Revision as of 23:45, 13 February 2018

Important This page has an error on it, which has been identified as: This page hasn't been updated in months. juckto (talk) 18:41, 22 February 2017 (EST) 19:55, 14 March 2017 (EDT) Update: Given that no one is updating this, I'm going to start removing rulings from this page as I put them on more specific areas of the College. For instance rulings about Gang will be moved to Template: RC Gang. Eventually I will delete this page. juckto (talk)

What is an Infernal Ruling?

Privateer Press have an official subforum on their website dedicated entirely to players asking questions about how rules work that you can access here. (Note: The purpose of the forum is to help players understand how rules function and interact with each other in-game, it's not the place to discuss general issues with the game, balance, or tactics). You can recognise an Infernal's post by their purple name

As part of that subforum they have an official team of "Infernals" that officially answer questions. Although these Infernals are volunteers they have a direct communication line to the actual designers of the game and thus any answer an Infernal gives is 100% official. These answers are referred to as "Infernal Rulings".

Tip ! You can find a list of Infernals on the Credits page of the main rulebook. Like I said, they're completely official

What is this page then?

Following is a list of Infernal rulings in the Rules forum, including threads that are closed/locked. Only responses by Infernals (for rules questions), Judges (for organized play questions), or threads that are closed are counted (unless a thread is closed with an Infernal saying that they closed it without reading, which invalidates the thread being closed as counting for official answers). Any other responses may be informative, correct, or both, but are not offiically accepted answers to forum questions.

Important The following summaries are interpretations only. We are human and misinterpretations can happen. Follow the links and read the responses for yourself to get the raw source. Do not link to this page in the rules forum to answer a rule question, as that will likely just make the Infernals irate.

Dates are based on the CT (American Central Time) timezone. (Last check: 9:40 am CDT, 2016-08-17)

Threads that point out errors in War Room entries will have their references deleted as War Room is updated.

Errata

When an errata is published, some Infernal rulings are deliberately changed, while others are codified into errata. When that happens, the rulings below will have anything clarified or reversed by the errata to a separate page to avoid confusion. These pages are for historical record only, and many of the rulings on them are no longer relevant due to the errata.

Errata released 2016-07-18.

"Checking" status

The following questions are being checked by Infernals. Do not "bump" these threads or start new threads to ask about these questions. Some "Checking..." threads take weeks, months, or even years to resolve, but presumably the Infernals keep a list of all threads being checked, because they eventually get around to answering. This list is being kept to help avoid new threads with the same questions.

• Lightning Strike: Can you cast it after killing a model and still have it trigger?
• The Witch Coven of Garlghast & Egregore: How does the Witch Coven interact with the Reinforcing the Power Field?
• Powerful Attack: Can you boost between rolls, and if so, which rolls are you allowed to boost between?
• Gremlin Swarm: Can different Gremlin Swarm "Mischief" roll results stack with each other?
• Captain Gunnbjorn: How does Immunity to Damage from feat interact with abilities that do one point of damage when damage is not done?
• Are you allowed to forfeit your normal movement without a specific effect to invoke that forfeits movement?
• Does Lamentation increase the base cost of spells with regards to Geomancy and Spell Slave, or would the spells able to be cast with those abilities be unaffected?
• How does Zaal's "Direct Spirits" ability interact with Soul Taker?
• Does a model that you take control of using the Corruptor's Psycho Venom attack activate on your turn?
• If the Corruptor uses a Distillation attack while in the Coven's battlegroup, who (if anyone) is healed?
• If a model is charging, suffers a Push, but is still in melee range of the charge target at the end of the push, does the push fail?

General Rules

Rules Basics

General Guidelines

Game Terms, Model Names & Rules References
Special rules may reference a model/unit by its name or special rules. (Infernal Ruling)

1. A special rule could look for "Exemplar" and it could find that keyword in either the name or a rule on a model.
   • For example, Doomshaper3 has "Trollkin" listed under his rules, rather than under the name of his unit, because there is a non-Trollkin Pygmy in his unit.
2. When identifying a unit by its special rules, such as Undead or Construct, all models of the unit must possess that rule for it to be that type of unit. For example,
   • Alexia Ciannor & the Risen are not an Undead unit while Alexia is still in play.
   • A Mechanithrall unit with a Skarlock Commander and Brute Thralls attached to it is an Undead unit, due to every model possessing the Undead advantage.
3. The name of a unit never changes after army list creation.
   • A Mechanithrall unit with a Skarlock Commander attached to it is still a Mechanithrall unit, even when every Mechanithrall model in the unit is destroyed.
   • A Houseguard Halberdiers unit will still remain a Houseguard Halberdiers unit when a Soulless Escort is attached to it.
4. Units with '&' dividing two parts of the unit do not pass specific names between them. For example,
   • A Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges unit is made up a Cephalyx Mind Slaver and Drudge Grunts. The Cephalyx Mind Slaver does not inherit the Drudge keyword and the Drudges do not inherit the Cephalyx keyword.
5. Command Attachments with '&' between them specify both parts of the attachment have the preceding type keyword. For example,
   • Both models in the Winter Guard Infantry Officer & Standard are Winter Guard Infantry models, for example.

