Spacecurves’ Tactics Class: Assisted Bravery

Hello everyone, and welcome to another Spacecurves’ tactics class, where you learn useful tactics you can apply to your games of 40k.  Today I will be discussing how to help running units stay on the table and regroup.

It is a situation every 40k player has been in, their fleeing unit is nearing the board edge and if you can pass a regroup test, they will return to the battle.  Despite your prayers to the dice gods disaster strikes, you fail the test, and your cowardly minions run off the board.

This is a situation where if your unit was a little further away from the board edge, they would have had another chance to regroup and return to the fight.  How can we, in effect, make this happen?

In the picture above we see a unit of my wytches running for my board edge. Let us assume they are above half strength, so they can regroup given enough time. 

What most everyone does, is to test for regrouping, and move falling back units immediately at the start of their turn.  However, nothing obligates you to “activate” fleeing units first.  You can, if you choose, move your other units first, and only after they have moved, complete your regroup tests and any obligatory fall back with your fleeing unit.  Let’s see what this allows me to do.

Picture 2 shows the board partway through my movement phase.  I have moved my other units between the wytches and my board edge, and have not yet rolled my wytches regroup test. (as soon as I do, I have to make them fall back immediately if I fail)  I make sure to place my warriors such that the wyches can’t fit between the models, they will have to go around them.  This will add a good number of inches to the effective distance to my board edge. This means that if they fail their regrouping check this turn, they now have at least one more chance to rally.  I call this tactic “Assisted Bravery”.

With enough units you can create really long detours for your fleeing troops, keeping them on the board for multiple extra turns.  It often isn’t worth the trouble, but you should know that you have this option.