11. CONVOYS

11.1 COMPOSITION: A Convoy consists of two or more motorized vehicle counters placed contiguously one per hex such that a continuous "line" is formed without a Gap between the "lead" and "rear" vehicles. However, the random occurrence of such relative positions during the course of a scenario does not invoke Convoy rules, nor can a Convoy be voluntarily created during a scenario. See also 11.8.

11.2 MOVEMENT: A Convoy is considered a "multi-hex stack" and, as such, its components move together in Impulses using the principles of Impulse Movement (D14.3). A Convoy vehicle must pay one extra MP (as if towing a Gun) per hex entered (or per hexside if using VBM). Furthermore, the minimum road rate for a Convoy vehicle is one MP, rather than ½ MP. Thus the minimum per-hex road cost for a Convoy vehicle is two MP. If a Convoy vehicle is actually towing a Gun, the total extra movement cost per hex is still one MP - not two. Once a Convoy expends a Stop MP, neither it nor any of its vehicles may expend a Start MP in that MPh. See also 11.6-.7. A vehicle may not conduct an Overrun while part of a Convoy.

11.21 GAPS: A Gap appearing in a Convoy line (due to elimination/Immobilization/leaving the Convoy[11.25-.254]) causes the original Convoy to become two separate Convoys [EXC: a "new Convoy" that contains only one vehicle; 11.1], each of which can now move (and expend MP) independently of the other. However, in its MPh, if a Convoy has already completed one or more Impulses before a Gap appears in it, then the MPh of the newly-created "lead" Convoy must be completed before the "rear" Convoy can continue its MPh. Once a Convoy begins its MPh, no other ATTACKER unit can conduct its MPh until all elements of that original Convoy have completed their MPh. See Clarification.

EX: A road-bound Convoy, consisting of three trucks followed by five halftracks, expends two MP and thusly completes one Impulse. Defensive First Fire now eliminates the last truck: the resulting Gap creates a new "lead" Convoy of two trucks and behind it a new "rear" Convoy of five halftracks. Since all of these vehicles have already completed at least one Impulse in the current MPh, the ATTACKER must finish moving the vehicles of the "lead" Convoy before any of his other units can move. After the vehicles of the lead Convoy finish their MPh, the ATTACKER then, with the same options, completes the "rear" Convoy's MPh. Should the rear Convoy lose its middle halftrack, thus creating for the next Impulse new lead and rear Convoys of two halftracks apiece, this newest lead Convoy must also finish its MPh before the newest rear Convoy can.

11.22 REVERSE: A Convoy vehicle may not use Reverse movement. Furthermore, a Convoy vehicle may not, in the same MPh, re-enter its last previously-occupied hex.

EX: During an Impulse a Convoy vehicle exits 5Y6 by moving into Z6. For the remainder of the current MPh it cannot re-enter Y6 until after it has exited Z6. The best way for it to re enter Y6 is via Z5 or Y7. (Note that once in Z5 or Y7, the vehicle cannot then "directly" re-enter Z6 in that MPh.)

11.23 ENTERING VEHICLE/WRECK LOCATION: A Convoy vehicle entering a Location that contains one or more vehicle/wrecks must pay twice the D2.14-calculated MP cost for doing so. Furthermore, a vehicle entering a Location that contains a Convoy vehicle must also pay twice the D2.14 - calculated cost. Thus a Convoy vehicle entering a Location that contains another Convoy vehicle must pay four times the D2.14-calculated cost.

EX: A Convoy truck must expend six MP to enter, via a road, an otherwise Open-ground Location that contains a wreck (2 [Convoy road entry MP] + {2 [entering wreck Location; D2.14] x 2 [Convoy penalty]} = 6). If that Location does not contain a road, the truck must pay seven MP to enter it (5 + {1 x 2} = 7). If that Location contains no road, and contains another Convoy vehicle instead of a wreck, the truck must pay nine MP to enter it (5 + {1 x 4} = 9).

11.24 MOTION: A Convoy may use Motion status as if one unit. However, a DEFENDER Motion attempt (D2.401) may not be made by a Convoy vehicle, nor by the Convoy as a unit.

