Slitherine

OK, I've played many many games now and would have thought that I'd have figured out ZOC by now, but apparently not... I've got a game going on now in which the enemy hoplite unit highlighted in blue was facing my scutarii unit highlighted in red. I thought that the hoplite should have been ZOC-locked and unable to change facing, but during his turn he changed facing to the direction shown in the screenshot. How?

I think it's because your unit with a general threatened its flank. That allowed it to change facing to prevent that flank attack.

I see your point but suggest watching this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEK7W1AfdzE&t=557s The Hoplite unit is not ZOC locked as regards the unit that is ZOCing it - so it can turn towards your scutarii unit. H'mm but it turned away from your scutarii - I surmise that it was able to do that as it didn't have to cross another ZOC to do that. The latter is standing at an angle, and angled units are tricky to work out as far as ZOCs go. Possibly pressing "G" to see the grid might help. another way of looking at it, is that primary ZOCs prevent charges, but not necessarily movement.

• 12.12.2. Effect of enemy ZOCs on Permitted Charges
• An enemy unit which is directly facing a square has a primary ZOC
(Zone of Control) into that square.
• A unit that is in the primary ZOC of an enemy unit (marked in red)
cannot charge a different enemy unit unless it is also in the
primary ZOC of that unit.
• This restriction also applies if the charge path passes through a
(primary) ZOCd square.

Non-light troops ignore the ZOC of enemy light troops.
Sometimes, when the default charge path chosen by the
program passes through a ZOCd square, the charge may still be
possible by moving the unit to a different intermediate square
first. ZOC restrictions apply equally to player and Al units.
Page 129: A unit exerts a zone of control on the three
tiles in front of it. Units that enter these tiles must stop.
A unit engaged in close combat does not exert a zone of
control anymore.
A Phalanx in square formation also does not have a ZOC.
• Secondary ZOCs prevent movement into an empty square beyond.
They don't prevent charges into an adjacent square, but would
prevent charges on units further away.
Their main purpose is to prevent units from slipping through kinks
in the enemy line too easily.

hidde wrote: ↑Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:08 pm I think it's because your unit with a general threatened its flank. That allowed it to change facing to prevent that flank attack.

hidde is correct.

From the Manual:

12.4.4. Other Restrictions
Turns are also restricted by enemy proximity. A unit that is in the primary ZOC
of an enemy unit (marked in red) cannot turn except to reduce the threat of
a flank charge or face another enemy unit in whose primary ZOC it is. Note
however, that non-light troops ignore the ZOCs of enemy light troops.

ZOC restrictions apply equally to player and AI units

I didn't know about that turn restriction thing, thankyou!!!

thanks, was not aware of the "threatened flank" exception to ZOC-locks...seems to defeat the purpose but good to know in any event.

76mm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:23 am thanks, was not aware of the "threatened flank" exception to ZOC-locks...seems to defeat the purpose but good to know in any event.

I guess its to simulate that a while unit may not willingly turn away from its most immediate threat, once the danger of being flanked comes into play, the unit commander will configure its posture to meet as many threats as possible.

76mm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:23 am thanks, was not aware of the "threatened flank" exception to ZOC-locks...seems to defeat the purpose but good to know in any event.

The main purpose of primary ZOCs is to allow you to place units to protect your units' flanks, not to allow the enemy to make it impossible for you to protect your flanks!