Slitherine

Another Newbie question I'm afraid.

I am trying to get the flank charge adjudication down. I understand that a legitimate flank charge will result in a net ++ for the charger and a net -- for the victim of the charge in the IMPACT phase. I also understand that any contacted base, NOT OTHERWISE CONTACTED, can turn to face the charge. But what is the negative in the melee phase assuming no degradation in cohesion from IMPACT? Is it solely the negative for the unit fighting in two directions, assuming that is indeed the case?

Thanks for the help.

As you say, only for fighting in 2 directions if indeed they are. If the charge was not good enough to knock them down a (an extra) cohesion level it wasn't an effective charge and the receivers have compensated in time if you wish to justify the ruling.

Yes, it's just the fighting in two directions - in effect they have forgotten they were hit in the flanks by the melee phase. Of course, you usually drop a cohesion level for being hit in flank.

Thank you gentlemen. Unfortunately my flank charges are usually delivered by my LH. Getting stuck in can rapidly become problematic against other horse. Just wanted to know if we are playing it correctly.

If LH go in you need to have the enemy end up fighting in 2 directions to stand a chance. They are very useful combined with other troops if they have swords. They can then normally make it to evens and equal dice, but more bases.

Light horse are skirmishers, they are not meant to get stuck in to melee. If my opponent charges my battle troops in the flank with light horse I nomally make a mental note to buy them a beer after the game as a thankyou for helping me win.

FoG is not DBM, light horse in the flank is not a killer plan.

At Derby I was chastised my one of my team mates for charging a 2 deep BG of MF spear in the front with my knights and in the rear at the same time with my superior bow sword light horse. Apparently the 'expected' result was that my light horse should rout. At least in Dave land it is.

hammy wrote:At Derby I was chastised my one of my team mates for charging a 2 deep BG of MF spear in the front with my knights and in the rear at the same time with my superior bow sword light horse. Apparently the 'expected' result was that my light horse should rout. At least in Dave land it is.

Dave doesn't do well charging his LH into the rear of things. Try asking him.

I tend to agree that the LH flank attack looks more tempting than it actually is. I view it that I am risking the LH to give whatever in front a chance to win. So I won't commit the LH if I think i am losing. I will only commit if i need to accelerate the winning.

I was a bit sceptical of charging LH into the flank of serious troops, except as a desperation measure.

In one game I was ready to lynch my sub-general for doing just that. The scenario: 4 LH Bw/Sw find themselves on the flank of 8 HF Off Spear which are attempting to march right past them. Because the spear were carelessly 4 deep, 2 hits is enough...they obligingly go disrupted. I was then expecting us to continue shooting at them and hopefully keep them out of the main battle even if no further damage is done. However, a brave charge into the flank, they fragment on impact, and suddenly we have the double dice advantage in melee at even POA, and the spear cannot yet expand. They lose the melee also and break. Hurrah!

Not saying I'm converted to the idea of that being a good idea generally, but it was fun to watch.

Charging sworded LH into flank or rear of frontally engaged enemy is often a winning plan though.

It's pretty much always a good idea to charge LH (whether sword armed or not) into the rear of frontally engaged spearmen. This will normally be even POA or better and even dice for the LH, and will mean the spear go down two POAs, plus reduced dice, against their frontal opponents (assuming the spear are two deep - if three deep they will go down one POA and no dice reduction against their frontal opponents).

Polkovnik wrote:It's pretty much always a good idea to charge LH (whether sword armed or not) into the rear of frontally engaged spearmen. This will normally be even POA or better and even dice for the LH, and will mean the spear go down two POAs, plus reduced dice, against their frontal opponents (assuming the spear are two deep - if three deep they will go down one POA and no dice reduction against their frontal opponents).

I thought it was a good idea but the last time I did it I ended up losing a BG of Szekler superior kitchen sink light horse and despite a BG of superior knights fighting frontally the spearmen took an impact and three or even four melee rounds to actually break :O