Noob question on support fire zonesed

[b20f08]

Hi
Played a game last night and a few issues came up. Even though my opponent pointed out the page and explained as best he could, i still struggle with the concept of support zones for a unit, and how that applies when determining flank support.
1) A support zone is adjacent to the front corners of a unit, correct? But not the rear?
2) How does it work when determining flank support? My opponent moved one of his units slightly forward in order to add flank support to his assaulted unit for combat. According to his explanation, using the rulebook for source, a supporting unit can enter an enemy's support unit to provide flank support to an attacked friendly unit. Firstly, this convoluted explanation is confusing. Is the supporting unit not already in flanking support just from being within the one base distance? What does being in an enemy unit's support zone have to do with it?
Logically, I found the whole thing confusing, even though I understood this is at bde level and not bn level.
If someone conversant with the rules thoroughly please explain this concept to me as it really irritates me, from a practical point of view. Thanks.

[KeefM]

The key is your unit being in his unit's support zone. There are other conditions that need to be met (infantry not supporting cavalry and the supporting unit being within a base width of the attacking unit as two examples) but these are spelled out in the rules.

Reasonably easy ?

[deadtorius]

For flank support you have to picture the support zone. The support zone is one base width to the side of a friendly unit, and extends 2 MU forwards from the front of the supporting units base. If there is an enemy within the support area, then you can claim flank support.

Unlike rear support flank support is determined by the position of the supporting unit and if there is an enemy within the support area then you can claim support dice.

If it helps any you should make up a template the same width as one of your bases and 2 MU deep. If there is a question place the template so it touches the front corner of the unit wanting to provide support. If an enemy unit falls under the template then they are in the support area of that friendly unit and flank support dice can be added.

Both sides can claim flank support, if they have an enemy within their respective support areas. You can only claim flank support once per flank, but a supporting unit can provide support to both its flanks.

Example Unit A is between two friendly units B & C. Units B & C are in combat. Unit A's support area is one base width and 2MU forwards of its front from both front corners. The enemy units fighting B & C are within unit A's support area so unit A can add support dice to both the combats for units B & C.

Another example: Unit A is between units B & C again. However the enemy attacking unit C has made contact with the far base of unit C. Unit A's support area covers the enemy fighting unit B, but does not cover the enemy fighting unit C. Unit B can claim flank support but unit C can not. Their enemy is not in unit A's support area.

Hope that helped clear it up and was not too confusing.

[deadtorius]

My opponent moved one of his units slightly forward in order to add flank support to his assaulted unit for combat. According to his explanation, using the rulebook for source, a supporting unit can enter an enemy's support unit to provide flank support to an attacked friendly unit.

Sorry missed that part of the question. I'm not sure where he got the whole I can move into a supporting position during your turn thing. You can only move units during your own turn. During his turn there is nothing to stop him from moving into the support area of any of your units.
He can Assault with a unit during his turn and then during the move phase move any of his units into a support position.
During your turn he does not voluntarily move units. You can move commanders during the command phase of either turn, otherwise the only way he can move during your turn is to rout, make an outcome move or move back to 3 MU. If you catch him in a support situation and he doesn't have any supporting troops, too bad. You get extra dice and he doesn't, fortunes of war and all that.

[deadtorius]

One thing I forgot to mention about support zones, in the latest amendments they have added that the support zone is also 2 MU to the front of your unit.

I ran into a situation once where I had a unit of Cossacks that were 13 MU away from the flank of a French unit. I frontally charged the French with a unit of Hussars and during the move phase moved the cossacks as far as I could directly to the flank of the French. As it turned out my Cossacks corner was on line with the front corner of my Hussars so the French claimed they were not in the support area of the Cossacks, had to be one base to the side and 2 MU as per the original rules. So the French were out of my support area. With the new ruling I could have claimed flank support as the French were within 2 MU of the front of my Cossacks. Its an odd situation that can arise if your troops are side by side but not facing in the same direction but still end up with a common enemy to each units front.