Pursuit in Pacto

[sppenn]

In playing a solo game of Pacto, 3 TUGs of Roman cav go head to head with 3 TUGs of Gallic cav.  They all line up perfectly - face-to-face, corner-to-corner. Three files versus three files. 

The middle Roman TUG destroys the middle Gallic TUG.

Question 1) Does the Roman cav have to pursue? According to how I read the rules, they don't.  They can, but they don't have to because they are in a position to fight in the melee as support, but maybe I'm reading that wrong.

Question 2) If they don't pursue, then can they Advance with Wheel in the next Movement Phase to swing into one of the enemy cav?  The problem here is that TUGs in Pacto are 40mm wide and the Roman cav are two stands deep. I have my cav mounted on 40x30.  There isn't enough room for the cav to wheel in the gap between Gallic TUGs.

If these had been close infantry, the situation would be different because I have those mounted on 40x15.  Two stands of close infantry can swing 90 degrees in a 40mm gap. 

I guess this is both a rules question and a tactics question because if the cav pursue, then they can move 5MUs straight ahead.  No wheel, no turn.  But then it would take them two complete game turns to turn around and charge. 

Any advice and insight is appreciated. 

[nikgaukroger]

In playing a solo game of Pacto, 3 TUGs of Roman cav go head to head with 3 TUGs of Gallic cav.  They all line up perfectly - face-to-face, corner-to-corner. Three files versus three files. 

The middle Roman TUG destroys the middle Gallic TUG.

Question 1) Does the Roman cav have to pursue? According to how I read the rules, they don't.  They can, but they don't have to because they are in a position to fight in the melee as support, but maybe I'm reading that wrong.

The cval;ary do not pursue and, in fact, do not have the option to do so - page 167 C1 is clear that even a supporting files does not pursue.

Question 2) If they don't pursue, then can they Advance with Wheel in the next Movement Phase to swing into one of the enemy cav?  The problem here is that TUGs in Pacto are 40mm wide and the Roman cav are two stands deep. I have my cav mounted on 40x30.  There isn't enough room for the cav to wheel in the gap between Gallic TUGs.

If these had been close infantry, the situation would be different because I have those mounted on 40x15.  Two stands of close infantry can swing 90 degrees in a 40mm gap. 

I guess this is both a rules question and a tactics question because if the cav pursue, then they can move 5MUs straight ahead.  No wheel, no turn.  But then it would take them two complete game turns to turn around and charge. 

Any advice and insight is appreciated.

If the unit cannot fit it cannot make the move.

[sppenn]

Pretty simple, but sometimes I'm slow to understand.  This means that before one of your units can break through a gap in my line of forces, you must knock out three continuous TUGs?  Which means KaB tests become very important because you would want me to fail those tests.  Also, in the example, the Gauls are fanatic, which helps hold the line longer.   

[prosi]

Actually quite a lot. Once you destroy that, KaB test means there is a significant risk of a chain-effect. And that's when the FUN begins and quality counts.I really like this aspect of the game, how a gap can become huge in a momento.

[sppenn]

Just to make sure I have this correct - (playing solo means I have to talk it out in internet space) -

The Roman cav that defeated the Gallic cav to the front cannot pursue because it can support the fight against one of the enemy cav units that it is still in corner to corner contact - barring any KaBs tests on the Gauls that turn out to be lethal.  Alternatively, it can move straight forward by a prompted action in the next movement phase and thus slip through the gap in the Gallic line.

Strategically it is a choice.  Staying where it is means that it will roll dice in the melee phase, but goes down a die because it is a supporting file.  It fights but slightly weaker.  If it moves straight forward (in the movement phase) it won't fight because it won't run into an enemy unit, but opens up all sorts of opportunities a turn or two in the future as might threaten the camp or turn around and threaten the rear of the Gallic line.

[Simon Meg-Meister]

The Roman cav that defeated the Gallic cav to the front cannot pursue because it can support the fight against one of the enemy cav units that it is still in corner to corner contact - barring any KaBs tests on the Gauls that turn out to be lethal.  Alternatively, it can move straight forward by a prompted action in the next movement phase and thus slip through the gap in the Gallic line.

So the principle is
a) they don't pursue if they can contribute to a melee combat - find better things to do. 
b) Yes as they are not engaged in combat with an enemy base edge fighting them they can move away - so the enemy hasn't got them wrapped up enough to stop that.
c) In Maximus and Magna and enemy MF1 move can put them into such frontal combat to stop them moving - they are then engaged in combat.
d) In Pacto, if in the middle of a line of TuGs they can a) stay as a supporting file, b) as you say ride through with. WHITE, or cause some mayhem by riding through and turning 90 or 180 at the end to charge a rear next time.  If on the end of a line, then they can wheel onto a flank melee combat as per page 132.  They couldn't do this in a centre as there isn't room UNLESS they are down to 1 base.

Have fun!

Si

[ShrubMiK]

>This means that before one of your units can break through a gap in my line of forces, you must knock out three continuous TUGs

Two is enough.

[sppenn]

"Two is enough"

Why two?  Knocking out 2 would mean that the left is still in corner to corner contact and the one on the right is still in corner to corner contact.  As I understand the previous comments, you would need three so that the middle isn't in any form or contact.  Also, in the movement phase, all of them are free to move by means of a prompted action.

[ShrubMiK]

Corner-to-corner contact allows a prompted move, as you say. If the gap is two TUGs wide, that gives enough room for one of the victorious cavalry TUGs to be prompted to wheel onto the flank of its enemy in the movement phase.

If it was infantry, a gap of one TUG would be enough.

At least this is how I have been playing it so far - if I'm wrong it is best I find out sooner rather than later!

[sppenn]

Ah!  Now I get what you meant.  I can be slow sometimes. 

[ShrubMiK]

I know the feeling

[Simon Meg-Meister]

You've got it now.
Yes a two TuG gap is pretty deadly.
1 TuG pretty mild.

Have fun.

Si

[sppenn]

And that's what KaBs are for!