Parameters of "Last Phase"?

[RonanTheLibrarian]

Interesting conundrum came up at the ECW tournament in Oxford last weekend.

We had just completed the movement phase when "Last Phase" was called; the next phase would have been firing, but there was nobody in a position to fire (all "shooty" units had either routed or were in melee), so the actual next phase was going to be melee. It was my turn, but before I could say "no firing, so onto melee" out loud, the umpire called "Last Phase!" My opponent refused to play on, but we did agree to continue on a "what if" basis, and three or four of his units routed/fragged which would have substantially altered the actual result (a 10-10 draw).

1) As the previous phase had been completed, had the next phase already started (even if words hadn't been spoken) and should we have moved onto the next phase and played that out?

2) If the answer is yes, should it have been the next viable phase?

As I understand it, the term "last phase" refers to the one currently under way, so I suppose what I am asking is "What defines 'under way'?" Interested in any input, either way.

[quackstheking]

I would have agreed with your opponent. "Last phase" actually means "Finish the phase you are on" If you hadn't started the next phase then you are not "on" it so then you finish at that point. The next phase is immaterial.

It is used to keep games to time in a competition environment, sometimes moving on to the next phase can take quite a while!

Don

[RonanTheLibrarian]

That was the crux of the matter, Don - the previous phase had clearly finished before the call (my opponent agreed that), so didn't that mean that the next phase had already started even if we hadn't physically performed any activities related to it? What should we consider actually constitutes "starting" the phase?

[quackstheking]

No it’s not started. I would say you would have to have physically done or said something to move to the next phase.

Don

[RonanTheLibrarian]

OK, thanks for clarifying that.