in contact to flank and ZOCed to front

[wybesse]

So, I feel as if I should know the answer to this, but I'm not sure.

Also, sorry for the lack of a handy image, but imagine Friendly Element A, facing south. Enemy Element X is south of him, facing north and aligned with him, within ZOCing distance.

Enemy Element Z, that awkward bugger, moved into flank contact with Element A last turn; they fought and tied.

In A's turn, can he move, per 52.1d, straight backwards north, sliding his flank along the front of Z?

Does he have to stop this move once he is out of X's ZOC and react to Z's ZOC or, having nominated X per 52.3, can he keep moving in accordance with 52.1d, possibly even moving out of contact with Z?

[David Kuijt]

ZOC is irrelevant here. If A has an enemy stand in combat contact with his flank, he can't move except following rule 47: Breaking off from Close Combat when fighting to the Flank or Rear. He can move as a single-stand move to put his front into proper front contact with one of the stands fighting him. That's it. No other moves are possible.

Essentially, if fighting a single stand, spending a command point on him to hit the unit attacking your flank or rear means you can pick your frontal opponent (if fighting more than one), and that you won't take the -1 for the flank/rear attack if fighting just one.

But nobody gets to make fancy maneuvers after they let an enemy hit them in the flank.

[wybesse]

Got it, thanks!