[ASLML] Concealment Counters and Dummy Counters

[Bruce Bakken]

>
>Leaving the whole discussion aside about if I MUST use ALL
>of the OB given ? counters, I had to explain in detail what was happening.
>

Interesting point.  What *is* the penalty for forgetting to set up a couple 
squads, and it's now Turn 3?  What is the penalty for forgetting a LMG in a 
Turn 2 reinforcement group, and it's now Turn 4?

Same thing would apply to anything given in the OB, I would say.

NRBH, but I cannot think of any requirement to use every single item listed 
in the OB if I don't want to.

>It came down to asking (and providing in detail the answer to) the question
>"how many OB given ? counters are used to conceal 2 real counters and how
>many OB given ? counters would it take to make a dummy stack that looked
>like that?"
>

... if I understand, you had to basically tell him that two counters were 
real, from which he deduced and varified that the number of Dummy counters 
was correct...  ouch.

If one does not understand the legal use of OB-designated "?", I could see 
how that might happen during any playing, not just PBEM.

Consider this OB:  3 x ?, squad x 2.  Is this a legal stack at setup: (?, ?, 
squad, ?, squad).

I say "yes".  For concealment and Dummy purposes, it is the exact equivalent 
of (?, ?, ?, squad, squad).

Each stack is covered by a single concealment counter on top.  Each stack 
contains two Dummies and two squads.  Each of the four concealed units could 
split off in any order, either individually or in combination with any of 
the other units.  Finally, each of the four units beneath the concealment 
counter would lose concealment only for actions which *it* performs (except 
for those instances where every unit in the stack loses concealment).

It is utterly unimportant in which order you stack Dummies and real units 
beneath a concealment counter.  If the whole stack loses concealment, the 
Dummies are gone anyway.  If the stack splits, they can split in any 
combination they want, at which time the stack can get rearranged anyway.

Adding a squad to the top of that stack at setup would not change anything 
I've just said about the concealed units in that stack.  Like so: (squad, ?, 
?, squad, ?, squad).  You still have two concealed Dummies, two concealed 
squads, with a Known squad on top.

And you've given your opponent a lot to think about!

Regards,
Bruce Bakken

>Jazz
>
>
>

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