Core Rules
12. Fight 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.
12.00Fight Phase#
In the Fight phase, both players get to act. First, units will pile in to maximise the number of models that are engaged, then all the combatants will make melee attacks, before units consolidate their position.
The Fight phase is resolved by following these steps:
1. START OF FIGHT PHASE
2. PILE IN
3. FIGHT
4. CONSOLIDATE
5. END OF FIGHT PHASE
12.01Start Of Fight Phase#
Rules that are triggered at the start of the Fight phase are resolved now.
Start of Fight Phase
Because both RED units made *charge moves* this turn, they are both *Fights First* units this phase and are both eligible to make *pile-in moves*, even though the Monster is *unengaged* as it *destroyed* its *charge target* in the Charge phase using the Crushing Impact stratagem (15.06).
12.02Pile In Step#
Both players make pile-in moves (12.03) with all of their eligible units they choose to move. The ‘Eligible If’ section describes which units are eligible to make such moves. The player whose turn it is resolves all of their moves first, followed by their opponent. Each unit cannot make more than one pile-in move during this step.
Pile-in moves
1. The RED player makes *pile-in moves* first. Each model moves up to 3”.
2. The BLUE player makes *pile-in moves* next, but as their model is in base-contact with enemy models, it is not moved.
12.03Pile-In Move#
- Maximum distance
- 3"
- Eligible if
- It is the Fight phase and one or more of the following apply to your unit:
- It is engaged.
- It made a charge move this turn.
- It was selected to make an overrun fight this phase (12.06).
- Effect
- Your unit moves as described in Moving (03).
- Before moving
- Select pile-in targets:
- If your unit is engaged, select every enemy unit it is engaged with.
- Otherwise, select one or more enemy units within 5" of your unit.
- While moving
- Models in base‑contact with one or more enemy models cannot be moved.
- Each model that is moved must end its move closer to the closest pile-in target, and engaged with it if possible.
- After moving
- Your unit must be engaged.
- Each model that started this move engaged with an enemy unit must still be engaged with that enemy unit.
FAQ
Q If a rule modifies how far a unit or model can move during a pile-in move or consolidation move does it also change the distance of the target units?
No
Q If a rule allows my unit to pile-in or consolidate an extra distance in the Fight phase, when can I use that rule?
For pile-in moves, during the Pile-in step(12.02), and for consolidation moves, during the Consolidate step(12.07) of the Fight phase.
Q If I have a rule that says my unit can move up to 6" when it makes a pile-in move or consolidation move, does this also mean it changes the maximum distance of those moves to 6"?
Yes
12.04Fight Step#
A unit is eligible to fight if it has not already been selected to fight this phase and one or more of the following apply to it:
- It is engaged, or it was engaged at the start of this step.
- It made a charge move this turn.
Players resolve the following sequence until all eligible units have been selected to fight and their attacks have been resolved:
1. Resolve Fights First Combats: Starting with the player whose turn it is, players alternate selecting one friendly Fights First unit that is eligible to fight; that unit is selected to fight (see below). If this is not possible:
- If there are no Fights First units that are eligible to fight, move to the Resolve Remaining Combats step where this player will select their next unit.
- Otherwise, the other player selects their next unit.
2. Resolve Remaining Combats: Starting with the player who just moved this sequence onto this step, players alternate selecting one friendly unit that is eligible to fight; that unit is selected to fight. If this is not possible:
- If there are no units that are eligible to fight, the Fight step ends.
- Otherwise, the other player selects their next unit.
After resolving a fight in the Resolve Remaining Combats step, if there are one or more Fights First units that are now eligible to fight, return to the Resolve Fights First Combats step.
WHEN A UNIT IS SELECTED TO FIGHT
Each time a unit is selected to fight, select one fight type that unit is eligible to make, and resolve it with that unit. This can be one listed below, or one presented elsewhere:
12.04.01 - Eligible to fight, but unable to fight#
During the Fight sequence, when the sequence returns to a player to select a unit to fight, if all of that player’s units that are eligible to fight are more than 5" from all enemy units, that player can instead choose to pass and return the sequence to their opponent to select a unit. If both players pass in succession, or if one player passes when their opponent has no remaining units that are eligible to fight, the Fight step ends.
