I have seen several people state that you can, or cannot get a "look out sir" roll with a Cowboy placed within a Saurus block. Some people say no. Some say 4+, Some say 2+. Which is it? And if not, does a skink priest get a look out sir when sitting within 3" of a saurus block? This is complicated.... Ray
Let me see if I rember this off the top of my head... if you are the same unit type and in a unit (scarvet on foot in a saurus block) you get 2+ save if you are the same unit type and out of a unit but within 3'? you get the 4+ save if you are not the same unit type and in a unit (scarvet cold one in a saurus block) you also get the 4+ save .... I don't rember if there is a 3+ save for anything..?
Wait.. A cowboy can actually get a save while with his regular saurus friends? I thought it was same unit type only.
This is actually quite straight forward, as long as one knows where to look in the BRB. First off on page 104, "If a character has a cavalry mount, the whole model is treated as having the troop type cavalry and follows all the rules for both characters and cavalry models". So from this a scar vet cowboy is a cavalry model. Moving on to page 97 - "..provided there is a friendly unit consisting of five or more models of the character's troop type within 3" " - So no 4+ look out sir for a saurus character on a cold one within 3" of any infantry unit (whether that is saurus, temple guard, chameleon skinks or skinks). Page 99 - "If a character is hit by such an attack, and he is in a unit of at least 5 rank-and-file models (excluding champion, if there is one) and he is of the same troop type as the unit, then his controlling player is permitted to make a "Look Out Sir!" roll..." - So no 2+ Look Out Sir roll for a cowboy in an infantry unit either. Following these rules Skink Characters on foot can have their usual 2+ Look Out Sir! rolls in any infantry unit and a 4+ if within 3" of an infantry unit. There are no other rules regarding Look Out Sir! rolls, so there are no other instances in which you can make one. I hope this helps!
It is up to the people that claim that the character who is of a different troop type can gain a look out sir to find the relevant section in the rulebook to support that claim. The sections I have looked at to find the illusive 4+ LoS of a different troop type have shown up nothing: p.93 Look out Sir! - This section explains the 2+ look out sir for champions. p. 96+97 Lone Characters - Shooting at Lone characters - This section explains the 4+ look out sir for a character when within 3" of a unit with the same troop type of 5 or more rank and file models. p. 99 Shooting at combined units of characters + unit. This explains that a character can get a LoS as seen on page 93. This page also explains that if a unit "If there are fewer than five rank-and-file models left in the unit (or the character is of a different troop type) there is a chance that any characters in the unit could be hit - the controlling player decides who is hit, but must allocate one hit on each model before he can add a second hit on a model; he must allocate two hits on each model before he can allocate a third and so on" This was actually an interesting read too, you can use your Scar-vet/Oldblood on cold one to take some BS shots away from the saurus unit. That is kind of cool. So yeah, I have found no proof of characters of a different troop type gaining any form of a look out sir when within a unit. So please show me where you found that rule. Edit: Was ninja'd!
I must have been thinking of the randomized BS shooting... either that or a rule from and older eddition.
A character in a unit of a different troop type does not get to take a look out sir at all. (such as a cowboy on a cold one in a unit of Saurus.) A lone character may make a 4+ los roll if they are within 3" of a unit with 5 or more rank and file models of the same troop type. (A cowboy within 3 inches of a cold one cavalry unit) A character in a unit of the same troop type with 5 or more rank and file models may make a 2+ look out sir roll. (A slann or scar vet on foot in a unit of saurus)
When I put a Cowboy in a unit of Saurus Warriors, I always give him the Armor of Destiny. I'll take a legal 4+ Ward Save over an illegal 4+ Look Out Sir any day of the week. I much prefer an Oldblood on foot to a Scar Veteran on a Cold One for the purposes of beefing up a Temple Guard or Saurus Warrior block though avoid all the lack of Look Out Sir shenanigans.