LPG - Being Slammed
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"Slam" redirects here which is the rules for Being Slammed. For other uses, see:
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- This article is part of Warmachine University's Learning to Play the Game (LPG) series, which is "Intermediate Training" aimed at new players who are still learning the core rules.
- (See also Basic Training and Advanced Training.)
Contents
Recap
Being Thrown vs Being Slammed
The only real differences between Being Thrown and Being Slammed are:
- Slammed models move at half speed through rough terrain. Thrown models move at full speed.
- Slammed models knock down smaller models they pass through. Thrown models go straight over smaller models, and don't affect smaller models unless they land on them.
So, if you've already read the Being Thrown article, then feel free to skip the rest of this one (except the Rules Clarifications, you should probably check that section).
Move the slammed model
The weapon or spell will specify the direction and distance that the model is slammed (it is typically d6" directly away). Power Attacks have a few hoops to jump through to determine the distance (relative base size becomes a factor).
- The slammed model moves at half speed through rough terrain.
- The slammed model suffers damaging effects of hazards it enters and/or passes through (such as acid clouds).
- You stop moving the slammed model if it contacts an obstacle, obstruction, or a model that has an equal- or larger-base size.
- The slammed model goes straight through models with a smaller base size.
- If it's final position is on top of another model, use the Rule of Least Disturbance to jiggle the models into legal positions. All jiggled models count as being contacted by the slammed model.
Damage/effects to the slammed model

If they charge, it becomes POW 11 + 4d6.
If they charge and manage to slam their target into an obstacle, they get POW 11 + 5d6!
- After being slammed, the slammed model is knocked down.
- If it can't be knocked down, but activates later on the same turn (ie it was slammed by a friendly model) then it must forfeit either movement or action.
- If it could be knocked down but, after the slam movement, it's landed somewhere that it gains immunity to knockdown ... then it won't be knocked down.
For instance it was slammed into a No Sleeping on the Job aura, or into B2B with a Lash model.
- The slammed model suffers a damage roll. The POW depends on what caused the slam:
- Power Attack - Slam POW is equal to the attacker's STR.
- Melee weapon - Slam POW is equal to the weapon's P+S
- Ranged or Spell - Slam POW is equal to the weapon/spell's POW
- You might get to add bonus dice to the damage roll:
- Add 1d6 if the slammed model was stopped by an obstacle, obstruction, or a model with an equal- or larger-base size. (Also known as "Contact damage").
- Slam damage is boostable.
- If your slam ability is on a weapon, you get to add any other applicable weapon qualities (such as Weapon Master) to the slam damage roll.
- If your slam ability is on a weapon you used on a charge attack, the slam damage roll is automatically boosted.
Damage/effects to the model(s) contacted by the slammed models
Contacted models suffer "Collateral" damage. This depends on their base size relative to the slammed model:
- Models with a Smaller base size:
- don't stop the slammed model,
- get knocked down, and
- suffer a Collateral damage roll as below.
- Models with an equal base size:
- stop the slammed model,
- get knocked down, and
- suffer a Collateral damage roll as below.
- Models with a larger base size:
- stop the slammed model,
- don't get knocked down, and
- don't suffer a Collateral damage roll.
Collateral damage :
- is not boostable.
- is simultaneous with the slammed model's damage.
- is not considered to be from an enemy attack so it will not trigger stuff like Vengeance.
Also, if your slam ability is on a melee weapon, the collatoral damage does not gain other effects from the weapon (such as Weapon Master). - has a POW of:
- Power Attack - Collateral POW is equal to the attacker's STR.
- Melee weapon - Collateral POW is as per the special rule that caused the slam.
- Ranged or Spell - Collateral POW is as per the special rule that caused the slam.
Other

- Some models can perform a Power Attack: Slam even though they're not a warjack or warbeast. Normally a warjack has to spend focus to do a Power Attack, and a warbeast needs to be forced with fury to do a a Power Attack - this requirement doesn't apply to non-warjacks non-warbeasts.
