Victory Decision FAQ - 08/09 Ambush Rule Update!!!

[Dargoth]

Yes, it helps greatly. Thank you.

[Agis]

Yes, it helps greatly. Thank you.

You are welcome!

[Agis]

Q: If a gun crew is shaken and they have to move. Do they move? What about unlimbering?
Follow up question: gun crew's unlimber action is needed before every move action, right?
What I mean is:
unlimber/move/unlimber/move/shoot or
unlimber/move/(more moves)/move/limber/shoot

A: See 4.1.2 Page 11 of the rulebook: "A withdrawal is a special type of Move Action that is only modified by Impassable Terrain. The Shaken unit must make one full movement action.." No unlimbering necessary because of the special nature of the withdrawal move.
Example: An US Army Regimental Support 57mm Anti-Tank Gun is reduced to 2 HPs and becomes Shaken.
It immediately moves 2" after the action that caused it to become shaken.

Follow up question:
Once the gun is unlimbered it can be moved. To follow your wording:
unlimber/move/(more moves)/move

[Dargoth]

p15 $6.3
"Weapons with the Blast/X” (Area greater than 2”)"
By that you mean Blast/3 and Blast/4 right?
In other words can tanks concentrate their canon fire?

2nd question:
About transports. What if I want to unload infantry early? Who makes the actions. Transport first then infantry or what player decides.

[Agis]

Q: P15 #6.3
"Weapons with the Blast/X” (Area greater than 2”)"
By that you mean Blast/3 and Blast/4 right?
A: Yes. Every blast greater than 2.

Q: In other words can tanks concentrate their canon fire?
A: 6.3 is about infantry actions. 10.2.2 describes the vehicle action "Concentrate Fire".
Since no additional rules apply, all vehicle weapons with a Blast 1 or 2 weapon can benefit from "Concentrate Fire".

Q: 2nd question:
About transports. What if I want to unload infantry early? Who makes the actions. Transport first then infantry or what player decides.
A: See 11.8 after the 1st example.

[Sevya]

I have a few of questions about the interaction between Shaken and Suppression.

1) If a unit becomes Shaken from an attack that causes more Suppression than there are unit members, do the excess Suppression counters convert to Critical hits then, or is that only in attacks after becoming Shaken?

2) When a Shaken unit losses soldiers from Critical Hits that are caused by Suppression counters, do those losses cause more Suppression?

3) If a Shaken unit is in cover when it takes Critical hits from Suppression, does it benefit from the cover bonus to these saves?

Thank you,
Sevya

[Agis]

Q 1) If a unit becomes Shaken from an attack that causes more Suppression than there are unit members, do the excess Suppression counters convert to Critical hits then, or is that only in attacks after becoming Shaken?
A – The extra hits only apply if the unit is already shaken.
Please see 4.1.1 and 4.1.3  on Page 11 of the rulebook for further clarification.

Q 2) When a Shaken unit losses soldiers from Critical Hits that are caused by Suppression counters, do those losses cause more Suppression?
A – Please see the first 2 sentences of 4.1.3 on Page 11.
Bottom-line, once a unit is Shaken it does not get any additional Suppression Markers. Loosing models by Critical hits is punishing enough…   

Q 3) If a Shaken unit is in cover when it takes Critical hits from Suppression, does it benefit from the cover bonus to these saves?
A – Yes. See the last paragraph in 4.1.3  on Page 11 of the rulebook.

Hope that helps! 

[pigasuspig]

Played a learning game with just infantry, and have a few questions:

1. What is the difference between Assault and Close Combat? Assault seems strictly better: you get to move, and you reroll missed dice. Why would I ever use a Close Combat action?

2. About Shaken unit Critical Hits: Does each further suppression marker do _two_ hits?

3. About Withdrawals. Can I withdraw directly towards the unit that shot me if I am safely far away? Also, what if a unit is forced to withdraw from close combat? It cannot get 6" away since it can only move 4".

