| 5.4.1 Rout | A unit that is brought into FD will lose 10 per cent of its figures, that number being rounded down. The loss is calculated after other loss, including prisoners, as a result of firing and melee has been removed. For a unit that is brought into FD as a result of an ordering roll, the size of the loss is indicated in table 16. When a unit is brought into FD, it will rout. This movement is carried out, without any calculation of time, as an full bound of rout march, following which the unit is stationary for the remaining part of the bound, apart from forced action. This applies irrespective of previous action during the bound. The movement is conducted along a straight line that is to be placed within 45 degrees of a line drawn between the centre of cause of disorder and the centre of the unit in FD, ref. 3.1.5 and 4.1.5. The movement is performed as a parallel shift of the unit relative to its original position. Account is taken of terrain that reduces the rate of march. For units that are brought into FD by an ordering roll, by a roll for reorganisation, by spread of rout, or because retreat in MD may not be carried out, ref. 1.1.3, 5.4.3, 5.4.2, and 5.3.1, the direction of rout may be chosen freely. This also applies to units that are brought into FD as a result of reduction in valour, ref. 5.5.2, unless the unit at the same time is brought into FD by another cause that establishes the direction of rout. At the end of the movement, the unit is placed without any calculation of time, in a formation that is as broad as it is deep, with all figures facing towards the centre. A unit in FD has frontage in all directions, and does not have any flank or rear. When fired at and attacked, the unit is considered as being in line. If during the movement, including the final placing in rout formation, the unit encounters a obstacle that cannot be passed, including an opponent that cannot be forced back, ref. 4.2.0, the routing unit will stop. However, the placing of the unit in rout formation is carried out by modifying the position of the unit. Unlimbered artillery will rout without the model guns. The gunners are placed in rout formation in the centre of the model guns, and the rout movement is calculated from this position. Limbered artillery will rout together with its model guns. |
| 5.4.2 Spread of rout | When a unit during its rout movement comes in base contact with an own unit, a roll of dice is carried out for spread of rout, ref. table 9. This does not apply to an own unit in skirmish line that has one or more figures within 15 cm of its soutien, ref. 2.3.4. If rout spreads to the second unit, bringing it into FD, the first unit will follow the second unit in base contact during a new rout movement, and the first unit is counted in the number of figures in the second unit in relation to subsequent spread of rout, irrespective of differences in valour and other conditions. The first unit will use the same rate of march as the second unit, and any reduction for the passage of terrain is calculated for the figures of both units. However, the first unit may not pass terrain that it could not pass otherwise. In that case, the second unit will continue the rout movement on its own. If the second unit is not brought into FD by spread of rout, the remaining part of the rout movement of the first unit is carried out, passing through own units without any further consideration of spread of rout. When the second unit is brought into MD by spread of rout, this is considered as a separate event, which is carried out after the conclusion of the rout movement of the first unit. If the retreat of the second unit is blocked by the first unit, ref. 5.3.1, this may lead to a spread of rout from the second unit to the first unit. |
| 5.4.3 Reorganisation | FD lasts the remaining part of the bound in which a unit is brought into FD, and until the unit has carried out reorganisation in a subsequent bound. A unit in FD may neither receive orders, nor carry out firing or attack, ref. 1.1.2, 3.1.1, and 4.1.1. Reorganisation from FD is carried out by a roll of dice, which is performed at the end of the announcement phase, ref. table 16. A positive factor is received when any commanding officer or adjutant is in base contact with the unit. A staff officer may be in base contact with only one unit, and a positive factor may be received only for one staff officer. If the unit reorganises from FD into MD, this will not cause the unit to retreat. When a unit reorganises from FD into MD or LD, it may continue reorganisation during the following bound, ref. 5.2.2 and 5.3.2. When a unit reorganises from FD, it may be placed in freely chosen closed formation without any calculation of time, ref. 1.3.0. |
