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A question came up during a game at my FLGS last week so I thought I would throw it up on Dakka. Suppose there are three fire warrior squads A B C all within supporting fire range of each other. They can really be anything with supporting fire rule. First question is that when overwatch is declared, does it all happen simultaneously or do you go sequentially as in the shooting phase? The reason for asking this is we were questioning whether you needed a networked marker light to boost BS for it happening all at once, or if you can use marker lights sequentially like in the shooting phase.

Second question that relates to the first. Do you have to declare all overwatchers at one target once the charge is declared? This relates to the first question because if they all are declared/fired at simultaneously the Tau player risks overkill/underkill on a unit and can not piecemeal them out.

Third question is must the original unit being charged be able to overwatch in order for other units to lend supporting fire? Two examples:
Ex1: Fire warriors A B C are against hormagaunt units 1 2 3. If horma unit 2 charges and locks FW unit B, can horma unit 1 charge unit B as well without overwatch from FW units A and C?
Ex2: Fire warriors A B C are against hormagaunt units 1 2 3. If horma unit 2 charges FW unit B and is wiped out by FW unit B overwatch, can horma unit 1 charge FW unit B without being overwatched by FW units A and C?

Thanks for the help.

My understanding is its sequential.

Unit A Fires over-watch, if any marker light hits are scored, unit B can then use them their turn to fire.

Sequential also clears up your other question. If unit A is being charged by 2 units, unit A can fire over-watch. If they wipe out the small throw away unit charging, then Tau unit B can fire at the second unit charging.

A spin off of this: Say unit A gets charged by Hormagaunts and a Tyrant but elects not to shoot at the hormagaunts thinking they wont make it... But the gaunts roll well and get into CC. Unit A can now not fire over-watch, but Unit B and C can still fire over-watch for unit A against the Tyrant that is following the gaunts.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As a follow up to you example. A & C can fire in support of B as nothing says unit B must be able to fire in order for A & B to. Unit B just has to be being charged and in support range of A & C and they can over-watch.

I also recommend reading this thread:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/545423.page
It deals with multiple units charging and overwatch.

 Happyjew wrote:
I also recommend reading this thread:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/545423.page
It deals with multiple units charging and overwatch.

Its good debate in that thread, but has little to do with his question, as he is not asking about the unit being charged, so the whole "locked in combat" debate is irrelevant to his question.

 Steel-W0LF wrote:

 Happyjew wrote:
I also recommend reading this thread:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/545423.page
It deals with multiple units charging and overwatch.

Its good debate in that thread, but has little to do with his question, as he is not asking about the unit being charged, so the whole "locked in combat" debate is irrelevant to his question.

I brought it up, in case somebody sees that you said

 Steel-W0LF wrote:
A spin off of this: Say unit A gets charged by Hormagaunts and a Tyrant but elects not to shoot at the hormagaunts thinking they wont make it... But the gaunts roll well and get into CC. Unit A can now not fire over-watch

Seeing as how every time this comes up it just goes in circles for a while before getting locked, I would try to stop the arguments early.

Shooting would be resolved sequentially, so if a unit hits with marker lights the next unit can use those, (or same with networked.)

Overwatch would all have to be declared at once.

Supporting fire does not require the target of the charge to be able to fire.

Fragile wrote:
Shooting would be resolved sequentially, so if a unit hits with marker lights the next unit can use those, (or same with networked.)

Overwatch would all have to be declared at once.

Supporting fire does not require the target of the charge to be able to fire.

Is there a page that says all over watches must be declared at once? Because charging is declared sequentially. So you would not even know if more were charging when over watch had to be declared.

He meant all over watch at that charge.

rigeld2 wrote:
He meant all over watch at that charge.

Ok just to clarify in my mind:
Say a unit is getting charged. The unit being charged fires over watch. Can units with "support fire" wait to see how many models the unit being charged kills before it decides if its going to fire at the same unit?

If the first unit to over watch managed to kill all but one model I could see wanting to hold off firing additional squads until the next charge is declared.

On the flip side if the unit being charged doesn't kill many you may want to then fire additional squads at the first chargers.


Or do you have to state "unit A and B are firing at the first unit, unit C is holding fire.."

I was under the impression you could shoot, and decide as the results came in kinda like the charger could see how bad his first unit got shot up before deciding to charge additional units.


Don't have my codex saved to my phone anymore. Stoopid re syncing erased it.

Can units with "support fire" wait to see how many models the unit being charged kills before it decides if its going to fire at the same unit?
No. I declare the assault, you declare ALL units that will overwatch, then fire units sequentially (to take advantage of markerlight hits). If Units A and B declare overwatch, and unit a kills them all, Unit B is SoL.
If you KNOW your going to get hit with multiple units it is usually better to OW with unit A alone since the throw-away unit may not even get their or have the power to win combat...save the markerlights and extra squads for the Big Enchilada follow-up unit...taking a chance that his assault distance won't allow him to multi-charge units B or C just to prevent your OW shots since you would then be tied up in combat.

dkellyj wrote:
Can units with "support fire" wait to see how many models the unit being charged kills before it decides if its going to fire at the same unit?
No. I declare the assault, you declare ALL units that will overwatch, then fire units sequentially (to take advantage of markerlight hits). If Units A and B declare overwatch, and unit a kills them all, Unit B is SoL.
If you KNOW your going to get hit with multiple units it is usually better to OW with unit A alone since the throw-away unit may not even get their or have the power to win combat...save the markerlights and extra squads for the Big Enchilada follow-up unit...taking a chance that his assault distance won't allow him to multi-charge units B or C just to prevent your OW shots since you would then be tied up in combat.

Ok I'll re read that section when I get home. Sounds like I've been doing that part wrong and nobody has known better.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ok, maybe some confusion here... GW rule writing never causes that right?

p.21 says Overwatch is resolved just like shooting attacks, but in the assault phase. Shooting attacks are resolved sequentially.. So is there anything that says I have to declare units are firing overwatch?

To me there is nothing that says I have to declare "unit A and B are firing at the first unit..." and nothing that says I cant shoot Unit A, not do enough wounds, then decide to fire unit B.....