Question about reserves.

[Pil]

If you have a +2 to your reserve roll, do your units come in round 3 automatically since you only need to roll a 1? I actually have had +3 to my reserve roll on round 3 and it is very rare that everything doesn't come in on round 2. I have only ever had one person question them coming in automatically. His argument is that in the rule book you always fail to hit or wound on a one. I really am not sure that fail to hit or wound argument really has any bearing on a reserve roll so I thought I would bring it here for some more insight and other player opinions.

[BuFFo]

If you have a +2 to your reserve roll, do your units come in round 3 automatically since you only need to roll a 1? I actually have had +3 to my reserve roll on round 3 and it is very rare that everything doesn't come in on round 2. I have only ever had one person question them coming in automatically. His argument is that in the rule book you always fail to hit or wound on a one. I really am not sure that fail to hit or wound argument really has any bearing on a reserve roll so I thought I would bring it here for some more insight and other player opinions.

If a rule says "Add a +1 to reserve rolls" then yes, if you have enough bonuses, you may come automatically on certain turns.

If a rule says "Always comes on a 2+" then it is possible to stay off the board the entire game, as this overrides the normal reserve rules. I don't know if this exists outside the Tau Army, though.

[Lord Azaghul]

And if you're playing IG, your bonus' don't stack.

[Paradox]

Hey,

Doesn't appear to be a clear ruling on that one way or another in the BBB. However, it does say you MUST roll for each unit prior to doing anything else in the movement phase, suggesting IMO that only turn 5 gives an automatic arrival. If you have to roll a dice, it is the standard that you must have a chance of failure. I know thats not specifically written and you would be well within your rights to take me up on that, but if you "must" roll a dice, their has to be a chance of failure.

There is the obvious note that units who haven't arrived by turn 5 will arrive automatically, but the book doesn't go so far as to say that is a mechanical result of the (unmodified) previous +2 reserve roll getting another +1 added to it. More, I suspect, the turn 5 automatically assuring the last of your stragglers rocks up prior to the potential end of the game.

Thus, unless there is a specific ruling on reserve roll modifications in codexes or FAQs, i think this one clearly falls in the 'if you disagree, dice for it and stick wih the ruling for the game"

I must say IMO that reserve rolls should be no better than +2. This way their is still a certain level of uncertainty no matter what, but also, if you were hoping to keep your units off for a bit longer, it gives you hope that you can achieve that too.

Just my two cents (hopefully that did come across non-arguementative )

[Pil]

The rules say you must add +1, and I play Tyranids. Alien Cunning, Hive Commander, and Deathleapers ability all say you must add +1 to your reserve roll. Deathleaper has to be on the table for one round before his takes effect though. Alien Cunning and Hive Commander only require that the Tyrants are alive.

[Pil]

Hi Paradox I agree with you, and I will happily just roll it. Like I said it is a rarity, and only ever seems to happen with one unit every time I play the one person that cries about it, yes I said CRIES!! lol. Just kidding my friends reads these forums, and knows this is me so I had to poke fun at him. I wish it was clear in the rule book just for clarity sake if nothing else. It does kind of lead you to say "Hey when you reach one on round five you come in automatically." while at the same time not saying that at all. Thanks for the good replies.

[TSINI]

my understanding (and this is entirely opinion)

is that the +1 modifier is to the dice roll, not the turn number.

and remember the golden rule - a roll of 1 always fails

so a +2 modifier works like this:

turn 2, would normally need a 5+. you can roll a 3 (or higher), +2 to 5 (or higher) and pass

turn 3, would normally need a 4+. you can roll a 2 (or higher), +2 to 4 (or higher) and pass

turn 4, would normally need a 3+. you can roll a 1 (or higher), +2 to 3 (or higher) and pass, but keeping in mind a 1 always fails, so you are still required to roll a 2 (or higher)

Turn 5, reserves come in automatically.

so the modifier has no effect on whether you require to roll or not, you always are required to roll until turn 5(excepting turn 1), because there is a 1 in 6 chance of rolling a 1, which always fails.

[Pil]

There is no golden rule saying a 1 always fails, and there are many shooting attacks that automatically hit. So that stands to reason with enough modifiers you could also automatically come in from reserves.

[SeattleDV8]

and remember the golden rule - a roll of 1 always fails

Except there is no such blanket rule.
When rolling to hit with a shooting attack a 1 always misses BRB pg.17
When rolling a save a 1 always fails pg. 24
when rolling a characterisitic test a 1 is always a success and a 6 always fails.pg. 8
None of these have anything to do with reserves.
Rolling a 1 does not mean you auto fail.

[TSINI]

well as i said its just an opinion, but i've always treated modifiers in this way

when rolling for leadership, a double 6 always fails, when rolling for anything lower than a 2+, a roll of 1 always fails. and when rolling 2D6 for a 2+, a double 1 always fails.

and as i mentioned before, turn 5 is the only turn in which "reserves AUTOMATICALLY enter" ie the only turn in which they are given the overiding rule that allows them to ignore the reserve roll. the modifier is to the die and not to the turn number. so you still have to roll for reserves on turns 2, 3 and 4.

obviously your debate is whether a modifier can modify a dice to better than a 2+.

my answer is no, because thats always a chance of failure. your answer is yes, because the rules don't say it is so. on the face of it because the letter of the rules is so, you guys have it. but in the spirit of the game, i still think mine holds more ground, as its always assumed a roll of 1 is a failure (in nearly all wargames) - regardless that GW removed this overiding rule from its rulebook.

we'll just have to agree to respectively disagree