If we understood well, a frontal charge that hits multiple files of a single rank is considered ONE base contact and frontal . That's the easy part .
Now we were not sure about a few other points : Does the attacker have to conform and so be nice and put itself in a nice formation or may it stay in contact with the other contacted files . and what happens next ? A phalanx 4 rank deep contact from the front partially on it's 3rd base and having been contacted frontally ...what about melee if the attacker does not conform ?
Next : there was a debate
(https://i.postimg.cc/hX0LsTL5/Charge-question.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hX0LsTL5)
The infantry was contacted frontaly by the chariots .
What was clear to us is that the supporting file cannot charge it is engaged .
Now the 3rd infantry file, if it was within 1 BW of the chariotry could it have charged in the flank or would it be frontal as the original contact is frontal ( it was not within 1 BW by a narrow margin )
I hope I explained the situations clearly enough
It would be frontal unless it started it's charge move behind the flank of the chariots. (It cannot press forward if it is standing to receive the charge).
If the contact is treated as frontal, the file does not have to conform but is treated as a supporting file. Same as if it had aligned.
Because a file can only be supported once on each side, for all three infantry files to fight the middle file has to fight and can be supported on both flanks. If the left or right hand file fights, only one file can be supported.
Richard
Thank you RJC,
I could have done better :the contacted infantry file is the rightmost on thepicture. The middle file is supporting .
In future turns, if the 3rd file ( leftmost on the picture ) was within 1 BW of the chariotry, it could have charged but would it be frontal as the original contact was frontal of flank as the situation at the moment of the charge is flank charge ?
With the "new" rule we were not that sure
Quote from: badhabum on April 13, 2026, 03:32:05 PMIn future turns, if the 3rd file ( leftmost on the picture ) was within 1 BW of the chariotry, it could have charged but would it be frontal as the original contact was frontal of flank as the situation at the moment of the charge is flank charge ?
With the "new" rule we were not that sure
The 3rd file can charge if within 1 BW (and may be Forced Charge depending on what it is). If the bases are in a position such that a charge by this file would qualify as a flank charge then it is a flank charge. The bases are dealt with as they physically are on the table. The new rule does not actually affect this in anyway.
Thank you for the clarification I will pass it on the referee and my opponent as we were wondering . It's always a bit foggy when there are amendments