[Col. Angus]

I always hate arguing semantics but I was pondering this while watching a Guard player use this doctrine. Here goes: would you still be able to get close order drill when YOU assault an enemy? (please read the example)

Example:
Let's say you have a ten man squad that is surely going to be assaulted in the next two turns and you had the opportunity to "steal" your opponents charge bonues by moving 6 and then assaulting him in your turn (I describe it in detail this way to avoid questions as to why I would what to throw my "meatbags with flashlights" TOWARD the enemy, I would just as soon shoot the bejesus out of him. ) Lets clarify and say your opponent misjudged distance to your squad or something, which in turn made said opportunity arise.

Anyways, back to it. You assault, moving closest to closest and whatnot, but after doing the assault move your models are no longer in base to base because HIS models weren't in base to base, effectively nullifying the bonuses for cod. Of course, i'm aware that it doesn't say that it WON'T work on your charge but, I suppose the question is more based on the situation.

This particular situation happened with previous guard player where his opponent misjudged his movement and ended up being something like 10 inches away, so the guard player just assaulted and broke base to base by the time assault moves were done. They mutually agreed that he got it but the opponent could've pushed it if he wanted to...

Thanks for the input.

 

[Kaiser]

I made a long post a while ago about how I think COD should be used, I'll quote it here for you since I belive it should cover everything you're asking. If not, feel free to poke me and I'll be happy to spread some lights on my thoughts.

Aslong as your guardsmen are in base to base and you've got the close order drill doctrine, any conscript or guardsman from a standard infantry platoon will benefit from close order drill, it doesn't matter if they form a large box, a huge X, a long line, a crescent or a circle, aslong as all the men of the squad are in base to base the rest doesn't matter.

I always take Close Order Drill myself, but I never deploy my men in base to base to reduce damage from template weapons. No, there is only one way I think guardsmen should really be in base to base and that's when you charge.

Say a squad of marines will charge your lines the next round, the squad that will be charged should then be sent forward towards the target - as close as they can get. The remaining of your squads should then fire their weapons against the squad that's about to assault you and hopefully kill a few. Then you assault using the squad sent forward and form close order drill. Not only do you deny your opponent an additional 6" move in the assauly phase, but you also deny him any extra attacks for charging.

Now as you charge, place your men in base to base and form close order drill, the bonus initiative will make you strike simultaneously as the marines and therefore the guardsmen who would have died if he had struck first will get their attacks. It might not be enough, but extra dice are always usefull. You've also moved the close combat away from your fireline, meaning that if you've deployed smartly and moved your squad forward 6" + the assault distance, so there should be plenty of room between the fight and your next squad meaning he won't be able to consolitade into your lines after your assaulters have been cut down.

Now, after you've traded blows and you've lost a few guys and perhaps killed a few of his you now want to lose the close combat. He probably scored more casulties than you did so it's time to remove some models. Since it's still your round you want your men to hold, so let the regular grunts die and stay in base to base, keep the veteran sergeant and vox caster alive and let the regular grunts die. His round begins and you trade blows again, he'll probably win again this time however the veteran sergeant should be the first one to go. Since he increases the leadership value of the squad whenether you want him too or not, so the first casulty should be him. Ideally, once the veteran sergeant is dead you should have a gap in your close order drill, meaning a 2 point drop in the squads leadership score and since close order drill is broken, you're back to having initiative 3.
If you've got any vox caster in the squad then simly say that you don't want to use him. Same with any officers within 12" of the squad, don't use his leadership either.

Without COD, any veteran sergeant, vox casters or officers in the way, you're down to Ld7 in case of a normal squad, add in the penalties for being under half strenght or outnumbered, daemonic visage and whatnot and you're hopefully going to fail that roll. Next the initiative test, without COD you're at a disadvantage and will hopefully be run down by the marines, who'll get to consolidate a D6", but if you've done as I've said, shouldn't be able to reach any other squad... and with your movement and more importantly, your shooting phase being next you can fire at the remains of his squad. Repeat the proceedure with another squad if you think you won't be able to gun him down.

The trick is to lose close combat in his round while staying away far enough so he won't be able to consolidate into another of your squads. That'll leave him open for your guns and his doom.