Turning-to-Face in DBA 3

Except, however, that that is the only reference to "movement phase" I could find in the rules...Seems to have been an undefined concept, and it is not clear whether there in fact a PIP phase, a combat phase, a following up phase, and housekeeping phase. This is where the board wargame community rules writing (AH, Decision Games, SPI etc) kind of kicks our collective @$$es...

So in my view the term "immediately after the movement phase" is erroneous, since it is referencing a "non-declared variable", i.e. the "phase". At should say "Upon conclusion of tactical moves..."

There is a series of steps outlined to execute a bound, however some of these (such as dicing for PIPs) would surely not meet the commonly-accepted definition of a "phase" in wargaming. I remain sceptical of Stevie's flowchart as written.

Now since I am reading it as "upon conclusion of tactical moves", it is far less obvious that groups hitting a lone element on part of a flank need to conform (and conforming, to me, means "adjust the element(s) so that edge to edge contact is one of the types defined in the rules as being needed to resolve combat - flank, front or otherwise"). Rather, in Stevie's original diagram, the Aux hit the Pike partially on the flank, and as long as there is no one in frontal contact with the Pike at the conclusion of movement, the Pike slides over and conforms.

Yeah…well…it doesn’t.

However, what page 10 paragraph 1 actually says is:-
“Immediately after the movement phase, elements contacted to the flank or rear by an enemy front-edge turn to face…”

So rule 9.10 says an enemy just touching (i.e. contacting) a flank causes a wait before turning…
But rule 10.1 says an enemy front-edge touching (i.e. contacting) a flank causes a wait before turning…

That’s where the error lies…rule 9.10 is missing the words ‘front-edge’, and should say:-
“Unless turning to face a flank or rear front-edge contact (see p.10), contacted elements conform on contact.”
Either that or the first part of this sentence is not actually a rule, but merely an instruction to look elsewhere for details.

Think we have finally sussed it primuspilus. 

So here is an amended version of my beautiful “Conforming Flowchart”:-

                     If I make contact,                      Conforming troops line-up on contact, but those with         
-------no------ do my troops have <----note---- an enemy front-edge in contact with a flank or rear
l                     to conform?                               wait until the end of the Move Phase to turn and face.
l                               l                                        
l                             yes
l                               l 
l                    Do I have enough
l                    movement to be     ------no-----> Then contact can’t happen.
l                    able to conform?                         Think of something else.
l                               l
l                             yes
l                               l
l                    Trying to conform                        Then make legal contact as per page 9 paragraph 9.
l                    to the enemy front, -----yes-----> (If not enough space to conform to a flank or rear,
l                    do I have the space?                    then contact can’t happen)
l                               l
l                             no
l                               l
l-------------> Then my opponent ---------------> …so just move into any kind of contact
                     has to conform…                           and let the enemy worry about conforming!


How does that sound? 

There is a rule conflict and no way to tell which takes priority. Either the Aux counts as a side contact and therefore must conform using its MA at contact OR it counts as a group contacting a single element and therefore the single element must conform (for free).

If the first concept takes priority:

The Aux conforms on contact - as a side contact it has to have enough MA to make the wheel/pivot into contact - if it can't the move is illegal.

If the Aux can conform and no one contacts the enemy front edge, it conforms at the end of Movement Phase.

If the Blade contacts the front then the opposing element does not turn to conform to the Aux. It makes no different what the order of contacts were as you don't conform to a side contact until the end of movement and then only if you have not been contacted to the front.

If the second concept controls then the opponent conforms to the Aux and the Blade can make a side contact and (if it has enough MA) conform. It would depend on the order of contact.

The first and last sentence of the 2nd para of MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH ENEMY, in this case, contradict each other. Umps will have to make a choice. I'm contemplating which one I would recommend. I'm leaning to making the single element conform to a group even if a side contact. Another rule area that needs clarification.

TomT