8th ed anti close combat tactic for squishy Guard armies.

[RedCuffs]

OK. I'm a bit on the thick side when it comes to interpreting rules.
I've read the new leaks especially about the assault (charge and fight phases).
Because, as a Guard player I don't do too well in that part of the game.

Now, I've thought about a way I could reduce the effectiveness of an enemy asault.
If I've got anything wrong would someone please let me know and I will humbly accept the fact that I have intellectual shortcomings.

So I have a standard Guard squad that I expect to be charged and subsequently destroyed before any of my chaps get even get a swing in.
I arrange them into a formation shaped like an upside down "T" with what is normally the bottom or base of the "T" pointing in the direction of the enemy unit I expect to do the charging. The squad are spaced out to the max.

They are charged and contact is made with the point man who is placed at the base or bottom of the stem of the "T".
I expect the enemy to pile in their 3" but hopefully they won't manage to engage my whole squad (especially the tasty weapons that I place in a position that is by the top or crossbar of the T.

The new rules say that those involved "MAY" pile in. Not "must". I interpret that as we don't have to pile in if we don't want to. So I don't.

The fight phase is resolved and I invariably lose several guys.
I remove them from the front, that is those closest to the enemy.
A gap then appears between my squad and the enemy that is greater than 1".
Now this means to me (correct me if I'm wrong) that the two units are no longer in close combat.

Now I haven't withdrawn out of the contact. In fact I haven't moved at all.
And it's my turn now.

The tasty weapons that I placed at the rear, along the crossbar of the "T" open up at full BS, with an order that gives them RF2 and Kung-Fu the living bomboclarts out of the enemy.

The squad receive tea and medals at the end of the day.

Thoughts, opinions are gratefully received.

[RedsandRoyals]

I think you're outsmarting yourself a bit.

You're forgetting that your opponent consolidates too, up to 3in (in addition to the 3in they get to pile in before everyone swings). There's also the chance that they may be charging you from an angle or very close, thus being able to engage other parts of your "T". Then there's the question of wounds. If you get hit by something that rolls swarms of dice for attacks (Death Company, large units of Orks, etc), the squad is going to be taking a BUTTLOAD of saving throws, since they can probably generate enough wounds to stack 2-3 wounds per model on smaller squads. Then you're looking at a squad wipe, or at least neutered to the point of ineffectiveness. The converse is also a problem, where you only remove a few guardsmen and you're still in combat.

This is one of those things that sounds good on paper, but will probably be overly-complex to pull off for minimal result, since so many variables have to be perfect.

Why not just have a 10 man squad with either flamers or nothing as a screening skirmish line? Have them soak the charge, then fall back in the movement phase if any survive. Then do your shooting and have your medal ceremony.

[RedCuffs]

I don't expect it to work every time but it's best to have a plan than none at all.
I forgot about the consolidation 3'' move.
That would scupper me good and proper.
My closest survivor would have to be over 4'' from the enemy for it to work.
I've also thought that some armies may have a codex that grants them a larger consolidation move too.
And passing the new brutal morale phase too.

I'd thought about angles. Maybe a "Y' formation would work better to counter that factor.
Sure, an enemy that can inflict 30 wounds is going to hard to counter in any way.

I'll give it a go if the situation arises.
I think not piling in and removing casualties from the front will take most opponents by surprise, they're the key factors.

Anyway, it sounds like you agree that it could work technically and is all legal rules wise.
That's what I was most concerned about.

[RedsandRoyals]

I'll be a bit generous and call it a "niche" tactic, but yes, mechanically, if everything goes right it should work as far as I can tell from the leaked rules. There's a long road from "feasible" to "useful", though.

I still say 10 guardsmen 5in in front of your blobs is your best bet. There's literally a rule to make it work, they screen a much larger area from a charge, and you don't risk losing the rest of the blob if the charge goes in further than you expect.