This article is another in my series on Defending Against Sleaze. Like my last few articles, this article delves into Q&A. Like those previous Q&A, the Q&A highlighted here also provides a counter-intuitive answer. Still, the Q&A provides some great ammunition for defending against Sleaze Freeze so I want to highlight it here.
Rules Dive
First, I highlight D2.1 which states (in part) “A vehicle which ends its MPh with MP remaining is assumed to use all those MP in that hex.” For experienced ASL players this should come as no surprise. A vehicle which elects to move MUST spend all of its allotted MP, even if only spent in delay.
Second, I want to highlight D2.18 which says “A vehicle is not prohibited from expending more MP to enter a hex than the minimum required, and may, as it enters a new hex, declare a higher-than-necessary MP expenditure.” Again, this should not surprise veteran players. It is not uncommon for us to spend more MP’s along the way to reach the vehicle’s final destination spending 1 MP to enter and 1 MP to stop. For novice players, we usually do this so a target AFV has bad odds to go into Motion or take a shot in Defensive First Fire (D1F). More often, attackers use D2.18 to “Sleaze Freeze” an enemy Location by expending all remaining MP to enter an enemy Location in Vehicular Bypass, inflicting Target Selection Limits (TSL, A7.212).
It is important to note, per D2.18, vehicles spend these extra MP to ENTER a hex, not to continue bypassing to another hex side once the vehicle is ALREADY IN the hex. Also, vehicles spend those extra MP AFTER entering the new hex, not before.
The Q&A
The complete Q&A is in the footnote below.1 The important provisions of this Q&A say a vehicle must continue to move into a new hex if it can. This confirms D2.18’s requirement to enter the new Location before spending the extra MP. A vehicle with one or more remaining MP cannot opt to pay more MP than it has remaining to enter the new Location and stay in its current Location in Motion under D2.4.
This is a very important distinction to keep in mind. A lot of players will move a vehicle into bypass to Sleaze Freeze a Location with one MP remaining hoping to get a Smoke Dispenser allocation too. They may enter the Location with many remaining MP, try for and not get a Smoke Dispenser, and then say “I will stay there in Motion for the rest of my MP”. This is against the rules and the Q&A makes that abundantly clear.
Let’s look at some examples to make sure this is perfectly clear.
Example 1
Pictured is the start of the German Movement Phase (MPh). The Mk IV starts for one and enters Q7 for two with an intent to use VBM to use the Smoke Dispenser in P6. While entering the Mk IV spends two extra MP for four MP spent. The Mk IV fails the SD roll. The German player decides that “Freezing” the American unit is the only option so announces “Remain in the Location spending all remaining MP”.
As noted above, you should not allow this. Such MP would count as “Delay” MP (D2.1) but only Stopped vehicles may use Delay. The German player doesn’t want to spend a Stop MP since this would make elimination in Close Combat Reaction Fire (CCRF) much more likely.
Instead, the German player announces the vehicle will enter P5 for 13 points, more than the vehicle has remaining. Since D2.4 states a vehicle which can’t enter a new Location with the available remaining MP, the German player marks his unit in Motion. Again, you should not allow this. Recall, the extra MP are spent AFTER entering the new hex, not before. You can not announce a greater expenditure like this. The rules do not allow this.
Referring to the picture on the right, the German played can legally enter P5 for one MP. Since the German vehicle has 9 MP remaining, it must enter the Location in its Covered Arc toward its direction of travel. The German vehicle must enter P5.
It is also worth noting the Q&A prevents a D2.4 entry into O6 as a means to remain in Motion in the current Location. Per the Q&A, if the vehicle can enter O6 in bypass, then it must do that instead.
Example 2
Again, it is the start of the German MPh. The Mk IV starts for one and enters O6 using VBM spending six MF (four extra) for seven MP spent. Again the AFV fails the SD attempt. The German player announces the vehicle will bypass O6 along the O6/N5 hexside for the Mk IV’s remaining MP. This is illegal. “Extra” MP must be spent when ENTERING the Location. While the Mk IV spent four extra MP when entering already, it cannot spend more now.
However, there is a silver lining. By spending four extra MP when entering, the Mk IV has spent seven total MP. It costs half of its MP to enter the Woods hex in N5 (6.5). This hex is directly in the CA of the Mk IV and in its direction of travel. The Mk IV pays 6.5 MP to enter N5 which is more than its remaining 6 MP. By declaring a desire to enter N5, the Mk IV can remain in motion in O6. Contrary to D2.1, D2.4 says by doing this, all remaining MP are not spent and simply just disappear. This disappearance is further confirmed in the Q&A.
Final Note
In my playing, I have also seen a person declare the vehicle will reverse into a hex behind the moving vehicle for a total more MP than the vehicle has remaining. Because the vehicle doesn’t have enough MP to make the move, they invoke D2.4 and mark the vehicle with a motion counter. Again, this is illegal. Rule D2.24 clearly states a vehicle must spend a Stop MP and a Start MP changing directions.
