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The other day I was playing against a Tau player, and tried to assault him with a squad of CSM (at this point just 3 marines), in the situation, my units were assaulting a 3 man Crisis squad, with 2 other such squads on either flank. Needless to say, my troops never made contact due to his first squad firing Overwatch (the first round landed 1 wound) and the other two squads also firing (3 additional wounds, finishing off my unit). I did not realize that units NOT being assaulted could fire Overwatch as well. When I got home I looked in my BRB, as I am one to do, and read

"As soon as a charge has been declared against one of your units, that unit can immediately fire Overwatch at the would-be atacker" p.45

Does this sentence imply that only the unit being assault can make an attempt at Overwatch? Or am I misreading/overlooking something?

it's in the tau codex, they can do it and it is annoying

sturgeondtd wrote:
The other day I was playing against a Tau player, and tried to assault him with a squad of CSM (at this point just 3 marines), in the situation, my units were assaulting a 3 man Crisis squad, with 2 other such squads on either flank. Needless to say, my troops never made contact due to his first squad firing Overwatch (the first round landed 1 wound) and the other two squads also firing (3 additional wounds, finishing off my unit). I did not realize that units NOT being assaulted could fire Overwatch as well. When I got home I looked in my BRB, as I am one to do, and read

"As soon as a charge has been declared against one of your units, that unit can immediately fire Overwatch at the would-be atacker" p.45

Does this sentence imply that only the unit being assault can make an attempt at Overwatch? Or am I misreading/overlooking something?

Regular rules say only the unit(s) that are being charged might fire Overwatch - but Tau have special rules allowing them to assist each other with additional Overwatch.

Huh, I guess my CSM just can't cut a break then, multiple Over watch is vicious. Thanks for clearing this up!!

Dirge casters.
Pinning.

sturgeondtd wrote:
Huh, I guess my CSM just can't cut a break then, multiple Over watch is vicious. Thanks for clearing this up!!

The "Supporting Fire" units have to be within so many inches of the unit being charged (6", I think). If you pick your targets better, say one of the side units, you'll take less Overwatch fire. Never assault the middle unit in a line of Tau units. Always charge in from the side, OR first charge with a screening "throw away" unit. They'll absorb the Overwatch fire and you're second unit will be free to charge unhindered.

 Kriswall wrote:

sturgeondtd wrote:
Huh, I guess my CSM just can't cut a break then, multiple Over watch is vicious. Thanks for clearing this up!!

The "Supporting Fire" units have to be within so many inches of the unit being charged (6", I think). If you pick your targets better, say one of the side units, you'll take less Overwatch fire. Never assault the middle unit in a line of Tau units. Always charge in from the side, OR first charge with a screening "throw away" unit. They'll absorb the Overwatch fire and you're second unit will be free to charge unhindered.

I also did to charge with less vital unit first. Each unit can still only Overwatch once per turn, so you can force your opponent to waste the overwatch on something weaker.

Yeah, the goal is to force the Tau player to make sub-optimal choices in what he gets to overwatch. If you can hit the flanks first, there are less units to support the other targets, and the positioning for supporting fire from other units will be less optimal.