Range check for activations

General ACKS Forums Ask the Autarchs
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(1) Does the range check to see if a unit is within the ZOC of its commander occur at the start of the round, or at the moment that it is activated?

That is, can a unit with the commander move first in the division, and then have the rest of its unit follow it? Or does it have to wait and move last, so that the other division units that are activated are still within ZOC range when they take their moves?

It seems funny to me that leaders are effectively ‘followers’ who hold back to issue orders to the units that move ahead of them, but I think this is the most literal reading of the rules as far as I can tell.

(2) If playing with (possibly independent) heroes, what happens when a unit is destroyed (or routed) around its commander or some other embedded hero? Does the commander automatically survive and become independent? Does it matter if the hero is “capable of independence”? Do attacks beyond the damage needed to kill the unit “spill over” on the the hero? If so, can the hero retreat to avoid the damage?

(3) What does the “(U)” indicate on some battle rosters after the morale modifier, for the scenarios at the end of the chapter?

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(1) Does the range check to see if a unit is within the ZOC of its commander occur at the start of the round, or at the moment that it is activated?

That is, can a unit with the commander move first in the division, and then have the rest of its unit follow it? Or does it have to wait and move last, so that the other division units that are activated are still within ZOC range when they take their moves?

It seems funny to me that leaders are effectively ‘followers’ who hold back to issue orders to the units that move ahead of them, but I think this is the most literal reading of the rules as far as I can tell.

APM: It is at the moment of activation. Thus the commander’s unit will often be the last unit activated. Exceptional commanders like Alexander might lead the charge but most will order other units in first, like Julius Caesar.

APM: In general once a general committed himself to a charge, his ability to influence the battle in other places was sharply reduced so I don’t think D@W’s way of handling it is wrong.

(2) If playing with (possibly independent) heroes, what happens when a unit is destroyed (or routed) around its commander or some other embedded hero?

It depends on whether the command is capable of independence. If he is, then he becomes an independent hero. If not, then he is treated as non-hero under the basic rules.

Does the commander automatically survive and become independent? Does it matter if the hero is “capable of independence”?

Yes, see above.

Do attacks beyond the damage needed to kill the unit “spill over” on the the hero?

No.

If so, can the hero retreat to avoid the damage?

Irrelevant (see above)

(3) What does the “(U)” indicate on some battle rosters after the morale modifier, for the scenarios at the end of the chapter?

The U is for “Unpredictable”.