Turning To Face Within Proximity Range

[Inspector]

A unit of Red Foot face a unit of Blue Horse within proximity range.
A unit of Red Horse crash into the flank of the Blue Horse.
Can the Blue Horse turn to face even though they are within proximity range of an enemy to their front?

Inspector

[Big Al]

Yes. That isn't the reason for proximity and it is a perfectly legal move. It is a charge reaction.

Proximity is designed to stop unscrupulous or "gamey" players from manouvring onto an enemy flank just so that they can charge that instead of the front of the enemy which they are facing, in order to avoid receiving closing fire and reduce the number of attacks that the enemy will have against them. This is something that can happen in other games. Any unit can be ordered to change facing, even when within proximity. Good luck to them, because if they should fail to move out of the way, the enemy will end up charging them in their flank. Another rule that helps prevent the "gamey" play is the one that states that a unit can only charge the enemy unit's quarter that it is in at the start of the move. So, if your unit is facing an enemy unit's front at the start of its move, then it is the unit's front that it must contact if your unit charges.
Another manouvre that is legal within proximity of the enemy is a formation change, or more precisely, the expansion or contraction of your unit's frontage. So, you can change from column into line or vice versa. Your unit is expanding or contracting sideways but not actually moving.

Hope all this helps.

[Nohrmann]

Another rule that helps prevent the "gamey" play is the one that states that a unit can only charge the enemy unit's quarter that it is in at the start of the move. So, if your unit is facing an enemy unit's front at the start of its move, then it is the unit's front that it must contact if your unit charges.

So if a unit gets three moves it can either:

a. Use two moves to get around and into the flank and use the third move (the charge move) to charge in the flank, as it then starts its charge move in the flank,

or

b. use any of the three moves to charge to the front only, as it started its turn from the front (in the order phase).

Cheers
Claus

[Cubster]

So if a unit gets three moves it can either:

a. Use two moves to get around and into the flank and use the third move (the charge move) to charge in the flank, as it then starts its charge move in the flank,

or

b. use any of the three moves to charge to the front only, as it started its turn from the front (in the order phase).

b

[warpaint_figures]

So if a unit gets three moves it can either:

a. Use two moves to get around and into the flank and use the third move (the charge move) to charge in the flank, as it then starts its charge move in the flank,

or

b. use any of the three moves to charge to the front only, as it started its turn from the front (in the order phase).

b

But if three moves away and outside proximity range surely can maneuvre first to different position before hits proximity range yes?

Stew

[Big Al]

Yes, it can manouvre out of proximity and then around to a different position, say a flank, and then back into proximity. It just can't charge the enemy unit on that flank in the same turn because it didn't begin its turn in that flank quarter.

This is much easier to explain in person with models than it is in text.

@Claus - Cubster is right.

[Nohrmann]

If you have a enemy unit in proximity but out of your front arc, are you allowed to turn/pivot INF and artillery so you are able to shoot at the enemy?

Cheers

Claus

[warpaint_figures]

If you have a enemy unit in proximity but out of your front arc, are you allowed to turn/pivot INF and artillery so you are able to shoot at the enemy?

Cheers

Claus

I believe so providing you are not subject to proximity from anyone else

12" proximity rule only applies to a unit that covers line from leader when you can only go straight forward and back
Otherwise you use the frontal arc of the unit and any unit in that and within 3 x your move you have to turn towards.

So in your example yes and probably have to turn towards if unit rather than artillery piece

That seemed to be the summary from RP on a thread in here. Correct and hang draw and quarter me if wrong please

Stew

[Nohrmann]

Otherwise you use the frontal arc of the unit and any unit in that and within 3 x your move you have to turn towards.

Is that not Hail Cesar??????? Nothing to do with Black powder......

[Big Al]

Look, all proximity does is prevent your unit moving into either of its flank quarters. It can move into its rear and front quarters and it can turn on the spot. It can shoot normally during the shooting phase as well.

Just to add - You measure distances from the central point of the unit in both games. In HC, the unit leader has to be facing a unit for proximity, in BP it doesn't have to face an enemy unit, it can only move into the front or rear quarters. The proximity rule in HC is a little more complex and it is best not to confuse the two on here.