Editing Scrollhammer Rulebook (section)

====Fighting Sub-phase====

With all the charges carried out, it's time to strike blows! How effective creatures are in close combat depends almost entirely on their physical characteristics - how fast, strong, tough and ferocious they are. In close combat, armour remains useful for warding off your enemies' attacks, but ranged weapons become a secondary consideration - the best bow in the land won't save you if your opponent is bashing your brains out with a rock!

Choose a Combat:

There may be several separate melees being fought at the same time in different parts of the battlefield. If this is the case, the player whose turn it is chooses the order to resolve the combats, completing each combat before moving on to the next one, and so on until all combats are resolved.

Fight Close Combat:

In close combat, both players' models fight. Attacks in close combat work like shots in shooting - each Attack that hits has a chance to wound. The wounded model gets a chance to save, and if it fails, is (generally) removed as a casualty. How many blows are struck and who strikes first is detailed later.

Initiative Steps:

In close combat, slow, lumbering opponents can often be dispatched quickly by faster and more agile foes. However, many ponderous opponents are tough enough to withstand a vicious pummelling and keep coming back for more. To represent this, a model's Initiative determines when he attacks in close combat. Work your way through the Initiative values of the models engaged in the combat, starting with the highest and ending with the lowest. This means that each combat will have ten Initiative steps, starting at Initiative 10 and working down to Initiative 1. You'll rarely have models fighting at all of the Initiative steps, so just skip any that don't apply.

Start of Initiative Step Pile-In:

At the start of each Initiative step, any model whose Initiative is equal to the value of the current Initiative step, that isn't already as close to the front of its rank as possible(or in the case of Skirmish and Horde models, as close as possible to being in base contact with the enemy or with a friendly model that is in base contact with the enemy), must make a Pile In move. A Pile In move is a 3" move that is performed in the following order:

*First, any models Pile In if this will bring them to the front of their rank.

*Second, any models in Skirmish or Horde formation Pile In if this will bring them to base contact with an unengaged enemy

*Third, any models in Skirmish or Horde formation Pile In if this will bring them into base contact with a friendly model in base contact with an enemy

*Any ranks that are missing in the center of a unit that Fights in Rank, so as to put them out of coherency, are filled by moving the least number of models to do so, along the shortest possible route, to fill in the missing ranks until the unit is in coherency.

*Any remaining models in Skirmish or Horde formation that are not in base contact with one or more enemy or friendly models and have yet to Pile In must now do so, and must attempt to get as close as possible to the combat, while remaining in coherency

These moves follow the same rules as moving charging models, except that they are not slowed by difficult terrain (though it may still trigger Dangerous Terrain tests). Also, a Pile In move cannot be used to contact units that are not already involved in the assault.

When making Pile In moves, the player whose turn it is moves his unit(s) first. If both players' Pile In moves combined would be insufficient to bring any combatants back together (that's more than 6" - very unlikely!), the assault comes to an end. All remaining Initiative steps are lost - work out the assault result as described on page XX.

Who can Fight?:

Units that have one or more models in base contact with enemies are locked in combat. While a unit is locked in combat, it may only make Pile In moves and cannot otherwise move or shoot. At the start of each Initiative step, you must work out whether or not a model locked in combat is also engaged, as described below.

A model is engaged in combat, and must fight if:

*The model was in base contact with one or more enemy models at the start of the Fighting Sub-Phase.

*The model was in base contact with a friendly model in base contact with one or more enemy models in the same combat at the start of the Fighting Sub-Phase.

*At the start of its initiative step, after piling in, the model became in base contact with one or more enemy models, or in base contact with one or more friendly models in base contact with the enemy.

Models make their attacks when their Initiative step is reached, assuming they haven't already been killed by a model with a higher Initiative! If both sides have models with the same Initiative, their attacks are made simultaneously. 

Note that certain situations, abilities and weapons can modify a model's Initiative. If a model makes two separate groups of attacks during different Initiative steps, he only piles in during the first, unless he is not engaged in combat during the second.

Unengaged Models:

Unengaged models cannot attack in close combat - they're too far from the crush of battle.

Number of Attacks:

When their Initiative step is reached, models with that Initiative who are still alive and able to attack, must attack.

