Charging into a flank that's not a flank.

[lawrenceg]

I'm sure that you would only get one or the other overlapping, not both.

That's what the passage you quoted from the rules says.

In the melee, the following rule from the Melee phase applies:

"If it is not possible for battle groups in contact to line up, they continue to fight in an offset position with the same number of bases counting as „in front edge contact‟ or 'overlapping' as if they had conformed. If two bases would conform to the same enemy base then the one which has the shortest distance to conform fights against it. If the distance is equal their player chooses which fights"

So in the case the Qin foot has a distance of zero to conform, the LH more than zero so the foot fights.

Though the LH contacted a different base, in the absence of the foot they would still have had to be moved back and conform to the enemy front rank base, i.e. the same base as the foot are overlapping.

This situation seems to be fully covered in the rules and is allowed, though in most cases probably not an advantageous move for the LH..

[batesmotel]

As a final question, since the LH would not fight in melee, would they be stuck in combat or free to move away? Presumably they would be required to break off if the heroic Auxilia remained steady.

Chris

[gozerius]

since the LH would at best be considered in overlap, and BGs in overlap are not in melee with enemy to their front, they could be moved away in their next movement phase.

I would prefer to consider all bases in a file fighting enemy to their front immune from this particular ploy, but the authors have decided otherwise, so I can do nothing but sulk about it.

[grahambriggs]

They moved in impact so can't in the movement phase.

In the JAP I presume the LH attempt to break off if the enemy are still steady foot.

[bbotus]

In the JAP I presume the LH attempt to break off if the enemy are still steady foot.

Graham, I agree with everything you said previously except this quote. Check page 106. Break-offs only count front rank bases in direct contact other than as an overlap. Since the LH are in overlap, there is no one to their front. They don't break off but are free to move away if they want to.