Slitherine

Hello Rules designers and moderators etc...

We finished our first game and had a few questions about the rules (made some notes while we played). Bosporans vs Pyrrhos! I hope you can help us. Sorry if we missed anything obvious, I double checked it in the book first.

1. In the terrain set up portion of the game we ran into 2 circumstances where we could not legally place terrain according to the rolls made (such as other terrain in the way). What happens to those selections? Are they abandoned or rerolled or something else? We tossed them out, mostly because we were lazy.

2. Impact phase -- example: a Light foot unit is charged by 2 enemy units (one voluntary, one without orders) It choses to evade the first charger ... what does the second charger (the one without orders) do now that his target is no longer in charge range? We canceled his charge, but I'm skeptical about this now.

3. Impact Phase -- example: a heavy foot "axe dudes" unit charges both a pike phalanx (directly) and a cavalry group (by stepping forward). The "axe dudes" have 1.5 bases in contact with the pike, only 1 in contact with the cavalry. The pike (who had already had a very bad day) rout in the impact phase and break contact. This left the "axe dudes" in contact with the cavalry. When in the manouver phase the "axe dudes" are aligned with the cavalry they now have 2 bases in contact. They then choose to feed 1 more base into the melee from a 3rd rank (going from contact of only 1 to 3). We ruled this was unfortunate for the cavalry but correct ... were we right?

4. POA's -- example: if you have a + POA for being an elephant, and your enemy has a - POA for fighting in two directions, does that resolve the POA as ++ to -- ? It didn't seem to give that example in the book. I forget what we thought at the time.

What I noticed first was how hard it was to break old habits from previous games. Things are different in FoG. Shooting seemed much more important, and light infantry screens actually seem useful. The turn sequence is not at all what I'm used to.
I did enjoy it. And I'm looking forward to my next game.

All easy as you say

1. Discarded. Very important mechanic when using steppe armies and open spaces

2. Keeps charging but can wheel to try to contact the evaders - or stick to its original path. Once the CMT is failed for shock troops they have to charge and its just like any other charge

3. Yep sound correct. Their misfortune seems reasonable.

4. Yes its always work out individual POA then take the net difference, so a + playing a -- has a net ++ and its opponents a net --.

Have fun. The game is very different in feel to past sets and takes some getting sued to but most find it very fast moving fun and realsitic as a result.

Si

1. Discard

2. Make the charge I think as they had a target initially - but I'll be interested if there are counter views.

3. Sounds right to me.

4. Yes, it becomes ++ Vs -- as you suspect.

pezhetairoi wrote:Hello Rules designers and moderators etc...

We finished our first game and had a few questions about the rules (made some notes while we played). Bosporans vs Pyrrhos! I hope you can help us. Sorry if we missed anything obvious, I double checked it in the book first.

1. In the terrain set up portion of the game we ran into 2 circumstances where we could not legally place terrain according to the rolls made (such as other terrain in the way). What happens to those selections? Are they abandoned or rerolled or something else? We tossed them out, mostly because we were lazy.

If it can't be placed then it is not placed - though the rules don't say that.

2. Impact phase -- example: a Light foot unit is charged by 2 enemy units (one voluntary, one without orders) It choses to evade the first charger ... what does the second charger (the one without orders) do now that his target is no longer in charge range? We canceled his charge, but I'm skeptical about this now.

You can't evade one charger - your only options is to evade straight back, provided you aren't being charged from the flank or rear, OR to evade away from all chargers splitting the angle if multiple chargers. A charge is only cancelled if it is impossible to reach the orrigional position. Thus your BG that charged without orders should not have had it charge cancelled.

3. Impact Phase -- example: a heavy foot "axe dudes" unit charges both a pike phalanx (directly) and a cavalry group (by stepping forward). The "axe dudes" have 1.5 bases in contact with the pike, only 1 in contact with the cavalry. The pike (who had already had a very bad day) rout in the impact phase and break contact. This left the "axe dudes" in contact with the cavalry. When in the manouver phase the "axe dudes" are aligned with the cavalry they now have 2 bases in contact. They then choose to feed 1 more base into the melee from a 3rd rank (going from contact of only 1 to 3). We ruled this was unfortunate for the cavalry but correct ... were we right?

Provided the 1 base that contacted the cavalry was in contact with atleast as much of the 2nd base as of the first, it would then conform to the second, with the one that partially hit the pike in contact with the 1st cavalry and the one that fully contacted the pike as an overlap on the end. You can then feed in an extra file. If you conform to the 1st cavalry then you get file + an overlap plus an extra file fed in.

4. POA's -- example: if you have a + POA for being an elephant, and your enemy has a - POA for fighting in two directions, does that resolve the POA as ++ to -- ? It didn't seem to give that example in the book. I forget what we thought at the time.

You are correct - remember a + to you is also a - to them, and a - to them is also a + to you.

What I noticed first was how hard it was to break old habits from previous games. Things are different in FoG. Shooting seemed much more important, and light infantry screens actually seem useful. The turn sequence is not at all what I'm used to.
I did enjoy it. And I'm looking forward to my next game.

Thank you gentlemen.

Rapid replies, and they all agree with each other. A very good sign.