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An interesting (odd?) ting came up at the NoVaOpen this past weekend: A broken SM tac squad regroups at the start of my opponent's turn, and he consolidates them 3" and then moves them normally. A judge was right there observing our game so I asked about it, and he said that RAW the SM get to regroup (including the 3" move) but count as not having moved yet, so may still move their normal 6".

Reading through ATSKNF and regrouping, I can see where this ruling comes from (I think it's almost definitely NOT what the designers had in mind, but who knows?). I'd not encountered it before (it didn't affect the game materially), just curious about how widespread this is.

My question is this:

How do you play SM regrouping?

A) They get a 3" consolidation and may then move normally.

B) They are allowed to move normally in lieu of a 3" consolidation.

What about the third option: They get a 3" Consolidation move, but may not otherwise move.

Regardless, the INAT FAQ provided a ruling on it:

SM.51B.01 – Q: When a unit with ATSKNF regroups at the start of their turn do they get the 3” move for regrouping as well as their normal move?
A: No, a unit with ATSKNF that regroups at the start of their turn may move normally instead of getting the 3” move

[Page 83]

Well, that option is plainly not supported by the RAW.

I know INAT has ruled that way... but, the world doesn't revolve around Chicago.

del'Vhar wrote:What about the third option: They get a 3" Consolidation move, but may not otherwise move.

\
The poll was, I suspect meant to be more about the two potential ways to interpret the RAW, rather than house rules that completely ignore it...


By strict RAW, they would get the 3" regroup move plus the normal movement... The 3" is never actually described as replacing the normal movement. It is instead listed as something that they can do when they regroup, while the restriction on moving normally is a separate statement.

Having said that, I play it as the regroup move being made instead of normal movement. So Marines can choose one or the other, not both.

And the movement section limits infantry to moving 6" during the phase. So wouldn't they get the 3" move and then upto 3" from the rest of their move.

Heh fair enough, I'm at work atm and can't remember how regrouping works off the top of my head, it just looked like that third option should be there

BrockRitcey wrote:And the movement section limits infantry to moving 6" during the phase. So wouldn't they get the 3" move and then upto 3" from the rest of their move.

Actually, that's a good point. It's not listed as 3" additional movement, or anything of the sort (of course not, because the models generally can't move any further when they use it) so it doesn't specifically over-ride the normal restriction on how far infantry can move.

So yes, I'll have to alter y RAW interpretation: They would be able to make the 3" regroup move and then move normally, but the rule restricting infantry to moving up to 6" in the Movement phase would prevent them from moving more than 6" in total.

So, effectively, you move a total of 6" either way.

The way I've, as well as my friends, have played ATSKNF, is the unit gets a 3" move, and then the additional normal movement, whether it be 6" or 12" or whatever else is your normal movement.

No one has contested this before with me, and when other players do it, I don't contest their moves either. According to RAW, as someone quoted, SM would get their normal move on top of the 3" move. Even though it's not listed as "additional movement", I haven't seen any rule that stipulates it wouldn't get their normal movement in addition to the 3", but then again I don't have my rulebook in front of me.

Brock, could you site the page you saw the ruling on movement on?

Page 11 of the rules states something along those lines of the maximum amount of movement in the movement phase. Is the consolidation considered part of the movement phase though?

It happens in the movement phase, and doesn't explicitly state that it isn't counted as movement (ala tank pivots), so I'd guess so...

Mattieau wrote:Page 11 of the rules states something along those lines of the maximum amount of movement in the movement phase. Is the consolidation considered part of the movement phase though?

Regrouping happens in the movement phase, yes.

For what it's worth, I think the poll is potentially confusing by referring to it as a 'consolidation' move. Consolidation is what happens after a round of close combat, rather than when you regroup.

Yeah, the 6" for infantry is the first line in the Movement Distance section on page 11. Regrouping happens right before you decide to move that unit.

The one thing that makes moving 3" and then the rest of the movement better than just moving your regular move is that the 3" you move from regrouping ignores difficult terrain. (page 46, 4th paragraph in the brackets).

Of course that makes things complicated and it is much simpler to just play your regular move since it does say can move 3" so you could not move for the 3" and then just take your full regular move after to avoid having to move, set your guys down and then move again.

del'Vhar wrote:What about the third option: They get a 3" Consolidation move, but may not otherwise move.

Regardless, the INAT FAQ provided a ruling on it:

SM.51B.01 – Q: When a unit with ATSKNF regroups at the start of their turn do they get the 3” move for regrouping as well as their normal move?
A: No, a unit with ATSKNF that regroups at the start of their turn may move normally instead of getting the 3” move

[Page 83]

Course, the NovaOpen FAQ did not use the INAT and allowed it. One of several calls I disagree with but no biggie. I knew what the Nova FAQ said going in and so was not surprised by any of the (IMO) unusual calls.

Yeah, I needed to have read it more fully- I just glanced through the majority of it, only specifically reading the Ork specific stuff. It wasn't game-changing by an stretch, just surprising.

I chose B as that is how I play it although I've always read it as I could move 3' then 6'. I just did it that way to avoid the issue.

Interesting point that Brock and Insaniak found. Now I need to reread the sections as it would be nice if RAW actually supported the way I play.

I have always gone with a basic move after the regrouping of the squad.