BA Swarm and Leg attacks

[OatsAndHall]

Questions:

How long do BA stay attached during swarm attacks? During leg attacks? Is it one turn or do you have to knock them off?

[Lorcan Nagle]

Swarms stay on the target until they willingly disengage or they're knocked off, and can attack each turn.  With leg attacks they're not on the target long enough to count as attached, they remain in the hex at all times.

[Charistoph]

Swarms stay on the target until they willingly disengage or they're knocked off, and can attack each turn.  With leg attacks they're not on the target long enough to count as attached, they remain in the hex at all times.

What he said.

As for when you choose to do so, I generally prefer Legging a lMech unless the 'Mech is already down.  They can't get knocked off if the 'Mech cannot stand. 

Also getting off before they can go underwater is also a Good Idea (unless you're BA with UWU).

[OatsAndHall]

Thanks, fellas.

So, if they move into a shared hex for a leg attack, they stay in the same hex as the targeted mech? Regardless of how the mech moves?

[Lorcan Nagle]

Thanks, fellas.

So, if they move into a shared hex for a leg attack, they stay in the same hex as the targeted mech? Regardless of how the mech moves?

If an infantry unit moves into a hex with an enemy unit, and that unit moves out of the hex later in the movement phase, they can no longer make a swarm or leg attack. Like charging and DFAing, you basically need to move up to the target after they've already moved.

[Charistoph]

Thanks, fellas.

So, if they move into a shared hex for a leg attack, they stay in the same hex as the targeted mech? Regardless of how the mech moves?

Leg Attacks do not attach the Infantry unit to the 'Mech.  Swarm Attacks do.

So if you do a Leg Attack and the 'Mech is still standing, the 'Mech can easily Walk/Run/Jump away.

[OatsAndHall]

Thanks for clearing that up, folks. We've had some arguments over BA attacks as it's not entirely concise in TW.

But... I'll be running a friggin' company of BA now that I know they stay attached.

[Charistoph]

Swarmed Infantry can still be knocked of by deliberately going Prone or by going underwater.

And a company is a LOT on the table, even at Mercenary levels.  That's 9 bases worth, at least.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Swarm attacks also deal no damage on the turn they're made.  You have to wait until the next turn before they actually start doing damage, which hampers their effectiveness considerably.  There's a reason a lot of players prefer to stick with leg attacks or weapon attacks without bothering to swarm.

[Charistoph]

I should mention that Vehicles have a much harder time getting the little buggers off.  Of course, they can't do Leg/Motive Attacks, so...

Last Friday, I lost a Manticore to a Point of Elementals that had Swarmed it, and they were the only one to do any Damage to it.  Of course, there was a little luck.  The Manticore's job was to get off the Table, and if they hit the wrong area the last time, he would have made it off.

[OatsAndHall]

Swarmed Infantry can still be knocked of by deliberately going Prone or by going underwater.

And a company is a LOT on the table, even at Mercenary levels.  That's 9 bases worth, at least.

Yeah, I know it's a ton of minis, I was being sarcastic.

[ANS Kamas P81]

A company of infantry is only three platoons, so three bases to work with instead of nine.

[Charistoph]

A company of infantry is only three platoons, so three bases to work with instead of nine.

3 bases for Conventional Infantry.

Battle Armor is different, and varies by house.  Mercenaries are usually 3 Squads to a Platoon, and 3 Platoons for a Company, but a few of the Houses go 4 Squads per Platoon, and 4 Platoons per Company.  ComStar/Blake are in base 6.  That's 9 bases up to 20 bases for the Inner Sphere per Company, and 36 bases for a Level III.

[OatsAndHall]

Where can I find the rules for going prone or hopping into water to ward off BA?

[assaultdoor]

Where can I find the rules for going prone or hopping into water to ward off BA?

They are both on p. 222 of TW (9th printing). They don't specifically mention BA, but the only time those rules specifically do mention BA is to explain special rules that don't apply to conventional infantry.

[Charistoph]

And vice-versa.  If it says, "infantry", and not, "conventional infantry", it applies to every version of Infantry, be it Foot, Battle Armor, Beast-riding, Mechanized, etc.