Conforming into terrain

[donm]

In two separate 25mm games last night we had the same problem.

In the first game a unit of lancer cavalry failed its test and had to charge the end of a unit of peltasts. The problem was that only half of one base of the eight base peltast unit was outside a piece of terrain. After the impact phase the cavalry are forced to conform, dragging them into the terrain and disordering them in the melee.

In the other game a unit of impact foot had to charge a unit of medium foot, again less than half a base of the eight base medium infantry unit was outside the terrain. After the impact phase the impact foot had to conform into the disordering terrain.

This did not look right to us, why would troops charge into terrain that they know will disorder them. We checked the rules and the only part we could find was under 'troops who may charge without orders' P28.

They do not need to charge 'If their move could end even partly in terrain that would disorder or severely disorder them.'

I think this comes down to how you interpret 'MOVE'.

Is it the 'MOVE' to take the unit into contact in the 'Impact Phase', or is it the 'MOVE' it will have to make in the 'Manoeuvre Phase' to conform to the charged unit, taking it into the disordering terrain.

Don

[bddbrown]

This did not look right to us, why would troops charge into terrain that they know will disorder them.

For the same reason a Light Brigade would charge down the valley of death. Because they were ordered.


On a more serious note, I've always read these rules as movement during the "charge" and not any moves that come after in a separate phase. Still, it needs clarifying.

[nikgaukroger]

Must admit I can't see how you'd possibly read the conforming as a move, so can't see any need for clarification.

Lesson appears to be don't put your Shock Troops in a position where they may end up somewhere disadvantageous if you fail the test to stop them charging

[hammy]

To be honest if the lancers ended up with one file fighting in terrain and the other in the open then the dissorder would be no big deal anyway. Dissorder only affects the bases that are in the goo. If you don't disrupt the peltasts you will break off anyway.

[donm]

Can I just say this did not happen in my game last night.

However, I was asked to sort it out.

I accept that you can avoid the situation by keeping your troops out of range. But have you considered the cheesy move that brings about this situation?

Don

[paulcummins]

is it cheesy to tempt your opponent into a bad situation?
or is it just being a better general?