Too Far Back?

[DerAlpman]

I placed a Standard Wagon and in its description appears "Too Far Back"? What does that mean and what are the effects?

Best regards,

Stefan

[Jagger2002]

Ummmm...never noticed that before. I would guess it means the wagon is not properly positioned to provide wagon benefits. IIRC, the manual recommends you place the wagon near the front and center of your line?

[Ray552]

Ummmm...never noticed that before. I would guess it means the wagon is not properly positioned to provide wagon benefits. IIRC, the manual recommends you place the wagon near the front and center of your line?

+1

As I understand it, the standard wagon is meant to inspire the whole army by its presence, so it has to be just behind (I think two or three squares) the center of the army, *and* facing forward or within 45 (or 90?) degrees of the front.

If it's too far back or pointing backwards, you lose the rout percentage improvement (I believe the standard wagon counts as 3.75 units for rout % purposes).

Of course, you have to balance the cost of buying the standard wagon vs. buying units that can attack - the standard wagon guards can't charge at all, only defend - but they are classed as "Superior" and don't get penalized for being attacked from the rear or flanks.

More info at Wikipedia: Carroccio

[Edit] Forgot to add - the standard wagon has a zone of control (ZOC) like other units, so you could use it in battle to ZOC-lock or block enemy units.

[DerAlpman]

I think if the wagon is two rows behind the last enemy unit it is to far back.

[Ray552]

Here's the rule book section covering Standard Wagons:






image hosting website

Can you post a picture of the entire army? The small pictures above doesn't show where the rest of the army is.

The rules above clarify where you should place the wagon - in the center of your army, no more than 4 squares further from the enemy center than the center of your army, and facing in the general direction of the enemy army.

Hope this helps.

[DerAlpman]

Thank you. The pictures I posted were from the deployment phase. The center of my army was on the same row as the cavalry on the upper right.

[SimonLancaster]

Wasn't there a rule change and units adjacent to the Wagons get +1 on the cohesion checks?

[Ray552]

Wasn't there a rule change and units adjacent to the Wagons get +1 on the cohesion checks?

Thanks for pointing that out, I learned something new today.

Yes, it's in the version 1.2.5 patch from Sept 2021:

viewtopic.php?f=623&t=107041&p=942340&h ... on#p942340

Standard Wagon changes:

- Standard Wagon guards reduced to 480 men (600 UnitSize) and Above Average quality (in view of built-in +1 CT modifier – see below).
- Cost reduced to 54 points.
- Rout % multiplier for Standard Wagons increased to 4, so that they have the same effect on rout % as 4 standard-sized heavy infantry units. (Previously it was 3.75)
- In addition to their effect on rout % calculations, Standard Wagons (as long as they are facing the right way and not too far from the main action) now also give a +1 Cohesion Test modifier to friendly units on adjacent squares. This modifier also applies to the Standard Wagon itself, hence the reduction in troop Quality.