Slitherine

Are intercept chargers subject to the same rules as chargers when it comes to stepping forward, or do they only move their ZOI distance?

We had a situation where the intercept charge hit the enemy unit attempting to charge before it had moved. There was an enemy unit within 2MUs that it could step forward into. We played it that they do step forward into these enemy but weren't sure if this was right?

Intercepts only make contact if a legal flank or rear charge, cancelling the original (intercepted) charge. Otherwise they move into the path of the charge.

Where does it say that interceptors can only contact if into a flank or rear? Our situation was as follows:

ssss
xxxx

yyyy
zzzz

X is the enemy charger. Y is my unit. Z is my intercepting cav unit. S is a 2nd enemy unit. The distance from z to x is 3MUs. We played it that when z intercepts it will contact x before it moves and it could then step fwd into enemy unit s. Did we not play this correctly?

>Where does it say that interceptors can only contact if into a flank or rear?

In the rules

To be fair, I don't think the rules are entirely clear or explicit on this, but you'll notice the only mention of the interception contacting the enemy is when it is flank or rear, otherwise it talks about crossing the path of the charge, what the intercepters do if the original chargers then hit their flank, etc. So you can make an inference.

I don't know if there is anything about this in the FAQ, but the mechanics of exactly how interceptions occur in many different scenarios has been discussed down to the smallest detail in this forum many times. (For example, the oddity that if the intercepting BG moving straight ahead would contact the chargers flank, but it is not in a position where it could legally declare a flank charge, and it cannot get even the merest sliver of its fron corner in front of the enemy BG (i.e cannot "cross its path"), it cannot intercept.)

richafricanus wrote:Where does it say that interceptors can only contact if into a flank or rear? Our situation was as follows:

ssss
xxxx

yyyy
zzzz

X is the enemy charger. Y is my unit. Z is my intercepting cav unit. S is a 2nd enemy unit. The distance from z to x is 3MUs. We played it that when z intercepts it will contact x before it moves and it could then step fwd into enemy unit s. Did we not play this correctly?

Ah - this diagram didn't make any sense to me until I hit quote...the indentation is quite important

You played it wrong. zzzz should move forward as far as it can up to it's maximum intercept move (so 4MU if cav), but stopping a gnat's todger short of xxxx. xxx then charges into zzzz. The difference in point of impact is miniscule, but it means that ssss cannot find itself fighting an unwelcome combat, or having its own charge off in a different direction cancelled, as a result of its friends charging and triggering an interception opportunity.

Instead it is xxxx who may step forward into yyyy depending on exact positioning - the implication being that if yyyy is something you really want to keep out of combat, your intercepters cannot be too far behind it.

richafricanus wrote:Where does it say that interceptors can only contact if into a flank or rear?

The rules. The FAQ clarify it for V1, I don't think FAQ are done for V2 yet.

Okay thanks. Stupid question, but where can I get a copy of the FAQ?

You can get to the FAQ here

http://www.fieldofglory.com/

Ah! Thanks. Having read through them now I see the answers to this and various other questions I have had. Should probably have read this sooner, having been playing FOG since it first came out That's what comes from only following the forum intermittently. I wonder when a V 2update will come out, though most points covered in the FAQ remain relevant.

richafricanus wrote:I wonder when a V 2update will come out, though most points covered in the FAQ remain relevant.

I would hope not. I would hope that anything in the FAQ would now be expicitly covered in the V2 rules.

Polkovnik wrote:

richafricanus wrote:I wonder when a V 2update will come out, though most points covered in the FAQ remain relevant.

I would hope not. I would hope that anything in the FAQ would now be expicitly covered in the V2 rules.

Any bets?

Well the rule that intercept chargers stop short of their target exists only in the FAQ and this hasn't changed in V2.

See 9-13 - An Interception charge must "Cross the path of the charging battle group, stopping short of contacting it." This covers all interceptions that are not in the flank or rear.

richafricanus wrote:Well the rule that intercept chargers stop short of their target exists only in the FAQ and this hasn't changed in V2.

Kev wrote:"Cross the path of the charging battle group, stopping short of contacting it."

The FAQ is just there to reinforce points of rules. It was the same in V1. An interceptor got into the path of the charge but did not contact. (unless flank or rear)

Yep. so they have taken note of the fact the rule as written in v1 wasn't quite explicit enough and there was some potential for confusion as to what their intent was, so they have changed the wording slightly.

No doubt there will be a different FAQ for v2 as further points come up which are specific to the v2 rules and wording.

ShrubMiK wrote:

richafricanus wrote:Where does it say that interceptors can only contact if into a flank or rear? Our situation was as follows:

ssss
xxxx

yyyy
zzzz

X is the enemy charger. Y is my unit. Z is my intercepting cav unit. S is a 2nd enemy unit. The distance from z to x is 3MUs. We played it that when z intercepts it will contact x before it moves and it could then step fwd into enemy unit s. Did we not play this correctly?

Ah - this diagram didn't make any sense to me until I hit quote...the indentation is quite important

You played it wrong. zzzz should move forward as far as it can up to it's maximum intercept move (so 4MU if cav), but stopping a gnat's todger short of xxxx. xxx then charges into zzzz. The difference in point of impact is miniscule, but it means that ssss cannot find itself fighting an unwelcome combat, or having its own charge off in a different direction cancelled, as a result of its friends charging and triggering an interception opportunity.

Instead it is xxxx who may step forward into yyyy depending on exact positioning - the implication being that if yyyy is something you really want to keep out of combat, your intercepters cannot be too far behind it.

That's sort of right. But zzzz doesn't need to move forward to gnat's todger. All that it MUST do is cross the charge path - in this case it needs to be at least slightly further forward than yyyy. Up to the owner of zzzz where it finishes otherwise.

Really? Blimey, I need to re-read those rules, sounds like I and everybody I've faced have been playing under a misapprehension all this time

Although to be fair, I can only remember perhaps one occasion when it would have made a material difference.

It can be a help to intercept at a certain distance. Often, you want the enemy to be fighting both zzzz and yyyy. However you might want to protect yyyy (if they were fragged for example) or stop yyyy from being pinned so intercept a long way forward.