Each engaged model makes a number of Attacks (A) as indicated on its characteristics profile, plus the following bonus Attacks:

*+1 Charge Bonus: Engaged models that charged or counter-attacked this turn get + 1 Attack this turn.

*+1 Dual Wielding: Engaged models equipped with two melee weapons of the same base type(Hand Weapons, Spears etc.) get + 1 Attack. Models with more than two weapons gain no additional benefit; you only get one extra Attack, even if you have four arms and a sword in each.
    
*Other bonuses: Models may have other special rules and wargear that confer extra Attacks. 

Which Weapons can be Used?:

A model may use any weapons equipped(see page XX) in its hands in close combat. If the weapon is a ranged weapon, or does not grant any sort of special bonus to close combat, that weapon grants no bonus in close combat. If attacked with, it counts as attacking with a single, generic close combat weapon(never gaining the bonus for wielding two or more weapons). If multiple close combat weapons with different profiles are equipped, the model may split his attacks between them as he sees fit, or make all his attacks with one or the other, while still gaining the bonus for multiple weapons. A staff counts as a spell, not a close combat weapon, unless stated otherwise.

Rolling to Hit:

To determine whether hits are scored, roll a D6 for each Attack a model gets to make and compare the WS of the attacking model with the WS of the target unit. Remember to differentiate between weapons and models with different profiles when necessary.

Then, consult the To Hit chart on this page to find the minimum result needed on a D6 To Hit. (Your Weaponskill is on the left column, Enemy Weaponskill is on the top row)


{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! align=center colspan=11 |To Hit Chart
|- 
!  || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
|-
| '''1''' || 4+ || 4+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ 
|-
| '''2''' || 3+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+
|-
| '''3''' || 3+ || 3+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+ || 5+
|-
| '''4''' || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 5+ || 5+
|-
| '''5''' || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+
|-
| '''6''' || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+
|-
| '''7''' || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+
|-
| '''8''' || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 4+ || 4+ || 4+
|-
| '''9''' || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 4+ || 4+
|-
| '''10''' || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 3+ || 4+
|}


Units with Different Weapon Skills:

A few units contain models with different Weapon Skills. Whilst each model in such a unit rolls To Hit using its own Weapon Skill, Attacks made against such a unit are resolved using the Weapon Skill of the majority of the engaged enemy models. If two or more Weapon Skill values are tied for majority, use the highest of those tied values.

Rolling to Wound:

Not all of the Attacks that hit will harm the enemy - they may merely graze or inflict a flesh wound. As with shooting, once you have scored a hit with an Attack, you must roll a D6 for each successful hit to see if you cause a wound and damage your foe. Consult the chart below, cross-referencing the attacker's Strength(on the left) characteristic with the defender's Toughness(top). The chart indicates the minimum result on a D6 roll required to inflict a wound, and is just like the one in the Shooting phase section. A'-' indicates that the target cannot be Wounded by the Attack. In most cases,when rolling To Wound in close combat, you use the Strength on the attacker's profile regardless of what weapon he is using. There are some Melee weapons that give the attacker a Strength bonus, and this is explained later in the Weapons section (see page XX).

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! align=center colspan=11 |To Wound Chart
|- 
!  || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
|-
| '''1''' || 4+ || 5+ || 6+ || 6+ || - || - || - || - || - || - 
|-
| '''2''' || 3+ || 4+ || 5+ || 6+ || 6+ || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| '''3''' || 2+ || 3+ || 4+ || 5+ || 6+ || 6+ || - || - || - || -
|-
| '''4''' || 2+ || 2+ || 3+ || 4+ || 5+ || 6+ || 6+ || - || - || -
|-
| '''5''' || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 3+ || 4+ || 5+ || 6+ || 6+ || - || -
|-
| '''6''' || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 3+ || 4+ || 5+ || 6+ || 6+ || -
|-
| '''7''' || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 3+ || 4+ || 5+ || 6+ || 6+
|-
| '''8''' || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 3+ || 4+ || 5+ || 6+
|-
| '''9''' || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 3+ || 4+ || 5+
|-
| '''10''' || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 2+ || 3+ || 4+
|}

Remember to use different coloured dice or otherwise distinguish between the Wounds that have different special rules attached to them (like those inflicting Instant Death or those that reduce Armour Saves), as you would do in the Shooting phase.

