Slitherine

OP wrote:No the rear rank should be behind the front rank and hence the cav are directly in front of the unit but it is not a flank charge. I took the pic when it was proposed that the charge would take place the next move.

It's great when people take the trouble to attach photos of issues to help illustrate their questions (rather than those silly alpha hierogliphics). But it's important to accurately photograph the BGs do avoid wasting everyone's time with needless posts trying to establish which bases are where, exactly. In this example, it seems very strange to have shown the rear rank of crossbowmen back in the battle line if, in fact, they were not there! Or to have half illustrated a hypothetical future situatio by only moving some of the bases into a speculative position. Just wastes everone's time and we're still none the wiser about the question asked.

zoltan wrote:

OP wrote:No the rear rank should be behind the front rank and hence the cav are directly in front of the unit but it is not a flank charge. I took the pic when it was proposed that the charge would take place the next move.

It's great when people take the trouble to attach photos of issues to help illustrate their questions (rather than those silly alpha hierogliphics). But it's important to accurately photograph the BGs do avoid wasting everyone's time with needless posts trying to establish which bases are where, exactly. In this example, it seems very strange to have shown the rear rank of crossbowmen back in the battle line if, in fact, they were not there! Or to have half illustrated a hypothetical future situatio by only moving some of the bases into a speculative position. Just wastes everone's time and we're still none the wiser about the question asked.

it was very clear to me until certain posters seemed to deliberately misunderstand. Hopefully you can refrain from replying next time....

IanB3406 wrote:it was very clear to me until certain posters seemed to deliberately misunderstand. Hopefully you can refrain from replying next time....

OK, smarty pants, would you care to provide a precise answer to the original poster's question?

Well, made me smile

But then I was laughing at that German comedian on telly last night

philqw78 wrote:Well, made me smile

But then I was laughing at that German comedian on telly last night

Did he mention the war?

zoltan wrote:Did he mention the war?

Sort of. Least said the better in a public forum.

I will answer the question as posed originally........42

Gino
SMAC

Not quite.
Once the charge has been declared and the target has opted to evade, the charger indicates the charge angle. (1-3 above)
4. The evading BG then chooses to evade directly away from the direction of charge or directly to his own rear. Rolls VMD and moves accordingly.
5. The charger now rolls a VMD since all its charge targets evaded. (The cav is not a legal charge target, even though it is in the path of the charger.)
6. The charger may wheel to follow the evader.
So depending on which way the LH evades, the charger could complete its move without hitting the cav by wheeling.
If the LH retires directly to its own rear, the charger can follow it by wheeling toward it, thereby avoiding the cav.
If the LH evades from the direction of the charge, the charger can wheel around the cav.

This whole discussion was very interesting. I'd like to add a few comments.

Even if the charger indicated a wheel at the start of the charge and the LH evade out of the line of charge then the charger may wheel starting from its original position and not the position after the indicated wheel as the evade comes before the charge move starts.

If this is a valid flank charge (i.e. they started where the front rank is in the picture), then it is a legal line of charge--no question there.

If this is not a flank charge (i.e. they started where the crossbowmen are) then the line of charge would be legal depending. The LH must decide first. They can pass a CMT to stand; evading if they fail or just go ahead and evade. If they stand, then the line of charge would be legal because the step forward would also hit the LH and not the CAV. If the LH evades then the line of charge indicated in the picture is not legal. It would have to be a line of charge that did not clip the side of the 2nd rank stand in melee. But the charge wouldn't be cancelled. The charger just isn't allowed to make the indicated line of charge if the LH evades.