Navigating the Battlefield: Movement Rules in Star Wars Legion
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Yes, you absolutely can move twice in Star Wars Legion! The core mechanic of the game allows a unit to perform each action only once per activation, except for the move action. This flexibility is crucial for maneuvering your units, gaining advantageous positions, and outflanking your opponent. However, understanding the nuances of movement within the game is vital to mastering its strategic depth. Let’s delve into the specifics.
Understanding Action Economy and Movement
Star Wars Legion revolves around a tightly managed action economy. Each unit typically gets two actions during its activation. These actions can be spent on a variety of options, like attacking, aiming, or, importantly, moving. The fact that a unit can move multiple times opens up many tactical opportunities. You could use both actions to move, effectively doubling your unit’s movement range for that turn. This can be useful to quickly capture an objective, get out of the line of fire, or close in on an enemy.
It’s important to distinguish between a move action and other actions that might involve movement, such as the charge action. A charge action combines movement with an attack. The exception to the Move action being able to be performed multiple times comes from other actions.
Strategic Implications of Multiple Moves
Being able to move twice offers significant strategic depth. Consider these scenarios:
- Objective Control: A unit can surge forward, covering significant ground to secure a vital objective before the enemy can react.
- Flanking Maneuvers: Agile units can reposition themselves to attack vulnerable flanks, bypassing enemy strong points.
- Evading Fire: Facing overwhelming firepower? Two moves can rapidly bring your units to cover, minimizing casualties.
- Set Up for a Charge: You can use one move to get into range for a subsequent charge action, bringing your unit into close combat rapidly.
Movement Limitations and Considerations
While moving twice is possible, it’s essential to remember the following limitations:
- Terrain: Your movement is still constrained by terrain features. Navigating difficult terrain will require careful planning.
- Unit Cohesion: If you move a unit, you must maintain unit cohesion.
- Engagement: Remember the rules about engagement. If you move into base contact with an enemy unit, you become engaged and have limited movement options.
- Suppression: Suppression tokens can reduce the number of actions a unit can take. If a unit is heavily suppressed, it might not be able to move twice.
- Vehicle Movement: Vehicles have specific movement rules, as described below.
Vehicle Movement Rules
Vehicle movement in Star Wars Legion introduces a separate layer of strategic considerations. The fundamental rules include:
- Reversing: Ground vehicles can reverse, while repulsor vehicles cannot. This gives ground vehicles an extra degree of maneuverability in tight situations.
- Climbing and Clambering: Vehicles cannot climb or clamber over obstacles. This significantly restricts their access to certain areas of the battlefield.
- Moving Through Units: Ground vehicles can move through repulsor vehicles but not other ground vehicles. This distinction creates tactical choices in unit positioning and movement.
Suppression and Movement
Suppression plays a significant role in dictating a unit’s movement capabilities. When a unit accumulates suppression tokens equal to or exceeding its courage value, it becomes suppressed. A suppressed unit suffers a reduction in the number of actions it can perform by 1. This means a heavily suppressed unit may be limited to a single action, potentially hindering its ability to move twice or engage in other critical maneuvers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about movement and related rules in Star Wars Legion:
1. Can a unit move, attack, and then move again in a single activation?
No. A unit can only perform each action once per activation, with the exception of the move action. Therefore, a unit can move twice, but could only use the standard attack action once, alongside any other actions.
2. If a unit has an aim token, does it affect movement in any way?
No, aim tokens only affect attacks, allowing you to reroll up to two dice when attacking. They do not impact movement in any way.
3. How does difficult terrain affect movement?
Difficult terrain reduces a unit’s movement range. Check the terrain rules in the rulebook for the exact penalties.
4. Can a unit move through an enemy unit?
Generally, no. Units cannot move through enemy units. Instead, they become engaged in melee combat if they end their movement in base contact. However, Ground vehicles can move through repulsor vehicles but not other ground vehicles.
5. What happens if a unit’s movement is interrupted?
If a unit’s movement is interrupted (e.g., by terrain or an enemy unit), it stops moving at that point. Any remaining movement allowance is lost.
6. Can a unit voluntarily end its movement early?
Yes. A unit can always choose to end its movement before reaching its maximum range.
7. Does a compulsory move count as a move action?
A compulsory move is a standard move. A compulsory move is a move, not a move action, and therefore does not trigger abilities that occur after move actions are performed and does not count against the unit’s two actions per activation.
8. How does range measurement work in Star Wars Legion?
Range in Legion is measured using the range ruler, which comes in segments, where each segment is typically 6 inches long.
9. Can you move into base contact with an enemy unit and then move away in the same activation?
You can’t move away from an engaged enemy unit unless you use the Disengage action. The unit would have to use their 2 actions to disengage, or take another action and forfeit the ability to perform move actions.
10. Are there any special abilities that affect movement?
Yes, many abilities and upgrades can influence movement. Abilities like “Jump” or “Speed” can alter a unit’s movement capabilities or restrictions. Consult the unit and upgrade cards for specific details.
11. Do creature troopers get cover from suppression when moving?
No, creature troopers do not gain cover from having one or more suppression tokens. Creature troopers can obscure other minis and provide light cover when doing so.
12. Can an operative be promoted to commander and still move twice?
Yes, an operative promoted to commander retains the normal action economy. This means it can still move twice, unless suppression or another effect limits its actions.
13. How does the “Jump” keyword affect movement?
The Jump keyword allows a unit to ignore certain terrain restrictions during its move, such as being able to jump over low obstacles. Refer to the specific rules for the Jump keyword on the unit card.
14. If a unit has the “Steady” keyword, how does that affect movement under fire?
The Steady keyword allows a unit to perform a free move action after performing an attack action. This allows a unit to potentially attack, then move to cover or a more advantageous position.
15. Where can I learn more about Star Wars Legion strategy and tactics?
There are numerous online resources, forums, and communities dedicated to Star Wars Legion. Consider joining a local gaming group or exploring online guides and tutorials to enhance your understanding of the game. You could also see if any research has been done on the cognitive and learning aspects of Star Wars Legion at the Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org).
Final Thoughts
Mastering movement in Star Wars Legion is crucial for success on the battlefield. Understanding when and how to move your units, taking into account terrain, enemy positions, and action economy, will significantly improve your tactical decision-making. Remember that movement isn’t just about covering ground; it’s about strategic positioning, objective control, and ultimately, achieving victory.