Slitherine

If a battlegroup or battleline wishes to move sideways & keep its same formation & facing. Can they expand two bases sideways? (using expansion rules) or does the whole battlegroup/line have to turn 90 degrees, move in that direction & then turn 90 degrees back to original facing? (& probably spend a couple of turns doing this!)

We are relative newcomers to the FoG system & wish to find out more.

Nick & Matt

You can't shift sideways as part of an expansion. The front rank of an expanding BG must stay stationary (implicit from only rear ranks moving in the expansion - p.46).

There is a free shift sideways available as a move outside 6MU of enemy and if there has been a full move straight forwards (p.45 first bullet).

A Battleline cannot expand (p.41 - restricted to advances).

You can turn, advance and turn (as you siggest), though depending on the troop types one or more CMTs may be required.

Often it is easier to wheel, advance and wheel back (if the enemy lets you).

I hope that helps. It is the sort of thing that a few figures on a table and 5 minutes discussion would make a lot easier .

Paul

The only troops that can effectively move 'sideways' without advancing are skirmishers (it is easy for light horse) and cavalry.

Light horse in a 2 by 2 formation can turn 90 degrees then move a bit and then wheel 90 degrees back to their initial facing. This will effectively move a BG of light horse about 2 base widths sideways. It uses the "Turn 90 and make a simple advance" maneuver.

Cavalry can do the same but need to pass a CMT to turn and move and as their move is less than the light horse they can't move as far.

Infantry in a coulmn could expand in one turn and then contract in the next but this would only be possible if the infantry were drilled.

Starting like this:

A
A
A
A
A
A

They expand to this:

AAA
AAA

Then in the next turn they contract to this (which needs a CMT as contracting without an advance is a complex move for drilled troops)

__A
__A
__A
__A
__A
__A

If your move is entirely outside 6MU of the enemy a BG can slide one base sideways as long as it makes a full move forwards.

Check out the general maneuver rules. They include a number of diagrams and should be able to answer some of your questions.

My Geometric Greeks worked it out as

2 deep to start,
Using Imperial (1 inch) MUs, LH in 2x2 can turn, remaining 2x2, move 64.6mm and then wheel 90 degrees.
Using metric (25mm) MUs, they can turn, move 61.9mm and then wheel 90 degrees.

2 deep to start, and subject to CMT,
Imperial Cavalry can move 13.9mm and Metric Cavalry 11.9mm before the wheel.