Conformation Problem

[pyruse]

The combat is fought as if the elephants had contacted a front rank base (i.e. its not a flank combat) - that doesn't mean they magically move uphill.

[petedalby]

Pete don't you mean 3 elephant dice (new money) at impact?

I do indeed Steve - thanks. I haven't played V2 yet so there are lots of things to get my head around - especially as it's currently stuffed full of FoGR!

It would seem very strange that by virtue of hitting the third rank base of MF the elephants POAs were calculated as if they had hit the front rank base. In other words as if the elephants were up on the hill and therefore counting 'up hill' of the MF when clearly they are not.

But Page 62 (V2) says "is treated as a normal charge on the enemy front." So if the enemy front is uphill? Or behind fortifications? Why shouldn't they retain that benefit?

My post said:

A side issue is whether they count uphill? Arguably they should but that would be an umpire's call.

I don't actually know - but there is an argument to say they should - same applies to PO's and FF's.

The combat is fought as if the elephants had contacted a front rank base (i.e. its not a flank combat) - that doesn't mean they magically move uphill.

And yet, in the OP, if the friendly foot BG wasn't there blocking it, that is exactly what would happen in the conform. The elephants would 'magically move uphill' or as the rules say, 'align with the enemy front' - and guess what, the enemy would be uphill and get the uphill bonus - so why shouldn't they get it at impact?

It is an area of the rules that is unclear and in my view is open to interpretation.

[zoltan]

The combat is fought as if the elephants had contacted a front rank base (i.e. its not a flank combat) - that doesn't mean they magically move uphill.

Well Pete has given a scenario where the elephants would indeed move magically uphill to align with the front of the MF. In fact in that scenario the elephants would be forced by the RAW to magically move uphill.

I recall a similar scenario a few years ago at the Washington IWF. Terry Hall's HF longbow were in the open but lined up facing a marsh. My knights charged around the marsh and contacted the HF on a side edge; it was not a flank charge. After impact Terry said my knights must magically move into the marsh to align with the front edge of the longbow. The knights now became heavily disordered and naturally were forced to break off from the HF following an unsuccessful melee.

The knights were now stuck in a marsh being machined gunned by longbow. Of course they charged in again but still being in a marsh the melee outcome was the same. Forwards then backwards in a marsh. Needless to say their numbers were eventually reduced to breaking point.

[Scruff]

Sounds like you should have moved around the flank and charged the next turn

cheers