Bonuses to cover saves

[chrono10]

I didn't really realize this but since intervening models cause you to get a cover save. Can you actually use the bonuses from stealth on a lictor and the ripper bonus from the small targets to increase this. IE: lictor behind people would get 2+ and rippers get a 3+ invuln. I would think to have rippers out front but i thought if i put them behind a row of gaunts this makes them slightly more survivable. I wouldn't normally walk a lictor across the board but the thought of a 2+ invuln save if they shoot at it would be a nice magnet.

[The Prince of Excess]

Yeah that works just fine. Same way Rippers can gain a 2+ cover by going to ground in a 4+ cover. Pretty awesome. :]

[jy2]

Keep in mind that in 5th, it is True LOS. The lictor is a big model. If the gaunts or rippers don't actually physically obscure 50% view of the lictor, then he doesn't get a cover save. And also in 5th, it is no longer an invuln save but a cover save instead. So temp and other cover-ignoring weaponry will still get through.

[Heirodule]

dont forget you cant walk a lictor up the board, it has to use its deepstrike rule.

And Jy2, the 50% rule doesnt apply to infantry, witch the lictor is. For some bizzare reason if a model is even slightly in cover, it gets a save. so a lictor only has to have its foot obsucred to get a save, because it and i quote "unlike the models, the men will activly seek out cover" so it seems even the foot obsucrement of a lictor will give it a save.

[jy2]

Originally Posted by Heirodule

And Jy2, the 50% rule doesnty apply of infantry, whitch the lictor is. For some bizzare reason if a model is even slightly in cover, it gets a save. so a lictor only has to have its foot obsucred to get a save, because it and i quote "unlike the models, the men will activly seek out cover" so it seems even the foot obsucrement of a lictor will give it a save.

Yes it does. Try claiming a cover save for a squad of 32 gaunts lined up side-by-side by placing 2 ripper swarms in front of them.

[The Prince of Excess]

Actually you're in cover if any part of the targets body is obscured from the firer. Since Gaunts obscure some of the body, they do grant cover to Lictors. MCs and vehicles only use the 50% rule to stop such large and powerful models from gaining free cover saves.

The 50% rule DOES come into effect in the example you mentioned. 2 Ripper Swarms is hiding 4 Gaunts at best and since 4 is not half the unit of 32, no cover. However a Gaunt does obscure a Lictor because it is a unit of 1, so if anything obscures it cover is granted.

It's pretty blatant in the rules that non-MC/vehicles don't use 50%, not sure if that's what you were saying or not but I thought I'd clarify for lurkers.

[jy2]

Cool. Before I've always hid my zoans by putting them behind carnies since the zoans are such tall models. Now I can just claim cover for them by putting them behind my gaunts.

[potatolegs]

that's what i've been doing

and running a lictor through difficult terrain, getting a 2+ cover save all the way.

pity he still gets clubbed by guardsmen

[grantneodude]

So were none of you around when the whole Gaunt wrapping strategy was coined? That's THE most blatant abuse of the silly 5th edition cover rules I ever recall seeing.

It also works well to "stack" your units. Frontline rippers give cover to gaunts, give cover to Warriors, give cover to any of our MC's most of the time. Other units are put in this formation, depending on where they are useful. Frontline could of course even be fronline wrapped rippers/gaunts, giving every single one of the units in your army at least a 4+ cover save.

[Hive Fleet Ruina]

Originally Posted by grantneodude

So were none of you around when the whole Gaunt wrapping strategy was coined? That's THE most blatant abuse of the silly 5th edition cover rules I ever recall seeing.

It also works well to "stack" your units. Frontline rippers give cover to gaunts, give cover to Warriors, give cover to any of our MC's most of the time. Other units are put in this formation, depending on where they are useful. Frontline could of course even be fronline wrapped rippers/gaunts, giving every single one of the units in your army at least a 4+ cover save.

Yeah, I remember there was a bit... "heated" discussion about the wrapping tactic and if it was fair play or not. But that was in the time when RudyPicardo and Tarnag still treaded around in the forums...