Posted by: @denny

Looking at the examples of cavalry moving into contact on p61 and p67 (6.6.3 , 6.6.10) , those units can wheel and move around the rear of units in a single move. Can Infantry units also wheel to avoid terrain, friendly units or to strike in the rear?

Good question. And I'll say up front: The illustrations are not focused on the precise movement of the Units and are not as accurate as they should be in illustrating that particular facet.

The requirement of an Attack [A] directive is that the Units of a Formation must move as directly as possible towards their objective or any intervening enemy, and may not move to avoid bad terrain. Most of the time, this dictates a straight line of movement. Now, with that said, an Attacking Unit may change its facing as it pleases when it moves (there is an idiosyncrasy about this I'll get back to).

So, can a Unit "wheel"? Not really, in that it can't make a big sweeping arc, it has to go "straight" in. However, can it turn its facing to make sure its front edge is the edge that goes to contact with the enemy? Yes.

The idiosyncrasy is that many times – such as with cavalry conversions, or Defending [D] Formations moving Units to contact with the enemy, the Units that move can change their facings as the player wishes, but where they can go, and who they can hit, is dictated by their initial facing.

That's makes sense, and so the unit hit in the rear , would get the -3 modifier and wouldn't be allowed to say that he was facing backward all along? If not where would the hit in the rear modifier come into play?

Answering these in reverse order:

Posted by: @denny

If not where would the hit in the rear modifier come into play?

It applies any time a Unit is contacted on its back edge.

Posted by: @denny

That's makes sense, and so the unit hit in the rear , would get the -3 modifier and wouldn't be allowed to say that he was facing backward all along?

Yes, a Unit contacted on its rear edge takes the -3 modifier for such. A Unit may change its facing during movement – provided it isn't already in contact with the enemy (because contact with the enemy freezes a Unit).

In a given circumstance a Unit may be able to turn to avoid being hit in the rear, but they also may be prevented from such… all depends on the circumstance. For instance an easy example is that a Unit in contact with the enemy could be hit in the rear by another enemy, perhaps due to an order conversion, or a breakthrough, etc…

I think I should be ready now, to run a game 😀. (hopefully this month, all being well).