Art De La Guerre

[KevinD]

Suppose there is a group of 1 HI and 1 LI who wish to slide over 1 UD and charge an enemy LMI in the front. Before conformation, the HI barely aligns with part of the LMI’s front but the LI aligns with most of the LMI’s front. The HI, having made contact in the charge now slides over to conform to the LMI’s front, shifting the LI over so it remains in position to give support.

Is the LI contacting the front of the LMI legal if it will conform into a simple support position or not?

Before Conformation

LILIHIHI
..LMI

I think p 42 (1st bullet under Light Infantry) allows this. Is this correct? Or do the conformation rules on p 50 prohibit this as the LI

[Mark G Fry]

My 'take' on this (for what it is worth) is that I don't think the LF can declare a charge on the LMI in the open and they must declare a charge, as they cannot just 'tag-along' in the charge with their HF.

Also, if the LF would end up with more of their front edge base in contact with the LMI, at the point of contact, than the HF, then the LF cannot charge anyway, as the group (the LF & HF) would need to align so that the LF is the primary melee unit, and the HF is in support. Again, this is because the LF cannot charge the LMI in the open (as they will be automatically dispersed in the open) as the LMI is not already in melee.

I suspect that the same would also apply, even if the HF had the majority of the LMIs front base edge against its front base edge, as the LF are in effect declaring a charge on a heavier unit in the open and they are not allowed to do that (unless the enemy unit is already in combat and even then I am not sure they are able to make a frontal charge in that situation).

But we are starting to 'dance on a lot of pin heads' here
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'He could have lived a risk-free, moneyed life, but he preferred to whittle away his fortune on warfare.' Xenophon, The Anabasis

[Zoltan]

Based on the OP it appears that:

1. both the HI and LI simultaneously enter the LMI target's ZoC
2. both the HI and the LI simultaneously contact the LMI target
3. the LI is in contact with the largest part of the LMI target's front edge

P.42 bullet 1 permits LI to contact heavier troops if, after conformation, they would be in a support position (pedants like me would probably add a comma after the word "camp"). So my view is that the correct game play is to fully conform the HI to the target and slide the LI sideways to a simple support position.

If something blocked the LI sliding into a simple support position I can see three options:
1. either it would have to be shifted backwards (and not occupy a simple support position), or
2. an incomplete conformation melee would initially be fought (with the HI as main unit, albeit barely in contact with the LMI target's front edge), or
3. possibly the LI would be prevented from charging (because it was obvious that it could not slide into simple support)

[Andy Fyfe]

[Mike Bennett]

[Ramses II]

The LI may not charge, or be in a group that charges, such that the LI end up in melee with a heavier enemy. 
However, the HI may charge first and then the LI could be moved into a support position. 

[Neep]

I find myself in agreement with Zoltan.
I would have bet the LI, being in contact with majority of the enemy front edge, would have to conform to it, but there does not appear to be a rule saying so.

[Ramses II]

Guys, the initial charge is illegal (see p42 Contact Restriction's) In the OP, the LI will be forced to conform with the MTE (the LMI) - see p42, which refers back to p35. 

[Zoltan]

[Ramses II]

Understood Zoltan (and others). The rules on MTE are written from the perspective of a single unit moving into the ZoC of multiple units, but there is apparently no rule covering the reverse situation. 
If the charging group is moving at an angle to the  target unit there is no problem. But here the units contact simultaneously. 
I will check with the DT

[Dickstick]

Neep try reading p50 right column first bullet point.
First to enter zoc.

More usually, same page left column second bullet point.
Most threatening enemy see (p35)
P35 last but one bullet point.
Zoc covers the largest part of the unit's front.

Hope these help
_________________
Player 747 don't call me Jumbo

[Neep]

It's a clever case.
It depends upon the LMI being isolated on each side, and the HI being close enough to be in charge range* but outside of the 1UD ZoC. And aligned, but that's pretty usual.
I think it could be prevented if the bullet at the top of page 50 said that in case of simultaneous entry, the unit with the most frontage conforms. This wouldn't handle diagonal entry (at the corner), but that's not really a problem.

* It took me a while to figure out Charge Range - how could a unit which can hit a target be out of MA range at the start? Well you can slide 1UD free, then advance your full MA and catch only part of a target. The diagonal distance at the start will exceed the MA.

[lionelrus]

[Neep]

Perhaps a visit to BoardGameGeeks is in order. Any rule set this detailed and thick is bound to raise questions. The more popular the more eyes the more questions. Nothing "embarrassing" about success. Those that volunteer to provide answers should be gratified they have a purpose.

[KevinD]