Breaking opponents in impact and then impacting others

[ShrubMiK]

This came up last night and I think, after a bit of debate, we played it wrong.

There is a para in the rules (sorry don't have them with me so can't give page number etc.) that states something like outcome moves resulting in further impacts will be fought in the next impact phase...unless occurring in the current impact phase in which case they will be fought immediately.

I was fairly clear that this meant that if a charge target broke before impact (testing because already fragmented) that an impact on friends exposed by their rout would be fought immediately, and this was a way in which one charging BG could successively break multiple opponents one after the other. I wasn't sure a BG could fight more than once in the impact phase though, and we decided it couldn't. But as far as I could see from admittedly quick skim of the rulebook after the game, they can?

(It did feel a bit odd that because the BG contacted at the "end" of impact phase, it not only did not get to fight agasin in impact phase, didn't get to fight at all in melee phase.)

[hammy]

If a charge breaks its target on impact then the chargers hit another BG the combat is indeed fought in that impact phase.

It is possible to fight three or even four impacts with the same BG in one impact phase. It is not common but does happen.

[philqw78]

The limiting factor is the rout distance of the first BG that broke as you will eventually catch it and stop until the JAP.

[ShrubMiK]

Aha!...I was thinking there was no limit (theoretically) to how far one BG could rampage across the table with help from lucky dice and/or obligingly weak opponents, hadn't thought of that.

[Strategos69]

It was discussed recently here, with some of the possible rare events that can happen. You also have there the exact quotation of the pages:

viewtopic.php?t=14677

[TERRYFROMSPOKANE]

Phil states, "The limiting factor is the route distance of the first BG that broke as you will eventually catch it and stop until the JAP."

Is this strictly true? If the pursuing BG contacted and broke a second enemy BG that was sitting at an angle to the first broken BG, wouldn't the victorious BG make a pursuit move chasing the second BG and maybe no longer be facing towards the first broken BG?

Thanks, Terry G.

[ShrubMiK]

Rout is directly away from direction of the charging BG though.

[TERRYFROMSPOKANE]

Yes, but the second router is allowed to adjust its initial rout move as per an evade move. This could lead it to shift sideways to avoid the first router (if it could not interpenetrate). The pursuers then might wheel to follow this second router.

I erred in my original post by saying "at an angle to the first broken BG". I should have said "off set from directly behind the first broken BG but too close for the pursuers to wheel around".

Terry G.

[philqw78]

Yes, but the second router is allowed to adjust its initial rout move as per an evade move. This could lead it to shift sideways to avoid the first router (if it could not interpenetrate). The pursuers then might wheel to follow this second router.

I erred in my original post by saying "at an angle to the first broken BG". I should have said "off set from directly behind the first broken BG but too close for the pursuers to wheel around".

Terry G.

Pursuits cannot change direction etc to avoid enemy unlike the pursued

[deadtorius]

if the pursuer hits a unit that is already broke it stops when it makes contact and no further moves are made until the JAP.
As for pursuing it has to keep heading towards the broken unit it was pursing so can only contact fresh enemy if they were in a direct path. Pursuers can only wheel if their target wheels/ changes direction.
If it hits another unit and breaks it then yes it does the whole pursuit thing all over again. 1 of the few times rolling a low evade in initial pursuit might be a good thing.