Rules Queries
Submitted by Noakes on Sat, 19/08/2006 - 18:22.
so, heres a topic for ppl who have rules queries and want lots of random opinions on them!
ok so something came up in my game today, 40K, the rules state that in hth combat a character is treated as an independant unit. therefor if a unit lead by a character charges and only the character reaches btb contact, he can attack but the unit does not attack despite being in the kill zone. As such, is the unit engaged or not? ie can they move freely? be shot at? or do they then pile in in subsequent rounds? or do they make an assualt move at all in the first place??
opinions? FAQ's? rules readings? eveyrone..go nuts
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They are still treated as a
They are still treated as a unit, its just a conflict of independant character rules vs unit rules in combat. So yes, they do not get to attack, but they do just bunch in later.
Now, if it were a retinue it would be a different story :PÂ
As far as I know: Â The
As far as I know:
The independent character is only treated as an independent unit for working out HtH attacks, so the rest of the unit would move and assault with them. If the unit assaulted but only the IC was in range, the whole unit would still be locked. The IC would get to fight because they'd have stuff in their kill zone (because they're in base-to-base contact with the enemy), but the unit wouldn't, since nothing would be in its kill zone (no enemy in base-to-base means no kill zone). The whole unit would pile in/flee/etc once combat was resolved.
It's a little bit murky, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works. It's supported by the bit in the characters section that says ICs can only leave units in the Movement phase - I don't think you can have a unit break away from an IC by having only the character be in assault range. I'm also pretty sure retinues don't change how it works - the only difference I can see between a retinue and a normal unit is that an IC can't leave their retinue. I can't find anything saying an IC stops being an IC if they're with a retinue, so I think they work as normal in HtH (ie they have their own kill zone, can be targeted seperately, etc).
This is pretty much how we
This is pretty much how we played it, following what you have said above I guess it means that you wouldn't be able to shoot at the unit that assaulted with the IC as it would count as being in combat even though none of them made it to BTB ? I guess it wouldn't really matter if they are required to pile in anyway after the combat finishes, as they would most definately be in BTB at the next shooting phase.
 I'm just trying to remember one of the other funny things we had. Yeah, it was the AAC rules for BTs, they way they are written it implies that you must charge the nearest unit in the assault phase if you are allowed to, but I decided to fire at a unit that was further away (the closest unit was a drop pod, which i can ignore for shooting as its a vehicle). Now when it got to assault I couldn't charge the drop pod because I had shot at something else (must charge what you shoot),, there are examples in the BT codex, but not entirely sure if they cover this situation. So my guys didn't have to charge, because the drop pod was no longer a valid target.
I have looked through the FAQs and Chapter Approveds etc. and can't find a definitive answer.
The key thing to me in the BT codex says that they charge in the assault phase if they are able. So the check to see if charging is possible is done post shooting (one of the examples is they don't charge if they rapid fired).
Jules
"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music."
  - Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc,1989