These examples show an attacker desperately trying to not spend a Stop MP. When attacked in Close Combat, a Non-Stopped vehicle receives a +2 DRM. This puts the chance to eliminate/Immobilize the vehicle at 16.7% (CCV = 5, +2 Non-Stopped, -1 Street Fighting, Original DR 4 or less to eliminate/Immobilize). If instead, the AFV spends one to Stop, the chances to eliminate/Immobilize the vehicle climbs to 41.7% (CCV 5, -1 Street Fighting DRM, Original DR 6 or less to eliminate/Immobilize). By Stopping, the Defender is more than twice as likely to eliminate/Immobilize the vehicle. No wonder the attacker is trying to avoid the Stop.
Conclusion
Like most of my other articles on Sleaze Freeze, this article sounds a little on the Rules Lawyer spectrum. I hate that accusation as it implies enforcing the rules detracts from playing an enjoyable game. The reality is Sleaze Freeze is too powerful for the limited risk the vehicle assumes. I maintain the best defense against Sleaze Freeze is knowing the rules and properly enforcing them. You are not being a Rules Lawyer by insisting proper game play. At least that is my opinion.
A. No.
Assume the AFV has less than Half its MPs left. May it declare a desire to enter into D1, have insufficient MPs left, remain in C2 and place a motion counter?
A. No.
Follow up, to enter D1, it would have to continue to bypass around to the C2/D2 hexside. Assuming it has done so and now has less than half MPs left, may it now declare a desire to enter D1 without bypass and stay in C2 with a motion counter in accordance with D2.4?
A. Not if it has enough MP to enter in bypass.
Is an AFV required to enter a new hex/hexside if it is able to before falling back on D2.4?
A. It must be unable to enter the hex in its VCA (or RVCA if moving in reverse) it desires to enter.
Does D2.4 only kick in if the AFV has no movement options left that do not require ESB?
A. No; see above.
When you say “It must be unable to enter the hex in its VCA (or RVCA if moving in reverse) it desires to enter” what happens to the remaining MPs?
A. Those MP disappear (D2.4).
Great article. As usual! I will have to read and re-read this, along with the applicable references. Thanks again, Jim!
VBM freeze is a powerful but ahistorical tool which can make defence against unopposed armour virtually impossible. Perhaps scenario designers should consider adding Dinant style SSRs which effectively prohibit it?
If it is appropriate for their scenario, then designers should add it in. That’s their call. Personally, I *hate* grudge SSRs that compel people to play like the designer thinks they should (e.g. AFV must make a MA repair dr).
I tend to sometimes see VBM inflicting Target Selection Limits as at least that AFV is not doing any damage elsewhere.
Sometime is can pay off to have a HS up front in a building just to see if the opponent “ties up” an AFV to deal with it. Then that AFV is not moving any further that turn.
This has been very informative Jim ,thank you. However – I’m confused as to why an AFV cannot enter an adjacent OG hex, use up all but two say of his MP, then enter bypass of the building in which the unit he wants to freeze is in. I get that delay can only be used by stopped vehicles, but surely an AFV say can be stopped, delay, start, enter as above ?
Also, how could a vehicle enter bypass with more MP than he has left?
TIA
Steve
The exact point of the article is that a unit must spend all remaining MP to enter the Location it intends to Sleaze Freeze, whether that’s its last two or all remaining.
WRT more MP’s that it has left, I am not sure the context of the question.
Jim, thanks for clearing that up, as for using more MP to move into the next hex, being disallowed, and so staying in the intended VBM hexside, I read the first Q&A and realise it’s a way of “playing the rules”.
Does the Street Fighting DRM apply for VBM without another building adjacent or does it apply in the VBM case without the other Street Fighting requirements? Thanks for your articles it helped me understand most of this besides my question.
I am not sure what you are asking. Have a read of A11.8 and see if that clears it up for you. The gist is this; Street Fight applies when in a road hex with buildings on both sides and when a vehicle is using Vehicular Bypass Movement (VBM) or is in stationary Bypass. Keep in mind that Street Fighting DRM is not cumulative with normal Ambush.
Sorry I wasn’t clear. The situation is as per your example with an AFV in VBM on one building but there is no adjacent buildings. Does the -1 DRM still apply? Is there two separate cases where you apply Street Fighting or always has to be an adjacent building and it just matters if AFV is adjacent or VBM?
Whenever an AFV is using VBM or in stationary Bypass and is attacked in CC, the -1 Street Fighting DRM applies. There is no need for a road to even be on the board in that situation. That is encapsulated in A11.8.
There is a separate case where you can apply Street Fighting when an AFV is moving along a road. Again, this is also in A11.8. I encourage you to take a look. I think that might help get your head around this.
I thought the same but my opponent said that there needed to be an adjacent building. I felt that 2nd to last sentence in A11.8 spelled it out but wanted to be sure – thanks for taking the time to respond. I’ve subscribed to all the articles so I can improve my knowledge on the game.