Consider an Ork Warband with Boyz (B) and Kommandos (K) engaging formation A. After charge move, we have this situation (units are in base contact):

A-A-A-A-A
K---K--K-K
A-A-A-A-A
B------B
^
^
^

^ = direction of the assault

The defender scores 2 hits. How exactly should they be allocated?

Section 1.12.5 says:



Now I've always played this way: allocate hits to any units in CC first, then to units within 15 cm. If there are several units in CC (i.e. several "closest units"), their controller chooses which ones are hit. In my example, the Ork player could choose to allocate hits to the Boyz, thus saving his more valuable Kommandos.

But from the quoted section, it would seem I've played it incorrectly: "as they would when allocating hits from shooting" suggests that you should remove from front to back. In my example, this would mean that the Ork player has no choice but to allocate the hits to the Kommandos.

Or does the notion of "front to back" disappear when units are in base contact? If so, where in the rules does it say so?

That's how we play it, even though the rules aren't explicit on this point.

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We play it as E&C suggests.

The distinction with the rule however is quite a good one.

It would mean Ork players would have to be more precise with their grotz.

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I've played it both ways without issues. No idea which is actually more correct

I have always understood that "front-to-back" was relative to the enemy units causing the casualties, both for shooting and Assault.

This is why I tend to allocate hits from support fire relative to the supporting formation (within the 'assault zone' of course), which can mean allocating hits to a slightly different spectrum of units than in the original assault.

I have too. It'd be good if we could pin down a common method of play, though.

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This is how my local group plays as well.

The idea of "front to back" is sort of nebulous when it comes to allocation. It's in quotes in the rules and later they use the term "closest," implying that it is a matter of distance between units.


I've always counted units in CC as equally distant/closest and given the owner the choice. I can't recall anyone ever insisting that it was based on "front to back" and how far into the enemy formation the units were. If that were the case, Infiltrator troops would take on a little bit different dynamic.

On support fire, 1.12.6 states that you allocate it exactly as if the support formation had been shooting, so "front to back" would be based on the position of the support formation to its target not the assault formations to each other.

OK, thanks for the answers guys.

Looks like the rules aren't crystal clear on the subject, yet everybody seems to have interpreted them the same way.

On a related note, a slightly different question came up last night which I am sure has been answered before:-
Some assault marines make an assault on a an IG super-heavy tank company. The WE are in a straight line with the marines in B-B with two WE, and the third WE potentially isolated (M=marine, WE is the WE):-

M.W M.W W
M.E M.E E

a) presumably, the third WE is blocked from taking art, because its LOS is blocked, and it cannot use the countercharge to move at right-angles (must move directly towards the enemy)

b) Can the two WE use FF to 'hose' the marines of the opposing tank? The stipulation in 3.3.2 seems to dictate otherwise

Generally, we will modify "directly towards" to "take the shortest possible route". It seems gamey to insist that a tank can't move 1cm to the left in order to get a shot in.


I believe so. The quoted text can be inferred to refer to each War Engine as a sigular unit. So attacks are considered on a per-unit basis, not on a per-formation basis.

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[/quote]
"...with that specific war engine" is, I believe, implied.

And my group has never played with "mindlessly straight lines" with counter-charges "directly" towards the enemy, but with the "directly" being the "shortest path to come to grips with the enemy".

In answer to you Ginger,

a) yes it is blocked, but if your base dimensions are not even and you have the space, you could rotate the middle WE one way and the blocked one the other to create a line of sight. (But that might be seen as gamey.)

b) yes its shooting at a model that it is not in BtB contact with.

so if they block LoS then in this instance as they stand

M.W M.W W
M.E M.E E


the left hand WE can shoot to the right and hit marines with FF but the middle WE cant shoot left as the marines are Blocked but the WE loS from what you guys have said right ? assuming you havent pivoted the WE's to created LoS paths along there lengths.

Just my interpretation from the adivice given.

Cheers

Tim NZ

Well spotted Tim. It also depends on the shape of the stands in use - rectangular stands side by side only take up 20mm, so could well be hidden by a WE even if it that pivots.

Ultimately it depends on the way you want to play the game