KoW A Beginner's Questions

[Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl]

Yesterday I began to practice the KoW rules using the free PDF and found them to be thoroughly engaging and enjoyable to play, but I have a couple of questions, answers to which I would be most grateful for:

• I understand a unit is able to charge a distance equivalent to double its Speed value, but what happens if you choose to charge a specific unit but when you measure the distance from the charging unit to the target unit you find that they can't make it, i.e. the unit fails the charge? Does the unit simply then move at the double towards that unit to represent the mistake of failing a charge or does it move a different distance?
• If the charging unit makes the charge and deals sufficient amount of damage to the enemy to make them waver but not rout, does the charging unit still have to shuffle back an inch because they failed to rout the enemy? I ask this because I feel it would make more sense for the wavering unit to move back an inch instead to represent them losing ground to the relentless attacks of the charging unit.
• For rules like Thunderous Charge that only apply when a unit charges into its enemy, do thess rule also apply to counter charges? I ask because knights with lances, to use the example in the rules sheet, wouldn't be able to muster the impetus on a counter charge as they only move a single inch into the enemy, compared to a regular charge which is often over 10" across the table.

Thanks in advance and I'll add any more questions to this thread when I think of them

 

[Itepixcauh]

Yesterday I began to practice the KoW rules using the free PDF and found them to be thoroughly engaging and enjoyable to play, but I have a couple of questions, answers to which I would be most grateful for:

• I understand a unit is able to charge a distance equivalent to double its Speed value, but what happens if you choose to charge a specific unit but when you measure the distance from the charging unit to the target unit you find that they can't make it, i.e. the unit fails the charge? Does the unit simply then move at the double towards that unit to represent the mistake of failing a charge or does it move a different distance?
• If the charging unit makes the charge and deals sufficient amount of damage to the enemy to make them waver but not rout, does the charging unit still have to shuffle back an inch because they failed to rout the enemy? I ask this because I feel it would make more sense for the wavering unit to move back an inch instead to represent them losing ground to the relentless attacks of the charging unit.
• For rules like Thunderous Charge that only apply when a unit charges into its enemy, do thess rule also apply to counter charges? I ask because knights with lances, to use the example in the rules sheet, wouldn't be able to muster the impetus on a counter charge as they only move a single inch into the enemy, compared to a regular charge which is often over 10" across the table.

Thanks in advance and I'll add any more questions to this thread when I think of them

1- You can pre-measure everything, so there is no way a charge can fail. Measure, is it in range? then the charge is possible. It isn't? then you can't make it and that unit can do whatever you want. MEASURE EVERYTHING, this game is all about movement and angles. always be sure what your opponent can or can't do, talk it to him while moving your units (for example: "I turn to face so that all your units are in my front arc, do you agree?" or "I leave this unit 1 inch outside you charge range, are you OK with that?") that way there won't be any "surprises", units that accidentally are in range even though you were sure were out or things like that, I'm not talking about deliberate cheating but mistakes happen.

2- Only your units move in your turn, if you waver the opposing unit you back up. There is an exception to this but we will get there if it ever comes up to you.

3- It depends, let me explain. Thunderous Charge applies as long as the unit is not disordered, so when they make a fresh charge they will have it. A couple of things can happen then:

• Opposing unit counter-charges and deals damage, your unit will be then Disordered and will loose the Thunderous Charge rule
• Opposing unit counter-charges but isn't able to make a single wound, then you unit will be counter-charging next turn but they as they are not disordered they will have their TC bonus.
• Opposing unit gets wavered in the original attack and thus your unit will keep charging them (not a counter-charge though) with their TC bonus.

Thunderous Charge units are hard to use because a single wound in combat will greatly reduce their effectiveness, a good player with a slower army will probably throw a cheap hero of chaff unit into the Cavalry unit to make a single wound (into a flank for example in the case of a hero) and then have another unit prepared to receive the charge that will now lack that punch, so they will surely survive and strike back, Cavalry Regiments are very bad in a grind, they must alpha strike to be effective.

Hope it helps!

 

[ShermanAcers]

For a primary source Im planning to use an online version Fiores Fior di Battaglia, I would rather have a physical copy but I haven’t been able to find one.