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So if I have a unit 5 wide and a unit 7 wide matched straight up, then all 7 of the models would be able to attack, right? The end models would be in base contact on the corners, right?
What happes when that 7 wide unit hits a unit of 8 or 9 skirmishers? Do the skirmishers get to wide enough to get those corner attacks or do they only get to go straight 7 on 7?

I really wish I had a current rule book.

Going with your 7 frontage for the Ranked unit and equal base size:

The current rule, IIRC, is, if the skirmishers are charging, up the first 9 in charge range could line up to fight. If less than 9 can hit the unit, you line up as many that can reach the unit on the front rank, everyone else ranks behind them.

If the skirmies receive the charge, they line up for maximum contact, which would be 9 wide.

You must maximize the number of models that are in contact with the enemy, so yes, your skirmishers would rank up as many attacks against the 7 wide unit as they could so long as every one is in base contact. Once you cannot fit anymore into base contact they go into the second rank.

Corner contacts always get their attacks so you would get all 7 models attacking the 5 wide unit.

So in the case of the 9 skirmishers, it would be 7 vs 9 if the RnF 7 wide unit charged them, and as long as the 9 were all within charge range it would be the same 7 vs 9. If I had 12 skirmishers then the other 3 would form up behind. If only 5 were within charge range then it would be 5, 5, 2. And of course no rank bonuses for them.

I may need to re read the rules for skirmishers on how they rank up if some models are out of charge range. As I remember it they must rank up as wide as possible to maximize combat as it benefits them better than ranking in only 5 or what have you.

If you have charge range to a unit of skirmishers, then you can charge the unit. There's nothing about some of them being out of charge range. As long as you can contact one, you can make a successful charge, and the skirmishers will rank up to get the maximum number of models in contact.

Vengis wrote:If you have charge range to a unit of skirmishers, then you can charge the unit. There's nothing about some of them being out of charge range. As long as you can contact one, you can make a successful charge, and the skirmishers will rank up to get the maximum number of models in contact.

Unless they changed it in the newest rules, when a skirmish unit is charged, only the models within their move distance of the first model contacted are elligible to be in the first rank. So of only 5 of the 9 skirmishers are within 4-5" (the most common movement rates), then only those 5 models will form the front rank.

Likewise when skirmishers are charging. For the charge to be 'sucessful', only the closest model has to be within charge range of the target. Any models that are in charge range take position in the first rank. The rest rank up behind them. On the down side, a poorly-judged charge could result in a conga-line...

Since no one else seems to think that quoting precedence matters:

Page 65 BRB "All models within charge range are moved individually towards their foe and arranged into a fighting line.

When the maximum number of models has been brought into base-to-base contact with the side charged(including models fighting corner to corner), remaining skirmishers will begin to form up in ranks behind the first line of models in base contact with the enemy.

Any models unable to reach(because they don't have enough movement or because there is no space left in the fighting line) are placed in the rear ranks sot hat the unit forms up in what looks like a regular formation behind the models that have formed the fighting line."

So the rules on when skirmishers attack are very clear.

As for charging into skirmishers: page 67 BRB
" If the skirmishers are charged, the enemy is brought into base contact with the closest skirmisher as per a normal charge, except that the enemy is not aligned against the skirmishing model. The skirmishers form up as explained above(page 65's reference), lining up with the enemies front(their movement does not count as charging of course)."

So when charging skirmishers any skirmisher who can get into front line within THEIR OWN movement is to do so. The chargers max charge range has nothing to do with how many skirmishers may line up in front to defend themselves, only their own movement value affects this.

Thanks. So I was on the right track, I just didn't clearly explain my example.

When a skirmishing unit charges only the models that are within their charge range can make it. Example 8 wardancers, charge range is 10", and 6 of them are within the 10" of a 5xwide unit of dwarfs. I would line up all 6 models against the dwarf line. If I had all 8 of the wardancers within the 10" charge range, then I could line up 7 for maximum frontage (counting the 2 extra models on the corners) the eighth wardancer would start the next rank.

If the skirmishers were successfully charged then they would automatically line up for maximum frontage. The skirmishing units movement has no bearing on it. In the case of the wardancers and dwarfs, it would be 7 wardancers vs the 5 dwarfs, even if only one wardancer was within the 6" charge range of the dwarfs.

Let me know if I am not following it correctly. Thanks.

yes, as long as all the wardancers are within 6"(in this case) of the first model where the combat line is being made.

If say a single model was at 6.25" or more(or whatever increment you play as being rounded up or down) then it would have to go into the second rank. Even if there would have been room for it in the front.