Supreme Aptimus Zaal & Kovaas

Supreme Aptimus Zaal Skorne Extoller Warlock Kovaas Spawned Solo

Unlimited Only This model can only be used in the Unlimited game mode. You can see the other models with / without mk4 rules on this page. Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

Supreme Aptimus Zaal, first among extollers, has communed with the widest possible range of ancients. He has gained mastery over the insane ancestral spirits called Kovaas and is akin to high priest for the Skorne army in the west. Though it could mean his destruction, he treads dark paths for the glory of his race, the victory of his master and the expansion of his own power.

Basic Info

Zaal1

Zaal1
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Small SPD 6 STR 5 MAT 6 RAT 6 M.A. N/A DEF 15 ARM 14 CMD 8 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY 7 THRS N/A HP 15 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP +26 IHP {{{ihp}}} FA C UNIT SIZE N/A COST N/A N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Warlock - All warlocks come with a stack of standard special rules - most notably being awesome. Click here for a newbie-friendly recap, or click here for the full rules.

Feat : Rage of Ancients

1. Zaal1 gains a number of ancestral rage tokens equal to the number of friendly Faction warrior models that have been destroyed and not (yet) returned to play since the start of the game.
2. While in Zaal1's control range, friendly Faction models can spend ancestral rage tokens on Zaal1 to boost one melee attack or melee damage roll for each token spent.
3. At the end of the turn, remove unspent ancestral rage tokens from Zaal.

Abilities

• Gunfighter
• Direct Spirits - (1) When a friendly living Faction warrior model is destroyed in this model's control range and generates a soul token, you choose which model with the Soul Taker ability gains the destroyed model's soul, regardless of the proximity of other models. (2) Enemy models are not eligible to gain soul tokens from friendly models destroyed in this model's control range.
• Ghost Sight - This model does not require LOS in order to target friendly models with spells. This model ignores LOS when making ranged and magic attacks. This model ignores concealment and cover when resolving ranged attacks.
• Irregulars [ Ancestral Guardian ] - Ancestral Guardian solos can be included in any army that also contains this model.
• Soul Converter - Once per turn at any time during its activation, this model can spend 1 fury point to give each friendly Exalted model with Soul Taker: Gatekeeper currently in its control range one soul token.

Weapons

Spirit Eye - 8" range, POW 6 ranged attack

• Damage Type: Magical
• Annihilating Gaze - When a living or undead model is hit by this attack, add its current STR to the damage roll.

Staff of Aarakis - 2" reach, P+S 9 melee attack. If Zaal is using this something has gone badly wrong

• Damage Type: Magical

Spells

	COST	RNG	AOE	POW	DUR	OFF
Awakened Spirit	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target warbeast in the spellcaster's battlegroup can cast its animus once during its actviation without being forced. A warbeast that casts its animus as a result of Awakened Spirit cannot also be forced to cast its animus that activation.
Hex Blast	3	10	3	13	-	Yes
Enemy upkeep spells and animi on the model/unit directly hit by Hex Blast immediately expire.
Inviolable Resolve	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains +2 ARM and cannot be moved by a push or a slam. Models are not affected while out of formation.
Last Stand	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains an additional die on its melee attack and damage rolls. If an affected model makes a melee attack, it is destroyed at the end of the turn.
Sunder Spirit	2	10	-	12	(★)	Yes
An enemy warbeast damaged by Sunder Spirit loses its animus for one round.

Kovaas

Kovaas
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	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Medium SPD 6 STR 0 MAT 8 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 13 ARM 14 CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 5 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA N/A UNIT SIZE N/A COST N/A N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

A Kovaas is created when an Ancestral Guardian is destroyed. You can have up to one Kovaas at a time.

Abilities

• Undead
• Incorporeal
• Destruction Spawned - This model does not begin the game in play. When a friendly Exalted solo with Soul Taker: Gatekeeper is destroyed in Zaal1's control range, replace the Exalted solo with a Kovass unless there is already a Kovass in play. If the Exalted solo had soul tokens on it when it was destroyed, place up to three of those soul tokens on the Kovaas replacing it. Effects on the destroyed Exalted expire. The Kovass cannot activate the turn it is put into play.
• Dessicator (★ Action) - Center a 4" AOE cloud effect on this model. Other living or undead models entering or ending their activations in the AOE suffer 1 point of magical damage. The AOE remains in play for one round.
• Soul Taker: Soul Cage - This model can gain soul tokens. When a living enemy model is destroyed within 2" of this model, this model gains the destroyed model's soul token. This model can have up to three soul tokens at any time. This model can spend soul tokens for the following:
  • Soul-Powered - During its Combat Action, this model can spend soul tokens to make additional melee attacks. It can make one additional attack for each token spent.
  • Strength of Death - During its Combat Action, this model can spend soul tokens to boost one attack or damage roll for each token spent.

