Can a charging unit leave characters behind?

[ArcaneSnow]

Probably a dumb question..
I know that if a independent character charges out of a unit, the remaining unit is allowed it's regular move after the charge.
But let's say I want to charge the unit but leave the character behind to keep them out of combat. Is that legal? I can't seem to find that info anywhere, I'm almost certain it's not a legal move, but just wanted to double check.

Example came up during a tournament once where I had a block of SM with BotwD. I was charged by a block of WL with Alarielle. It was pretty much a slaughter, but I'm trying to figure out if he could have charged with the WLs but leave Alarielle to keep her away from combat or if there was essentially nothing he could do but have her leave the unit and just take a charge from the SM next turn.

[SpellArcher]

Per pg 101 the only way the combined unit can be split is to move the character out first (whether by Charging or in Remaining Moves) and only then can the unit move. I can't find anything in the rulebook FAQ to contradict this.

[Gandalf_82]

Kind of linked, can a character join a unit that's already in combat? Or does he have to charge into the combat on his own?

I had a situation the other day where I wanted do this but I don't think you can?

[SpellArcher]

Per pg 97, a character can't join a unit that's already in combat.

[Gandalf_82]

Per pg 97, a character can't join a unit that's already in combat.

Cheers boss!

[SpellArcher]

You're welcome Gandalf.

[JoeElf]

Kind of a similar question: Say I have a unit with a front rank full of characters and a wizard in the second rank. On the charge I would like to bring the wizard from the second to the front rank. Is that possible? My thought is no. I would have to make the charge, fight a round of combat, then at the start of the next combat make way to the front rank. Just couldn't find anything specific online or in the BrB.

The reason I ask is because I would like to cast Purple Sun into the unit I'm fighting and if my Mage is in the second rank the template would hit my own troops. Second question is can you cast Magical Vortexes from the second rank of a unit?

Thanks in advance

Joe

[pk-ng]

Kind of a similar question: Say I have a unit with a front rank full of characters and a wizard in the second rank. On the charge I would like to bring the wizard from the second to the front rank. Is that possible? My thought is no. I would have to make the charge, fight a round of combat, then at the start of the next combat make way to the front rank. Just couldn't find anything specific online or in the BrB.

The reason I ask is because I would like to cast Purple Sun into the unit I'm fighting and if my Mage is in the second rank the template would hit my own troops. Second question is can you cast Magical Vortexes from the second rank of a unit?

Thanks in advance

Joe

Part 1) Yes you can move your mage to the 1st rank check "Make Way" rule
Part 2) No big deal as you'll get 3 guys at I5? So you have 1 in 6 chance of failing.
Part 3) Yes you can cast magical vortex from 2nd rank.

[JoeElf]

Thanks PK-NG! I just started reading your charging 101. That is a ton of work and I loved it!

[wisetiger7]

I'll have to "partly" disagree with pk-ng here.

"At the start of the combat... if a character's unit is in combat, but the character is not in base contact with the enemy, the controlling player can swap his position with another model that is in base contact. You can exchange him with rank-and-file model(s), including the command group, that are in base contact with the enemy."

If your unit's front rank is already full with characters, you can't swap the mage out with another character. You can only swap the mage with a rank-and-file model.

However, the reason I say "partly" is that when a unit is NOT in combat, the command group MUST be in the front rank.

"Command groups must be placed in the unit's front rank and move automatically if the unit reforms."

Therefore, before at the beginning of combat, you should have at least three rank-and-file command models in the front rank, any of which you can switch out with your mage. This is the only way your mage in the second rank can Make Way. If you have no command models in the unit, and the entire front rank is full of other characters (and not RnF models), and your mage is in the second rank, then no, you cannot Make Way with your mage, as that would be pulling a character out of combat, which is a no-no. In this case, you'd have to do a combat reform after the first round, and widen the unit's frontage to include the mage.