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This situation came up yesterday and we couldn't really figure out what to do. In the end my opponent conceded since I had wiped out most of his army anyway and we were running out of time, but the issue remains:

Three squads of necron warriors and a Necron Lord are being decimated by my three squads of Black Templar crusaders. One squad is swept by one of my squads, so that's all fine. The other 2 Warrior squads are locked in a multiple assault with my 2 crusader squads. Okay okay so really we're talking about 2 Necron warrior squads, who happen to be the only remaining Necron Warriors on the table. The Lord has Res Orb as well.

Here's the setup. Squads A and B are the necrons, Squads C are my guys (this is actually a multi-assault, since on of the guys attacking the Lord is from the left-squad), L is the Lord:

AAAAAAAAA----CLBBBCCC
CCCCCCCC--------CCCCCCCC

Obviously, in CC I destroy the necrons utterly, knocking down the last three members of squad B, but leaving the Lord up (who was part of the unit), and knocking down a few of squad A. Both Squad A and the Lord fail their Morale checks, but escape my sweep. Leaving this, more or less (my guys are within 6" of both fleeing squads, and Squad A is out of WBB range for the downed guys):

CCCCC-----CCCCC
CCCCC-----CCCCC
------------L
AAAA

So at the start of the turn, my opponent needs to do his WBB rolls. 2 Warriors are still within 6" of the Lord w/ Orb, so they got their WBB rolls (right?). One gets up, so the rest of the downed guys could get their rolls (again, correct?). In the end, a ton of guys get back up. Now here's where it gets annoying.

Our printing of the Necron codex states that necrons who get back up join the nearest unit of the same type (aka Necron Warriors). So would that mean that all those necrons I killed would join to form a single, massive squad A? And since squad A is falling back and unable to regroup, would that mean that the entire necron force would walk off the table? (the edge was like 2" away from squad A). And what becomes of the Lord, who is also fallling back?

Sorry for the bad illustrations.

You measure distance for res orb when the attack happens that killed the necron, NOT when you roll for WBB. It is in the FAQ. Also, if they were all within range of the orb when the attacks happened (not after the crons ran away) AND the downed warriors are still within 6" of any other living warrior AFTER they ran away then they get to WBB. So, yes, if one of the guys that got up would put a downed one back in 6" range then they would get to roll as well.

Yes, they join the falling back squad and YES he will be able to regroup so long as he meets the requirements. The lord was joined with the unit and is falling back as well.

*edit*
Let me clarify, he would be able to regroup at that point if the joining necrons brought the squad back up to 50%+ and they aren't within 6" of an enemy and whatever the other rule is that I can't think of at the moment.

A few things:

- You check range for the res orb at the time the models become casualties, not before making the WBB roll.

- If the nearest squad that the downed warriors can join is falling back, then they join that squad, and the squad continues to fall back. If this brings the squad strength up to over 50% of it's initial strength, it is now eligible to attempt to regroup as normal.

- You treat the lord falling back as you would any other independant character who is falling back. If the squad he was attached to all become casualties, he is now on his own, regardless of if they stand back up due to WBB.


http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1180146_Necrons_FAQ_2004-08_5th_Edition.pdf

EDIT: Ninja'd

Okay so really, since none of the Necron Warriors were within 6" of the falling back squad, they all should have died?

For that part, we determined that the wording of the Res Orb "All Necron units within 6" may attempt 'We'll be back' rolls..." overrides the need for nearby models of the same type, but if that's incorrect then alright. Oh and I also already knew about when you check range for the Res Orb as far as its primary effect (negating power weapon wounds and so forth).

So for the point of argument, if those warriors WERE eligible to get back up, do they all join the falling back squad, as that squad is the only remaining Necron Warrior squad on the field? And since they weren't eligible to regroup (my units were within 6"), the ENTIRE force would run off the table?

Yes to all.