Weapons

Wasting Touch - 2" reach, P+S 14 melee attack

• Damage Type: Magical
• Thresher (★ Attack) - This model makes one melee attack with this weapon against each model in its LOS that is in this weapon's melee range. Thresher attacks are simultaneous.

Theme Forces

• Disciples of Agony
• Masters of War. They gain "Optional Take Down" in this theme.
• The Exalted
• Winds of Death

Thoughts on Zaal1

Zaal1 in a nutshell

Zaal1 is an infantry and ancestral guardian warlock whose main big trick is Last Stand, and whose secondary big trick is getting excellent use out of ancestral guardians. He also has a few tricks beyond that. He makes people hit much harder at the cost of burning them up - and the Kovaas assassinations (with Last Stand and powered up by souls) can be effective. Zaal has spent most of Mk3 prior to December 2018 on the shelf due to not being allowed Ancestral Guardians outside The Exalted, and that theme needing a tune up - but he can now bring them wherever he goes and the theme has had the tune up it needs.

Feat thoughts

Zaal's feat is simple; you play it half way through the game and unleash devastation.

Spell thoughts

• Last Stand lets you trade up - but remember that you need to be trading up because your models will die if you use it. It's easy to wreck your own army by using it - but you can take out a lot of enemies with an additional dice on attack and damage rolls. It goes really well on an Ancestral Guardian - either it gets massive numbers of attacks for the cost or the enemy kills it (or let defensive strike kill it) and the Kovaas then takes over.
• Inviolable Resolve is not exactly subtle. And will probably go on a Supreme Guardian
• Awakened Spirit is basic tech. Just changing the odds in your favour. A Titan Gladiator or Basilisk Krea are often the best targets.
• Two zaps, one of which is anti-upkeep tech.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• He's squishy
• You absolutely must use Last Stand to trade up. It kills your troops so your opponent doesn't have to. If what you are attacking isn't more valuable than your models, you lose on the trades.
• Zaal's big thing is using Last Stand to kill things they normally couldn't. If you can beat the skews without Last Stand, it's better, because you don't destroy your own models.
  • The faction with Paingiver Beast Handlers and the Bronzeback Titan is normally strong into ARM-skews if it's trying.

Tricks & Tips

• The Ferox Assassination and the Immortal Assassination are both mentioned under related Theme sections.
• The Kovaas assassination involves leaving an Ancestral Guardian with Last Stand up. If it gets to Defensive Strike then the Kovaas pops out at the end of the opponent's turn. An incorporeal model fully loaded on souls that you can last stand and is right in the heart of the enemy army? Throw last stand on that and it tends to demolish casters.
• Models with Combined Melee attack love Last Stand. Only the model that initiates the attack gets destroyed!
• Remember, if the enemy caster gets too close you can Last Stand Zaal himself and beat the enemy to death. If the enemy caster dies first, Zaal wins!
• Did we mention how awesome Last Stand is?
• His gun is really good against gargantuans, being +1 or +2 against most. Whether you want to be that close to one is up to you...
  • His gun is +1 or +2 against most living stuff, and he can get up to range 12" ; with extoller advocates and Cyclop shaman, you can have for relatively cheap a nasty ranged firepower that is entirely ghost shot.
• In Some pre-feat run ups, use last stand to increase the number of rage tokens.
• Models that can benefit from Soul Converter are Ancestral Guardian, the Supreme Guardian, and Hakaar the Destroyer

List Building Advice

Strategy

Zaal is an attrition warlock - but he has an assassination threat with Last Stand and his feat; an Ancestral Guardian, Kovaas, or even warbeast with an extra damage dice and boosting on top of that will trash almost any caster, and the Guardian is only five points. What he doesn't do is anything to either keep his models alive or extend threat ranges.

His infantry is a much greater proportion of his force, and what he really likes is infantry that can get multiple attacks .

Theme thoughts

Zaal wants infantry both to Last Stand and to power up his feat - three themes have infantry (The Exalted, Masters of War, and Winds of Death). The first two themes are preferable as they are melee themes and thus synergise with more of Zaal's kit.

There is even an off-beat build for Zaal that works in Disciples of Agony with several Ancestral Guardians, all powered by Soul Converter and the occasional dead Paingiver or warbeast. If you want to do this, however, it's probably preferable to instead go for a triple battle engine build in Winds of Death, use your Guardians as your free models, and take a skirmish screen of Venator Slingers while only losing out on a couple of free points (making all your free models Ancestral Guardians).

Almost every Zaal list is going to take two Ancestral Guardians and Hakaar as its free models for 16 points, although Masters of War might want a Tycom and/or Vorkesh and to buy an Ancestral Guardian or two.

