suggestions for FAQ page

[BubblePig]

Any suggestions for inclusion in the FAQ page would be much appreciated.

[gull2112]

Does a unit that has lost its last green box but still has all of its yellow boxes test at Courage -1? Yes, the rule is worded that once a unit has lost all of its green boxes it must test and is considered "in the yellow."

A question that leads to:
A note clarifying the direct path rule. Specifically, pointing out that a unit on close, if placed so that just a part of it is behind a friendly unit, allows the player to decide whether or not the unit stays behind or shifts over and moves ahead. This is a basic tactic that many folks new to the system may not intuitively grasp.

A note clarifying the fact that missile range, closest enemy, final rushing, and regular movement are, in fact, all calculated differently.



Perhaps gpman could help us out with some questions that came to his mind whilst learning the system.

BTW - excellent idea creating a FAQ page!

[gpman]

I'll go back and look over my recent posts and make suggestions here.  Off the top of my head would be some "play thru" examples with diagrams or pictures of some of the different aspects of the rules, like final rushes, determining closest enemy (close vs other orders),etc.  I'll post more when I get to my PC.

[BubblePig]

A note clarifying the fact that missile range, closest enemy, final rushing, and regular movement are, in fact, all calculated differently.

Duly noted, Mike. That reminds me that maybe a good way to start is with a glossary for terms just such as those.

I'll go back and look over my recent posts and make suggestions here.

Thanks, gpman. I appreciate it.

Off the top of my head would be some "play thru" examples with diagrams or pictures of some of the different aspects of the rules

Examples with diagrams are likely to be the last thing I tackle, and to be brutally frank my last efforts in that direction were less than stellar. My plan is to start off by compiling stuff that is already here in a way which is easier to find. More immediately that does remind me that I need to look into the best way to store diagrams and pictures, since the storage capacity for attachments appears to be full. This does not in any way mean it won't happen, but you might want to make inquiries regarding diagrams in the <Rules> board as that might encourage a quicker response from the 'diagram gurus.' I will be keeping an eye on that board, but it would not hurt to post here with a quote so I can find stuff quicker and to emphasize 'FAQworthiness.'

[gpman]

ok, here are the questions I asked recently, I tried to give the 3.0 rules answer I got in reply

• Can you final rush with a unit on close orders that you have under direct control?
  
  Answer: No, A unit currently under direct control can’t final rush (1.4.6).  Also, 1.3.2.2 Direct Control - You may spend one command action to take direct control of one of your units for the turn. This turn, ignore the contents of that unit’s command circle. It moves and/or maneuvers however you like. If it has a ranged attack, you can pick which unit it fires at when you choose defenders (3.1.1).
  
  
• when performing a maneuver like "move sideways", I know I have to move the total value of my MC, but does the maneuver it self have to be an amount equal to one of the maneuver categories?
    example:  My unit has an MC of 'L' or 3.5", at the start of it's move I want to move it sideways to the right (-1 MC='S' or 2.5"). [1st part]Can I move the unit 1" to the right and finish moving 1.5" forward (completing 2.5").  [2nd part]Or do I have to move 1.25" to the right (the smallest category '1/2S') and then 1.25" forward?  I guess the same would go for turns too.
  
  Answer: Yes to the 1st part, so long as the sideways movement and forward movement add up to 2.5" you're good.  (And if you're taking direct control the sideways and forward movement could add up to anything 2.5" or less.)
  
  
• At the beginning of the turn a unit of orcs is engaged with a unit of goblins, the goblins were in the green, as were the orcs.  After combat the goblins are now in the yellow and the orcs are in the red.  The goblins pass their courage test and the orcs failed, so the orcs turn around and the goblins get a free attack.
  
  The goblins are attacking the rear (bonus) but do they suffer for being in the yellow now, or count as in the green (which they were at the beginning of the turn)?
  
  Answer:Goblins are in the yellow at the end of the Combat Phase / beginning of Post Combat Courage Phase (that's why they took the rout check) so they use the yellow combat dice modifiers, but still get charge and lash (army ability) bonuses and command cards may also be played.
  
  
• Unit A starts the movement phase directly behind Unit C, Unit A is blocked by friendly unit C(on hold), Unit B is A's nearest enemy (in this case A is a ranged unit on advance to short orders, but B is still closest if A was on close orders) and the range is over 7".  Does Unit A have to move around unit C (indirect path)?
  
  Answer: You can have Unit A follow its order and move sideways to get into Short range or you can invoke the Indirect Path rule (1.4.7.2) and move directly forward, stopping when it hits the obstruction (in this case the friendly unit, meaning Unit A won't move at all).
  
  
• Unit A starts the movement phase directly behind impassible terrain C, Unit B is A's nearest enemy (in this case A is a ranged unit on advance to short orders, but B is still closest if A was on close orders) and the range is over 7".  Does Unit A have to move around terrain C?
  
  Answer: Yes, (1.4.7.3) Impossible Path - If the otherwise optimal path for a unit to take under orders is permanently impossible(most likely due to terrain) that unit must use the shortest clear path instead.
  
