Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Rule of the Day - Monsters and Handlers

Rule of the Day - 06/08/2011


Maybe not that kind of monster that needs handling...  :-)

These rules are a bit unlcear, so I'm hoping to peel the onion a bit.


Monsters and Handlers - pg 73

The handlers aren't really a combat unit per se, so we ignore them for most gaming purposes, treating the monster itself as the extent of the unit.  {*this is THE MOST important sentence, and one I'll come back to}.  When a monster suffers an unsaved wound, roll a D6.  On a roll of 1-4 the monster suffers the wound as normal, but on a roll of 5-6 a handler model is removed instead.  Once all the handlers have been removed, the monster must take a Monster Reaction test just like a ridden monster that loses its rider.

In close combat, the handlers can direct their attacks against any enemy in base contact with their monster.  The handlers are otherwise assumed to have their hands too full controlling the monster to carry out any actions like shooting, or casting spells, etc.  In addition the handlers cannot be charged, attacked or otherwise affected separately from their monster - if they are found to be blocking movement or line of sight, the controlling player simply alters their position, just as you would for any other battlefield marker or counter.  If the monster is removed, so are its handlers.

Summation
Any wound is potentially transferred to a handler on a 5+.  {*only shooting wounds transferred in 7th}

Handlers are mostly ignored, they are not in the following cases
     -Close Combat.  They can't be attack but they can ALL attack.
     -When the monster is wounded, remove a handler instead on a 5+   

This leaves quite a few scenarios where handlers would otherwise affect the game but that first sentence will prevent them from having any effect on the following.
     -Panic Tests
     -Template Hits
     -Characteristic Tests - Excepting Leadership tests {*explicitly stated in the FAQ-which contradicts itself a bit}
     -Charges / Being charged
     -Line of Sight

Cheers,
Domus

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the photo for Monsters and handlers!

Domus said...

Thanks! I didn't have a good pic of my salamanders and this was what came up when I searched for monster and handler on the internetz!

Anonymous said...

How does this interact with Spirit Leech? It's not a characteristic test but it does use the leadership value of the target.

If cast on a monster and handlers unit do you use the Monster's leadership or a handler's leadership?

Domus said...

I'd say you used the targets unmodified LD. Most likely which would be the Salamanders LD.

Domus said...

The salamanders would still get the 5+ roll to pass the wound to a handler.

Anonymous said...

Great - that is how we have been playing it but wanted to make sure. Of course with a LD 10 prince against a LD 5 salamander it usually ends up being around 6 wounds anyway eliminating the need for the 5+ roll to see if a handler is killed.