    Models in multiple themes    

• Ancestral Guardian - between Soul Converter and the Kovaas there's no reason to not bring as many as you own. Remember that you can get them for free in most themes, and three of these will provide a floor of 15 points to the free models Zaal should be bringing.
• Hakaar the Destroyer is finally back to being an Ancestral Guardian - and gets even more attacks out of Last Stand than a Guardian plus all the other nice bonuses.
• Supreme Guardian - Zaal hands out free souls.
  • Extoller Novitiate - no direct synergy with Zaal - but Guardians and the Supreme Guardian both love these guys, so bring them. This is such a good combination a lot of Zaal1 lists don't bring Paingiver Beast Handlers.
• Aptimus Marketh gets to hex blast and upkeep.
• Extoller Soulward Direct Spirits makes sure they have the perfect number of souls for blowing things up (two).
• Immortal Vessel for arced hex blasts to deal with upkeeps.
• Gatorman Bokor & Bog Trog Swamp Shamblers With that many bodies, why not? Zaal can't use Faction spells on minions, but its an excellent infantry recycling machine for a warlock that likes to off his own guys. After you "Last Standed" your own unit into destruction, your Bokor picks up the bodies and reuses them the next turn. It can help Zaal apply pressure on the turns after the feat, if such a thing happens. It does not always work because opponents tend to have plans too, but its good fun. Apply Tough from a Paingiver Task Master, and get in the way of things like the best of them.

    The Exalted    
The key thing about The Exalted and Zaal is that with his ability to feed the Guardians there should be plenty of spare souls for the Advocates however fast you burn them. He's nice and thematic in the theme but for good reason people tend to prefer Zaal2 who's actually one of the Exalted both for fluff and synergy/power reasons.

• Immortals With the Extoller Advocate, they can turn incorporeal, and then get a non-linear charge off with a total threat range of 14". Vengeance also lets them use two attacks in a turn for Last Stand. You only get the one unit in The Exalted but it's one that works well with Zaal.
• Abidan the Keeper keeps Zaal safe with shield guard, and comes back from the dead via a soul from the ancestral guardians - the same models Zaal fuels up with souls.

    Masters of War    
Masters of War is Zaal's default theme as it contains the two things he loves. First lots of warrior models to die to power the feat. And second lots of models that make multiple attacks to leverage Last Stand.

• Praetorian Swordsmen Two attacks for a low cost/ and with the attachment, they get the opportunity to reposition and strike again - and to make one attack at 5d6 damage and the other at 4d6. If they make it through no one is better at trading up. Also very cheap bodies.
• Praetorian Keltarii Two attacks for a low cost and more maneuverable and more flexible than the swordsmen. Rapid Strike has really unlocked their potential.
• Praetorian Karax Very cheap bodies
• Praetorian Ferox One of his two choices for assassins, Praetorian Ferox with Last Stand can frequently make short work of casters and have an excellent threat range.

    Disciples of Agony    

Probably not his best theme - but can be pretty fun with the swathes of destruction you can wreak.

• Nihilators - Last Stand + Berserk anyone?
• Paingiver Bloodrunner Master Tormentor - Thresher + Last Stand + MAT 8 + Weapon Master?

    Winds of Death    
You can at least bring a lot of disposable warrior models to fuel his feat, and last stand means they can at least do something in melee. Not normally considered a good choice.

• Venator Reivers/Venator Slingers - you get the work out of them from shooting and then throw them in under Last Stand.
• Siege Animantarax - under last stand it kills anything. Not normally worth it except as a genuine last stand or game closer.

Battlegroup

Zaal is an infantry warlock who prefers to spend the bare minimum on beasts. The following are the most common:

• Basilisk Krea - to spread its aura to protect your infantry from incoming fire
• Basilisk Drake - an all round good warbeast that flanks with the Krea
• Cyclops Raider - Zaal occasionally likes to blast things with his Spirit Eye.
• Titan Cannoneer - see Cyclops Raider. It also can help to have a heavy that you buy out of your warbeast points (if you aren't using warbeast points the Supreme Guardian is preferable with Zaal).
• Cyclops Shaman Effectively a second Krea bubble while having a bag of tricks of its own.
• Cyclops Brute - Shield Guard - and a fairly standard Zaal assassination run.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Hordes: Evolution (2007)
• Zaal might be named after the Persian medieval hero Zaal (or, Zāl), who according to myth was a great warrior king, raised by a mythical bird. He ended up really, really old. Quite like Skorne's Zaal.

Video Battle Reports

• Arcane Assist, 2018.03, vs Kallus2
• See also Category: Video Battle Reports for more casters with videos.

