Another Newbie Question Please

[Anleiher]

SETUP

In a recent game I was trying to nail some LH with my Cav. I lined up a charge on him forcing him into a vineyard (difficult terrain) 2 MU's in front of him. I had managed to close to within 2 MU's of his rear.

QUESTION

When I declared the charge, it was my understanding that since the charge was flank/rear charge, the LH had only one option, "directly away from the charge". This would have forced the LH directly into the vineyard and reducing his movement. Since he rolled a 1 on his variable move he he would only go 3 MU's (i.e. 2 MU's to the vineyard and 1 MU into the vineyard).

OUTCOME AS ADJUDICATED BY US

My opponent pointed out that evades allow for a wheel and he wheeled at the beginning and skirted the vineyard. As I had rolled even on my variable move he just barely escaped (resulting distance was under 1 MU

Did we do this correctly?

Thanks for the help.

[nikgaukroger]

When evading from the direction of a charge the evaders first turn 90 or 180 degrees* - and the choice of which is the players - and then wheel around until parallel with the direction of the charge and then move along that path.

So I guess you probably did it right.

* usually, unless already more or less facing away.

[Anleiher]

Nik,

Thank you for the prompt response, but I'm confused. Since both the charger and the chargee were facing in the same direction (I could have made that more clear) can the target of the charge still turn either 90 or 180?

Thanks,

[dave_r]

Nik,

Thank you for the prompt response, but I'm confused. Since both the charger and the chargee were facing in the same direction (I could have made that more clear) can the target of the charge still turn either 90 or 180?

Thanks,

No. since he is already facing directly away from the charge then he doesn't turn. You only turn or wheel so that you end facing directly away from the enemy by the shortest move - since you are already facing the right way, any turn or wheel would by definition be more movement.

In this case I believe the statement "bang to rights" is in order.

[nikgaukroger]

Nik,

Thank you for the prompt response, but I'm confused. Since both the charger and the chargee were facing in the same direction (I could have made that more clear) can the target of the charge still turn either 90 or 180?

Thanks,

In this case he cannot wheel - see page 66, right hand column of text, the first bullet point that starts in that text column.

[Polkovnik]

Also if he rolled a 1 on the VMD he wouldn't make it into the vinyard at all, as he would stop at the edge. LH move in difficult is 3MU, - 2 for the VMD so 1MU. He has already moved more than than when he reaches the vinyard so he can't enter it.

Also, was he in column ? If not he couldn't have wheeled to avoid the vinyard anyway if he was 2MU away, as a wheel of a 2 base frontage unit would take it into the vinyard.

[hammy]

If you read the rules defining evade directions you will find that they say something like unless their current facing is closer to the evade direction evaders first turn 90 or 180 whichever ends up closer to the evade direction and then wheel to face in the relevant direction.

In this case the light horse cannot turn as their current facing is closer to the evade path.

[Anleiher]

Thank you gentlemen.