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The round · Rulebook §8.8

10Phase 3 · Combat

Melee. Unlike the other Phases, acting here is mandatory: every Engaged Unit fights; you cannot skip a fight.

Who fights§8.8

Only Engaged Units may be activated; Unengaged Units do nothing. Every Engaged Unit must activate.
Flying Units are never Engaged: they do not take part, cannot Close Ranks and cannot be targeted by Close Combat Attacks.
The First Player Marker holder decides who starts; then players alternate, one Engaged Unit per turn. Once its attack is resolved, remove its Activation Marker.
You only Pass when you have no Engaged Units left to activate. When both Pass, the Phase ends.

Why it works this wayBecause fighting is mandatory, nobody can dodge an unfavourable melee. That forces careful thinking about charges and positioning in the earlier Phases.

The Close Combat Attack, step by step§8.8.1

1
Close Ranks (optional)
Before rolling, the Unit may press in: the Leading Model moves up to 3" with the standard rules, but must end closer to the Unit(s) it is Engaged with and cannot engage new enemy Units. The rest are reset In Coherency: in base contact with enemies wherever possible; otherwise in base contact with squadmates within 1" of the enemy. Models already in base contact do not move (they are pinned). It cannot be used to Disengage from other enemies.
2
Declare attackers
Fighting Rank: models within 1" of an enemy model. Supporting Rank: models in base contact with a squadmate in the Fighting Rank. Both strike. No Line of Sight is needed; they strike the enemy Unit as a whole.
3
Roll attacks
Same as a Ranged Attack (hit, Surge, armour, Evade, damage), but only with Combat Phase weapons. If a model has several Combat weapons, pick one.
4
Casualties
Using the Engaged-Unit priority: first models not within 1" of enemies, then those within 1" without contact, and finally those in base contact (previous chapter).
5
Post-combat
If none of its remaining models is within 1" of an enemy, the Unit is immediately Unengaged. A freed Unit that had not activated yet is no longer bound to fight: it effectively Passes and acts normally from the next Round (unless a Reaction says otherwise).

Zergling A is in the Fighting Rank (within 1" of a Marine); B is in the Supporting Rank (touching A). Both strike. C is in neither and does not take part.Image: official rulebook · §8.8.1 · p.68

ImportantEvade in melee: only if an ability or keyword explicitly grants it against Close Combat attacks (e.g. BURROWED or HIDDEN grant Evade against every attack). Being Engaged only grants Evade against ranged attacks.

Official FAQ v1.1If all your models are already in base contact, you cannot Close Ranks: the Leading Model must end closer than it started, and it can’t.

TipClose Ranks is a free 3" move many players forget. More models touching the enemy = more dice. And if you were the one charged, your Close Ranks lets you pull more of your models into the fight.

Fighting multiple Units§8.8.1

A model may attack an enemy Unit only if it is in the Fighting Rank against it, or in the Supporting Rank of a squadmate that is in the Fighting Rank against that Unit.
Before rolling, declare which target gets the Surge Die. It cannot be split.
When removing casualties at priorities 2 and 3 you must keep the Engagement with all enemy Units while another valid casualty exists (FAQ).
Splitting attacks between two Units is a single Batch; you may assign keywords such as PRECISION to one target or split them (FAQ).

Example · From the rulebook: Zerglings vs two Units

5 Zerglings are Engaged with Marauders and Marines, all in base contact (no Close Ranks possible). Two touch the Marauders, two the Marines and one both, which chooses the Marauders. With RoA 2: 6 attacks at the Marauders and 4 at the Marines. James declares the Surge against the Marauders (their Surge works on Light and Armoured). The Marines get no Surge in that fight.

IMPACT after a Charge

IMPACT (X) Y: right after a successful Charge, each model in the Fighting or Supporting Rank generates X dice. Against a single Unit, they all go there; against several, you may split them. For each result of Y or higher, put one die into the target’s Armour Pool and roll saves immediately. No Surge, Damage 1. HIDDEN Units are immune.

Engaged BURROWED Units

If a BURROWED Unit is Engaged at the start of the Combat Phase, it must activate but cannot attack while burrowed. It may Close Ranks as its first step, which removes BURROWED, and then attack normally. If it does not Close Ranks, it does not attack. Enemies may attack it normally.

▶ SimulatorFull attack simulator

Pick who attacks, with which weapons and at whom. Card stats load automatically. Add Batches to fire several weapons (or several Units) at the same target.

