MW Questions and Answers

Clarifications

by Terry Gore


Here are a number of frequently asked questions from both SAGA as well as our rules discussion group along with their answers.

Is there any movement penalty or special order requirement for generals joining or leaving units?
[No. They simply move into contact and attach, or detach and move away.]

Units may wheel 45 degrees before moving. Is that exactly 45 degrees or up to 45 degrees?
[Up to.]

Can orders be sent to units absolutely anywhere on the table (i.e. well beyond Command Range) if 2 order markers are expended?
[Yes. Now this may seem excessive, but if you have a Stalwart general trying to control a flanking maneuver while also attempting to maintain command control for units around him, it is impossible.

Consider fast couriers, audio signals, etc. as how he carries this out.] What happens when my archer units shoot an enemy unit into total destruction, i.e. it takes enough casualties to remove it from the table? Is it counted as routed? Or is it just removed from play and ignored?
[Any time a unit is destroyed, whether in close combat or as a result of missile fire, all units around it treat the lost unit as destroyed. If within range, they must take a morale test for seeing Routing/Destroyed friends.]

A bow-armed unit is the target of a "FF" (Feigned Flight or Fire and Flee) order. If it returns fire on the FF unit, can it move afterwards?
[First of all, in order to fire at a FF unit, the archers must have Defend or Deploy orders. With Defend orders, they cannot move anyway. With Deploy orders, they can make any allowable Deploy maneuver.]

My unit of SI is charging the flank of an enemy HC unit. They are in turn being charged in the flank by a unit of SC. What happens?
[It depends on who has the Initiative. If you have it, you can decide to start moving from the flank that will allow your SI to charge first. If your opponent has the Initiative, he would opt to have his SC charge your SI first, forcing them to retreat before you can launch them on their own charge. Let's say you've won and charge first. Your SI will hit the HC and disorder them. Then the SC will hit your SI and they will be destroyed! Was it worth it? Possibly, depending on the tactical situation.]

Can a unit with pavises form Shieldwall?
[No. A pavise is not a shield. It offers protection from missiles only.]

If a unit has placed stakes with a Deploy order, can it pick them up again and move with them?
[Yes. You will need another Deploy order to pull them up.]

Please clarify that Longbowmen are allowed to fire with up to three ranks even if part of a mixed formation. For example, behind Burgundian pikemen or pavisiers.
[If they are the third rank, they may still fire.]


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© Copyright 2001 by Terry Gore
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