[WMR] Middle stand driven back into contact after combat?

[Hammerskelp]

Hi
came across this last night.  (see attachment)
Blue (A) is driven back in the direction of the red arrow by 2cm.
Centre stand makes contact with Enemy (B).
Discuss.

[Dave]

Well, you broke Warmaster. Pack it in everyone, it was a good run.

If you were pursuing, I'd just leave them as two separate stands and finish the combat.

If you weren't, I'd roll a die. Odds I'd move the right stand behind the left, evens I'd move the left behind the right. That or whatever the players could agree to.

[Aquahog]

You'd stop just short of contact and confuse the driven back unit.

[Aldhick]

You never make contact with the enemy by being driven back.

[Hammerskelp]

It was after combat. 
I should have described it as 'retreat'. 

The rules for being 'driven back' by shooting are clear and obvious. No problem there. Become confused and stop 1cm short.

My question is about making contact after close combat.
regards
Guy 

[Dave]

I read driven back and thought retreat because of "after combat". Anyway, I'd play retreat as I said above, and driven back as the guys said.

[Aldhick]

I have nothing to add to what Dave wrote though.

[Geep]

The problem with Dave's solution is that if stands are both placed to the right they end up touching the enemy stand again. That may even happen on the left, depending on exact positioning.
I'd be tempted to rule either:
1) 2 stands are killed, you get to pick to keep left or right.
2) Centre stand is killed, other stands remain. If the unit is not back in coherency by the end of its next movement phase then one of the stands is removed (owner's choice). (This is taking a bit of inspiration from Epic Armageddon)

[Dark Omen]

OK, so I think I understand this scenario, bear with me...


-If this is in fact a Retreat from Combat, then the centre Blue stand is immediately destroyed as per the rules for Blocked Retreats (see WM Compendium page 45.)

-The remaining Blue stands are now separated either side of the Red stand, but have not yet contacted it. Apply any hits scored this round against the remaining two Blue stands and remove further casualties as necessary.

-Asssuming there is at least one Blue stand left, conduct any Pursuit as per the rules on WM Compendium page 47.  If both Blue stands are still alive at this point, they may both be Pursued. This may mean a further Retreat by the Blue unit as two separate stands.

-If, following any Pursuit, both Blue stands are still alive and still separated from each other, they would follow the rules for a unit in Irregular Formation (see WM Compendium page 20, paragraph 5.)
Should they in fact become free to move in their own turn, (for example if all enemy units have broken off from Pursuit) the Blue stands would move at Half Pace. It would be in Blue's interests to move them back into a Regular formation at this point.


Hope this makes sense.....

Dark Omen