Just a final confirmation, please. According to figure 5a, when enemy elements A and B aren't present, element C is the following priority. As per page 30, if a spontaneous mover that...
(a) would neither contact an enemy element any part of which is directly in front nor end closer to the previously closest visible enemy... blah, blah, blah
I understand that the sponnos move towards C because the will end further, not closer, to E as its previously closest visible enemy. Right?
Not quite, I don't think.
Or, more precisely, I think you're tying together two parts of the rule which should instead be applied separately.
Warband X doesn't head for Bow C
because this move will end further from Bow E than it started.
Firstly, the default move for sponno troops is straight ahead. However,
if this move either won't contact enemy or if it means Warband X ends the move further from Bow E than it was at the start of the move, you may choose to activate one of the dot point options.
One of the dot point options is to "...change direction by the least angle..." to contact enemy. The target element which fulfils this condition is Bow C.
Taking this same figure, what would happen if elements A, B and E weren't there and all other remain as depicted? Could Warband X contact C? I think it couldn't because it can end closer to C, its current previously visible enemy, moving straight ahead. Opinions?
No, I think you're wrong again, for essentially the same reason.
Option 1: go straight ahead, and Warband X contacts nothing. This activates the dot point options.
Option 2: change direction by the least angle and contact enemy. In the example you describe, it would be Bow C.
