Art De La Guerre

[Three]

The situation is set out below
Impetuous HC facing down player A
Light Cavalry facing up player B
HC Impact facing up player B
Dashes are spaces.


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The distance between the LC and the HC impetuous is 1 UD
The distance between the LC and the HC behind them is 4 UDs. and they are slightly offset.

Player A charges the LC, who roll down. Player A rolls up. The LC turn and evade. The right hand 1 has enough movement to evade.
The left hand 1 does not, cannot get fully through and ends up sitting in front of it's own HC, and struck in the rear by the charging HC impetuous, who will be able to conform as a fighting unit and a supporting unit on each side by a small conformation movement to their left, right as you look at the page.

So far so simple. There are no issues with other units, ZoCs etc.

However, a discussion arose about what happens to Player A's right hand unit (left as you look at the page). Player A suggested that since it hasn't got a secondary target within charge range, and the evading LC who got away wasn't within his initial charge range, it should stop with the rest of the line and conform to maintain group integrity.

Player B suggested that it was a group charge against a group target who evaded, and since 1 of the evading group got away, the HC impetuous group is still pursuing the evaders, it's initial target, (even though the one who got away can't be caught) and should therefore continue it's full movement allowance of 5 UDs (4 and the variable roll of +1).

Relevant rule is page 43, section 8, 2nd bullet point.
The crux of the question is whether a group charge v a group evade is the way to think about this interaction or whether it's the individual units that charge, it's their relationship to the individual evading units that determines the outcome?
Opinion was split, there were eventually 5 of us involved in this discussion - what do the panel think?

[Zoltan]

I think the starting point is bullet 1 of S.8 on p.43:

"The units of a charging group who have not contacted an enemy...."

I read that as the test being applied to each and every unit of the charging group that has not made contact with the enemy.

[Mike Bennett]

How does the right hand LC have enough distance to evade? He does not slide around the HC behind him, he also needs to interpenetrate,

[Three]

[Three]

[Ramses II]

Step 8, 2nd bp says that impetuous units must continue a charge if there are other enemy in range. 

As described, the charging HC will stay in contact with the evading LC, but would be out of range of the static HC to their rear. If the units were closer, then one of those charging HC would have to continue into contact. 

[Hazelbark]

[Zoltan]

Based on the OP, the distance between the HC Impetuous and the HC Impact appears to be almost 6UD:

HC Impetuous to LC 1UD
LC base depth
LC to HC Impact 4UD

So even though the HC Impetuous have “thrown up”, they will not reach the HC Impact. So, do those HC Impetuous who have no ability to contact any enemy count as “pursuers” who must continue the charge to the maximum? I guess that’s the heart of the OP question.

Similarly, take a line of 6 HC impetuous cavalry (123456) with 1 enemy LC directly in front of HC 1. The group charges and the LC evades. Are HC 3-6 pursuers (they have no enemy in front if them) who MUST travel the same distance as HC 1&2?

[Three]

[Zoltan]

And just to be clear, I put “pursuers” in quotes; these guys are chargers chasing evaders, not victorious melee-ists making a Pursuit move per those rules.

[Ramses II]

The text from section 8, 2nd bp is

[KevinD]

Wouldn’t the last HC Impetuous stop in position to provide melee support to its neighbor who will be in combat?

[Three]

[lionelrus]

Different move distance for each Lh is surprising.

Cv impetuous charging must do the ajusted movement charge, except if they contact ennemies or support a unit contacting a ennemy. AND THAT'S ALL.
_________________
"Quand on a pas de technique, faut y aller à la zob"
Perceval à Yvain et Gauvain.

[KevinD]