Hidden Leader as casualty

[giobaratto]

Hi all,

quick question from someone just started playing CoC (in a virtual way, actually, with TTS - but thinking it's a great set of rules anyway).

My section shoot against an enemy squad in the open, it's leader anyway is within 4' burt behind an house, so can't be seen by my shooting soldiers. If the enemi squad get casualties does the unseen leader has to test to see if could be one of those casualties or not?

Thank you in advance for your comments

Giorgio

[Archdukek]

Hi Giorgio,
Welcome to Chain of Command.

Yes, the unseen Leader still has to test to see if he is a casualty in the circumstances you describe. Normally a figure who is out of sight of the firers cannot be killed, but a Leader is assumed to be moving around encouraging his men and therefore potentially still vulnerable to incoming fire. He’s not doing his job if he’s skulking behind a wall!

John

[giobaratto]

Thank you John, this is how we played in our last game, but just want to be sure we did it the right way

[Truscott Trotter]

Yup that is correct.

[Kyrellification]

We play it that you have a choice when you move leader like that. They can either be out of sight but not be "attached" to a team/section for any purposes or be attached and therefore a viable target. AS has been mentioned by Archdudek, if the leader is actively motivating and guiding the men then he is moving amongst them and is therefore a viable target. If he is just deployed nearby keeping his head down then he cannot count as attached for any purposes as he is too busy avoiding the enemy. This is just how we play it though which works for us and allows for deploying a SL from a JoP behind a building for example without being in risk unless he is actively doing something.

[Archdukek]

Hi Kyrellification,
I can’t see the need for a special house rule to protect a Leader such as you describe. If you want a Leader not to be attached to a unit and risk becoming a casualty then you should keep him more than 4” away from any Team. If you place him out of LOS of the enemy in those circumstances then he cannot be targeted.

John

[Truscott Trotter]

John is correct definition of attached is within 4" so just move him further away. You then take the consequences of being out of command

[Kyrellification]

We had a few edge cases. For example deploying from a JoP when other sections nearby, or moving away/between and rolling poorly. Felt it fitted into playing the period having a senior leader moving out of sight to another section but not being quite there due to poor movement. Realistically that SL is making no actions to support the section under fire, but due to circumstances such as poor rolls for movement they are within 4”.

[Truscott Trotter]

Then they are close enough to take a stray bullet if that section are targeted. Consider he pops his head up to ask
"are you 'D' section?"
"No Sir!"
Ratatatatat!!

If I were you I would move him at a slightly different angle to end up out of LOS and out of 4" if possible.
Must admit I have never had this issue in all my playing time - I am rather careful how I move my SL's

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Crouching Leader, Hidden Casualty.