The Commander Series Forum

I played an encounter game and declared a flank deployment and placed the command unit where I wanted the deployment to happen in the middle third of the table. Because of the way the dice rolls went my opponent moved first and was able to move far enough to park 4 tanks about 20 cm away from the command unit. When I brought my tanks on they were shot to pieces due to opportunity fire.

As far as I can work out the deployment was placed correctly, but is that what usually happens or should we have played it differently?

This just sounds unlucky really

You only bring on the command element at the start of the turn your flank deployment is scheduled to arrive, and you don't tell your oppopnent whcih flank or which turn!

If you blunder the deployment roll, that's just bad luck....

That makes a lot more sense!

Do you have to declare that you are going to use a flank deployment in the first place?

Not sure, as I don't have the rules to hand - probably not!

We play you don't, but then we're generally surrounded by figures so a tray of flank marchers nicely laid out isn't much of a give away when it's surrounded by lots of others

P42 runs through flank deployment...
But nothing about declarations or when you put on the Command unit..

I think it makes sense that if there is no umpire...
(1) Declare use of a flanking attack
(2) Write down the flank, deployment depth & start turn* for the flanking attack
(3) Put out the flanking Command Unit only on the start turn indicated

It does beg the question though...

When using mobile or flanking deployment, can you choose the start turn that formations come on (and Command units are therefore put out)...or do they all have to come onto the table Turn 1?

If you can effectively choose arrival turn...i.e. have reinforcements...does this work in all scenarios?

Why wouldn't it? Just becuase it's not covered in the deployment rules, doesn't mean you can't do it.

Given the speed my troops advance across the table, I'd rather have them all turn up on turn 1 anyway!

We write down flank and turn of arrival but that may be a hangover from our general playing style anyway

At Kiwidave....

I agree.
Nor can I think of a scenario where this would not work.