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I had a game last night where a potential grey area with shock assault came up.
My opponent tried to charge my flamer aggressors with a transport to eat the overwatch which didn't go well for the transport!
After this he charged a nearby character and piled in to the aggressors. The question then arose did the aggressors receive the bonus attack for being charged or not?
We rules it at the time that they didn't since they weren't actually charged since the overwatch stopped the charge from taking place.
I looked for FAQs but didn't find anything.

It is an odd one, but a charge was declared against them so I think it counts. They get the bonus.

 Bilge Rat wrote:
It is an odd one, but a charge was declared against them so I think it counts. They get the bonus.

Except they were not charged, as the charge failed.

So I do not think they get the bonus.

 DeathReaper wrote:

 Bilge Rat wrote:
It is an odd one, but a charge was declared against them so I think it counts. They get the bonus.

Except they were not charged, as the charge failed.

So I do not think they get the bonus.

I agree. To get the Shock Assault bonus a unit has to be charged, which to me means a charging model that declared against them successfully reached them. That didn't happen here.

Interesting side question: if a unit was declared as a target in a multiple-target charge and wasn't themselves successfully charged but the charge itself did succeed does the unit benefit from Shock Assault? What if the charging unit later piles-in to them after not completing the charge against them?

A unit charged at them, therefore they were charged. The fact that it was horribly immolated before reaching its target doesn't change that fact.

Then again, I'm not sure what the game mechanics actually represent when you fail a charge roll. Does the unit start running forwards, lose their resolve and then scrabble back to cover? Or do they all stand (presenting themselves as targets), try to psyche themselves up and then think better of it?

I can see both interpretations. Ideally these sorts of rules should say that effects apply if a unit was successfully charged.

Their is no clear definition of charged in the context therefore there is no RAW answer

Either decide before game

Or roll on it/ask TO

For reference, from page 10 of the main rulebook FAQ:

Q: When a unit is chosen to make a charge move and fails the charge, do they still count as having charged? Specifically, can a unit that has failed a charge move be chosen to pile in – and potentially consolidate – towards the enemy?

A: A unit only counts as having charged if they made a charge move. If a charge fails, and no models make a charge move, they do not count as having charged. As such, they cannot be chosen to fight in the Fight phase (and so cannot pile in or consolidate) unless an enemy unit moves within 1" of them.

Since Overwatch occurs before making charge moves in the Charge Phase the rules are fairly clear that if you wipe out the unit with Overwatch fire then that unit did not make a charge move.

 Ghaz wrote:
For reference, from page 10 of the main rulebook FAQ:

Q: When a unit is chosen to make a charge move and fails the charge, do they still count as having charged? Specifically, can a unit that has failed a charge move be chosen to pile in – and potentially consolidate – towards the enemy?

A: A unit only counts as having charged if they made a charge move. If a charge fails, and no models make a charge move, they do not count as having charged. As such, they cannot be chosen to fight in the Fight phase (and so cannot pile in or consolidate) unless an enemy unit moves within 1" of them.

Since Overwatch occurs before making charge moves in the Charge Phase the rules are fairly clear that a if you wipe out the unit with Overwatch fire then that unit did not make a charge move.

That's what I was about to post as being the thing that I could think of. No models made a change move, because they were reduced to smoking boots, so nothing "charged". Not quite a perfect fit but close enough for me.

 Ghaz wrote:
For reference, from page 10 of the main rulebook FAQ:

Q: When a unit is chosen to make a charge move and fails the charge, do they still count as having charged? Specifically, can a unit that has failed a charge move be chosen to pile in – and potentially consolidate – towards the enemy?

A: A unit only counts as having charged if they made a charge move. If a charge fails, and no models make a charge move, they do not count as having charged. As such, they cannot be chosen to fight in the Fight phase (and so cannot pile in or consolidate) unless an enemy unit moves within 1" of them.

Since Overwatch occurs before making charge moves in the Charge Phase the rules are fairly clear that a if you wipe out the unit with Overwatch fire then that unit did not make a charge move.

With that FAQ I would agree with you, the opponents model never made a charge move so they do not count as being charged.

The OP literally states "After this he charged a nearby character and piled in to the aggressors."

The Aggressors were charged by the character, it doesn't matter what happened to the transport.

 BaconCatBug wrote:
The OP literally states "After this he charged a nearby character and piled in to the aggressors."

The Aggressors were charged by the character, it doesn't matter what happened to the transport.

The way I'm reading it was that his opponent charged one of his characters and then piled into his Aggressors.

 BaconCatBug wrote:
The OP literally states "After this he charged a nearby character and piled in to the aggressors."

The Aggressors were charged by the character, it doesn't matter what happened to the transport.

Huh? An unspecified enemy unit charged the OP's character and then ending up dragging the OP's aggressors into the combat with his pile in move. My understanding is that whatever unit charged the character did not declare a charge against the aggressors (presumably to avoid further fiery death).

Based on the FAQ quoted by Ghaz I changed my mind. No charge move was made against the aggressors so they don't get bonus attacks.

 Ghaz wrote:

 BaconCatBug wrote:
The OP literally states "After this he charged a nearby character and piled in to the aggressors."

