FORMATION AND FACING - Chainmail and Battlesystem 1e

Units must pay a movement penalty in order to change their formation and/or facing.

Formation:

Column - Line 1 Move

Line - Column 1 Move

Column - Square* 1 Move

Line - Square* 2 Moves

* Foot only

Units caught in melee during formation change are considered as flanked.

Facing:

Oblique depends upon angle

Left or Right Face 1/3 Move

About Face 1/2 Move

Double all penalties for poorly trained troops, and half for Swiss/Landsknechte and horse.

CLOSED FORMATION

In closed formation, the figures in the unit are in base-to-base contact.

If a unit in closed formation suffers losses, always remove them from the rear of the unit regardless of where they actually occur, since the unit is assumed to automatically fill any holes in its front ranks.

OPEN FORMATION

In open formation, the bases of the figures in the unit are approximately ½ " apart. (OPTIONAL RULE: If you are using stands of figures (see [2.4] MOUNTING MINIATURE FIGURES), place the stands 1" apart.)

If a unit in open formation suffers losses, it must move figures to fill any gaps in its front lines. It costs 1" of movement rate per figure that must be moved to fill such gaps. It must pay this cost and move as many figures as necessary to close gaps, even if it is in base-to-base contact with an enemy unit. If the total cost for movement exceeds the movement rate of the unit, then the unit fills the gap and cannot move for the remainder of the current Game Round unless it Routs.

SKIRMISH FORMATION

In skirmish formation, the bases of the figures in the unit are 1" or more apart. Figures in a skirmish unit may move as far away from each other as desired.

A unit in skirmish formation can "pass-through" another friendly unit that is also in skirmish formation. No other formation can do this.

If a unit in skirmish formation loses figures, it does not automatically fill gaps. If it chooses, it can move individual figures at the normal movement rate to fill gaps.

Figures operating in skirmish formation can never move into base-to-base contact with enemy units.

MOB FORMATION

A unit in mob formation is displayed by placing figures or counters in an irregular (but approximately square) array. Figures in mob formation are always placed in base-to-base contact. If a unit in mob formation suffers casualties, remove figures from the rear, since a mob automatically fills in any gaps.

CHANGING FORMATION

A unit may change formation at any point during its Movement Phase. All figures in a unit must be in command for it to change formation, unless the unit goes out of command or is routed. In the latter case, it automatically goes to open formation if not already in that formation.

A change of formation costs a unit 1/3 of its movement rate. Changes of formation that happen involuntarily (such as going out of command or being routed) have no cost.

MOVEMENT AND ENEMY UNITS

A figure must immediately stop its movement when it comes into base-to-base contact with an enemy figure. Other figures in the same unit may continue movement if they are not yet in base-to-base contact with the enemy. Figures may not change direction once any member of the unit has made contact with an enemy figure.

Figures that begin their Movement Phase in base-to-base contact with an enemy may only execute Wrap-Around Movement ([7.11]), Fighting Withdrawal ([7.12]), or Flee ([8.8]). This restriction applies even if the enemy units have moved into base-to-base contact within the same Game Round.

A unit that has lost initiative and had an enemy unit move into base-to-base contact with it cannot change formation, facing, or frontage in its current Movement Phase. In subsequent Movement Phases, it can only execute Wrap-Around Movement ([7.11]), Fighting Withdrawal ([7.12]), or Flee ([8.8]).

CHANGING DIRECTION

Units in skirmish formation can change direction at will during their Movement Phase without a penalty in movement rate.

Units in closed or open formation can move straight ahead or up to 45 degrees to the left or right at will during their Movement Phase without a penalty in movement rate. Use a protractor or angle to measure changes of direction.

Units in closed, open, or mob formation can change direction by Wheeling. To wheel, a unit pivots around one of its figures. The movement cost of wheeling is the distance moved by the outermost figure in the unit.

Units in closed or open formation can also change direction by Changing Facing. There are three types of facing changes: Right Face, Left Face, and About Face.

To make a Right or Left Face, turn all figures in the unit (or only some figures, if desired) 90 degrees to the right or left. The cost of a right or left face is 1/3 of the unit's movement rate, even if only some of the figures changed facing.

To make an About Face, turn all figures in the unit (or only some figures, if desired) 180 degrees. The cost of an about face is ½ of the unit's movement rate, even if only some of the figures changed facing.

CHANGING FRONTAGE

Units in closed, open, or mob formation have a Frontage. The frontage of a unit is the number of figures along the front side. Units in skirmish formation do not have frontages.

Figures may be added to or subtracted from a unit's frontage by moving figures up from the rear ranks of the unit or moving them back to the rear ranks. The movement cost of changing frontage is 1" for each figure added to or subtracted from the unit's frontage.

A mob can only change frontage by moving figures forward as it takes losses. It cannot voluntarily expand or shrink its frontage.

A unit cannot both expand and contract its frontage in the same Movement Phase, nor can a figure move into base-to-base contact with an enemy unit while changing frontage.

WRAP-AROUND MOVEMENT

A unit that begins its Movement Phase in base-to-base contact with an enemy unit can attempt Wrap-Around Movement during its Movement Phase.

In wrap-around movement, the unit expands its frontage and wheels the ends of its battle line inward to envelop, or wrap-around, the enemy unit. Both the right and left flanks of a unit may wheel inward during this maneuver.

The movement cost of wrap-around movement is the total of the costs of expanding frontage and wheeling the edges of the line inward. No individual figure may move more than its full movement rate.

At the end of melee, a unit that has used wrap-around movement is automatically considered to be in open formation. Note that the bases of the figures will not necessarily be ½" or more apart. This is an exception to the normal rules relating to open formation.