Retreat question

[Aldhick]

Just want to be sure about this.

Units A and B have charged C. Unit C looses the first round by 2. It's obliged to retreat 2 cm away from the unit A as it has most stands. So the C unit only slides 2 cm along the B's front edge and remains still in touch with it. Does this count as blocked retreat and thus the end of the unit C? 

[Dave]

You'd fall back from B, as it has the greatest number of stands that C is touching. The retreat isn't blocked.

The direction of the retreat may be less clear if the unit is fighting enemy from several directions at the same time. In this case, the unit retreats from the greatest number of touching enemy stands (front, side or rear – corners are ignored). If this is equal, the retreating player can nominate which of the possible directions it will retreat. See Diagram 44.4.

[Aldhick]

I see, thanx Dave... nevertheless in this case the direction doesn't really matter. I'm inquiring about the fact, that the unit C remains touching the enemy at the end of the retreat move. So the fight goes on another round without unit A actually pursuing, just remaining where it was?

[Dave]

Unit A could pursue, in effect the middle stand would stay right where it was (assuming a fallback of 2cm still) and the other two stand could wrap around behind Unit C if the player chose and they had a clear path to do it. Even if Unit A didn't physically move it would still count as pursuit.

[Grimnir]

Can unit B choose not to pursue and thus get un-engaged? Or does it have to remain engaged?

[Aldhick]

both A and B can choose to fall back after winning the combat round

[Aldhick]

Thanx for your answers Dave...

I have yet another question. It's not about retreat, but I guess there's no need to make new thread for this.

Does the -1 Attack for fighting units to the side and rear stack? Or it doesn't matter how many units from which side is attacinkg you and you still have just -1 Attack ?

[Dave]

If a stand is hit in the rear or flank (or both) it's -1 to it's attacks, so no stack. Although it would stack with the -1 for other things. A stand will always get 1 attack though.

And ya, B could choose to fallback. It could even choose to "fallback" to 1cm behind C, and if A wins again B would be destroyed. It could also fallback into a supporting position for A.

[captPiett]

And ya, B could choose to fallback. It could even choose to "fallback" to 1cm behind C, and if A wins again B would be destroyed. It could also fallback into a supporting position for A.

I've seen it played that way, but also played so that the fallbacks occur at the end of the all combats. At least that was the way Ed and I played it the last couple of games. That would seem to preclude falling back in order to block a retreat.

[Dave]

It's a bit moot in this situation, as you might as well pursue into a position where a fallback would destroy the enemy as you get more attacks than falling back to behind the enemy. There's also the chance that you won't roll high enough on the fallback to get to where you need to be, you don't have to worry about that with pursuit.

But it's all sequential though, whether you fallback, pursue or hold you resolve one combat before moving on to the next.

[jchaos79]

Just want to be sure about this.

Units A and B have charged C. Unit C looses the first round by 2. It's obliged to retreat 2 cm away from the unit A as it has most stands. So the C unit only slides 2 cm along the B's front edge and remains still in touch with it. Does this count as blocked retreat and thus the end of the unit C? 

In my opinion unit C is destroyed as he finish its retreat touching an enemy stand(A).  Is the end for unit C.
see below

[Bel]

Nope. It is the sliding. Already engaged unit from the same combat doesn't block retreat if retreating stand doesn't go through it.

[Lex]

I concur with Dave and Bel: the point is not it being in contact, but moving into a position where it would make FRESH contact OR a unit not giving way.

One note, if the stands "slide" 2 cm along A they will contact the rightmost stand to (IMO), which would allow A only moving the leftmost stand into contact too...   but that is a minor detail!

ALSO NOTE:

the disengaging move during combat is a move which is actually done after each CR !
as part of the fase-end-actions AFTER combat there is a REFORM moment where all units that participated in combat can ""redress ranks/optimize position". I know a LOT of players tend to do those two in one go, during Combat, but that allows to some extend for some "wiggling"

[jchaos79]

Ok, yep. I see. Sorry for the confusion.

[Aldhick]

thanx guys for clearing this up.