Slitherine

Does a Later Tercio always remain a tercio for all purposes (greater vulnerability to artillery, self-supporting etc) even if reduced by losses to a 2+4 pike and shot unit? I assume so, as an Early Tercio in certain circumstances becomes a Later Tercio "for the remainder of the game", but I noticed a game report saying that a BG was "no longer a tercio". Is there something tucked away in the rules that I've missed?

Three parts to this answer:

There are no circumstances where a Later Tercio ceases to be a Tercio. So it retains the capacity to self-support and shoot sideways even when reduced to six bases (or five if superior or four if elite).

The greater vulnerability to artillery is due to it being three bases deep, not to it being a Tercio, so when it's down to six or less bases the artillery will not get a + for shooting at it.

Can't speak for the game report, but was it referring to an Early Tercio?

Dave

Thanks, Dave. That's what I thought.

The + for artillery shooting always counts against a tercio, irrespective of whether any file is 3 ranks deep: it's "Battle troops which...are a tercio", as a separate bullet from the 3 ranks bit.

johngl wrote:The + for artillery shooting always counts against a tercio, irrespective of whether any file is 3 ranks deep: it's "Battle troops which...are a tercio", as a separate bullet from the 3 ranks bit.

Hah! Serves me right for not checking before writing.