Back to Basics: Control Zones

Good morning gamers,

We're back in our "back to basics" series of MESBG for the next few weeks, and this time, we're looking at one of the most intricate and essential rules of the game: control zones. For new players, the rules for control zones may appear to be straight-forward when you're reading the rules, but even veteran players can find themselves befuddled by what they are "required" to do by control zones once they reach the tabletop. In this article, I'm going try to not only summarize what control zones are and how they work, but also explore some of the more nuanced situations regarding control zones that you'll see on the tabletop. Let's dig in!

The Rules: Control Zones

Let's start with the basics: all unengaged, non-prone models in MESBG have a "control zone," which is a 1" buffer zone around them that they are "defending." Hostile models that wish to enter a model's control zone must be able to charge the model or they need to stop outside of its control zone. 

If multiple control zones are entered by a hostile model, the hostile model must charge the first model whose control zone was crossed, though the hostile model may charge more than one model (so long as the first model whose control zone was crossed is one of those models) and doesn't need to travel the shortest possible distance in order to charge the model. You can also back away or make way into an enemy model's control zone without "charging" that model. Additionally, you can't deploy a model within a hostile model's control zone (which should only be an issue in scenarios where you can deploy on the centerline - though a variant of this rule can also come into play in maelstrom scenarios).

If a model engages or is engaged by another model, its control zone is lost - but a model that is supporting another model (in base contact with a friendly model and carrying a spear or pike) will retain its control zone until it is engaged by or engages a hostile model. This can lead to some really interesting formations that attempt to screen off areas of the board while still retaining a "shieldwall" (line of battle, usually formed by two or three ranks of troops that can lend supporting attacks to the models in front).

Additionally, models that are Prone lose their control zones, so models that voluntarily make themselves prone (to avoid being visible to enemy archery/magic or for more tricksy reasons) or are made prone by something your opponent does (e.g. losing to a cavalry model, certain magical powers, or being passed through by the Hurl magical power) won't restrict where your opponent can move. It should be noted that prone models can be jumped over by enemy models (following the rules for Jump tests - charges on the starting side on a 1, charges on the ending side on a 2-5, continues moving over on a 6) and can be spear-supported while prone (and the spear-supporter not only prevents enemy models from jumping over these guys, but also lends a control zone to keep the enemy from moving through).

After combat begins, you may find that a model begins its move within a hostile model's control zone (since you can back away or make way into an enemy control zone). If this happens, the model may either charge one or more hostile models who start within 1" of it or move through the control zone without getting closer to the hostile model (including backing out of the control zone and going around it). If your model is forced to get closer to the hostile model, you have to charge it - though again, you don't have to take the most direct route. It's best to communicate with your opponent your intent to move around/away from the hostile model before your model is picked up so that you can check to stay above board and avoid unnecessarily disputes.

Simple enough, right? On paper, these rules seem simple enough, but in practice, control zones can be . . . complicated. Let's look at a few examples of what I mean.

Practicum: Apply the Rules for Control Zones

In all of the examples we're about to see the golden rule you should follow in any game of MESBG is this:

Quickly talk through what you intend to do with your opponent.

Let's assume that we have the following two forces - just some Elves and some Uruk-Hai:

• Lothlorien & the Fellowship - 500pts, 24 models
  
• Legolas Greenleaf with armor [ARMY LEADER]
  
• Haldir with Elf bow and heavy armor
• 4 Galadhrim Warriors
• 2 Galadhrim Warriors with spears
• 1 Galadhrim Warrior with spear and banner
  
• 6 Galadhrim Warriors with Elf bows
  
• Galadhrim Captain with Elf bow
• 4 Galadhrim Warriors
• 2 Galadhrim Warriors with spears
• 2 Galadhrim Warriors with Elf bows
• The Assault Upon Helm's Deep LL - 500pts, 36 models
  
• Uruk-Hai Uber-Captain with two-handed weapon [ARMY LEADER]
• 7 Uruk-Hai Warriors with shields
• 7 Uruk-Hai Warriors with pikes
• 1 Uruk-Hai Warrior with pike and banner
  
• 2 Uruk-Hai Warriors with crossbows 
• Uruk-Hai Captain with crossbow
• 6 Uruk-Hai Warriors with shields
• 8 Uruk-Hai Warriors with pikes
• 3 Uruk-Hai Warriors with crossbows

Let's assume that we're playing a game of Command and Control - five objectives are up at the cardinal points on the map and both armies can deploy up to the center of the board. The Uruk-Hai won the roll and arrayed their first warband as you see here:

Because the Uruk-Hai deployed first right on the center line, the Elves couldn't deploy directly on the center line in front of them (because of the Uruk-Hai control zones). Instead, they deployed Legolas on the rear objective (he will claim it on the first turn and can then move off), while the rest of the Elves waited for the other warband to go down before committing to where they wanted to be on the battlefield.

