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Right, in a 4-way game I recently played something interesting came up. My venerable dreadnoght had lost both its arms and so I charged a unit of CSM. Now when I did it, we noticed that the dread was also in base contact with a unit of summoned daemons.
After laughing at how cool this was we decided it was fair and I proceded to pick off my opponents models one by one.
The question that has been buzzing around is whether or not this was a legal move. Thoughts?

Yes, if the dreadnought used the shortest possible distance to assault the CSM. During assault, you have to move in a straight line towards your target. If another unit ends up in B2B at the end of that movement, then you have legally multi-charged.

Actually, it's specifically forbidden in the assault rules on Page 34:

"Assaulting models...may not move into base contact with enemy models from a unit they are not assaulting."

The one exception is under "Assaulting Multiple Enemy Units" where it says that after the first model moves into base contact with the unit being assaulted, then "...remaining models can assault models belonging to other enemy units..." (emphasis added).

A single model is not a "remaining" model after the first model has been moved, so it's not allowed. You have to move the first model by the shortest distance, but still "going around...enemy models in units not being assaulted" as specified.

Flavius Infernus wrote:Actually, it's specifically forbidden in the assault rules on Page 34:

"Assaulting models...may not move into base contact with enemy models from a unit they are not assaulting."

The one exception is under "Assaulting Multiple Enemy Units" where it says that after the first model moves into base contact with the unit being assaulted, then "...remaining models can assault models belonging to other enemy units..." (emphasis added).

A single model is not a "remaining" model after the first model has been moved, so it's not allowed. You have to move the first model by the shortest distance, but still "going around...enemy models in units not being assaulted" as specified.

+1 to this. Single models may not multi-charge. The dreadnought must remain outside of base contact with enemy units except the target unit. If he cannot, then the charge is illegal.

Ah well, thats a shame. Thanks guys

Yep the rules are that single model units can never multi-charge.

Moving to YMDC.

The rule that prevents a single model from multi-charging makes swarmlord sad.

This is great to see! My shop somehow missed this and I just recently got a nasty dose of multi-assaulting NDKs, so thanks for catching this! I am going to spread the word.

mnop,
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/351290.page
This was my thread on the same topic, complete with pix!

Where in the actual rules does it say a single model can not multi-assault? I know the INAT changed it to be this way so maybe thats where you all are getting it from.



Assaulting Multiple Enemy units, at the bottom:

“If the assaulting unit shot in the Shooting phase then it must declare its assault against the unit it shot at, but it can engage other enemies as described here.”

If you can site another rule which contradicts this I'd love to see it.

It's covered in the rules for moving assaulting models, and in the multiple assaults rules.

The assault process requires you to declare an assault against a single enemy unit. You then move the first model of your assaulting unit into base contact with that unit. You are explicitly forbidden from contacting enemy units that are not being assaulted.

It's only when you move the second model in the unit that the Multiple Assaults rule kicks in, and you are now allowed to contact any enemy model in range, provided that you maintain coherency and follow the others assault steps.

Your diagram is incorrect, even if your 'badguys' are from the same unit, since your charging model is required to get into base contact by the shortest possible route.

Sorry, apparently that needed a bit more clarification...

Badguy A is, lets say, the closest model of a group of fire warriors.

Badguy B is a kroot from a different unit.

During the shooting phase, my model shoots at Badguy A's unit and wipes them to a single model...who is Badguy A.

Badguy A could have been somewhere else during the shooting phase and fallen back to his present location or passed on double ones, it doesn't matter for the purposes of this.

In the assault phase, I declare an assault against Badguy A. As the rules state that I must assault him, I do by the shortest possible route.

The rules tell me that I must and cannot at the same time. A direct rules quote of how I would resolve this would be great...but it doesn't exist.

