Close Combat Sequence Outline

Sons of the Motherland, A. Marin

Sandwyrm here. I've written up a detailed outline of the Close Combat sequence which mostly follows the rough sequence in Eriochrome's last post. I've also incorporated a few tweaks from testing it in a game last night with AnonymousFoodie at the North Store. Where a unit of Laansguard with shotguns and flamers actually managed to beat off an assault by a GW Hellbrute by suppressing it until it ran. :)

I)     Close Combat Phase

a.     Close Combat is initiated when any part of a unit moves within 6” of an enemy unit during the Action Phase.

                                               i.     Initiated combats will take place in the Close Combat Phase.

                                             ii.     Only models within 6” of an enemy will be able to fight, move, or shoot in the Close Combat Phase.

                                            iii.     Which models are within 6” of an enemy during Close Combat may change from round to round.

b.     The unit that initiated the combat is considered to be the attacker when the Close Combat Phase of the turn starts.

c.     All attacking models that are within 6” of an enemy model are considered to be a part of the Close Combat. Even if they come from different units.

d.     Models which are further away than 6” are not considered to be a part of the assault and cannot be targeted for shooting attacks unless the flow of the combat brings them within 6” of an enemy in a later round.

e.     All models in the combat are considered to be one unit for wound allocation purposes.

f.      All models in the combat are considered to be one unit for suppression gained in CC.

                                               i.     Any markers gained must be added to each unit involved separately. If 3 units are defending in a round, then each will gain a single marker for the first model killed.

                                             ii.     Hits and pens for the combat are tracked on a single die for the CC. whenever the count reaches 7, a suppression marker is added to each unit involved in the combat

g.     Close Combat (CC) Sequence

                                               i.     Determine which models are a part of the assault

1.     All models within 6” of a defending model may fight in the CC.

                                             ii.     Attackers take a standard Ld Test for each unit in the CC.

1.     If the unit’s leader is not currently in the combat, the unit suffers a -1 Ld penalty.

2.     If a hero is involved in the combat, he may contribute his Ld to all units with members within 6” of him.

3.     If Passed...

a.     The unit may move, fight, and shoot as normal in CC.

4.     If Failed...

a.     If Unit is >=50% of starting strength...

                                                                                                     i.     Unengaged models must retreat 1” for every suppression marker the unit has.

                                                                                                   ii.     Their move may not take them closer to any enemy model.

                                                                                                  iii.     They may only fire 1-handed weapons.

b.     If Unit is <50% of starting strength...

                                                                                                     i.     Unengaged models must attempt to leave the combat by moving as directly as possible away from the combat using their full Mv.

                                                                                                   ii.     Any model which, upon leaving the combat, cannot reach coherency with at least one other model from it’s unit, will be considered destroyed and removed from the table.

c.     If Unit is <25% of starting strength...

                                                                                                     i.     The unit is destroyed and removed from the table.

                                            iii.     Attackers swing in Hand To Hand (HtH) Combat

1.     To-Hit test is WS vs. WS

a.     Refer to model entry for number of Attacks (Ak)

b.     If test is possible, 6+6 lets the attacker allocate the hit.

c.     If test is impossible, 6+6 always hits.

2.     Penetration as normal, refer to each weapon’s entry for it’s penetration.

a.     Defender roll of 1+1 always fails.

3.     Toughness test uses model Strength (St) instead of firepower. Otherwise identical to ranged Toughness test.

                                            iv.     Enemy models which are hit, but not killed, may be knocked back.

1.     Computed per-model group. Defined as one or more friendly models whose bases are touching.

a.     Add up the Push-Back (PB) stats of all engaged attacking models in the group.

b.     Add up the PB of all defending models that are directly engaged with the attacking model group.

c.     The side with the lowest total must move 2” away from all attacking models and may not engage new models while doing so.

d.     If the totals are equal, the models remain in place.

2.     Models cannot be pushed back through Friendly models unless there is a gap wide enough for their base to fit through.

3.     Models cannot be pushed back if the push-back move would send them through a wall. Though they can be pushed along the edge of a wall so long as the move takes them no closer to the model(s) they were engaged with.

4.     Models pushed back against a drop-off will follow the edge of the drop-off just as they would be pushed back along a wall.

a.     If a model pushed back against a drop-off cannot move 2” because of enemy models or a lack of space, then the model will fall off of the drop.

b.     When a model falls 2” or more, the attacker may roll a standard strength test to try and kill the model. For every 2” of the drop, add 1 point to the strength of the fall.

                                             v.     All unengaged models may shoot with assault weapons.

1.     Only unengaged models may fire.

2.     Assault weapons are any weapon with a minimum range of zero.

3.     2-handed assault Weapons

a.     May only fire a single shot.

b.     Model may not move after firing.

4.     1-handed assault Weapons

a.     Model may shoot one shot and then move.

5.     Shooting happens vs. the target’s unmodified Ev. With no bonuses to Toughness for GtG status.

6.     Wounds must be allocated by the defender first to the defending models in the CC. Additional wounds may then be allocated to models from units outside of the combat.

7.     6+6 allocated wounds must be allocated by the attacker to models in the CC.

8.     Suppression is applied as-normal for shooting.

                                            vi.     Attacking Models May Consolidate

1.     All unengaged models may move up to ½ their normal Mv distance.

2.     Models which shot 2-handed assault weapons may not move into engagement with enemy models.

3.     If they move into contact with an enemy model, they will be considered to be engaged with that model during the next combat round.

                                          vii.     Defender becomes the attacker and the sequence restarts.

I removed the part about models that swing in HtH not being able to shoot later. Mostly because I think that it would be difficult to keep track of. If the model isn't engaged, then we'll allow it to shoot instead of moving.

Hopefully Caulyndarr and I will be able to do some intensive testing on the sequence later this week.

Thoughts?

(Edit: Updated the outline to address Eriochrome's clarity concerns and my own changes to simplify push-backs.)