However, some things went away, and other things have crept up that make the charge mechanics odd and somewhat reality-defying.
Here are a few suggestions, use them together or one at a time (depending on which rules aggravate you more), hope they serve you well.
PROBLEM: 2D6" of charge range added to Movement characteristic, even on an average roll, can be significantly farther than what a unit could otherwise cover during a march move (especially units that are slow). Dwarves in particular stick out, being able to shoot out on a charge, but otherwise being extremely slow.
SOLUTION: the roll for charge range is M + D6 + D3" (EDITED from +D4"). Models with the Swiftstride rule roll an additional D6 (as before) and discard the lowest D6 of the two (not the D3).
This makes charges slightly shorter, and make the Movement characteristic of the model more relevant. On average, and considering Swiftstride, each unit will still charge roughly equivalent to their march move, and only to a maximum of M + 10 on the highest roll.
PROBLEM: distance between chargers and chargees (thats a word, right?) is measured by the shortest point between them, causing some situations with chargers which are not directly facing the target measuring from their closest front corner, and gaining a very wide wheeling move completely for free because full movement covered during charge is not counted for, only closest distance).
SOLUTION: distance between charger and target is measured from the center of the front rank of the charger, and the middle point of the face of the target unit (be it the front, side or rear of it).
Measuring from the center is the most balanced compromise I could find. Although I considered measuring from the farthest front corner of the charger, if you then have to measure to the farthest front corner of the chargee, that would be complicated, or the wording would have to be "the corresponding corner facing the farthest corner of the charger"... and rules argument over wording would ensue, I would need a diagram to explain... this way is simpler.
PROBLEM: charging, as opposed to being charged, provides as benefits only a +1 to CR, +S bonuses if wielding certain weapons, +1A if you have Devastating charge, and the fact that you can enhance your unit during your own magic phase (which you know its going to see combat immediately). However, it provides little intrinsic benefit for the combat itself (in 7th chargers used to strike first), other than the +1 CR.
SOLUTION: chargers gain +D3 Initiative in the round of combat during which they charged.
This is a middle ground solution between 7th edition "Chargers strike first" and 8th edition "everyone strikes at Initiative". This counterbalances slightly some of the issues caused by models that will always strike first (even if they dont have the rule), and gives more reason to players to commit their units to charge instead of being charged. Undead, for instance, gain little benefit from charging, as they almost always get hit first, and have to endure 2 rounds of combat before they can heal their units back up.
PROBLEM: the charging unit always 'closes the door' first to its target (even if the target is significantly smaller), often making it swing around significantly and cause it to be redirected (to great effect).
SOLUTION: the smaller unit between charger and chargee is the one that 'closes the door'. To decide which unit is larger, it will be the one with more full ranks (of 5+ models, 3+ for monstrous units, or 1 for monsters). Units of Cavalry, Monstrous Cavalry/Infantry/Beasts, Chariots and Monsters always count as having +1 rank for this purpose, to represent their added ability to break formations. If both units have equal number of ranks, then they both close in into each other by the same amount until they are in contact. The exception to this rule are Frenzied units: they will always 'close the door' first to their target.
(EDITED 3-12-15: added +1 bonus for monstrous inf, beasts and chariots, and monsters always count as being 1 full rank)
This rule gets rid of the unrealistic situations where a tiny small unit redirects a huge unit by a significant angle. It will still allow Frenzied units to be baited and redirected around, so this weakness can still be exploited. It significantly limits the strategy of redirecting, but its renders the game more realistic.
This rule gets rid of the unrealistic situations where a tiny small unit redirects a huge unit by a significant angle. It will still allow Frenzied units to be baited and redirected around, so this weakness can still be exploited. It significantly limits the strategy of redirecting, but its renders the game more realistic.
