6.0 Ground Movement

A player can move as many (or as few) of his ground units as he likes during the Movement Segment of his Movement Phase. Subject to mode restrictions, a player can also move them during the Movement Segments of his Reaction and Exploitation Phases. A unit can move as many hexes as desired, subject to MA, mode, fuel requirements, and terrain.

6.1 How to Move Ground Units

Move units individually or in stacks. Movement must follow a contiguous path of hexes. A unit can move in any direction or series of directions. Finish movement of one unit (or stack) before moving another. Regular combat does not occur during movement, but units can make overruns (a combined form of movement and combat) while moving.

6.1a Movement Points (MP). Each unit expends MP for each hex entered and hexside crossed according to the Terrain Effects on Movement Chart. Keep a running MP total as each unit/stack moves.

6.1b Movement Allowance (MA). A unit’s MA is how many MP it can spend in a single phase. Modes can modify a unit’s MA. Some units (including SP, ports, air bases, and hedgehogs) have no MA and thus cannot move or retreat.

6.1c If eligible to move in a phase, a unit without enough MP can always move a minimum of one hex. Units can never use this rule to overrun, violate restrictions imposed by their mode, or move into or through prohibited terrain. Only units with an MA greater than zero can do this.

6.1d A unit can move from hex A to hex B only if it could also move from hex B to hex A. For example, a unit prohibited from entering mountains could not move from a mountain hex to a clear hex through a non-road hexside. Note the possible impact on overruns, which cannot make use of roads (8.1c).

6.1e The MA of units in a stack are independent of each other, as are the expenditures of stacked units of different mobility classes. A player cannot transfer MP (even if unused) from unit to unit, or save them for later use.

6.1f A stack can begin moving together and then split up by dropping units off as it moves. Once dropped off, a unit cannot move further, even if some of its MA remains unused.

Player Note: Do not start moving as a stack if you want the separate units to split off and move elsewhere!

6.1g Players cannot move units part of their MA, move some others or conduct an air mission, and then return to finish the movement of the earlier (unfinished) units. Once a unit begins to move, it must continue until it is finished. Note the minor exception for Transport Points in 13.2a.

6.1h The MA of units in certain modes can be doubled, halved, or quartered (see 5.7, 5.8, and 5.10). Never round a reduced MA (retain the fraction).

6.2 Terrain Effects

Per the Terrain Effects on Movement Chart, each hex and hexside feature costs a specific number of MP. To enter a hex, a moving unit must pay the full required cost. (Exception: minimum moves, 6.1c.) The hex or hexside MP cost will vary depending on the mobility type (3.1a) of the unit: Leg, Tracked, or Truck.

In all cases below, the word “road” encompasses every kind of road-like feature (tracks, railroads, and roads of various quality):

6.2a Roads can be used if moving units are following a continuous road path. A unit then pays the road movement cost and ignores other features in the hexes or hexsides crossed. There is no requirement for the roads to intersect within a hex in order to leave it via any of them—roads and railroads are considered to be linked in a common hex even if it is not literally shown as such on the map.

6.2b Add the cost of hexside features— these have additive costs (such as ‘+3’) on the Terrain Chart—crossed to that of the hex entered. (Exception: units moving along a road 8 hexside features.) Note that Bridging (13.8b) can be used to reduce the cost of rivers.

6.2c Ground units cannot enter or cross prohibited hexes and hexsides (unless using a bridge or road). Destroy units forced to do so. See also 6.1d.

6.2d Multiple Terrain Types. Some hexes contain more than one type of terrain. Use the terrain in the hex which is most costly for movement (unless following a road, per 6.2a). The amount of symbol in the hex does not matter (so even a little nub of mountain makes it a mountain hex). Exception: Ignore city and village nubs.

Water terrain has a few exceptions:

• A moving unit ignores water terrain along a shoreline if there is any land terrain on the hexside crossed.
• A moving unit uses the cheapest water terrain along a hexside being crossed, such as when a hexside is part lake and part river.
• Rivers are intended to fully cover hexsides, so ignore nubs.

6.3 Restrictions on Movement

6.3a Only the designated player can move his ground units during a given phase. For instance, only the non- phasing player’s units can move during the Reaction Phase.

6.3b Enemy Contact. Unless negated, an enemy ZOC stops movement of a Truck MP unit (see 4.5a). Units can sometimes move into hexes containing enemy units (see 4.8c).