[Big Al]

They would count as charging because of the Sweeping Advance . As you have said, a unit cannot engage an enemy unless it has charged, but when contact is made, you split the combat up into smaller ones. A supporting unit counts as engaged, so will count as charging.

[Big Al]

I would say that the support would count as a victorious not. It may not have fought directly, but it still fought in that last combat.

 

As to the second question, I answered a similar question on the Facebook group, or rather, I reminded the players of the disorder test for the sweeping advance, when it was pointed out to me that it was not in the new rules. Rick confirmed it, saying he left it out because the thought that nobody used it! Apparently, he thought players forgot to apply it. So, it is correct that it no longer applies.
personally, I liked it. It not applied if the unit made both moves for the sweeping advance.

 

May I suggest that you join our group on Facebook? Rick often responds, especially if asked to clarify an issue.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2674774416115570/?ref=share_group_link

[Big Al]

Well, ideally four or five divisions is what you need. But as I said, you are learning the rules and made the mistake has been learned. Next time you won’t count the skirmishers. I only said “it’s your game” because of that. I was not saying that you should do what you want because of that, only that it would not matter because of your learning the rules.
The next game will be different and as you build your armies, it will get better.

[Big Al]

Not really. It is your game and you made the decision for both sides. I know you could argue that one side might have won if skirmishers hadn’t been counted, but the important thing is that you had fun and learned the rules.
next time you play, you’ll not count the skirmishers and probably find it would make little difference with small forces.
it isn’t a competition and you’re playing the game!

[Big Al]

Count them as ordinary infantry types (spears or archers) as if in square. This means that they ignore all break test results except “unit breaks.” A square is limited in the way it moves. Normally, it cannot advance, but can retire, but as this is a wagon, I would suggest that it moves slowly and cannot charge.

[Big Al]

<p style=”text-align: center;”>I used the three bases but spread the figures out a little so that they wouldn’t look too cramped.</p>

[Big Al]

If you read the rules, you will see that only a single unit can contact any one side of a unit! So the difference in unit frontage doesn’t matter. There are occasions where that doesn’t apply, but it always applies if it is the two smaller frontage units that are charging.

the occasion when it doesn’t apply is when a larger unit charges into smaller frontage units. The requirement to maximise frontage means that two units could become engaged, but that is the unit with the larger frontage making contact.

 

as to base sizes, I agree that for the scale the are way too large! I usually play in 28mm and the Epic bases give a wider frontage than my 28mm units! I play on 8x6ft tables or larger and you are right, a 6×4 table is not wide enough.
I only have the ACW Epic set and I have reduced the units to 3 bases. It makes everything much more manageable.
apparently, the reason for the number of bases was for the aesthetic reason of the look of masses of troops. Unfortunately, someone’s idea of a spectacularly large game has not taken into consideration that most wargamers don’t have the luxury of a large playing space!
I still play Warmaster, the GW game that spawned Black Powder, which used 10mm figures. Units consisted of three 40x20mm bases and gave the massed troops aesthetic perfectly on a standard 6×4 table.
oh and cavalry was mounted using the 20mm edge as the front, while infantry used the 40mm front.

[Big Al]

I second Garry’s answer. Nothing more to add to it except that you should remember that all units that are in a position to support will be affected. This is regardless of whether they were used as support or not.
as you know, only three units can support a unit in combat, but there could be more than three units in a position of support. it illustrates how dangerous a break test failure can be and the possible domino effect it can have on your brigade.

[Big Al]

I don’t believe that they can.

[Big Al]

You do whatever you see fit.

personally, I just switch inches to centimetres Works well and no maths involved whatsoever. All distances are the same, just the measurement type is changed.

some like to use 2/3rds distances but that involves maths on everything and means that you have to rewrite, or recreate a QRS. A lot of work involved compared to the simple change of measurement type.

 

As to bases, I use 40mm bases. Indeed, I recommend using the same basing as DBA.

Four 40mm bases for a standard unit, six for a large, two for a small unit. Works well, especially as there is no figure count.

[Big Al]

Can I just ask where you get 8 attacks for the Attack Column? For that matter, why have the British got 9 attacks? If these are standard units, they only have 6 attacks, 8 if a large unit.

Your example also shows why Useful Rules should be applied carefully and sparingly, not loading up and making units invincible.

something else that you have mentioned is that closing fire often causes disorder due to the number of shots fired, but you have never mentioned the number of casualties caused by the closing fire. Firstly, First Fire causes the reroll of misses, not double shots, unless you are still using BP1.
Secondly, the number of casualties caused is extremely important.  The number of casualties caused by closing fire causes a break test before hand to hand combat begins. Should the unit become Shaken, it will take a break test in the event of a drawn combat.

Remember that a unit only counts the -1 for either disorder or shaken. They are not cumulative. However, either effectively negates the charge bonus.

[Big Al]

Yes it can. As the rules state, a charge order is just a mechanic to get a unit to move into contact. Without it a unit cannot make contact with an enemy unit.
You can issue a Charge order from any distance, but what it means is that the unit must make full moves until it makes contact with an enemy. If it doesn’t contact an enemy, it does not matter, but the unit will make its full, maximum movement. So, if you roll low enough for three moves, your unit will make three full moves towards the enemy – 36 inches for infantry or 54 inches for cavalry!

Now, one other thing, the actual charge is the final move into contact. It is important that at the start of that final move, your unit has a clear line of sight to the target unit. If the target is out of sight, say, the other side of a hill or there is an intervening friendly unit between the chargers and the enemy, then the contact cannot be made! It is also at that point that the enemy can react to the charge – cavalry May countercharge or turn to face, skirmishers May evade and infantry may attempt to form square.

by the way, just to be clear, using Initiative results in just a single move. I don’t believe that was what you meant, but I thought I’d mention it just the same.

Hope that clarifies. It really is all in the book, but I don’t have mine with me to give you chapter and verse right now! I think it is under the section entitled “Charge”.

[Big Al]

<p style=”text-align: right;”>Basically, yes. Changing formation takes a full move, so your unit moves up to the terrain(1st move, then changes formation (2nd move) then enters the terrain (3rd move).</p>
That is per the rules in the main rulebook.

[Big Al]

You have to be wary of podcasters making these statements. If it isn’t in the main rulebook, then it is either an alternative rule suggestion from one of the supplement books (including the rules that come with the Epic set) or it is a house rule that they are passing off as an actual rule.

it is certainly not in the main BP2 rulebook.

[Big Al]

Yes you can. Manhandled Artillery can move a maximum of 6 inches, regardless of how low the command roll is. So, even though you roll and get 3 moves, your manhandled Artillery can only make one move of a total of 6 inches.

The shooting phase is a seperate phase and so, the artillery can fire during that phase.

[Author]

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