Slitherine

pg 108: "Pursuers....can contract frontage by dropping back bases if necessary to avoid friends." Is this mandatory? If not, what happens if the pursuers choose not to contract? Do the pursuers stop when they reach the friends or do they burst through?

My MF in a 3x2 formation is in frontal combat with enemy MF, while enemy HF are approaching my rear. In the Combat Phase of my turn, I break the MF to my front and while the routers outdistanced me, my VMD pursuit carries me just out of the charge range of the enemy HF. HOWEVER, my pursuit will contact a BG of my own LF. If I contract to avoid these, I will end up in a 2x3 formation and the enemy HF will be able to contact my rear in the next Impact Phase. If I can choose not to contract AND if I can burst through my LF, I can get away.

We played "can contract means must contract", so I was caught. But I was wondering if that is indeed the case.

Thanks, Terry G.

Pursuers cannot burst through so in your case contracting was the only option.

I have always played that contraction is compulsary if required.

Just a question: why don't you simply interpenetrate friendly LF? Do I miss something, or this is a case where you can make a legal interpenetration?

The problem here is that MF may not legally interpenetrate LF (P48).

kevinj wrote:The problem here is that MF may not legally interpenetrate LF (P48).

NOOOO! You are right! I never noticed that before.

Easiest thing to miss, lights can interpenetrate but can't be interpenetrated. We played quite a few games before we caught that one.