Charging into your own: unhealthy?

**Nikpalj** · 12-23-2005, 19:06

Sometimes when I get an enemy unit surrounded (partially flanked) by my own (like spears with my swords), if there simply is no time to flank the spears with my cav and I charge into my own swords - will they take casualties from this?
And if I charge another inf unit into my swords, does the charge bonus apply to the enemy unit, despite them going through my already engaged swords?

**Martok** · 12-23-2005, 19:38

Originally Posted by Nikpalj

Sometimes when I get an enemy unit surrounded (partially flanked) by my own (like spears with my swords), if there simply is no time to flank the spears with my cav and I charge into my own swords - will they take casualties from this?

No. The only way your men can die from "friendly fire" is if from archers and other missile units. Units simply crashing into (or through) other units doesn't hurt them.

Originally Posted by Nikpalj

And if I charge another inf unit into my swords, does the charge bonus apply to the enemy unit, despite them going through my already engaged swords?

The answer to that may be partially dependent on which TW game you're playing, but I believe the answer to this one is "no" as well. I can't be certain about that, though. I'm going off of memories of old threads here, so you probably want to take what I say with a pinch of salt. I believe a unit can be engaged by only one enemy unit per side at a time. So if those enemy spearmen you're talking about are already being frontally charged by your swordsmen, then your cavarly cannot engage those spears from the front as well--at least not until enough of your spearmen have been killed that your horses can start to make their way towards the front of the battle line. And by the time they do, they will have lost their charge bonus.

**x-dANGEr** · 12-23-2005, 19:57

1) Yes, charging your cav through let's say your phalanx will kill a lot of your cav. Though, that 'may' not apply to infantry.

2) If the second unit manages to reach the engaged unit, it will affect it I believe.

**Martok** · 12-24-2005, 01:28

Nikpalj, which one *are* you playing? I've been answering your questions assuming you're playing Medieval or Shogun. If you are playing Rome, though, the rules could very well be different. (In which case it sounds like you may want to listen to Xdanger here instead.)

**Ciaran** · 12-24-2005, 13:45

I´d never had any casualties from moving my cavalry head on through my own phalanxes.
What might happen is that moving through the other units your cavalry is slowed down and thus doesn´t get the full charge bonus.

**AntiochusIII** · 12-26-2005, 05:27

Originally Posted by Ciaran

I´d never had any casualties from moving my cavalry head on through my own phalanxes.
What might happen is that moving through the other units your cavalry is slowed down and thus doesn´t get the full charge bonus.

In Rome, there is butt-spiking going on. Many a hero of mine and others fell prey to their own phalanxes before when charge carelessly at the pinned enemies.

However, that is realistic, and should not be complained. After all, it is NOT a wise idea charging through the phalanxes to reach the enemy (or charging into the rear of the enemy, reaching our own phalanxes) in reality.

In Medieval, no. They don't have phalanxes, after all.

**Vider** · 12-27-2005, 20:48

Assuming you're playing MTW, then no you don't receive casualities and (probably) no you won't get a charge bonus. The reason you won't get the charge bonus is your cav will be impeded by your sword and won't be up to speed for a charge. So while it won't directly hurt your own units it will make your units fight less effectively.

**Nikpalj** · 12-30-2005, 20:39

I would like to thank Martok and Vider, I play MTW & STW Warlords and this has been bugging me for a long time now (not mentioned in the manual, as so much of the really important stuff)...
Thanks, and happy New Year to you all!