Multiple Toughness Values:

Quite rarely, a unit will contain models that have different Toughness characteristics. When this occurs, roll To Wound using the Toughness value of the majority of the engaged foe.

If two or more Toughness values are tied for majority, use the highest of those tied values.

Allocating Wounds:

After determining the number of wounds inflicted against a unit at a particular Initiative step, wounds are allocated, saves taken and casualties removed. Wounds are allocated and resolved just like in the Shooting phase. Saves may still be taken.

Cover Saves:

Models do not get cover saves against any Wounds suffered from close combat attacks, unless allowed to by a special rule, and for obvious reasons, cannot Go to Ground - there's nowhere to hide!

Armour Saving Throws:

Models can take armour saves to prevent Wounds caused in close combat - provided that their armour is good enough, of course! As in the Shooting phase, if the Wound is caused by a weapon with an AP, subtract the AP from the armor save score (see page XX).

Ward Saves:

An invulnerable save can chosen to be made instead of the armor save if it is available, as normal. It can even be made if a model is not permitted to take an armour save (because the AP of the Attack negates it or the rules for a weapon or Attack states that no armour save is allowed).

Dead Before Striking:

If a model becomes a casualty before its Initiative step, it cannot strike back. When striking blows simultaneously, you may find it more convenient to resolve one side's Attacks and simply turn the dead models around to remind you that they have yet to attack back.

Note on Saving Throws:

A model ''must'' make a Saving Throw if one is available; the controlling player chooses which one to use. And a Saving Throw which is reduced to automatic failure by an effect cannot be taken; another must be taken instead if such a save is available.

Weapons that Cause Additional Effects to models Hit or Wounded:

Some weapons and special rules cause additional effects to models they hit or wound. 

*If a weapon causes an effect on inflicting an unsaved wound, resolve that effect after saves are taken on the wounded model. 

*If the weapon causes an effect on wounding, regardless if it is saved or not, its effect is resolved on each unit that it rolled a wound on. After saves are taken, when wounds are allocated, the allocating player must, begin to mark a number of models(up to the amount of saved wounds from the weapon) as having the additional effect of the weapon inflicted upon them. Only models that could have been wounded by the weapon this round may be nominated.

*If the weapon causes an effect on hitting, regardless of whether it wounds or not, its effect is resolved on each unit that it inflicted an unsaved wound on. After saves are taken, when wounds are allocated, the controlling player must, begin to mark a number of models(up to the amount of hits from the weapon that did not wound) as having the additional effect of the weapon inflicted upon them. Only models that could have been hit by the weapon this round may be nominated.

Fight Next Initiative Step:

Fight the next Initiative step as previously described until all of the Initiative steps have been completed (remember to skip Initiative steps which have no models in them).

Determine Combat Results:

Melees are usually decisive; one side or the other quickly gains the upper hand and forces their foe back. Good leadership can keep a side in the fight, but the casualties that each side inflicts are usually the most telling factor.

To decide who has won the combat, factor in the following:

*Total up the number of unsaved Wounds inflicted by each side onto their opponents. This includes all Wounds caused during the Fight sub-phase, whether from conventional Attacks or from other effects.

*Add rank bonuses for models that Fight in Ranks(if applicable), and number bonuses for Hordes(if applicable)

*Add 1 to the score of a side that has a Standard Bearer(see page XX)

The side with the highest total is the winner. The losing unit must make a Morale check and Falls Back if it fails (see page XX). If both sides suffer the same score, the combat is drawn and continues next turn. Of course, if one side destroys the enemy completely, it wins automatically, even if it sustained more casualties!

Note that wounds that have been negated by saving throws or special rules do not count towards determining who won the combat. Neither do wounds in excess of a model's wounds characteristic; only the Wounds actually suffered by enemy models count (including all of the Wounds lost by models that have suffered Instant Death - see page XX).

In rare cases, certain models can cause wounds on themselves or their friends - obviously, these wounds are added to the other side's total for working out who has won.

Check Morale:

Units that lose a close combat must make a Morale check to hold their ground, with a penalty depending on how severe the defeat was (see page XX). Subtract the difference between the scores of the combat, the amount the losing side lost by, from the score.

*If they pass, the unit fights on - the combat is effectively drawn and no further account is made of the unit's defeat.

*If the unit fails, they abandon the fight and Fall Back. Morale checks and falling back are covered in the Morale section on page XX. 

