Flank charge on a pike/shot unit rear supporting artillery

[davids]

A situation came up the other day. A unit of 6 strong pike/shot was providing rear support to a BG of 2 artillery



.......

= horse
= shot
= pike
= artillery

My horse pursued the pike/shot & artillery combo in the flank. What happens after that? I couldn't find it in the rules. When the shot turn to face, where do the bases go if they are supposed to be in line with the front of the artillery bases? Do the artillery then become unsupported? Is the shot then unprotected? We played it as just turning the bases to fight as per normal but didn't move the artillery, so it was still one base on one. But then the rout and pursuit became tricky - after the pike/shot routed the horse captured the guns but couldn't pursue through them - is this part correct? We weren't really sure about the foot rout either, to be honest...

[kevinj]

This isn't specifically covered in the rules so it's really a matter of looking for a pragmatic solution. I would be inclined to temporarily move the left hand artillery to one side and turn the 2 shot elements to face the top horse base. Both sides fight Impact with 2 dice, ++ for the Horse for a flank charge, -- for the foot. As it's a flank charge the factors are fixed and protection is not considered. If the Foot routs as a result of Impact they will rout directly away from the Horse, through the guns which will be captured. You can now replace the base that you put to one side. The Horse will not be able to pursue because they can't interpenetrate the guns.

If the foot survive impact (and assuming they are not also in contact elsewhere), the rest of the BG will turn to the contacted flank and they will have the option to feed in extra bases. They could now place their pike bases adjacent to the shot and would be able to claim the benefit of being Protected, provided they are not Fragmented. If the foot are routed following this the will again move directly away from the horse. The horse would be able to pursue if the foot had moved a base into contact with them by dropping back a base to pass the artillery.

The left artillery base will be unsupported when the bases turn to face the impact, the other when the rest of the BG turns.

[benjones1211]

Can the horse drop bases back, to avoid the artillery. You can to avoid friends, but as far as I know not to avoid enemies and at this point the guns are enemies, therefore the horse would contact them thus taking them after moving 1mm or less.

[kevinj]

The artillery are captured as soon as the defenders rout, the horse are already in contact and don't need to move first (p126).

[ravenflight]

The artillery are captured as soon as the defenders rout, the horse are already in contact and don't need to move first (p126).

Err, captured or become uncontrolled?

[kevinj]

Both! If it's captured by a BG that can't operate it, it becomes uncontrolled. This is where pragmatism again comes in, there are plenty of other threads about the issues of uncontrolled artillery and it remains one of the unresolved issues that generates a significant number of questions for tournament umpires.

[benjones1211]

If they are routed at impact I might agree, but if routed in melee after they have turned through 90 degrees they are according to the rule definition no longer defenders as they are not to the rear of the artillery in corner to corner, and edge to edge contact, so routing the unit doesn't automatically capture the artillery?

[kevinj]

It's covered in the second para of the relevant section of p126. The first part covers that artillery is captured when enemy move into contact if it's unsupported. The second part states:

"If the artillery loses its rear support (e.g. if the supporting troops rout or break off) while the enemy are still in such contact, it is captured."

[davids]

Thanks a lot for your replies. I have to say that artillery rules are my least favourite part of FOG:R!