Firefights in 40k

I've always liked the idea of short ranged firefights breaking out in a game of 40k. So I borrowed an idea from Epic 40k, to see how it might work.



Theory only, I haven't tested any of this yet!

So, in the Assault phase, after all assaulters have been moved but before assaults are resolved, any unengaged units within 6" of an unengaged enemy unit create a firefight.

1. Assess which units are involved. If a unit is in range of multiple unengaged enemy units, then all are involved in the firefight.

2. Determine which models may fire. Models armed with Rapid Fire, Pistol or Assault weapons may take part in the firefight. Heavy and Ordnance weapons are just too cumbersome to be used, even by Relentless models or vehicles. Furthermore, a model must either be within 6" of an unengaged enemy unit, or within 2" of a friendly model that meets this condition to participate. Models from both sides participate equally in a firefight, regardless of whose turn it is.

3. Resolve firing in initiative order. Models killed before their initiative step may not fire; opposing models with the same initiative fire simultaneously. Vehicles without an Initiative characteristic count their Initiative as 1.

4. Models may only fire at units within 6" of themselves, or at units within 6" of a friendly model within 2". This may result in units splitting their fire between multiple different units (this is essentially the same as an assault, except substitute 6" for base-to-base). If a model has multiple units that are valid targets, it may choose. Standard weapon ranges apply.

5. Casualties are resolved as per the shooting phase. Cover saves apply as normal.

6. Resolve the firefight. Count the casualties inflicted on both sides. The side that has suffered more wounds loses, the other side wins. Count each roll on the vehicle damage table as 1 wound for this purpose.

7. All losing units must retreat 6" directly away from the enemy, and take a morale check if they have suffered 25% or more casualties. The winning units may consolidate d6". If the firefight is drawn, no more moves are made. Neither side may be involved in another firefight this phase.

Special considerations:

A unit may elect to go to ground at the beginning of the firefight, forfeiting its shots for an improved cover save. A unit may not go to ground after the firefight has begun.

A unit that had already gone to ground is startled back to action by the imminent prospect of death! It may participate in the firefight as normal (including going to ground again if desired), but does so with a -1 penalty to its Initiative.

A Fearless unit may elect not to retreat after losing a firefight, but if it does so will suffer a single No Retreat! wound for each point it lost the firefight by.

Nothing else springs to mind...

Notes:

So part of the idea with this is to de-emphasise Heavy and Ordnance weapons in close-quarter fighting, as they get plenty of time in the sun. This will also tend to make vehicles very exposed in close encounters and vulnerable to infantry carrying AT weapons - as they should be. The exception will be vehicles designed for close quarter work, like Hellhounds and Crusaders - again, as it should be.

It will also give 'defensive fire', or the idea of shooting at assaulters, an avenue. Basically, if the assaulters get close to try and assault but don't make it - they eat firepower instead, and are probably driven back. If they do make it, then your shooty guys die. Also, it gives shooty units an alternative option in the assault phase; either hang back at 12" and try to shoot'em up in the shooting phase alone, or move into firefight range, get two stabs at destroying the enemy, but be uncomfortably close if it doesn't work out. Especially if only one of the potential threats is within firefight range! The more decisions, the better for the game.

I like the push back of the defeated unit, because it adds the ability to clear an objective by firefight. The defeated enemy, though, may well still be in assault range after a turn of movement.

Finally, to compensate for the loss of some assault survivability for dedicated CC troops, I would reintroduce the ability to consolidate into combat. Again, this increases the risk in engaging in a firefight with multiple units, as they are then more exposed for the old one-two assault tricks from 4th ed and earlier.

Anyway, just some ideas :) Any thoughts? All been done before?