So this afternoon my friend and I played a learning game of BI. I used two 10mm armies. I played the Carthaginian army with the Elephant option and he played Romans (FPx4, CMx1, CLx1, Sx2). I'm sure we did many things wrong, and some questions came up.

1. In general, what to do when charging. For example, If a unit is in the front arc of the enemy and decides to charge, but the fronts of the opposing bases are not perfectly parallel to each other, what does one do when the closest corner of the charger makes contact with the enemy? do you wheel the unit to be flush with the enemy base? Or would you have to wheel before charging (to line up perfectly with your intended charge target) and then move? Neither of us were clear.

2. When are non-permanent DAMAGE points discarded. For example, if during a melee a unit takes a damage from a pilum volley, and then two more damage points during the actual melee, and then wins the combat... then pursues, are all three damage points carried to the pursuit melee that follows? If so, are those three discarded if the unit didn't fail any cohesion tests?

I'm sure there are other questions, but I don't want to completely bombard you. However, minor rules misunderstandings aside, I love the game! You've got a real good thing going here and I suspect that IMPETUS will be the type of rule system to attract previously non-historical gamers (like me) into historical painting and gaming.

Thanks again,
JET

1. in BI (and of course also in Impetus) you don't have to align to your opponent. If you reach with a frontal angle of your base (unit) any part of the enemy base, well a melee occours with bases that stay as they are.

2. consider non permanent damage (hits) simply as modifiers for the Cohesion Test. Every time you roll a six or a double five (or more of them in the same roll) well your opponent must take a cohesion test. After the test is done the hits are forgotten, but of course they can generate the real and permanent damage.

Example. A Unit of Celt Warband (impetuous FL) charges a Unit of Legionary (FP). Once the contact is made the Legionaries throw their pilum, that is roll 3d6. The result is 2,5,5. Ok the double 5 means an Hit. Now the Celts have to perform their cohesion test. Their VBU is 4, minus 1 hit. So the critical number i 3. They roll a 5. Ok 2 permanent losses are immediately applied, along with Disorder. The VBU of the Celts is now dropped to 2!!!
Now forgot your hit. It has generates 2 losses and the disorder.

Now it is time for the melee. The Celt now has a VBU=2 (not being Fresh anymore their loose 4 dice for Impetus ) and are disordered (-1), they roll only 1 die, while the Romans will roll 6 dice.
The Celts are lucky and roll a 6. Also the Romans roll a 6. Both Units have to make a cohesion test. The Roman critical number will be 5, the Celts have to roll 1 not too loose the melee (that let the Roman to follow up), but also with a 1 they will get a loss as already in Disorder.

Tactical advice: never charge the Romans with Warbands unless your do with a Large Unit