Fight Phase Rules

1) Identifying Fights
Before resolving combat, players must identify which models or groups of models are involved in a fight.

• Fight Criteria: Any two opposing models that are within 1" of each other are considered to be in a fight.

• Coherency: If any models are in coherency with models engaged in a fight, these models are also considered part of the same combat.

• Range 2 includes all models whose bases are directly touching a model that is in the fight or touching a base that is touching a model in the fight.

  • Range 3 increases this reach by 1 more base

  • Cannot reach: If terrain is ever in the way of a model with reach fitting its base into combat, it may reach up to 2 or 3 inches based on its reach value.

2) Resolving the Fight

The player with priority selects the first fight to resolve. Then, the player without priority selects another unresolved fight. Players alternate choosing unresolved fights until all eligible fights have been resolved.

• The player who selects the fight is considered the Attacker.

• The opposing player is considered the Defender.

Fight Participation:

• A model may only participate in one fight per fight phase.

• If a model is eligible to join multiple fights (i.e., within Range 2 of multiple engagements), the controlling player must choose one fight for it to participate in.

Defender Reaction:
After a fight has been selected and before any attack dice are gathered, the Defender must choose one of the following options:

1. Fight (Default):
Resolve the fight as normal with no changes.

2. Retreat:
The Defender declares a retreat attempt.

• The Defender will not roll any attack or wound dice this phase.

• During 2.A.2 Determine Attack Roll Value (ARV), the Defender’s Martial (M) is treated as +3 when calculating ARV.

• After the Attacker completes all attack and wound rolls and casualties are removed, the Defender may move all surviving models up to 3" away in any direction.

• Models must still end this move following normal retreat rules (ending at least 1" away where applicable).

3. Fire Ranged Weapons:
The Defender chooses to make a ranged attack instead of fighting in melee.

• The Attacker resolves their attacks as normal.

• The Defender does not make melee attack or wound rolls.

• Instead, the Defender resolves ranged attacks by following the Rolling Ranged Attacks rules from the Shooting Phase

• The Defender’s Perception is reduced by 3 for this attack to represent the chaos of close combat.

2.A) Roll for Attack:

1. Gather attack dice
Each player will gather a number of dice equal to their models' Aggression value. Players must assemble this collection of dice according to the following criteria:

1. Engagement: Gather 1 dice for every point of aggression among the models within 1" of an opposing model in this fight.

2. Range: Gather 1 dice for every point of aggression among the models within melee range of an opposing model in this fight.
   Example: Some units and weapons have range 1, 2, or 3 such as spears and pikes, or the special ability of zombies and siege golems. Check your unit profiles for any of these special abilities and weapons then add dice equal to their aggression value.

3. Special Abilities: Check any special abilities that might apply due to any spell or special circumstance according to army or unit rules, add dice as specified by any of these abilities. 

2. Determine Attack Roll Value (ARV).
Both the defender and attacker will make their own attack rolls, attempting to score hits on their opponent. In order to determine the Attack Roll Value (ARV) players must do the following:

1. Identify which model among the attacker and defender has the highest Martial Value (M) on their profile. This becomes the ARV.

2.  Identify which model among the attacker and defender has the Highest Integrity Value (I) on their profile, add this to the ARV.

3.  Identify which model among the attacker and defender has the lowest negative Integrity Value (I) on their profile, subtract this from the ARV.

4. Determine the number to meet or exceed on all attack dice by using the following chart:

If the highest ARV Value is:

• If the ARV of the attack is less than the ARV of the target, the attack roll is made on a 3+.

• If the ARV is double or higher, the attack roll is made on a 2+.

• If the ARV is less than half the ARV of the target, the attack roll is made on a 5+.

• If the ARV is half or lower, the attack roll is made on a 6+.

• If ARV is equal on both sides, the attack roll is made on a 4+.

Example: An attacker with a ARV of 5 is fighting a defender with a ARV of 4. The attacker will need 3+ while the defender will need a 5+

2.B) Roll for Wound
Both the defender and attacker will make their own Wound rolls now, attempting to score wounds on their opponent. In order to determine the Wound Roll Value (WRV) players must do the following:

1. Gather Wound dice
Each player will gather all the Attack dice that successfully met or exceeded the ARV, discarding the rest.

2. Determine Wound Roll Value (WRV).
Both the defender and attacker will make their own wound rolls, attempting to damage their opponent. In order to determine the Wound Roll Value (WRV) players must do the following:

1. Identify which model among the attacker and defender has the highest Strength Value (S) on their profile. This becomes the WRV.

2. Identify which model among the attacker and defender has the highest Defense Value (D) on their profile. This becomes the Defense Target (DT).

3. Determine the number to meet or exceed on all wound dice by using the following chart:

Compare WRV to DT

• If the WRV of the attack is less than the DT of the target, the wound roll is made on a 3+.

• If the WRV is double or higher, the wound roll is made on a 2+.

• If the WRV is less than half the defense of the target, the wound roll is made on a 5+.

• If the WRV is half or lower, the wound roll is made on a 6+.

• If WRV and DT are equal, the wound roll is made on a 4+.

Step 3: Ignore Wounds and Roll Saves
Some models have defensive capabilities that would allow models to ignore wounds.

• Roll Saves: Roll these saves by picking one of the opponent's successful wound dice, and roll that dice to meet or exceed the model's save value. If the save fails, remove a wound from that model, removing the model if it has no more wounds remaining. Repeat this process until no more models with saves remain in the fight, at which point any remaining wounds are distributed as normal.

• Ignore Wounds: Some models, such as Champions of the void, may ignore wounds through special rules, follow these rules as stated. Repeat this process until no more models with applicable special rules remain in the fight, at which point any remaining wounds are distributed as normal.

Step 4: Retreat Phase

After all combat has been resolved, players may choose to retreat any remaining units that survived the fight. The player may choose to move the entire coherent unit up to 3" away from combat, or may select individual units within the coherent unit to move separately, with each moving up to 3" away from combat. All units must end at least 1" away from enemy models. If this is not possible, the unit cannot retreat and must remain locked in combat. The player with Priority moves first, followed by the player without Priority. 

After retreat moves are completed, any unit that remained stationary while an enemy retreated from range may make an Opportunity Attack.

Opportunity Attack:
After the Retreat Phase, any model that remained stationary while an enemy model or models within melee range retreated may make an Opportunity Attack.

Aggression Roll: For each model that remained stationary, roll 1 die for every point of Aggression the model has.

Wound Roll: For each die that rolls a 6+, the retreating model(s) take a wound.

Example:
A unit of 5 models with Aggression 2 each is stationary while an enemy unit of 3 models retreats.
Each of the 5 models rolls 2 dice for a total of 10 dice.
If 3 of the rolls result in 6+, this causes 3 wounds to the enemy models that are retreating.