Tercios- last question, I promise.... for a while

[mrbootsthecat]

This question concerns tercios (in this case, Late Tercios) and expansion in combat. I'll try and set the scene andd break it down so that it won't be too onerous to answer. I hope.
Our late tercio, composed of 6 arquebus and three pike is facing forward. To its side is a battle group of cavalry. For the purposes of the question, I will ask you to assume that either everyone rolls rubbish dice and misses, or that there is an inconclusive number of hits and that every CMT is passed. There are no enemy on the front or other side of the tercio within six mu.
So, the horsies charge, hitting the tercio on its side (which would be a flank except it hasnt got one). The first base of horsies hits the narrow edge of two arquebus which form the first and second rank of the file. The second base of horsies catch the third rank of arquebus. I think that the first and second rank turn to face, and two ranks of pike run from the middle of the tercio, face the horsies and the third rank of arquebus is pushed out of the way and ends up behind them. Facing the horsies, I think. Is this right?
In the melee phase, it stays the same, so you have two bases of cavalry fighting protected arquebus, and two bases of cavalry fighting two bases of pike.
The cavalry stay in the fight, not breaking off.
In the next round, can the tercio feed more bases into combat?
Can the arquebus who were in the third rank come and hang on to the flank of the two bases of pike? Could they be joined by their colleagues from the third rank on the unengaged side of the tercio?
Everything stays in the same position. And in the game, one base of arquebus joined on the side of the pike to form an overlap.
In the next manoeuvre phase, taking the above as the position, could another arquebus base expand on the other side of the arquebus that were initially engaged? This leads to their being, looking for above:
One base of arquebus in overlap.
Two bases of arquebus fighting two bases of cavalry. Behind the arqubus and at ninety degrees to them, is an elemant of pike facing to the original front
Two bases of pike fighting two bases of cavalry
one base of arquebus in overlap.
Is this right? If not , where did we go wrong and what should have happened.
I hope this is sufficiently clear. If not, I'll try to take some photos and post them so I can find out what should happen.
Thanks

[mrbootsthecat]

Of course, when I said CMT I meant Cohesion test. Hope this does not add to the confusion.

[madaxeman]

I think there is something that says the Pikemen move to the front rank initially, even if you contact the shot (as there will be some pikemen behind the shot and therefore in the same file). You'd then expand to a standard formation from there.

[gibby]

Hi,

I would say that the arquebus that you expanded out to be beside the file of arquebus already fighting is not valid.

You have to try and keep to the original Tercio footprint which is shot pike shot or in some cases shot pike pike shot.

Yours would now be shot shot pike shot if I've understood the above correctly.

If for instance you had been hit frontally, under normal circumstances you would not be able to expand out the 3rd rank of shot to beside another file of shot, therefore I can't see how you could do it in this situation.

cheers
Jim

[deadtorius]

Page 79 covers Tercio's being hit in the flank.

During impact any pikes not in the front rank of a pike file or already in front edge combat with enemy, are automatically moved into position in up to 2 ranks, level with the shot on that edge and facing the enemy. (This will give them Protection) These pike bases will then fight in the impact phase.
The new position occupied by the automatically moving pike base must be within the "footprint" of the Tercio.

So horsies hit, you move out the middle shot and move up to 2 pike up into contact with the horse, so that they provide protection to the shot on either side. 3rd rank shot turns to face, front shot would turn to face. resolve impact with the shot counting as protected.

Page 95 Conforming

Hard to say on this one but second bullet down says that a battle group must end its conform in a normal formation, so the Tercio must maintain its footprint so no sending the boys from the other side running over for any reason.

My guess is that first melee the Tercio remains in place with some bases facing the side, then during the Tercio's turns maneuver phase the Tercio would turn to face the horse and assume a proper Tercio formation again.
Keep in mind you have to keep your formation even if you have boys off on the other side doing nothing useful at the time.

You could always shift the whole thing over to match the horse overlap one would assume, unless the mounted devils realize their error and have run off before you get the chance.

Hope that helps