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Hi all.

I have a query regarding units and falling back. I understand that in order to fall back, the unit cannot cross an enemy models base. What happens in cases where only some of the unit are surrounded?

E.g.. you have a long line of space marines that are charged by a unit of hormagaunts. As the models in this unit are an inch apart, the hormagaunts easily fit between the models. After combat, 2 of the unit is still surrounded, the other 8 are not.

Can they still fall back if so much as 1 model has no path to escape?

Unless the unit in question has FLY keyword, the unit cannot fall back because:
1. fall back occurs as a unit and not on model by model basis. All models in the unit must be more than 1" away from the unit it disengaged from.
2. units cannot move through other units unless it has FLY AND it is the movement phase.

This is a common tactic to prevent fall back.

 skchsan wrote:
Unless the unit in question has FLY keyword, the unit cannot fall back because:
1. fall back occurs as a unit and not on model by model basis. All models in the unit must be more than 1" away from the unit it disengaged from.
2. units cannot move through other units unless it has FLY AND it is the movement phase.

This is a common tactic to prevent fall back.

While each model falls back individually, as you said the entire unit must be more than 1" away for the fall back move to be able to happen at all, you can't partially move the unit and remain within 1". If you have this situation for example:The leftmost marine can fall back first, and then the second marine can fall back, leaving both models more than 1". If they were more towards the middle, such that the 2nd marine could not make it more than 1" from the enemy, then no-one can fall back.

Thanks guys. I've clearly been letting my Ultramarine opponents get away with falling back too much when I should be trying to lock them up!

Done right (and not shown in BCB's diagram) you can trap any non-flier model. Just be sure to pile in on the surviving marines, surrounding each one on 3 sides, triangularly, even if he somehow fails morale and loses more dudes. Once that triangular 'pinch' happens, the enemy is trapped, due to being unable to "move through" enemy models, that is, in order to fall back his marine would have to physically shove your bug aside, which is not allowed.