These came up from a game yesterday,played in defiance of the shelter in place orders. Gave it an Occupied France sort of feel!
1) Unit A starts behind the flank of Unit B and less than 1BW away. May Unit B countercharge by wheeling toward Unit A, so as not to present the flank, but without getting closer to Unit A than it was when the charge was declared?
2) Unit C is off to the side of Unit D, but NOT behind Unit D'S flank. By a judicious initial wheel, Unit C is able to contact the front corner of Unit D, and the first part of Unit D contacted by Unit C's right hand stand is the second rank of Unit D, hit on the side.
Nobody is claiming that this is in any way a flank charge, because Unit C did not start behind the flank. Is it a legal charge contact, with 2 stands of Unit C counting as frontally charging Unit D?
I have the sneaking suspicion that this has been discussed here before, but have been unable to find the answer. Neither answer is in the clarries, that I could find. I realize that the most likely outcome is that Richard or Nik will patiently (more in sorrow than anger) point out the Forum thread where both are answered in detail, and I shall droop with well-earned contrition, but I really cannot find the threads.
1) No. If it is already within 1BW it cannot countercharge.
2) Yes, it will be a legal charge contact with 2 files from unit C fighting at impact. Unit D can choose to fight with both ranks against one file (and not roll a dice against the other file) or fight with each rank individually against each file in Unit C.
I hope I have this correct. It is how I would rule it.
Richard
Thanks, Richard!
IMHO the 'no countercharge against units already w/in 1BW' could use a clarry, because the words used can be read either way. I was foxed by the 'no closer than 1BW' language not being accompanied by a flat prohibition from countercharging at all, and wondered if a move that got no closer and no further away was legal. Thanks again for the ruling, which I will pass around to our group.
#2 is a bit surprising, if only because it means I was right, which doesn't happen very often.
Dave
It's clear in the compendium.
Si