Which edge has priority when conforming to a freshly contacted BW BG?
A - the "front" edge (as depicted on the base)
B - a long edge that has been contacted
C - the one which requires the shortest move by a base in contact.
Also, if a BW BG is already fighting on one of its edges, must a charging BG meet the "legal flank charge" requirements to contact a different edge?
Does that also apply to charging a BG in "orb" formation?
Are any BGs not normally subject to penalties for being charged in the flank affected by the -1 CT for having a threatened flank, outside of the automatic one when within 6 MU of the table edge?
Conforming to Battlewagons
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The lack of a penalty for being charged in the flank does not necessarily mean that a BG has no flank. Troops behind fortifications suffer no penalty for being charged in the flank across said fortifications. But they still have a flank, and must turn to respond to a flank contact. Troops in Orb can be contacted on a flank or rear facing, but suffer no adverse penalty. In close combat they fight with a quarter of their total bases per facing.
Battle wagons have a whole slew of special exceptions to the normal rules for movement and combat, but they are scattered all over the rulebook, and some exist only in the FAQ. They share some charactaristics of troops defending fortifications and some of troops in ORB. Some of these are listed in the rulebook, but, the description in the FAQ on how BW fight attributes abilities and conditions which are not explicitly defined in the rulebook. For example, page 92 in the rulebook says that a base in melee with enemy in front edge contact with its front and flank or rear fights the enemy base in contact with its front, although all the enemy bases will fight it. It then goes on to say that a BW base counts as two bases side when fighting on a long edge, one base if fighting on a short edge. And that a BG of BW fighting on a long edge count that file as the front rank. The FAQ indicates that ALL edges of a BW BG count as the front edge for close combat purposes, and a BW base must fight in two directions, splitting its dice, in the melee phase if so contacted. Troops in ORB and troops behind fortifications never suffer a penalty for fighting in more than one direction, but Battle Wagons are not explicitly exempted from the penalty in either the rulebook or the FAQ.
I'm just trying to fill in the blanks.
Battle wagons have a whole slew of special exceptions to the normal rules for movement and combat, but they are scattered all over the rulebook, and some exist only in the FAQ. They share some charactaristics of troops defending fortifications and some of troops in ORB. Some of these are listed in the rulebook, but, the description in the FAQ on how BW fight attributes abilities and conditions which are not explicitly defined in the rulebook. For example, page 92 in the rulebook says that a base in melee with enemy in front edge contact with its front and flank or rear fights the enemy base in contact with its front, although all the enemy bases will fight it. It then goes on to say that a BW base counts as two bases side when fighting on a long edge, one base if fighting on a short edge. And that a BG of BW fighting on a long edge count that file as the front rank. The FAQ indicates that ALL edges of a BW BG count as the front edge for close combat purposes, and a BW base must fight in two directions, splitting its dice, in the melee phase if so contacted. Troops in ORB and troops behind fortifications never suffer a penalty for fighting in more than one direction, but Battle Wagons are not explicitly exempted from the penalty in either the rulebook or the FAQ.
I'm just trying to fill in the blanks.
I got that. My question has to do with the restriction on charging a BG that is already engaged to its front. How is "front defined for BW?
I know that for movement the front is the short edge at the front of the model (where the draft animals are). I know that I can count either long edge as the front for shooting purposes. But "front" for the purposes of close combat is nebulous. The rules state that if fighting on a long edge each BW counts as two bases side by side, and if fighting on a short edge they count as only one, and that if fighting on a long edge that file was considered the front rank. When read in relation to the immediately preceding statement regarding bases with enemy on more than one edge, I assumed that BW could choose which edge counted as "front", as with shooting. This has implications for charging additional BGs into contact. But the FAQ says that BW with enemy on more than one edge must fight on both edges, suggesting that BW count ALL edges as "front". So I'm seeking clarification. If BW do indeed treat ALL edges as front for close combat purposes, how do the normal rules for close combat apply to BW? And why make reference to front rank?
I know that for movement the front is the short edge at the front of the model (where the draft animals are). I know that I can count either long edge as the front for shooting purposes. But "front" for the purposes of close combat is nebulous. The rules state that if fighting on a long edge each BW counts as two bases side by side, and if fighting on a short edge they count as only one, and that if fighting on a long edge that file was considered the front rank. When read in relation to the immediately preceding statement regarding bases with enemy on more than one edge, I assumed that BW could choose which edge counted as "front", as with shooting. This has implications for charging additional BGs into contact. But the FAQ says that BW with enemy on more than one edge must fight on both edges, suggesting that BW count ALL edges as "front". So I'm seeking clarification. If BW do indeed treat ALL edges as front for close combat purposes, how do the normal rules for close combat apply to BW? And why make reference to front rank?
One would presume that the normal rules apply. To charge into a second edge of a battlewagon would require a base entirely behind the edge already in contact, as in a flank charge. The first two ranks in combat are not eligible targets otherwise. Once in contact, the second edge would count as a front edge. I do not believe that the wagons would count as fighting in two directions though, because the bases will not have turned. (I might be wrong here, but I think the rule requires bases to turn before this applies) My assumption is that the wagon 'on the corner' fights as one base in each direction much as two separate elements would do.
In the above situation, the wagons have two front edges. The rules state that to be 'behind the flank' in such situation the enemy must be in the quadrant behind both edges.
In the above situation, the wagons have two front edges. The rules state that to be 'behind the flank' in such situation the enemy must be in the quadrant behind both edges.
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deadtorius
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