Support Questions

[Eumerin]

I wanted to double-check how facing/orientation/etc... affects Support in melee combat. We had a couple of situations arise today during play. I think the rules allow support in these situations, but I wanted to make sure that was the case.

Situation One -

Unit X is facing south, and is flush against friendly unit Y to the south.
Unit Y is facing east, and is fighting enemy Unit Z, which is facing west.

Can Unit X provide support?


Situation Two -

Two units are in a classic line. Units X and Y are both facing in the same direction, and are touching on their flanks. However, Unit Y is fighting enemy Unit Z, which has flanked Unit Y on the side opposite Unit X.

Can Unit X provide support?


In both cases, basic positioning seems to indicate that the units in question can provide support. But would-be supporting units are facing in an odd direction in relation to the melee. The rules seem to suggest that the facing is irrelevant, but I thought I'd go ahead and confirm that.

[Big Al]

Hi

In situation 1, it would depend on who moved where and when. The proximity rule would force units to face certain ways, so if unit Y would likely turn to face the enemy unit as it moved and would then be able to support. I don't think it can support when facing a different direction. The rules don't say that you can't, but then, they don't say that you can either. All the diagrams and examples have the units facing in the same direction, noted by those large white arrows.

I am not really sure about situation 2. My initial response is that X cannot support because of facing. A unit cannot get all of it's own attacks in a battle to it's flank, so a unit on the far side and facing a different direction probably can't either. I would play it that it can't. That is one of the advantages of hitting on the weaker flank.