Art De La Guerre

[Ballista]

This topic has probably been posted already, couldn't find it though.

Are u able to do an extension/contraction at the start of a charge?

Yes/No?

Reference/reasoning?

[lionelrus]

Yes
read the f...ing book.
_________________
"Quand on a pas de technique, faut y aller à la zob"
Perceval à Yvain et Gauvain.

[Andy Fyfe]

Yes; page 43, section 4, last bullet point.

[Hazelbark]

[lionelrus]

[Ballista]

[Hazelbark]

[Neep]

Surely "f...ing" means "frenching" in Lionel's endearing Franglish.

[lionelrus]

[Neep]

On a more serious note, I, like Ballista, remember this rug being beaten briskly. As I recall, the conclusion was that an extension or contraction maneuver was the whole enchilada as it was restricted to a straight ahead advance (plus a wheel in the case of a contraction) and therefore bullet five was allowing either as the entirety of charge movement.

Although I wouldn't call this obvious. And a contraction with a wheel seems it might be open to exploitation.

[SteveR]

I had always read that bullet literally.

In that if an expansion brings units into contact it counts as a charge. Or if a contraction (which is performed by moving straight ahead per page) brings that front unit into contact it is a charge.

I would not have expected that a unit could contract or expand and then wheel or charge because of the first bullet.

Given Lionel's emphatic response am I being too restrictive? One may expand, optionally wheel, then charge?

[matthieu]

extension or contraction before charging ok. But in my opinion no associated wheel because of the 4th bullet of the extension chapter and the movement first for contraction... to check with the rule specialists

[Mike Bennett]

[SteveR]

I remain unconvinced


What I *thought* bullet 5 covered was the situation where the lead unit in a column was in combat. A unit in melee may still perform an extension when the lead unit is in combat (see page 33)

So if the lead unit remains stationary and is in melee subsequent ranks may expand out, and if they make contact with enemy, then it is considered a charge. Per the 5th bullet of page 43.

A direct reading of bullet 5 is the "maneuver that brings the front of one or more units into contact with the enemy" is considered to be a charge.

It does not say that a group may expand (or contract) and then perform a charge. Which seemed to me to be the original question as asked.

[Hazelbark]

A group may expand and then advance to contact or charge.

There was a v3 wording issue which resolved that may be in your memory banks.

There is nothing prohibiting a charge that includes an expansion. The restrictions bottom of p 33 apply as do other charge restrictions.

p 43 does not require the lead unit to be stationary.


Steve i do think you are thinking v3, which we fixed here in v4.