Designer's Note: Occasionally, all of a unit’s targets will be destroyed before they have had a chance to fight, with no other targets close enough to engage with a pile-in move. In such cases, a player can choose to pass and wait to see if another enemy unit ends a pile-in move close enough to be attacked later in the phase.
Normal Fight
Players alternate selecting units to fight. *Fights First* units (*A* and *B*) must be selected before any other eligible units.
1. The RED player selects their Monster to fight. It makes a *normal fight*, *destroying* the Transport.
2. The embarked unit makes an *emergency* *disembark move*. After doing so, it is *unengaged*.
Overrun Fight
3. The BLUE player has no *Fights First* units, so the RED player selects another *Fights First* unit. This unit is *unengaged*, but was *engaged* with the Transport at the start of the Fight step, so can make an *overrun fight*. It first makes a *pile-in move* to *engage* the unit that disembarked, then fights, *destroying* two enemy models.
4. The BLUE player’s unit fights back, but inflicts no damage.
FAQ
Q Can I select a unit to shoot or fight if it doesn't have melee or ranged weapons?
Yes, it just makes no attacks and then the fight type or shoot type is resolved.
12.05Normal Fight#
- Eligible if
- Your unit is engaged.
- Effect
- Your unit fights as described in Making Attacks (04).
12.06Overrun Fight#
- Eligible if
- Your unit is unengaged, or was unengaged at the start of the Fight step but became engaged during the Fight phase.
- Effect
- Your unit can make one additional pile-in move, then fights as described in Making Attacks (04).
12.07Consolidate Step#
Both players make consolidation moves (12.08) with all of their eligible units they choose to move. The ‘Eligible If’ section describes which units are eligible to make such moves. The player whose turn it is resolves all of their moves first, followed by their opponent. Each unit cannot make more than one consolidation move during this step.
Ongoing Consolidation
The RED player makes *consolidation moves* first. All *engaged* units and all units that were *eligible to fight* this phase can make a *consolidation move*.
Each model moves up to 3". Models in base-contact with enemy models cannot be moved.
Objective Consolidation
No enemy units are within 3" of this Monster unit, but an *objective (C)* is within 3", so it moves within range of that *objective*.
12.08Consolidation Move#
- Maximum distance
- 3"
- Eligible if
- It is the Fight phase and your unit was eligible to fight this phase.
- Effect
- Your unit moves as described in Moving (03).
- Before moving
- Select consolidation mode:
- Ongoing Consolidation: If your unit is engaged, you must select this mode and select every enemy unit it is engaged with.
- Engaging Consolidation: Otherwise, if your unit is within 3" of one or more enemy units, you must select this mode and select one or more of those enemy units.
- Objective Consolidation: Otherwise, if your unit is within 3" of one or more objectives, you must select this mode and select one of those objectives.
- While moving
- Ongoing Consolidation: Models in base‑contact with one or more enemy models cannot be moved. Each model that is moved must end its move closer to the closest selected enemy unit, and engaged with it if possible.
- Engaging Consolidation: Each model that is moved must end its move closer to the closest selected enemy unit, and engaged with it if possible.
- Objective Consolidation: Each model that is moved must end its move within range of the selected objective if possible, or closer to it if not.
- After moving
- Ongoing Consolidation: Each model that started this move engaged with an enemy unit must still be engaged with that enemy unit.
- Engaging Consolidation: Your unit must be engaged with all of the selected enemy units. If one or more enemy units engaged with your unit have not been selected to fight this phase, your opponent must select each of those units, one at a time; when each is selected, it becomes eligible to fight and is selected to fight (12.04).
- Objective Consolidation: Your unit must be unengaged and within range of the selected objective.
FAQ
Q If a rule modifies how far a unit or model can move during a pile-in move or consolidation move does it also change the distance of the target units?
No
Q If a rule allows my unit to pile-in or consolidate an extra distance in the Fight phase, when can I use that rule?
For pile-in moves, during the Pile-in step(12.02), and for consolidation moves, during the Consolidate step(12.07) of the Fight phase.
Q If I have a rule that says my unit can move up to 6" when it makes a pile-in move or consolidation move, does this also mean it changes the maximum distance of those moves to 6"?
Yes
12.09End Of Fight Phase#
Rules that are triggered at the end of the Fight phase are resolved now.