A QRS for Pips

[foxgom]

Hi

My son Thomas just pointed out a very good reason why the idea of 2 PIPs for making regular columns makes no sense at all.

Start with 5 cavalry in a line.
The second cavalry from the left advances straight ahead 12cm / 240 p.
The cavalry on the far left stands still.
The 3rd to 5th cavalry fall in in column behind.
The fifth cavalry, who started on the far right, has moved 12cm (the full move).

So under some circumstances it is possible to build a column behind a middle element and for one of the edge elements to have moved full distance.

This makes the whole idea of regular troops paying 2 Pips to make a column into a joke.
It becomes impossibly complicated.

Regular troops pay only 1 PIP to make a column and Basta.

neil fox



 

[andrew]

Hi Neil

I don't see the example you provided as being 'unusual' because what you have done is pulled forward into a column with one of the elements on the flank of the formation.  I understand you left element A behind but given he is not going into the column (and cannot*) you haven't actually provided a situation where you form a column behind an element other than one of the flank elements.

* Element A cannot join the tail of the column (per your scenario) if you read through the group movement rules (nearest elements fall in behind), so is not a part of the column.

Another (absurd?) scenario is 2 elements of Cav side by side, and you wish to pull into a column at say a 20 degree angle to your front left.  If you lead with the left element then the group move has gone short (both outsides corners move less than 240 paces), but if you lead with the right element then it hasn't.

Andrew

[LawrenceG]

Hi

My son Thomas just pointed out a very good reason why the idea of 2 PIPs for making regular columns makes no sense at all.

Start with 5 cavalry in a line.
The second cavalry from the left advances straight ahead 12cm / 240 p.
The cavalry on the far left stands still.
The 3rd to 5th cavalry fall in in column behind.
The fifth cavalry, who started on the far right, has moved 12cm (the full move).

So under some circumstances it is possible to build a column behind a middle element and for one of the edge elements to have moved full distance.

This makes the whole idea of regular troops paying 2 Pips to make a column into a joke.
It becomes impossibly complicated.

Regular troops pay only 1 PIP to make a column and Basta.

neil fox

Regular troops already pay only 1 pip to move into column.
They pay an extra pip for short moving both front corners.

The problem comes if you measure the distance moved by the initial front corners of the group. Then some column formations pay an extra pip and others don't, depending on which elements go where in the column and how far forward it moves. Various examples have been brought forward on this forum and the yahoo group.

The problem vanishes if you measure the distance moved by the final front corners of the group. Then everything is simple.