Cover Sanity Check

[henrythesecond]

Hi guys, I just need a quick sanity check on the rules for cover saves.

Consider the attached piccie.

This is the shot I had with my vindi at a squad of Space Marines. The range was around 20",
the shot hit directly, so no scatter.

The terrain piece you see in the mid-ground is a GW smashed Aquila piece and it was determined
during setup that it was not on of the pieces of Area Terrain, so the normal rules from the BRB
and TLOS are in effect.

As can be determined from the piccie, the terrain in no way provides LOS coverage to the
squad from the perspective of the Vindi, so I took the view that the squad did not benefit
from any Cover Save from the Aquila.

The issue arose, however, when my opponent claimed that as my LOS crossed over the
Aquila, he squad received a 4+ Cover Save. This was despite him freely conceding it wasn't
area terrain. He said it was how the cover / terrain rules worked and that was how it was
played in several tourneys he'd played in too.

I've got to be honest, I was taken aback. So much so that I need you guys to confirm for me
that I'm reading the rules right and I'm not totally insane.

Looking forward to getting some opinions on this one.

Regards.

[Gir]

I would say no cover save if it wasn't area terrain, and a 6+ if it was (That's how my group plays clear aera terrain)

[BlackKnight15624]

...they're in the open. If there's no TLOS-blocking and no area terrain that they're standing in or even across from (though standing on the other side of area terrain doesn't give you a cover save, either, IIRC), there is no reason to deny the vindicator it's full killing potential. That is, a group of dead space marines and a lesson learned from your opponent..

[DrLove42]

Agreed with Gir here...if its not area terrain it has no effect. The line of sight from the gun barrell to the targeted models is not blocked in any way, confering no cover save any other way either.

If it was declared area, then yes he'd have a 4+ save according to the BRB (maddeningly) but as Gir says a house rule for a diminished save is a better idea

[gcsmith]

Actually black knight the rules state if a shot goes through 2" of area terrain the unit being shot gets cover, so if it was area he would but it isnt so wont.

[Archon Charybdis]

Actually black knight the rules state if a shot goes through 2" of area terrain the unit being shot gets cover, so if it was area he would but it isnt so wont.

Actually that's incorrect, and that's a mistake I see people make a lot. A firing unit that is inside area terrain itself, firing out through more than 2'' of terrain, will confer a cover save. If the firing unit is itself out in the open, and just shooting through area terrain, the target unit only gets cover if they are actually between LOS blocking elements of the terrain (like trees or large rocks.) If the terrain is low/small enough that it doesn't actually obscure the target unit, it doesn't confer a save. Check out the bullet points "Firing through units or area terrain" and "Firing out of area terrain" on pg. 22.

So to the OP's question, even if the aquila piece were counted as area terrain, it still wouldn't confer a cover save because the target unit isn't between being shot between gaps in the terrain.

[DarkLink]

You do not get cover saves from firing over terrain. You get cover saves from firing through terrain. In this case, you are shooting over terrain, thus no cover saves.

[Nungunz]

I see 5 models that have no part of their body obscured (Aquila blocks 100% line-of-site to a few models and the building blocks 100% line-of-sight to one).

If it was a 10-man squad or larger then they would get a cover save. Considering the terrain is buildings and rubble, it would be a 4+ save.

Remember if even a tiny sliver of the body is obscured, the model counts as being in cover. IE if at least half of the squad has LOS to just their toes blocked, then the entire squad would get a cover save. Stupid rules, but them's the breaks.

[Tynskel]

Looks like a 5+ cover save to me.

[Nungunz]

Looks like a 5+ cover save to me.

I'd settle for that as well.