When a unit closes with its enemies in close combat, character models will inevitably find themselves confronted by enemy troops. As described in the Close Combat section, models can attack any enemy models whose base they are touching.

Troopers confronted by character models will usually have the option of attacking a character or ordinary enemies, as bases will usually overlap slightly when models move into combat. Where a player has a choice of attacking characters or ordinary troops, he must nominate which model(s) he is striking against before rolling to hit.

Characters often come face-to-face with enemy characters, and the same choice applies to them as to other models - they may attack any enemy whose base they are touching. If a character has more than 1 Attack he can divide his attacks among characters and ordinary troops as described in the Close Combat section. The challenge is an important exception to this rule as described below.

As with combat between ordinary warriors, casualties inflicted by a character can extend beyond the models the character is touching. If a character has say, 4 Attacks and is facing two enemy troopers then his attacks are worked out against these. However, if the character scores sufficient wounds to slay three or four models then the enemy unit loses three or four troopers, not just two.

Don't be fooled by the fact that models are static and the battle lines rigid and straight. What is represented is real combat! Heroes are just the type to strike boldly left and right, stepping forward to deliver fresh attacks, cutting down foes who step forward to fill a gap.

If a character attacks an enemy character, or another individual model such as a monster, then any excess wounds caused by those attacks are not carried over onto ordinary troopers fighting alongside. The attacker has chosen to concentrate his attacks on a single special foe and any wounds left over are wasted and do not count towards the result of the combat. The exception to this rule is during the challenge as described next.