did give them 4 hits and suppressed them. Funnily enough, they decided not to carry on!

As to 2, I think if they're communicating, they're "doing something" and should pay the -1 personally, but we could argue successfully both ways between us so wanted to see what others thought.

Hopefully Pete will pop in and deliver the verdict.

Q2 - no, you're just using the LoS of the unit.

In Q1 - It sounds like the British infantry approached the hedge and then Close Assaulted the JagdPanther behind it, all as part of Intiative. This leads me to the question.
Please can someone square this for me?
P30 "Units may only assault across a linear obstacle if they begin their move in base contact with that obstacle"
P18 "Troops ... but may not move closer than 5cm to a visible enemy unit, unless assaulting."
If they can't move closer than 5cm, and at the same time they can't assault across a linear obstacle (unless in contact with it) how do they get up close and personal? I must have missed something.
Thanks, Albie Bach

Linear obstacles blocks LOS. If the enemy is located behind the obstacle (but not in contact with it) you can't see him. Your unit moves contact with the obstactle, stops as per movement rules and sees what's behind the obstacle. Yes, in this case the unit might end up closer than 5cm to the enemy. He can then charge across the obtacle with the next order and assault the enemy now visible.

If the enemy is in contact with the obstacle (i.e can shoot from behind the obstacle etc.) he's visible. To charge him you move contact with the obstacle on the opposite side, stop as per movement rules and count as you have assaulted him.

(And beat him senless of course and consolidate across the obtacle after your glorious melee victory)

Otherwise I don't see rules making much gaming sense.

iAugustus

Regarding the assault across a linear obstacle, I believe the rule is addressing an assault at a target beyond (not touching) the said obstacle. If an enemy unit is touching the opposite side of a linear obstacle, you do not need to cross it to fight the defender.

Chris

Cor Blimey!

For what it's worth, I thought that if a unit assaults a enemy unit behind and in contact with linear terrain it moves into contact with the linear terrain (this being an unwritten exception to the 5cm "zone of control" rule) for one order (but it does not fight) and then can close assault with another order.

All the best

Pb

My interpretation of the rule is the same as Chris's. That is, you do not have to stop at the linear terrain before ordering the assault.

I look at it this way. A platoon wants to capture a wall defended by the enemy (touching the wall in game terms). The platoon is ordered to assault the enemy. They are not ordered to go to the wall and then ordered to assault the enemy.

If the enemy was not directly defending the wall but was a distance behind it, the platoon cannot see it. They would be ordered to go to the wall (presumably to see what's behind it). Once they reach the wall, they spot the enemy. At that point they could be ordered to do the assault.

This is my justification. YMMV

Chris and Siggian are right