Skirmishing and Charges

[mikecobden]

In the picture below, I have a SUG of javelin throwers between a friendly cav TUG and an enemy infantry TUG. The infantry TUG has declared a forced charge against the Cav.

1. Can the SUG skirmish/run away straight back through the corner of the friendly TUG or otherwise pass through it directly in the path of charge?
2. Can the SUG do a white move during charge phase to get out of the way of the enemy charge, or does the Cavalry need to be charging for that to happen?

Thanks as always!

[nikgaukroger]

1. Yes. You can always make a skirmish/run away directly to the unit's own rear and infantry SUGs can pass through friends; the path of chare is not an issue.

2. In this case the SUG could make an M1 move in 2.1 as this would then allow the friendly cavalry to make a charge; the cavalry do not have to make a charge but the 2.1 move can only take place if a charge that could not take place is then possible.

[steads]

Just as an extra piece of info. The foot TuG does not have to make a forced charge if it will contact mounted. A forced charge (for instance if the TuG was DC infantry) is converted to a free charge.
HTH

[mikecobden]

Very good to know.

In this case, the skirmishers tried to run away, but could not move far enough to avoid the charge from the gauls. The Gauls ran into the Skirmishers in the rear and rolled I think 2 reds to one black. Came up surprisingly with no wounds or kills! In the next move phase, Marc Antony ordered the javelinmen to do a 180 to face the gauls, and in the melee phase the gauls came up empty again (red and white v. black). Astoundingly lucky for the SUG I think.

Did I handle this correctly?

Now the Roman Cav is set for a charge into the gauls. I assume that because the charge is possible without moving the SUG, I dont get a charge phase move option to get the javelins away?

[nikgaukroger]

I think you have missed that SUGs caught by TUGs in Good Going are immediately broken without any combat taking place - unless the TUG is within a base of breaking; see Page 84. As the Gauls have not suffered a wound they are not within a base (2 wounds) of breaking. (I believe this is the same in Pacto as the larger formats, apologies of not)

If the combat had taken place as shown in the picture a 2.1 move for the SUG would not have been possible as it is in combat.

[mikecobden]

Excellent!

I knew something was a little off that a full strength charge of gauls into the backside of a handful of javelin throwers could end in anything except tears and blood for the SUG.

This means that the Gauls would have continued to hit the front of the Cav. If I were to rewind, I would order the cav to charge, move the SUG (they were not in combat yet) and then try to keep the gauls to the front of the legion line. I see that counter-charges are not a thing in PACTO. Does this mean that whichever side moves their TUGs in the charge phase first gets to dictate the impact point? as opposed to a counter-charge, which sort of sorts itself out in a middle distance manner?