  
• Bill's Unit C just rallied (on hold) and his other command points were spent elsewhere so there are none left.  Brett's Unit B is Bill Unit A's nearest enemy and per A's close order must move towards B (Unit C is in the way).  We figure there were 3 routes: #II is the direct path and would stop Unit A short.  Route # I is the fastest route not blocked by Bill's Unit C.  Route # III would take an extra turn or two compared to # I.
  
  
  
  Bill wanted to move Unit A by Route # III to try and protect his Bowmen Unit D from Brett's Unit E, but Brett said that Route # I was the fastest and would get Unit A the closest to Unit B, therefore the route Unit A had to take, or take the direct route # II. Is that right, or can Unit A move by Route # III  as long as he is closer to Unit B than he was at the start of the turn?
  
  Answer: You all did it exactly right.  Routes I and II are both options.  III is not, although a Command Action to Direct Control (or change orders) could lead to III being taken.
  
  

sorry about the picture, I'm not sure if the question is clear without it

• 1.2.2.2 Point Objective Modifier, "Once a unit on hold reaches its objective location, you may choose to maneuver it on the objective for one additional turn", is that a turn maneuver or a game turn?  When I first read it I thought it meant you could continue to do maneuvers on the objective on the following turn, now I'm reading it as a turn maneuver with however many inches of movement you have left.  Please explain.
  
  Answer: One game turn.
  In other words:  Your Orc Spearmen are on Hold with a location target:
  
  Your turn:  your Orcs unit hit the location using half its movement.  You can not do anything you want with the rest of of the movement, so long as your card stays on the target.  You choose to have your orcs slide sideways a little bit.
  
  My turn:  My High Elf Chariots get closer.
  
  Your turn:  Without it costing you a Command Action, your Orcs can do whatever sort of moves they want, so long as they stay on the target.  you choose to reform them and then have them slide sideways up to 1.25".
  
  My turn:  I take direct control of my Chariots and have them move so as to hit your guys in the flank.
  
  Your turn:  Sadly, your Orcs aren't going to move at all.  Unless, of course, you spend a Command Action to change their orders or take direct control.
  
  so when my unit (hold with location modifier) reaches it's location (say game turn 1), as long as the card stays on the location I can use my remaining movement to maneuver, on the following turn (which would be game turn 2 in my example) I can continue to maneuver up to my MC as long as the unit on hold w/location stays on the target.  At the end of the that turn (game turn 2 still in example) I would remove the die / counter /whatever I used to mark the location.  On the following turn (game turn 3 now) that unit is on hold for real and can not maneuver (unless i change it's order or direct control).
  
  
• The follow order (1.1.5) states "The unit moves towards the nearest non-front center point of the nearest friendly unit", but what part of the following unit needs to be nearest?  Do I move the following unit's front center point?  Or is it whichever center point or part of card is nearest the nearest friendly's non-front center point?  How about some examples of how this works.  I can see if the following unit was behind the unit it was following, but what if the following unit was to the side or even in front of the nearest friendly unit?
  
  Answer: I usually try to move the front-center point, but probably any part of the front edge is legal.  (That will allow the unit on Follow to back up the unit it is following.)
  
  

I think the follow order is slated to be eliminated per the proposed rules changes / clarifications / errata

[BubblePig]

Good stuff, gpman, thanks for going through the trouble of organizing and putting it all in one place.  

Unit A starts the movement phase directly behind Unit C, Unit A is blocked by friendly unit C(on hold), Unit B is A's nearest enemy (in this case A is a ranged unit on advance to short orders, but B is still closest if A was on close orders) and the range is over 7".  Does Unit A have to move around unit C (indirect path)?

Answer: You can have Unit A follow its order and move sideways to get into Short range or you can invoke the Indirect Path rule (1.4.7.2) and move directly forward, stopping when it hits the obstruction (in this case the friendly unit, meaning Unit A won't move at all).

Just to be clear, I think you mean that invoking Indirect Path rule (1.4.7.2) would cause the unit to move sideways, and refraining to do so would cause the unit to move forward, is this so?

This is one of the few cases where you get to act omnipotent and omnipresent instead of spending CAs for the privilege of exerting your will on the battlefield.

[gull2112]

Thanks Ron. Yes, the movement differences are all clearly stated in the rules, but those new to the rules may have a hard time keeping it all straight. Having the differences all clearly explained in one place would be courteous and go along way towards overcoming the general rep of the rules being unfriendly.  

And I meant having the ramifications of the indirect rule spelled out clearly would help overcoming many issues as gpman pointed out.

[gpman]

Just to be clear, I think you mean that invoking Indirect Path rule (1.4.7.2) would cause the unit to move sideways, and refraining to do so would cause the unit to move forward, is this so?

This is one of the few cases where you get to act omnipotent and omnipresent instead of spending CAs for the privilege of exerting your will on the battlefield.

That sounds right, I just cut and pasted the replies I got.  I had to edit a couple to eliminate some of my long windedness, if I removed something important please LMK or edit the post as you see fit.