Use of "Any Time" Special Rules

• Restrictions on "Any Time" abilities     (Edit)         [Show/Hide]

  • "Any Time" abilities can be used at any time during a model/unit's activation, except:

  1. Before any compulsory forfeiture of movement/action. See step 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A.
  2. 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).
  3. In between declaring your charge target and making your charge movement. (Infernal Ruling)
  4. In between completing your charge movement and determining whether it was a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling)
  5. When you're in the middle of moving. (Note: Impact Attacks count as being in the middle of movement).
  6. 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.)
  7. Your opponent interrupted your activation to trigger one of their own abilities (such as Countercharge).
  8. 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.
  9. 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)

Measuring Distances

• You may use proxy bases to facilitate measurements however you wish (on your own clock when measuring). (Infernal Ruling)
• Laser lines can be used to measure line-of-sight for anything at any time. (Infernal Ruling)

Models

Base Stats, Current Stats & Modifiers

• The double, halve, add, reduce rules apply to spell costs as well. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-08-16.

Base Size & Facing

• A model's facing is its shoulders only if it doesn't have markings on its base to designate where its 180° arc should be. Ref: FearLord, 2016-06-12.

Preparing for War

Building Your Army

Field Allowance 

• All Command Attachments should have the same FA as their units. Some Command Attachment FA values are incorrect and will be fixed. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-15.

Mercenaries 

• In a multi-caster game, Partisans count as the main army's faction and not as Mercenaries (if playing a faction other than Mercaneries). Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-22.
• Mercenary models with Battlegroup Controller can take Mercenary warjacks. Minion models with Lesser Warlock can take Minion warbeasts. Whatever restrictions on the Lesser Warlock, Battlegroup Controller, Mercenary warjacks, or Minion warbeasts will still apply. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-07-07.
• Models with Selective and Mercenary can be used inside the Factions that Mercenary specifies without issue. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-07-26.

Gameplay

Movement

Movement types

• [Movement] does not equate to [Normal Movement]. When a trigger is based off [Normal Movement], it will specify [Normal Movement]. If it is meant to be triggered on [any Movement], it will say [movement] or [advance]. (Infernal Ruling)
  Normal Movement is always a type of Movement, but not all Movement is Normal Movement.

Forgetting Movement

• If you don't move your model, but change its facing = It advanced.
• If you don't move your model, and declare you're "forfeiting your Movement for [X]" or "using your Movement to Aim" = It did not advance.
• If you don't move your model, but forget to declare anything = It did not advance. (Infernal Ruling)

Charge

• SPD penalties do not prevent a model from charging. (Locked thread)

Combat Actions

• (Infernal Ruling for below):
  • You do not need to make all your initial attacks.
  • You can buy additional attacks before finishing your initial attacks, but if you do so then you will forfeit any incomplete initials.
  • You can choose to make zero initial attacks, then buy additional attacks.
  • If you charge, you must make a melee attack. You can't choose to make zero initial attacks and then follow it up with zero additional attacks.

Additional Attacks 

• After making a Special Attack with a Ranged Weapon, you can purchase additional ranged attacks up to your Reload value. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-28.
• You cannot make melee attacks at a model that is not inside your melee range. You cannot spend focus or be forced to make attacks if you don't have a model in melee range. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-08-16.

Line of Sight

Even though the spray template is blocked by the terrain, LOS is still achieved and so the attacker can spray the target.

• If three equal-sized bases are on an exactly straight line, the middle one does not block LOS. Instead, LOS can be drawn along the tangent. (Infernal Ruling)
• The Large-base volume image in older versions of the rulebook is incorrect. It should show it to the outside edge of the base, not the inside edge. (Infernal Ruling)
• LOS can measured independent of the weapon's range/template. So, even if the spray template is blocked by terrain, if LOS can be gotten another way the attack can be made. Refer image. (Locked thread)

Combat

Attack Roll

Criticals

• For an AOE to be a critical hit, it must directly hit its target and roll any two of the same number. (Infernal Ruling)
  • In other words if it misses with two of the same number, then deviates onto a model, that is not a critical.