Attack type

Target

Weapon Batchesresolved in order · §8.7.3

AttackerWeapon

Strike: Target Ground · Surge — · — · Zergling: Biological, Light, Ground

Models firingOnly those in Range

Target modelsTarget rolls EvadeOnly if an ability grants it

Hits (avg)

3.10

Damage dice (avg)

2.59

Damage (avg)

2.59

Kills (avg)

2.59

Wipe the Unit

Chance to kill at least:1: 94.4%2: 77.2%3: 51%4: 24%5: 9.4%6: 2.2%

Advanced settings — modifiers, abilities (PRECISION, TOUGH…), Shield, existing damage

Weapon · Batch 1

RoAExtra diceHit5+Hit modifier−1 for LONG RANGEDMG

S Dice

PRECISIONCRITICAL HITCONCENTRATED FIRE0 = no capEvade mod.ANTI-EVADE (X) = −X

Target has the Surge Combat Tag

Target · Zergling

HPShieldExisting damageArmour6+Armour mod.TOUGHDODGEEvade4+0 = Null Value (–)

Target Engaged (casualties ignore visibility)

In plain wordsEveryone Engaged must fight. You may step in 3" to bring more models in; those within 1" of the enemy strike, plus those touching them. Dice are rolled just like shooting.

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The round · Rulebook §8.8

10Phase 3 · Combat

Melee. Unlike the other Phases, acting here is mandatory: every Engaged Unit fights; you cannot skip a fight.

Who fights§8.8

Only Engaged Units may be activated; Unengaged Units do nothing. Every Engaged Unit must activate.
Flying Units are never Engaged: they do not take part, cannot Close Ranks and cannot be targeted by Close Combat Attacks.
The First Player Marker holder decides who starts; then players alternate, one Engaged Unit per turn. Once its attack is resolved, remove its Activation Marker.
You only Pass when you have no Engaged Units left to activate. When both Pass, the Phase ends.

Why it works this wayBecause fighting is mandatory, nobody can dodge an unfavourable melee. That forces careful thinking about charges and positioning in the earlier Phases.

The Close Combat Attack, step by step§8.8.1

1
Close Ranks (optional)
Before rolling, the Unit may press in: the Leading Model moves up to 3" with the standard rules, but must end closer to the Unit(s) it is Engaged with and cannot engage new enemy Units. The rest are reset In Coherency: in base contact with enemies wherever possible; otherwise in base contact with squadmates within 1" of the enemy. Models already in base contact do not move (they are pinned). It cannot be used to Disengage from other enemies.
2
Declare attackers
Fighting Rank: models within 1" of an enemy model. Supporting Rank: models in base contact with a squadmate in the Fighting Rank. Both strike. No Line of Sight is needed; they strike the enemy Unit as a whole.
3
Roll attacks
Same as a Ranged Attack (hit, Surge, armour, Evade, damage), but only with Combat Phase weapons. If a model has several Combat weapons, pick one.
4
Casualties
Using the Engaged-Unit priority: first models not within 1" of enemies, then those within 1" without contact, and finally those in base contact (previous chapter).
5
Post-combat
If none of its remaining models is within 1" of an enemy, the Unit is immediately Unengaged. A freed Unit that had not activated yet is no longer bound to fight: it effectively Passes and acts normally from the next Round (unless a Reaction says otherwise).

Official FAQ v1.1If all your models are already in base contact, you cannot Close Ranks: the Leading Model must end closer than it started, and it can’t.

TipClose Ranks is a free 3" move many players forget. More models touching the enemy = more dice. And if you were the one charged, your Close Ranks lets you pull more of your models into the fight.

Fighting multiple Units§8.8.1

A model may attack an enemy Unit only if it is in the Fighting Rank against it, or in the Supporting Rank of a squadmate that is in the Fighting Rank against that Unit.
Before rolling, declare which target gets the Surge Die. It cannot be split.
When removing casualties at priorities 2 and 3 you must keep the Engagement with all enemy Units while another valid casualty exists (FAQ).
Splitting attacks between two Units is a single Batch; you may assign keywords such as PRECISION to one target or split them (FAQ).

Example · From the rulebook: Zerglings vs two Units

IMPACT after a Charge

Engaged BURROWED Units

▶ SimulatorFull attack simulator

Pick who attacks, with which weapons and at whom. Card stats load automatically. Add Batches to fire several weapons (or several Units) at the same target.

Attack type

Target

Weapon Batchesresolved in order · §8.7.3

AttackerWeapon

Strike: Target Ground · Surge — · — · Zergling: Biological, Light, Ground

Models firingOnly those in Range

Target modelsTarget rolls EvadeOnly if an ability grants it

Hits (avg)

3.10

Damage dice (avg)

2.59

Damage (avg)

2.59

Kills (avg)

2.59

Wipe the Unit

Chance to kill at least:1: 94.4%2: 77.2%3: 51%4: 24%5: 9.4%6: 2.2%

Advanced settings — modifiers, abilities (PRECISION, TOUGH…), Shield, existing damage

Weapon · Batch 1

RoAExtra diceHit5+Hit modifier−1 for LONG RANGEDMG

S Dice

PRECISIONCRITICAL HITCONCENTRATED FIRE0 = no capEvade mod.ANTI-EVADE (X) = −X

Target has the Surge Combat Tag

Target · Zergling

HPShieldExisting damageArmour6+Armour mod.TOUGHDODGEEvade4+0 = Null Value (–)

Target Engaged (casualties ignore visibility)

In plain wordsEveryone Engaged must fight. You may step in 3" to bring more models in; those within 1" of the enemy strike, plus those touching them. Dice are rolled just like shooting.