Fall back question

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Gunny Highway
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2017 1:17 pm

Fall back question

Postby Gunny Highway » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:20 am

To All:
This happened in a recent game. A 6 stand warband is part of a battle line that is facing the romans. This unit is the end of the RH part of that battle line. The warband is attacked by a 5 stand roman infantry unit to the front and is flanked on the RH side of the unit by another roman unit. We have a couple questions. First, the combat is resolved and the warband must fall back the required 4 inches. Does the warband fall back diagonally as per a flee would? Our second question do both roman units follow the fall back, especially the flanking unit? We attempted to find a answer in the book in regards to the fallback specifically but to no avail. Any help would be appreciated,
Respectfully,
Gunny :oops:

MartinG
Posts: 926
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 8:48 am

Re: Fall back question

Postby MartinG » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:15 am

Hi Gunny, a flanked unit is in real trouble. Firstly remember that it reads the combat result one line lower than usual on the table, so if the general moderated result was Fall Back, it will go to Take a Break Test. Secondly the fall back move should, as you suggest, be on the diagonal, but it is likely that the next unit along the line will be in the way. Now a friendly unit behind will be forced back too, but it isn't possible to force back the weight of an entire battle line, so the likely result is that the flanked unit will have to break instead. Being outflanked was usually fatal in ancient warfare. This may be one reason why the best troops could usually be found at the end of the line, rather than in the middle, which feels correct to us. Both enemy units would follow up.
"No one ever achieved anything without making a few mistakes along the way"

DennisW
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:43 pm

Re: Fall back question

Postby DennisW » Wed Aug 15, 2018 11:09 pm

Hi,

Just found this as a part answer to tonight's game... so the whole battle line does not fall back 45 degrees. if each unit of the LOB is forced to fall back then every unit breaks... is this correct?

The events leading up to this in tonight's game is that all 4 units of the LOB are overlapping with enemy units, so counts as one combat. However, one end of the LOB is flanked.
1) Do the other units fighting ahead only loses their close order/ supporting rank bonus because of events at the other end of the LOB?
2) Do the other units fighting ahead only read one line lower as though they had been flanked?

Many thanks

MartinG
Posts: 926
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 8:48 am

Re: Fall back question

Postby MartinG » Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:12 pm

The army would count close order and a rank because only one unit is flanked. The enemy would get a +1 for flanking. Once the final combat result has been established (e.g. lost by 2) each unit moderates this according to its position in the line (divide by 2 or by 3) and this result is referred to the table. The flanked unit on the end refers to the table and then drops down one line.
"No one ever achieved anything without making a few mistakes along the way"

DennisW
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:43 pm

Re: Fall back question

Postby DennisW » Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:12 pm

Thanks Martin, we played the worst case...the flanked unit was toast, as expected.


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