Feeding bases in melee

[diego66ro]

Hi all.

Last night we had this situation:


.........BB
AAAA BB
.........CKK
.........CKK
.........C
.........C


A and B are HF romans BG, C and K are Cav macedonians BG that charge B in the impact phase.
Between A and B there's less than one base width (about 1 MU) and they are aligned orizontally.

In the move phase, BG C could expand on the left, as follow:

.........BB
AAAA BB
.......CCKK
.......CCKK

doing so, C contact BG A, but not as front corner to front corner, cause the distance between A and B (about 1MU).

What's happen?
A conforms to C and combat in the melee phase?
A doesn't conform to C and combat too?
C doesn't expand because his contact on A isn't legal?

Thank you

Diego

[hammy]

As far as I can see there is nothing to stop the expansion. If A were an overlap it would be fine and as A is lined up exactly with B the expansion would be much the same as if A was an overlap.

There is no such thing as a 'legal' contact in FoG, if you contact something you contact it and that is all.

IMO in this situation C can expand which will pull A into the melee, A could respond buy moving one base (one file) to the rear to give another dice in the melee. In the next Roman movement phase A would have to conform to C assuming C was still there i.e. had not been forced to break off.

[terrys]

My ruling would be:

'C' expands to contact 'A'
Neither BG conforms - 'C' can't because it's in contact with 'B' while 'A' can only conform in his own move.
'A' may contract by one file to place a second rank base to fight 'C'
'C' fights 'A' as if they were lined up. (i.e. with an overlap to its left)

In the following move 'A' must conform to 'C'

[diego66ro]

Thanks all.

Diego

[SirGarnet]

But if A is a fractional MU forward of B's front line the back C elements could not expand left as they could not be in corner to corner contact with the front C elements?

[bbotus]

Just reviewing old threads and want to add this clarification for anyone searching for answers.

Reference FAQ v5.01 paragraph 5. C cannot expand into A is it would result in contact with a previously unengaged enemy BG entering close combat other than as an overlap.

[philqw78]

IMO both Hammy and Terry were wrong. But it was 3 years ago.

[imanfasil]

FAQ clearly states it is not legal to expand and make frontal contact with a new BG that wasn't already fighting as an overlap - as there was a gap - that is the case here. Cannot expand.

[grahambriggs]

Yes FAQ makes it clear they can't expand. RAW read to me that they can. Probably on of those situations where the authors didn't consider this specific situation when the rules were written.