Vikings vs Saxons: A 2 rank Bd block (many elements wide) vs a 3 rank Sp block (many elements wide). A Sp column of elements from the Sp block pursued a recoil/destroy twice, so now in side edge to side edge contact with a second rank blade. Can the Bd move directly to its rear (being in a TZ, but not in close combat) or is this forbidden by the clause 'without contacting an enemy edge or corner' (because it is already in side edge to side edge contact with enemy'? Its important, because if it looks like the Sp are going to break through the Bd will want to retire out of the TZ so as to be able to later move across to 'cover' the potential breakthrough. If the already existing side edge contact prevents this then the Sp have all the time in the world to advance & turn on the pinned 2nd rank Bd element on its side or rear and the Bd cannot respond. This could of course be exactly what Phil intended (recall his intro philosophy, where he states that central breakthroughs were facilitated by DBMM as opposed to DBM).
As a supplementary point, if the advancing because pursuing Sp column succeed in breaking through, can their front element pursue 80p whilst their second element pursues a lesser distance (i.e. base depth). This matters because the Sp may want to exploit breakthrough to the maximum with their first element whilst leaving the 2nd (or 3rd) element hanging back to maintain side to side overlap with the neighbouring enemy Bd. Or must all pursuing elements in a column that began 'contiguous' pursue the same distance as the first chooses to do (width or depth) so as to remain contiguous at the end of the pursuit (although the rules nowhere specify this requirement)
Many thanks,
Bill Peck