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification:  : Magical Damage      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

* The "Damage Type: Magical" is not inherited by "secondary" damage from a weapon. That is, stuff like arcs (Electro Leap) or hazards (Scather). (Infernal Ruling) All spells have "Damage Type: Magical" (refer errata). This is inherited by "immediate" secondary damage (such as Eruption of Spines). (Infernal Ruling) and might be inherited by "lingering" secondary damage (see below). If a spell leaves a template in play that does damage to models that walk around in it, then: if it is not described as a hazard it will do magical damage to models that walk around in it. (Example: Razor Wall) if it is a hazard then it will not do magical damage to models that walk around in it. Instead, it does whatever damage type is specified by the spell description. (Example: Breath of Corruption). (Infernal Ruling) If a weapon/spell includes Magic Damage and another kind of elemental damage it will still damage Incorporeal models. Incorporeal models are not affected by the rule "if an attack does multiple types of damage and a model is immune to at least one it is immune to the entire attack." The phrase "immune to non-magical damage" should be interpreted as "immune to damage that doesn't include Damage Type: Magical" (not interpreted as "has immunity to Corrosion and Electricity and Cold and etc.")

Rules Clarification : Annihilating Gaze - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification:  : Warlock      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

General Damage from a feat is neither an attack nor Damage Type: Magical (unless the feat says it is). FURY (uppercase) is the stat printed on the warlock's card. Fury (lowercase) refers to fury points a model currently has. Your CTRL area is double your FURY stat, not double your fury points. (Infernal Ruling) Casting spells or using feats is an anytime ability with the added restriction that you can't use them on the same turn you run even before you run. See also the clarifications on Any Time abilities (below). Some warlocks are also Battle Engines and thus follow all the Battle Engine special rules. There is no particular interaction between the Battle Engine rules and the Warlock rules. Reaving & Leeching If you choose to Reave, it's all or nothing. You must Reave all the Fury (up to your limit) and you can't choose to "let some disappear". (Locked thread) If your warbeast is Removed From Play, you can still reave fury off it. (Locked thread) If your warbeast is destroyed or RFP'd while under your opponent's control then: You cannot reave fury off it. Because it is still enemy at the time it was destroyed/RFP'd, and you can't reave from enemy warbeasts. After it is taken off the table, it returns to your control and is eligible for Spirit Bond and (possibly) Return to Play stuff (like Thagrosh1's feat). Transferring Damage If both the warlock and the warbeast are damaged by the same attack (such as an AOE), then you need to apply the 'normal' damage to the warbeast before the transferred damage. This distinction can be important when you're working out who/what actually destroyed the beast. (Infernal Ruling) If there is too much damage for the warbeast and it "overlaps" back to the warlock, then that damage is considered ... unsure at this time. (Infernal Checking) Restrictions on "Any Time" abilities     (Edit)         [Show/Hide] "Any Time" abilities can be used at any time during a model/unit's activation, except: Before any compulsory forfeiture of movement/action. See step 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A. After the model with the "Any Time" ability has had their activation end "prematurely". By this I mean you resolved something which includes the phrase "its activation ends". Examples include: Running, failing a charge, or failing a slam. Abilities that include "then its activation ends" (such as Reposition and Teleport). In between declaring your charge target and making your charge movement. (Infernal Ruling) In between completing your charge movement and determining whether it was a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling) When you're in the middle of moving. (Note: Impact Attacks count as being in the middle of movement). When you're in the middle of an attack. Which also includes effects that occur "after the attack is resolved". (Although the attack is "resolved" at Step 11, in terms of using an "Any Time" ability the attack is not "finished" until after Step 14. Refer to the first paragraph of Apdx A.) Your opponent interrupted your activation to trigger one of their own abilities (such as Countercharge). Warcasters/warlocks/etc can normally cast a spell or