Cover. Know thy Rules.

[Frosty the Pirate]

Shall thou not confuse area terrain and ruins. (Yes, it's a big freaking deal)

www.3plusplus.net/2013/07/the-truth-about-cover-saves-in-40k/

To summarize:

1) Terrain can be either Area Terrain, or a Ruin. Not both.

2) Area Terrain doesn't give cover to vehicles unless it blocks 25% of the hull.

3) Focus fire is a very often forgotten rule that can make a big difference when used properly.

4) Yes, the LOS rules are actually very important. Use True LOS, don't just say you can shoot through everything. It makes for a much more tactical (and enjoyable) game!

[Khalai]

That's a great article. Definitely showcases little known/used rules. I feel smarter having read it

[Jack Shrapnel]

Ah, exploding vehicles make area terrain.... I thought it was a 4+ behind them...lol... at least I've been cheating FOR my opponent on that one (not playing with any vehicles normally!) and yeah, I've had to point out the whole GTG in a ruin doesn't give a 2+ multiple times... ruins are not area terrain... repeat as necessary lol...

....but I didn't realize you could focus fire against models that were not the closest model if there were differing cover saves available... hmmmm interesting...

good find on the article Ray, thanks...

[voodoo]

Indeed! Thanks Ray it was definitely an eye opening read.

[thesanityassassin]

Wow, awesome article. The strategically giving the enemy cover saves thing is huge too....3 man jetibike squads stopping Draigo from eating a round of Bright Lance shooting would be huge. It does kinda kill my Ghostwalk Matrix Fire Prisms though as rarely can they ever obscure themselves inside area terrain given that most of ours is forests/they have to sit on top of it with the flying base....

Actually, that seems a question worth asking....do our forest templates count as area terrain? Because even though they theoretically are covered in trees, they're just bits of screen and don't actually obscure any part of vehicles....

[Jack Shrapnel]

We count them as area terrain... if anyone quibbles with you about it, tell them to feel free to buy GW forest kits to bring to all their games... or they can just count the screen as equal to a GW forest kit... which will obscure 25% of pretty much any vehicle because the trees are quite tall. We count the screen as equal to a GW forest because who wants to buy a bunch of citadel woods at $40 a pop for the club?

who wants to buy that? well anyone who gives you grief about the forest screens

[Khalai]

Consider also, there are tons of loose trees to place on the screens, that just get removed when you place models in them, and so generally just get left aside in the first place.

[Hizack]

Good to know that I will be doing a lot more killing a lot easier now.

Though, going to ground behind the Aegis gives a 2+ in it's rules though. Glad about the ruins not giving the 2+ and not being area either.

Thanks for the article.

[raceygaming]

Quick question to follow up on forests as area terrain, does that mean a unit that goes to ground in a forest as a 3+ cover save because of the +2 from GTG in area terrain or are forests like a sub category that is a area terrain that only grants +1 for GTG?

[Frosty the Pirate]

So going to ground gives you +1, going to ground IN area terrain gives +1 as well, stacking for an effective +2.

Hence the phrase "going to ground in area terrain = +2 to cover save"

[Jack Shrapnel]

in other words... yes, it's a 3+ cover save going to ground in forests...