When you go to the Defensive Directive, the Reformation area cannot move per page 62. If you have a large unit Ployed, and it goes to the Defensive Directive, the Reformation area can be well behind the head of the column.
The questions:
Is the Reformation area stuck at the back of the column until the entire column is deployed?
When the unit finishes deploying, the Reformation area is moved to 900 yards behind the rearmost battle wave (page 71). This could move the area father to the rear.
This could result in a force that is deploying to its front, having its Reformation area being well over 900 yards behind the front line troops.
Or if a deploying force is deploying to its front with a Defensive Directive, does the Reformation area move forward with the back of the column and then move to the 900 yards behind the rearmost battle wave?
Can artillery be committed from a force that is partially deployed, or must all of the units (infantry and/or cavalry) in a force have to be deployed before the artillery can be committed?
Can artillery be committed from a force that is partially deployed, or must all of the units (infantry and/or cavalry) in a force have to be deployed before the artillery can be committed?
No part of a Formation has to be deployed for an Asset to be committed (per 3.7.1).
Is the Reformation area stuck at the back of the column until the entire column is deployed?
Yes. Well, technically the Reformation Area is stuck in-place once the Formation is on Defend [D], so it isn't "at the back of the column" that is operative so much as its current location.
When the unit finishes deploying, the Reformation area is moved to 900 yards behind the rearmost battle wave (page 71). This could move the area father to the rear.
Normally yes, except that a Defend [D] Directive does not allow a Formation's Reformation Area to move… so…
This could result in a force that is deploying to its front, having its Reformation area being well over 900 yards behind the front line troops.
The distance between the front line of a Formation and the Formation's Reformation Area is immaterial. The Regulating Unit has to stay within 900 yards of the Reformation Area and all the other Units have to be Cohesive (2.3.4). This is moderately different than when the Formation has any other active Directive – under any other Directive (other than Defend [D]) the Reformation Area relocates to a position 900 yards behind the *rear* wave of the Formation (5.2.8).
Or if a deploying force is deploying to its front with a Defensive Directive, does the Reformation area move forward with the back of the column and then move to the 900 yards behind the rearmost battle wave?
Once the Formation activates a Defend [D] Directive the Reformation Area is locked in place (2.3.4), so the column isn't advancing any further. The ployed Units can deploy, and then just have to comply with 2.3.4.
Related: Always think of your Force Objective as the *farthest extent forward* you want your Formations to operate.
-David
When the unit finishes deploying, the Reformation area is moved to 900 yards behind the rearmost battle wave (page 71). This could move the area father to the rear.
Normally yes, except that a Defend [D] Directive does now allow a Formation's Reformation Area to move… so…
David, is the word "now" in your answer meaning that "now that it finished its Deployment the Reformation Area may be moved"?
Or was it a typo and it should be "not" as in "a Defend [D] Directive does not allow a Formation's Reformation Area to move"?
Or was it a typo and it should be "not" as in "a Defend [D] Directive does not allow a Formation's Reformation Area to move"?
Oops, yes. I'll edit to correct the typo.
-David
