Issuing Orders Question

[ogrimdoombringer]

Noob Orc player here (4 games so far).
Question about issuing orders as I have read a post (elsewhere) that seems to be wrong, and had a club member that has been playing with an opposite interpretation.

I've been playing that if one hero fails to issue an order to a unit, there is nothing stopping another hero trying to move the same unit. I don't find anything that contradicts that. I'm following page 54 of the original rule book 'Any character can issue an order to any unit or brigade within his command range'. (Note no exclusions for failures by his colleagues).

Assuming this is correct, say a hero #1 issues an order to a unit and succeeds. He attempts to make subsequent move and fails. When I have hero #2 attempt to move the unit, is he at minus 1 to his roll? This being due to the unit having received a previous order (from the first hero), or does it only apply to subsequent orders he issues? I've been playing the latter, its simpler - nothing to keep track of, an being an orc, I need all the leadership help I can get .

[jchaos79]

Sorry greenskin. If a unit has failed to be ordered in the turn no one (hero neither general) can issue an order on him.

So the decision of who (general, hero, wizard) is going to give an order to certain unit is an important decsion. Also there is a lot of strategy of which unit will move in the first stage of the turn and whose will move later with the command of the general.

[Haranin]

"Once a unit has moved, the character can give it a
further order to move again or he can attempt to give
an order to a different unit. However, he is not
permitted to go back to a previously moved unit once
he has moved another unit. Nor is a different
character permitted to give a unit an order if that unit
has already been given an order that turn, even if the
order was failed. This is an important rule so it is
worth remembering right from the start. If you want
to move a unit several times, the character must finish
ordering it to move completely before he can try to
issue an order to a different unit."

numbered page 14 of the LRB; actual page 16 of the pdf.

[ogrimdoombringer]

Thanks guys. I found it. Eek, that does make things tricky.
Food for thought.
Much appreciated.

[ogrimdoombringer]

Another beginner question. If a unit of infantry (say) which is part of a brigade takes missile fire and is driven back out of touch with the main part of the brigade, does it have to be given specific orders to move back into base to base? It would be great if it could 're-brigade' on its own initiative. If the answer is 'You have to specifically order it back' I can see that as helping boost the effect of missile fire, which may be what is intended.

[captPiett]

If a brigade is broken up by shooting, then the former units of said brigade have to be given separate orders. Further, you cannot order them to rejoin and order them as a brigade again that turn (they have to wait until the next turn in order to move as a brigade again). Arguably, the most useful element of shooting is breaking up/disrupting the enemy's lines and formations in this way. Now the command figures have to issue many more orders to accomplish the same task as before they were hit by shooting attacks...

[jchaos79]

As the topic is "issing orders question" let me use this thread to comment something that I was not using in my games and my regular player make me notice this summer during a game. (maybe is something so obvious).

When the general fail the order your command phase is over. So it is a regular practice to start giving orders with heros and sorcerors and get the general the last one to give orders.    BUT it is legal to start your command phase giving orders with your general. If you fail, your command phase is over, but if you success with your general orders, you can declare "no more orders for general" and then continue giving orders with heros and sorcerors. When all subordinates had failed or you have ended with them your command phase is over.

Sorry ogrimdoombringer for this little hijicking of your thread.  In order to answer your last question, I agree with captpiett, If a unit of the brigade is pushed by arrows the distance to get isolated of the brigade (no contact with the other brigade units), then you should treat it as a signle unit not brigade in you command phase.

A brigade with fanatic troops like troll slayers o flagellants in the front (troops that are not affected by push backs) is perfect to advance against a shooty enemy.

Undeads brigades arrays in lines (NOT single units), also are not pushed back by arrows because they can not suffer of desorganization. So the inmediate unit denies the move back, and the first unit is not getting desorganizated.  It is not  easy to make retreat the dead.

[ogrimdoombringer]

Thanks guys. The disruption ability of hits is the thing then. Make sense. I don't seem to kill much with shooting, but it can help to throw the enemy lines into disarray by breaking up brigades. I appreciate the replies.