Infantry Movement: Bypass LOS 

As ASL players, we have all used Bypass Movement. If you are an experienced ASL player, I am also sure you have used Bypass Movement to avoid taking fire. As an experienced player, I am sure you also looked at the vertices to make sure your units aren’t exposed to incoming fire. But is that enough? What follows is likely to surprise some.

Rules Dive

Rule A4.34 says in part “A unit firing at a Bypassing unit does not have to trace its LOS to the target hex center”. Saying it doesn’t have to, suggests it may. Reading a little further, A4.34 states “If the firer traces his LOS to the hex center, it must cross a bypassed hexside … before reaching that hex center or the LOS is blocked.” 

Referring to figure 1. The German units enter from off board using Bypass Movement. The American player opts to fire. The firing unit has the option to fire at any of the three vertices the German units traverse. Pulling a thread to each of the vertices reveals the LOS is blocked. So that’s it, no fire is allowed. Or is it? 

The WHOLE Rule

Rule A4.34 says in part “A unit firing at a Bypassing unit does not have to trace its LOS to the target hex center”. Saying it doesn’t have to, suggests it may. Reading a little further, A4.34 states “If the firer traces his LOS to the hex center, it must cross a bypassed hexside … before reaching that hex center or the LOS is blocked.” 

Refer to figure 2. Again, the German units bypass U1 to enter the board. This time, the American unit instead opts to aim for the hex center dot. There is a LOS, but per A4.34 this isn’t enough. The LOS must ALSO cross a hexside traversed by the Bypassing unit BEFORE reaching the center dot. In this case, the LOS does cross the hexside before reaching the center dot. 

Finally, the last import part of A4.34 says “… thus usually qualifying for a -2 DRM for Non-Assault Movement in Open Ground …” Had the grain in X2 been out of the season, the American attack against the lackadaisical German would qualify for both First Fire Movement in the Open (FFMO) and First Fire Non-Assault Movement (FFNAM). 

Conclusion

The opportunity to use this won’t come up often. I don’t believe I have used this more than once or twice in all the ASL I have ever played. I recall one instance where I set up to actually use this against an opponent at ASLOk. He dutifully pushed a whole platoon of Engineers and his 9-2 into a Bypass Location he thought was safe. I had the position covered by my own 9-2 and 8 firepower. I rolled an Original 5 on the subsequent 8 -4 IFT shot. Worse yet for him, some of his Engineers were carrying Flamethrowers yielding two different results on the IFT (2KIA/3KIA), wiping out the whole platoon right off the start. I went on to win that one. So keep your eye out for these opportunities. It can swing the game into your favor. Good luck!