* Not a rules question, but just a random question: Would the game still work if the unit leader were used for ALL measurement; that is, if the actual location of the other squad members were irrelevant? In my game, we both used a kind of "slingshot" move where the squad leader moved 3" out of cover, then the rest of the squad placed a further 5" ahead to get into range. After this dangerous attack, they all returned to cover. This seemed somehow abusive.

I like the game a lot, especially how the action system gives so many tactical options.

[Mike D. Mc Brice]

If you're already in close combat you're not allowed to make an assault move against the unit you're engaged with. You'd need to make a move action to move out of the close combat and then you can make another assault action against the same unit. This costs you 2 actions though. So you're better of fighting 2 Close Combat actions.

As for the move* yes, that's ok. Models in ViDe can more very fast and it's fine to use the rules the way you did. I doubt it's be ideal way to go though. If you want to inflict serious damage you need to Set Up you LMGs and use Concentrated Fire.
Furthermore in positions this this often have a very limited arc of fire.
It might look effective but I doubt it will win you many battles.

[Agis]

Q 1. What is the difference between Assault and Close Combat? Assault seems strictly better: you get to move, and you reroll missed dice. Why would I ever use a Close Combat action?
A: Because you are already in CR and want to fight on.
First sentence of 6.2 P. 14: “If a unit starts its turn within Combat Range of an enemy unit it may immediately fight in close combat.”
Let’s say your 1st action was an assault. 2nd action you can CC or move out of CR and Assault again.

Q 2. About Shaken unit Critical Hits: Does each further suppression marker do _two_ hits?
A: See P. 11  4.1.3 Suppression Marker and Shaken Units.
Critical Hit, see P. 10 under Critical: “When an attack is made against this model and after all modifiers are applied its Critical number is equalled or exceeded, the unit suffers two hits.”

Q 3a. - About Withdrawals. Can I withdraw directly towards the unit that shot me if I am safely far away?
Q 3b - Also, what if a unit is forced to withdraw from close combat? It cannot get 6" away since it can only move 4".
A3a: See Page 11 - 4.1.2 Withdrawals: „A unit making a withdrawal may move in any direction, but if a model is after the withdrawal move within 6” of any enemy model, it is removed from the game (it is killed while trying to escape!).
A3b: Please note that the above quoted rule talks about models not units. So yes some models get killed withdrawing but not necessarily the whole unit (if for example some models of the withdrawing unit were 2” behind).
But yes, having to withdraw from Assaults/ CC is very deadly!

Q - Would the game still work if the unit leader were used for ALL measurement; that is, if the actual location of the other squad members were irrelevant?
A: Never tried it, but I have a gut feeling that some additional rules might be necessary.

Q - In my game, we both used a kind of "slingshot" move where the squad leader moved 3" out of cover, then the rest of the squad placed a further 5" ahead to get into range. After this dangerous attack, they all returned to cover. This seemed somehow abusive.
A: No, that is OK. A big game balancer as far as Infantry vs Vehicles are concerned. A Vehicle within 3x4” + Ld of an infantry unit with the Tank Hunter Ability is in Grave danger. Remember that you always are allowed to premeasure. And since you both had done it all seems good to me!
Mike’s reply is of course also true! 

I like the game a lot, especially how the action system gives so many tactical options.

Thanks, exactly what I wanted from the game. ViDe is about constantly thinking very hard which actions to take and to anticipate what unit will be chosen next by your opponent.

[pigasuspig]

Thanks for the detailed answers. I have another few questions about cumulative effects:

1. Can the command squad reroll its initiative checks like other units near it can?

2. A unit gets +1 to its initiative check if it "benefits from command or recon ability". Does a unit within leadership of its commander get this +1? Or only the commander?

3. On cover: Soft cover gives a +1 modifier on save roll and a 5+ infantry cover save. Are these cumulative? That is, would a typical infantry unit in soft cover actually need to roll a 4+ to save? Similarly for hard cover: does the infantry need to roll 4+ or 2+ to save in hard cover?

Related: does the modifier on save roll apply to vehicles or just infantry?

And a follow-up: Under 6.2: "Alternately, the unit may perform an assault action to . . . bring more models into CR."
In your answer, you suggested that a unit in close combat cannot re-assault its same opponent. The rules suggest it can do so provided it is moving new figures into CR. I am not really sure how to interpret this.

