Hey guys, how do you deal with the skirmishers rallying?

Rallied troops must perform a reform.

Normally reforms allow you to change your width/depth/face of a unit, keeping the center point of the unit in the same location and ensuring no model travels further than 2xM. A unit which reforms may perform no further movement.

Usually skirmishers don't have ranks or files, so can they reform? and if so how?

Thanks :)

PS should I post how we normally deal with the situation amongst my friends?

I usually just say "this herd is now rallied". :mellow:

I turn every single model in the unit 360 degrees. :o

But seriously, I do the same as mrtn.

I dont know what the offical stance would be but I'd just turn the models back in the direction they were fleeing from.

But, heh, thats just me.

I actually just remove the fleeing token... too lazy to turn the models :rolleyes:

Interesting. I've always played it that they can follow the rules for a reform, just ignoring the bit about ranks (since the skirmish rules tellus they ignore these rules) i.e. each model may move up to 2xM, but the centre point of the unit must stay the same.

I think what Daftgor is getting at here is can the reform be exploited, right?

My first reaction is reforming is a manuever only rank and file can execute (since it seems expressly about changing ranks and files). But that said, there's nothing in the rule book saying skirmishers CAN'T reform.

- BRB pg 65 says skirmishers never move in a rigid 'formation' of ranks and files and instead move in a loose group or rough line.

- BRB pg 19 says rallied units (any) must execute a reform manuever

- BRB pg 14 says a reform allows a change of 'formation', with as many ranks as you please (none, in the case of skirmishers? :) ) so long as no model moves more than 2x its move value.

So bottom line is, I'd say you CAN reform. Other than the 'formation' references - which is certainly an oblique connection - there doesn't seem to be anything preventing skirmishers from doing it. In real terms, I can see the rallied unit given an order to spread out or disperse so I have no problem reconciling it in my head.

Exactly how I came to that answer HSHP!

Besides, I think its a lot less exploitive than saying skirimishers can't reform (which would allow them to make a normal move after rallying as the reform is the only thing that prevents units moving after a rally, e.g. see fast cav with their free reform!).

Good! Then so shall it be written, so shall it be done! :D

I don't know and with no disrespect that seems a bit dodgy to me.

I see where you are going with this but IMO the intent on reform means from one formation to another. Seeing as we're never in formation the move up to 2x normal distance limits doesn't apply - we can't move at all.

Technically skirmishing is a formation...

And you would still have the fix point of the center of the unit and the maximum allowed distance you can move away from. So, in effect you could move one edge of the herd 10' away from that fix point but with all the other models forming up the 'standard cloud' formation, this would not be sooo hugely different from a r&f unit, just more mobile.

I usually end up facing the models towards the threat I expect to face next turn. but I just move them around a bit.

I think the reality is most players don't have a solid enough grasp of the rules to truly exploit this manuever and even then its limited in its abuse. I'm not saying that to sound conceited, its just been my experience.

I think its no more dodgy than 'tactical wheeling' - which, though once thought dodgy by some, is now ensconced in the rules and expressly permitted.

Generally, all I do is face my models in the other direction (ie away from the direction they were fleeing).

@HSHP no offence intended by the way with the dodgy bit.

However tactical wheeling is a good example - it wasn't clear if/how you could do it when seventh came out - so I wouldn't until the FAQ came out making it clear. Even then when doing it I let less experienced folks know what I'm doing and what backs me up before I start moving the models