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So correct me if I am wrong, but as we all know terminators are the only unit in existence in the entire 40k meta (along with units that cannot strike blows in close combat, obviously) that cannot sweeping advance.

Now is this a boon or a curse?

Personally, I think since those units that *can* sweeping advance HAVE to do it (again, correct me if I am wrong), if they win, they will be sitting ducks and can be fired at from all directions during the enemy shooting phase, so this limitation is actually a boon.

A sweeping advance performed by a unit (yours or the enemy's) is only useful if it is done during the enemy's turn. If it is done during your turn, you either cant shoot at the enemy unit that did it, or your own unit cannot do anything else if it was the one that sweeping advanced an enemy unit.

So, in light of all this, terminators not being able to sweeping advance actually protects them from enemy fire. If you charge your termies into an enemy unit during your turn, it'll usually take 2 turns of combat (during your turn and during the enemy's) for the target unit to get eaten up by the termies (unless they are equally tough), so by your own next turn, you will be free to send the termies to a new target.

Now picture the same with an equally potent assault unit of yours that does have sweeping advance (say, Vanguard vets) - you charge an enemy unit with them and will usually cause more wounds to them than they will to you. So sweeping advance puts your vets at a risk.

TEQ = Terminators (including Chaos), Crusaders, Mega-nobz, Ogryn, and certain Monstrous Critters fall into this category



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There may be something amoung the Necrons and the Tyranids as well


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But yes not being able to sweep is a boon to a point..Means next turn they can Shoot the backs of the runners and then assult another unit ..thus keeping them out of the line of direct fire for the most part

Im lost... if you defeat an enemy unit, they break, and you are disallowed to run after them (sweeping advance), you are STILL now unengaged and open to enemy fire next turn.
The only difference is that you didn't get the chance to wipe the enemy unit and they can now attempt to rally, if they didn't go off the table of course...

Ogryns can sweep other units, the only problem is that they have initiative 2, so most likely they won't catch them.

I really am struggling to comprehend this. Not trying to be a d**k, can somebody step by step talk me through why not being able to wipe the unit you just broke and still being in the same position as a unit that did get that chance, recieving fire wise, is an advantage? I really aren't trying to be difficult, Im very tired and struggling to grasp this.

I don't see it as much of a difference, since you have limited control over when and if they will fail a morale check and whether you'll catch them.

A bigger risk would be allowing the engaged unit to flee and add their fire to the rest of the army.

 Sir Arun wrote:
So correct me if I am wrong, but as we all know terminators are the only unit in existence in the entire 40k meta (along with units that cannot strike blows in close combat, obviously) that cannot sweeping advance.

Now is this a boon or a curse?

Personally, I think since those units that *can* sweeping advance HAVE to do it (again, correct me if I am wrong), if they win, they will be sitting ducks and can be fired at from all directions during the enemy shooting phase, so this limitation is actually a boon.

A sweeping advance performed by a unit (yours or the enemy's) is only useful if it is done during the enemy's turn. If it is done during your turn, you either cant shoot at the enemy unit that did it, or your own unit cannot do anything else if it was the one that sweeping advanced an enemy unit.

So, in light of all this, terminators not being able to sweeping advance actually protects them from enemy fire. If you charge your termies into an enemy unit during your turn, it'll usually take 2 turns of combat (during your turn and during the enemy's) for the target unit to get eaten up by the termies (unless they are equally tough), so by your own next turn, you will be free to send the termies to a new target.

Now picture the same with an equally potent assault unit of yours that does have sweeping advance (say, Vanguard vets) - you charge an enemy unit with them and will usually cause more wounds to them than they will to you. So sweeping advance puts your vets at a risk.

You do realize that if you can't sweep, the enemy gets away and you're just as much of a sitting duck, right? The only difference is whether or not the enemy unit dies.

Edit: Btw, units with Slow and Purposeful can't sweep either.

Like so many things in this game it depends on the situation. In certain scenarios it is beneficial to be able to sweep to avoid being tarpitted. Yes, it is always better if it happens during your enemy turn. Take your terminators for an example. Many armies can just throw a large disposable mob at them to lock them down for the majority of the game. Other units, such as regular chaos marines, can actually be pretty potent if you couldn't sweep them.

The only time I can see it as an advantage is if the enemy unit were to break off the table after winning the initiative... It would have happened anyway so still it's not an advantage. It really hurts terminators.

First, terminators aren't alone in not being able to sweep, any Slow and Purposeful unit cannot. That means that all nurgle daemons, for example, even the I7 Princes, cannot sweeping advance.

Second, as others have pointed out, the difference between being able to sweep and not being able to is not whether you're safe from shooting, it's whether the enemy unit can safely disengage and run (and possibly rally, and possibly shoot you).

Being able to sweep or not has no impact on tarpitting, which is more a question of whether the opponent's unit will run or not, than what happens when they do.

Being able to sweep doesn't mean you can't be tarpitted. It means the people you just beat got away and get to rally and kill you rather than being wiped out.

In 5th edition, not being able to sweep was an advantage, since it meant Space Marines you broke could be kept from rallying with a good Massacre roll, forcing them to continue to flee rather than being caught in the sweep and staying in combat.

Now, not being able to Sweep means you can't keep beaten Marines in combat, and you can't wipe out whatever else you just defeated. In both cases, the remnants of the squad are most likely going to turn around and hose you down with small arms fire.

Not being able to sweep sucks, unless your goal was to drive an enemy unit away from a position without killing them.

Thanks for the clarification guys, I see the difference now.

morfydd wrote:
Crusaders,

Wut? Units with the Crusader USR actually are the best sweeping advance units in the meta.

 Sir Arun wrote:

morfydd wrote:
Crusaders,

Wut? Units with the Crusader USR actually are the best sweeping advance units in the meta.

Could be wrong since I don't have book right in front of me but pretty sure he means the actual unit: crusader, the one with the storm shield and power sword used as a inquisitorial henchman for GK.

I'm casting my lot in with being able to sweep being a great thing, id rather be able to than not.

Low Initiative is not a reason not to attempt to Sweep.
My Tervigon (Init 1) swept a mob of 19 Dark Eldar Warriors (Init 4).

Granted I wasn't actually trying to kill them, just pull them off the objective sitting at the top of the ruin.

The only time it is ever a disadvantage to be able to sweeping advance is when you're dealing with marines and their "we don't care about sweeping advances" rule. Attempting a sweeping advance there is a lose-lose situation if you want to avoid being locked in combat (for example, a single tactical marine remains and you want to charge something better), if you lose their survivors escape, if you win you stay locked in combat.

^ good point