use their feat "At any time". However, there is a core rule saying they cannot do so on the same activation that they run. So, they are subject to all the same restrictions listed above, plus they can't cast/feat before running. Units: See below. In general you can use "Any Time" abilities while you're knocked down or stationary (except Spells and Feats which specify you can't). If you have a gun with a random ROF, you can use an "Any Time" ability inbetween rolling the number of shots and actually making the first attack. (Infernal Ruling) Units with "Any Time" abilities You cannot use an "Any Time" ability before issuing/receiving orders. See step 1 and 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A. A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after they run (Infernal Ruling) or fail a charge. Because that makes that specific model's activation to end even though the unit's activation is still ongoing, and you can't use abilities on models that are not active. You can use an "Any Time" ability before running, however. A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after anyone in the unit has begun a Reposition move. (Infernal Ruling) Warcaster/Warlock Cavalry ( Edit ) Warcasters/Warlocks can't cast spells or use their feat while resolving Impact Attacks. Because Impact Attacks occur during movement - you can use spells or feat before moving, or after moving, but not during movement. Exception: If your Impact target(s) include your charge target, then your movement has ended (refer rulebook, last paragraph of 'Impact Attacks') and thus you're fine to use "any time" abilities before starting the Impact attacks. Rules Clarification:  : Warcaster Unit or Warlock Unit     (Edit) (Click Expand to read) This summary is specific to Warcaster/Warlock units. You may also want to check the Warcaster and Warlock pages respectively, for the "regular" rules clarifications. All models in the unit count as part of the battlegroup. So, for instance, Butcher3's argus can be moved via his Energizer spell. Warcaster units can have attachments. They can even attach units (such as the WSC). (Infernal Ruling) The non-caster models are trooper models but are not normally Grunt models. Therefore they're not normally eligible for stuff like Revive. If any member of the unit start to do their reposition movement, the warcaster or warlock in the unit would no longer be able to feat.(Infernal Ruling) Press Forward Order vs Spells cast at Any Time (Edit) You must issue orders before anything else. If you issue a Press Forward order, you must run or charge. If you cast spells before moving, you can't run so you must charge. If you cast spells before moving, then start the spellcaster's Normal Movement but have no valid charge targets, you are in a situation where you must charge but cannot charge. In this situation the spellcaster must either: forfeit their Combat Action, use their Normal Movement to make a full advance, then their activation ends. (Note that you cannot cast more spells after the full advance). forfeit their Normal Movement, then their activation ends. (Infernal Ruling) Steamroller 2018 The non-caster models can contest scenario zones & flags. The caster model cannot contest. The caster model can control zones and flags by itself, but: to control a zone, the entire unit remaining in play needs to be in formation. to control a flag, the entire unit remaining in play must be within 4" of the flag. Units Buying Attacks (Edit) If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because: A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action. A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA). Rules Clarification : Unit of Warcasters or Warlocks     (Edit) Even though they're warcasters, if they're out of formation they suffer the normal penalties (can't make attacks, actions, spells, etc). They can't upkeep each other's spells. They can only dominate one SteamRoller scenario element at a time. Each warlock/warcaster can have different upkeeps on them if those upkeeps are "target SELF" or "target model". If you cast an upkeep that is "target model/unit", that is the only upkeep any of them can have. Units Buying Attacks (Edit) If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because: A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action. A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA). The Legion Twins Rhyas cannot dominate a zone while out of formation. Rhyas can use the feat while out of formation. Haley3 Only Haley Prime is an 'actual' warcaster model, and as such she is the only one that can dominate a scenario element. The echoes can Control/Contest scenarios like a normal unit. Haley Prime can dominate an element even if the echoes are out of formation.

