When is a retiring unit considered blocked by enemy?

[rigolgm]

One more question! Thanks so much for your help.

On page 73 the rules for Retiring Units say: "A retire move is a normal move in every respect but must be made entirely within the confines of the unit's rear (or opposing) quarter ....... A unit that is unable to retire as required will break instead. Remove the unit as if it had been destroyed. This can happen because enemy units or impassable terrain block its rearward movement."

But the movement rules are very forgiving in Black Powder. Therefore if, for example, enemy cavalry are sitting in a block in the middle of my rear quarter could I just say my unit retreats backward around them?

How about if they are just two or three inches away from my rear, but not wide enough to cover the span of my fear quarter. Can I still argue that my retreating troops just snake around them, around the edges (as long as I'm not in a very chunky formation)?

I appreciate that "fair play" might be the best guide here. But it seems very open to interpretation. It would be much easier to decide if the rule instead said that retreating troops retire directly backwards, not just into the rear (or opposing) arc.

Thanks for any views!

Mike

[Big Al]

I'm afraid that would be up to you and your oponent. Personally, I would count it as blocked. The unit is retiring in formation, so if there isn't enough room for the unit to get through the gap in its current formation, it will break. Think of it as reaqlising that it can't get through the gap as it is, so everyone runs for it and disperses to get away. Hence it breaks.

[rigolgm]

I think I might resolve it this way:

The retire is considered blocked unless the retiring unit could fully squeeze past the blocking enemy if it retained its width and orientation throughout the retire. This means that the retiring unit is unlikely to survive unless the enemy's attempt to block it leaves a big gap between itself and an edge of the retiring units rear (or opposite) arc. Of course, the retiring unit can still end the move facing any direction, as usual.

Sounds about right? Seems quite easy to judge, and gives the enemy a good chance to cut off a retreat. It stops arguments about whether a gap is big enough to retreat through.

Not entirely sure how to apply it to skirmishers though!

[Big Al]

Skirmishes are not in any ordered formation, so unless a unit is right up against the rear of a unit, the skirmishes will get through a small gap.

[rigolgm]

Yeah. I wonder if an opponent would accept that? - my skirmishers snaking through tiny gaps to escape enemy right behind them that they're retiring towards? Think I'll have to create a house rule.

[grant]

Yeah. I wonder if an opponent would accept that? - my skirmishers snaking through tiny gaps to escape enemy right behind them that they're retiring towards? Think I'll have to create a house rule.

That's the beauty of BP. Try it in a game or two, see what you think, and then call it a house rule!

[Big Al]

Yeah. I wonder if an opponent would accept that? - my skirmishers snaking through tiny gaps to escape enemy right behind them that they're retiring towards? Think I'll have to create a house rule.

Skirmishing units are normally small or tiny units, so it is a little more acceptable. Besides which, they often die first anyway. A second problem is that a unit of skirmishers uses any of its figures as its unit commander and form around it, so it is more difficult to compromise them. All the rules regarding skirmishers allows them complete freedom of movement, they don't have flanks or rear, so you can't really impose the rules of a formed close order unit on them just for retiring. I would allow it, but, like you say, you can create a house rule. Everyone has a different view on the subject, which is great and BP allows you to sort out those differences.

[HobbitMiles]

I would have though that if you've got enemy cavalry in your rear quarter something has gone horribly wrong with your battle plan!

In general we find 2 situations block a retire result - impassable terrain or the retire move ending in the same space as a friendly unit. If there is no way through impassable terrain then it is curtains, a friendly unit in the way usually just results in a 2nd move - which to be honest is usually a blessing for the retiring unit.