Michael Resch - 10:30am Aug 29, 1999 PST (#254 of 271) 

Work on Cossacks has led David and the playtesting crew to update the
Mission Order rules. The following are the updated rules as of 8/28/99:

MISSION ORDER SUMMARY 

Mission Orders (MO): Formations implementing a MO have their expenditure
of Movement Points (MP) restricted. A MO may also require formations to
perform different types of movement during the Movement and
Counter-Movement Phases. If a formation fails to comply with the MO
requirements given below, it loses one ML for each day that the current
impulse consists of. Each MO type is explained below:

Advance: All units which belong to formations on the Advance MO must
expend any MPs they use moving through hexsides designated on the
Mission Requirements Diagram (printed on the Strategic Chart) as an
advance hexside. They may not move through the hexsides designated as
exclusively retire hexsides. They may not expend MPs while stationary in
a hex, unless they are performing reconnaissance, entering Entrenchment
Mode, or placing a combat marker. If an infantry unit of a formation on
the Advance MO enters the ZOC of an enemy combat class unit, it must
place a combat marker, if it has sufficient MPs remaining to do so. Each
Impulse a unit of a formation on the Advance MO must decrease the
distance between the closest enemy combat class unit and itself by a
minimum of one hex if possible, with the exception of combat class units
within a fortress complex (i.e., Units on the Advance MO need not
decease the distance between themselves and enemy combat class units
stacked with or surrounded by a group of fortress units each with the
same formation identifier). NOTE: This exemption is meant to allow
Armies on the Advance MO to bypass fortress complexes. EXCEPTION: Main
depots, supply units and army HQ units may move freely through any
hexside while on the Advance MO. EXCEPTION: Formations where all Combat
Class units are Shattered may move freely through any hexside and may
expend MPs while stationary to enter Replacement Mode.

Retire: All units which belong to formations on the Retire MO must
expend any MPs they use moving through hexsides designated on the
Mission Requirements Diagram (printed on the Strategic Chart) as a
retire hexside. They may not move through the hexsides designated as
exclusively advance hexsides. They may not expend MPs while stationary
in a hex, unless they are performing reconnaissance, entering
Entrenchment Mode, destroying bridges/rail lines or placing a combat
marker. No unit of a formation on the Retire MO may voluntarily decrease
the distance between the closest enemy unit and itself during any part
of an impulse; it must increase the distance between the closest enemy
unit and itself by a minimum of one hex if possible (exception: Units of
an Isolated formation may decease the distance between the closest enemy
unit and itself if moving through a retire hexside). No unit of a
formation on the Retire MO may perform a Stand Fast combat option
(Standard Rule 10.54B). EXCEPTION: Main depots, supply units and army HQ
units may move freely through any hexside while on the Retire MO.
EXCEPTION: Formations where all Combat Class units are Shattered may
expend MPs while stationary to enter Replacement Mode. NOTE: If a unit
force-marching fails a MC, and the MO of its formation is Retire, then
any SPs lost count as Prisoner Points to the opposing player (Standard
Rule 12.52).

Hold: All units which belong to formations on the Hold MO have the
movement point costs on the TEC doubled, with the exception of units in
Road Mode (i.e., terrain costs are not doubled for units moving in Road
Mode). The MP cost to place combat markers is doubled. Railroad movement
rates are not effected. There are no hexside movement requirements for a
formation that is in the Hold MO. EXCEPTION: Main depots and supply
units do not have TEC costs doubled while under the Hold MO.

Flexible: All units which belong to formations on the Flexible MO may
expend all MPs available to them moving through any hexside they choose,
and without any hexside movement requirements on them. EXCEPTION: Main
depot and supply units that belong to an army on the Flexible MO may not
move at all; they must remain stationary in their hex.

Cavalry and Engineer Exceptions: All units which are attached to a
Cavalry formation with a corresponding Command Counter (Corps, Division
or Brigade) are exempt from MO restrictions. All Engineer units are
exempt from MO restrictions. Consider these units to be on the Flexible
MO.

