intercept charges

[navigator]

I had a new one last night.

A line of heavy foot has enemy light foot screening all the front of it half an inch in front of the HF. Approx 6 inches behind the LF is a unit of enemy cavalry lancers.
The heavy foot charge.
The cavalry declare an intercept and move 4 inches.
The LF evade
The HF hit the Cavalry

Is this correct? and where does it say explicitly that it is or isn't? Intuitively my feeling is the cav have no ZOI to move into at the start of the move so cant intercept... but it is not at all clear in the rules( as far as I can make out)

[grahambriggs]

The interceptors have to cross "the path of the charge". At the point at which they intercept, the path is about half an inch long. Granted, the definition of 'the path' is nighly unclear.

[philqw78]

Intercepts move before evades. The intercept move must cross the path of the charge. It doesn't until after the evade. So cannot intercept.

Good God Johnson this was a problem in 2007, not anymore.

[navigator]

well we couldn't find the correct wording.. plus we are a bit behind over this neck of the woods.

I will look again to find the right paragraph.. (it was my opponent trying this dirty trick not me by the way ! naturally)

[philqw78]

well we couldn't find the correct wording.. plus we are a bit behind over this neck of the woods.

I will look again to find the right paragraph.. (it was my opponent trying this dirty trick not me by the way ! naturally)

Obviously Rob then

[Robert241167]

Just for clarification..........................I was on a birthday meal with a lady so wasn't the opponent in question.

Rob

[mceochaidh]

Intercepts move before charges and evades, so is the following correct? LF archers are 3 MU from enemy HF Off Spear. Friendly CV are 4 MU behind the front rank of the LF in support, so a total of 7 MU from the enemy HF. Off Spear test not to charge LF and fail. Lancer CV declare intercept and move 4 MU interpenetrating LF. LF evade and roll 3 on VMD, so move 5 MU away from charge. Enemy HF roll 3, so move into contact with CV. Are CV disordered due to moving into LF? When CV move, do light foot initially move behind CV to make room, then evade? If this is so, Is evade move measured from the initial position of LF?.

What would happen if HF roll 1 or 2 on VMD? Is the intercept from the CV then cancelled or do the HF just stop before contact?

[mceochaidh]

Never mind, Keep forgetting that HF do not have to test if they could be intercepted by mounted.

[grahambriggs]

Intercepts move before charges and evades, so is the following correct? LF archers are 3 MU from enemy HF Off Spear. Friendly CV are 4 MU behind the front rank of the LF in support, so a total of 7 MU from the enemy HF. Off Spear test not to charge LF and fail. Lancer CV declare intercept and move 4 MU interpenetrating LF. LF evade and roll 3 on VMD, so move 5 MU away from charge. Enemy HF roll 3, so move into contact with CV. Are CV disordered due to moving into LF? When CV move, do light foot initially move behind CV to make room, then evade? If this is so, Is evade move measured from the initial position of LF?.

What would happen if HF roll 1 or 2 on VMD? Is the intercept from the CV then cancelled or do the HF just stop before contact?

I know the HF don't have to test if they can be intercepted, but let's say they choose to charge anyway, and then i can answer your questions

In the set up you have the cavalry cannot intercept. Interceptions cannot interpenetrate anyone at all so they are not in a position to intercept.

But let's say the shock cavalry are, say 3.9MU back from the front of the LF but to one side and the HF is a bit wider than the LF. HF can be intercepted by mounted so aren't tempted to charge, but for some reason do so anyway. The cavalry declare an intercept and have just enough move to get just a little bit further forward than the LF. The Cav are now in charge reach of the HF, so they also become a target of the charge.

The LF evade from the HF charge.

The HF now charge. Not all targets of the charge have evaded (the LF did but the Cav did not). Since you only need a VMD if ALL targets evade, there is no VMD. The HF will contact the Cav and you'll have an impact.

Instead of charging, the HF could move up to within 4MU of the cav and tempt the lancers to charge tem next turn, which is probably more prudent!

[mceochaidh]

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply; I am really searching for a tactical doctrine that would work with an undrilled Lancer CV based army against HF spear or pike based army. It seems very difficult to orchestrate a flanking move given that the spear BGs can move up and cause the lancers to test. It seems very difficult to get to a legal flank charge position. A light troop screen may be able to delay part of a HF line but is subject to any CV or LH the enemy may have to run them off. If there are any elephants with the spear/pike army, then it gets even more complex. Charging in with multiple CV BG's, say on equal frontage against HF Off Spear, still requires rolling up to cause the HF to disorder. Mobility seems to be the only advantage the CV really have!

[philqw78]

And that makes the win. The cav can choose where and when to push. If it goes wrong they can get out of the way. The foot plod forwards and hope to tempt the cav in. If it goes well for the foot they are too slow to capitalise. If it goes badly they are to slow to reorganise

[grahambriggs]

It'll come with practice. In games between inexperienced players the strongest frontal combat troops often win. As you learn how to do it, the use of manouver means that against an average player the cavalry has the advantage as the least miss-step by the HF can lead to a hole that rapidly widens. The HF always have flanks to worry about!