The side that loses a combat must take a test to determine whether it stands and fights or turns tail and runs away. This is called a Break test. You need to take a separate Break test for every unit involved in the combat.

Depending on which units pass and which fail their test, some may break and flee whilst others stand their ground. Troops which are better led, braver, and more professional are more likely to stand firm, whilst wild, temperamental troops are far more likely to run for it.

Take the test as follows. Firstly, nominate which unit you are testing for. Roll 2DG and add the scores together. Add the difference between the winner's and loser's combat score. If the total is greater than the unit's Leadership (Ld) value then the unit is broken. Broken units will turn tail and flee once all combat on the entire battlefield has been worked out. Until all combat has been worked out, simply turn a few of the rear rank models round to remind you that the unit is broken.

For example: A unit of Elf Archers is fighting a unit of Goblin Spearmen The Goblins inflict 3 wounds on the Elves, and the Elves inflict 4 wounds on the Goblins. However, the Goblin player has four complete ranks in his formation each extra rank adding +1 to his score, and his troops outnumber the Elves, adding another +1. This gives him 3 + 4 = 7 points against the Elves' score of 4.

The Elves have therefore lost the combat, even though they have caused more casualties – the vast numbers of Goblins pressing from the back have overwhelmed them. The Elves must therefore take a Break test adding +3 to their dice score, because the difference between the scores is 3. Elves have a good Leadership value (8) but with the extra +3 modifier on the dice, the player will have to roll 5 or less to stand and fight. The player rolls 2D6 and scores 7. The +3 modifier brings his total to 10 which is greater than the unit's Leadership, so the Elves are broken.

Once all defeated units have taken a Break test, each remaining unit that is within 6" of friendly units which have broken or been wiped out is called upon to take a Panic test, as described in the Psychology section. This represents the spread of panic amongst the army as friendly units collapse and turn tail and run. Panic is a special psychological effect, and the full rules for Panic are covered in the following section of the rulebook. However, it is worth bearing in mind at this stage that Panic tests must be taken once all Break tests are complete, but before fleeing troops are moved.

Once you have completed all of the Break tests resulting from combat that turn and have taken all necessary Panic tests, it is time for broken and panicked troops to flee. Fleeing troops turn directly away from their enemy and run as fast as they can. If they were engaged by several opponents, they flee away from the enemy unit with the highest Unit Strength. They abandon their formation and run from their enemy in a complete rout, blindly scrambling over the ground in their efforts to avoid destruction.

Even though the fleeing unit moves in a disorganised mob, for the purposes of moving the fleeing troops, it is convenient to keep them in formation.

It is difficult to say precisely how far fleeing troops will run because they are no longer fighting as a body but milling around in a frightened mob. To represent this, dice are rolled to establish how far the fleeing unit moves. If the unit normally moves 6" or less roll 2D6. If the unit moves more than 6" roll 3D6. The result is the distance covered by the fleeing troops. Due to their disrupted formation, they ignore any penalty for obstacles and terrain (apart from impassable terrain).

Move the fleeing unit directly away from its enemy, so that the closest part of the unit is 2D6" or 3D6" away and facing in the opposite direction. Fleeing troops will move round friends where possible, but will move straight through friends if no other venue of escape remains, individual fleeing models that would otherwise end up in the middle of a friendly unit are instead placed to the side or beyond them if this is the only option.

A fleeing unit is destroyed if caught by pursuers, as described under Pursuit.

If they are not destroyed then fleeing units continue to move 2D6" or 3D6" during their subsequent Movement phases. This is their Flee roll. They must attempt to leave the battlefield as quickly as possible, which often means that they will move towards the nearest table edge. This is a 'compulsory move' so fleeing troops are moved before other troops once charges have been declared (see the Movement section). Due to their disorganised formation they ignore penalties for obstacles and terrain (except for impassable terrain).

A unit which is fleeing cannot fight, shoot or use magic – it can only flee. Where there is room, it will move round obstacles that block its path, including units of troops. Fleeing troops will not move within 4" of enemy unless they have no other choice – if they are surrounded, for example.

If any models from a fleeing unit leave the table edge then the entire unit is considered to have left the battlefield and is removed from play. Troops have scattered beyond recovery or have found places to hide themselves until the battle is over.

If enemy troops successfully charge a unit that is already fleeing then the unit automatically flees from the charge. The unit makes its 2D6" or 3D6" Flee roll just like any other unit fleeing from a charge. The charging enemy destroys the fleeing troops if it catches them. If they do not catch the fleeing troops then the charge has failed (see Movement for the rules relating to charges and charge reactions).