Brand new and updated for 5th edition! Woohoo!

This post contains many frequently asked questions I've seen here many many times. They are divided into various categories. Page references are all from the main rulebook, unless stated. Some answers don't have page references - because sometimes the question assumes a rule exists, when in reality it does not... and it's quite hard to provide references to non-existent rules.

The answers below are not my opinions, they are GW rules. Where the matter is unclear, I have said so. Got any more you think should be added to this post? Let me know via PM and I'll add it in. Also please PM me if you know I'm wrong (don't PM me if you only think I'm wrong... check your rulebook first!).

These are 5th edition rules (though some are the same as 4th edition).

Shooting

What happens if a twin-linked/master-crafted weapon gets hot? Does it still injure the user even if I re-roll it?

No - if you re-roll any dice roll, the original result is ignored completely, and it is only the new result that counts. So if you rolled a 1 to hit when using (say) a master-crafted plasma pistol, and then re-rolled and got a 4, the original result of 1 is completely ignored. (p31)

Can I re-roll a re-roll?

No, you can only ever re-roll a dice once; the first result is completely ignored and the second result stands. (p2)

Can you shoot once with Rapid Fire weapons and still assault?

No. If you shoot at all with Rapid Fire weapons, or heavy weapons, you cannot assault afterwards. If you fire assault weapons, you can then assault afterwards. The exception to this rule is units that posess the Relentless universal special rule. (p28/29)

Can I fire at unit A then assault unit B?

No. You can never assault a different unit than you fired at, not even Relentless units, and not even if you completely destroyed the first unit by firing. There are two exceptions to this however: (1) you must declare any assault the unit you shot at, but you can contact multiple units in an assault, including ones you did not shoot at - p34, and (2) if you destroy a transport by shooting, you can assault the unit that disembarked from it. p67

Do you get cover saves from blast/Ordnance weapons?

Yes. Note, however, that for barrage weapons, cover is counted from the centre of the template. (p32)

If a unit suffers casualties from shooting, can you take off models that are not within the range of the weapon? Or with blast weapons, do I have to take casualties from under the blast marker?

Any model in the target unit can be removed as a casualty, even those not in Line of Sight or not in range. (p24)

You can always see skimmers; right? They fly, after all.

No, they follow the same Line of Sight rules as every other vehicle. (Skimmers, p71)

Can a unit in a transport shoot (from a fire point) at a different unit that the transport vehicle shoots at?

Yes, since the vehicle and the transported unit are two separate units.


Combat

Can you measure range before choosing a shooting/assaulting target?

No. (Shooting p15, Assaulting p33)

If you fire assault weapons/pistols and then charge, do you lose the +1 attack bonus for charging?

No, you never lose this whatever you do before charging.

What happens if you consolidate into another enemy unit?

You can't - you must stay 1" away. (p40 )

Are tanks ever in close combat?

No, neither tanks nor their attackers count as being engaged - so both may move away in subsequent turns, and both may be fired on. Any vehicle with a Weapon Skill attribute does count as engaged though, so neither it nor it's attackers can move away or be fired on. (p63, Walkers p73)

Can Independent Characters single out models within a unit in combat?

No, and neither can Monstrous Creatures. However, they can of course choose to attack different units, and Independent Characters who have joined units can be singled out in this way - since for the duration of a combat (i.e. whilst attacks are being made) ICs count as a separate single-model unit. (p49)

If a Walker is shaken and therefore not able to shoot, can it still assault?

Yes.


Morale

Can a unit that is falling back be tank shocked? If they can what happens?

Yes, they can be tank-shocked, but remember that a falling-back unit will automatically fail any Morale test it may be required to make (Regroup tests excepting). Remember that a Tank Shock will make them fall back immediately - so you can Tank Shock fleeing troops to make them fall back faster, and to prevent them Regrouping (since your tank is an enemy that is probably within 6"). (p46)


Psychic Powers

Can a psychic hood nullify any psychic power?

Since the test for it is taken "after an enemy model ... passes a Psychic test", it cannot be used against powers that do not require a Psychic test to function. (Space Marine Codex, p 56)

 

FEEL NO PAIN

Can a Plague Marine use Feel No Pain against an AP3 weapon?

Yes. The ONLY time AP values prevent Feel No Pain from being used is with AP 1 or AP 2. (p75)

Can an Ork Painboy use Feel No Pain against a krak missile?

No. The krak missile has a Strength that is double the Painboy's Toughness, which causes Instant Death. Feel No Pain cannot be used against wounds that cause Instant Death. (Instant Death p26, Feel No Pain p75)

 

Just looking for Clarification on the Instant death Rule.How does that work against something like a Strength 8 weapon striking a terminator? Terminator has 2+ save but instant death says weapons who have strength double your toughness instantly kill you. Does this mean that a Captain of other Terminator has to use their 5+ invulnerable save and not their 2+ armour save?

 

It's instant death against unsaved wounds.
As long as you'd get an armor save against it, you still get an armor save, despite the strength of the attack.
So you'd take the terminator armor roll, if it fails, the termie takes the wound and is instakilled.

