Art De La Guerre

[AlanCutner]

A query arose at Sgian-Dubh. I'm interested in more views on it.

A group charges the front of an enemy group. They are not quite aligned so the charging group has to slide about 1cm to conform, but cannot due to other troops in combat.

1, The charging group conforms as much as it can, and then fights as if conformed. We ruled that a unit at the end of the group still counted as a support even though in slight front edge contact with enemy rather than corner contact, ie counted as if the group had conformed.

2. One of the defending units was destroyed in first round of combat. Could the charging unit pursue? It doesn't have an element wide gap in front of it because of the failure to conform, but does that matter in this case?

We know the defenders conform on their turn, so no issue there (I hope).

[Commodore]

1- YES
2- YES
_________________
"Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead"
Cdr Farragut,Mobile 1864

[Hazelbark]

Interesting
1. Yes without question
2. Hmmmm.

My instinct would have been no. I presume the Commodore is using the "fight as if conformed" to achieve that. In principle I don't mind that. But I think it should be examined.

Commodore note this is going to have all sort of consequences. The defender will conform, but this will mean that some units can't conform and other will conform and break contact. Unless you are gong to start displacing the unit that pursued.

[AlanCutner]

So no clear view on whether a pursuit is possible?

[Hazelbark]

[Ramses II]

This is contentious because it conflates two different principles; physical distance on the table, and game mechanics.

Furthermore, Conformation under these circumstances is protracted over some game time during which events (pursuit, evades etc can possibly occur) hence the query, which I agree is not entirely clear. 

However, I do agree with Commodore that if Conformation is intended to allow the units the “space” to fight in, according to the same principle it ought to allow the space for these other activities - but I also agree with Hazelbark that we will need to consider the ramifications here. I will pass on these thoughts to the TB. 

[AlanCutner]

Thanks for those answers. Until a final decision is made I'll suggest to my club that we don't allow a pursuit as thats the option that creates fewest problems.

[Snowhitsky]

For me it's covered by the penultimate paragraph of "puesuit" on p39. A new enemy is contacted as technically it was vin overlap. It is also the solution that creates the fewest headaches.

[Hazelbark]

So ironically this EXACT situation came up in a friendly this weekend. 3 impetuous cav hit three of my units. They could not conform because terrain. So we fought off center. The center cav killed its target and we pursued to comply with Commodore.

Exactly the problem arose that a unit that was supported after pursuit would have its foe conform away.

In this case the conforming on the other side pushed the pursuing unit back into support when it conformed.

So it all worked out.

[lionelrus]

I'ts exactly the reason El Kreator creates (again) the technical board: answering this sorts of questions.
_________________
"Quand on a pas de technique, faut y aller à la zob"
Perceval à Yvain et Gauvain.

[Hazelbark]