Cavalry Charges

[waynebaumber]

Not sure if this has been brought up before, but here goes.

A player has two CAV with a CAV leader two hexes from a lone enemy INF unit. The CAV leader activates his hex to assault using a cavalry charge. He moves the units one at a time, the first units moves on hex and takes opp fire from the INF unit, survives and then moves into assault with the INF unit. This stops the INF unit firing his second opp fire as the other unit charges in with the leader.

Is this right or should units be moved together if using a cavalry charge.

Did not make any difference in this case as the brave Russian boys held their ground until reinforcements arrived. Still one to ponder

[Shad]

I recall a similar problem once. I think rules as written you must move them one at a time, but I personally find this stupid and would argue for a move-at-once-because-it's-a-freaking-charge house rule in this case.

[vince hughes]

This is a tricky one really. I can see a case for both. Here they are shown as CASE A and CASE B:

CASE A

Move seperately. That's the way the game is played.

Cavalry charge in waves. First Wave made it through. Tough on the infantry for ineffective fire if they failed to stop them closing and allow the 2nd wave in..

Another way to look at it. First line of cavalry got in as the infantry wavered and failed to deliver enough vollies. Good on the cavalry. Not often they make it in !

Last 3 lines of 12.1 also states "Units being charged may not do this (opp fire) if other enemy units are already in their hex at the time of the charge". That closes the case on their 2nd shot.

Another thing to consider about firing at them 'all' in one go. What if the cav leader that activated them did so with 2 x CAV units in different hexes, for example, either side of him. No way these could be moved together and absorb the same shot ?

CASE B

Move together.

Why ?

A charge is an assault move right ? It even says that in rule 15.31. "Cavalry may conduct assault movement from two hexes away". Therefore when we send in troops for an assault in normal circumstances, even if they are all entering from different hexes, we throw them all in the hex being assaulted before conducting the assault and not one at a time.

By making Cavalry move seperately, we are treating them different in charge situations which are still assaults.

MY FAVOURED CASE: I like the seperate advances (as in Case.A) rather than group advances as charging Cavalry ARE an exception. But this is a very good question from Wayne as there really is a case for both views.

[Hugmenot]

12.2 Required Combat
Assault combat must be resolved immediately when active units enter a hex containing enemy units and no friendly units. Resolve the assault after all active units which are to enter the assault hex this action segment have finished entering the hex.
All units of both sides in the hex must participate.

My understanding of Rule 12.2 is units entering an assault hex do so one at a time and thus your Case A is correct.

[campsawyer]

Wayne has a good question, but I see that between Vince and Dan they have the combination of rules for a resolution. This also allows one to have sacrificial assaults, one unit ties up a unit and others can move around. Works great if the sacrificial unit survives the initial assault.

[Michael Murphy]

Wayne has a good question, but I see that between Vince and Dan they have the combination of rules for a resolution. This also allows one to have sacrificial assaults, one unit ties up a unit and others can move around. Works great if the sacrificial unit survives the initial assault.

War is hell after all.