Contacting and enemy routing BG

[Luddite]

Hi all,

I trawled back 6 pages and didn't find what i'm aftere, so a quick question or two.

OK, a routing unit that contacts an enemy BG (can't contrive to avoid it) is destroyed. No worries.

What happens if a unit contacts an enemy routing unit?

Under what circumstances can it do this? Dos it have to charge in impact or can it 'wander in' in maneouvre?

If impetuous, do enemy routers prompt a BG to have to charge in impact (or test not to)?


We had the follwing situation that puzzled us.

A BG of knight lancers managed to get into the opposition 'back field' behind the main battle zone.
A BG of offensive spear routed and crossed the front of these knights, within charge range.
We were unsure what the knights had to do, when they'd do it and what would happen if they contacted the routers.

Any advice you could givem with page references to help me check and learn would be greatly appreciated!

[petedalby]

Under what circumstances can it do this? Dos it have to charge in impact or can it 'wander in' in maneouvre?

A friendly BG can contact enemy routers in a charge or I guess in a pursuit move.

The only page ref I can give you is P108 5th bullet point.

If impetuous, do enemy routers prompt a BG to have to charge in impact (or test not to)?

I believe so - yes. The section on Page 58 talks about 'enemy BGs' - not 'unbroken enemy BGs'

A BG of knight lancers managed to get into the opposition 'back field' behind the main battle zone.
A BG of offensive spear routed and crossed the front of these knights, within charge range.
We were unsure what the knights had to do, when they'd do it and what would happen if they contacted the routers.

Initially the knights have to do nothing. But if the routers are still within charge reach at the start of the knights' turn then they could declare a charge against the routers - although in game turns this is probably unwise if there are better targets elsewhere. If they choose not to charge then they would have to test not to charge - assuming the conditions on Page 58 required them to.

If the knights charge the routers there is no impact combat - see page 108 again.

Hope that helps.

[ShrubMiK]

Ah - this also has implications for shock troops who have broken their opponents, but lose touch when VMDs are rolled?

If loss of contact happens in opponents turn in the JAP, they need to test not to charge back into contact at the start of their next turn.

If loss of contact occurs in opponents turn but before the JAP, routers have an extra move in the JAP and may be outside charge range at the start of your next turn, so no need to test.

If loss of contact happens in your own turn in the JAP, routers will move again in their turn and may be outside charge range at the start of your next turn, so no need to test.

If loss of contact happens in your own turn but before the JAP, routers will move again twice before you next need to test not to charge, so unless terrain is involved to slow them down you will not need to test again.

?

I've not really thought about this before - not sure if that means it has never come up in any of my games, or whether I've simply been playing it wrong by allowing shock pursuers an easier time of it than they should have!

Slightly odd that the timing of loss of contact should have a significant effect though?

[kevinj]

I have seen this and I've always played it as Pete thinks, if you want to contact them you have to charge (or hit them in a pursuit), and if your BG is of an appropriate type then it has to take a CMT not to charge.

I terms of what happens, nothing until the JAP. Then the routers rout again, the BG that has contacted them pursues and, if it remains in contact, the routers lose a base.

I've found that, providing there's not a more pressing task for the chargers, this can be a useful tactic to ensure that the routers don't get rallied, and also to get free moves in the JAP towards the enemy camp.