Better out than in!

[Magpie]

In order for the IC to leave the unit he must move out off coherency (either him or the unit) in both cases that means the movement phase is done for the unit and the IC.

That's not right.

If an IC leaves a unit, the unit is still able to move. It's only when an IC joins a unit that both their movement phases are over.

[SeattleDV8]

In the Movement phase when you decide to move you have one unit which is a IC and a unit.
They can both move, but they have to move at the same time because they are one unit.
It is allowed for models in a unit not to move.
If the IC moves and the unit doesn't at that time they have elected not to move, or the other way around, the unit moves and the IC doesn't.
Yes they become two units at the end of their movement (note their movement not the end of the phase) ,but they were a single unit when moves are declared.

Move now or sit where you were.

It's a timing issue, once their movement is done they don't get a second chance.

[Magpie]

The rule says you leave DURING the movement phase by moving out of coherency. The moment the IC moves away it is no longer part of the unit.
There is nothing that stops the unit moving off on its own way.

[Nabterayl]

Sure, but why is the IC allowed to move at all? Not because you chose the IC to move. You can only choose units to move, and the IC isn't a unit when joined. In order to move any models, you need to first choose to move the unit those models belong to. Then you can choose to move, or not move, each model in that unit, and once you have done so you can't move those models later that same Movement phase.

[Magpie]

But the rule says that the IC leaves the unit by moving out of coherency with it.
Not being out of coherency when his move finishes, nor by just simply being out of coherency but by moving out of coherency.

For example the IC has not left the unit if casualties make him out of coherency, it is the act of moving, from beginning to end that makes him leave the unit.

If he moves with the intention of leaving coherency then at that very moment he is no longer part of the squad.

[Daemonette666]

A silly point, but if an independent character attached to a unit decides not to move (has not moved yet), and the rest of the unit moves out of coherency, then that breaks the wording for the whole joining and leaving units. Why, he did not move, the unit moved.

You could have a unit leave a vehicle say a landraider and get ready to assault some enemy squad. The IC stays on board because you want him to get closer to another unit more suited to his close combat weapons (for next turns assault), and then after the vehicle moves to say deny a unit of Tau supporting Over watch fire, a second unit could board the Landraider and the IC would automatically join onto it.

GW has had a very poor reputation for checking the wording in their codexes and rule books. Hence the massive amount of Errata and FAQs they put out. All companies have to put out Errata and FAQs, as no company gets it right, and it takes a while to get the kinks out, and make the rules so people know what is intended. GW is just gotten worse at doing it first time a lot more lately. They are not the only ones, but they are a Huge company, and have the resources to play test and check things better.

I can see both points of view, but my first point still is valid. An IC has not left a unit that has moved out of coherency with him/her if the IC has not moved yet, and is over 2" from the nearest model in the unit.

The rules say that all models in a unit must move to stay in coherency, but what if you do not want to move the IC away from their little hidie-hole in the middle of heavy cover, and you want the unit to position itself to assault the enemy. The IC might be standing behind an AGL manning a Quad Gun, and you might even move another unit into coherency with the IC after the first unit has moved. The rules say he now automatically joins the second unit.

As you can see the rules contradict themselves all the time, and logic and common sense has to play some part in how we move our little metal, plastic and resin toy soldiers about.

If in doubt roll the dice 50% chance it goes your way.

[Magpie]

A silly point, but if an independent character attached to a unit decides not to move (has not moved yet), and the rest of the unit moves out of coherency, then that breaks the wording for the whole joining and leaving units. Why, he did not move, the unit moved.

You can't do that tho' for the reasons you mention it must be the IC who leaves the unit. The only exception to this is the case of vehicles

The IC might be standing behind an AGL manning a Quad Gun, and you might even move another unit into coherency with the IC after the first unit has moved. The rules say he now automatically joins the second unit.

No they don't. The only way an IC can join a unit (out of a vehicle) is for the IC to move to coherency with the unit at the end of their move. If they move to him, he has not joined the unit.

[Daemonette666]

So in real life an officer can not order a squad to move to the top of the hill and call up another squad waiting at the base of the hill. Who ever heard of an officer taking the time to move to join units. In my experience, they get the unit to move to them. The unit would move up pepper-potting, or using fire and movement, while the officer sits in cover shouting at everyone.

I would have to move the second unit up and mingle them close to the unit with the IC, then move the IC to the other side of the Quadgun, and then move the unit first away from him. That is a messy procedure, and it is easier to just move them as I mentioned in my first post.

In friendly games with my mates, we do this all the time, as we value our little painted miniatures, and want to avoid knocking them off the table, or damaging them. It is easier to do this than other methods of trying to get another unit close enough to have the IC join onto it (the first unit gets in the way too much).

[Magpie]

Making house rules from your take on the IRL situation is fine mate, happens all the time.

I'm sure the rules in the BRB are the way they are mainly to make sure there is no room for cheating and so that everyone is clear on what is happening.

[Tynskel]

For the record, I concur about that point and always have. I've never understood the rules to allow you to move either a squad or an IC joined to that squad, move somebody else, and then go back and move the other half of the formerly combined unit.

The rules never said you could not do this. Sometimes what you are planning takes some finesse. Sometimes you move the unit away from the character. Then you need to roll difficult terrain for a second unit, then you move the IC to the appropriate position to join the second unit.