Rules Clarification:  : Gunfighter      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

General You cannot Aim if you start your activation in melee. (Infernal Confirmation) A free strike with a ranged weapon still gets the +2 to hit and boosted damage (I'm pretty sure - I'd like to double check it though). If you have a Gunfighter stuck in melee and the Gunfighter wants to shoot a friendly model, then you can only do so if that friendly is within the Gunfighter's melee range. Also, if that friendly model is engaged by an enemy, that friendly model will always get the +4 DEF bonus (because the point of origin of the attack, the Gunfighter, is not "in melee" with the friendly model). Targeting Outside of melee If the Gunfighter isn't in melee, and didn't charge this turn, then it shoots just the same as a normal model. In melee, but didn't charge If it didn't charge, it can target anyone it's "in melee" with. This can be any model in the Gunfighter's melee range, plus any models that have the Gunfighter in their melee range. If a Gunfighter kills all the enemies it is in melee with, and still has the ability to make more ranged attacks, then those attacks just follow the normal Ranged Attack rules. (Infernal Ruling) Charged into melee If it did charge, its initial attacks can only target models that are in the Gunfighter's melee range. If all models in the Gunfighter's melee range are killed before it makes its initial attacks, it loses any unspent initial attacks. (Infernal Ruling) However if it can purchase additional attacks (via Reload for instance) and/or get free attacks (via Black Spot for instance), then those non-initial attacks can target anyone it's "in melee" with, as per #2 above. Other targeting notes Remember, you can never be "in melee" with a friendly model, so a Gunfighter can pretty much never choose to target a friend while it's in melee. If the gunfighter is unengaged, it can still shoot a friendly model, which would just be a normal ranged attack. Gunfighter doesn't change the RNG of your gun, it just provides you an ability to use it while in melee and imposes some targeting restrictions. If you're affected by a debuff that reduces your RNG to 1", that will further limit who you can target. If you're affected by a debuff that reduces your RNG to 0", you cannot make attacks (refer 'Weapon Statistics', page 19 of rulebook). Attack Roll You use the Gunfighter's RAT for the attack roll. Gunfighters do not ignore the Cover/Concealment bonus. (Infernal Ruling) How the +4 DEF bonus for "being in melee" works with Gunfighters is: they always ignore it vs enemies, because the "point of origin of the attack is in melee with the target". they never ignore it vs friendlies, because you cannot be in melee with a friendly target. Incorporeal Gunfighters Note that enemy models without magic weapons can't hurt you in melee, but they can engage you. If they engage you then you're in melee and your target selection is limited to just models in melee (as explained above). Gunfighter + an AOE weapon If you miss then the AOE will deviate as per the normal AOE rules. Not very far, though, considering the max distance you'll be apart is 2". If you use an AOE weapon to make a free strike, you get the +2 to hit and you get boosted damage against everything under the blast template. Gunfighter + a spray weapon Who you can target with the spray is limited as described above, but you get to put the whole spray template down and potentially hit models well outside the melee. If you use a spray weapon to make a free strike, you get the +2 to hit and you get boosted damage against everything under the spray template. Units of Gunfighters If a unit of Gunfighters successfully charge, but someone else in their unit kills their charge target before they get a turn to attack, then they may redirect their attack. Redirected attack: If they're still engaged, their initial attack (s) must be vs someone in their melee range. If they're still engaged, but no one is in their own melee range, they don't get any initial attacks. If they're unengaged, they are now free to shoot anyone within the gun's normal range. Other interactions Gunfighter vs Point Blank (Edit) If a model has both Gunfighter and Point Blank, then you should declare whether you're using it as a ranged attack or melee attack whenever you shoot the gun. Because that can limit what other initial/additional attacks you can make. (Infernal Ruling) These two abilities are subtly different, but it's an important difference. Gunfighter allows you to make ranged attacks while in melee. Point blank allows you to make melee attacks with your ranged weapon. Since you can't make both ranged and melee attacks in the same turn, a Gunfighter model has a choice of either initial melee attack(s) or initial ranged attack(s). (unless it has Virtuoso or something). Whereas a Point Blank model chooses to make initial melee attacks, and then gets to make attacks with both weapons. Furthermore, the types of bonuses, penalties, and special effects you (or your opponent) can trigger will change dramatically: Any buffs/triggers on ranged attacks (such as Evasive, Shield Guard, Deadeye, etc) will affect Gunfighter attacks, but not Point Blank attacks. Any buffs/triggers on melee attacks (such as Battle Lust, Riposte etc) will affect Point Blank attacks, but not Gunfighter attacks. Gunfighter & Cavalry ( Edit ) A cavalry model that charges then makes a Gunfighter attack will not gain a boosted charge attack roll, because a ranged attack is not a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling) You also won't gain a boosted charge damage roll, as per normal for a Gunfighter. Gunfighter vs RNG modifiers (Edit) Unlike what most people might tell you, Gunfighter doesn't have a "range", it just lets the model make ranged attacks while in melee. The gun's actual RNG is unaffected though, until you put something like Windstorm (-5 RNG) on it. Then what happens is: If the gun is RNG 7, Windstorm will reduce it to 2". Thus it won't affect any Gunfighter attacks. If the gun is RNG 6, Windstorm will reduce it to 1". Thus you can only make Gunfighter attacks vs models within 1" (if you can - charging Gunfighters may be more limited). If the gun is RNG 5, Windstorm will reduce it to 0". Thus you can't make any attacks as per 'Weapon Statistics' (page 19 of the core rulebook). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Direct Spirits      (Edit) There is no range limit on who you allocate the soul to. Any friendly model anywhere on the board can receive it. (Infernal Ruling) You cannot give souls to enemy models. (Infernal Ruling) Enemy models can't gain souls even if there is no way for you to get it. Instead no one gets it. Direct Spirits modifies both the proximity limit and the "source type" limit. (Infernal Ruling) For example: Source type: You can give friendly souls to models that normally only gather them from enemies. Proximity: You can give a soul to a model from 20" away, when they normally only collect from stuff within 10" A model that is full of souls is not eligible to collect more souls, and can't benefit from Direct Spirits. For the purposes of taking/giving souls, Soul Vessels are counted as living models. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Ghost Sight      (Edit) Ignore LOS (Edit) Since you ignore LOS, you can target models in your back arc. (Infernal Ruling) Although you ignore concealment/cover, you don't ignore any other bonuses models get "from" them (such as Prowl). You don't ignore Stealth's "auto-miss" rule. "Ignore LOS" applies to both spells and ranged, but the "ignore cover/concealment" clause only applies to ranged attacks.

Rules Clarification : Irregulars      (Edit) Zaal1's version of Irregulars allows "Ancestral Guardian solos". This includes both normal Ancestral Guardians and also Hakaar. (Infernal Ruling) You can use Requisition Points to pay for irregular models, assuming they meet the generic "other small- or medium-based model" clause. (Locked Thread)

Rules Clarification : Soul Converter - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Awakened Spirit      (Edit) Although the cost is free, you still need to be within your warlock's CTRL range for them to force you to cast it.

