Movement Phase

### MOVEMENT BASICS

The loser of initiative moves one of their Formations (Combat or Recon) and then the winner moves one of theirs. Aerospace movement is handled separately, using the same initiative. All Space Movement is done first and then both players declare their Ground Support missions.

#### Movement Costs:

Movement costs a base of 1 MP per hex moved. Movement Modifiers: A hex costs an additional +1 MP for each friendly Combat Formation already in the hex. Movement through a hostile occupied hex costs +1 MP for one hostile and +2 MP for two or more hostile Combat Formations occupying the hex. As in SBF, attempting to leave or move through a hostile occupied hex provokes an Engagement Control Roll, unless the hostile Formation does not wish attempt engagement. A hex occupied by a Recon Formation (friendly or hostile) costs no additional MP to move through. Recon Formations may only attempt to engage other Recon Formations, however they may be engaged by a Combat Formation.

#### Wrap around movement:

The PCM is an abstract representation of a planet. Because the play surface is represented by a flat mapsheet, Formations may “wrap around” the mapsheet. Any Formation in an edge hex may spend an additional 1 MP and move to far hex in the same hex row. For example, a Formation in hex 0815 may spend 2 MP to move to hex 0801 and a Formation in hex 0105 could move to hex 1512 for the same 2 MP cost.

#### Recon Formations:

Movement is based off the hex containing the token or miniature for the Formation. After moving, the player then indicates what additional hexes, if any, are being covered by the Recon Formation. A Recon Formation may be spread across a total of three contiguous hexes with the miniature always at the center. When an enemy token enters a covered hex the exact composition of that force is revealed.

### FACING

Heading is used to determine the general direction of movement and has a bearing on Rear Guards during Engagement Control. Facing is determined by the direction the playing piece is facing at the end of the turn. A Formation may change up to 2 hexsides a turn for free. Turning more than 2 hexsides cost 1 MP.

### STACKING LIMITS

The Abstract Combat System uses hexes that are hundreds of kilometers across. This allows significantly more forces to be placed in the same hex than in Strategic BattleForce. At the same time, combat forces put a heavy strain on the infrastructure of a hex and limits on passable terrain and usable roads limits the actual amount of forces that can be deployed. Stacking limits are also imposed to prevent “stacks of doom” combat, which is neither enjoyable nor an accurate representation of BattleTech combat. A ground hex may support up to sixteen friendly Combat Units (two full-sized Formations). Combat Units assigned to a Recon Formations count as one-quarter a Formation for purposed of stacking limits, so four Combat Units in a Recon Formation count as one Combat Unit for stacking limits. Other Formations may move through the hex (paying the appropriate movement penalties) as long at the hex has no more than 16 friendly and 16 hostile Combat Units at the end of the Movement Phase. Aerospace Formations do not count towards ground hex capacity The exception to this are Drop zones and Fortifications. Drop zones may hold up to 48 Friendly Combat Units (6 full-sized Formations), but the attacker is limited to only 24 Combat Units (3 Formations). Fortifications and Industrial Zones may support a number of Combat Units equal to its Capacity Rating. Star-System Radar Map zones have no stacking limits and may support as many Formations as desired.

### TERRAIN

Terrain is not used in standard Abstract Combat Play. With hexes representing on average 750 kilometers, a single hex can be possess a large variety of terrain and will usually have a clear path through it for a combat force to travel. Fortification and Industrial Hexes cost an additional +2 MP to move through for all Formations.

### TRANSPORTING INFANTRY UNITS

So long as a Formation has sufficient transport capacity, infantry are considered loaded when the Formation is moving and deployed during the combat phase. Loaded Infantry do not factor against the Formation’s average movement modifier.

#### Adhoc Transports:

Armies lacking sufficient integral transport for their infantry may commandeer civilian or militia vehicles to transport their infantry. Vehicles must first be commandeered which takes one game turn from when a player declares they are commandeering adhoc transport. In the following turn infantry formations have a movement of 3. If a Combat Unit using adhoc transport is attacked, the transports are damaged reducing MP to 1. It takes one full game turn to repair and replace damaged transports.

#### Rear Guard:

ACS has one additional engagement tactic, the Rear Guard. When a player is attempting to retreat they may designate a Formation as a rear guard formation. This tactic is primarily used to protect a Dropzone while allied forces load onto DropShips and evacuate. A Formation that declares rear guard may designate two side-by-side hexes as their engagement zone and must declare a primary facing for their rear guard action. Any formation attempting to enter the hex from the primary facing is automatically engaged unless they attempt an Overrun engagement. If another Friendly Formation is in the one of the rear guards engagement hexes, it may only make artillery attacks.