Pursuers Contacting New Enemy

[Philotomy]

Pursuers contact a new enemy during the JAP pursuit. The rules say the combat from this contact will be handled like a charge and adjudicated in the next impact phase, which is the opposing player's turn to be active. The contact qualifies as a flank charge.

1. When do the newly contacted bases turn to face the pursuers/chargers? Does this happen immediately upon contact, in the JAP? Or does it occur in the next impact phase?

2. In the next impact phase, the opposing player is the active player. Does that mean he determines the order the charges are actioned, and could declare and adjudicate a charge against the pursuers (with a third battle group) *before* the pursuers charge is adjudicated?

[bbotus]

1. When do the newly contacted bases turn to face the pursuers/chargers? Does this happen immediately upon contact, in the JAP? Or does it occur in the next impact phase?

The authors have said repeatedly to keep interpretation of text simple and easy. Page 56 says that BGs contacted in flank/rear immediately drop one cohesion level and immediately turn bases contacted on side or rear edge to face (or 1 if all are in contact to the front). So the answer is 'immediately on contact'.

2. In the next impact phase, the opposing player is the active player. Does that mean he determines the order the charges are actioned, and could declare and adjudicate a charge against the pursuers (with a third battle group) *before* the pursuers charge is adjudicated?

Good question, I haven't found anything one way or the other from the authors. The active player chooses the order for actioning the charges (page 68), so it seems reasonable to do it that way. And, remember, we tend to think in terms of everything being sequential but the turns are not set time periods. Rather, they are phases of the battle.

After a good battle, I like to write up an 'historical' description of what happened in the battle using real names and describing the events in human terms. So in this case I'd probably say something like the 3rd BG saw the pursuers about to hit their friends and rushed to the rescue arriving just in the nick of time to avoid catastrophe (or not depending on the outcome).

[philqw78]

2. In the next impact phase, the opposing player is the active player. Does that mean he determines the order the charges are actioned, and could declare and adjudicate a charge against the pursuers (with a third battle group) *before* the pursuers charge is adjudicated?

He could, but the flank charge will still have to be adjudicated even if it is done after the 'new' charge. And cohesion tests from either are not actioned until all combats are fought. So the pursuer may well be charged by something else, but it will still have charged the original target in the flank.

[Philotomy]

Thanks, guys; I appreciate the feedback.

[Philotomy]

He could, but the flank charge will still have to be adjudicated even if it is done after the 'new' charge. And cohesion tests from either are not actioned until all combats are fought. So the pursuer may well be charged by something else, but it will still have charged the original target in the flank.

One follow-up on this. What if the pursuers are skirmishers (e.g., light horse)? They make contact in the JAP. The contacted BG immediately turns bases as required for the flank charge. In the next turn, the opposing player (now active player) declares a charge by a third BG against the light horse. Can the light horse evade (or test to avoid an evade move if they don't want to evade)? Or are they already considered to be in close combat, even though no combat dice have rolled and the combat has not yet been adjudicated?

At the moment, my thinking on this is that the pursuers are in contact and should be considered committed to close combat, even though that combat has not yet been adjudicated. The other option is that the pursuers are in contact but not yet committed to close combat, in which case the rules governing evade moves would apply.

[philqw78]

If they didn't want to get into contact they could have passed a CMT to stop pursuing.

[bbotus]

If they didn't want to get into contact they could have passed a CMT to stop pursuing.

Almost correct. Skirmishers don't have to pass a CMT to stop if they would pursue into non-skirmishers.

At the moment, my thinking on this is that the pursuers are in contact and should be considered committed to close combat, even though that combat has not yet been adjudicated.

Agree, I don't see how you can read it any other way. Bases are immediately turned to face if pursuers contact the flank/rear. So the fight is on and they are stuck in combat, no evade allowed. If it wasn't a flank or rear, nothing has really changed, they are still in contact and committed.

And remember the post in:
viewtopic.php?f=43&t=10147
They intend the unit to stay and fight and don't allow pursuing cav to break-off if the contacted unit is still in good order. You can always argue that they didn't specifically mention foot but then I'd have to ask you how you got your training as a sea lawyer.