The Misunderstood CC Counter

Stop me if you have seen this. It is the Advance Phase and you or your opponent have just Advanced a unit into an enemy unit’s Location. You reach for a CC counter and place it on top of the Location. Have you ever considered why you do this? Can you point to a rule which says you must/should place a CC counter?

This article will discuss the reasons for placing and removing a CC counter and what the effects are. This article will also discuss when a CC counter is removed or flipped. It may come as a surprise, but placement and removal of a CC counter is not all in one place. In one instance, removal is most likely based on an old Q&A creeping into an example even though there is no basis otherwise. Let’s get stuck in. 

When To Place A CC Counter

The most likely reason to place a CC counter is because of a Personnel unit entering an enemy Personnel Unit’s Location during the MPh and not being eliminated (A7.211, A8.31, A12.151, A13.61, A15.432, A25.233, A25.234, D6.5, E1.13, G.4, G1.423). Such placement reflects that units in these Locations are not yet in Melee.

Also place a CC counter on a unit which fails to eliminate the target of a CC-Reaction Fire attack. After conducting the attack, the attacking unit marked with a First/Final counter and with a CC counter.

Effects Of A CC Counter

The primary effect of a CC counter is to deny a phasing player from Advancing units covered with a CC counter (A4.7). This will limit the ability of Banzai/Human Wave units to Advance.

Secondarily, during Defensive Fire, an attacking unit marked with a CC counter may not conduct Non-CC Reaction Fire attacks. Any further Reaction Fire attacks must be CC Reaction Fire attacks. 

Removal Of A CC Counter

The rules are mostly silent on removing a CC counter. The ASOP doesn’t specify removal of a CC counter until the Close Combat Phase step 8.31B. The counter is red lettering on a white background suggesting removal in the CCPh. If these were the only guidance, units marked with a CC counter during the MPh could never Advance. Even if the enemy unit breaks and routs away, units covered with a CC counter could not Advance. 

A close examination of the Comprehensive Rout Example will discover this passage:

The broken squad in S2 must rout because of the unbroken KEU in its own Location. Its only option is to enter S3 and move upstairs to Level 1 since it cannot remain ADJACENT to the unbroken KEU in S2 (whose CC counter is removed once the broken unit leaves its Location).

Looking closer still, you’ll notice every example in this Comprehensive Routing Example has a rule reference. This passage does not.

Historical Context

To understand why there is no rule reference, a little looking back is necessary. The original article for the Comprehensive Rout Example appeared in ASL Journal #2, in 2000. The second version of the rules did not appear until later. The original article was based on the rules and Q&A of the period. Digging into Klas Malmström’s Q&A and collection, there is a version 1 Q&A which says:

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A11 & G1.423: Is a CC counter or a Melee counter removed immediately when only one side remains in the Location? When no units remain in the Location? 

A. Yes. Yes. [Compil3]

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This Q&A is most likely the basis for the Comprehensive Rout article’s statement. Unfortunately, there are no footnotes, so we can’t know for sure. These original v1 Q&A are in an ambiguous state. According to the Journal #3 article First Do No Harm, the rewrite considered v1 Q&A and rolled them in where appropriate. There is no new rule in the v2 ASLRB supporting the now canonical Comprehensive Rout Example. Still, the examples ARE part of the rules. Perry has also acknowledged the earlier v1 Q&A cited above as still valid and applicable to the v2 rule set. 

Impact Of The Q&A

The upshot is to remove a CC counter when a Location no longer contains units from both sides. If a Banzai unit eliminates all enemy units in its Location in AFPh, it removes its CC counter. It is then free to Advance in the APh. If all enemy units rout away from a Location marked with a CC counter, remove the CC counter and units are now free to Advance in the APh.

This Q&A also allows a Defender to remove a CC counter from his units as a result of CC Reaction Fire. Removal occurs at the end of the Defensive Fire Phase if no enemy units are in the Location. I am not sure if the intent is to leave the counter if an enemy unit subsequently enters the DEFENDER’S Location. Even if not, a unit entering likely compels placement of a CC counter so there is no real difference. 

Conclusion

I tried to cite all the rules I could find which covered placement of a CC counter. I am sure I didn’t cover them all. If you know of something I missed, please make a comment below and let me know. It would help me personally to better understand this misused and misunderstood counter. Until next time. – jim