Art De La Guerre

[Hazelbark]

A friendly LI is in combat from a previous turn with an enemy Elephant. An enemy HC comes up to support the elephant.

The HC is now touching the LI corner to corner.
Is the LI destroyed?

[Soranon]

I hasked the question there :

http://www.artdelaguerre.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4320

We didn't agree about what happen in this case. We're waiting for "Divine help".

We must wait El Creator

[Ramses II]

Has this question been resolved yet?

As far as I understand it, the situation arises where some Light infantry get into a melee with an enemy elephant in the open, and are then contacted by a heavier enemy unit (these could have been moved up to support the elephant, or just charge the LI in the flank).

In summary, the LI are entitled to fight the enemy elephant in the open, but not other enemy units. Indeed, it has been suggested that the elephant might even engage the LI deliberately in order to pin them and then destroy them with the other units.

Various options have been discussed in the French Forum but no conclusion seems to have been reached as yet.

If we were to extend the situation for a moment, we can imagine three elite LI Javelin units charging an elephant in the open. At a net +2, the LI might reasonably expect to win the melee, though possibly not to destroy the elephant.
In reply, the enemy now move up two Infantry (or cavalry) units on either flank of the Elephant. P37 suggests that the supporting LI may not evade, so are automatically destroyed (p52), and even if it is allowed to continue fighting, the third LI is likely to be doomed as it is now at a significant disadvantage.

Does this example help support the suggestion that all the LI should be destroyed when contacted by heavier troops in the open, including those that are frontally engaging the Elephant?

[Ramses II]

On a related note, what happens to LI that remain in contact with an enemy that would destroy it after a neighbouring friendly unit is routed? P52 2nd para suggests that the LI must be moved back 1U to break contact, unless this is blocked by another enemy unit. But what happens where the LI movement is restricted by friendly units?

[Hazelbark]

This has been answered in latest FAQ I believe.

[Ramses II]

Could you expand on which question you believe has been answered. Thanks

[Hazelbark]

[Ramses II]

Ok thanks,
So the LI in melee with the Elephants are not automatically destroyed by the corner contact with something else (though are likely doomed anyway), while the LI moving away that are constrained by friends simply pass through them to the far side.