Battle Orders: Units Under a Commander

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Dan Pratt
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Battle Orders: Units Under a Commander

Postby Dan Pratt » Sat Mar 12, 2016 12:54 am

We need a little help to clear some confusion:

4.1.1.5 Attach Order Tokens

When battle orders are decided upon, both players must attach the appropriate order tokens (face down) to each unit within the general's command, each commander and each individual outside of a command.


What about units within a commander's command?

6.50.4.4.2

Ordered Commanders

Ordered commanders must, in their next activation after accepting the new order, perform a compulsory New Order action to issue that new order to the units in his command in the same way as a general does to his own command.

Commanders may only ever issue the order they have accepted from the general, and only ever to the units within their command, and only if they are within the commander's command range. If a commander's unit is not within his command range, they cannot be issued the new order and must continue the battle under their current order.

Commanders may issue the new order to any unit they are the leader of in the same activation as they have accepted a new order (i.e., the commander does not need to activate to do so), and without the need for an ORDER TEST.


So, if a commander is issued an ATTACK battle order, is he compelled to immediately issue a series of direct orders to his units? Would this mean that commanders should always be activated before their units? If the commander must relay the same order to all of his units, this would be important to consider when building a host (i.e., ATTACK command, MOVE command, etc.)

Thanks
James Harding
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Re: Battle Orders: Units Under a Commander

Postby James Harding » Sat Mar 12, 2016 1:14 am

I'll have to go hunting for the sections, but yeah, when building a host, a commander and his command are on the same orders(plus commanders are assumed to always be on move!)
For the second bit, my understanding is that you wouldn't need to activate the commander next, merely that his next activation. Use be to pass the orders on. Does give you a bit of flexibility as you can play around with activation and positioning to put the command on different orders.
The key bit is that in his NEXT activation the commander must attempt to pass the order on, but it doesn'tforce him to be next in the activation sequence!
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Rob Lane
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Re: Battle Orders: Units Under a Commander

Postby Rob Lane » Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:36 am

Dan Pratt wrote:We need a little help to clear some confusion:

4.1.1.5 Attach Order Tokens

When battle orders are decided upon, both players must attach the appropriate order tokens (face down) to each unit within the general's command, each commander and each individual outside of a command.


What about units within a commander's command?


They have the same order as their commander (although there are exceptions - Frenzied units, support units etc.). I generally always pop the same order token next to each unit in a command so there's no confusion.

Bear in mind a general can issue different orders to any unit in his command. Commanders can't do that.

Dan Pratt wrote:
6.50.4.4.2

Ordered Commanders

Ordered commanders must, in their next activation after accepting the new order, perform a compulsory New Order action to issue that new order to the units in his command in the same way as a general does to his own command.

Commanders may only ever issue the order they have accepted from the general, and only ever to the units within their command, and only if they are within the commander's command range. If a commander's unit is not within his command range, they cannot be issued the new order and must continue the battle under their current order.

Commanders may issue the new order to any unit they are the leader of in the same activation as they have accepted a new order (i.e., the commander does not need to activate to do so), and without the need for an ORDER TEST.


Dan Pratt wrote:So, if a commander is issued an ATTACK battle order, is he compelled to immediately issue a series of direct orders to his units? Would this mean that commanders should always be activated before their units? If the commander must relay the same order to all of his units, this would be important to consider when building a host (i.e., ATTACK command, MOVE command, etc.)

Thanks


Well, it's all in that text you've quoted. Commanders issue their new order to any unit in their command (within command range) without the need for an activation. The general tells the commander what the new order is (i.e., it's the general's activation), the commander accepts it and repeats it to any unit in his command within his command range - all in the general's activation.

Cheers
Rob
James Harding
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Re: Battle Orders: Units Under a Commander

Postby James Harding » Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:16 pm

Cheers Rob!
Rob Boyce
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Re: Battle Orders: Units Under a Commander

Postby Rob Boyce » Sun Mar 13, 2016 8:04 am

Rob Lane wrote:
Dan Pratt wrote:We need a little help to clear some confusion:

4.1.1.5 Attach Order Tokens

When battle orders are decided upon, both players must attach the appropriate order tokens (face down) to each unit within the general's command, each commander and each individual outside of a command.


What about units within a commander's command?


They have the same order as their commander (although there are exceptions - Frenzied units, support units etc.). I generally always pop the same order token next to each unit in a command so there's no confusion.

Bear in mind a general can issue different orders to any unit in his command. Commanders can't do that.

Dan Pratt wrote:
6.50.4.4.2

Ordered Commanders

Ordered commanders must, in their next activation after accepting the new order, perform a compulsory New Order action to issue that new order to the units in his command in the same way as a general does to his own command.

Commanders may only ever issue the order they have accepted from the general, and only ever to the units within their command, and only if they are within the commander's command range. If a commander's unit is not within his command range, they cannot be issued the new order and must continue the battle under their current order.

Commanders may issue the new order to any unit they are the leader of in the same activation as they have accepted a new order (i.e., the commander does not need to activate to do so), and without the need for an ORDER TEST.


Dan Pratt wrote:So, if a commander is issued an ATTACK battle order, is he compelled to immediately issue a series of direct orders to his units? Would this mean that commanders should always be activated before their units? If the commander must relay the same order to all of his units, this would be important to consider when building a host (i.e., ATTACK command, MOVE command, etc.)

Thanks


Well, it's all in that text you've quoted. Commanders issue their new order to any unit in their command (within command range) without the need for an activation. The general tells the commander what the new order is (i.e., it's the general's activation), the commander accepts it and repeats it to any unit in his command within his command range - all in the general's activation.

Cheers
Rob


The text he quoted says it's only units the commander is leading that he can re-order without activating, other units in his command have to wait till he activates. Is that correct?

Also am I right in thinking that a general can issue individual orders to any unit, not just those in his command?
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Rob Lane
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Re: Battle Orders: Units Under a Commander

Postby Rob Lane » Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:54 pm

Rob Boyce wrote:The text he quoted says it's only units the commander is leading that he can re-order without activating, other units in his command have to wait till he activates. Is that correct?


Sorry, yes, that's correct. The fog of war addled me.

Rob Boyce wrote:Also am I right in thinking that a general can issue individual orders to any unit, not just those in his command?


Correct. He's the general. Better do as he says...

Cheers
Rob

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