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Now that 40K puts importance on squad formation thanks to the way wounds are allocated by shooting attacks, I had an idea for a special rule which could be given to some kind of heroic sergeant in a squad of large enough size.

Defensive Protocols: You may use this ability once per battle. When an enemy unit declares a shooting attack against your squad you may declare that you are using this special rule. You may re-order the squad by switching any models place with any other model.

This rule would allow you to quickly switch out your sergeant, special weapon or heavy weapon right before they're shot at, decreasing the likelihood that enemy shooting will reduce your squad into nothing but a pile of lasguns/bolters.

EDIT

I now prefer the suggested new Imperial Guard order "Reform ranks!" which is available to both company and platoon commanders for +5 pts.

"Reform rank!": The commander instructs the squad to double-time into a new formation and they do it without breaking stride right at the critical moment. Before the players next shooting phase the squad must be re-arranged by swapping any model for any other model, with a minimum of half of the squad being moved. The squad becomes stubborn until the players next shooting phase.

I did something similar with my Homebrew Inquisitor.

In my Codex Sisters of Battle, Inquisitor Ethina has a special rule which makes all models in her unit count as characters for the purpose of making Look Out, Sir rolls and they pass it on a 2+.

Balance wise there's nothing wrong with your rule, but swapping models from one end of a large squad to the other end looks a bit weird.

I imagine Imperial Guard should get an order like this that can be issued in your opponents shooting phase (after any attackhas been declared, but before it is resolved) that can be used if the unit did NOT issue an order in your previous turn and it could be called Reform Ranks!

 bocatt wrote:
I imagine Imperial Guard should get an order like this that can be issued in your opponents shooting phase (after any attackhas been declared, but before it is resolved) that can be used if the unit did NOT issue an order in your previous turn and it could be called Reform Ranks!

That's actually a great idea. After dinner I'm going to sum up the change and list the rule in the main post as an order called "Reform Ranks!"

Simpler solution: remove all of the idiotic wound allocation rules in 7th. Wounds are allocated by the target unit's owner (unless it's a precision shot), and it's just assumed that the melta gunner is always the last to die because every time he dies the guy next to him picks up the melta gun and resumes shooting.