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So this is probably one of those... yes it works that way even though it feels wrong as a new player.

So Black engages orange with Reach weapons. Next turn Orange charges last black model (or last 2 models) at the end of the line.

Orange gets charge bonus and no free strikes and I'm scratching my head. Coming from D&D and Warhammer background it's hard to understand how I'm engaging a unit and yet just got charged by them!

So was this played correctly? Also - what is the takeaway for a new player? In the last game I lost my caster because I didn't use a forest correctly and I leaned that lesson - here I'm not sure what I'm supposed to learn. That reach weapons are great, but don't rely on their reach because you give your opponent an opening to charge?

If I understand your picture correctly;


Model A engaged Model B
Model B, on it's next activation, charged Model C at the end of the line--leaving Model A's melee arc


If I understood you correctly, it's legal--however Model B would suffer a free strike the moment he left the melee arc/reach of its weapon. But yes, you can certainly charge out of combat--provided you have the movement, straight line path and line of sight necessary to do so (Reductions in Spd, certain abilities also remove your charge ability--but for the purposes of your question--LOS and movement are the main discussion items). Indeed, sometimes you can just shrug off a free strike with a heavy warbeast/warjack to charge sometime more important. Just remember, you need that straight line/movement path and LOS!



The biggest takeaway for a new player in Warmahordes (if you are migrating from 40k/Fantasy--which I assume you are as most do)---is that charges are done on a model by model basis. The Unit Leader issues a charge order--you declare one charge target a time per model--move charge distance--then move on to the next. You can even charge a model you are already engaged with--you just won't get the bonus die unless you move over 3".

I understand now - thank you for the tips.

As has been stated. there would be no charge bonus for the Orange models because they are not charging from over 3" away.

Another thing to note is that anytime a model leaves another models melee arc it suffers a free strike. So theoretically Orange would of potentially suffered 3 Free strikes from models whom they started within 2" of and then proceeded to move away from even though they were engaging a model from the same unit.

TheMostWize wrote:
As has been stated. there would be no charge bonus for the Orange models because they are not charging from over 3" away.

Another thing to note is that anytime a model leaves another models melee arc it suffers a free strike. So theoretically Orange would of potentially suffered 3 Free strikes from models whom they started within 2" of and then proceeded to move away from even though they were engaging a model from the same unit.

See the thing is - they were 2" away (well just under) - but he moved 3" by charging along a long diagonal to the last model in the unit so his argument was he receives the charge bonus.

You're right thought that I should have gotten a couple of free strikes but most of the people stayed withing the 2" reach of most of the unit so no strikes...

TheMostWize wrote:
As has been stated. there would be no charge bonus for the Orange models because they are not charging from over 3" away.

Another thing to note is that anytime a model leaves another models melee arc it suffers a free strike. So theoretically Orange would of potentially suffered 3 Free strikes from models whom they started within 2" of and then proceeded to move away from even though they were engaging a model from the same unit.

You don't have to charge from over 3" away to get the bonus - just travel at least 3" during your charge.

Yes, when Reach is involved it is very possible to charge a model you were already engaged with. Or charge another model without leaving the melee of a model you were already engaged with.

It is a disadvantage of Reach. You have a larger melee arc that is harder to leave.


And when huge based models are involved it gets even more fun. You can have models charging back and forth across the front of a huge base.

 HiveFleetPlastic wrote:

TheMostWize wrote:
As has been stated. there would be no charge bonus for the Orange models because they are not charging from over 3" away.

Another thing to note is that anytime a model leaves another models melee arc it suffers a free strike. So theoretically Orange would of potentially suffered 3 Free strikes from models whom they started within 2" of and then proceeded to move away from even though they were engaging a model from the same unit.

You don't have to charge from over 3" away to get the bonus - just travel at least 3" during your charge.

You are correct and that is what I meant in my statement I definitely worded that incorrectly.

Just don't forget that once you have the model you're charging in your melee range you can't have it leave it - so you can't charge such that your target leaves your front arc to get more distance and then turn around.

TheMostWize wrote:

 HiveFleetPlastic wrote:

TheMostWize wrote:
As has been stated. there would be no charge bonus for the Orange models because they are not charging from over 3" away.

Another thing to note is that anytime a model leaves another models melee arc it suffers a free strike. So theoretically Orange would of potentially suffered 3 Free strikes from models whom they started within 2" of and then proceeded to move away from even though they were engaging a model from the same unit.

You don't have to charge from over 3" away to get the bonus - just travel at least 3" during your charge.

You are correct and that is what I meant in my statement I definitely worded that incorrectly.

Good to know there wasn't any confusion.

Just remember to make sure that each charge move is done properly and measured exactly in this sort of situation - trust me Even with two reach models starting a fair bit back, it's often quite difficult to get the full 3" charge, and when a few models are doing it, the last ones often don't have the room to get the right charge lane for the distance. So just make sure everything is measured properly and exactly, and it's all good.