VWQ - Morale tests for routing friendly units

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Some Chicken
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Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 8:55 am

VWQ - Morale tests for routing friendly units

Post by Some Chicken » Sun Sep 06, 2015 5:22 pm

I have another new player question for the more experienced out there.

Section 8, page 9 states a) that horse units test when their card is drawn, and b) foot units only need to test for routing foot, presumably also when their card comes up.

I am not clear what happens in this situation:

- unit A and B are foot units within 6 inches of each other
- unit A's card comes up and it is ordered to hold and give fire
- a little later in the turn, unit B routs as a result of enemy fire and heads for the rear
- the turn ends
- unit B's card comes out, it fails to rally and continues to rout putting it at least 12 inches away from A
- unit A's card comes out; it has no friendly routing unit within 6 inches

Does A need to test then, retrospectively, for the rout of unit B in the previous turn?

Bearing in mind that A's card might not come out for several turns after B initially routed, players would presumably have to keep a manual record of which units are potentially affected by routing friends, but this doesn't seem to be in keeping with the 'no record keeping' essence of the rules.

Assuming I haven't misread the rules, is the intention that unit A escapes the need to test if its card doesn't come up while B is within 6 inches?

On the other hand, if A has to test belatedly, wouldn't it be easier and make more sense to test as soon as B routs rather than wait for A's card to come up?

Many thanks.
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quindia
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Re: VWQ - Morale tests for routing friendly units

Post by quindia » Sun Sep 27, 2015 2:44 pm

A only needs to test if B is within 6" when it's card comes up. I know this seems a bit strange when broken down this way. However, if you accept the card driven system, you are already used to forming a narrative to fit situations that may be foreign to other systems...

Why did that unit of horse advance to within musket charge and then sit there for three turns? Maybe they stumbled into a mire or maybe their captain was killed and his subordinate froze and was unable to order an advance or withdrawal.

So in our case, the battlefield is a noisy place and if fog or smoke obscure unit A's vision and they may not even realize their friends have buggered off. Or maybe unit A always thought unit B were a bunch of pansies and simply assumed they would run and leave the fighting to the real men.

There is an interesting tactical dilemma that may arise from this as well. Remember that a commander may issue orders to units in range when his card comes up. Should a commander try to rally B or issue orders to A to try and take advantage of an opening in the enemy line? What if B is still within 6" of A? Is it worth risking the mandatory morale check to break the enemy line or better to strengthen your own by rallying B?

Again, hope that helps...
Some Chicken
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Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 8:55 am

Re: VWQ - Morale tests for routing friendly units

Post by Some Chicken » Sun Sep 27, 2015 4:38 pm

Clarence

Thank you for clarifying. I think I prefer this outcome to a mandatory test, and now only have to convince my opponents!
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