With a massive and admirably comprehensive FAQ released last week, Vre’kais is once more donning the powerful robes and wig of Judge Ruleshammer and working through past articles, making sure they’re all up to date with the latest rulings, and then turning to some previously ambiguous questions that the new rules shed more light on. Today, we kick off with some updates to the Ruleshammer Compendium.
I’ve scoured the Ruleshammer Compendium for questions that have different answers in the light of the June FAQ.
Table of Contents
Tau – Mont’ka and Falling Back
This has finally been resolved once and for all by a new set of expansions to the Remain Stationary rare rule.
Rules That Count As Remaining Stationary
Some rules allow a unit to count as having Remained Stationary, or count as if it had not moved, even if that unit has moved during its Movement phase. The following rules apply to these type of rules:
1. Such rules, if they apply in the Shooting phase, mean that a unit is eligible to shoot even if it has Advanced or Fallen Back this turn.
2. Such rules, if they apply in the Shooting phase, mean that Infantry models do not suffer the penalty to hit rolls incurred for firing Heavy weapons in the same turn that their unit has moved.
3. Such rules, if they apply in the Shooting phase, mean that models do not suffer the penalty to hit rolls incurred for firing Assault weapons in the same turn that their unit has Advanced.
…
The first point above above covers Montka clearly:
Mont’ka: In a turn in which a Commander unit from your army declared Mont’ka, at the start of your Movement phase you can select any friendly units within 6″ of that unit. Until the end of that turn, the selected units can shoot as if they did not move this turn.
At last the ambiguous period is over and Tau can make full use of their once per game (twice if Commander Farsight is on the table) ability to fall back and shoot, I can’t wait to see how this affects the next competitive tiers table.
Original answer 2021-01-13
Chaos Space Marines – Dreadclaw Drop Pods – when can I disembark from them?
Dreadclaws finally got the two FAQs they needed to function sensibly in 40k.
Hover Transport: Change this ability on both of these datasheets to read: ‘Distances are measured to and from either this model’s hull or its base, whichever is the closest.’
Now when mounted to that flying stand, models can measure from either the hull or the base when disembarking, which was sort of necessary for it to function at all!
Drop Pod Assault: Add the following sentence onto the end of this ability on both of these datasheets: ‘Any units embarked within this transport can immediately disembark after it has been set up on the battlefield for the first time, and if they do so, they must be set up more than 9″ away from any enemy models.
I want to draw attention though to this addition because it’s not quite the same as a loyalist Drop Pod (where models have to disembark) – it’s a choice for the Dreadclaw’s occupants. It stands to reason that if you’re bringing one of these in your lists then in most cases they will want to disembark, but it’s not forced on them and they only have to remain outside of 9″ of enemy models if they disembark using this rule.
Original answer 2021-01-07
Regarding Twilight Pathways
It’s gone Jim! The FAQ that made this interaction ambiguous has been deleted from the document, though we here at Goonhammer HQ still feel that strike through formatting would communicate this better than removal. As such it’s at least now clear that units can not advance when using this.
Original answer 2021-01-13
Fight Order Altering Abilities
Fight order has been a hotly debated topic since 8th was released and I think finally almost a year into 9th we have a streamlined fight phase order at last. Not that it’s 100% squeaky clean, one of the facets of the new Rare Rule and Designers Commentary is that GW heavily imply that they think ALL Fight Last abilities make units “not eligible” to fight, and then they made this intent more clear with their examples. There are only two fight last abilities in 9th edition books that do not use the “not eligible” wording, the Whirlwind stratagem and the Silent King. The latter is used in these examples though as if it wasn’t different, it’s included in lists with “not eligible” abilities such as the Judiciar’s temporamortis. So what does all that mean? I think this section of the new commentary is now the WHOLE fight phase.
The rare rules then clarify a few things:
1. If a unit has charged it is a ‘fights first’ unit that turn.
2. A unit is a ‘fights first’ unit whether it is under the effect of just one, or multiple, ‘fight first’ rules.
3. A unit is a ‘fights last’ unit whether it is under the effect of just one, or multiple, ‘fight last’ rules.
4. If a unit would be both a ‘fights first’ and a ‘fights last’ unit at the same time, it is instead a ‘fights normally’ unit.The only other thing the rare rule does is clarify which units are eligible to fight, and so can make use of the Counter-offensive Stratagem (which lets a unit ‘fight next’). In practice, using the above terms, you can select any ‘fights first’ or ‘fights normally’ unit for this Stratagem.
Which leads to this new Fight Order Chart.
…and that’s it; almost. There’s one rule that doesn’t fit because it’s not a fight last and that’s Revolting Stench vats which prevents models from using any Fight First rules and causes those models to never count as having charged. However, with the new streamlined process above, it’s much easier to figure out how that slots in!
Heroic Intervention, when do they attack?
Heroic Intervention does not count as charging, so they’re not usually part of that group of fights. The “Has charged” definition in the glossary makes it clear who counts as charging – only units that successfully made a charge move. So these units would “fights normally” unless affected by further rules that make the “Fight First” or “Fight Last” respectfully.
Have any questions or feedback? Got a rules question you want answered? Drop us a note in the comments below, ask a question in our Ruleshammer form, or head over to r/ruleshammer to discuss.
