Slitherine

Key:
On the top, facing down = Mongol Cavalry, Swordsmen, Protected
On the bottom, facing up = Mounted Crossbowmen (Cavalry), Protected
To the right, in overlap position = Defensive Spearmen, Armored (friends with the Mounted Crossbowmen)

Situation:
After impact, we end up in the situation you see here. I've looked in the rulebook 2 or 3 times, and I can't figure what roll the Mongol Cavalry should be hitting on in melee. The POA's would be as follows:

- If you consider the POA vs. the mounted crossbowmen, they would be a + POA (Swordsmen vs. non-swordsmen).
- If you consider the POA vs. the defensive spearmen in overlap, they would be be a -- POA (Swordmen is nullified vs. steady spearmen, spearmen have one + from the "spearmen in 2 ranks" and one + from better armour.)

My best guess is that the guys right in front of you supercede the overlap, and they would "go for" the mounted crossbowmen; therefore the Mongol Cavalry would hit on 4+ while the Mounted Crossbowmen would hit on 5+. The Defensive Spearmen would hit on 3+ (with no one hitting back).

Please let me know if I'm right, and correct me if I'm wrong, and (if possible) tell me where the rulebook specifies this.

Thanks!

I don't have my rules with me but it probably says it somewhere in the Combat Mechanism chapter, probably quite early on in that chapter.

Bases in close combat fight (i.e. attempt to hit) the enemy base directly in front.
Bases in overlap attempt to hit the base they are overlapping, which does not hit back (but its POA are still accounted for in calculating the overlapper's net POA).

In this case the Mongol tries to hit the mounted crossbowman at +.
The mounted crossbow tries to hit the Mongol at -.
The spearmen tries to hit the Mongol at ++.

lawrenceg wrote:I don't have my rules with me but it probably says it somewhere in the Combat Mechanism chapter, probably quite early on in that chapter.

Bases in close combat fight (i.e. attempt to hit) the enemy base directly in front.
Bases in overlap attempt to hit the base they are overlapping, which does not hit back (but its POA are still accounted for in calculating the overlapper's net POA).

Lawrenceg, you are almost certainly right, and I agree with you, but I would feel so much better if I could document speficially where the rules say that. I've read the combat mechanism 3 times, and I can't find it. Can anyone help?

ALSO ... on to question #2 on the same example...

On page 98, second paragraph, it says, "A battle group has lost a close combat if the total number of hits it received from all of its opponents this phase is greater than the total number of hits it inflicted on all of its opponents this phase."

In the example photo above, the black die is the one hit the mounted crossbowmen inflicted on the Mongols.
The white dice are the two hits the spearmen inflicted on the Mongols.
The blue dice are the two hits the Mongols inflicted on the mounted crossbowmen.

In very literal terms:

- The Mongols received a total of 3 hits from all of their opponents, which is more than the number of hits it inflicted on all opponents (2).
- The mounted crossbowmen received a total of 2 hits from all of their opponents, which is more than the number of hits it inflicted on all opponents (1).

Therefore, BOTH the Mongols and the mounted crossbowmen, LOST the combat, and BOTH will have to take a cohesion test.

If this pattern continued, they may both break on the same turn and flee from each other???

Is this right???

Yes both BG could break at the same time and the spearmen may pursue the routing Mongols

You need the close combat section.

Deciding how many dice to roll (melee phase):

"All bases whose front edge is in contact with enemy fight.
 An overlap fights against the same enemy base as the friendly base for which it provides an overlap. If able to provide an overlap on either side, its own player chooses which enemy base it fights."

Then, Scoring Hits, Points of Advantage:

"When in close combat, compare the overall POAs of opposing bases and take the difference as the net result."

I've read the combat mechanism 3 times, and I can't find it. Can anyone help?

Graham's last answer is found in the 5 bullets on page 92. And, the last bullet specifies that you always fight the base in contract to your front.