Multiple combats and advances

[Dark Omen]

Dear Warmaster community,

I have a query regarding supporting units and advances.

The rules for supporting units state that they are "included" in any combat engagement they support. So I take this to mean that they are counted as "in combat" against the enemy, even though they are not rolling any dice.

Also supporting units must be included in the number of units fighting when working out retreats.

So what happens when a victorious unit wipes out all stands of enemies in contact, but the enemy was supported? Can the victorious unit advance into the supporting unit?

I am not certain they can, as if the supporting unit counted as part of the combat then surely the victorious unit has not destroyed all enemy units in the combat, which is required for an advance.

Example;

Leg Leg Leg
War War War
War War War

Three legionary stands are fighting three war band stands with a separate unit of three more war bands in support (total of six war bands ).

If the legionaries win combat, in the first round, and kill the three stands from the unit they were fighting;

Leg Leg Leg
X.     X.   X
War War War

What can the legionaries now do if they want to keep attacking?

-Advance into the second unit of war band?

-Pursue the second unit of war band as they retreat?

-None of the above?

Many thanks

Iain

[Dave]

Not sure if WMA is different, but you could advance in WM.

[jchaos79]

In WMAncients they are part of the same combat, so they can pursuit. It is not possible to advance.

This situation has a different treatment if you are playing WM (as David said using WM you could advance).

[Dark Omen]

Thanks, this is for warmaster ancients only, the rules are different for warmaster fantasy. In fantasy the supporting unit is seperate from the combat so advance is allowed.

In WM ancients the supporting unit is part of the combat so I was not sure if the advance or pursuit rule applied.

@jchaos79 - It does make sense to me that you can pursue into contact with a retreating unit that supported the combat in WM ancients, if the unit you were fighting was wiped out.

Thanks for the quick replies as always.