Field Fortifications defended by mixed battle groups

[Guthlaf]

I have a medieval Swedish army with mixed battle groups of HF armoured heavy weapon and MF armoured crossbow. I also have the option to take field fortifications, but I'm a bit confused over what happens when a BG behind the fortifications is attacked in the rear or the flank, and isn't actually fighting to the front of the fortifications at all.

The mixed BG enjoys an extra dice at impact due to the crossbows.

If it is attacked in the rear will it turn to face it's attackers automatically, and thus the HF take the impact and the crossbows get the impact bonus, or is it just the crossbows that take the impact and then have to fight as MF in the open.

Alternativelty should I turn the whole BG through 180 degrees, before the impact takes place, which leaves the crossbows in the rear rank next to the field fortifications.

Then what happens if the BG is attacked to the front of the fortifications, do the crossbows turn to face the new threat and fight as just MF defending the fortifications. Or do you get the advantage of HF heavy weapon defending, plus the extra impact dice from the crossbows?

The next complications comes if a third BG joins in the fight from the flank, there is no ++ for the flank or rear charges, as a BG fighting across fortifications doesn't have a flank or rear, but what would count as the POA's for this third impact, would the bases contacted still count as HF heavy weapon supported by crossbows in the impact?

I'd be delighted if it turned out that the mixed BG turned into some sort of orb formation that presented HF heavy weapon to all sides, until it lost a base or two, and also kept the corossbow extra dice at each impact but I'm not sure my opponenets will be that enthusiastic, so clarification from the forum would be great.

many thanks

[kal5056]

The bases actualy contacted in Impact fight in Impact and you never get rear rank shooting when contatcted int he flank or rear.

Sorry,
Gino
SMAC

[bbotus]

The next complications comes if a third BG joins in the fight from the flank, there is no ++ for the flank or rear charges, as a BG fighting across fortifications doesn't have a flank or rear, but what would count as the POA's for this third impact, would the bases contacted still count as HF heavy weapon supported by crossbows in the impact?

You have a lot of questions in this thread. From your description, the FF only run across the front of the defenders so enemy attacking the flank or rear would not cross the fortifications. Page 121 says "Troops defending FF cannot be charged in the flank/rear across the fortifications, and suffer no POA penalty for fighting in more than one direction across them." Since they aren't fighting across the fortifications, IMHO, you would treat all fighting the same as in the open.

For support shooting at impact, if the crossbows are in base to base contact with enemy, they fight with impact and melee dice and cannot support shoot. I believe that was covered in a recent thread.