While firepower may be enough to drive an enemy back from open ground or lightly held positions, shifting a determined foe from a fortified bunker or ruined settlement will need sterner measures. In an assault troops storm forward, screaming their battle cries, eager to strike at their foe with knives, claws, gun butts or anything else in a desperate close combat. The term Assault covers all seven steps summarised below:
- Declare Charges. Announce which of your units intend to charge.
- Move Charging Units. Move units which are charging.
- Fight Close Combat. Troops fight in close combat. Models roll to hit, wound and saving throws are made through ten Initiative steps.
- Determine Assault Results. Total up wounds inflicted. The side which inflicted the most wounds in each combat is the winner.
- Loser Checks Morale. The loser has to pass a Leadership test or fall back. If the loser fails the test go to step 7.
- Pile In. If units are still locked in close combat then any models not in base to base contact are moved towards the enemy to continue the fight next turn.
- Losers Break Off and Winners Consolidate. Units falling back from close combat must test to see if they successfully break off, the winners may try to keep them in combat, engage a new foe or reorder their ranks.
- 1. Declare Charges & 2. Move Charging Units
- 3. Fighting a Close Combat
- Attacks & Rolling to Hit
- Wounds & Armour Saves
- Suffering Wounds & Removing Casualties
- Special Close Combat Attacks
- 4. Determine Assault Results
- 5. Loser Checks Morale & 6. Reinforcement (Pile In) Moves
- 7. Losers Break Off and Winners Consolidate
- Shooting Into and Out of Close Combat
- Fall Back!
- Characters in Assaults