Are independent characters always units?

[Stone Edwards]

Quick question but one that caused.....a lot of argument my last game. Played a friend and sniped his Etheral on turn one but didn't totally kill the unit of firewarriors he was attached to. Would I have gotten first blood for killing the IC since he is unit? Or in this case would I need to kill the entire unit the IC was attached to?

Thanks!

[Brian Wesley]

First blood is the first unit destroyed....if it is an IC then that is the first unit killed

[Nabterayl]

Surprisingly, I can't find anything directly on point in the FAQ or the rulebook. But I think the best answer is that an Independent Character model who is bought as a single-model counts as having his unit destroyed when he himself is killed, regardless of whether he happens to be his own unit at the time.

The Independent Character rule, on page 39, tells us to count an IC who has joined a unit as part of that unit "for all rules purposes." However, Purge the Alien, on page 127, tells us to "Remember that Independent Characters and Dedicated Transports are individual units and award Victory Points if they are destroyed."

The example of the Purge the Alien victory conditions suggests to me that, for Victory Points purposes only, we should treat an Independent Character as his own unit regardless of whether he has joined a unit or not. But it is not technically clear that that's the case.

[Magpie]

I'm with Nab. I think there are enough exceptions to the "considered part of the unit at all times" clause for IC's to say they are considered a separate unit in this instance, despite being attached to a unit.

The reserves rule is a good pointer in that they are counted as separate even if joined.

[DarkLink]

While the IC might temporarily become one with the other unit, ultimately he's a separate unit, so just like how he's a separate kill point, if you snipe him out of a unit that's First Blood.