Author Topic: Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them (Answered)  (Read 2038 times)

Baldur Mekorig

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Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them (Answered)
« on: 03 September 2017, 17:17:21 »
 My group recently nbegan to use the hex-based version of AS, and we found some tricky situations.

When infantry and/or BA make a AM attack against a mech, whats the action that mech can made?

Can the mech made a physical attack against the infantry/BA doing the BA attack?

Can another mech attack a infantry/BA doing a AM attack?

If another unit attacks a units under a AM attack, can the inf/BA be damaged by accident?
« Last Edit: 05 September 2017, 09:59:33 by Baldur Mekorig »
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Scotty

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Re: Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them
« Reply #1 on: 03 September 2017, 17:29:47 »
There is no "Swarming" as Total Warfare might recognize it, so most of the answers to this line of questioning can be solved by looking at it purely as the Alpha Strike rules explain, rather than by what you might remember from other rulesets.

In order to perform an AM attack, the Battle Armor unit must be adjacent to the target 'Mech.  This, almost by definition, makes them vulnerable to a physical attack from the 'Mech in question.  Mind your firing arc, though!

Under Alpha Strike rules, units are only protected from ranged attack from the unit they're adjacent to (I play mostly hexless, where this is much easier to determine).  Units that they are not adjacent to can shoot all they want.  Remember that units do not block line of sight.

Battle Armor conducting an AM attack are still "merely" conducting an attack.  They do not occupy the same space as the target unit, and are in no way considered to be on/swarming the unit.
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Tai Dai Cultist

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Re: Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them
« Reply #2 on: 03 September 2017, 20:11:14 »
Also: clustering Anti-Mech infantry for the attack is just begging for some Artillery to come and wipe them all out.

Doubly so if you're using an APC to deliver multiple units of infantry into position.  Hit multiple infantry squads AND a combat vehicle to boot?  Yep, artillery will be coming their way.

GoldBishop

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Re: Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them
« Reply #3 on: 03 September 2017, 23:21:59 »
I wonder...

Where does a mounted Battle Armor dismount to in Hex-based AlphaStrike?
- Should it be in the same hex (as it is in Standard?) or adjacent hexes following the AlphaStrike rule of single-occupancy?

...I prefer the hexless play, so I honestly haven't given hex-based much of a try.  I would imagine a house rule would be necessary, though my group would likely favor those rules seen in Standard/Classic for these particular instances (allow deployment of swarming infantry onto the hex from an adjacent hex; treat it as impassible in the direction opposite from which it arrived).  However, my opinion is far from official.
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Scotty

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Re: Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them
« Reply #4 on: 03 September 2017, 23:39:51 »
There's no such thing as stacking or occupying the same hex as another unit in Alpha Strike, so it's definitely into an adjacent hex.  Avoiding stacking and displacement shenanigans is a big part of what keeps Alpha Strike simple and quick.
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GoldBishop

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Re: Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them
« Reply #5 on: 05 September 2017, 08:34:36 »
There's no such thing as stacking or occupying the same hex as another unit in Alpha Strike, so it's definitely into an adjacent hex.  ...

That's kinda my point.  Mounting/Dismounting Infantry is not outlined in the Converting to Hexes section (p.110-113) so the default *should* kick in (1 unit per hex). 

My group likes shenanigans, so we would likely adopt the TotalWarfare/Classic equivalent (even temporarily, say... until the next movement phase?).  Sure, it might get complex or even tedious, but that helps bring some of the fun of Classic back (for us, at least); no reason to keep friendly games forcibly restricted. 
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Baldur Mekorig

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Re: Anti-mech attacks and how to counter them
« Reply #6 on: 05 September 2017, 09:59:14 »
Little by little we solve all the misunderstandings we have about this new game. Thanks for the answers!
Oh my brother, with your courage we can conquer,
In your sword I put my trust that you will honor
I will be the higher ground should you concede it
And my body be your shield if you should need it.

 

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