Slitherine

ha! my question wasn't so simple to answer!!!!!

so can someone resume?

The contributors to the debate are suggesting that when conforming bases for melee that bases are moved the shortest distance to line up bases to full edge and corner contact. The rules note that shifting friends sideways is permitted where possible (e.g. you could not 'push' friends in a melee to one side or those up against the table edge)
If the shortest distance to line up is blocked, then you move the bases the opposite direction if that is not also blocked. If it is, nothing moves at all.

There is a fairly obvious exception that you cannot slide the entire BG out of contact to be just in corner to corner contact because that would not be lining up in contact.

In the example in your diagram, the two bases of pike will either both be in base contact with enemy bases or one will be an overlap. You take whichever is the shortest distance. If they are equal, that is, the gap between the pike bases is halfway along the enemy bases, we assume the phasing player has the choice.

Two situations and how we are playing it:
1) One base on one base contact at impact, length of contact is 1mm. Conform is a slide of 39mm to ensure there is one base full contact. I.e. it is not an option to slide out of contact to be just an overlap.

2) Two bases of each side contact at impact, but are offset so that one of the bases only makes contact with 1mm of frontage. In this case, the slide to conform is 1mm. The base with 1mm contact has now become an overlap. The same number of bases fight, but there is one in full contact, one as an overlap.

At first glance these both seem Ok to me and to fit with what I rambled through...

I agree it may not have been that clear - I found it hard to get into either of your modes fo expressing it and was tired too

Si