Wheeling and Charging by File

[Francis Small]

Lenny and I just finished a game, and during it we had a loooong discussion about how you get into combat when in corner-to-corner contact. (Gee, why does this seem familiar?) We decided that the following was at least one hypothetically legal scenario - but I've been only studying the rules for less than a lifetime, so what to I know? 

Given the following initial position:



Blue chooses during the movement phase to wheel as follows. Note that Unit C does not take part in any combat this turn.



During the next charge phase, Blue can't charge with the rightmost file of Unit C, but at the time wethought that it could charge with the middle file:



(But now I have my doubts. The QRS for prompted charge states "an unengaged file of an engaged unit can charge up to 1 BW", and Unit C is not engaged.)

At some point, Unit C will align, allowing the center and right files to fight melee combat with benefit of the flank bonus, but only only the middle file could fight charge combat, but with the charge flank bonus.



So any thoughts on if the above is allowed, or should C simply give up any thought about charging Unit A once it gets into corner-to-corner contact?

[Alqualonde]

I suspect 9.4M 2.1 second bullet rules this out. You must "wheel as a whole" into melee combat.

[lionheartrjc]

Blue should wheel C away slightly from A so that the front corner is no longer in contact.  It could then wheel to contact C in the flank in the following turn.

9.4 M prevents the charge if the front corner of C is in contact with the front corner of A.

Richard

[LawrenceG]

Blue should wheel C away slightly from A so that the front corner is no longer in contact.  It could then wheel to contact C in the flank in the following turn.


Richard

What do you do about C's rear corner passing through A during the wheel?

[lionheartrjc]

Blue should wheel C away slightly from A so that the front corner is no longer in contact.  It could then wheel to contact C in the flank in the following turn.


Richard

What do you do about C's rear corner passing through A during the wheel?

As long as a unit has space to end up in, you ignore rear corners (this has been clarified).  Otherwise wheeling out of a line of troops would be impossible.

Richard

[badhabum]

Being completely lost I will rephrase

C moves a little bit forward so that it's front corner is not in contact with the enemy's TUG front corner ( it moves 1/2 BW forward ..)

Then it pivots

May it charge the turn after and if not why ?

My answer would be no but someone disagreed with me :-)

[lionheartrjc]

No it cannot charge.  9.4 M2 specifically forbids the charge except if the UG is in front corner to front corner contact or side contact with the side edge - in those circumstances it describes how a combat can be initiated by making a move in the movement phase.

Richard

[Fredericksdownfall]

I am relatively new to MeG and one of the areas of confusion, like many, is engaging in melee especially to flanks. One particular thing I don't understand the logic of is in this case unit C is allowed to wheel into contact on the flank in the movement phase and yet if the same unit C were already on the flank but not in contact and a mere step away from engaging  yet it is only allowed to do so in the charge phase. This might happen if A had charged B earlier across the front of C if C was at right angles to B.  If I remember correctly you can charge through a close proximity zone
I would say despite the occasional confusion we are enjoying the rules and armies that have not seen light for a few years are coming out of their boxes

[lionheartrjc]

I am relatively new to MeG and one of the areas of confusion, like many, is engaging in melee especially to flanks. One particular thing I don't understand the logic of is in this case unit C is allowed to wheel into contact on the flank in the movement phase and yet if the same unit C were already on the flank but not in contact and a mere step away from engaging  yet it is only allowed to do so in the charge phase. This might happen if A had charged B earlier across the front of C if C was at right angles to B.  If I remember correctly you can charge through a close proximity zone
I would say despite the occasional confusion we are enjoying the rules and armies that have not seen light for a few years are coming out of their boxes

Trying to apply logic to MeG rules is quite difficult. The logic is that a UG already in contact but not fighting needs a way of initiating the combat. Could the rules have allowed such units to charge - probably.

Close Proximity Zones only apply during the movement phase, so charges will always ignore them.

Richard