Charging into close combat

[Khornate individual]

7th ed. nerfed charging more than one unit at a time to where you didn't  get your bonus attacks (which made no sense to me!).  First reading the leaked rules for 8th ed it looked like an even bigger nerf for charging more than one unit.  At first the way I read the leaks it sounded like if you charged your one unit into two units, you only got your attacks on the unit you declared the charge against and any models within one inch of the second unit lost their attacks all together.  I wasn't too happy reading that, but I just read through the free rules and I saw that when you charge, you declare your target unit OR units for the charge!

OK so it looks like I'll be taking double the overwatch, but I can charge two units at once.  I think.

So am I right thinking that if I have a 20 man unit of berzerkers I can declare a charge against more than one unit at a time (as long as I'm not within 1" of a unit that wasn't targeted?  and not lose any attacks?

[Brother_Angelus]

You don't get an extra attack on the charge anymore, so there is no attack to lose. Your options are:

 

You can declare a multi-charge, take multiple lots of overwatch and fight any/all units you get close enough to with your charge

 

OR

 

You can declare one target, take one lot of overwatch, but then with the right positioning can pile-in to another unit and lock them into combat. You can't fight these guys on the turn you charge, but they don't get the chance to overwatch and will be a legit target in the next fight phase unless they fall back. They will get to hit you in the fight phase after you charge, but it's worthwhile if they're a support type unit who don't want to be in combat, and who you don't want shooting.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Brother_Angelus

[Khornate individual]

I know we don't get the extra attack anymore for charging (which sucks), but when I first read the rule it sounded like you could charge and fight only one unit. You consolidate into a second unit, but don't get to swing at them eventhough they can fight you. But multi charging sounds better with the exception of more overwatch, but it is 6's to hit. Now I need to get my chaos index to see how berzerkers fight twice per turn.

I'll be multi charging everywhere...hopefully

[Elios Harg]

Even though Berserkers get to activate twice, they cannot attack anyone that they did not charge (if they charged that round). Otherwise, it is exactly as it sounds. On the charge, they can activate, then activate again (assuming there is no enemy unit that "strikes first"), then the opponents go. If they did not charge, they can activate, then an opponent unit gets to activate (if any are eligible), then they can activate again. Note: even though they may not attack units not charged, it might still be beneficial to activate them if a new unit has been "pulled" into the combat as you still get pile in and consolidation as part of "fighting." This can get you closer to a newly engaged unit. Of course, at least 1 model in the unit needs to be within 1" of the new unit to do this.

[wildweasel]

Note you can declare *any* unit within 12" as a target, even if the board state at the moment of declaration makes such a charge impossible. So if Unit A is bubblewrapped by Unit B but still within 12" of the Berzerkers before they declare the charge, if the Chaos player thinks that the move-pile in-murder-consolidate-pile-in will allow them to make contact with Unit A, then they can declare both units as targets (taking Overwatch from both of course).

 

Also, you can do things like: Unit A which you really want to charge needs a 9" charge in one direction, but Unit B needs only a 4" charge in the opposite direction but is less desirable as a target. You can declare both, take their Overwatch, then roll the charge. If you get a 9+ you can engage unit A, but on a 4-8 you can engage B instead.