- If you are slammed during a charge or slam (ie someone hit you with a free strike and that slammed you) then your charge/slam movement stops.
- If, after this slam movement, your original charge/slam target is in your melee range, then you've made a successful charge (this is unlikely).
- If, after being knocked down from the slam you can still make attacks, then feel free to do so (this is even more unlikely).
- You cannot be slammed off the edge of the table. You stop at the edge of the table, and you don't take extra damage (the table edge is not an obstacle).
- You can slam models through Incorporeal models, regardless of the relative base size, as long as they can be slammed all the way through. The Incorporeal model is unaffected, and also the model doesn't take extra damage regardless of base size.
- You cannot slam Incorporeal models.
Rules Clarifications
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See Also
Power Attack (Edit) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Head-Butt | Category:Head-Butt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Power Strike | Being Slammed | Colossals & Gargantuans only | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Slam | Being Slammed | Category: Slam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sweep | Colossals & Gargantuans only | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Throw | Being Thrown | Category: Throw | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Trample | Category: Trample | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Power Attack Tactics |
Official rules
Being Slammed
Page 32 of the 2020.02 edition of the core rules.
Sometimes models are slammed as a result of a spell or attack. When a model is slammed, it is moved a certain distance directly away from the point of origin of the slam (usually the attacker), then becomes knocked down (p. 61). The distance the slammed model is moved is determined by the spell or attack that caused the slam. The slammed model then suffers a damage roll determined by the spell or attack that caused the slam. A slammed model moves at half rate through rough terrain, suffers any damaging effects through which it passes, and stops if it contacts an obstacle, an obstruction, or a model with an equal or larger base. A slammed model moves through models with smaller bases than its own.
Add an additional die to the damage roll the slammed model suffers if it contacts an obstacle, an obstruction, or a model with an equal or larger base.
If a slammed model contacts a model with an equal or smaller base or moves through a model with a smaller base, the contacted model becomes knocked down (p. 61) and suffers a collateral damage roll determined by the spell or attack that caused the slam. A contacted model with a larger base does not suffer collateral damage and is not knocked down. Resolve any collateral damage simultaneously with the damage resulting from the spell or attack that caused the slam (see “Simultaneous Effects,” p. 41).
If a slammed model cannot be knocked down it must still forfeit its Normal Movement or Combat Action if it activates later in a turn in which it was slammed. with an equal or larger base.
Collateral Damage
Page 32 of the 2021.08 edition of the core rules.
If a slammed model contacts a model with an equal or smaller base or moves through a model with a smaller base, the contacted model becomes knocked down (p. 61) and suffers a collateral damage roll determined by the spell or attack that caused the slam. A contacted model with a larger base does not suffer collateral damage and is not knocked down. Resolve any collateral damage simultaneously with the damage resulting from the spell or attack that caused the slam (see “Simultaneous Effects,” p. 41).
Page 33 of the 2021.08 edition of the core rules.
Collateral damage cannot be boosted and is not considered damage from an attack or model.
Page 43 of the 2021.08 edition of the core rules.
If the power attack results in collateral damage, collateral damage is determined by rolling 2d6 and adding the STR of the attacking model.
- Power Attack Collateral Damage Roll = 2d6 + STR
Other
Page 29 of the 2020.02 edition of the core rules.
The charging model stops if it contacts a model, an obstacle, or an obstruction or if it is pushed, slammed, thrown, or placed during its charge movement.
Page 33 of the 2020.02 edition of the core rules.
If an effect would cause a model to move or be placed beyond the table edge (such as being thrown or slammed), the model stops at the table edge and remains in play. The table edge does not count as an obstacle; models do not take additional damage for stopping there.
Page 15 of the 2020.02 edition of the core rules.
Other models, including slammed, pushed, or thrown models, can move through an incorporeal model without effect if they have enough movement to move completely past it.
Incorporeal models cannot be moved by a push, slam, or throw.