Clipping/Aligning Q - How played in clubs/tournies

[sorberec]

Hi everyone,

I've just realised that my friends and I might be playing using either an old version of the clipping/aligning chargers rule and need to clarify whether this is the case and if what we are playing is what we're likely to see when we start playing at clubs (and hopefully tournies at some point) or if we're playing things differently to man + dog.

Basically, since we've started playing WFB again we've played it that as long as contact is made during the charge then the charging unit lines up and slides against its target to bring as many models into combat as possible.

Now this was all well and good until I watched Vaul's latest report videos and noticed that when the Flagellants charged the Savage Orcs there were only around 2 SOs and 3 FGs in base contact. This had me scrabbling for my rulebook and the FAQs to check whether we'd been missing something in the rules or not.

So, I finally found sort of an answer under the clipping part of the first FAQ. However, as they go to great pains to state that they consider it an aspirational way of resolving the issue I thought I'd ask here what generally happens in clubs and at tournaments. Is it strictly to the letter of the rules or is sliding used? (I realise every club may well have their own take on this but I'm just trying to see if there's a general consensus or not)

thanks

[sirkently]

I don't know if you will get a general consensus. At our club, you decide each game separately. Some people like to slide over, others don't. The default is not too slide over.

SirKently

[Zeuy]

Pretty much the same way at my gaming club as sirkently. Some are disgusted by the idea; they feel it is too forgiving for those that make mistakes in the movement phase. Others think it looks a hell of a lot better and makes more sense.

[InquisitorAffe]

I play at two different clubs. One does "the slide" the other doesn't, as determined pretty much entirely by the opinion of the club executive/store owner. I personally used to be ambivalent but am now adamantly opposed to it after being the victim of a regiment of knights went around a piece of impassable terrain to barely clip the corner of my unit then 'slid in' to the gap barely wide enough for their bases between my unit and the terrain to get their full round of lance hits.

[moob]

My FLGS uses sliding as the default.. At Adepticon, their rules stated that sliding was the default unless both players agreed to clipping.

But it's really up to the players. Both clipping and sliding can be manipulated to your advantage, one really isn't better than the other.

[sorberec]

I personally used to be ambivalent but am now adamantly opposed to it after being the victim of a regiment of knights went around a piece of impassable terrain to barely clip the corner of my unit then 'slid in' to the gap barely wide enough for their bases between my unit and the terrain to get their full round of lance hits.

Well we've never had any instances as extreme as that. Normally in our games it's a case of at worst 2 out of 5 models not ending up in B2B and so we slide so that the number in B2B is maximised. But I can see how sliding would be annoying if you're on the receiving end of that after barely clipping.

[Pinkus]

I think it makes the game more fun to slide. Who wants a combat with 2 massive units that only has 2 models fighting each other? If you know you're sliding, you already know if they charge you, all their models will hit. If you play clipping, you can very easily set it up to force your opponent to bring 1-2 cavalry models into your massive static res unit and never have a chance to win, or just to not charge you. Both options then are no fun.

[sdefreit]

Its obvious that this is a big issue and the method that is used will determine who gains the ability to manipulate things. Why doesnt GW grow a pair and make a decision and make it clear which should be used? That way we dont get this "well I play this way" syndrome which I've been noticing when I play different people.

[InquisitorAffe]

"I've always done it this way" seems to come up every other game with regard to crap that is brutally obvious in the rule book, forget the 'real' grey areas. Used to have a player in the club here who would get all pouty if you didn't let him fire his catapults without LOS.