Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, here's something I learned last night.

Let's say you have a unit that has an IC in it. This unit assaults an enemy unit.

The dominating common perception is that the IC must always make the first move to get into close combat, and others then follow him.

This is apparently not the case. The IC ONLY moves first when his unit Piles In (the move made after assault results are resolved), or when his unit is reacting to being assaulted.

In other words, there seems absolutely no restriction on keeping your IC at the back of the unit when your unit assaults, potentially granting at least one turn of safety if the IC is squishy and/or is granting a bonus to the unit. (A weird boy/haemonculis/techmarine, etc)

Of course, I stand to be corrected, and this being why I am posting here. If this is incorrect, could the ruling disproving this be provided?

That's correct. You can get one turn of safety with relative ease depending on the size of the units involved of course.

Kharrak wrote:Let's say you have a unit that has an IC in it. This unit assaults an enemy unit.

The dominating common perception is that the IC must always make the first move to get into close combat, and others then follow him.

According to whom? That's the first I've heard of it.

Kharrak wrote:This is apparently not the case. The IC ONLY moves first when his unit Piles In (the move made after assault results are resolved), or when his unit is reacting to being assaulted.

In other words, there seems absolutely no restriction on keeping your IC at the back of the unit when your unit assaults, potentially granting at least one turn of safety if the IC is squishy and/or is granting a bonus to the unit. (A weird boy/haemonculis/techmarine, etc)

Absolutely. I do this all the time with my Librarian and/or Sanguinary Priest/s in the BA, depending on what I'm assaulting.

Closest model moves first. Always. If the IC cannot move next to maintain coherency with a model that already moved it's academic if he should be next, as he may not legally move.

Apart from this clarification - no, an IC is not compelled to attempt to engage in B2B when assaulting, nor must he move at any particular time.

Cool, just checking. Thanks guys!

Mannahnin wrote:According to whom? That's the first I've heard of it.

It's a dominant perception locally, which I should have clarified. When we learned of this, we had the suspicion that it may only be a local problem.

Regardless, great to learn of this - though it's a pity that we only did so, so close to 6th.

Indeed, we played it that way for a good while too.

... might be a hangover from a previous edition maybe ? *shrugs*

Not 3rd or 4th, not that I recall anyway. Its always been closest to closest when maknig that initial assault move.

It's quite a common misconception, mainly because every other move ICs have to move first, where possible

Yeah, it seems to be just people taking the rules for Pile In and Defenders React moves and thinking they apply to the initial assault as well.