That rule is more for things that get FNP or have multiple wounds.

 

Can we get the whirlwind example removed from the top post please? It's no longer valid, as you pick the missile before you fire (pg 79 of C:SM 5th)

 

Where is the rule that disqualifies terminators from sweeping advances, and does this apply to grey knight terminators?


Thanks!

 

camaraden

Where is the rule that disqualifies terminators from sweeping advances, and does this apply to grey knight terminators?

P. 102 of C: Space Marines, under "Terminator Armor", third paragraph.

In C: Daemonhunters i'd imagine its under their own listing for Terminator Armor, but you'd have to check.

 

Wait so according to what I just read if I destroyed a unit in the shooting phase I can't assault another unit in that same assault phase?

 

That's right.

The only exception I can think of is if you destroy a transport and then assault the disembarked unit.

 

If you fire a round of pistols before charging a unit, and the controlling player chooses to remove units closest to the squad with the pistols, and doing this makes the enemy unit more than 6 inches away, can the squad still assault?

 

as far as RAW goes, as i have read them, No.

The maximun distance you can move to assault is 6" since you must declare assault before measuring, if you mis-judge the distance, the assault does not happen

paraphrased from BRB Pg 33
That's the one advantage that choosing which of your own models within the unit that get destroyed, rather than your opponent. Take Tau vs Ork for instance, Da Ork Boyz move in, and take out 3 of my FW in my unit, and only 3 of them are within 6" of the ork horde, the rest, still being in cohesion are lets say, 8-10" away, i would take away the 3 that are within assaulting distance so that i can stay out of CC since my Tau are horrible at CC. If it were up to my opponent, he would probably chose to take away the 3 FW in the middle of my unit, to both break cohesion, and lower the number of models able to be engaged in combat.

Its a truly double edged sword, as it gives power to the defender, but also prevents the attacker from controlling the battle from the first go.

 

@Fickelson:

This is why you should always be careful when planning an assault. If you want to do some shooting before assaulting, it's best to make sure that your unit is moved as close as possible to its intended target in the Movement Phase. That way your shooting can afford to be reasonably successful and still allow you to be in assault range afterwards. Sometimes it's even sensible to forgo the shooting altogether from that unit for the reason included in your original question.

E.

 

According to the Deamon Hunters codex page 8 "Minor psychic powers used by the enemy have no effect at all on Grey Knights"
Q, What powers are minor and which are major? How do I know if the attack will effect me or not?

 

Minor Psychic powers no longer exist in 5th Edition. Ignore this part of the DH codex.

From the BRB FAQ:

Q. If my Codex includes some options (or other rules) that seem to have no effect in the new edition (like the Thornback biomorph, which makes the model count as double the number of models for the purposes of outnumbering the enemy in combat resolution), are you going to publish an errata to change them to something else that does work?
A. No, if an option (or a rule) clearly has no effect, like in the case of the example above, it simply does nothing. We think it’s
simpler to just leave it until the next edition of the Codex rather than change its effects through an errata.

E.

 

minor psychic powers were those that didn't require a psychic test the only army that has these now are eldar warlock powers so these don't work on grey knights (though the only one that really has anything to do with being used against them is destructor) so the grey knights are immune to the destructor power, so unless you play a lot of eldar it's not really an issue

 

Warlock powers are normal psychic powers now, there's no such thing as minor.

 

Hi I started to get into warhammer about a year ago and I play Orks. I have many questions but the first one is just a 2 part: "Dose a exhaust cloud obscuring?" And the second half is Wither smoke cloud dose or not isn't still better to but in front of army the a KFF?

 

The exhaust cloud merely guves the unit of bikers a 4+ cover save (codex orks page 46). Only vehicles can be obscured as that is a specific rule for them (rulebook page 62).

This isn't exactly the thread for asking rules questions, but whatever. The pintle-mounted twin-linked bolters fit on the hatches on top of the rhino and they have a 360 degree firing arc.

~ Acarna

To expand upon this, rulebook page 59 deals with vehicle weapon fire arcs.

 

Ok the answer to this question may be obvious but I want to know anyways.
The CSM rhino is armed with a twin link bolter. Is this hull mounted or on one of the hatches up top.
I ask for modeling purposed and for firing arc. is it forward facing 45 or have 360. The additional pintle
mounted weapons are 360 firing arc, correct? Thanks

 

This isn't exactly the thread for asking rules questions, but whatever. The pintle-mounted twin-linked bolters fit on the hatches on top of the rhino and they have a 360 degree firing arc.

~ Acarna

 

Hi there is an event going on and the rules are that I can have one HQ and one retinue/command quard/bodyguard and its 500 points. My question is can I take a tyranid prime with a squad of gaunts counting as a retinue? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Hi. I have a question regarding AP.

If I have a weapon that has -4 ap, is that helping me? or is it helping my opponent's armor save? In other words, is it lowering the required number needed for him to avoid a wound via armor save? or is it making it harder for him to have an armor save?