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?
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.
-David
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:
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.
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…
-David
I think I should be ready now, to run a game 😀. (hopefully this month, all being well).
If cavalry moving through rough has their movement cut in half, is their movement reduced by half again when falling back on Withdrawal/Retreat/Broken?
If cavalry moving through rough has their movement cut in half, is their movement reduced by half again when falling back on Withdrawal/Retreat/Broken?
Yes. The movement penalties are cumulative. Theoretically, a Unit moving through another friendly Unit, in embarrassing terrain, on a Withdraw [W] Directive would have its movement rate x1/2, x1/2, x1/2. So a Cavalry Unit would be reduced to 1.25" using the 1"=150 yard ground scale – just enough for it to move from the front side of the friendly Unit it is passing through to the backside, meanwhile, an Infantry Battalion in that extreme circumstance would be stuck, effectively pinned in place.
-David