Besides my mistake about bringing on stragglers, let me give an example of what I am getting at.
Lately I have been playing with a Delayed command of either Irr Bg(I) or Irr Bg(F), now it can roll 5 or 6 to arrive for the first of my 4 bounds and 4 5 or 6 for the next 4 bounds, after which it counts as lost ( unarrived ). It could still arrive though.
Yes. With you so far.
In my last game my mounted had moved away from centre sector ( threatened by Knights ) and some Ax were marching in column through woods also in my centre sector, when of course the Train of sheep herds decided to arrive with a 6, so I bought the train on striaght away and hoped for the best.
The Ax were enemy?
But on ruminating about in the middle of the night, I seem to have developed the idea that I did not have to bring it on right away. If I did not spend the pips to move on table that turn then the Bg would be straggling from my next bound.
Yes. The rules don't say anything about you having to bring on delayed/flank marching troops on the first bound they can do so.
If when I next roll pips for the train and I do not get 3 ( Bg(I)) I can not bring on train...
Yes.
...( does it still count as not arrived )...
Depends on what the relevance of arrival is.
...if I do roll 3 4 5 can I elect just to bring 1 Bg element on...
No. The rule about stragglers says "...other stragglers must arrive in the next bound in which their command's PIP score is sufficient for them to move clear of the edge." So if you roll 3 or more, you must bring all your baggage on.
...now the command is definitly counting as arrived but the rest of the Bg is still save, if I roll a 6 then 2 elements at least must come on. Then ( if it is going this way ) I do not have to bring on any more Bg until I roll 3 or more for the train once more .
No. It's possible to bring the baggage on as a group. Therefore, according to the rule I quoted above, you must do so if you get the necessary PIPs.
The only possible exception I can see to this is if the entire place of entry is covered by terrain which prevents you from doing group moves. But this is extremely unlikely.
So I can see you gaining a couple of bounds of grace, depending on the vagaries of the dice, but once the command's PIP dice is sufficient to bring on any baggage, you've got to bring the lot on. One of those tactics which is great in principle, and may often have its uses, but which it's dangerous to use without thinking whether it's appropriate.
The other thing that did occour to me was flank marching the train command ( very dodgy if it is driven back IE lost ), but seeing loads of troops to flee form the arrival of a sheep herd would by momentarily fun ( at least until they turn around and start looking for recipes for lamb chops ). Again if I successfully roll a 6 ( or 5 to 6 after 4 bounds ) it would then require a roll of least 3 for any to arrive ( and as I said they might not all have to arrive ).
Remember, arrival surprise is only caused by elements which aren't straggling. If you flank march your baggage and then don't bring it on straight away, it's straggling...
Thats also why I asked when does a command count as having arrived when it rolls the necessary dice to arrive does it count as arrived in my next bound if nothing physically is placed on table.
What rule are you referring to in which the meaning of "arrival" matters?
Please tell me I am raving and need severe councilling or rehabilitation, where am I wrong in this.
Perfectly acceptable to push the rules to their logical limit in the search for bizarrities. If the people who are credited with having play-tested the rules had taken your attitude, we wouldn't have as many unclear, ambiguous or contradictory rules.
