Art De La Guerre

[harryKonst]

A unit A counts as a simple support for two friendly units B and C (left and right of it).The B and C are already in melee with one enemy unit each, and A in the middle is a simple support. Another unit D who is enemy to A,B,C declares a charge on A, but A is an evader and evades.What happens to D then? Does it have to throw 1D6 to adjust its movement? The evader might ended its movement at a distance that could be caught by the charger, if he was allowed to enter the one unit gap between the enemies, slide along their flank edges and contact the evader. But is this possible according the rules? And if the answer is YES, does it make any difference whether the charger is a impetuous unit (lets say a Knight, or a Cavalry), or not?

[Ramses II]

A complex question, so a complex answer. 

D charges A, so must be some distance behind his friends which are already in melee with B and C. We are also assuming that that D’s charge is perpendicular to the line of units in melee. 

So the process goes as follows 

1. D declares a charge on A, which evades (throwing for an adjusted move).
   
2. Because ‘all the targets’ have evaded, BPT 6 (P43) kicks in. D throws an adjusted move (moving at least its minimum distance) but may choose to stop earlier in Simple support when it comes into contact with B and C. 
   
3. Because B and C are both in melee, D may continue to move through the gap between these units and on into contact with the evading A, assuming it has sufficient movement allowance.  (See  Sliding along the enemy P41 1st BPT, and first example.)

[Mike Bennett]

[Ramses II]

Understood Mike. 

Normally a unit has to stop when it contacts an enemy, even by a corner (Contacting an enemy p41). So if a group of two units charge and contact a single enemy unit, they both have to stop.

However, if one unit charges and conforms, and then a second charge is declared, this unit may “slide along” the first enemy unit because it is now in melee. This is the position in the first bullet and in the diagram beneath (A2 charging B2).

[harryKonst]

So, Ramses II, as I understand by your reply, if the charger is impetuous he has either to stop at FIRST point of contact with enemy, or move the whole move, enter the gap and finish on the other side even if he doesn't catch the evader, and if he is non-impetuous can stop wherever he likes after he has moved at least 2 UD, or stop at ANY point of contact with enemy.Correct? (Because I'm thinking the possibility that, an impetuous charger, IF he can't catch the target, HAS to stop at first point of contact with the other enemy, so not entering the gap, but he can ONLY enter the gap in case of contacting the charger. Let me know on that detail)
By the way, Mike Bennett is right for asking about bullet 7 on paragraph 6 of page 43. That sentence about stopping upon meeting an enemy unit in all cases, is confusing as written (maybe the phrase 'in all cases' is redundant). It needs some more explanation about the ability of sliding along enemy edges during a charge even against an evader (although, to be honest, the text refers to page 41, and that's why I started searching the rule in the first place).Thank you for the reply.

[Ramses II]

I agree with you that P43 is not entirely clear in that respect.  If the charger is regular it may stop at the minimum distance, in simple support or slide past B and C (which are both in melee) stopping at any point up to its adjusted movement allowance.

If the charger is impetuous, it is not entirely under the players control and may not behave exactly as intended. Therefore, I suggest that it has to stop when it makes contact, staying in the gap in simple support, but I am not entirely sure on this. 

I base this suggestion on the impetuous unit making an uncontrolled charge P45. Resolution of an uncontrolled charges 6th bpt says

[harryKonst]

Whatever the DT will decide on that matter is acceptable. I just make a suggestion for some thought. The impetuous Knights that make a charge under order, those who charge not uncontrolled but by paying at least 1 CP, shouldn't behave much differently from the non-impetuous on the aspect of effectiveness on the battleground. Yes, they will enter a whole UD if they destroy the enemy, yes they will advance full move when charging, but they should be the same dangerous for the enemy as the regulars. If they (the regulars) can enter a gap and contact the enemy on the other side, they should also be able to do it. At he end of the day, an evader behind a one unit gap shouldn't be 100% safe when is charged by impetuous enemies but not safe when they are non-impetuous. Of course I might be wrong, in any case the final decision belongs to the DT.