The Aggressors were charged by the character, it doesn't matter what happened to the transport.

The way I'm reading it was that his opponent charged one of his characters and then piled into his Aggressors.

Oh, right.

In that case yeah the Aggressors were not charged.

RAW - Aggressors were not charged and do not gain shock assault.

However, do not be surprised if it was house ruled they do by a TO if it ever comes up in a tourni environment. As the intent behind shock assault appears is that Marines get the shock assault in any form of first combat, the fact that they include heroic intervention into the mix.

There is no text giving the intent you state. There are numerous ways that Shock Assault can happen outside of “the first turn of combat”, such as a unit already in “combat” being charged by a third party or performing a Heroic Intervention while “in combat”.

Kinda viewing this as being charged and ending up in combat are two separate things. You don't need the charge to be "successful" to trigger Shock Assault. However the unit would gain attacks with nothing to attack in that situation, so would be moot in most cases. However if another unit piles into them. Then as the fight phase rules allow you to attack you would have the attacks due to "until the end of the turn." part.

e.g. the trigger is being "charged" not being in combat.

ThatMG wrote:
Kinda viewing this as being charged and ending up in combat are two separate things. You don't need the charge to be "successful" to trigger Shock Assault. However the unit would gain attacks with nothing to attack in that situation, so would be moot in most cases. However if another unit piles into them. Then as the fight phase rules allow you to attack you would have the attacks due to "until the end of the turn." part.

e.g. the trigger is being "charged" not being in combat.

See the answer above. If a unit that declares a charge but doesn't make it doesn't count as having charged, a unit that got declared but not contacted doesn't count as having been charged.

 Ordana wrote:

ThatMG wrote:
Kinda viewing this as being charged and ending up in combat are two separate things. You don't need the charge to be "successful" to trigger Shock Assault. However the unit would gain attacks with nothing to attack in that situation, so would be moot in most cases. However if another unit piles into them. Then as the fight phase rules allow you to attack you would have the attacks due to "until the end of the turn." part.

e.g. the trigger is being "charged" not being in combat.

See the answer above. If a unit that declares a charge but doesn't make it doesn't count as having charged, a unit that got declared but not contacted doesn't count as having been charged.

Not necessarliy true. If the charge was declared against only the one unit then I agree. If a multicharge is declared and the aggressors are one of the units declared against, if the charging unit successfully reaches the other unit it counts as a successful charge even if none of the charging units reach the aggressors. You might see the charging unit reach the aggressors with a pile in or consolidation move during that turn, in which case it's still the same turn the charge was declared against the aggressors, so they'd get shock assault that turn.

 doctortom wrote:

Spoiler:

 Ordana wrote:

ThatMG wrote:
Kinda viewing this as being charged and ending up in combat are two separate things. You don't need the charge to be "successful" to trigger Shock Assault. However the unit would gain attacks with nothing to attack in that situation, so would be moot in most cases. However if another unit piles into them. Then as the fight phase rules allow you to attack you would have the attacks due to "until the end of the turn." part.

e.g. the trigger is being "charged" not being in combat.

See the answer above. If a unit that declares a charge but doesn't make it doesn't count as having charged, a unit that got declared but not contacted doesn't count as having been charged.

Not necessarliy true. If the charge was declared against only the one unit then I agree. If a multicharge is declared and the aggressors are one of the units declared against, if the charging unit successfully reaches the other unit it counts as a successful charge even if none of the charging units reach the aggressors. You might see the charging unit reach the aggressors with a pile in or consolidation move during that turn, in which case it's still the same turn the charge was declared against the aggressors, so they'd get shock assault that turn.

In which case the charge was 'successful' against at least one unit and a charge move was made. The statement that you don't need the charge to be 'successful' to trigger Shock Assault is still incorrect.

 Ghaz wrote:

 doctortom wrote:

Spoiler:

 Ordana wrote:

ThatMG wrote:
Kinda viewing this as being charged and ending up in combat are two separate things. You don't need the charge to be "successful" to trigger Shock Assault. However the unit would gain attacks with nothing to attack in that situation, so would be moot in most cases. However if another unit piles into them. Then as the fight phase rules allow you to attack you would have the attacks due to "until the end of the turn." part.

e.g. the trigger is being "charged" not being in combat.

See the answer above. If a unit that declares a charge but doesn't make it doesn't count as having charged, a unit that got declared but not contacted doesn't count as having been charged.

Not necessarliy true. If the charge was declared against only the one unit then I agree. If a multicharge is declared and the aggressors are one of the units declared against, if the charging unit successfully reaches the other unit it counts as a successful charge even if none of the charging units reach the aggressors. You might see the charging unit reach the aggressors with a pile in or consolidation move during that turn, in which case it's still the same turn the charge was declared against the aggressors, so they'd get shock assault that turn.

In which case the charge was 'successful' against at least one unit and a charge move was made. The statement that you don't need the charge to be 'successful' to trigger Shock Assault is still incorrect.

Yes, but I was pointing out the " a unit that got declared but not contacted doesn't count as having been charged." part of what was said. If the charge is successful because it's a multicharge and another unit was contacted, the other unit still counts as being charged despite that unit itself not having been contacted.