Breaking & Rallying

As soon as a squad loses 25% or more of its Current Strength^† to Shooting or Hand-to-Hand Combat in a single turn, it must take a Leadership Test. If the squad fails this test, it becomes Broken. Only one test is ever taken per squad, per turn.

A Break Test is taken on the squad leader's Leadership, or on the highest in the squad where the leader is dead.

Space Marines that fail a Break Test become Shaken rather than Broken.

^† Current Strength is the number of models a squad has at the start of the turn.

When a squad becomes Broken, it is no longer able to participate in the standard Turn Sequence. If the squad is in cover, it will remain stationary and Hide when its next turn begins. If not in cover, the squad will flee 2D6" away from any enemy models and towards the nearest piece of cover. Whilst Broken, models will continue to move in this way until they can reach cover and Hide. Terrain penalties do not slow fleeing troops, though Impassable Terrain still bars them. Players may agree beforehand that fleeing troops entering some particularly treacherous ground, a marsh among them, are lost on a D6 roll of 1.

If a model which causes Fear or Terror moves within 8" of a Broken squad, it will immediately flee an additional 2D6".

When a squad Breaks during Hand-to-Hand Combat, or if it is Charged while Broken, it will attempt to Break Off from the combat and flee.

Heroic Characters

If a Heroic Character that is Immune to Psychology is attached to a squad which breaks, it is not Broken and may act normally. However, if its rules require it to remain with the unit, it must maintain Squad Coherency with the fleeing squad, though it may otherwise act freely.

During the Rally Phase, eligible units which are Broken may attempt to Rally. To do so, they must pass a Leadership Test; if they pass then they may act normally from their next turn, otherwise they remain Broken.

Units are eligible to Rally if:

If a unit is at 25% or less of its starting strength and is Broken, it may never Rally. The unit is considered destroyed, and any remaining models are immediately removed.

Insane Bravery and Craven Cowardice

When attempting to rally a Broken unit, if the Leadership Test scores a 2, the squad is truly roused and leaps straight back into the fight—they may immediately take a normal Turn, moving, firing, going on Overwatch or charging, though they do not fight Hand-to-Hand Combat in it. From the player's next turn the squad acts normally, and may be Broken again. If, on the other hand, the score is 12, then the squad's morale is irreparably broken—the unit is considered destroyed, and all models are immediately removed.

Some warriors fight to the last without faltering. A model designated as Never Breaks—by its unit entry, wargear, or army list—never Breaks. Any Leadership Test demanded of it passes automatically, and nothing can Break it.