Thanks!

[Agis]

Q1. Can the command squad reroll its initiative checks like other units near it can?
A1: P.20 “The die for a unit’s activation may be re-rolled in the Initiative Segment as long as the chosen unit (at least one model of that unit) is within the Leadership Distance of a friendly unit with the Command ability.”
Since the Command Squad itself is most certainly within Leadership Distance of its Commander they can re-roll the die.

Q2. A unit gets +1 to its initiative check if it "benefits from command or recon ability". Does a unit within leadership of its commander get this +1? Or only the commander?
A2: Since the unit is activated as one unit the whole unit benefits from the Commanders Ability. A Commander can only be activated individually if he benefits from the Individual Ability and has left his unit (P.21 – 7.8 Individual).

Q3. On cover: Soft cover gives a +1 modifier on save roll and a 5+ infantry cover save. Are these cumulative? That is, would a typical infantry unit in soft cover actually need to roll a 4+ to save? Similarly for hard cover: does the infantry need to roll 4+ or 2+ to save in hard cover?
A3: Normal Saves and Infantry Covers saves are NOT cumulative. Please re-read the section on P. 18 about Infantry Cover Save: “The Cover Save may be taken instead of the normal save; it is always up to the model owning player which saves he rolls.” Basically it opens Infantry units in cover and additional option when hit by a weapon with a big Save modifier. Add the Take Cover action and infantry units become indeed very hard to kill! If you are using cover in a proper way infantry can survive a lot of attacks.

Q3a Related: does the modifier on save roll apply to vehicles or just infantry?
A3a: P. 34 – 10.4 Shooting at Vehicles. Vehicles can benefit from Cover! Otherwise Gun and Tank Pits (P.50 - 15.1.4) would not be of much use…

Q4: And a follow-up: Under 6.2: "Alternately, the unit may perform an assault action to . . . bring more models into CR." In your answer, you suggested that a unit in close combat cannot re-assault its same opponent. The rules suggest it can do so provided it is moving new figures into CR. I am not really sure how to interpret this.
A4: It all depends on the action you choose for the unit.
Example: A 5 men unit is assaulting a 5 men enemy unit with its 1st action. Let’s presume only 2 models get into CR and attack with 1D6 each. Since they are assaulting they can re-roll the die. 1 enemy is killed. The enemy player removes a man that was not within CR.
For his second action the attacking player can choose a CC action with the two soldiers (2D6, no re-roll) OR Move out of CR OR Assault again to bring his remaining 3 men into CR. In the example above it would be wise to perform the Assault action again.

[pigasuspig]

"For his second action the attacking player can choose a CC action with the two soldiers (2D6, no re-roll) OR Move out of CR OR Assault again to bring his remaining 3 men into CR. In the example above it would be wise to perform the Assault action again."

I am sorry to have such trouble digesting this. Would you check that I have it right: if the assault leaves one member of the assaulting squad without a target (or he never had a target), the squad can assault again and reroll its dice. But if all squad members remain in combat, they cannot assault the same target again, and merely perform close combat with no reroll?

[Agis]

Would you check that I have it right: if the assault leaves one member of the assaulting squad without a target (or he never had a target), the squad can assault again and reroll its dice. But if all squad members remain in combat, they cannot assault the same target again, and merely perform close combat with no reroll?

Yes. Assaulting always involves Movement of at least one model!
But - this will VERY rarely happen. Please read P.12 "Move into Combat Range".

Remember that you can ALWAYS pre-measure. Why would you assault if only the minority of your unit get into CR? And if your opponent is always leaving - let's say - one model out of CR just to get another Assault action, do the same to him.  This would be "playing the rules and not the game!" Assault is about getting as many as possible into the fight.
The CC action is in the game to give you additional options. ViDe is always about putting the player into the position to think hard about the next actions.

[Agis]

I am sorry to have such trouble digesting this.

No problem, you are welcome.
If the game designer did not want to talk about his game, who will?