Slitherine

Hi, I know this may sound like a stupid question but does a 2nd rank behind the first in a melee have to be facing in the same direction to count for a dice?We had a situation with a melee where a 6 base BG (3x2) was fighting enemy BGs to the front and to the rear.The 2nd rank was facing to the rear of course - but can the front rank count the 2nd rank of 3 bases for combat dice i.e. 6 dice total - even though they are not facing in the same direction? And like wise can the 2nd rank 3 bases use the 3 1st rank bases for combat dice?
I couldn't find any thing in the rules that says this is not allowed specifically. We used the -POA for fighting in two directions ofcourse but couldn't agree weather to count 6 dice against the enemy BG to the front AND count 6 again to fight the enemy BG to the rear OR count 3 dice for the front (1st) rank and 3 dice for the rear (2nd) rank.
This tripped us a bit , we came to a friendly settlement after afew minutes,but still couldn't agree which was the right way. Can someone shine a light on it please? cheers!

As far as I am aware you would be fighting 3 bases to the front and 3 bases to the rear as well as being at a -POA for fighting in 2 directions. Not recommended!

Rob

Most bases can only provide one dice, and those that have more only fight in one rank, so could not give a dice in 2 directions any way.

I would say 3 to the front and 3 to the rear, they can only fight once per melee and fight whichever bases they are in frontal contcat with.

A little hazy on the details of the question
Assuming your formation was like this:

<<>
<<>
<<>

And assuming everyone is front to front contact with a foe. I would say the bases have to fight in the direction they are pointing. My argument is that the gamey nature of being able to apply bases back and forth as the combat needs require is not really a game design desire.

Also I woudl calculate the POAs only for the bases facing the appropirate direction.

I think the intent if not the literal rules is pretty clear actually.

Petefloro wrote:Hi, I know this may sound like a stupid question but does a 2nd rank behind the first in a melee have to be facing in the same direction to count for a dice?We had a situation with a melee where a 6 base BG (3x2) was fighting enemy BGs to the front and to the rear.The 2nd rank was facing to the rear of course - but can the front rank count the 2nd rank of 3 bases for combat dice i.e. 6 dice total - even though they are not facing in the same direction? And like wise can the 2nd rank 3 bases use the 3 1st rank bases for combat dice?
I couldn't find any thing in the rules that says this is not allowed specifically. We used the -POA for fighting in two directions ofcourse but couldn't agree weather to count 6 dice against the enemy BG to the front AND count 6 again to fight the enemy BG to the rear OR count 3 dice for the front (1st) rank and 3 dice for the rear (2nd) rank.
This tripped us a bit , we came to a friendly settlement after afew minutes,but still couldn't agree which was the right way. Can someone shine a light on it please? cheers!

There is no requirement that the second, or subsequent in the case of pikes, be facing in the same direction. However a given base can only fight once - your BG gets 6 dice and it must allocate 3 against each enemy.

If next turn one of the BGs has broken off then you still get 6 dice and can allocate all of them the the one enemy.

If you had been 3 deep you would still get 6 dice, and re required to allocate 2 to each of the 2 enemies - the remaining 2 dice you could allocate as desired by choosing which front rank the middle bases are a 2nd rank to.

Thanks everyone for the replies, I can see where we/I went wrong now. I do find it surprising that a second rank doesn't have to be facing in the same direction as the first to claim combat dice! But that's fine by me. " A base fights only once each phase" really shines a big light on the problem. Cheers for that.

Petefloro wrote:Thanks everyone for the replies, I can see where we/I went wrong now. I do find it surprising that a second rank doesn't have to be facing in the same direction as the first to claim combat dice! But that's fine by me. " A base fights only once each phase" really shines a big light on the problem. Cheers for that.

It saves having to add rules on how the interior bases change facing.