Figure 16

[william]

  Now I am on a roll.

Some questions about Figure 16 on page 57.

Can the pikes still slide into contact as shown if the element to be avoided is friendly and either in contact or not ?

The playing example I would give ( get ready for my infamous powers of communication ), player 1's group of spears is has advanced towards a group of pikes and bows, the corner of this group is opposite a file of pike ( ie the two opposing lines are offset but are paralell ). The gap between the two lines is more than 80P. Player 2 then charges with that file of pike ( the bowmen can not attack because they can shoot at the spears { and would probably get massacred } ), the pike seems to get a free slide into front corner to front corner contact and forms the bent column ( even offset ) column arround the bows.
Is this OK?

In player 1's next bound more spear cannot 'Flank' these pikes either because they are in column or because they may be entering the zone of control of the bows behind?

I know its worse things are improving.

William

[Barritus]

I'm not sure about this one, but for me the key is in "Moving Into Close Combat" on page 33: "If a moving side's elements cannot line up in combat with enemy because of a blocking element that is not in close combat or providing rear support, the move is cancelled if this is a friendly element."

This suggests you've got to get the Bow out of the way (by spending PIPs), and can't bend your Pike column. You could only bend it like Beckham if it was an element which was either in combat or providing rear support.

[LawrenceG]

( the bowmen can not attack because they can shoot at the spears { and would probably get massacred } )

The bowmen can attack the spears  .
The prohibition is only on contacting mounted that you can shoot at  .
But yes, they probably would get massacred  .

[LawrenceG]

IMO the column of pike in Fig 16 is bent simply because it naturally bends that way when the front element wheels to contact X. It is not a special thing allowed by the presence of Z.

In your example,

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you might be able to use two wheels in opposite directions to get your pike column bent enough so that the rear element avoids the bow when you use the sideways shift/pivot to line the front element up. It might take quite a bit of jiggling about to discover if it is possible. I reckon advance a bit, right wheel, advance until left corner is level with the enemy front edge, left wheel to contact, shift right to line up might do it.

However, it would be simpler just to move straight ahead, then wheel 90 degrees into the flank of the spear.

[william]

  Thanks for the response, trying to contact the spears in the flank may not be possible because 1 did not start beyond the spear's flanklines ( as was in this case ), 2 may be entering a zone of control and finally 3 will the Pike still be able to get 4 ranks wheeling into a flank.