Recoiling friendly TF

[landmeister]

I would like some confirmation about the following situation:

A Bd element was defending friendly TF and is moved forward through them its base depth so that its rear is now in contact with the TF. Now an enemy Sp element makes a frontal contact. This is how I solved it.

a) The Bd element does NOT count -1 for not being able to recoil as TF are not troops nor impassable terrain.
b) The Bd element loses combat and can recoil normally through its friendly TF. Now it counts as defending TF.

Is this correct?

But now what if there were a 4 deep Bd column defending that same TF? If that column moves forward (let's assume three elements ar now outside and the las one is still crossing from the inside). Would combat recoils be solved the same way? I guess so, but some confirmation would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

[LawrenceG1]

P40 : TF does stop an element recoiling unless "(e) a PF or TF it has not already crossed"

I think this would apply to pushed back elements too.

If it has not previously crossed the fortification, then it would prevent the recoil.

The -1 combat factor is if recoil is prevented by "troops, terrain or a battlefield edge" and a TF is none of those. Therefore by the letter of the rules you don't get a -1 in the first case. When you have a column behind you, it is troops that are in contact with the rear edge of the element in combat, preventing the recoil, so the -1 does apply.

IMO it is intended that a fortification preventing a recoil also gives a -1 - I can't think of any reason why it shouldn't.


Lawrence Greaves

[landmeister]

Ok. Thanks.