The Ambush (Skill) Questions

[Peter]

Hello everyone. First time using "The Ambush" skill from Heroes of Normandy and I have a few questions regarding its use. First off, here is what it says:

• Leader or Hero
• Single-use
• Utilize this Skill when a unit occupies an enemy hex or is adjacent to an enemy-occupied hex.
• Roll 1d6 and place the forces allotted in the table to the right in or adjacent to the user's hex (even if enemy-occupied). Reinforcements assume the activation status of the user and must be of the user's type (Airborne, SS, etc.), but randomly selected

Ok, so here are the questions:

1. Can I use this Skill when any of my units are in/adjacent to an enemy unit's hex? Or only when the leader/hero that is possessing the skill is in/adjacent to an enemy units hex?
2. The newly placed units assume the activation status of the user. So the user in this case would the be leader/hero unit who possesses the skill correct?
3. If the leader/hero that possesses the skill is activated for Assault Move, the newly placed units would also be marked with an Assault Move marker correct? Would they be able to move with the Leader/Hero who possessed the skill if they were placed with that leader/hero?
4. If a Hero with this skill uses Assault Movement to move adjacent to an enemy unit and then launch the ambush, when could the skill be used? Before any enemy Op Fire? After any enemy Op Fire? At the end of Hero's activation? During the Hero's activation?
5. If a Hero activated with Assault Movement moves adjacent to an enemy unit and then uses the skill to place friendly units into the adjacent enemy units hex, would this initiate a melee? Or would this be like a melee hex that would need to be initiated on a separate impulse? If the melee is immediately resolved, when is it resolved? At this point or at the end of the Hero units Assault Move activation?
6. If the Hero using the skill is activated with Assault Move, then the units that are placed are also marked Assault Move . . . so what status would a newly placed HMG support weapon have? Assembled or Dismantled? I assume Dismantled since the squad possesing it would be marked as Assault Move which would indicate it had moved and you cannot carry an assembled HMG.

Sorry, I know its a lot of questions, but there seems to be a lot of interesting situations that could possibly be generated with this Skill. In my game, I have a Hero with The Ambush skill in the same hex with a Shaken friendly squad. I want to move the Hero next to an enemy unit to use the Skill but then get back onto the Shaken friendly squad in preparation for a rally attempt the next turn but also to remain eligible to fire in case any enemy units attempt to run up and enter into melee with my Hero and Shaken squad. So I picked Assault Move to accomplish all these tasks. I spend 1 MP to move adjacent to an enemy occupied hex. I use the skill and the roll gives me a Squad with MG support weapon. I would like to place these units in the enemy occupied hex and then use my 2nd MP to move back into the hex with my friendly shaken squad. So I placed the new reinforcement with MG support weapon into the enemy occuped hex and mark them with a Melee marker (since I assume the Melee marker would take precedence over the Assault Movement status that these reinforcements should have assumed). Now when do I resolve the Melee? Now? Or during a separate impulse?

Thanks!

Pete

 

[Barthheart]

1. Only when the leader/hero with the card meets the requirements.
2. Yes.
3. Yes. and Yes.
4. Yes the card can be used at any point during the hero's activation but after any Op fire, if there is the possibility of any.
5. The melee would happen immediately, before the end of the hero's activation.
6. I would agree with you that the HMG must be dismantled.

Your situation sounds like you did everything right. The melee is resolved as soon as the units enter the enemy hex, before the hero finishes his activation.

 

[Peter]

Hey! Thanks for the quick reply! I'm glad to see when logic pays off in interpreting the rules : )

 

[Barthheart]

Yer welcome. Have fun.

 

[Peter]

Ok so now I just discovered in the rules where it explicitly states "Units cannot use AM to enter Melee." So using "The Ambush" Skill in the way I mentioned above would not be possible correct? My Hero is using AM to move adjacent to the enemy unit and then launch "The Ambush" Skill to place units into Melee with the enemy unit. So this would essentially be using AM to enter Melee since the newly placed units must assume the status of the Hero who is using the skill (Assault Movement is his current status). Or am I just overthinking this?

Sure my Hero is not the one using AM to enter into Melee, but the units he spawned with his Skill are considered Assault Move activated and just got placed into Melee. What do you all think?

Pete

 

[Stéphane Tanguay]

You're overthinking

Skills alllow you to "break" the rules. They have precedence over the rules

 

[Peter]

Cool. Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Stéphane Tanguay]

I rescind that; assuming the same activation status would, in fact means they can't be placed directly in melee if the Hero was assault-moving