Our Weapons Are Useless:

If a unit is locked in combat with an enemy it cannot hurt, it can choose to automatically fail its Morale check for losing a combat. This can be a risky tactic, but sometimes worthwhile.

Sweeping Advances:

When a unit falls back from combat, the victors make a Sweeping Advance, attempting to cut down their fleeing foes.

When a Sweeping Advance is performed, both the unit falling back and the winning unit roll a D6 and add their unmodified Initiative to the result. In a unit with mixed Initiative characteristics, use the highest - we can assume the quicker-witted individuals in the unit guide the others.

The units then compare their totals.

*If the winner's total (Initiative + dice roll) is equal to or greater than the foe's, the falling back unit is caught by the Sweeping Advance: If the winner’s Initiative test result beats that of the foe’s, the foe is destroyed! Every model in the unit is immediately removed as a casualty: they have been overrun, or else have surrendered and have been taken prisoner.

*If the falling back unit's total is higher, they break off from the combat successfully.

In either case, make a Fall Back move for the surivivng members of the losing unit (see page XX). The winners can then Consolidate as detailed below.

Disallowed Sweeping Advances:

If a victorious unit is still locked in combat with other units that are not falling back, it does not get a chance to execute a Sweeping Advance and the retreating enemy automatically makes their Fall Back move safely. Some troops, as detailed in their special rules, are not permitted to make Sweeping Advances - when a victorious unit contains one or more models that are not allowed to make a Sweeping Advance, the enemy always manage to disengage safely - there is no need to roll.

End of Combat Pile-In:

After the combat has been resolved, it can happen that some models from units that did not Fall Back are not in combat, or are out of coherency. These models must make a Pile In move, starting with the side whose turn it is. This is treated exactly like a start of Initiative step Pile In, as mentioned below.

Consolidation:

At the end of a combat, if a unit's opponents are all either destroyed or falling back, or at the end of combat Pile In was insufficient, so that the units are no longer locked in combat with each other, they may Consolidate. Consolidating models move up to 3" in any direction, as the sudden victory may leave the warriors raring to storm onwards or flat-footed and dumbfounded, according to the vagaries of fate.

Units making a Consolidation move are not slowed by difficult terrain but do trigger Dangerous Terrain tests where appropriate. A Consolidation move may not be used to move into base contact with enemy models, as this can only be done with a charge move. Consolidating models must therefore stop 1" away from all enemy models, including any that might have just fallen back from the combat that the consolidating unit has fought in.

Units that Fight In Ranks always Reform instead of performing a normal Consolidation move.

Multiple Combats:

Combats that involve more than two units are called multiple combats (see the diagram on page XX for an example). 

Fight Sub-Phase:

Resolving the Fight sub-phase of a multiple combat is done just as it is for a combat between two units except for the following clarifications and adjustments:

Directing Attacks:

In multiple combats, during a model's Initiative step, the following extra rules apply:

*A model that is in base contact, or engaged, with just one enemy unit when it comes to strike must attack that unit.

*A model that is in base contact, or engaged, with more than one enemy unit when it strikes blows, can split its Attacks freely between those units. Declare how each model is splitting its Attacks immediately before rolling To Hit. 

Combat Results

When determining assault results in a multiple combat, total up the number of wounds inflicted by all units on each side to see which side is the winner. Every unit on the losing side has to check their Morale (they all use the same penalty, as described in the Morale section on page XX).

After all of the losing units have taken their Morale checks, each winning unit that is now free to make a Sweeping Advance rolls the dice and compares its total with the total of each of the falling back enemy units it was engaged with. Any that it equals or beats are destroyed. Remember that winning units can only Sweeping Advance if all of the units they were locked in combat with Fall Back or are wiped out in the fight.

After determining assault results, all units that were involved in that multiple combat must make Pile In moves towards enemies that fought in that combat. If no models in a unit are in base contact with an enemy unit, and the combined Pile In moves of both sides are not enough for them to get back into base contact, then they can Consolidate instead.

Locked in Close Combat:

Models belonging to units locked in combat cannot fire weapons in the Shooting phase, they are too busy fighting the enemy in front of them. Nor can they move during the movement phase, or march. Units that are locked in close combat do not take Morale checks or Pinning tests caused by shooting and cannot Go to Ground; they are much too focused on the fighting!