No models left in base contact after initiative step

[Shotgun Justice]

Hi all,

An issue arose in my last game that I hoped you could help clarify.
I assaulted a blood angels tactical squad (4 marines, 1 sergeant with power sword) with a space marine terminator squad (1 sarg with power sword, 4 power fists). I assaulted through cover and managed a disordered charge against their rhino too. One power fist terminator was in b2b with a tactical marine, one was in b2b with the rhino and the rest were within 2" of one/both of the above.
Since I assaulted through cover the blood angels struck first at initiative step 4, they killed one termie. This had to be the one in b2b with that unit.

My query is, what happens next?

We played that my unit was no longer locked, as the initiative step 1 pile in moves were not enough to make b2b. Since I had a model in b2b with the rhino he and his squad mates within 2" hit that instead.

cheers

[spaceman91]

Its still a combat if you COULD get in to b2b. If after all the pile ins you aren't in b2b then i have played it as combat over. I had this happen. My tac squad charged some DE. I killed a few and then my I1 guys tried to then go and couldn't get in, because it was the last Int step combat just ended. My poor tac guys then got charged and wiped them off the table. I hope this made sense and helped. If not im sorry.

[mathhammer]

- Assault happens
- Charge
One power fist terminator was in b2b with a tactical marine,
one was in b2b with the rhino
rest were within 2" of one/both of the above.
- Initiative 4
Blood Angel kill a terminator.

What happens next

-) At initiative step 1 if the terminators cannot make base to base contact with the marines with the terminator 3" pile in move then they move to be in contact with the rhino.
-) At the end of the combat after morale checks each unit including the blood angels make a 6" consilidate move towards each other. (starting with the models whose turn it is) If these models cannot make base to base to then they are no longer consider in combat.


So basically you still needed to make the end of phase move before you are no longer in combat.

[Nabterayl]

Since I assaulted through cover the blood angels struck first at initiative step 4, they killed one termie. This had to be the one in b2b with that unit.

My query is, what happens next?

We played that my unit was no longer locked, as the initiative step 1 pile in moves were not enough to make b2b. Since I had a model in b2b with the rhino he and his squad mates within 2" hit that instead.
That's ... mostly correct. Your unit was still locked in combat with the tactical squad. As page 23 indicates somewhat confusingly, we only check whether a unit is locked in combat once, at the start of the Fight sub-phase. However, it's possible that nobody in your unit was any longer engaged with the tactical squad. Spaceman91 has it exactly right. What should have happened is this:

At Initiative 4, the power sword sergeant piles in 3" (not slowed by Difficult Terrain, per page 23). If that is enough to put him in base contact with a tactical marine or the Rhino, then he must do so. The tactical marines also pile in 3". The power sword sergeant and the tactical marines then strike blows if engaged, meaning in base contact with an enemy model or within 2" of a friendly model in base contact with an enemy model..

At Initiative 1, the surviving terminators pile in 3". If that is enough to put them in base contact with a tactical marine or the Rhino, then they must do so. The power fist terminators then strike blows if engaged.

If everybody in base contact with the tactical squad was dead at Initiative 1, and if the power fist terminators' 3" pile-in move was not enough to get at least one terminator in base contact of the tactical squad, then you guys were correct that no blows could be struck against the tactical squad. In either case, the tactical squad and your terminators remain locked, however, meaning after all blows were struck both terminators and tactical marines must make an additional 3" pile in move in an attempt to get back into base contact.

[jimmyriddle]

This is why conga lines are not a great idea, Daemon prince attacks a line of troops, kills 6, guys at the back pile in, but still not in B2B so can't attack back, end of phase pile in, then next turn DP finishes them off. I saw a DP take out 10 grey hunters in two turns without them even swinging back at him once!

[Daemonette666]

- Assault happens
- Charge
One power fist terminator was in b2b with a tactical marine,
one was in b2b with the rhino
rest were within 2" of one/both of the above.
- Initiative 4
Blood Angel kill a terminator.

What happens next

-) At initiative step 1 if the terminators cannot make base to base contact with the marines with the terminator 3" pile in move then they move to be in contact with the rhino.
-) At the end of the combat after morale checks each unit including the blood angels make a 6" consilidate move towards each other. (starting with the models whose turn it is) If these models cannot make base to base to then they are no longer consider in combat.


So basically you still needed to make the end of phase move before you are no longer in combat.

Mathhammer has it (almost).

You keep moving your models up to 3" for their pile in move during their initiative step (the player whose turn it is moves first). If when doing this this, neither unit has any models in base to base contact with an enemy model, then the close combat is ended there (page 23). At this stage an end of combat pile in move (page 27) up to 3" for each model at their initiative step is performed. If no models are in base to base with an enemy model, then the combat has ended., and both units consolidate. (page 27).

This means you could have continued to beat up on his blood angels with your terminators, and wiped the unit out.