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This is a confusing scenario for me so I may not explain it clearly but it focuses on the consolidate rule and restriction.

You may move each model in the unit up to 3" – this
move can be in any direction so long as the model ends
the move closer to the nearest enemy model

When making a consolidate move after attacking a unit/model that you did not destroy, assuming the consolidator is not in base contact, can you move the model 3" if doing so would end the move closer to a different enemy model?

The scenario
A friend of mine has told me of a tactic during consolidation that he has named comically the Hit & Run. It relies on having 2 or more enemy units relatively close together. In this scenario it was a DP and a PBC of mine. He successfully charged my DP but ensured that all models were more than 0.9" away from the DP. He made his attacks against it failing to kill it then consolidated. before consolidating the DP was the nearest enemy model but he claims that since he has 3" consolidate move he can move in such a way that during the move the nearest enemy model changes from the DP to the PBC therefore he ends his move closer than 0.9" to the PBC but is now over 1" from the DP and claims that the DP cannot be selected to attack as per the choose a unit to fight with rules.

Is this possible? I understand the idea that the attacking unit ended its consolidate move closer to an enemy unit than it started but I was under the impression that you make the check for nearest enemy model at the start of the consolidate move not at the end or during some undefined time while moving.

 Nithaniel wrote:
This is a confusing scenario for me so I may not explain it clearly but it focuses on the consolidate rule and restriction.

You may move each model in the unit up to 3" – this
move can be in any direction so long as the model ends
the move closer to the nearest enemy model

When making a consolidate move after attacking a unit/model that you did not destroy, assuming the consolidator is not in base contact, can you move the model 3" if doing so would end the move closer to a different enemy model?

The scenario
A friend of mine has told me of a tactic during consolidation that he has named comically the Hit & Run. It relies on having 2 or more enemy units relatively close together. In this scenario it was a DP and a PBC of mine. He successfully charged my DP but ensured that all models were more than 0.9" away from the DP. He made his attacks against it failing to kill it then consolidated. before consolidating the DP was the nearest enemy model but he claims that since he has 3" consolidate move he can move in such a way that during the move the nearest enemy model changes from the DP to the PBC therefore he ends his move closer than 0.9" to the PBC but is now over 1" from the DP and claims that the DP cannot be selected to attack as per the choose a unit to fight with rules.

Is this possible? I understand the idea that the attacking unit ended its consolidate move closer to an enemy unit than it started but I was under the impression that you make the check for nearest enemy model at the start of the consolidate move not at the end or during some undefined time while moving.

You make the check when you begin the consolidate move. You must end up closer to that model, but it doesn't matter how you go about moving or if you end up closer to another model while moving.

 BaconCatBug wrote:
You make the check when you begin the consolidate move. You must end up closer to that model, but it doesn't matter how you go about moving or if you end up closer to another model while moving.

Thanks for the reply.

I think thats how I understand it but to answer my question more specifically,

If a unit fails to kill a model can that unit consolidate in any manner that would put it outside of 1" such that the model that was attacked cannot be selected to fight?

 Nithaniel wrote:

 BaconCatBug wrote:
You make the check when you begin the consolidate move. You must end up closer to that model, but it doesn't matter how you go about moving or if you end up closer to another model while moving.

Thanks for the reply.

I think thats how I understand it but to answer my question more specifically,

If a unit fails to kill a model can that unit consolidate in any manner that would put it outside of 1" such that the model that was attacked cannot be selected to fight?

Only if every single model in your unit was nearer to a different unit. So say every model in your unit was 0.9" from unit A and 0.3" from unit B. You couldn't disengage from unit B as you have to end your consolidate move nearer to it as it's your nearest enemy. It is conceivably possible that you could disengage from unit A in consolidating closer to unit B though.

That is extremely niche and probably won't come up in real games much though!

To be clear, a model can move away from an unit it attacked during consolidation, as long as that unit does not include the model it was closest to. For example:

Starting Positions: X <- 0.9" - A - 0.5" -> Y
Unit A attacks Unit X, then Consolidates closer to Y
Post Consolidation Positions: X <- 1.1" - A - 0.3" -> Y

...wouldn’t your DP still count as having been in combat in the fight phase, thus being able to be selected, completing its own pile in up to 3”, thereby still ripping the enemy unit new gak holes?

A unit can be selected to fight if, when selecting a unit to fight, it is within 1" of an enemy unit or it charged that turn. If you didn't charge, you don't get to fight just because there was an enemy unit within 1" of you at some point during the phase. It has to be true when you select the unit to fight.

Another way to keep an enemy unit from fighting is to remove casualties from a unit that suffers wound from one unit's fight from those with 1" of a different unit that hasn't fought yet and didn't charge that turn.

Oh right, thanks. The charging stipulation is what I forgot. Melee in this edition is stupid in so many ways.