Declaring Assaults against separate units mixed together

[Druid]

A quick question I couldn't find any posts about.

Recently in a game a friend declared an assault against one of my units. The unit he was assaulting was so close to another of my units they were mixed together. When he started moving into base contact we found he couldn't get into base contact with only the one unit, they were so close that in order for him to get into base contact he HAD to contact the other unit. Now because he had to contact the other unit would he have to declare assaults against both units, thus getting overwatched by both units, or could he just declare against the one unit, getting overwatched by just the one unit, but also having to do a disorganized assault and not getting his extra attacks?

[Nurgling Chieftain]

When he started moving into base contact we found he couldn't get into base contact with only the one unit, they were so close that in order for him to get into base contact he HAD to contact the other unit.

Seriously? He couldn't get even one model in base contact with his target unit without also contacting another unit? I can't picture this. Do you realize he can be, say, 1/10th of an inch from the other unit?

[Druid]

Seriously. After moving his closest model first (it was a Nob Biker squad) the model right beside him could contact the first unit, but only by contacting the second unit, and he didn't have enough room to try the other side cause he couldn't move that far (due to rolling low on the charge roll).

[Nurgling Chieftain]

So, one model got in, right? The second model can't make base contact, so it stops in engagement distance. Repeat.

[Druid]

So, one model got in, right? The second model can't make base contact, so it stops in engagement distance. Repeat.

As far as I can tell if a model can get into base contact he must, so since the second model can get into base contact (albeit while contacting the second unit), he must. I don't see why he would stop in engagement distance? And if that's the case could you please tell me where in the rulebook this is so I can find it and reference it if this happens again please.

[Nurgling Chieftain]

You're not allowed to contact enemy units you're not charging.

[Druid]

And this is where the problem lies. He can't hold back, he must get into base contact if he can, he can by charging both units. I haven't seen anything that says he can hold back when assaulting. The way I see it he assaults both units or neither, or he declares against the first unit and has to do a disorganized assault, and I would expect it to be the same if the roles were reversed.

[Saunders]

An incorrect assumption. Charging multiple units is always a deliberate decision. To successfully charge an opposing unit, one must be able to enter base contact with at least one of their models. Beyond that, they cannot enter base contact with another unit unless they opted to charge that one as well--it's not something forced upon the player.

There is no incidental engagement with enemy units. The charging player must declare if he is charging multiple units, he is not forced to if he does not wish to.

[Nurgling Chieftain]

He can't hold back...

He's not holding back, he's getting as many models into the fight as he can while still following the rules for how his models are allowed to move. The "no holding back" rule doesn't retroactively affect charge declaration, or else a charge declaration phase would be entirely superfluous.

[Druid]

Ok, even if he does need to hold back and only assault the unit he declared against, you aren't allowed to move any model within an inch of a model it isn't assaulting, so how can the first model make base contact with the unit he assaults without coming into the one inch boundary of the unit he isn't assaulting? And before the question is asked, yes they were so close that moving any model into base contact would put him within an inch of a model in the unit not being assaulted.

EDIT* I would also like some pages to reference please, it's easy to tell people they're wrong, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't show where it says they are.

[Lungboy]

Ok, even if he does need to hold back and only assault the unit he declared against, you aren't allowed to move any model within an inch of a model it isn't assaulting, so how can the first model make base contact with the unit he assaults without coming into the one inch boundary of the unit he isn't assaulting?

This is the bit that's wrong i think, will dig out a page ref asap.

[Nurgling Chieftain]

...you aren't allowed to move any model within an inch of a model it isn't assaulting...

No, the 1" rule is lifted for charging. He's only forbidden from making contact, you can get as close as you like. Back in 4th edition when the 1" rule held against enemy models you weren't charging, some bright goobs figured out formations that were impossible to assault.

EDIT* I would also like some pages to reference please, it's easy to tell people they're wrong, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't show where it says they are.

The relevant charging rules aren't exactly spread across a wide swathe of the rulebook.

[Coredump]

As with almost all rules... they come with the assumption of "...without breaking any other rules"

So you can't hold back, but you also can't break any other rules.

So you can't hold back, but you can't cross impassable terrain.
You can't hold back, but you can't move through models
You can't hold back, but you can't move farther than your charge distance.
You can't hold back, but you can't end out of coherency.

and

You can't hold back, but you can't contact any units you have not declared a charge against.