Charging Etiquette

[Woolly.Mammoth]

In the above example, unit #3 wants to charge #1.

According to the rules, the 1" rule is "only for clarity" and can be ignored when charging (and even ignored completely if both sides agree).

"After the charge is resolved you may want to nudge units out of the way for clarity".

So apparently you can slam into the unit and push the other unit out of the way to make sure you get 4 attacks (or more for hordes/elves/etc.)

Personally this feels like bad etiquette to me. I think you should only slightly touch the end and take your two attacks. Pushing units out of the way so you can get more attacks seems odd to me, and the rule book says its legal but doesn't address any specific rules regarding pushing units to maximize how many attacks you can get.

technically a charge must bring you into "as much base contact as possible" so is the general rule that you must bump edges with the unit in your way and force them to move?

 

[cofius]

You are right, you cant push unit 2, you will slightly touch unit 1 with only two models, ignoring 1" rule as you have sead...

 

[Bounce]

You will only get the two models in contact and then move unit 1 an inch to the side so they are no longer in contact

 

[Dancing Skeleton]

I am confused. So if you complete that charge you don't move the units so they have maximum contact?? I thought the rules are you have to do this and if the charging unit can't because of an object (in this case unit 2) then the opposing unit has to help out as best they can. This would make sense as in a real battle both units in combat would adjust to have the most contact instead of having 2 corners fighting.

 

[Woolly.Mammoth]

The rules don't specify what "maximum base contact" is.

1. you declare a charge. As long as some contact is possible before moving any units, the charge is possible
2. resolve and move into maximum base contact. Since chargers are immune to the 1", this means completely bumping against units and terrain.
3. you may wish to nudge units out of the way for clarity purposes only.

Those are the rules as stated. But my argument is that this is just not "polite". Since my units are blocking the way, they should just touch slightly and nudge slightly; the least amount of nudging should take priority over the most amount of base contact, and the 1" rules should always be respected.

But of course, the rules as written allow you to disagree. But just as its legal to put a wizard on a 12" tall base with a Sauron-esque eye and claim he has true line of sight to everything on the board, many would consider this "Bad Etiquette".

 

[Dancing Skeleton]

I see what you're saying. So the problem is it's open to interpretation. Again, my assumption would be that unit 1 needs to move over to maximize contact since it has room. Unit 2 moving would make no sense because why would an opposing unit politely move out of the way so you can get a better charge on the other unit? Also to do this would imply unit 3 is "pushing" unit 2 out of the way, which would mean there is contact and therefor a clip (have to declare charge against it)?

 

[snyggejygge]

In this situation I would probably follow the rules under page 22, & thereby let the enemy unit get moved instead.

 

[Ben E. Violent]

"...the unit must move straight ahead, except that, during this move, it may make a single wheel of up to 90°. You are free to make this wheel in order to place your unit wherever you like against the facing of the enemy unit that is being charged, but remember that you must bring as many models into base contact with the enemy as possible"

You don't move the enemy unit for max contact. It doesn't move at all in 98% of all charges. That 2% where is does, it wheels, usually quite slightly.

You use the 90 degree free wheel specifically to maximize your chargers, bearing in mind that your goal is based on the number of enemies, as well.

In the example above: units #1 and #3 would have one guy a piece face to face, and one each diagonally fighting, 4 would fight on each side in total. If it is so confusing to everyone that #2 is touching but not fighting, you could split it off from the #3 after it got into position, but I'd do it under an inch, a pencil width, personally.

 

[Dancing Skeleton]

So after one round of combat would unit 1 then have the option of reforming in order create maximum contact or are you stuck for the entire duration of combat with two corners of a unit fighting?

 

[midean]

Correct. Unit 1 will have the option to do a combat reform. Should they decide for whatever reason they don't want to, you are indeed stuck fighting the way it is. And just for info you can not come into contact with unit 2 on your charge. They do not move over either.

 

[Woolly.Mammoth]

So, to summarize: You would have to move into base contact to connect as many units as the "obstruction" unit allows, even if that means scraping sides with it. Then, for clarity, you would nudge your opponents unit away very slightly, only for clarity.

Those are the rules but it seems idiotic to me. Why would an enemy unit nudge out of the way? I understand passing units within 1" during a charge, as you're running at top speed before they can react. but ending a movement within 1" of an unengaged unit makes no sense; in battle at least a few would turn around and stab you in the back.

"Oh excuse me, i need to kill your friend here, but hes right behind you, would you mind stepping aside?"

"Oh sure, sure. No problem. I'll just move aside and wait here until you're done"

The best solution IMO would be that, if you choose to end your charge within 1" of an unengaged enemy unit. That unit may declare a charge on you during their next turn, even if not in it's frontal arc (its not hard to turn around and step 2 feet, or organize troops that have been listening to a battle rage directly behind them).

One more point, how would one 90* pivot allow #3 full contact with #1? If you moved directly forward until the corner touched #2, then pivoted to parallel with #1, you would still only barely touch corners, if at all. If they were farther back they could pivot in front of #2, but not if they are this close. They'd have to be fast cav to touch bases with more that one unit