Back Strikes

• Back strikes give +2 to the attack roll. (Cleared up due to PP staff comment earlier with a different bonus amount.) Ref: Maudlin, 2016-06-12.
• You must be in a model's back arc only when the attack is made to get the back strike bonus - no requirement to be in a model's back arc for your entire activation. Ref: Closed thread, 2016-06-17.

Melee Attacks

Power Attacks 

• Power Attacks are not Special Attacks. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-07-29.

Ranged Attacks

Even though the spray template is blocked by the terrain, LOS is still achieved and so the attacker can spray the target.

Targeting

• If you ignore LOS, you can make a ranged attack against any target. (Infernal Ruling)

Targeting a Model in Melee

• You cannot engage a friendly model, so if a missed shot is randomized to an engaged friendly model, it will get the +4 DEF bonus for being engaged even if right next to the model that is making the ranged attack. (Infernal Ruling)

Area-of-Effect (AOE) Attacks

• Models with Stealth or otherwise have "Automatically Miss" rules are still hit when covered by an AoE template, as the template just hits and doesn't specify "Automatically Hits" and thus the rules for Automatically Missing taking priority over Automatically Hitting don't apply. (Infernal Ruling)
• On a normal AOE attack, any model not directly hit suffers blast damage which is half the POW of the attack. When the AOE specifically states a damage roll, it is that damage. (Infernal Ruling)
• Mentioning that the damage is "blast damage" does not mean that the ability is automatically halved, if a specific damage roll is mentioned. It just tells you that models immune to blast damage will not be damaged by it. (Infernal Ruling)
• For an AOE to be a critical hit, it must directly hit its target and roll any two of the same number. (Infernal Ruling)
  • In other words if it misses with two of the same number, then deviates onto a model, that is not a critical.

Spray Attacks

• Dense Fog terrain type is still a cloud and thus will not stop spray attacks, as they are not considered having Line-of-Sight blocked by terrain. (Infernal Ruling)
• LOS can measured independent of the weapon's range/template. So, even if the spray template is blocked by terrain, if LOS can be gotten another way the attack can be made. Refer image. (Locked thread)

Damage

Corpse & Soul Tokens 

• Models removed from play before destroyed prevent token creation, but not models removed from play when destroyed. Ref: Closed thread, 2016-06-12.
• Models provide corpse & soul tokens when destroyed, including when Removed from Play after being destroyed. (Note, this is "destroyed" in the disabled-boxed-destroyed sequence.) Ref: Maudlin, 2016-06-13.
• Models that have an ability to collect souls from friendly models can collect souls of models slain by their own units, unless their rules say otherwise. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-23.
• There are some models with Soul Taker: Reclaim that cannot get souls from models killed by friendly models, or non-attack-damage effects such as electroleap. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-24.

Special Combat Situations

Clouds

• Overlapping clouds do not merge. This means a model completely within two different clouds but not completely within either, will not benefit. (Infernal Ruling)

Continuous Effects

• The Corrosion effect does Corrosion damage, and the Fire effect does Fire damage (as stated in Prime). (Infernal Ruling)
• Knockdown and Critical Knockdown effects are not optional. (Infernal Ruling)

Anatomy of a Unit

Unit Components

Field Promotion 

• If a unit leader is removed from the game when it cannot be Field Promoted, another model is selected as Unit Commander. Formation and orders (including Press Forward) will come from that new Unit Commander. Ref: Closed thread, 2016-06-12

Spells & Effects

• Applying an effect from a weapon hit does not apply Page 64's restriction on targeting with a spell or special rule. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-08-09.

Spells & Spellcasting

Casting a Spell with FOCUS

Spell Statistics 

• A range CTRL spell cannot be increased with abilities that increase spell range by X". Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-23.

Terrain

Terrain Features

Difficult Terrain

• Not to be confused with Rough Terrain.
• Meant to be something discussed ahead of time regarding what models can enter it - only really applies to custom terrain. (Locked thread)

Standard Terrain

Forests

• Overlapping forests do not merge. This means a model completely within two different forests but not completely within either, will not benefit. (Infernal Ruling)

Hills

• Hills, by default, do not provide cover for models behind them. (Infernal Ruling)

Appendix A: Timing

• "Immediate" doesn't have any rules relevance for timing in Mk3. Ref: Closed thread, 2016-06-12.

Attack Sequence

• You cannot use "anytime" abilities between an attack and a second attack that triggers directly from the first attack, such as ones from Berserk. (Mk2 difference.) Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-23.
• Overtake resolves before Berserk when both trigger, as Overtake resolves at step 12 of the Attack Sequence, and Berserk resolves at 14. Ref: Closed thread, 2016-06-12.

Non-Model Specific Ability or Spell Rulings

Wall Templates

• Wall templates are 4" x 0.75". Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-07-05.

