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I don't understand why this is a tactic even among competitive players. The BRB says you get to choose which unit you use your overwatch against.

Because once the first unit makes a successful charge, then the opponent is locked in combat and can no longer overwatch.

So I charge you with a bedraggled tactical squad that has been knocked down to two men, so my terminators can charge in unopposed. You can either gamble on the tac marines not making their charge distance (in which case your unit could still overwatch the termies) or you could fire on the tac marines, possibly killing them, but if the tac marines make it into CC, then you won't be eligible to fire overwatch at the termies.

Edit: ninja'd

It's because you resolve the charge sub-phase one unit at a time.

Charge subphase:
1. Pick your target to charge
2. They get to make overwatch against you
3. Roll charge length
4. If you make it, move into contact with the enemy unit.

Thus when you charge with your sacrificial unit, although the charged unit in question could, in theory, wait to fire overwatch on the non-sacrificial unit
, if they did wait and the sacrifical unit made the charge, then the charged unit is now in CC and cant overwatch against the non-sacrificial unit.

Yeah, pretty much what the others say. The only thing to add is that it doesn't work against Tau Master Race Supporting Fire because the supporting units can Overwatch even if the charged unit is locked.

The tactic does still work against tau to some extent. They still have to decide which units to fire at each charging unit. So if they decline to shoot at the meatshield - fine. Tau are terrible in CC, throw away MEQ/GEQ units still pummel the them in CC.

 AtoMaki wrote:
Yeah, pretty much what the others say. The only thing to add is that it doesn't work against Tau Master Race Supporting Fire because the supporting units can Overwatch even if the charged unit is locked.

Im pretty sure they cannot...

Last I checked you need to be able to perform Overwatch with your unit being charged, in order for your other units to supporting fire...

This is the same circumstance that the Dirge Caster falls under for the CSM vehicle upgrades. If your unit being charged cannot fire Overwatch, the prerequisite isn't met and you cannot subsequently use the ability Supporting Fire.

it still prevents A unit of tau from overwatching since they still cant fire twice, or however many units fired.

Also theres nothing about choosing which unit to fire overwatch to, because the situation never arises. You are suppose to declare and resolve every charge individually, though some people just declare it all at once to speed things up.

You can always ally demons, run Masque and some daemonettes to avoid overwatch

 Vineheart01 wrote:
it still prevents A unit of tau from overwatching since they still cant fire twice, or however many units fired.

Also theres nothing about choosing which unit to fire overwatch to, because the situation never arises. You are suppose to declare and resolve every charge individually, though some people just declare it all at once to speed things up.

Even when they are being declared one at a time, you can usually infer when your opponent is using one unit to draw the overwatch fire so another can charge in. I'm not above taking the 'failed charge range' gamble if I think it will work out better for me in the long run.

sometimes when i run Repentia for my Sisters army ill charge a Battle sister squad in first to weather the storm of overwatch with their 3+,6++ save so my repentia(6++ only and FNP) can chew up everything in sight unhindered. If i charged in with just Repentia they would probably die with their lack of armor.

GoliothOnline wrote:

 AtoMaki wrote:
Yeah, pretty much what the others say. The only thing to add is that it doesn't work against Tau Master Race Supporting Fire because the supporting units can Overwatch even if the charged unit is locked.

Im pretty sure they cannot...

Last I checked you need to be able to perform Overwatch with your unit being charged, in order for your other units to supporting fire...

This is the same circumstance that the Dirge Caster falls under for the CSM vehicle upgrades. If your unit being charged cannot fire Overwatch, the prerequisite isn't met and you cannot subsequently use the ability Supporting Fire.

The rule "any unit within 6" of a unit being charged"

Not

"Any unit within 6" of a unit firing over watch"


You could have been in close combat for several rounds, and if you charged another unit into the melee, nearby units could fire over watch.

A clever commander will attempt the have the meatshield engage multiple threats, or at least the most overwatchy one though.

 Steel-W0LF wrote:
You could have been in close combat for several rounds, and if you charged another unit into the melee, nearby units could fire over watch.

This is completely wrong. You should read the rule again, this time more carefully.
I think I misread what you meant here. You're correct that if you charge unit that is already locked in combat, other units may still give Supporting Fire.
But units that are locked in combat may not give Supporting Fire.

Page 32, C:Tau, "Supporting Fire wrote:units within 6" of the charging unit's target can choose to fire Overwatch as if they were also targets of the charge.

See the underlined portion? Overwatch from Supporting Fire is subject to all same restrictions as normal Overwatch. So no Supporting Fire from units locked in close combat.

Edit:

Luide wrote:

 Steel-W0LF wrote:
You could have been in close combat for several rounds, and if you charged another unit into the melee, nearby units could fire over watch.

This is completely wrong. You should read the rule again, this time more carefully.

Page 32, C:Tau, "Supporting Fire wrote:units within 6" of the charging unit's target can choose to fire Overwatch as if they were also targets of the charge.

See the underlined portion? Overwatch from Supporting Fire is subject to all same restrictions as normal Overwatch. So no Supporting Fire from units locked in close combat.

This seems like it should go to the YMDC sub forum... Plus, I want to know the answer! Very interesting if Luide is correct.

You guys argue for two different things.

The unit who is locked cant support for another unit, but a unit not locked CAN support for a unit already locked.

And each of you is saying a different part of this sentence, confusing what the other is saying for denying the part he is talking about.

 BoomWolf wrote:
You guys argue for two different things.

The unit who is locked cant support for another unit, but a unit not locked CAN support for a unit already locked.

And each of you is saying a different part of this sentence, confusing what the other is saying for denying the part he is talking about.

This is true. I mistook what Steel Wolf meant in his post, edited mine for clarity.

 Steel-W0LF wrote:

GoliothOnline wrote:

 AtoMaki wrote:
Yeah, pretty much what the others say. The only thing to add is that it doesn't work against Tau Master Race Supporting Fire because the supporting units can Overwatch even if the charged unit is locked.

Im pretty sure they cannot...

Last I checked you need to be able to perform Overwatch with your unit being charged, in order for your other units to supporting fire...

This is the same circumstance that the Dirge Caster falls under for the CSM vehicle upgrades. If your unit being charged cannot fire Overwatch, the prerequisite isn't met and you cannot subsequently use the ability Supporting Fire.

The rule "any unit within 6" of a unit being charged"

Not

"Any unit within 6" of a unit firing over watch"


You could have been in close combat for several rounds, and if you charged another unit into the melee, nearby units could fire over watch.

Strange... I never recalled it being that models may simply do so even if the original unit couldn't perform Supporting Fire... Oh well, guess I was wrong XD Not that it ever really mattered =/ lol


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Actually most of the reason I never really saw it like that was because I would park my Land Raiders next to enemy Tau gunlines, being within my 6" buffer to all enemy models anyways =/

Ill just continue to make sure that is the case lol =/