Interception Movement

[dave_r]

Bit of a tricky one this.

Charging (pg53)

A charging battle group must make a charge move in one of two ways:

1. Advance directly ahead, up to the full extent of its charge move (plus any variable move distance to contact evaders) to "legally" contact any part of the target battle group(s)

So consider this siutation



The Chinese Medium Foot (on the left) charge the fragmented Cavalry (on the right). The Cavalry break upon the charge declaration.



The Cavalry that are steady can declare an intercept - where is the Medium Foot's charge path?

According to the charging bit (quoted above), my charge declaration is just under 2" to the BG - so does the intercepting BG have to move that far to "cross the path of the charging battle group" (pg 63) or does the charge of the MF suddenly increase to be 4"? There is no variable move because not all enemies have evaded (pg 68) and 4" does not contact any enemy.

The full turn sequence (pg 168) does not appear to shed any light.

Any ideas? Please quote rules references and page numbers with any opinion

[gozerius]

I would rule that since the broken BG has already routed, the charge path extends to the limit of the charger's move. I base this on the sequence of play, since each action is sequenced in turn. Routing BGs move before interceptors, so the charge path is that which exists at the moment of the intercept charge.

[dave_r]

I would rule that since the broken BG has already routed, the charge path extends to the limit of the charger's move. I base this on the sequence of play, since each action is sequenced in turn. Routing BGs move before interceptors, so the charge path is that which exists at the moment of the intercept charge.

But the original charge is only 2" - as by the letter of the rule on pg 53. Where does the charge move increase in distance?

[zoltan]

It is not correct to say "the MF's original charge move is 2 MUs". This statement is a misnomer. ;->)

The MF's charge move (and hence charge path relating to intercepts) is whatever distance is required for it to contact any enemy BG or its prescribed max MU move distance (allowing for terrain and VMD if applicable), whichever occurs first.

[dave_r]

It is not correct to say "the MF's original charge move is 2 MUs". This statement is a misnomer. ;->)

The MF's charge move (and hence charge path relating to intercepts) is whatever distance is required for it to contact any enemy BG or its prescribed max MU move distance (allowing for terrain and VMD if applicable), whichever occurs first.

That is what i had assumed, but where does it actually say this in the rules? The rules are quite specific, as i have quoted

[titanu]

But if you read P52: If a battle group is revealed and can now be contacted due to friends evading or breaking and routing, it becomes a target of the charge.....
Thus the foot must now charge the cavalry already in melee. Thus the interception can wait until the charger is further forward before they intercept thus stopping the chariots from expanding! The distance was just inside 4", it is not obvious in the picture.

[hazelbark]

I see Dave is being a bad boy again.

your page 53.
"must"
"full extent"

Full extent does not end because you say you only want to stop at 2 MU. That is not within your power.

What you propose is to allow people declare the distance of their charge by what they contact. That is neither permitted by the rules of by practice.

[zoltan]

The Cavalry that are steady can declare an intercept - where is the Medium Foot's charge path?

According to the charging bit (quoted above), my charge declaration is just under 2" to the BG - so does the intercepting BG have to move that far to "cross the path of the charging battle group" (pg 63) or does the charge of the MF suddenly increase to be 4"? There is no variable move because not all enemies have evaded (pg 68) and 4" does not contact any enemy.

P. 68 "The chargers now move their charge move..." There is no VMD because, as Dave says, not all of the possible targets have evaded. The MF's charge move distance (defined in the movement table on page 40) will (if nothing else happens) carry them into the enemy cav BG sitting in front of the chariots (they are not in combat as there is massive day light between these two units).

Because the MF's charge path is 4 MU straight ahead, it enables the other enemy cav BG to declare an intercept. Thus the MF would slam into the other cav BG.

[dave_r]

The chariots were in contact with the cavalry, but not aligned frontally.

[bbotus]

P. 68 "The chargers now move their charge move..." There is no VMD because, as Dave says, not all of the possible targets have evaded.

In point of fact, even if the Foot could not contact the 2nd cav unit, there still would be no VMD because no targets evaded. When a fragged unit fails its CT and breaks, it routs before the charger moves, page 61. Page 101 only allows pursuit if in contact with a routing unit. So the only way the charger would be eligible for a VMD is if the fragged unit passed the CT and then broke in the impact phase after the charger contacted it.