The Uruk-Hai are running an "open phalanx," something I've recommended for non-Easterling pike blocks for a while now. Unlike a 3x10 (or so) pike block, this formation takes up a lot of space and has control zones everywhere (including two flankers on each of the phalanxes to further extend the reach of the control zones). For each pair of Uruks in the front line, whichever fight goes first will get two helping pikemen - this results in dead targets far more reliably than if you just had one pikeman supporting in each file AND can give you some really interesting control zones for the next round should you lose.

The Elves, by contrast, have spread out, maximizing their use of control zones to avoid being swarmed and leaving room for their archers to get shots while standing behind their melee buddies (and then later engaging any Uruks who try to double-up against the Elves). This looser formation can be useful in controlling where Heroic Combats can go, since the second-rank model can counter-charge if he moves second (evening out the fights that were originally made) and can limit where Heroic Combats are able to go if they move first (since there will still be an active control zone in the area).

There's one final thing we need to address - and that's certain ways that can and have abused the rules of control zones. I don't think the rules for control zones have changed that much from edition to edition, but in the early phases of the current edition (around 2018 or 2019), there was a big discussion about the relationship between a 1" control zone (25.4mm) and the base of an infantry model (25mm - or put another way, less than 1"). The argument was made that Tom Bombadil and Goldberry have rules that say that most models (an FAQ has excepted war beasts and chariots) cannot enter their control zones (1" wide) without their permission - and since an infantry model is on a base that is smaller than 1", an infantry model in base contact with Tom Bombadil couldn't be charged unless Tom allowed it.

Similarly, another argument was made that if you have a two-rank-deep shieldwall, the control zones of the second rank extend beyond the bases of the first rank, and as a result, while an enemy model might be able to charge the front rank model (since he'll enter that control zone first), a second enemy model couldn't gang up on the same friendly model because of the second-rank model's control zone. If this doesn't make sense, check out the image below.

When these objections were first made, there was a strong outcry from tournament organizers everywhere that the spirit of the law was that a 25mm base and 1" were going to be treated as the same size - and that's what I think we all intuit naturally. Yes, there might be half of a millimeter more on your control zone than an infantry base, but once you've painted your base rim, they're the same size.

But the most egregious abuse of control zones happens to be rules-legit and a conundrum for both novice and veteran players alike: control zones and their interaction with obstacles, such as walls or hedges. We're told in the rules that control zones do extend beyond an obstacle and that you can't enter the control zone of another model without charging him. We're also told that if a model is in base contact with an obstacle, a hostile model can charge the other side of the obstacle and the two are "engaged" - though the control zone of the defending model doesn't disappear unless he's engaged from his side of the obstacle.

Where the abuse happens is if you stand very, very CLOSE to an obstacle but don't touch it. The enemy model can't engage you by touching the obstacle because . . . you're not defending it. But he also can't get within 1" of you, so he has to go around the obstacle . . . most veteran players don't do this, but it's a known issue with the rules (and has been an issue for a long time). If it happens to you . . . be nice about it, but also be willing to say, "Come on . . ." Also, the rule should be changed - here's one guy's thoughts on it.

Conclusion

If you know of other situations where control zones can be tricky, let us know in the comments below! Hopefully you found this to be helpful - and hopefully if shows how much skill one can have in a game of MESBG if you're willing to work with the rules (and hopefully you'll be prepped to handle the application of the control zone rules in ways that would abuse them as well). 

We'll be back next time with an overview of the most valuable pieces of war gear in the game - and a topic that has some overlap with this discussion of control zones: banners. I wasn't a believer in these things when we first got started, but I rarely leave home without a banner now. If you want to learn more about how these things work (and the myriad of ways you can get a banner rule), check back in next week. Until then, happy hobbying!