Core Mechanics FAQ: Close Combat

Generic Close Combat questions with no single addressable rule target.

Q: When exactly do you calculate the various Combat Resolution modifiers? Ruling: The only Combat Resolution modifier calculated at the beginning of each round of combat is rank bonus. All other modifiers are calculated at the end of each round of combat. Source: [Gav Thorpe - Warhammer Design Team]

Q: If a unit charges into the rear/flank of an enemy but is reduced below Unit Strength 5 during the ensuing Close Combat phase, does it still cancel ranks, and can it still gain the flank/rear bonus? Ruling: Rank bonus is claimed and calculated at the start of the Close Combat phase, so it is nullified this turn. The flank/rear bonus is calculated at the end of the phase, so the attacking unit can't claim it since it has been reduced below Unit Strength 5. Source: [Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 112]

Q: Is the combat results example in Fig. 3 on page 72 of the Rulebook incorrect? Ruling: Yes, the example is wrong because the Empire should no longer gain a flank bonus. Source: [Gav Thorpe - Warhammer Design Team]

Q: Can a unit engaged in the flank/rear turn to face its attackers in subsequent rounds of combat? Ruling: No. Once your unit is hit in the flank or rear, your unit's facing is stuck until the combat is over. Source: [Rulebook page 76]

Q: Who strikes first when two units are charging each other, for example if you pursue into fresh combat and then in the enemy's turn the pursuing unit is charged? Ruling: Chargers strike in the order in which they charged. Models may not strike against an enemy that has charged them until that charging unit's attacks are resolved. A unit that has been charged and is not charging itself always strikes after all charging units. Empire Detachments always strike first when specifically counter-charging. Source: [Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 16]

Q: Can a unit consisting of one rank 'lap around' the enemy with unengaged models if it wins a round of close combat? Can a ranked unit 'lap around' to its flank? Ruling: Yes to both. Source: [Rulebook page 77 / US White Dwarf #283 pages 22-25 / UK White Dwarf #283 pages 74-77]

Q: If a unit engaged in close combat has lapped around its enemy, where are its casualties removed from? Ruling: From the back of the unit, not from those models lapping around - unless there are no models in the back rank. Source: [Anthony Reynolds - Warhammer Design Team (Online Q&A on the Games Workshop Warhammer Forum)]

Q: Does a unit that has lapped around the enemy need to have models with a Unit Strength of 5+ lapped around in order to earn the flank or rear bonus? Ruling: No. You can lap around with a single Unit Strength 1 model to the flank (or rear) and still earn the bonus - it is the Unit Strength of the entire unit that must be 5+, not the models lapping around. Source: [Rulebook pages 77, 78]

Q: If my unit is engaged to the front of an enemy unit, can I negate the enemy unit's rank bonus by lapping around? Ruling: No. Lapping around does not negate the enemy's rank bonus. Source: [Rulebook pages 77, 78]

Q: If a unit chooses to expand frontage during combat, is this a true formation change, or does the unit revert to its pre-combat formation at the end of the combat? Ruling: This is considered to be a true formation change. Source: [Rulebook page 77 / Gav Thorpe - Warhammer Design Team]

Q: If the Initiative value is equal between two models and the roll-off is also a tie, do you actually strike simultaneously? Ruling: No, roll off until you have a winner. Source: [Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 112]

Q: Two units are attacking one enemy unit, one from the front and one on the flank. Casualty removal leaves the enemy unit with models only in contact with the 'front' unit. Has this legally brought my flanking unit out of combat, allowing an overrun move? Ruling: No, there are still models remaining in the unit it is engaged with. Slide the flanking unit across slightly so it is in contact with at least one enemy model. Source: [Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 112]

Q: Two units are attacking two enemy units in a single combat. One of my units wipes out the only enemy unit it was in base contact with. Does my unit still count as being in combat, or is it free to act independently in subsequent turns? Ruling: All units in a combat are subject to combat resolution and resulting Break tests. However, if a unit is no longer in contact with the enemy due to elimination of the only enemy unit it was in contact with, it does not count as being in combat in subsequent turns and can charge, shoot, be shot at, etc. Source: [US White Dwarf #283 page 24 / UK White Dwarf #283 page 76]

