A few newb questions

[RobAustin]

It frequently comes up in our games. But we are really relaxed about it, thinking about it as Simon suggests. If an enemy commander goes into the front rank to fight, we always allow the enemy to send his to the front rank in response, before the dice are rolled, regardless of who selected the file to fight.

I almost feel that if your general doesn't also go into the front rank then your unit should suffer a KaB test! (just kidding,  )

[ShrubMiK]

So you are thinking about it as Simon suggests, but not playing by the actual rules he suggests?

Which might prevent Alexander targeting Darius:
"I want to fight him, is he going into the front rank?"
"I don't know sir, he gets to choose after you"
"Damnation! Okay, I'll sit this one out for the moment. Put the kettle on."
"Ah! He's seen the kettle , and now he's going to the front rank"
"Okay, now I'll have to wait until I've finished my tea, I'll fight him next turn".

My inclination too would be to be relaxed about it - keep the implications of order of play/decision making to a minimum. But I prefer to play by whatever the official rules/widely accepted interpretation is. Otherwise at some point you do end up in one of those "rules lawyer" arguments

[lionheartrjc]

Umpire's view:

First rule of MeG is have fun - so if someone queried me on this I wouldn't be impressed!  (page 77 - read it!)...

If pressed here is how I would rule:  Active player decides whether they are fighting in the front rank or not.  Non-active player then decides.  There is no option for passes etc.  (Justification point 11 at the bottom of page 77).

Richard

[ShrubMiK]

Yeah, I read page 77!

I personally don't think I can infer the intent of the author in this case.
The problem with common sense (as UK Govt. might be realising by now!) is that it differs from person to person.
Point 11 at the bottom talks about sub-phases, and specifically mentions passes as being valid choices.
What we are talking about here is more like a sub-sub-phase.

"At times you will agree that the order does not matter..." could cover it - that would be my natural inclination in this case.
Rolling dice to decide a disagreement can work.
I like to think I'm pretty reasonable, but I have certainly played against some people less so in the past.

"Then by all means ask me on the forum for an official answer" - is where we are now

By the way, I'm not trying to be argumentative just for the sake of it. I am suggesting that maybe this point could warrant some sort of clarification.

[Simon Meg-Meister]

Where there is anything that has to be resolved by sequence its always active plater first. Keeps it simple.  I wasn't suggesting otherwise.  Just that it has Farley affected my decisions.  I am more affected by whether I have a wound or not - i.e there is some real risk of a mes happening and want to be cautious. All works well as an abstraction.

And in the example I actually think its quite realistic.  Alexander probably will go in anyway. If your decision is to tipped by trying to kill the enemy general you wait until he is visible and nearby.  Combats last a few turns so even if second and have passed you pile in next time.  Its not so easy to get a general out once he's in die tot he KaB test it causes.

Think I have only pulled a general out 3 times in total.

Si