Slitherine

First question--It seems to me that the rules tell me that my troops can choose to stand halted or move partial moves forward as long as they are more than 6MUs from the enemy--but that once we're within hailing distance, the lads have to test on the CMT or move forward their full move. (Leaving aside skirmishers and the like)Is that an accurate statement?

Second: It seems to me, and I'm a newbie, that my 6 base Armoured Lancers had better start the battle in a single rank if I ever want them to adopt that formation, because, as best I can tell, there's no legal way of getting from 3x2 to 6x1 (or from 2x3 to 6x1, for that matter). Am I mis-reading? It just seems odd, as a 4 base unit has no problems. (To clarify, it seems to me the rules say I can't spend a turn with 5 bases in the front rank and one base in the rear rank, or with four in front and two in back--so I'm stuck).

Thanks! recognizing that I may be reading in to something that is not as I expect...

First
You never have to move - the only compulsory moves are shock troups that fail a CMT to not charge, and required evades and routs.
You only have to make a CMT to "advance" if all of the following applies:
* you are moving a BG containing "other" undrilled troups - i.e. not skirmishers, light chariots or cavalry, AND
* you are moving less than the full movement, or are wheeling, AND
* you don't have a commander the BG, AND
* some part of the BG is within 6 MU of the enemy at any point of the move.
If the move you want to make is a difficult advance, and you fail the CMT you can then choose to not move, or to move straight forward the BG's full move if that is possible.


Second
You have missed the exception that allows the last rank to have less bases than the others, so your BG can be 5 wide with 1 in the rear, or 4 wide with 2 in the rear (p23 2nd sentence.)

Undrilled troops have less flexibility in terms of maneuver. Once you are near the enemy you might want to move forwards a bit or wheel slightly or any other 'clever' move. Drilled troops are fine about this, undrilled troops will be able to do so if they have a general with them, undrilled troops will advance, anything more complex than you lot go and attack them is considered to be difficult for such troops.

You can always stand still (unless you are shock troops in charge range) but if for example you want to advance your peasant archer so they are just in effective archery range but not to go too close to those nasty enemy cavalry on the left it is a bit more complex and that is represented by the CMT to move short (which only applies to undrilled non cavalry or skirmishers anyway).

Kineas1 wrote:(To clarify, it seems to me the rules say I can't spend a turn with 5 bases in the front rank and one base in the rear rank, or with four in front and two in back--so I'm stuck).

These are both legal formations, and the 2nd is actually shown as one of the example of permitted formations in the diagram on page 23.

Don't get hung up on the word "rectangle" - it was really only used to distinguish from a curved or wavy line, circle, triangle or other strange formation.

Thanks to all. I see what I missed in each instance...

I got hung up on the word rectangle too, but now think of it as contracting or expanding my formation to or from a column to or from a line and anything in between. It just takes more time the more troops you have.

Yes but there is often merit therefore in deploying 4 wide with 2 at the back. Soaks up casualties anyway and you can expand in 1 go then.

Si

hammy wrote:You can always stand still (unless you are shock troops in charge range)

But then if you charge you can always wheel (within limits), no?

rtaylor wrote:

hammy wrote:You can always stand still (unless you are shock troops in charge range)

But then if you charge you can always wheel (within limits), no?

The rules are different.

You can always wheel - provided it doesn't result in contacting less bases.

rtaylor wrote:

hammy wrote:You can always stand still (unless you are shock troops in charge range)

But then if you charge you can always wheel (within limits), no?

Pretty much,

A declared charge can include a wheel as long as the wheel doesn't result in less bases contacting the enemy than a charge with no wheel.

A forced charge (as the result of a failed CMT not to charge by shock troops) has to be straight ahead.

hammy wrote:

rtaylor wrote:

hammy wrote:You can always stand still (unless you are shock troops in charge range)

But then if you charge you can always wheel (within limits), no?

Pretty much,

A declared charge can include a wheel as long as the wheel doesn't result in less bases contacting the enemy than a charge with no wheel.

A forced charge (as the result of a failed CMT not to charge by shock troops) has to be straight ahead.

No -
If they can contact enemy without passing through friends then they must do so even if this requires wheeling or dropping back bases - end of p58.
It must be to contact all potential targets, or if that is not possible the one(s) nearest to straight ahead - end of p59.

sagji wrote:

hammy wrote:

rtaylor wrote: But then if you charge you can always wheel (within limits), no?

Pretty much,

A declared charge can include a wheel as long as the wheel doesn't result in less bases contacting the enemy than a charge with no wheel.

A forced charge (as the result of a failed CMT not to charge by shock troops) has to be straight ahead.

No -
If they can contact enemy without passing through friends then they must do so even if this requires wheeling or dropping back bases - end of p58.
It must be to contact all potential targets, or if that is not possible the one(s) nearest to straight ahead - end of p59.

Good point Alan, I am not sure why I said that.

What I think I should have said is that you cannot choose the direction of a forced charge, the troops will effectively decide for you according to the priorities in the rules.