Core Rules
11. Charge Phase
WTC 4 rulings on this section
When using Fight on Death, if the entire unit has been destroyed but some or all of the models in that unit are using this rule, those models remain for all rules purposes: they can be targeted by stratagems, retain their abilities, etc. The unit is selected to fight in the normal "I go, you go" alternating method in the Fight Phase, remember that if they made an Heroic Intervention or have the Fight First rule they would fight in that step.
When a unit is using the Take to the Skies rule it must declare the use of that rule prior to rolling the Charge roll.
If when using the Ongoing Consolidation mode of the Consolidation Move you engage an enemy unit that has not been selected to fight this phase treat that unit as if a enemy unit had engaged it using the Engaging Consolidation Move. Remember that it is also eligible to Make a Consolidation Move itself after it finishes its attacks.
If a unit is selected as the target of a charge and then a rule is used that would stop that unit from being an eligible target of the charge - for instance it may have moved away or given a negative modifier to the charge roll then the Active player may choose different targets for their units charge.
11.00Charge Phase#
In the Charge phase, you will be able to make charge moves with your units. This represents your forces closing the distance with their foes in order to engage them in bloody close combat.
The Charge phase is resolved by following these steps:
1. START OF CHARGE PHASE
2. CHARGE
3. END OF CHARGE PHASE
11.01Start Of Charge Phase#
Rules that are triggered at the start of the Charge phase are resolved now.
11.02Charge Step#
The active player resolves charges with their eligible units one at a time, using the sequence below, until all of their units they choose to charge with have declared a charge and those charges have been resolved.
1. Declare Charge: Select one friendly unit that has not declared a charge this phase and is eligible to declare a charge (see below). That unit declares a charge.
A unit is eligible to declare a charge if it is on the battlefield, unless otherwise stated. Here are some rules that prevent a unit from being eligible to declare a charge:
- It is not within 12" of one or more enemy units.
- It is engaged.
- It made an advance or fall-back move this turn.
2. Make Charge Roll: Make a charge roll by rolling 2D6: the result is the maximum distance for the charge move.
3. Attempt Charge: If it is possible to make a charge move, and if you still want to, make a charge move with that unit (11.04). Otherwise, your unit does not make a charge move. In either case, the charge is then resolved.
11.02.01 - Failed Charges#
Note that in the absence of modifiers to the charge roll, a result of 2 (a double 1) is never sufficient for a unit to complete a charge move, as a unit cannot be within engagement range (2") when it attempts a charge. Such a roll would therefore result in a failed charge, and the unit would not move.
Making a charge move
The BLUE unit *(A) declares a charge* and the *charge roll* generates a *maximum distance* of 7". Unit *B* is within this distance, so can be selected as a *charge target*, but the BLUE unit would not be able to end its *charge move* *engaged* with this unit after moving around the intervening terrain features.
Unit *C* is more than 7" from the charging unit, so it cannot be selected as a *charge target*, even though the charging unit could end its *charge move* within 2" of this unit.
Units *D* and *E* are both within 7", so can be selected as *charge targets*. The charging unit can end its *charge move* *engaged* with all of its *charge targets*, so this move can be made.
FAQ
Q When a rule instructs you to perform a charge outside of the charge phase, do I resolve step 2 and 3 of the Charge step(11.02)?
Yes
11.03End Of Charge Phase#
Rules that are triggered at the end of the Charge phase are resolved now.
11.04Charge Move#
- Maximum distance
- Charge roll.
- Eligible if
- Your unit declared a charge this phase.
- Effect
- Your unit moves as described in Moving (03).
- Before moving
- Select one or more enemy units that are within 12" of your unit and within the maximum distance of your unit; until the end of this move, each of those enemy units is a charge target.
- While moving
- Each model must end its move closer to one or more charge targets.
- Each model that can end its move within 1" of one or more charge targets must do so.
- Each model that can end its move engaged with one or more charge targets must do so.
- After moving
- Your unit must be engaged with all of the charge targets.
- Your unit cannot be engaged with one or more enemy units that are not charge targets.
- Until the end of the turn, each model in your unit has the Fights First ability (24.13).