VBM FREEZE

[Paul Simonsen]

I thought VBM freeze might make for some interesting discourse and serve as a tactical lesson for our newer players.

Overview

VBM Freeze [vehicular bypass movement freeze] is a tactic by which an attacker uses an armored and armed vehicle to enter a defenders' woods or building location via bypass of any legal hexside. This movement
“freezes” the unit in the target hex ability to fire at any enemy units outside his hex.This also applies to the attacker. You won't find a rule reference to VBM freeze,its one of those ASL riddles you have to put together on your own. The pertinent rules are A 7.212 ,Target Selection Limits, and to a lesser degree A 12.42 Bypass. I won't write out the rules here as I think one is better served reading the ASLRB

Why Use VBM Freeze?

VBM Freeze can be a useful tactic to isolate a defender in order to bypass their position, remove their concealment [this occurs at end of the movement phase and removes ALL concealment] or most commonly to freeze their firepower whilst follow-up infantry, say infantry toting a flamethrower, moves in for some advance fire phase fun and games.Heck, they may even surround the enemy position so that any broken units have no rout possibility. This can be one nasty trick to pull on an unprepared enemy.

Risks

On occaision VBM Freeze can fail miserably.Stuff happens….
Some of the dangers are …an HIP Gun in the target location. By the way, an HIP unit will NOT be revealed via the VBM tactic. A light anti tank weapon
[think piat or baz etc] a really nasty 9-2 or stronger SMC with a squad or two[ to get you in CC Reaction Fire or following CC should you NOT neutralize the target with follow up assault.There may also be AT mines in the location, who can tell?

Benefits

This is pretty much obvious as outlined above.However one other benefit is that this may throw off a defenders balance and shock him[or her] into making poor descisions as the game progresses. One should try to figure in VBM freeze in their defense set up.

In my last game with Jim Aikens ,AP 35 – A Lesson for Lehr,Jim used several halt tracks backed by by 4 or so squads and a leader to force me out of a foward position that had been holding his advance.Jim lost one ht but knocked the position out in record time-sometimes you just have to break and rout!

This is kind of a short approach to VBM freeze but I hope to have input on this from some of our other members.So…questions? comments? anecdotes??

Eric Visnowski
P.S. maybe next time we can talk about handling Tigers etc! [deliberate immobilization ring a belll? ]

[David Rosner]

I have a question, does VBM freeze the whole hex? (all levels of the hex). Since I have only heard of this tactic and not experienced it yet, I would like to know what I can expect to face if it happens to me.

Thanks for the topic.

Mike C

[Paul Simonsen]

Mike ,
Part of the dynamic here is triple point blank fire,For the defender to be “frozen” it would have to be eligible to employ triple point blank fire[A 7.211 ] To answer your question directly,the VBM unit would have to be CE or an OT armed vehicle to “freeze” a unit over one level higher.

It is implied that the AFV must be able to fire upon the upper level unit with an AAMG
etc, as gun elevation rules would generally void any MA attack .So, if you can shoot at it, you can freeze it. I urge you to take a good look at the rules sections I have quoted. This is my interpetationof the applicable rules and I have heard some argument, although I am quite confident of my interpetation.

Eric V

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