Category:Combined Melee Attack

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Combined Melee Attack for newbies

General

Combined Melee Attack (CMA) is an ability that lets a model team-up with another model(s) from the same unit to gain a to-hit and to-damage buff. For every model that participates in the CMA the attack gets a cumulative +1/+1 hit/damage buff, but you only get one model that makes an attack and every other participant "sacrifices" their attack.

The +1/+1 bonus includes the one model that makes an attack, so it is often most efficient to make 2-model CMAs, as that gives you a +2/+2 bonus while only "sacrificing" one model's attack.

Step-by-Step explanation

  • Choose the CMA 'leader' (not to be confused with the unit's Leader model), the other CMA 'participants', and the target.
  • The leader and the participants must have the target in their melee range. Participants that are out of range can't be part of the CMA, but they don't lose their attack either. It's just an invalid choice.
  • If you have more than one melee weapon, declare which one the leader and participants are using.
  • The leader gets a cumulative +1 to hit and to damage for each model in the CMA (including itself). The participants lose their attack.
    • If you make a 2-man CMA, the leader gets +2 to hit/damage and you lose one attack from the one participant.
    • If you make a 3-man CMA, the leader gets +3 to hit/damage and you lose two attacks from the two participants.

CMA plus a Press Forward order

  • If you want the CMA to have a boosted damage from the charge, then all participants need to make a successful charge vs the same target and use their charge attack vs it.
  • If the participants have more than one melee weapon, then they "give up" their charge attack when they make a charge-CMA. That is, you can't have them contribute their second "non-charge" attack before they have resolved their first melee attack.

Tips

  • Use the model with the best stats to be the CMA 'leader'. For instance, the command attachment normally has better MAT.
  • Use the model with the best position to be the CMA 'leader'. For instance, the one standing in the target's rear arc or the one that doesn't have intervening terrain between it and the target.

Official Rules

CMA symbol.jpg Combined Melee Attack

Models in some units have the Combined Melee Attack advantage. When resolving their Combat Actions, two or more troopers with the Combined Melee Attack advantage in the same unit can combine their melee attacks against the same target. In order to participate in a combined melee attack, a trooper must be able to declare a melee attack against the intended target, have the intended target within its melee range, and be in formation. Choose one model in the attacking group to be the primary attacker and make one melee attack roll for the group. Add +1 to the attack and damage rolls for each model participating in the attack, including the primary attacker. All other bonuses and penalties to the attack and damage rolls, such as the bonus for intervening terrain, are based on the primary attacker.

Each model in a combined melee attack = +1 to the attack and damage rolls

In a combined melee attack, only the primary attacker actually makes an attack. The other participants lose the attacks they contributed to the combined attack. A model that charged during its activation can participate in a Combined Melee Attack, but the combined attack cannot be a charge attack unless all contributed attacks are charge attacks. If any non-charge attack is contributed, the combined attack is not a charge attack.

Units with Combined Melee Attack ignore the rule that one trooper’s Combat Action cannot begin until the previousmodel’s Combat Action is resolved. The melee attacks of a unit with Combined Melee Attack can be grouped in any way, including multiple combined melee attacks. Troopers capable of multiple melee attacks can divide them among eligible targets and participate in multiple combined melee attacks.

EXAMPLE: Four members of a Temple Flameguard unit make a combined melee attack against a Defender. One model is chosen to make the melee attack for the group, adding +4 to its attack and damage rolls since there are four models participating in the attack. Two other troopers in that unit make a combined melee attack against a nearby Sentinel. The trooper declared as the primary attacker makes one melee attack and adds +2 to its attack and damage rolls.

Rules Clarifications

RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Combined Melee Attack      (Edit)

  • Each CMA only counts as a single attack, no matter how many participants are involved. This means, for example, that if Satyxis Raiders damage a warjack and trigger their Feedback ability, the enemy warcaster will only take 1 damage total, not 1 for every Raider.
  • Any bonuses (such as back strike) or penalties (such as intervening terrain) are determined according to the model leading the CMA (the attack leader).
    • If the participants have buffs/debuffs but the attack leader doesn't ... then the CMA doesn't because only the attack leader matters. Simple as that.
  • A single unit can perform multiple CMAs, utilising different groupings of models. eg a unit with 10 models could make one 10-man CMA, or two 5-man CMAs, or five 2-man CMAs, or etc.
  • CMA for units that have more than one melee weapon (the short version)
    • Once you have more than one melee weapon, charging becomes a bit complicated. There are two important rules:
      1. A model which charges must use its first attack to make a charge attack. It can't "skip ahead" to contributing its second non-charge attack before it's resolved its first attack.
      2. For a CMA to gain the charging bonus, then all contributors must be contributing a charge attack.
    • These two rules have a few, slightly confusing implications. Click the expand box below for a full breakdown.
CMA for units with more than one weapon (the long version) (Edit)
The following example is about Satyxis Raiders, but is equally applicable to other units with two CMA:
  • Each Raider gets two attacks. Both, one, or neither can be a CMA as you choose.
  • If you are doing two CMA in a row, then you should note that the second CMA doesn’t have to use the same “primary attacker” or the same “participants” as the first CMA.
    • For instance, you could have the first CMA with raider A being the "primary attacker" and raider B being the "participant",
    • then for the second CMA have raider B the "primary attacker" and raider A the "participant".
    • Or leave A alone for a moment and use B plus C. Whatever takes your fancy.
  • Primary attackers and participants don't have to use the same weapon. So, continuing with the above example, you could have primary A use lash and participant B use horns, then primary B use lash and participant A use horns. Effectively granting you two lash attacks with CMA bonuses!
  • Combined Melee Attack and charging
    • Remember the 2 rules above?
    • Rule 1 means you cannot contribute your second, non-charge attack before you have resolved/contributed your first attack.
    • Rule 1 means you cannot "skip ahead" to resolving your second, non-charge attack before you have resolved/contributed your first attack.
    • but wait, there's more!
    • However, thanks to the "Units with Combined Melee Attack ignore the rule that one trooper's combat action cannot begin until the previous model's combat action ends" rule, you can "pause" your second attack if you want to do a CMA with it later. For example:
      • Model A performs its charge attack.
      • Model B performs its charge attack. (Interrupting A)
      • Model C performs its charge attack. (Interrupting B)
      • CMA using A, B & C's remaining attack.

See Also

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