Rules Clarification : Hex Blast      (Edit) If you miss and deviate onto a different target, no upkeeps or animi expire. You need a direct hit. Anti-Upkeep vs a unit (Edit) If an upkeep is on a unit, then all you need to do is make it expire off any member of the unit and the spell will expire from the entire unit. It doesn't matter if the target is in formation or not. (Locked thread) However, if an upkeep is on a single model within a unit (such as Scything Touch) then you need to dispel it off that particular model to make it dispel. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Inviolable Resolve - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Last Stand      (Edit) If you make a CMA, only the attack leader is destroyed. The attack participants didn't actually make an attack. If a model triggers Last Stand, then you make the upkeep expire (for example casting it on a different unit), then that model is destroyed despite the spell expiring. (Infernal Ruling) If a model triggers Last Stand, then you kill it yourself and resurrect it in the same turn (for example with the Supreme Guardian), then is not destroyed because effects expire on models when they're destroyed. (Infernal Ruling) I thought the two rulings above conflicted with each other but apparently they don't; essentially because "you don't track triggered effects on models that aren't on the table". (Infernal Ruling) End of Turn Abilities (Edit) Scenario scoring is resolved after stuff that happens "at the end of the turn" (such as Gates of Death, Hoof It, Last Stand, etc). (Judge Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Sunder Spirit      (Edit) Because the warbeast has lost its animus, other models can't cast it either. Neither its controlling warlock, nor models like the Cyclops Shaman.

Rules Clarification : Thresher      (Edit) Thresher is a special attack. If you make additional attacks, they will be a single basic attack (you cannot buy additional special attacks). Thresher is optional. All attacks generated are Special Attacks. Thresher will hit friendly models. Simultaneous melee attack (Edit) There are several abilities/spells that allow a model to make simultaneous melee attacks vs everything in range (Blood Reaper, Cyclone, Flashing Blade, High-Impact, Thresher)       Some have Infernal Rulings that pertain only to themselves, but the clarifications below are applicable to all of these abilities:   [Show/Hide] Targeting/Timing To make a multi-melee-attack (MMA) you have to make individual melee attacks vs every model, and this means you need to target every model with a melee attack. If a model "may not be targeted by melee attacks" (such as Una2's feat) then you have to 'skip' it when you resolve the attack. (Infernal Ruling) The attacks are effectively multiple separate attacks. If you have a buff to your "next attack" (such as Tune Up) then it only works vs the first model you roll dice against, not vs every enemy. (Infernal Ruling). The attacks are simultaneous. If a model is out of LOS when you start the MMA, then you may not attack it during the MMA (even if the MMA kills what is blocking your LOS). You need to target everything, then resolve all effects that trigger on "target" before starting any attack rolls. Then complete all attack rolls and do everything that triggers on "hit" before starting any damage rolls, and etc. In practice and to save time though, if neither player has effects that trigger on "being targetted, hit, damaged, etc" then they'll normally do the hit and damage rolls on a model-by-model basis. If a model collects tokens from destroyed models (for instance the Cryx Harrower that collects souls), it cannot collect any tokens until all MMA are resolved. Charging If you charge and cast a spell to generate MMA, then none of those MMA count as a charge attack. You've "paused" your charge. If the charge target survives the spell, then you get to make a normal charge attack vs it. If your MMA is simply tied to your weapon, then only the damage roll against your charge target is automatically boosted - other models caught in the MMA suffer an unboosted damage roll (although you can spend focus/fury to boost it) Triggering other abilities Most abilities that give the attacker a bonus move/attack tend to use the phrase "destroy one or more enemy models with a melee attack" and as such you'll only trigger this ability once. For example Berserk, Quick Work, Black Spot, etc Other abilities, that trigger on "hit" or "damage", can be triggered from every attack in the MMA. Many abilities only trigger off a basic melee attack, so don't work with special MMA (like Thresher). But if your MMA is basic (like High-Impact), things might get a bit complicated. In particular: If you have Beat Back on the attacker, it is resolved after the attack. Every model that survives the MMA is eligible to be Beat Back-ed, and the attacker chooses the order. Pick one, push it and follow it, then decide if you want to Beat Back another survivor. Each push will recenter the directly away / directly toward part of the push. (Infernal Ruling) If you have Electro-Leap on the attack, it is resolved after all attack rolls but before any damage rolls. The models that you just attacked will have electo-leaps bounce between them (as they will generally be the closest to each other). After the Electro damage is resolved, you can roll melee damage vs any models that survived the electric damage. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Undead - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification:  : Incorporeal      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

