Art De La Guerre

[Andy Fyfe]

Hi Guys,

I have a unit in melee and I have another unit positioned less than 1 UD away on the flank of the enemy that I am in melee with.

1. Is the movement to melee support free or does it cost 1 CP?

I believe it costs 1 CP as it is not a charge and therefore not a 'spontaneous charge'.

After the new unit hits the enemy in the flank my original unit in melee disengages.

2. My unit which was in melee support is now in melee. Does it count the 'First round of melee' abilities (impact, javelin, furious charge etc.)?

p63 First round of a melee
These abilities are only effective during the first round of a melee if the unit charges or is charged by an enemy on its front edge. If the combat takes place after a conformation of an existing contact or after a pursuit, these special abilities do not apply.

The unit did not charge so do the first round of melee abilities apply?

[KevinD]

1. Free. P 44

“When a unit is very close to the enemy it can decide to charge OR CONTACT the enemy without any orders. In this case it is a spontaneous charge.

* A spontaneous charge is possible when a unit has an enemy in its zone of control.”

Note that a spontaneous charge is defined as a charge or contact.

2. I think it does not counts as a charge. P 42, 6th bullet “Contacting an enemy already in melee to support a friendly unit is not a charge but a movement.” If you want to count as a charge you must disengage first. If you look only at P 63 it’s unclear but P 42 makes clear it doesn’t count as a charge.

Thus, some “Spontaneous charges” are charges and others are simply contacts.

[Andy Fyfe]

[SteveR]

So don't think of this as definitive, but Dan H and I asked Herve question #2 several years ago in Lisbon and his answer was that it did count as a charge with the usual first round factors taking effect.

Personally, I disagreed with him and thought he got the rule wrong for the reasons you cite but I was too polite to mention it.

The real answer may have changed since then, and he was speaking off the cuff but there you are.

[Neep]

Have to agree with Steve. It is not a charge at the time of contact, and it's clear from p. 63 that that is necessary.
(Yet another reason to keep things formal.-)

[Ramses II]

[SteveR]

[Ramses II]

No problem Steve. 
I was presenting an alternative scenario which would fit Hervé’s ruling. It is just possible that there was a misunderstanding somewhere.