An idea following a series of small scale – just the retinue with one support card versus one ot two support cards worth of foes – encounters, and the constraints on tactical decisions this created.
In the Orders Phase, a detachment of the warband may be split into two or more smaller groups. Each group can act independently, receiving their own separate order counters and free to move without having to stay in formation with one another (although a group consisting of more than one unit still needs to maintain formation amongst the group itself).
Splitting a detachment imposes a morale penalty of 1 per group that has been split of to all groups within the detachment (e.g., splitting a tactical detachment of space marines into three groups, each consisting of 2 tactical stands and a Rhino, will impose a penalty of 2 – for an effective Morale Value of 4 – on all of them).
If two or more groups of the same original detachment are within 6 cm of one another during the Orders Phase, they can be (re-)combined into one group, reducing the morale penalty.
Note that any special command rules, such as the Imperial Guard’s chain of command, remain in effect when a detachment is split into groups.
Other imperial leaders will not follow such unconventional tactics. The rule is applicable only to detachments within the retinue’s immediate warband.