Turning-to-Face in DBA 3

But seriously, leaving the Pike in place, it fights the element contacting its front (because that region still represents the element's "focus") and the Aux lacked the movement to fully engage. Hence fighting as -1 overlap. Seems sensible to me...

In case the Pike were not also contacted to front, the Pike element commander says "hey, no one is in front of us, and I, now that my mind is free to wander, just noticed the Aux bearing down form the right front side. Everyone, let's go get 'em"... and they conform to fight...

Seems to me that what I described is exactly what the rules require, no?

I also think that primuspilus is right…but not for the reasons that he thinks.

What follows is a solution to this conundrum that does not violate any of the written rules.
However, it is a bit complicated and sometimes counter-intuitive.

Let’s review the situation once more:-

Here player ‘B’ has his pike facing various threats.
Player ‘A’, who's bound it is, has several choices, but only has one PIP to spend:-
     a) He could move the single blade into contact, in which case the single pike does not move.
         The single blade must conform to the front of the single pike at contact (rule 9.10).
        (Note that had the blade been part of a group, then the single pike would have to conform to the blade at contact)
     b) Or he could move the Ax group straight ahead into contact, and again the single pike does not move.
        (Note that had the pike been part of a group, then the moving Ax group must conform to pike’s flank, as per rule 9.9)
        The pike will only turn to face and line-up with the Ax group after the end of the Move Phase (rules 9.10 & 10.1).

Now assume that player ‘A’ had two PIP’s to spend, and wants to move both the Ax group and blade into contact:-
     a) If he moves the single blade first, it will have to line-up with front of the single pike at contact (rule 9.10).
         When he move the Ax group straight forwards, the pike cannot turn, because it is already engaged (rule 10.1).
         So the Ax group must wheel and line-up to the pike’s flank to end the Move Phase in legal contact (rule 9.9).
        (Note that had the pike been part of a group, the Ax group would also have to wheel to line-up to the pike’s flank)
     b) If he first moves the Ax group straight forwards, the single blade would still have to line-up at contact (rule 9.10).
         But at the end of the Move Phase, the single pike cannot turn to face the Ax group, because it is already engaged.
         So now the Ax group is in illegal contact, as it violates the end of the Move Phase legal contact positions (rule 9.9).

The conclusion is, if player ‘A’ wants both the blades and Ax in contact, the Ax group cannot move straight forwards.
Either way, no matter which moves first, the Ax group is going to have to wheel, just as if the pike were part of a group.
And if the Ax group lacks the movement to wheel and line-up legally by the end of Move Phase, it cannot make contact (rule 9.9).



Some potentially useful player aids can be found here, including the latest June 2017 FAQ and the Quick Reference Sheets from the Society of Ancients:-
fanaticus-dba.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Reference_sheets_and_epitomes

No the stand aligns. We have always played [and I think incorrectly] that the alignment as immediate, rather than in phases as Stevie initially described.

Either way the alignment is important, in my view, so individual stands do not slow up main battle lines.

I don't think so. It says
        "Unless turning to face a flank or rear contact (see p.10), contacted elements conform at contact"

The only time conforming is immediate is if a single element is hit frontally (i.e. not to flank or rear) by a moving group. Your way would be correct if the Pike were hit by a moving group to the front, slightly off angle, for example. 

Also everyone must bear in mind the first sentence in the "MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH ENEMY" paragraph. 

The joys of a discrete time-step game with a continuous movement system...

Sorry if I appeared a bit cryptic primuspilus.

You were saying that “Does not the Aux stay in place (in an illegal contact position), and the contacted element (i.e. the Pike) now fights as if overlapped?”
And “leaving the Pike in place, it fights the element contacting its front, and the Aux lacked the movement to fully engage, hence it fights as a -1 overlap.”

If my interpretation of the contact and conforming rules in my latest diagrams is correct, then:-
        You were right about the Pike staying in place (obeying the last sentence of page 9 paragraph 10)…
        Wrong about the Aux ending the Move Phase in an illegal contact position (and violating rule 9.9)…
        But right about the Aux counting as an overlap, as it must line-up with the Pike’s flank (obeying rule 9.9),
        because the element contacting the front of the Pike prevents it from turning (obeying rule 10.1).

All troops must end the Move Phase front-to-front, front-to-side, or front-to-rear, with corners touching.
(The only exception is when conforming is physically prevented, as per rule 9.10).
(That’s one of the intricacies of DBA…most rules have an exception…and sometimes even the exception has an exception!)

Come to think of it, page 8 paragraph 4, “Sequence of Play”, lists four ‘phases’ in a bound.
Things would have a bit clearer if it listed all five phases:-
        1) PIP dicing.
        2) Tactical moves.
        3) Turning to face.
        4) Shooting.
        5) Close combat.

(I think I’ll add that to my new updated “Detailed Crib Sheets for DBA 3.0”…)



Some potentially useful player aids can be found here, including the latest June 2017 FAQ and the Quick Reference Sheets from the Society of Ancients:-
fanaticus-dba.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Reference_sheets_and_epitomes