Adroit maneuver- new Command Action

[gull2112]

I was just thinking of how in De Bellis Antiquitatis if you have a unit that isn't going to engage in combat you can spend a command point to give it another move. This represents the units activity during the time that other engaged units are fighting, and represents units in reserve dashing to critical points on the line.

The same could be done in BG. At the cost of one command action a unit could get +1MC. This would not apply to Final Rushes. No more than one command action per turn per unit may be spent in this manner.

This way a Hawk swordsmen could keep up with the line, albeit with some cost. The orcs still have an advantage with lash as they get the (+1)+0+0 also.

Or just make sprint a universal ability.  (sometimes I write too fast and it just occurred to me that HE can already do this)

Okay, so why don't we just make sprint a universal ability?

[Chad_YMG]

Something like this could certainly be done, although the Orcs should feel hard done by!

The thing I don't like about it is that managing a disrupted army is one of the most interesting challenges in Battleground (along with how much one should give up in order to create that disruption) and I wouldn't want it to be something that boiled down to spending a few command actions to run faster.

[gull2112]

I take your point, but at the point in the game where you're on the ropes, your command actions are at a premium, and since this couldn't be used to Final Rush there is little dramatic that one could do. Where it would be helpful is in the beginning of the game when you are trying to get into position, or you're trying to keep your greatswordsmen in line with the rest of the army. It would be most generally useful for tweaks like that and there is the cost. A command action spent trying to fix a bad position or race to attain some desired ground, is a command action not spent on drawing a card or using a faction ability.

The reason this could be rationalized to be generally available, as opposed to faction specific, is that it doesn't provide some unique edge that no other faction could justify flavor wise. It is just the command effort expended to hie some troops along their way.

As an Orc afficianado, I have no problems with this because the orcs get the extra attack die. The HE are the faction that could have the biggest beef. In response to which I would say that they already have so many faction abilities this hardly steals their thunder.

[Hannibal]

A command action spent trying to fix a bad position or race to attain some desired ground, is a command action not spent on drawing a card or using a faction ability.

True, but if the mission is to obtain the strategic position, then you've dramatically changed the way the game works.  (I'm not opposed to changing the game, but it must be demonstrably shown as a positive).  And allowing people to fix a bad position is functionally taking that element of maneuver out of the game.

Beyond that being able to (functionally) run may not allow units to final rush, but it would let them final rush earlier.  If I'm 8" away from an enemy, it does not matter that I get the +1 MC on the final rush or on the previous turn.  This would let units run around the flanks on enemy units and get the pinch earlier, which would have a big impact on the game.

I see what you're trying to do:  fix the Hawk Great Sword and Heavy Infantry.  I get that.  Even Chad said it was a bit of a problem.  But the solution there is not to create a system-wide rule that fixes only 2 units.  Because in fixing those 2, you've created problems elsewhere.

That being said, YMG is (understandably) reticent to make card errata and BGFW has what amounts to a living rulebook.  So the least painful way is to fix it there.  Given that, my suggestion would be to tweak your suggestion so its in the rules but functionally only affects the units you want.

One idea would be to allow your Run ability but only if the unit has a base move of 2.5" or less, and only if the unit starts further than 7" from any enemy unit.  Units that do this can't make a Ranged attack.  The fall out is that most units of artillery would be able to run like this.  I dunno if this is okay, but I suppose I could live with artillery unlimbering and running.  The other situation I can think of off the top of my head is that zombies could now run, which does seem a touch weird.

So in the end, it may be better to just live with Greatswords and Heavy Infantry.

[gull2112]

Or cal it something else and say that a command action may be spent to add +1 MC to a unit up to a max move of 3.5".

[BubblePig]

Man, it has been a long time since I've played DBA.
My 2 cents on the least intrusive way to "fix" this: Make new merc units that fill the role of what you wanted to be able to do with the Hawkshold units and call it good.
Totally new cards, leave old cards alone, no new rules - drawback: gotta wait for the cards to be printed or use proxies.

[gamejunkie]

I like bubblepigs idea, no new rules or changes to cards that are already out there.

[BubblePig]

As part of a faction, I mean.

[gull2112]

I like your least intrusive philosophy. In keeping with that we could just rule that you can buy swordsmen with a base 3.5: move for 25 points more. All you would have to do is mark an L over the MC on the card with dry-erase.