Let's Read (and maybe house rule) Warhammer 40,000 2nd Edition! Part 4: Close Combat (Also known as HAND TO HAND)

  It has been a little bit but now we get into the part where our toy dollies move in close and try to kill each other like they are still fighting an 18th century battle.

  But first:

  I am almost codex complete for 2nd edition!  I merely need the Codex Army Lists book that came with the Boxed Set, and the Battles expansion book that is 90% useless if not complete with cardstock in the back (if it was even useful then mind you..) and I will be 2nd ed product complete.  A handful of White Dwarf issues and I am basically official rules complete!  

(Oh the joys of my blog.  It just makes me spend more money on silly nonsense.)

  Anyhow, our Hand to Hand section starts with noting that models must have their bases touching to be in close combat, and only pistols, close combat weapons, though some fluff mention also includes just using your teeth or rifle butt in the very same section.

  You see, you may either use your pistol, a close combat weapon, or your S value to hurt a thing depending on whatever is higher.  Also facing doesn't matter.  Personally, I am now kind of used to the half inch or more leeway for close combat Warmahordes does.  This allows for fancier bases and not being too nitpicky.  

  The order of close combat works like so:

1:  Roll attack dice.  Each player rolls a number of D6s based on their Attacks (A) stat and get an extra die if they have two close combat weapons or a CCW and a pistol.

2: Calculate score.  Take WS and your highest D6 roll.  Add these together plus any modifers.

3:  Compare.  Highest score wins.  If its a tie, go with the highest I score.  If both I are the same its a draw.

4:  See hit amount.  The difference between the winner and the loser calculates the number of hits caused to the enemy.  If its a tie it is just a single hit.

5:  Roll to wound and save.  Just like shooting but the attacker can choose to use their S or weapon values to select S and armor save modifiers.

  They then box out the Parry rule which if you have such a weapon you can force the other side to make a reroll of one of their attack dice (parries cancel out on each side.  Because of the effectiveness of this most people tended to take parry only CCWs if they could.) and the Fumble & Critical Hit rule.  For Fumbles if you roll any 1s, the other player ADDS that 1 to their score per result.  For Critical Hits for every EXTRA 6 rolled after the first is a +1 to your score.

  Other score modifiers include +1 for being higher up on like a stairway or platform or Charging, and a -1 for Being Encumbered with a heavy weapon or such, or charging an enemy behind an obstacle.

For using a model's S versus armor it is -1 to the armor roll at S4, and up to a -6 maximum for S 9 and beyond.

  When Multiple Combats happen and models are ganging up on a less numerically large unit the player who outnumbers the other gets to choose which order these fights are done, and every additional fight in the same round  adds +1 to their score and 1 extra attack die.  So if you could get 4 guys on 1 foe the fourth guy fighting would get +3 to their score and 3 extra attack dice!

  As we can see these close combat rules are a little slow but.. kind of FUN.  But only for smaller model games and fights.  For horde armies or 3-7th ed 40K sized games it is.. not quite so fun honestly.  It works for the sized games 2nd ed was intended to be played at however.   Even if they made parrying HUGE.  Speaking of huge more modern 40K models with their larger base sizes might get screwed by these rules as you could possibly get more and more dudes on one.  Though to be fair the larger base might keep the model from getting surrounded so it kind of balances?  Maybe?

  Follow Up Moves are next.  If your model has eliminated its enemies it may move 2" in any direction with no penalties for obstacles, including moving into a new enemy to fight in the next close combat round next turn, though without the charge bonus.  Other terrain rules apply however.

  Outside of a 2 page example with some diagrams, we finish this section with Breaking Off.  If for whatever reason including being Broken a model may attempt to disengage from melee but their WS is ZERO, and they do not get parries.  If the model survives they and their squadmates who also survived move back 2D6" and are broken if they already weren't.  And cannot rally this turn.

  There is one more BIG section left of rules (well more than 2-3 pages worth anyhow!) but next time we will cover Breaking & Rallying, Psychology, Heroic Characters, Commanders, and (simple) Psionics.  After that we should have two more entries and the core rulebook is FINISHED.