Damage & Debuffs All spells do magical damage. Refer to the latest errata. However, feats only do magical damage if they say they do. Feats like Asphyxious1's and Nemo1's are not magical damage feats. (Infernal Ruling) If a weapon or spell does multiple types of damage (such as Chain Lightning doing Electricity damage), then you'll still be hurt by the spell. "Incorporeal" is not the same as "has immunity to all damage types". (Infernal Ruling) "Mundane" weapons can still apply debuffs to Incorporeal models, even though they can't damage them. For instance, an Ironclad could hit an Incorporeal model with a Tremor Attack and knock the incorporeal model down; Small-based Incorporeal models can be Consumeed, etc. (Infernal Ruling) Incorporeal models moving If an incorporeal model declares a charge, then they stay incorporeal until they actually make an attack. So, for example: If they're Countercharged after finishing their own charge movement, they will be Incorporeal while resolving the Countercharge attack. If they fail the charge, they will stay Incorporeal. Entering hazards: "Enters or ends its activation" can only be triggered once each turn. If the Incorporeal model begins its activation outside the hazard, moves into the hazard and loses Incorporeal, it would not take any damage from ending its activation in the hazard. If the Incorporeal model begins its activation inside the hazard, stays inside the hazard, and loses Incorporeal, it would take damage from ending its activation in the hazard. (Infernal Ruling) Charging through models (Edit) You can't charge all the way through your charge target, with the intention to turn around and face them once you're on the other side. Because you aren't able to satisfy the "must keep the charge target in melee range" clause at the point after you are through the model but before you turn to directly face. At that point the target is behind you, not in your front arc, and thus not in your melee range. Your melee range only extends to your front arc. Refer to the latest errata. You can still "skim" through the edge of their base, if you're careful and smart with your positioning. Moving through an Incorporeal model A model that is pushed into an Incorporeal model will go all the way through, only if the push is large enough to get all the through. If the push is too short, the moving model will "bounce back" to where they first started overlapping the incorporeal model. (Infernal Ruling) The core rules that allows models to be pushed through the Incorporeal model will override any ability/spell that uses the phrase "is pushed until it contacts a model" (such as Grip, Drag, and Catch). (Infernal Ruling) Incorporeal vs Slammed/Thrown models ( Edit ) Incorporeal models cannot be moved by someone trying to slam them. Slammed models can move through Incorporeal models. If they have enough movement to get past them, no dramas. If they land on them, you move the Incorporeal model out of the way as per the Rule of Least Disturbance. If the Incorporeal model cannot be moved (i.e. it's a flag) then you move the slammed model out of the way, also by the rule of Least Disturbance. For the purposes of Collateral Damage, only the model(s) you contacted before you applied the rule of Least Disturbance count as contacted. The same logic applies to Throws. Other Incorporeal models can engage enemy models. They can't make free strikes or bodyblock enemies, but they do prevent enemy models making ranged attacks, and everyone gets the 'Target in Melee' bonus. If you push a model to a position where it regains Incorporeal (for instance you push it out of range of an Exorcist) then what happens is (Being Checked by Infernals)

Rules Clarification : Destruction Spawned - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Dessicator      (Edit) Templates that do damage (Edit)   [Show/Hide] Most templates that do damage to models that walk into them are defined as "Hazards" (such as Burning Ground) but there are a few that aren't Hazards (such as Creeping Barrage and Wall of Fire). The differences are: A hazard is a terrain element Damage from a hazard template is never considered to be from the model or weapon/spell that put it into play. So hazards never gain special rules of the weapon/spell (such as a Damage Type or Poison), nor does it gain special rules of the model (such as Hand of Fate). Damage from a non-hazard template is considered to be from the model that put it in play. So non-hazards do get stuff like Hand of Fate. (Infernal Ruling) Damage from a hazard is not from an attack (so won't trigger stuff like Vengeance) Damage from a non-hazard is also not from an attack. Instead it will be a Special Action (Covering Fire), or a "instead of making an attack, place a template" (Creeping Barrage), or etc.   Damage templates from spells is complicated: (Infernal Ruling) Spells that leave templates that are not hazards (such as Razor Wall) do Damage Type: Magical. Spells that leave templates that are hazards (such as Breath of Corruption) follow the rules for hazards, which are most likely not magical damage but it varies by the hazard. The initial damage when you place the template, if any, is Damage Type: Magical. For example, Breath of Corruption's initial POW 12 corrosion damage roll is Damage Type: Magical in addition to Damage Type: Corrosion. But the hazard that is put into play from Breath of Corruption is not Damage Type: Magical, just Damage Type: Corrosion.   By default, when you put a template into play it doesn't do damage to models they overlap. The exceptions are templates that are created by an AOE weapon, and templates that explicitly say they do damage when they're placed. A model which is "placed" also counts as "entering" an area, so the template will damage any one who teleports/spawns into it, too. If two templates are overlapping, a model that enters them will take two points of damage.

Rules Clarification : Soul Cage - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Soul-Powered      (Edit) You cannot buy melee attacks after casting a spell, due to the "The rules for these special attacks indicate the nature of any additional attacks that can be made afterward, if any." rule. And none of the spells you can cast specify that additional attacks can be made.

Rules Clarification : Strength of Death - None yet. (Edit)

Note to Editors To edit the Kovaas' tagged abilities, Click here