Does Baggage have a Rear?

[william]

  Another game tonight and I think it is getting easier. 4 more questions to be answered by our lucky veiwers, but will only go for one of them tonight as it is late, am tired and the wife is calling.

Speaking of luck, I managed to get Lh(f) into baggage tonight, even better into the rear, what we were trying to figure out does baggage actually have a rear? Like other troops does it take -1 in the rear and  -1 for not being able to recoil?

And on a related note if a two rank baggage group is attacked to the front should it take -1 as not being able to recoil ( IE baggage can not push back or interpenatrate other baggage ) ? I am fairly sure the -1 for not being able to recoil is imposed even if a recoil result is not possible.

Sorry don't want to be tying up all the questions but I am getting it out of my system.

Yours Sincerely
William

[MikeCampbell]

Page 35, "Turning to face", last paragraph:

Train and boats do not turn to face enemy, but count the edge first contacted by an enemy front edge as their front edge, and, if train, any other edge in contact with an enemy front or side edge as a side edge.

So no - baggage does not have a rear.

And as you said baggage cannot be pushed back by  recoil, and neither can it be interpenetrated by any train, so yes, having baggage in contact with the rear of baggage in combat will inflict a -1 on the later for having troops in contact with its rear edge preventing recoil.

that's a new one on me!

[william]

Thanks. Would the same apply to baggage with the table edge to rear? and even within fortifications?

William

[LawrenceG]

Thanks. Would the same apply to baggage with the table edge to rear? and even within fortifications?

William

The -1 for not being able to recoil is only if troops or terrain in contact would prevent the recoil. The table edge is neither troops nor terrain, nor would it stop a recoil, you just recoil off the table (and are lost as a result).

Baggage also ignore the "free overlap" for proximity to the table edge (page 35, bottom).