Rending wound allocation - did we do this right?

[Tzeentch Lord]

Had a good game today, my Necrons vs Sisters of Battle. The following situation came up;

My Wraiths inflicted 12 wounds on a depleted unit of 3 battle sisters (2 troopers and a leader).
4 of these wounds were rending hits.

Since the three sisters were only 1 wound models, there was no multi-wound nonsense to worry about. However, since each model would be taking 4 wounds, my opponent asked if he could assign all 4 rending hits to one model, then 4 each of the remaining 8 normal wounds to the other two models. I briefly checked the rules, but I couldn't find anything to suggest that the rending hits had to be spread out among the three models.

I allowed it, since it was only a friendly game and my opponent is a nice guy. As it turned out, all three sisters died anyway!...

[Spittle72]

Within a complex unit any group of the same models/saves roll all their saves together in a one batch.

[A.T.]

...if he could assign all 4 rending hits to one model, then 4 each of the remaining 8 normal wounds to the other two models.

Yes, provided it was the leader that took the 4 rending hits (assuming the other two models had identical gear)

[Tzeentch Lord]

It wasn't, it was a basic trooper. So if he didn't want the rending hits on the leader, how should we have done this (2 on each trooper?)? And why?
I still don't fully understand the wound allocation rules! :/

[Farseer Macleod]

It wasn't, it was a basic trooper. So if he didn't want the rending hits on the leader, how should we have done this (2 on each trooper?)? And why?
I still don't fully understand the wound allocation rules! :/

You basically split the squad up into 'groups' based on what equipment they have and their statlines and special rules...

Take a marine squad, theres a sargent, 7 marines with bolt guns, a missle launcher and flamer. So splitting them up you have 4 different 'groups', the sargent (he has different statline and probably different equipment as well), then you have the bolter marines (they are identical in everyway), the missle launcher marine and the flamer marine. (both have different wargear) So that squad suffered 20 wounds 2 of them rending hits so thats 2 wounds for everyone. You can allocate the rending hits like the other wounds to any model(s) but if you give the 2 rending to a model in the bolter marine group, 2 marines die from this because you roll your armour saves for each group together.
You could allocate the 2 rending hits to either the sargent, flamer or missle launcher and then only 1 model would die instantly as there is only one model in that particular group.

Now lets say for arguments sake that instead of a missle launcher there was 2 flamers the 2 flamers become a group so now there is only 3 groups rather than 4, so now of you were to allocate those rending hits to a flamer model both of them would die due to the fact they belong to the same 'group' and that group suffered 2 unsaved wounds. This is how wound allocation works.

You can also use this to your advantage if there is an over abunadance of wounds meaning someone would have to take extra wounds over the rest. If you have a 'group' thats going to die due to auto death because of rending or low ap weapons then you would add any extra normal wounds to them since they are already dead anyway so your saving the rest of the squad from having to take that extra armour save.

Hope that helped.

[A.T.]

It wasn't, it was a basic trooper. So if he didn't want the rending hits on the leader, how should we have done this (2 on each trooper?)? And why?
I still don't fully understand the wound allocation rules! :/

Identical models are grouped up during wound allocation - in this case he had two 'groups' - the leader and the 2 troopers.

Essentially - allocate wounds evenly between all models. Now take the first group of identical models and roll all of their saves together - i.e. if you have 5 identical troops with 20 wounds between them they only have to fail 5 of those to be wiped out regardless of which model was allocated any given dice.
Rinse and repeat with each group.


In the case given above the leader must be allocated 4 saves, and the troops 4 saves each. You then roll all 8 of the troops saves at the same time - 2 fails = 2 dead troops.

[Tzeentch Lord]

Thanks guys! I believe I understand now. You've all been most helpful.