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I was wondering if this would be a possible way to protect an IC in a unit.

Say I have a Big Mek with a KFF in a 30 strong unit of boyz and place him in the back of the unit. If the unit assaults/gets assaulted the rules say that I need to move the IC first before other models, as no IC would allow his unit to fight in front of him, but if he's in the back of the unit can he move through friendlies? Or if the unit is spread deep enough, does he not still only move 6" in an assault (say he is 9" away from the enemies front rank) first, then the boyz pile-in, but the Big Mek not fight and, therefor be safe from being targeted?

Definately seems cheezy, but may be a valuable tactic in keeping my Big Mek alive.

Or you could just surround the big mek with boys so he can't move to the front.

The IC must move, but it is only at the 6" movement speed.

He must follow all the normal movement rules(so no moving through other models as they are both impassable terrain and specifically forbidden to be moved through).

Assaulting does not force the IC to attempt contact, but being assaulted does, as does Pile in moves.

There is almost no scenario where you have an IC still uncontacted after the first assault phase(your opponent will be moving closer to the IC as well, simply because the Assault/pile in moves' rules require it)

Actually, this is not true.

When assaulting, the IC does NOT need to move into base to base at all. As such, an assaulting unit can happily keep it's IC at the back (before he is brought forward through consolidation).

It's ONLY during consolidation and REACTING to being assaulted that the IC is forced to move into base to base.

But if the IC can move into b2b in the charge it has to make the move.

Incorrect, the IC has a special rule for moving first when being assaulted, but when assaulting the IC follows all the normal rules for assaulting, meaning the IC must try to engage if possible.

liturgies of blood wrote:But if the IC can move into b2b in the charge it has to make the move.

Not exactly. You follow the normal procedures - closest to closest, then moving in the order you choose.

On the charge, the IC is treated as any other member of the unit. You can happily keep him out of base to base, as long as he does not qualify for "closest to closest".

I refer to the thread I made regarding this topic: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/452519.page

Kommissar Kel wrote:The IC must move, but it is only at the 6" movement speed.

He must follow all the normal movement rules(so no moving through other models as they are both impassable terrain and specifically forbidden to be moved through).

Assaulting does not force the IC to attempt contact, but being assaulted does, as does Pile in moves.

There is almost no scenario where you have an IC still uncontacted after the first assault phase(your opponent will be moving closer to the IC as well, simply because the Assault/pile in moves' rules require it)

There is actually, in something like a blob with a LC, if you didn't want to get him into b2b, but you got regular guardsmen into b2b and surrounded the enemy squad, if you didn't remove those models then he would never be struck (or strike). Worked when I wanted to protect him from mephy one time.

motyak wrote:

Kommissar Kel wrote:The IC must move, but it is only at the 6" movement speed.

He must follow all the normal movement rules(so no moving through other models as they are both impassable terrain and specifically forbidden to be moved through).

Assaulting does not force the IC to attempt contact, but being assaulted does, as does Pile in moves.

There is almost no scenario where you have an IC still uncontacted after the first assault phase(your opponent will be moving closer to the IC as well, simply because the Assault/pile in moves' rules require it)

There is actually, in something like a blob with a LC, if you didn't want to get him into b2b, but you got regular guardsmen into b2b and surrounded the enemy squad, if you didn't remove those models then he would never be struck (or strike). Worked when I wanted to protect him from mephy one time.

Yup, this is a common (and valid) tactic for protecting Lord Commissars and Priests.

Q: An Independent Character attached to a unit that is
reacting to being assaulted, or making a pile-in move,
must move before other friendly models to attempt to
get in base contact with an enemy. What happens if
the Independent Character is blocked from getting to
enemy models by friendly models around him? (p49)

A: If it is possible to move friendly models out of the
way to make space for the Independent Character then
they must move first. Followed by the Independent
Character and finally the rest of the unit can move. If
the Independent Character is still unable to make it
into base contact he must move as close to the enemy
as possible.

"By friendly models around him". Doesn't mention the enemies being surrounded by friendly models and therefore impossible to get into B2B with the enemy.

It's complicated and has exceptions to how one would think the rule works. I'm just guessing that once a model is in base to base it doesn't get to move ever.

It seems that when assaulting you move closest model to closest, then the rest in any order you want. So the ic only moves 1st if he is closest.

When reacting to being assaulted or doing a pile in the ic moves 1st.

