Rules Queries from Britcon

[spike]

1. Elephants
Not sure that elephant rules work;
In the detail section on special troop effects before the apendix it says that elephants affect troops within 1 base width, however here it does not specify elements or BG. After discussion at britcon with the umpire- he explained that this is elements, and it states this elsewhere and is able to quote the section. I accept that it should not be BG, as that makes elephants too effective, but I think the 40mm (base width) is prehaps too small, as an elehant in overlap only effectivly has no effect at all on a combat, on its opponents, as a disruption only reduces the combat effectiveness by 1 in 3- but the elements effected only have 2 dice, suggest that this distance should be increased to 2MU (50.4mm) which is slightly more than one base width, or something similar.
However also think on reflection that routing elephants should be more disturbing, too their friends of course, so suggest that an additional -1 on CMT if "adjacent" to these when they rout, as by way of compensation to extending their disrupting distance.
Maybe any troops standing in the direct path of an elephant stampede should be in some kind of trouble- Friend or foe!

2. Terrain
Having looked at the competition terrain, I still think the tables still look too homogeniusly open, should one of the players desire it to be so. because they can choose minimum sized elements, or block the table with open areas, and will given the appropriate die roll move terrain away from the centre. This is probably why some players feel "shooty" armies are too powerful, because the terrain may be too open. Whilst I can't give a satisfactory solution, and I am aware that the number of open areas available was reduced, amendment here may make for more balanced games, and may alow MF armies more of a chance in open competition.

3. Charging into existing melee
Whilst the rules currently say that you can only join an existing melee as an overlap only, this is not consistant with "shock troops", wanting to charge at all opotuinities into the enemy. Whilst I understand what this was put in, to stop small units having a disproportonate effect on a pre-existing situation, it is changing the general tennant that once the shock troops get in range they should be charging or be stopped from doing so- not because thay can't as this would not be an overlap on an existing melee.

Spike

[shall]

Thanks Spike,

We will be compiling all the comments ove the next few days and filtering them down. Hope you had fun.

Si

[madaxeman]

3. Charging into existing melee
Whilst the rules currently say that you can only join an existing melee as an overlap only, this is not consistant with "shock troops", wanting to charge at all opotuinities into the enemy. Whilst I understand what this was put in, to stop small units having a disproportonate effect on a pre-existing situation, it is changing the general tennant that once the shock troops get in range they should be charging or be stopped from doing so- not because thay can't as this would not be an overlap on an existing melee.

Spike

Hmmm - I lost one game partly because Si rules that some shock troops COULD charge into an existing melee - but as a flank charge rathe rthan as an overlap. Ouch!

[spike]

3. Charging into existing melee
Whilst the rules currently say that you can only join an existing melee as an overlap only, this is not consistant with "shock troops", wanting to charge at all opotuinities into the enemy. Whilst I understand what this was put in, to stop small units having a disproportonate effect on a pre-existing situation, it is changing the general tennant that once the shock troops get in range they should be charging or be stopped from doing so- not because thay can't as this would not be an overlap on an existing melee.

Spike

Hmmm - I lost one game partly because Si rules that some shock troops COULD charge into an existing melee - but as a flank charge rathe rthan as an overlap. Ouch!

Si knows what I ment in the post, as this was hilighted after a game.
The problem is you cant charge into an element already in frontal combat with another BG, Hammy thinks if they could it opens other issues. IMO these troops should charge unless restrained from doing so, and so a way need to be found so the they can charge, but others should not do so.