Art De La Guerre

[Muntaner]

Had a situation come up in our game that we couldn't answer. Here's a picture of where things started:



Units 1-4 are all Heavy Cavalry Bow (Sassanids)

The bottom units are (Seleucids):
A: Cataphracts
B: Cataphracts
C: Thorakitai
D: Elephant

To the left is a coastline, with the green bit being the beginning of the impassible terrain. The Sassanid player has moved up so that his cavalry is right against the impassible terrain.

The Seleucid player has moved up so that units A-D are in a straight line, even with each other. However, Unit C is not in front of Unit 3 (this is important).


On his turn, the Sassanid player wishes to charge Units 1, 2, and 3 (as a group) into Units A and B. Because of the coastline, he cannot conform to the left. However if he conforms to the right this happens:



Because of conforming, Unit 3 is now in contact with Unit C (with unit D providing overlap). What happens? Does this mean that Unit 3 is charging Unit C (even though he wasn't in front) because:

Unit 1 contacts the front of Unit A
Unit 2 contacts the front of Unit B
Unit 3 contacts the corner of Unit C (as in the FAQ)

and then everyone conforms to the picture above.


Or is this a case of Illegal Contact and thus the unit is unable to conform, which means they end like this:


(Note, due to some bumping and/or camera angle, Unit 3 appears to be past unit the front corner of Unit C. This was not the case.)

We looked in the rulebook and illegal contact really only talks about when a unit like LI contacts someone it shouldn't. It doesn't mention this situation.

If Units 1-3 don't conform, then which unit is in contact with Units A & B? Which is providing support?

[Hazelbark]

[Muntaner]

A follow up: what would happen if Units C & D are like 2mm to the right? Therefore Unit 3 couldn't touch their corner as part of the charge. Does Unit 3 still charge Unit C, by essentially "conforming into contact" with them?

[footslogger]

[Hazelbark]

It functionally has as that is how you fight. I was thinking of the unable to conform diagram, but I think you are right it may do that. Need to rescan the rules as something somewhere on maintaining a group. But I don't have them here.

[footslogger]

[Muntaner]

[Muntaner]

Bumping this topic.

Does anyone have any idea as to the answer? Has this come up among our French comrades?

[Ramses II]

In answer to the original question, units are required to Conform to the enemy with the greatest frontage in contact. It is difficult to see from your picture, but IMO there are three possible outcomes to your situation.

Situation #1 - Conforming 'Left'
Where unit 2 has more frontage with enemy unit A, the group would normally conform left (into the river). In this case they should be left as they are (your third picture), since they are not permitted to end up in the river - this is 'unable to conform' scenario
The following combats then take place
- Unit 2 fights unit A (with support from unit 1),
- Unit 3 would fight unit B.

Here the question is whether Unit C lends support to unit B if it remains in contact with the enemy. On balance I suggest this is probably the case, but would need confirmation.

Situation #2 - Conforming 'Right'
Where Unit 1 has greatest frontage with unit A, the group would conform right (your second picture).

This raises the question whether conforming under these conditions forces combat (between units 3 and C), especially as it is often difficult to ensure that the various units are exactly aligned. For example, if units C and D are slightly ahead of their friends with enough space to allow unit 3 to contact B, then Units C and D would be displaced right (away from the river). However if they are slightly behind or at a slight angle, then C would not be contacted at all. Either way there would not be a combat at this point.

Personally, because of these alignment issues, I would suggest that conforming does not force a combat, but again I would need confirmation from others.

Situation #3 - Unit C is slightly ahead of B and < 12 U from the river
Here Unit #3 would hit unit C first, stop, and be forced to conform right with unit C and into contact with unit D. Units 1 & 2 could continue their charge into Units 1 & 2, and then conform separately depending on the frontages contacted as above.

Finally, if a combat between 3 and C is deemed to take place under situation #2 above, you should note that

1. Unit D does not provide support as it is not in contact with unit 3, and thus the elephant only affects their own cavalry (unit C) by being in contact with it.
   
   
2. Assuming that Unit C survives, in the following turn it must conform on unit 3 and, since it is part of a group, it can drag unit D (the elephant) with it.