Squad Leader eQ&A (April 2, 1999)

Below is a compilation of Squad Leader rules questions (and their answers) received sent to MMP via email. This compilation includes all questions received from January 15, 1999 through March 15, 1999.  The questions below are essentially as we received them, although rules citations have been added and minor edits made to some in order to present them in a more coherent fashion. These questions (and their answers) should be treated just as if they had been mailed to MMP with a SASE, in which they were then returned to the sender.

Special thanks to Alain Chabot, Ken Ives, Eric Pass, and Alan Yngve for their comments on earlier drafts of these eQ&A.

I would also like to announce that in the near future, MMP will be hosting a compilation of official SL Q&A and eQ&A on our web site (www.advancedsquadleader.com). I will make an announcement on the SL mailing list when that part of our web site opens. Your comments are invited about the service being provided here by MMP, although we cannot guarantee a response. Do not expect any discussion from this end about the substance of the answers.

Chuck Goetz (cgoetz@erols.com)
Multi-Man Publishing

5.74: May a squad which has moved carrying less than 4 portage points fire a support weapon that also moved that phase, but was not carried by the squad?
A: Yes, but only if that SW (plus any other SW the squad is carrying) has a portage cost less than 4 [EXC: if equipment possession rules (164) are in effect, the squad may fire only an SW it possesses].

11.53: Does fire which crosses a hexside junction containing a wall/hedge and another not containing a wall/hedge (e.g., fire from 4BB2 into 4Z2), get the wall/hedge bonus?
A: Yes.

11.53: Does fire ALONG a wall/hedge hexspine (e.g., 3R3 to 3S5) get the benefits of the wall/hedge?
A: Yes.

12.22: If two leaders are in a hex, and the first one passes a morale check, while the second one fails, must the first leader take an additional morale check? If a squad was in that hex, must it take a leader loss morale check? Is there a limit to the number of leader loss morale checks a squad can take due to a series of leaders breaking or being KIAed?
A: Yes. Yes. No.

13.42: May a routing unit which routs into an open ground hex behind a wall or hedge stop in that hex if it cannot safely continue to better cover due to the conditions of 13.41?
A: Yes.

13.42: May a routing unit rout through an open ground hex if it contains a smoke counter? Through an open ground hex if all enemy LOS is blocked or goes through a smoke counter?
A: Yes. Yes.

18.42: If the unit in the target hex a berserker is charging is eliminated or moves out of LOS, and there are no other enemy units in the berserker's LOS, does that berserker still charge towards the original target hex?
A: Yes, and it will immediately charge the first enemy unit to which it obtains LOS; if it reaches the original target hex without seeing another enemy unit, it must stop there until it has a LOS to another enemy unit when it must charge the new target.

18.5: If a leader becomes berserk, are the berserk rolls for good order squads made before any normal morale check rolls due to enemy fire?
A: No, all morale checks caused by the enemy fire are made first; any unbroken unit then undergoes the berserk morale check.

22.7: Does fire against a target hex which contains a flamethrower by an attacking flamethrower still qualify for the -1 modifier?
A: Yes. In 22.2 add "[EXC: see 22.7]".

23.5: If a demolition charge is placed across a wall/hedge hex, does the wall/hedge modifier apply in addition to other protective cover?
A: Yes.

24.1: Can an engineer place unlimited smoke in any scenario unless restricted by a SSR or OB?
A: Yes, one per turn [EXC: until the Smoke Grenades rules are in effect; 141.7].

25.4: Can a non-concealed leader attempt to rally a concealed broken unit with the concealed unit maintaining its concealment status?
A: No, the concealed broken unit must lose its concealment to be rallied by an unconcealed leader.

31.3: If an AFV in an open ground hex debarks infantry which then moves into an adjacent woods hex, can the infantry be fired upon in the open ground hex? Does the -2 moving in open DRM apply? Does the +1 AFV cover DRM apply?
A: Yes. Yes. Yes.

32.1: Does infantry fire against a hex which contains both passenger AND non-passenger infantry affect both sets of units?
A: Yes, if AFV passengers or CE HT passengers (although different DRM may apply to each type of unit).

