Can you charge into back of your own unit, who is engaged in melee?

[MythTrip]

Is this worth it? Say my spear is engaged in melee with another spear, and I just charge my anti -infantry great sword right into the back of my own spear. Is that a charge? Advisable or not?

[Ruinae Retroque Rursus]

It'll help, and your greatswords will eventually push through, but if you can get your swords round the back it will go much better. Of course, that isn't always possible.

EDIT: \/ that guy's got a much better reply

[Green]

Originally posted by MythTrip:

Is this worth it? Say my spear is engaged in melee with another spear, and I just charge my anti -infantry great sword right into the back of my own spear. Is that a charge? Advisable or not?

yes and you get the charge bonus on most models but occasionally they get blocked by friendly models so it's a bit less effective (based on experience, I'd say generally the charge is 60% as damaging as it would be were the Spearmen not there).

It's a good tactic when you don't want your charging unit to take the brunt of the enemy charge (for example Swordmasters, while being amazing in melee, are a bit fragile if they get charged by an AP unit with high CB, say Chosen or Chaos Warriors with great weapons, or Rat Ogres, having low armor and low MD, really need to be surrounded by Skaven who soak up the damage for them to be most effective, so they're another unit you wanna charge in later as opposed to charge in first).

[[PHNX]Kordarus]

What I usually do is that I'd absorb the charge with the spearmen unit, then keep a back line, let them fight a bit, then pull the spearmen unit back, while charging with your back line. Seems to be more effective that way, from my experience. Having 2 or 3 units on the same spot, usually create a blob and make them more vulnerable to splash attack or magic.

Also having the spearmen unit already engaged, means that not all of your back line will get in combat, they will most likely push toward the front line and get tired more quickly while not having as much individual soldier into the fight.

Also, by pulling off your first line, you give them some rest and they can engage an exhausted unit with greater stats without receiving that much of a pounding.

All the best,

Gambia Dragon