I think it's the 40k version of the fantasy rule that put characters in the front rank after the first round of a combat. Though I can't really remember fantasy too well.

Testify wrote:

motyak wrote:

Kommissar Kel wrote:The IC must move, but it is only at the 6" movement speed.

He must follow all the normal movement rules(so no moving through other models as they are both impassable terrain and specifically forbidden to be moved through).

Assaulting does not force the IC to attempt contact, but being assaulted does, as does Pile in moves.

There is almost no scenario where you have an IC still uncontacted after the first assault phase(your opponent will be moving closer to the IC as well, simply because the Assault/pile in moves' rules require it)

There is actually, in something like a blob with a LC, if you didn't want to get him into b2b, but you got regular guardsmen into b2b and surrounded the enemy squad, if you didn't remove those models then he would never be struck (or strike). Worked when I wanted to protect him from mephy one time.

Yup, this is a common (and valid) tactic for protecting Lord Commissars and Priests.

Quoted this one because I can address both Testify and Motyak in one post(since the answer is the same).

Did you notice that I used the qualifier: "almost " in my original post?

Yeah, that qualifier means that there is at least 1 exception, and that others could probably be found/known to some. It is used to leave a statement open to exception.

Kharrak wrote:Not exactly. You follow the normal procedures - closest to closest, then moving in the order you choose.

On the charge, the IC is treated as any other member of the unit. You can happily keep him out of base to base, as long as he does not qualify for "closest to closest".

You can only keep the IC out of assault on the charge if, when you move him, he can't reach any enemy models, or reach the 2" zone around other friendly models from his unit. Models are required to move into engagment if they can do so.


So yes, it's possible to keep him out of combat, but requires some careful movement to set it up.

Insaniak: the 2" zone would still be out of combat unless the "defender reacts" moving models manage to reach the IC(and if the defender has no IC's he is not required to move any models in such a way as to specifically contact the assaulting IC; unless said assaulting IC is one of the only models not already in base-to-base and a defending model that can reach him cannot make base contact with any other assaulting models).

Yeah, that's what I get for posting in the middle of doing other stuff...


He has to move into base contact if he can.
If he can't, he has to try to move to within 2" of a model from his unit who is in base contact. Even though that doesn't let him fight, it does increase the chances of him being included in the combat when the enemy makes their React moves.

Being an Ork player, I was also admittedly thinking entirely in regards to larger mobs where it's much easier to "hide" the IC, particularly when the high numbers allow you the "wrap around" the target to limit reactionary moves.

In smaller units (ie, average sized units), yes, it would be rather tricky to do it, especially considering the reaction moves - pretty much as you state.

Still, it's important to understand that the IC of a unit that is assaulting has no priority in assault moves, outside of the normal assault move procedures. Certain IC's who are only there for psychic benifits (ie, GK IC's) can try to hang back, doin' their psychic thang, and (hopefully) avoid being targeted.

Kommissar Kel wrote:

Testify wrote:

motyak wrote:

Kommissar Kel wrote:The IC must move, but it is only at the 6" movement speed.

He must follow all the normal movement rules(so no moving through other models as they are both impassable terrain and specifically forbidden to be moved through).

Assaulting does not force the IC to attempt contact, but being assaulted does, as does Pile in moves.

There is almost no scenario where you have an IC still uncontacted after the first assault phase(your opponent will be moving closer to the IC as well, simply because the Assault/pile in moves' rules require it)

There is actually, in something like a blob with a LC, if you didn't want to get him into b2b, but you got regular guardsmen into b2b and surrounded the enemy squad, if you didn't remove those models then he would never be struck (or strike). Worked when I wanted to protect him from mephy one time.

Yup, this is a common (and valid) tactic for protecting Lord Commissars and Priests.

Quoted this one because I can address both Testify and Motyak in one post(since the answer is the same).

Did you notice that I used the qualifier: "almost " in my original post?

Yeah, that qualifier means that there is at least 1 exception, and that others could probably be found/known to some. It is used to leave a statement open to exception.

It's not really an "exception" if it's the standard for *all* Imperial Guard ICs.

Not everyone plays with Blobs, or ICs in an IG list(I use blobs and 0 ICs; or vets and ICs; rarely both)

So no it is not standard to *all* IG ICs; only those that are fielded alongside Blobs(and large ones at that).

Do you see the huge difference between our statements: I included an article that left mine open to exception. Your statement is definitive and easily dis-proven.