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I searched and found one kind of similar thread but not specific enough so...

I see people talking about Consolidating from combat into a NEW combat ...but I can't find anything to support this in the rules. Except if the reasoning is: Consolidate never specifically says you cannot do it (be within 1" of a different/new unit).

And if you are able to Consolidate into a new unit - where and when does the combat start? ...do you go first? ...is this considered a 'charge'? ...does this even happen in that same assault phase or the next?

Are people just making conclusions based on what's NOT in the rules? Because I don't see anything explaining this, but I'd love someone to point me to a page # please.

Thanks.

I believe you can move into within an inch - like you can when you charge a unit and 'catch' another. You are engaging them - which means you are tieing them up BUT you don't get to fight although they can choose the new unit and therefore can. Been finding I have to be careful with this tactic but is useful to tie units up.

There's no such thing as "a combat" in 8th, so I don't really understand the question.

In the Fight phase, players go back and forth selecting eligible units to fight with. Units can only be selected once per phase, so once a unit consolidates it can't fight again that turn. It is perhaps a little ambiguous what happens when a unit becomes eligible to be chosen to fight midway through the phase, but the Designers' Commentary makes clear that eligibility to be chosen to fight is constantly updated -- if you consolidate into an enemy unit that was previously ineligible to fight, it can then be chosen to fight.

Dionysodorus wrote:
There's no such thing as "a combat" in 8th, so I don't really understand the question.

In the Fight phase, players go back and forth selecting eligible units to fight with. Units can only be selected once per phase, so once a unit consolidates it can't fight again that turn. It is perhaps a little ambiguous what happens when a unit becomes eligible to be chosen to fight midway through the phase, but the Designers' Commentary makes clear that eligibility to be chosen to fight is constantly updated -- if you consolidate into an enemy unit that was previously ineligible to fight, it can then be chosen to fight.

Ha ok well obviously you understood the question.

So then the unit that consolidates into a new unit (has already fought and thus cannot fight again) but the unit that was suddenly consolidated into - can then fight in that phase?

It seems the only benefits then [to consolidating into a new unit] would be to keep them from shooting in the following turn, either by them being tied or up, or them fleeing and not being able to shoot... but they would get a free swing in CC at you and then whatever that player decides on his own turn.

 Gunzhard wrote:

It seems the only benefits then [to consolidating into a new unit] would be to keep them from shooting in the following turn, either by them being tied or up, or them fleeing and not being able to shoot... but they would get a free swing in CC at you and then whatever that player decides on his own turn.

Yup. You say "only" but this is a huge benefit against units that are terrible in close combat but very good at shooting (aka most of my codex).

 Deathypoo wrote:

 Gunzhard wrote:

It seems the only benefits then [to consolidating into a new unit] would be to keep them from shooting in the following turn, either by them being tied or up, or them fleeing and not being able to shoot... but they would get a free swing in CC at you and then whatever that player decides on his own turn.

Yup. You say "only" but this is a huge benefit against units that are terrible in close combat but very good at shooting (aka most of my codex).

Fair point. You play AM? ...makes a good argument for decent sergeant type guy at least in regular infantry units.

Nope, Eldar. AM infantry already gets orders where they can fall back and still shoot... you still prevent them from using other orders, but it's a less effective tactic against them than against most armies.

The key thing now is whether you're within 1" of an enemy unit/model, and whether you can move within 1". There's no such thing as locked in combat any more, just whether you're within 1" of an enemy unit/model or not that then affects other rules.

The movement phase has a rule saying you cannot move within 1" of an enemy model in the movement phase. The charge and fight phases do not have a rule like this, and that rule specifically only applies to the movement phase. So you can move within 1" of enemy models for pile-in and consolidate moves in the fight phase. If you're already in base-to-base, you cannot move any further. Overwatch happens in response to declared charges, not pile ins or consolidate moves.

A successful charge requires your first model to get within 1" of one of the units you declared a charge against. You cannot move within 1" of a unit you didn't declare a charge against, and do not have to move base-to-base or engage as many as you can. Obviously all those you declared a charge against got to fire overwatch if they didn't already have someone within 1".

In the fight phase, any unit that has charged or currently has a model within 1" of an enemy unit can be picked to fight (with chargers going first). When picked, your unit can then pile in up to 3" - which does not constitute a charge - which can get you within 1" of a new unit, as long as individual models end up closer to the nearest enemy model.

If that unit did charge, it can only direct attacks against units it declared charges against in the previous phase (that are now within 1"), regardless if your pile-in or opponent's heroic intervention has brought them within 1".

Units that did not charge, but do pile in when picked that get within 1" of an new enemy unit subject to the restriction of getting closer to the nearest enemy, can direct attacks against this new unit, as well as the unit that was already within 1" that allowed them to be picked in the first place - subject to individual model placement as laid out in the rules.

One you've resolved the remaining steps of the fight, you can consolidate your models up to 3". Again, there's no restriction on getting within 1" of enemy models, as long as your model ends the consolidate move closer to the nearest enemy model.

Since your fight phase for that unit is now over, and most units can only be picked to fight once, consolidating within 1" of an enemy unit that has not yet fought, that enemy unit can now be picked to attack you in the fight phase, but you can't attack them.

This has its uses. For the cost of weathering potentially weak melee attacks, that enemy unit can either stay and fight again in their next turn, or fall back. If it was a primarily shooting unit, that may harm your opponents shooting next turn. If they don't fall back, then your melee unit is mostly immune to shooting next turn (bar that units pistols).

For fast melee units such as nids, messing up your opponents gunline is a very useful tactic, and engaging additional units in the pile in or consolidate phase - and avoiding overwatch - even if you don't get to attack them can mess up your opponents plans. You only need to get one model within 1" to do that.

In addition to the rules, read the 'stepping into a new edition' and 'designer's commentary' - they help clarify some extra bits.

TL;DR - the wording on the consolidate move does not include words stating you can't move within one inch of enemy models. Therefore, you can consolidate move within one inch of an enemy model.

Edit; oh, OP addresses this in OP, derp sorry.

Also important, unit that consolidated has already fought. It is possible to make yourself an eligible target for your opponent to allocate wounds to if the unit you consolidated close to has not fought. Enemy unit you are within 1 inch of is now stuck in as if in an ongoing scrum