Fllank & Rear Charges

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Bluebear
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Fllank & Rear Charges

Post by Bluebear » Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:03 pm

Below is something Clarence sent me a couple of years ago about flank and rear charges.

-- Jeff

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It was obviously a glaring omission and I spent quit a bit of time correcting it when the e-mails started to come in. Having never published an update, I keep getting the question. I guess I need to get around to making a FAQ list (and maybe get started on a new manuscript...).

Units never have to test to charge the flank or rear of an enemy unit, however, foot may still not charge a horse unit unless the target is already engaged in melee.

An unengaged unit charged from the flank may preform all of the normal reactions, however if charged from the flank and they Stand and Fire only one stand may shoot. If the target successfully forms a Pike Stand, they are considered to have been engaged frontally as normal. A Pike Stand has no flank or rear.

An unengaged unit charged from the rear must make a Morale test. If they pass, they may preform all of the normal reactions. If they fail, they are shaken and must accept the charge at a halt. Note that this means a foot regiment charged from behind that wants to form a Pike Stand must pass two Morale tests!

Only stands in base to base contact may fight (or subsequent ranks of horse behind those touching the enemy).

There are no "to hit" modifiers for flank or rear attacks.

A new attacker joining an existing melee does get the charge bonus. A flank charge or a second frontal charge against an engaged opponent works as normal as long as the attacker may come into base to base contact with the target. A horse squadron cannot attack a target through another squadron unless they are part of the same regiment. In otherwords, the rule on page seven applies only to squadrons brigaded together as a regiment and deployed in columns of squadrons. Squadrons of different regiments must come into base to base contact to fight.

A rear charge against an engaged target cause the automatic surrender of that unfortunate target! Once again, note that a Pike Stand has no flanks or rear. The surrounded target is removed.

Hope this helps!

-- Clarence
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