Slitherine

Can someone point me to a clear definition of "Direction of Charge"?

Gino
SMAC

I'm not aware it is defined any more clearly. The current playing practice is the direction the charge is moving after any wheel. In other words, the direction that the bases are moving at contact.

That is sort of my issue.

Lacking a clear definition it can be argued that the direction of thange is the line extending where the charger started moving and where they make contact. As this represents the mass movement of the unit it would seem that an evader would follow that as apposed to a sharp wheel at the very end of a charge.

This could be cleaned up considerably with a quick FAQ response from the author's.

Right now there is the ability to "Herd" evaders or Fragged bg's that break from a chare in very gamey ways that seem contrary to the spirit of "eliminating cheesy geometry" from the game.

Lack a definition makes this a sore subject every time it comes up.

Gino
SMAC

kal5056 wrote:Lacking a clear definition it can be argued that the direction of thange is the line extending where the charger started moving and where they make contact. As this represents the mass movement of the unit it would seem that an evader would follow that as apposed to a sharp wheel at the very end of a charge.

This could be cleaned up considerably with a quick FAQ response from the author's.

Right now there is the ability to "Herd" evaders or Fragged bg's that break from a chare in very gamey ways that seem contrary to the spirit of "eliminating cheesy geometry" from the game.

You're right it is a problem. There is a 99% solution in v2.
However in v1 the "herd" is possible. And yes it is undesirable. But it is the way we have been told to play.

Add in the two directions. Add in shooting. And Oi.

To me, page 66, 1st bullet spells it out clear enough. If the target of the charge decides to evade, then the charger uses a stick or anything to indicate the direction of the charge, which must be achievable by wheeling and which would legally contact the evaders if they remained stationary. So the charge direction would be the direction the charger is going from the point of the wheel to the completion of the move.

And remember page 53, #2, which says that a wheel can't be made (except to avoid friends) if this would result in less bases being eligible to fight in the impact.

But, yes, there is still some herding. Our group has discussed just how far a unit can wheel.

There is of course an easy counter to this.

Simply setup so that you are offset and you have your units in a nice long line then he can't wheel, but must instead go ploughing forward.

Seemples.

dave_r wrote:There is of course an easy counter to this.

Simply setup so that you are offset and you have your units in a nice long line then he can't wheel, but must instead go ploughing forward.

Seemples.

Of course you must also plow forward if you charge.

And likely be parallel. At some point the lack of being parallel breaks the "ruddock manuver". The "ruddock manuver" is usually followed by a "humiliating Ruddock defeat"* in his home nation if front of dozens of witnesses.

* Never fear. The "humiliating Ruddock defeat" never results in a humble Ruddock.