Avoiding river penalty in atack

[1stvermont]

To avoid the penalty for attacking across a river. Cant you just move into territory, wait a turn than attack next turn.?

[seathom]

I believe that would work as long as you have at least 5% MC in the region you want to enter and are in defensive posture, otherwise you will automatically be put into offensive posture. Then again, the opposing unit may still decide to be in offensive posture (especially if they are trying to get full MC) and thus you would have the crossing river penalty.

[ArmChairGeneral]

IIRC, if you have at least 10% MC in the region in question you are considered to have a bridgehead and can safely move your troops across before beginning the battle, and the river combat penalty does not apply. You would still have the extra cohesion loss incurred by the extra time it takes to cross a river, though.

If you have 5%+ MC in a region you want to move into, it is usually a good idea to moive in defensive posture and attack next turn like you suggest, since you will avoid any crossing penalties and will have a few days to recover the cohesion lost to movement. Then you can stay there in defensive posture and make the other guy attack you if he wants to kick you out, or go ahead and attack him with your now well-rested troops.

[1stvermont]

I believe that would work as long as you have at least 5% MC in the region you want to enter and are in defensive posture, otherwise you will automatically be put into offensive posture. Then again, the opposing unit may still decide to be in offensive posture (especially if they are trying to get full MC) and thus you would have the crossing river penalty.

But than they get the defensive bonus, i wonder what would be preferred between the two for the defender.

[Captain_Orso]

To be clear, you can cross a river into an enemy-held region in PP[SUP]1)[/SUP], which will not allow your force to automatically change to OP and attack with the Amphibious Assault penalty. Once that force has arrived it might regain a small amount of cohesion--cohesion recover has enemy MC factored into it--, but it will not gain any MC nor entrench.

Once the force which has 'sneaked' into the region changes to DP--since its faction has <5% MC--it will automatically change to OP and attempt to attack any enemy forces in the region.

IIRC the Amphibious Assault penalty--ACG is correct; it only occurs if your faction has =<10% MC in the region--is only during the first round(s) of battle--during the actual landings ("We shall fight them on the beaches!...." - Fat-Guy with a cigar) , so a 'defending' force, which is threatened to be overwhelmed, could be set to Offensive Posture with the Defend and Retreat RoE (Rules of Engagement) to only fight in the first round(s) of battle--where the Amphibious Assault rules will give it the greatest chance of doing damage--and then skedaddle.

[SUP]1)[/SUP] Of course, if your opponent has anticipated such a move and is in OP your crossing force will be in a world of hurt

[Captain_Orso]

But than they get the defensive bonus, i wonder what would be preferred between the two for the defender.

This will only happen if the river-crossing force's faction has >=5% and <=10% MC. It's not going to be seen often, but as the 'defending' side, it would depend on the differences in the size of forces.