The Basics

I just got back from ICon where I kind of sponsored the scenery for the 40k tournament. I brought 3000 dollars worth of stuff in six totes and a few boxes and it was...well...hot. I will have more to say on the subject soon, including pictures I assure you. I will also have pictures of the drop pod I just built. Evidentally the world needs drop pods.

I will also, I swear, continue on with my expose on how to build your own city of death, but before that, I'd like to cover the basics.

You see, here at the Empire, we sometimes discuss scenery like you need special rules to make your stuff work...because you do. Let's face it. 40k was kind of made for 12 year olds. If you're older than that, you can handle a little complexity in your rules, or so I thought.

I found out that quite a few people simply do not get scenery--through no fault of their own, I might add. The rules are vague and well, there's no one to straighten it all out. I decided the best thing to do was to use this space here to discuss the basics of scenery.

1. Can you draw a line between 50% or more of the shooters in your squad to 50% or more of the targets in their squad without going through intervening terrain? If yes, then you may shoot. Line of sight is not blocked, cover saves are not allowed. Casualties can only be removed from the part of the unit that you can see.

2. Can you draw a line between 50% or more of the shooters in your squad to 50% or more of the targets in their squad without going only through terrain that is smaller than the height of the shooting model? (note models are their own height or the height of the structure they are standing on, whichever is higher) If yes, then you may shoot. Line of sight is not blocked, cover saves are allowed. Casualties can only be removed from the part of the unit that you can see.

3. Can you draw a line between 50% or more of the shooters in your squad to 50% or more of the targets in their squad going into (not through) intervening terrain equal in height to the shooting model? If so, and you may shoot any model that is less than 6" in. They get a cover save. Casualties can only be removed from the part of the unit that is less than 6" in and can be seen.

4. Can you draw a line between members of your squad to targets in their squad going through intervening terrain equal in height to the shooting model? Without playing any optional rule, the targetted player may only take casualities from those members that can be seen (where the line does not go through the intervening terrain). These models do get a cover save so long as 50% of their squad are in or behind the intervening terrain. If no members are out in the open, they cannot be shot.

There it is. These four steps and you have everything you need to know about the basics of cover. And again, rule of thumb: if you're on a level one hill, you ignore level one terrain, if you're on a level 2 or 3 hill, you ignore level 2 terrain. No one gets their cover save, no one gets line of sight blocked. This is the point of taking higher ground.