15. HEAT OF BATTLE

15.1 HEAT OF BATTLE: The cauldron of battle, which destroyed so many units that failed the test of arms, could also forge better soldiers and/or acts of desperation borne of heroism or despair. This process is reflected by a Heat of Battle DR which follows any Original MC or Rally (not Self-Rally) DR of 2. Unarmed units, Cavalry, PRC, Heroes, crews (including both inherent and Temporary Crews; 21.22), participants in a Human Wave attack, already berserk units, Climbing units, and units in boats/on parachute counters are not subject to Heat of Battle. The Heat Of Battle DR is subject to the following cumulative DRM. The +1 DRM for a broken unit applies even if the unit rallied as a result of the 2 DR which allowed the Heat of Battle DR. A Final Heat Of Battle DR of 5 or 6 results in both Hero Generation and Battle Hardening. Q&A

*Non-elite Italian/Axis Minors Surrender on a Final Heat of Battle DR ≥ 10.

15.22 PIN If he has already expended three or more MF when he becomes wounded (17.2) by Defensive First Fire may move no farther during that MPh and is considered pinned in his current hex. Q&A

15.23 WEAPONS USE: A hero may fire and carry a SW as if he were a leader. In addition, a hero may use a SW normally requiring two men to fire by adding +1 to its To Hit or IFT DR as appropriate (which is negated by the heroic DRM). A hero forfeits his own inherent FP during any phase in which he uses a SW. A hero may fire any Gun < 82mm that normally requires a crew as if it were captured and being fired by an enemy crew (21.11 & 21.12), but his heroic DRM does not apply. If firing a Gun > 82mm, it may fire only once per Game Turn and only during the MPh/DFPh. A hero cannot change the CA of a NT weapon [EXC: if its M# (C2.27) is ≥ 9]. A hero is the only unit which may fire an AFV AAMG while a Rider. Q&A

15.24 HEROIC DRM: A hero/any FG (even if just another SMC) he is part of (providing the hero is firing at Normal Range of either his inherent FP or his weapon counter) may deduct one from its IFT/CC resolution DR. This DRM is cumulative with that of any applicable leadership DRM/additional heroes present in the same attack. Unlike a leader, a hero's IFT DRM is not contingent on being in the same Location with all other members of the FG or in combination with a MMC. A hero is always considered Stealthy, and may use his DRM for Clearance attempts. A hero's participation does not exempt other members of a FG from Cowering. Q&A

15.3 BATTLE HARDENING: An armed Personnel Unit can also benefit from a form of Unit Substitution whenever it rolls a 5-8 Final Heat of Battle DR (see also 15.44). This Battle Hardening effect improves the unit in Class (even if broken) by exchanging it for an unbroken, unpinned unit of the same size but the next higher quality. When substituting a unit of the next higher quality, none of the numbers of its Strength Factor can decrease and, if given a choice between two different unit types of the next higher class, must use the one which gains the least (e.g., a German 2-4-7 HS must be exchanged for a 2-4-8 HS; not a 3-4-8 SS HS). Battle Hardening can be refused. A leader which becomes Battle Hardened is exchanged for the next higher grade leader; i.e., a 6+1 becomes a 7-0, an 8-0 becomes an 8-1, or a 9-2 becomes a 10-2. An already elite MMC (or best possible leader or partisan) which is Battle Hardened becomes Fanatic (10.8) and is marked with a Fanatic counter. It remains Fanatic for the remainder of the game even if subsequently Replaced or Reduced but cannot attain any loftier status due to yet another Battle Hardening result. Q&A

15.41 LEADER CONSEQUENCES: After the fire which caused a leader to go berserk is resolved against any remaining targets in that Location, the berserk leader must attempt to change any [EXC: units not normally subject to Heat of Battle] other friendly units (even if broken and not subject to that same attack) in the same Location to berserk status also. Each such unit must take a NTC subject to the berserk leader's modification. If they pass the Berserk TC they become berserk; if not, there is no change to their status. After the Berserk TC, the leader forfeits his leadership DRM until he returns to normal. Q&A