11.25 NON-CONVOY MOVEMENT: A Convoy vehicle wishing to use non-Convoy movement may voluntarily (but within certain restrictions) leave its present Convoy. The ATTACKER must declare, before an Impulse begins (but after all prior Defensive First Fire has been resolved), that the vehicle will use non-Convoy movement, and that vehicle must then (if it can; see 11.251-.252) immediately expend MP (and can be Defensive First Fired on) to move/use Bounding First Fire, etc., until it completes its MPh. After all vehicles that wished to do so have used this procedure to leave that Convoy, that Convoy's own Impulse then begins.

11.251 A vehicle may leave its Convoy (whether to use non-Convoy movement [11.25], or to form a new Convoy [11.254]) only if one or more of the following conditions apply: See Clarification.

1. it currently has a LOS to a Known enemy ground unit, or to a friendly same-Convoy vehicle (including itself) that was either attacked (including Residual FP, but excluding a minefield attack that did not eliminate/immobilize it) at the end of the Convoy's preceding Impulse (even if that Impulse ended its previous MPh) or eliminated/immobilized during the current MPh, or;
2. it is an AFV with a radio, and the inherent crew of another non-shocked/non-stunned friendly AFV (not necessarily in a Convoy) with a radio has a LOS as per condition #1, or;
3. it is Recalled (11.253).

11.252 RADIOLESS AFV: A radioless AFV platoon (D14.2) leaves a Convoy to use non-Convoy movement as a single entity, with all its AFV completing their MPh using platoon movement. A radioless AFV that wishes to thusly use non-Convoy movement must pass a D14.23-mandated NTC only if it is the start of its MPh and it also wishes to leave a radioless AFV platoon. A radioless AFV may not voluntarily leave its AFV platoon after it has begun its MPh (D14.23), even if in a Convoy.

11.253 RECALL: The Recall of a Convoy vehicle forces it to leave its Convoy at the start of its next Impulse as per 11.25.

11.254 NEW CONVOY: A Convoy vehicle may also leave its parent Convoy during an Impulse by moving (or expending a Stop MP) so as to create a Gap, thus forming a new "rear" Convoy with itself as the "lead" vehicle. 11.251 still applies to such a move/expenditure. Once the Gap has been voluntarily created, the method and order of movement given in 11.21 apply to both new Convoys.

11.255 MP expended to leave a Convoy do not apply to the original Convoy's total MP expenditure, nor do they allow Defensive First Fire vs the original Convoy. A lone vehicle separated from its Convoy by a Gap is no longer in Convoy status (11.1).

11.26 COMBINING: Two or more Convoys can combine into one, but the highest current MP expenditure then immediately applies to all vehicles in the new Convoy.

11.3 PP CAPACITY: The Passenger capacity of a vehicle is assumed to be 0 PP while it is part of a Convoy, and remains 0 PP even if it leaves the Convoy [EXC: if the vehicle sets up actually towing a Gun, it is allowed to also carry that Gun's crew and ammo].

11.4 CONVOY HINDRANCE: A Convoy vehicle (not Column) does create a LOS Hindrance if it would be subject to TH Case J were it to be fired on by any ordnance at that moment.

11.5 COLUMN: A Column consists of two or more contiguous hexes that contain Infantry/Cavalry/Wagon counters placed such that a continuous line of units one hex wide is formed. Normal stacking applies in each such hex. All units in a Column must remain adjacent to the same unit(s) they are presently adjacent to, and each unit/stack in a Column [EXC: the "lead" unit/stack] may enter only that hex just exited by the one "ahead" of it when moving/advancing. A Column unit may not conduct (or even attempt to conduct) any activity other than moving/advancing, being affected by attacks, "?" gain/loss (and thus being possibly treated as a Known enemy unit), and Disbanding (11.53). (Such prohibited activities include Deploying, SW Recovery, SMOKE grenade placement, Searching, SMC Overrun, etc.) The random occurrence of units in Column position during the course of a scenario does not invoke Column rules, nor can a Column be voluntarily created during a scenario.

11.51 SW: All SW being carried in a Column must be dm if possible unless being transported by wagons.

11.52 MOVEMENT: A Column uses Impulse Movement (D14.3) to move/advance as a "multi-hex stack", and does so at the MF rate of the "slowest" unit in that Column. A Column unit is considered to be continuously engaging in Hazardous Movement (A4.62). Road bonus (B3.4) can apply normally to the movement of a Column, as can even a single leader's MF bonus (since the Column is treated as a "multi-hex stack"). Gallop/Double Time can be used in a Column, but Minimum/Assault/Bypass/Dash/Human-Wave/Armored-Assault Movement cannot be. See Clarification.