David Bolt - 08:05pm Sep 6, 1999 PST (#262 of 271) 
Currently playing "Clash of Eagles: The Eastern Front 1914" The
companion game to HBtLF.

David Steacy Antonio asks in #240: 

"#1 In a Retire Order, must a unit expend ALL its available movement
points to retire, or can it use less than the total MPs? 

Standard Rule 7.15B (Retire Mission Order) states that units which
belong to formations with the Retire Mission Order must "expend any MPs
they use moving through hexsides designated on the Mission Requirements
Diagram (on the Strategic Chart) as a retire hexside." The rule further
stipulates that "all available MPs must be used to move through hexes
using the retire hexsides." This rule finishes with the statement "it
must increase the distance between the closest enemy unit and itself."

Simply put, a unit must move at least one hex away from the nearest
enemy unit when under the Retire Mission Order. This takes precedent
over all other considerations. Then, said unit must then continue moving
away from enemy units by expending all available MP moving through
retire hexsides. Two exceptions to this movement are given in Standard
Rule 7.15B -- digging entrenchments and placing combat markers. Another
exception would be road-naval-rail mode. The new (optional) Mission
Order Summary we are using to playtest "Clash of Eagles" (see #254
below) also provides for reconnaissance and destroying rail
lines/bridges.

Players should note that between digging entrenchments (3MP + MC) and
placing an intensive combat marker (2MP) a player has the option to
spend as much as 5MP in a hex without be forced to move through a retire
hexside once the first hex has been retired to.

"For example, assume a unit has 4 MPs available: Could it spend Zero
movent points and just remain in the hex?" 

No - see above. To simplify your example, let us further assume this
unit has an "infantry" mobility rating (i.e., 1 MP to enter a clear
terrain hex). All responses below assume the expenditure of 1MP to enter
a clear terrain hex…

"Could it just spend 1 MP to retire 1 hex? (Assuming clear terrain.)" 

If a unit spent 1MP to retire one hex into clear terrain, then it would
have 3 more MP to spend under the Retire Mission Order. If a unit
entrenched it would expend 3MP and make a morale check. The unit in
question could also choose to spend the MP in order to place a combat
marker. If the unit in question expends 2MP to place an intensive combat
marker in the clear terrain hex, it would still have one MP left (too
little to entrench with) and would then be forced to retire through one
of the hex in question's retire hexsides. However, if all the hexes
adjacent to the retire hexsides cost more than 1 MP to enter, the
retiring unit would have to remain in this clear terrain hex as it would
not have sufficient MP to enter an adjacent hex.

"Could the unit spend 2 MPs to place a combat marker on an adjacent
enemy unit?" 

No, as it would first have to retire one hex. As we know from your
example above, at least one of the hexes adjacent to the unit in
question's hex is a clear hex, so it would have to spend only 1MP to
enter that hex. As to whether this unit would have to continue retiring
to another hex would depend on the MP cost to enter hexes adjacent to
the retire hexsides of the newly occupied hex. If these too were clear
terrain hexes, then the unit in question would retire two clear terrain
hexes and then it would have sufficent remaining MP to place a combat
marker, bringing its MP expenditure to an end as it would not have
sufficent MP to enter an adjacent hex. BTW, a player could also choose
to enter more costly terrain types in other adjacent hexes, a unit need
not only enter the cheapest terrain cost when retiring.

In an additional BTW, A unit places the combat marker on itself, with
the marker oriented through the frontal hexside of the unit adjacent to
the enemy unit it is attacking.

"Or must the unit expend ALL 4 MPs to retire?" 

A unit must retire at least one hex. Then it may expend MP to entrench
(3MP) or place a combat marker (1-2MP) but only if in doing so the unit
no longer has sufficent MP to move through retire hexsides into adjacent
hexes.

"Can a unit remain the same distance away from an enemy unit while
moving? (Note: the last sentence of 7.15b reads that a unit must
INCREASE the distance from an enemy unit.)."

