Shifting and feeding more bases into to an existing melee

[zoltan]

Four BGs of offensive spear face off. Blue declares a charge with B against D and successfully tests not to charge with A.

Fig 1. B and D draw during the Impact Phase; it's now Blue's Manoeuvre Phase.

Fig 2. Can Blue shift A and feed more bases into the existing melee with B in his Manoeuvre Phase, as shown in Fig 2 below? I say no (see rationale following picture). Clue - this example has nothing to do with Restricted Areas.


Rationale:
B feeding more bases into an existing melee
The second step in the Manoeuvre Phase is to feed more bases into an existing melee. However, A's position in Fig 1 prevents B from being able to place the shaded bases into the gap - there is insufficient space for B's shaded bases to fit at this point in time. We now move to the third step of the Manoeuvre Phase (meaning it is too late to do any more feeding in this turn).

Shifting A
A is permitted to shift up to half a base width to move into an overlap position against an enemy BG that is in close combat to its front. D is in close combat to its front with B. However, A's shift sideways to its left would not put it into an overlap position, as it would not be in side edge to side edge with B.

[bbotus]

Looks right to me. The position is such that A should have to charge into contact with D and then step forward into C. Looks like there isn't room for A to charge C and wheel to avoid D

Now if B had wheeled far enough during the charge, then its conform move would have pushed A to the left of the page allowing A to move up into an overlap position.

[zoltan]

Looks right to me. The position is such that A should have to charge into contact with D and then step forward into C. Looks like there isn't room for A to charge C and wheel to avoid D

Curiously Blue chose to charge with only B, and not A.

Now if B had wheeled far enough during the charge, then its conform move would have pushed A to the left of the page allowing A to move up into an overlap position.

No, there was insufficient room for B to make any material wheel. Besides, its conform would have been away from A (shortest distance to line up).

[hazelbark]

I presume that one blue BG is partially in front of the charged BG and thus there is not a base width.

Answer:
blue was trying to be too clever. Had he just charged with both it all would have been fun. But instead he tried to use a gamey rule trick to avoid the historically correct action. And he got it wrong.

You cannot feed bases in andd push another BG out of the way.
You are partiallly to front. So you can't move away either to overlap.

Should have charged.

[KiwiWarlord]

If the Red Player had charged 'C' into 'A' in his next move would 'A' have to shift sideways to line up?

[hazelbark]

If the Red Player had charged 'C' into 'A' in his next move would 'A' have to shift sideways to line up?

Not right away. The phasing player conforms. So Red charges. Red conforms in its own manuver phase. Then if the fight continues in the blue manuver phase blue would conform and a lot then is sorted.

Note you fight as if conformed so it doesn't matter in short run.

[zoltan]

If the Red Player had charged 'C' into 'A' in his next move would 'A' have to shift sideways to line up?

No, if Red C had charged Blue A in Red's impact phase, Red C would have conformed to Blue A (not the other way round) in Red's manouevre phase. At the same time (Red's manoeuvre phase) Red D would then move slightly to its right to conform with Blue B. And then Blue B could have picked up the shaded Blue bases (not yet fighting) and placed them in the resulting gap against Red D's front.

[petedalby]

I'm pretty rusty but I'm pretty sure you've done it correctly.

B can't feed more bases in as there isn't room. And A can't move into a legal overlap position.

Or am I missing something?

Pete

[hazelbark]

I'm pretty rusty but I'm pretty sure you've done it correctly.
Or am I missing something?

Apparently you have been missing out on the fun by not playing and getting rusty.