Slitherine

P. 75, definition of overlap, first bullet: "Full or partial side edge to side edge contact with an enemy base that is in front edge contact with friends."
P 76, end of page: "Battle groups in side edge to side edge contact are not committed to close combat, and are free to move away. If they do not move away, no combat occurs unless they are eligible to fight as an overlap. If not, they can engage in melee as follows: [...]"

My question is: looking to overlap definition at p. 75, when can the condition of p. 76 (not eligible to fight as overlap) happens?

My idea is this can happen when a BG is in side edge to side edge contact with an enemy base fighting as an overlap, or with an enemy base of a second rank, because these kind of bases are not in contact with friends.

A battlegroup in side edge contact with an enemy BG is not eligible to fight as an overlap if the enemy base in contact is not in melee to it's front.




In the example above is in side edge contact with , but not in overlap.

I agree, this was the first of the 2 cases I wrote. What do you think about the second case? If a BG is in side contact with a rear rank of an enemy BG that is fighting on its front with friends, something like:





Where: = BG in side contact which are not eligible to fight as overlap, = enemy BG = friendly BG

According to the rules, it does not meet the criteria for contributing as an overlap.