11.521 TERRAlN: A Column unit may not enter a woods/building Location [EXC: via a Path/road hexside; Factory], nor may it expend MF to move beneath a Fortification counter. A Column unit can never claim shellhole TEM.

11.522 DETECTlON: When a Column unit enters a Location where Detection (A12.15) will occur, the DEFENDER does not reveal his unit until that Column has completed its Impulse. When he does reveal it, only the ATTACKER unit in the DEFENDER's Location - not the rest of the Column - is forced to return to its previously-exited hex, where Overstacking might then apply.

11.523 COMBINING: Infantry/Cavalry/Wagon(s) may join a Column only if they are unpinned and in Good Order, and only if the Column foregoes its entire MPh so they can assume Column position. The act of joining must be declared by the ATTACKER, and each unit uses Hazardous Movement as it joins the Column.

11.53 DISBANDMENT: Column units may not "leave" their Column, nor will Gaps appear in a Column. Columns are checked for possible Disbandment at the times given in 11.531-.532. If at that time any Column unit has either been attacked (see 11.534 for minefields) or has a LOS to a Known enemy ground unit, that Column instantly Disbands for the duration of the scenario. Whenever a Column Disbands, its units are instantly freed from the Hazardous Movement DRM [EXC: a Column may voluntarily "initiate" Disbandment by expending a MF to do so (and declaring Disbandment), but does not actually Disband until after all Defensive First Fire allowed by that MF expenditure~; see also 11.535-.536] A Column can Disband only if it is (at least partially; 11.7) on board. See Clarification. Q&A

11.531 MPh : After all (if any) possible Defensive First Fire has been conducted vs any unit that has just expended MF/MP, all ATTACKER/DEFENDER Columns are checked for Disbandment as per 11.53. When an ATTACKER Column Disbands during the MPh, its units' MPh immediately ends - even if they had not yet begun to move.

11.532 OTHER PHASES: In other than a MPh, Column Disbandment is checked for after each attack (including CC) is resolved, as each routing unit expends MF, and as each unit advances.

11.533 OBA/AERIAL ATTACKS: Whenever a Column unit is within six hexes of a Location that is either attacked by an aircraft or in a HE OBA Blast Area, that Column immediately Disbands. If a Location is within six hexes of a Column unit at the time OBA-fired WP is placed in that Location, that Column immediately Disbands. In both cases, Disbandment occurs regardless of LOS from the Column unit to the Blast Area Location.

11.534 MINES & WIRE: For Disbandment purposes, a minefield is considered to attack a Column unit only if it pins/breaks/Reduces/eliminates/immobilizes it. A Column Disbands if any of its units enter a Location and reveal hidden wire therein.

11.535 WAGON: Whenever a Column Disbands, all wagons therein go (or remain) in Motion. If this occurs during a friendly MPh, those wagons thus immediately end their MPh (11.531) in Motion.

11.536 PIN: Whenever a DEFENDER Column Disbands, its units all become pinned [EXC: wagons (11.535); units immune to Pin results].

11.54 CONCEALMENT: Column units may set up concealed as per the normal rules for doing so. However, a Column unit that has lost its "?" cannot regain it. Moreover, all units in a Column lose their "?" when that Column Disbands, regardless of LOS and the presence of and range to enemy units.

11.6 STRAYING: At night, when a Convoy/Column begins its MPh only its "lead" unit is capable of Straying (even if a Gap involuntarily appears in that Convoy); if that "lead" unit does Stray, those units behind it in that Convoy/Column will simply follow it. However, whenever a Convoy unit voluntarily leaves its Convoy (to use non-Convoy movement or to become the "lead" vehicle in a new Convoy), it is then capable of Straying as per the normal rules for doing so, even though it had already started its MPh.

11.7 PARTIAL ENTRY: If a Convoy or Column still has one or more units offboard when its MPh/APh ends, those units retain Convoy/Column status and can enter the playing area in their next MPh/APh. [EXC: if a partially-offboard Column Disbands, its offboard units set up again and enter in their next allowed phase(s) without using Column status. The normal prohibition against subsequent-turn entry is voided for this situation.]

11.8 APPLICATION: A Convoy/Column is used only for scenario setup/entry/Victory Conditions. Convoy/Column units receive no special benefits, but neither do they pay any special penalties, other than those listed/referred to above.