Sliding into Combat

When two opposing groups or single elements approach one another within a base width’s distance and both are out of alignment (ie. corners don’t match up), the following rule allows either to slide sideways to line up opposite without penalty;

DBM v2.1 Movement Restrictions; Page 18, 2nd para: "When moving within an element base width of enemy, any sideways movement of up to half an element width needed to line up with enemy elements is disregarded for the purpose of PIP expenditure and permissibility of group movement and also, if the move is otherwise entirely straight ahead or by a group, for measuring move distance."

Diagrams drawn to 15mm scale, all dimensions in "mm" unless otherwise specified.

Example: The group of Kn’s are about to charge into contact with a group of enemy Cv. They are laterally out of alignment by over half an elements width as indicated (25mm). To attack the Cv, the Kn’s must slide sideways to get into corner to corner contact. To slide to the left will exceed half a base width. They must therefore slide to the right if moving into contact. If the groups were only out of alignment by 20mm, the Kn’s could choose whether to slide left or right.

 

	Fig. A: Red player wants to move the entire group of Kn’s into contact with the enemy Cv group but can’t do so because the nearby Ax group will block the left element (two Kn’s can charge in but not all three.)
	Fig B: If the Ax group are moved first (being within a base width distance to the enemy Cv) they can slide sideways to line up opposite. There is no requirement for them to actually move into contact, as long as they move towards the enemy group in doing so.
	Fig C: All the Kn’s can now move into contact sliding sideways to line up in the process. Neither group has slid more than half a base width sideways.