Abilities

• Generally, effects that cause you to lose [Ability 1] don't prevent you from regaining [Ability 1] by using [Ability 2] or [Spell 2] or [Whatever].
  It has to explicitly state that you lose [Ability 1] and cannot regain it. (Infernal Ruling)
  • Example: Spyglass makes a model lose Stealth for one round. But the affected model could have Occultation cast on them and regain Stealth.
  • Example: Marked for Death makes models lose Incorporeal and Stealth for one round and prevents affected models from regaining them.

Organized Play Rulings

Note: These are made by a Judge, not an Infernal.

Steamroller 2016

• If two players simultaneously reach 5 CP, the game continues until one has more than the other. (Note that both are capped at recording 5 on their sheet for tiebreaker purposes.) Ref: Mr. Golden Deal, 2016-06-16.
• You do not need to spend all of your Warjack points, but cannot play an army more than 4 points lower than the point level at which you are playing. Ref: niceas, 2016-06-17.
• Terrain may be placed in such a manner as to block line of sight to a zone or flag from a deployment zone. Ref: niceas, 2016-06-20.
• Ghetorix: The new model is tournament legal. The fact that one hand is open and it doesn't have a separate claw attack does not matter. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-06-29. Ref: PPS_Hungerford, 2016-08-11.
• Objectives are a friendly faction model to the player who owns them, and models with the repair skill can repair objectives. Ref: bulldog, 2016-06-30.
• Any player may score at the end of any player's turn, starting with the second player's second turn. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-07-07.
• If you are going so fast your opponent cannot verify your dice rolls, you need to slow down. You cannot speed up in such a way that it is unreasonable for them to check. If you roll the dice and then immediately switch the clock to your opponent, you will get a warning for sportsmanship. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-07-07.
• It is possible to get a tie in a game. Ref: rydiafan, 2016-07-08.
• If you forget to prey, and you and your opponent cannot agree on the resolution of such, it is lost for the game. Ref: LEJ, 2016-07-11.
• Flags are valid targets for chain lighting and e-leaps. Ref: bulldog, 2016-07-18.
• Steamroller objectives do not have an activation. Ref: DarkLegacy, 2016-07-18.
• Models not yet released cannot be used in organized play, including conversions. Ref: LEJ, 2016-08-11.
• Theme forces in NQ are legal in pp organised play on the street date of the NQ issue. Ref: LEJ, 2016-08-13.
• Arc Nodes are not weapons so you could remove them without falling foul of the official guidelines. Ref: LEJ, 2016-08-26.

Champions 2016

• You can use the same FA:C model in multiple lists. Ref: LEJ, 2016-07-26.

Faction-Specific Rulings

Unsorted Rulings

Rulings from between 16th September & 23rd September

FearLord

• When Self-Sacrifice is used it is SS which destroys a model, not the original attack. Thus it prevents stuff like Black Spot and Berserk from triggering [1]
• If a model with Sentry has different Attack Types, it can choose which to use [2]
  • For the Blightbreather, the shot will have no extra effects applied because "reasons" [3]
• Gallant can only be taken in Mercenary or Cygnar forces. [4]
• Alten Ashley vs melded Bethyane is being checked [5]
• Whether Wurmwood's feat stays centred on him after he has teleported is being checked [6]
• Dodge will trigger if an AOE misses, even if the original model is still hit by the deviated AOE. [7]
• Consume works vs Incorporeal models [8]
• Radiance of Morrow's range is being checked [9]

Rulings from 3 Nov 2016

• Deathbound on the Revenant Crew has been clarified to specify the "Leader" instead of the "unit leader" which means if the Leader is RFP'd no field promotion occurs and Deathbound is lost for the rest of the game. Link.
• The Corruptor's Psycho Venom does not let you activate your meat node. Link.
• The Corruptor's Distillation will heal one of the three Witches in the Coven. It doesn't divide up. Link.
• Egregore will not lose a point of focus when hit by Energy Siphon. However, the model using Energy Siphon will gain a focus. (Yay for breaking focus conservation laws!) Link.
• Aiakos can cast spells and use abilities before resolving his Assault ranged attack if his charge is successful. If it is not, no abilities or spells can be used. Link.
• Aiakos can use abilities and spells before using Jump (the same is true for Bounding Leap). Link.
• Lightning Strike is retroactive but spells like Synergy are not. You cannot benefit from actions that would trigger the benefit before the spell is cast when the spells effects are not limited to a single activation. Link.
• Frenzy is always resolved with the highest POW melee weapon that has range to the target. Never a ranged weapon. Ranged weapons are pretty much always higher POW than melee weapons so warbeasts with ranged weapons that could be used on a charge would have to have been used during a frenzy. Link.
• Eruption of Faith (Protectorate battle engine) is unboostable. Link.