Combined road/trail movement

[J6A]

So, foot units that do their entire movement on a trail get +1 MP. What about a unit that starts on a road, and then ends on a trail?  In the picture below, 2 cavalry stacks (5 MP) started in 0409 and 0510.  The one in 0510 moves along the trail and so can move 6 hexes.  However, in the RAW, the one in 0409 moves to 0510 for 2/3 MP, then can only move 4 more trail hexes, expending 4 2/3 MP.  Essentially, it's penalized by starting on a road instead of a trail.  Should a road count as a trail for purposes of getting the bonus MP?

   

[Shad]

I would allow it because a road is clearly easier to move on than a trail. The SR is to avoid hopping from jungle onto a trail and claiming a bonus.

[plloyd1010]

I'm not so sure...
Cavalry 5 mp, can move move 7 hexes on a road. First 4 mp take it 6 hexes, the 5th one more. They can move 6 hexes on a trail, 5 mp takes them 5 hexes, plus 1 bonus hex.
Now imagine the cavalry moves 6 hexes on a road, expending 4 mp, then turns on a trail, 5th mp expended and 7 hexes traveled. Do they get a bonus because they spent the whole move on road and/or trail?

[J6A]

Your point is what raised the question.

I might house rule it to whichever type they spent most of their MP. So, in your example, they spent 4 MP on road, so trail bonus wouldn't apply.

[J6A]

So, here's the way it affects things.

2 MP units
3 road (3 total)
2 road, can't move a 3rd onto a trail (2 total)
1 road, 1 trail (2 total)
0 road, 3 trail (3 total)

It seems odd that the combination could cost them a hex of movement.

3 MP units
4 road (4 total)
3 road, 1 trail (4 total)
2 road, 1 trail (3 total)
1 road, 2 trail (3 total)
0 road, 4 trail (4 total)

Again, there are 2 spots where it loses 1 hex.

5 MP units
7 road (7 total)
6 road, 1 trail (7 total)
5 road, 1 trail (6 total)
4 road, 2 trail (6 total)
3 road, 3 trail (6 total)
2 road, 3 trail (5 total)
1 road, 4 trail (5 total)
0 road, 6 trail (6 total)

Same deal.  2 spots where it loses a hex.

So, what I'm going to say is that if a unit moves exclusively on roads and trails, it can move at least 1 hex more than its base movement allowance.

[Shad]

Losing a hex - which is a LOT by percentage - while never leaving road/trail seems bogus. I like your adjustment.

[Greyfox]

Gents,

          While a historian by training, and not a mathematician, I do like the math.  However one other thought....  As an infantryman who has quite a few tactical foot marches under his belt, I can tell you that the any time that you are moving along a road or trail (unless particularly muddy) you move faster which would also buttress your agreement.
          The only disadvantage is that you are potentially more vulnerable to fires.... something not replicated in PG.  Part of that is probably due to the fact, that that vulnerability to direct fire is usually only during initial contact, on in constricting terrain conducive to ambushes.

Mike