32.1: Does an HE attack against an AFV hex which contains both passengers AND non-passengers affect both sets of units? Does it affect the AFV?
A: Yes, if the infantry are the target (unless the Advanced To Hit Table is in effect, in which case passengers are only affected as per 145.11). No (assuming the infantry are the targeted units).

33.9: Is a crew considered a squad for victory purposes?
A: Yes, unless specifically stated otherwise.

34.2, 31.6 & 47: Is a CE crew affected by an HE shell that hits (but does not destroy) an AFV? Are AFV passengers? Are CE HT passengers? Are non-CE HT passengers?
A: Yes to the first three [EXC: see 138 for effects vs an armored carrier crew]; the same dice roll used on the AFV To Kill Table is used with a +2 on the IFT affects (AFV passengers only get the +2 modifier if fired upon from the same or lower elevation _and_ through the vehicle covered arc, and also must immediately dismount). No.

36.24: If close combat against an AFV (assuming no opposing infantry) is unsuccessful, are the infantry units returned to the hex from which they advanced if it would result in overstacking?
A: No; if a unit's return to the hex from which it advanced would cause the hex to become overstacked, the unit is eliminated.

38.2: If an AFV fires multiple machine guns and they malfunction, must they be repaired separately?
A: No, all are repaired/disabled together [EXC: if Firegroup Breakdown (143.8) is in effect _and_ both players agree, AFV MG are disabled/repaired separately].

44.21: Is penetrating fire to second target hex, with the first target hex being a wheat field, considered AREA fire if the second hex has a clear LOS to the source (i.e., fire from 3S5 to 3T3 and penetrating 3S4)?
A: No [EXC: if rules section 143 is in effect, penetration FP would be as per 143.2-.28].

49.11 Do units moving in the advance phase count as "moving"?
A: Yes.

50.4 Can an American squad (666) use a captured Panzerfaust?
A: Yes.

56.3 & 36.1 Can an infantry unit in a bunker execute a Defensive Fire Phase immobilization attack against a moving AFV in a hex within the bunker's covered arc? Out of the bunker's covered arc? On top of the bunker?
A: No to all.

69: Does a building constitute a target for target acquisition purposes? Does a bridge?
A: No (unless the Advanced To Hit Table is in effect [145.4]). Yes.

69.3: Is target acquisition lost if the acquired target moves out of LOS during its own Movement Phase, then back into the same acquired hex during the Advance Phase?
A: Yes.

69.3: Assume a gun fires at infantry in a hex during defensive fire and acquires them. If all the units that were targeted by that fire then advance out of the hex and are replaced by other infantry units advancing into it, is the acquisition maintained on the new occupants of the hex? Must the acquisition follow the previous occupants? Is the acquisition lost altogether if the previous occupants move out of LOS?
A: No. Yes. Yes.

71.3 & 71.4 If a vehicle has reversed and changed gears for forward movement, must it pay a 2 MP penalty for changing its vehicle covered arc?
A: Only if the vehicle actually changes its covered arc.

92.82 & 92.9: Can mounted calvary who charged in the movement phase dismount in the following advance phase? Can they advance during the advance phase?
A: No. Yes.

101.411 & 32.1: Are passengers on an AFV subject to the 16 FP Stuka attack? Does a Stuka attack against an AFV passenger ever apply the +2 DRM of 32.1?
A: Yes. No.

101.411 & 47.7: Are non-CE passengers of an HT subject to the 16 FP Stuka attack? Are CE passengers? Does a Stuka attack against a CE HT passenger apply the +2 DRM of 47.7?
A: Yes. Yes. No.

101.411 & 64.44: Is the non-CE crew of an open topped armored vehicle subject to the 16 FP Stuka attack? Is the CE crew? Is the CE crew of a closed top armored vehicle? Does a Stuka attack against a CE crew apply the +2 DRM of 64.44?
A: Yes. Yes. Yes. Only vs the CE crew of a closed top AFV.