Q: If one side is completely wiped out in a combat, do you still have to determine the combat's result? Ruling: No! If one side is completely wiped out, the other side has won with no need for a Break Test. Source: [Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 121]

Q: How do you work out close combat attacks that do multiple wounds against units of creatures with multiple Wounds (such as Trolls, Ogres, or Fellbats)? Ruling: Roll to hit, roll to wound, make saves as normal, then roll for each wounding hit to see how many actual wounds are inflicted - the maximum per hit is the number of Wounds the enemy model has. Add up all wounds and remove whole models as normal. Source: [Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 112]

Q: How do you kill a champion in close combat? Ruling: The enemy must generally specifically allocate attacks at the champion. If no attacks are allocated at the champion, the champion will still be killed if enough wounds to kill all rank and file members of the unit are inflicted - champions are still considered rank and file members of the unit. Source: [Rulebook page 109 / Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 113]

Q: If you didn't allocate any attacks at an enemy champion but cause enough wounds to kill the enemy's front rank, do you remove the enemy champion? Ruling: No. Source: [Anthony Reynolds - Warhammer Design Team (Online Q&A on the Games Workshop Warhammer Forum)]

Q: If attacks allocated on the champion cause more unsaved wounds than the champion has on his profile, are the excess unsaved wounds lost? Ruling: In a non-challenge situation the excess unsaved wounds are lost - they no longer carry over onto the rank & file. In a challenge situation, the enemy can score up to +5 overkill points over the champion's wounds characteristic. Source: [Rulebook pages 99, 109 / Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 121]

Q: Can Champions be moved into a fighting position in the same way a character can (Moving Characters Within Engaged Units, p.97)? Ruling: No, they cannot. Champions remain part of the command group at the center of the front rank of their unit. Source: [Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 113]

Q: If attacks allocated on the rank and file cause more unsaved wounds than there are rank and file members, do the excess wounds carry over onto a character attached to the unit? Ruling: No. Excess wounds caused against ordinary troops are not carried over onto enemy characters fighting alongside them. Source: [Rulebook page 98 / Direwolf FAQ Council Interpretation]

Q: Does a standard bearer / battle standard bearer have to be alive at the end of the combat round to contribute the +1 combat resolution and/or combat resolution effects of a magic banner? Ruling: Yes, including banners that increase or negate rank bonuses. Source: [Rulebook pages 71, 78 / Warhammer Chronicles 2004 page 120]

Q: If a unit has only its command group left and removes the standard bearer, does that deny the enemy from collecting victory points for the standard? Ruling: If the standard bearer is removed as a casualty, the enemy only gets the victory points for capturing it if the unit is destroyed completely in the same round of combat, or the unit flees and is pursued in that same round. Source: [Anthony Reynolds - Warhammer Design Team (Online Q&A on the Games Workshop Warhammer Forum)]

Q: Have there been any articles written providing additional guidance on moving fleeing and pursuing units? Ruling: Yes, see the Warhammer Annual 2002. Source: [Warhammer Annual 2002 pages 10-12]

Q: What happens when a unit making a pursuit move hits a unit which is already fleeing from another combat? Ruling: If a pursuing unit would move into a fleeing unit, that unit makes another flee move and will either get away or be wiped out if it can't outdistance its foe. Source: [Rulebook page 75 / Warhammer Annual 2002 page 16]

Q: If you break two enemy units, you can only pursue one of them. What if your pursuit move brings you into contact with the fleeing unit you didn't pursue? Ruling: The pursuing unit will go around that unit if at all possible, with some 'fudging' allowed. If utterly impossible, halt the pursuers 1" away (they still catch and kill the other unit if they rolled higher than its flee roll, regardless of distance moved). Source: [Anthony Reynolds - Warhammer Design Team (Online Q&A on the Games Workshop Warhammer Forum)]

Q: Can a unit make an overrun move if it is charged and wipes out the chargers? Ruling: Yes, any unit that wipes out its enemy in the first round of combat may make an overrun move. Source: [July 2002 Q&A Update on the Warhammer Chronicles website]

Q: What happens when a unit making an overrun move hits a unit which is already fleeing? Ruling: If a unit performing an overrun would move into a fleeing unit, that unit makes another flee move and will either get away or be wiped out if it can't outdistance its foe. Source: [Rulebook page 75 / Warhammer Annual 2002 page 16]