When a unit falls back from combat, the victors make a Sweeping Advance, attempting to cut down the falling back enemies, and can then make a Consolidate move. Some troops, such as Space Marine Terminators, are not allowed to sweeping advance - in such cases the unit just consolidates.

If the falling back unit no longer has any models in base contact with the victor, or if the victor has models still engaged in combat with other units which are not falling back, the victors do not get a chance to sweeping advance, but may still consolidate.

The failing back unit and the winning unit compare their Initiative characteristic + the roll of a D6.

Note: For Initiative values, always count the Initiative characteristic from the creature's profile without any modifiers. In a unit with mixed initiative characteristics, count the majority value, or the lowest if there is no majority.

• If the falling back unit's total is higher, they break off from the combat successfully. Make a Fall Back move for the losing unit. The winners can now consolidate as detailed below.
• If the winner's total is equal or greater they catch the fleeing enemy with a sweeping advance. The falling back unit is scattered. We assume that the already demoralised foe is comprehensively defeated, ripped apart and sent packing, its members left either dead, wounded, and captured, or at best fleeing and hiding. The destroyed unit(s) is removed immediately. No Invulnerable Save or other special rule (such as the Necrons' We'll Be Back special rule) can save the unit at this stage; for them the battle is over and they can take no further useful part in the fighting. The victorious unit may now make a Consolidate move. Note that this does constitute a 'Massacre!' result.

Designer's Note: initiative is used in this case, rather than Movement, to represent the reaction times of the units involved - a faster Movement rate will be useful once a unit has extricated itself from a combat, but won't help it the enemy pounces at their backs as soon as the unit attempts to turn around and break off.

There is a fate reserved for those who betray the Emperor's trust. It is not death. It is not life. What is when flesh and mind taken into the body of the Golden Throne? What is it when organs are absorbed slowly into the flesh of the living machine? Is there a mind that suffers for eons as the Emperor suffers, or does the personality fade and melt away as the flesh that houses it dissolves into nothing?

The victors of a close combat may move up to 3" in any direction to consolidate their position and recover an effective formation, or even engage new opponents. Consolidation may not be used to embark on a transport vehicle.

If a unit is consolidating due to a 'Massacre!' result, it moves D6" instead of 3" - the sudden victory may leave its members flat-tooted and dumbfounded or raring to storm onward according to the vagaries of fate.

Units making a Consolidate move are not slowed by difficult terrain and do not trigger Dangerous Terrain tests.

The move may be used to contact enemy units and lock them in combat, but the consolidating unit must maintain unit coherency and does not count as charging when combat is worked out next turn. Locked models may not, of course, be targeted or fire themselves in the Shooting phase.

Note: Sometimes a losing unit wilt only fall back 3" or less from a combat and it is perfectly possible for a consolidating unit to move straight back into contact with such slow-footed foes. Treat this as the falling back unit being subject to a new assault (though no charge bonuses apply) - see 'Assaulted While Falling Back' in the Morale section.

If several close combats are being fought in close proximity, a unit which consolidates into a new close combat does not count as engaged until the next Assault phase and is effectively ignored. All the combats are assumed to be simultaneous.