I also should mention that I believe that there is a difference between 'wanting to do it' being 'forced to do it'

"As usual the closest attacking model must be moved to contact the closest model in the enemy unit against which the assault was declared. Then remaining models can assault models belonging to other enemy units, as long as they keep following the rules for moving assaulting models." p34 BRB

"This means that assaulting models may still not move through friendly or enemy models, may not pass through gaps narrower than their base, and may not move into base contact with enemy models from a unit they are not assaulting." p34 BRB

Brothererekose, didn't see it. I skim the YMDC every once in a while, but missed that. Happened upon this at a good time, though. Glad I saw it. Going to really mess with folks at my shop.

Naravus wrote:Sorry, apparently that needed a bit more clarification...

Badguy A is, lets say, the closest model of a group of fire warriors.

Badguy B is a kroot from a different unit.

During the shooting phase, my model shoots at Badguy A's unit and wipes them to a single model...who is Badguy A.

Badguy A could have been somewhere else during the shooting phase and fallen back to his present location or passed on double ones, it doesn't matter for the purposes of this.

In the assault phase, I declare an assault against Badguy A. As the rules state that I must assault him, I do by the shortest possible route.

The rules tell me that I must and cannot at the same time. A direct rules quote of how I would resolve this would be great...but it doesn't exist.

I also should mention that I believe that there is a difference between 'wanting to do it' being 'forced to do it'

When assaulting model A, the shortest possible distance must be used to not touch any other enemy units (for example in your diagram, our guy must be at least a millimeter away from model B). If he touches a model in B, then the assault is illegal. If he cannot make it to base with model A without touching model B using his 6" maximum charge allowance, then the assault fails and he is not moved at all.

em_en_oh_pee wrote:

"This means that assaulting models may still not move through friendly or enemy models, may not pass through gaps narrower than their base, and may not move into base contact with enemy models from a unit they are not assaulting." p34 BRB

Just wanted to reiterate this part of the rulebook. Its very clear that single model units may not multi-assault, and this thread should be put to rest.

Naravus wrote:In the assault phase, I declare an assault against Badguy A. As the rules state that I must assault him, I do by the shortest possible route.

The rules tell me that I must and cannot at the same time. A direct rules quote of how I would resolve this would be great...but it doesn't exist.

You're creating a conflict where one doesn't exist.

If you declare an assault after shooting, you can only assault the unit you shot. That much is correct.

However, you move into contact with unit A by the shortest route possible. As you are forbidden from moving into contact with models from other units, if a given route would take you into contact with a model from unit B, that is not a possible route. The shortest possible route is one that doesn't result in illegal movement.

If you can not reach unit A without also moving into contact with unit B, then unit A is out of your assault range, and no charge occurs.

Or in other words: The shortest path is not always a straight line.

For example if there were impassable terrain on the direct line between yu and the enemy, then you must go around it.

Think of ALL enemy models not in the assaulting unit as impassable terrain as far as the first model is concerned.

Not quite, Nos. If the shortest route is around the edge of a piece of Impassible, mathematically you have to end your move touching the edge of that Impassible terrain, as that would be the shortest possible route. Whereas you're forbidden from moving into contact with models from other units than the one you declared your assault against.

scubasteve04 wrote:

em_en_oh_pee wrote:

"This means that assaulting models may still not move through friendly or enemy models, may not pass through gaps narrower than their base, and may not move into base contact with enemy models from a unit they are not assaulting." p34 BRB

Just wanted to reiterate this part of the rulebook. Its very clear that single model units may not multi-assault, and this thread should be put to rest.

You would obviously declare a multi charge at this point. If the rules are so very clear, why then, did Yakface deem it necessary to add a 'rules clarification' to the INAT?

Naravus wrote:

You would obviously declare a multi charge at this point. If the rules are so very clear, why then, did Yakface deem it necessary to add a 'rules clarification' to the INAT?

Because so many seem to be incapable of reading the rules......................?

Naravus wrote:You would obviously declare a multi charge at this point.

The rules never allow you to 'declare' a multi-charge at all.

You declare an assault against a single enemy unit. You can move into contact with other units with the 2nd and subsequent model to move from the assaulting unit.

You can not charge multiple targets with a single model. It is explicitly forbidden by the assault rules.