Column movement out of a river | Fanaticus

menacussecundus
Senator

Posts: 1,246

Column movement out of a river Jul 9, 2019 21:40:40 GMT

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Post by menacussecundus on Jul 9, 2019 21:40:40 GMT

Jul 9, 2019 18:29:06 GMT j said:

Trouble is, the "rules as written" often become the "rules as understood by what is written" & understanding can be personal and subject to change.
I didn't like the idea that, once the leading edge of the leading element in a column was out of the river it was no longer subject to a reduced move but I thought that was what it said.

However, I've been thinking about the rule "1 BW If the front edge of any single element or group is in a non-paltry river for part of the move."

I'd originally seen it as binary, denotng either 1) a single element - all by itself, not part of a group - or 2) a group - treated as a single entity

However, the use of the word ANY when referring to an element could be seen as saying that, if ANY element in the group has a front edge in
a non-paltry river then, if it stays together, the group has a move of only 1 BW

This will mean any part of the column that has already gotten over the river, it can split off & move seperately, but if the group wants to stay
together, it must accept the reduced move until the last element in the column has moved its front edge beyond the river.

I can live with that

Regards,

j

j

If you are parsing the sentence, I think the the construction is that the maximum move is "1BW if the front edge of any single element or [the front edge of any] group is in a non-paltry river ....." To reach your construction it would have to read something like "1BW if the front edge of a single element or of any element in a group...." Or, even more simply, "1BW if the front edge of any element is in a non-paltry river..." as this would cover both single elements and groups.

Menacus S

bob
Tribune

Posts: 790

Column movement out of a river Jul 9, 2019 22:30:16 GMT

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Post by bob on Jul 9, 2019 22:30:16 GMT

Jul 9, 2019 3:41:45 GMT primuspilus said:

Sorry Bob, so you are saying that the front element basically builds a footbridge and covers it with mortar so that there is basically now a ford/bridge?

How many here have ever seen a military column wading a river? Ever waded one in battlekit yourselves?

I must tell you guys, wading a non-paltry river under battlefield conditions is about the WORST thing you can be asked to do - and I mean even today in light recce gear, in summer, with your "R" tackies on!!!!

We all hated it WAY more than ANY firefight (simulated or otherwise) we were ever part of. Sucks big time.

You are wet (wet feet means death in the infantry, as you could well imagine) cold (yes, even in 30 degree C heat with a very slight breeze). Anything made of linen or leather is now TWICE the weight. And even though the lead companies have gone before you, and have had the courtesy to point and mark the way, you are JUST as slow to pick your way across as they were.

And wet and waterlogged sandals are 10 times worse than boots for moving cross country.

As I stated before, I have always interpreted the front edge of a single element or group to mean that as long as any single element still had a front edge in the river, it was 1BW.

The "front edge of the column" bit seems to me so that the rearward elements don't inadvertently exceed 1BW (possible on curved trajectories) themselves due to the front edge of the group possibly reaching up to the river. It forces a pause to assess the river.

Then the poor buggers start wading.

I am saying what the rules say. Are you telling me that every other rule in this game Has verisimilitude with real life?!:-). Don’t try to argue the meaning of a rule on the basis of historical or practical facts.

primuspilus
Tribune

Posts: 780

Column movement out of a river Jul 10, 2019 4:24:55 GMT via mobile

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Post by primuspilus on Jul 10, 2019 4:24:55 GMT

I suspect this line was overlooked, and not thoroughly tested. In DBA 2.2 rivers could be 2", and wading distance was indeed 1". To top it off, in a severe river, you could fail your crossing die roll as well. In DBA v3 none of these issues apply. Rivers are at most 1BW. Wading speed is also 1BW. And no die roll to cross.

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