Art De La Guerre

[Ballista]

I recall reading something recently (can't remember where hence this question) about the placement of units in ambush

Basically it was that any unit type could be placed in ambush, even if it was then outside its normal deployment zone.

EG - as the defender able to ambush up to halfway across the table -

P77 Placing Ambushes

First bullet point is for either player

Second bullet point covers defenders only

From what I had read the implication was that the defender could put a unit of say medium infantry in ambush further than 5UD from their table edge.

Is this correct or was I misreading or imagining (!!) what I was reading, it was late at night, and this idea seems to go against the diagram on P77

[SteveR]

Yes. Any defending troop type can be placed in the area shown in the diagram on page 77 as the "defender ambush zone" which means in the side sectors all the way up to the midpoint.

Provided they comply with the next bullets 3 and 4 of course.

It was this way in V3 also by the way. The only V4 change is the additional 2UD of placement for light troops by the invaders in all, and the defender in the center sector.

[Mike Bennett]

[SteveR]

You're right about that Mike - thanks for the clarification!

[Ballista]

Now I'm confused - which is it ?

Any troop type able to be placed more than 5UD from table base line by defender provided they are in zone allowed for defender ambushes ?

Or only light troops greater than 5UD ?

Comments seem to say yes and no

[Hazelbark]

[Hazelbark]

[Ballista]

So on flank sector the defender is able to ambush up to 10UD in.

So are they able to place a unit of medium infantry/heavy cavalry (whatever as long as not light troops) say 8UD in and completely in the flank sector ?

Or at this distance in is it only light troops ?

That's the part I'm having difficulty with (have never thought about ambushing heavier troops that far forward before - always thought it wasn't allowed)

[Zoltan]

[Ballista]

So it is legal then for say units of medium infantry (or heavy cavalry) or whatever troop type to be deployed in ambush in the flank sectors by the defender up to 10 UD in from table base line

Just never considered that as an option before, until the article I read the other night.

[Zoltan]

[Hazelbark]

[Ballista]

Further to original question (which has been answered most satisfactory now)

Do ambushing units have to be in command ?

Are you allowed to now overlap commands involving ambushes ?

ie Units from command A in ambush, then command B deployed adjacent, then command A deployed

(so there is another command between ambushing units and the remainder of their command)

[lionelrus]

no and no.
_________________
"Quand on a pas de technique, faut y aller à la zob"
Perceval à Yvain et Gauvain.

[SteveR]

Since we are plumbing the issue...

Page 78 says that all units must be deployed in command unless they are in ambush.

Page 77 says that a commander who is not the CinC may be included in an ambush.

So if a commander is included in the ambush does the rest of his command have to deploy such that they are in command?

If yes, given that we do not necessarily know exactly where he will be placed on the table do we have to remember where all of his command started or should they deploy within command distance of the marker?