15.42 MORALE: Berserk units assume a base Morale Level of 10. If a berserk unit fails a MC it is not broken, but suffers Casualty Reduction. A berserk unit never takes a PAATC, nor a LLMC/LLTC, and never breaks, cowers, or becomes pinned except due to PF/ATMM Checks (C13.31, C13.7). A berserk unit never has its Morale Level lowered by any cause and automatically loses any CX, TI, Concealment or pinned status. However, a berserk unit never receives the leadership benefit of a friendly leader. Q&A

15.43 CHARGE: During its MPh, a berserk unit must charge the nearest in hexes not MF) Known enemy unit in its LOS and must (if it has sufficient MF) enter its Location [EXC: pillbox: B30.42; Fortified Building: B23.922] during that MPh in an attempt to destroy it in CC. If equidistant, the ATTACKER may choose which of those hexes he will charge. If multiple berserk units of the same side occupy the same Location they must move together as one combined stack unless they will require different MF expenditures to exit their Location (e.g., units inside and outside a foxhole in the same Location). Q&A

15.431 All berserk units have eight MF [EXC: Wounded still have only three MF (17.2)] - a total which can never be increased [EXC: road bonus: B3.4]. A unit which becomes berserk while still moving (i.e., not pinned or wounded) must use the remainder of its MPh to charge. The Unit's MF allotment for the rest of that MPh is eight minus whatever MF it has already expended during that MPh. At the start of its MPh, a berserk unit must abandon any SW which individually costs more than one PP or which in combination with other 1 PP SW is in excess of its IPC, but may use them in the DFPH/AFPh prior to that, and must still carry those it can retain (DC can only be Thrown not Placed or Set). A berserk unit never qualifies for Assault Movement even if its "charge" consists of just one hex, nor may it move in the APh.²¹ The charging unit must take the shortest route (in MF) to the enemy unit, including the use of Bypass. If, in the act of charging the nearest Known enemy in its LOS, the berserk unit moves into the LOS of a closer (in hexes) Known enemy unit, he charges that unit from that point instead. Similarly, if it moves into a concealed enemy's hex (12.15) while charging another unit, it must remain in this hex and attempt to eliminate all enemy units therein instead. Should the only Known enemy unit no longer be in his LOS in the interim, the berserk unit still charges toward the hex originally occupied by that unit. If, after entering that hex, it still sees no Known enemy unit, it ends its move and the berserk status is removed at the end of that current phase. Otherwise, it continues its charge to the now nearest Known enemy unit. Q&A

15.44 NO ENEMY IN LOS: If a unit suffers a berserk result, but has no Known enemy unit in its LOS at that time, the result is changed to Battle Hardening.

15.45 TERRAIN RESTRICTIONS: A berserk unit will not charge through unbridged Water Obstacles, nor a cliff, nor a Blaze; it will charge the next nearest Known enemy unit instead unless an alternate route to the nearest known enemy unit is still closer than the next nearest known enemy unit. If there is no other Known enemy unit, 15.44 applies. However, a berserk unit will move into minefields, FFE/Wire during a charge.

15.46 RETURN TO NORMAL: A berserk unit loses its berserk status and returns to Good Order whenever it (or the group it attacks with) eliminates all (but at least one) Known enemy units in its Location with either TPBF (halved) during the AFPh or CC, or if at the end of a charge there is no Known enemy unit in its LOS (15.431). Q&A

15.5 SURRENDER: A Final Heat of Battle DR ≥ 12 causes the affected unit to become broken if it is not already, and to Surrender by the RtPh method (20.21).²² If no Known enemy unit is ADJACENT, the unit is Disrupted (19.12) instead [EXC: Units subject to No Quarter, Japanese, Gurkhas, Partisans, Fanatics, and Commissars never surrender by the RtPh method (nor do SS vs Russians; 20.21); nor do they become Disrupted whether thusly ADJACENT or not. They instead become berserk on a Final Heat of Battle DR ≥ 12]. Q&A