No 

#2 Can a unit under an ADVANCE or RETIRE mission order expend movement
points to? Enter or exit road, naval, or rail mode?"

Yes 

"Enter Replacement mode?" 

No 

"Recover Morale levels?" 

No 

"Destroy rail lines?" 

No (However, see #254 in this folder - the new Mission Orders allow
this) 

"Convert or Repair rail lines?" 

No (However, see #254 in this folder - the new Mission Orders allow this
as engineers and cavalry are now exempt from MO restrictions)

"#3 When are Formations on the German Strategic Chart released?" 

Exclusive Rule 11.51A releases "the three cavalry corps on the German
Strategic Chart" at the beginning of the second impulse of the Opening
Game Turn. The remainder are released at the beginning of the final
impulse of the Opening Game Turn.

"#4 Can German reinforcement formations be assigned to German Armies
while the Schlieffen Plan is still in effect?" 

Yes. Note that incoming reinforcements are placed initially on the
Strategic Chart. A player always places reinforcement formations on the
Strategic Chart. The exception to this would be if a reinforcement unit
enters the map within the CCR of an army or army detachment HQ,
otherwise it would be outside of the Command Control Radius of a
headquarters unit upon entering the map (a restriction that does not
apply to Strategic Formations).

"IE: On Game Turn One the Germans receive 15 RR Eng Regts. What Charts
(Army, Army Detachment, Strategic) may these RR units be assigned to?"

Any he chooses. 

"#5 Does the +1 MPs for Allied Units to cross the "German" border
include the France/German Alsace-Lorraine border or is only for the
pre-1870 French/German border?"

The 1914 Franco-German border, not the 1870 border. This reflects the
presence of small border guard and Landsturm detachments at small road
junctions and the like.

"With regard to the Early Release of German Units, (11.51c; third event)
does "… in Germany," mean only inside the pre-1870 border?"

The errata published by Clash of Arms last year (4/1/98) provided a
clarification to Exclusive Rule 12.51C: All German units are released if
any are attacked in Germany north of the 5400 hexrow. South of the 5400
hexrow the following applies: The German Seventh Army and any Strategic
Formations located south of the 5400 hexrow are released when the first
French unit enters Alsace.

"#6 Belgian initial Order. We believe that the intial Mission Order for
Belgian units is a modified "Retire" that allows Belgian units to move
towards Antwerp. A "Hold" order would release all German Armies, while
an unchanged "Retire" would prevent some Belgians from moving to Antwerp
since they would be moving closer to the Germans anyways. Is this
correct?"

Your interpretation of the Belgian modified "Retire" MO is correct.
However, I do not understand when you state that a "Hold" MO "would
release all German Armies."

"#7 When an Army is listed as having a specific Mission Order in the
scenario set up, what deos this mean? Given that the Army must be given
a Mission Order anyways, why would the intial order be of any concern?"

This is the MO counter that begins the scenario on the Army Chart. The
1st player may immediately attempt to change orders during the 1st
Player Command Phase. However, whichever player becomes the 2nd player
in the scenario will be under these orders until the 2nd Player Command
Phase in the middle of the impulse. Most scenarios do not stipulate who
is the 1st Player in a scenario, so it was necessary to list both.

"#8 What happens when units that are stacked with a fortress leave or
retreat from the fortress hex that is adjacent to enemy units that are
under a combat marker? Do the attacking units get to advance and then
must have combat in the hex?"

The "Pursuit" Attacker Combat Option (Standard Rule 10.53D) allows for a
unit that has a combat marker to enter a hex vacated by an adjacent
enemy unit. Standard Rule 10.53D1 stipulates a Morale Check (MC) to
enter a hex vacated by the enemy as a result of combat. Standard Rule
10.53D2 allows a unit to enter a hex vacated by an enemy unit that moved
away during the preceding Counter Movement Phase. Pursuit is always
optional, so the attacking units in your question would not have to
enter the enemy fortress unit's hex, but if they did they would have to
attack the fortress unit (Standard Rule 13.22A).