Bataille Empire

heya all,

I know this doesn't come up too often, but often enough to ask the question.

Situation: an infantry unit charges a cavalry/Cossack unit from behind its flank. The cavalry charge reactions are either to flee or take a maneuver test to turn to face becoming disordered if they fail, or to simply stand where they are and be caught in the flank. If they are a Cossack unit, then they must flee.

So, the flee move is 10 UD which will take the cavalry well out of reach of any charging infantry.

Question: can the cavalry stop when greater than 4 UD from where the infantry charge will reach ?

What if the infantry succeed in controlling their charge and decide not to complete the full charge move ? In that circumstance, can the cavalry/Cossacks stop at 4 UD from where the infantry reach ?

I've been playing it that if the infantry cancel/control their charge then the cavalry/Cossack can stop outside of 4 UD. If the infantry continue their charge then the cavalry/Cossack complete their full flee move. Does that seem right ?

Usually it is important to know when the fleeing unit can/can't stop cos a 10 UD flee move can easily have cavalry/Cossacks leaving the table. The amendments seemed to indicate that they could stop if the opponent didn't complete their charge move, but it wasn't entirely clear.

Cheers,


Keef

The clarifications state that the flee move can stop when they are 4UD from any enemy units. This is poor English and can only mean 'all enemy units'.
I take this to mean the measurement is made at the time of the move.
For example, if an infantry unit charges from 4UD away it will move to half distance, 2 UD, the cossacks will then only need to move just over 2UD (assuming no other enemy are near). They would be unwise to do so given that the infantry can catch them!
If the cossacks moved out of the infantry reach the infantry can either charge its full move and take an action marker or move up to its normal move.
A too short flee move would seem an unwise choice given the infantry will deliver a volley if the cavalry are too close!

Yes indeed, hence my question ...

The problem still remains though because the amendment bit relating to this "Escape or retreat off the table - Page 45" only allows one provision for when cavalry have the option as follows: "does not have to leave the table if the enemy does not pursue" ... this amendment and the rule (as written) applies to all instances of fleeing (not just combat).

So ... I read the intent of the amendment as being if the infantry does not halt its charge then the cavalry do not have the choice but continue their flee move ... on the basis that the enemy have 'pursued'.

Whaddya reckon ?

In that interpretation there doesn't need to be any pre-charge measuring nor assessment of where enemy would be within 4 UD; just a simple question of: did the enemy pursue to the full extent of its charge or not ?

Of course, if the infantry came to within 4 UD of the cavalry in the first instance, then the cavalry could already react with a flee move (if having an action marker) or just retreat, in which case that flee move could stop well out of charge reach anyways.

I assume the clarification is to stop units fleeing off the table given that the flee move is quite large.
We are playing it that a flee move can end anywhere at least 4UD from all enemy and up to the maximum extent of the flee move.
I am not sure what the comment about enemy pursuing is meant to mean. I would suggest it means that if the choice is either get caught or leave the table, the fleeing troops must leave the table. I.e. you cannot deliberately flee short in order to get caught to put the pursuers in a difficult position.

I can never decide whether the author has trouble being clear or if the translation is poor!

RogerGreenwood a écrit : ↑

jeu. 4 nov. 2021 20:20

I can never decide whether the author has trouble being clear or if the translation is poor!

As I have some fingerprints on that. The problem mostly comes from we think we are solving one issue and missed its impact on another issue. It can also be a solution then a translation.

I think the "intent" was once the charger's end point is defined, the retreating unit can stop after exiting tactical. But I see the sequence issue, which may not have fully been grok'd at the time.

So (and this is me freelancing) the idea is figure out where the charger is stopping. Then the evader is placed at least tactical distance beyond that. (Or behind unit, terrain, etc p 60 errata).

Ah, that sounds like the most sensible approach !

In practice it is rarely a problem anyway. A fleeing unit usually wants to be as far away as possible or it ends up in more trouble.