8th Ed. Multiple Attacks, Multiple Wounds, Monstrous Infantry

[Lawot]

Let's say we're fighting Ogres, and we whip out the Piranha Blade (and this applies to Stegs with Sharpened Horns, and Carnosaurs as well). We hit with 4, wound with 3, and get ready to roll the D3 Multiple Wounds. We roll a 3, 4 and 6, so that the attacks inflict 2, 2 and 3 Wounds. Great! But here's the question. Do you:

A) Add up all the Wounds inflicted (7), and remove that many from the unit, knocking out 2 Ogres and removing one wound from a third?

B) Allocate each set of wounds to the Ogres in order, so that one takes 4 wounds and the next takes 3, removing two models but discounting the extra wound inflicted on the dead Ogre?

C) Allocate Attacks or Hits beforehand, instead of allocating Wounds after rolling the D3?

D) Roll each wound, one by one, deciding who takes it?

E) Do something else I haven't thought of?

It seems like (A) is the simplest, but not entirely fair - extra wounds from Multiple Wounds don't usually carry over onto other models, as in the case of regular 1W infantry. (B) sort of makes sense, except that it raises the question of the order wounds are allocated in; 2, 2, 3, done in order, removes two models and wastes one wound, while 2, 3, 2 removes one model and wastes two wounds. (C) seems like it avoids any rules contradictions/paradoxes, but is kind of a pain and means the attacking player has an unusual quandary - they might spread out the attacks, and then roll 1's for MW and not remove any models; conversely, the might concentrate their attacks and then roll 6's and waste a lot of wounds. (D) also seems like a pain, and is sort of fuzzy whether or not it fits in the rules.

Thoughts?

 

[Stonecutter]

The method for applying the multiple wound rule to multi-wound models is on page 45 as follows:

1) determine number of wounding hits inflicted.

2) roll the multi-wound multiplier (d2, d3, d6, etc.).

3) remove a model if the multiplier is greater than or equal to the wounds on the models profile. Ignore any excess wounds (i.e. a cannonball can only do 3 wounds on an irongutz, not 6).

4) if the multiplier is less than the wounds on the model's profile, add it up with all other wounding hits that fail to remove a model outright.

5) take the sum from 4) and divided by the number of wounds on the multi-wound models, rounding down. Remove this many models and the remainder stay on as wounds.

Example: Steggie charges in and does 5 impact hits that all wound vs irongutz ogres:

Step 1 - 5

Step 2 - multiplier rolls are 3,2, 1, 3, 2

Step 3 - remove 2 irongutz models automatically for the two 3's rolled.

Step 4 - 2+1+2 = 5

Step 5 - 5 wounds removes another irongutz and puts 2 wounds on another.

There are several complicating factors that can arise:

1) if there are characters in the unit and fewer than 5 rank and file models, the hits have to be distributed by the controlling player (i.e. the ogre player) BEFORE rolling to wound and then the multiplier is applied to the character if it manages to wound. Excess wounds do not carry over from the unit to a character or vice versa.

2) if the multi-wound hits are inflicted by regular attacks in combat where the model can choose what to hit in base contact, the decision has to be made before rolling to hit. Sometimes, this results in an ogre champion model (or disposable character) being placed so that a really choppy combo (say carnie lord with piranha blade) is only in base contact with that lone model. The end result is that all the attacks have to go against that character/champion and cannot carry over to the unit. However, if the OB kills the champ first on I3, then carnie's attacks can be directed at whatever model "stepped up" since its attacks come at I2.

3) pre-existing wounded models - if a model is already wounded, treat any hits assigned against it separately before rolling to wound. This avoids the problem of the controlling player assigning a 3 wound hit on a model with only 1 wound left on it.

 

[T_Saurus]

What the above comment looks pretty good, but an issue is the wounds that do 3+ on a 3 wound model just remove the model, that step isn't really part of it. You would treat that as being 3 wounds and keep it as part of the tally so in his example with 3,3,2,2,1 wounds inflicted instead of taking the two off for the 3s then adding up the others you would just add them all up, see you are at 11 wounds. Which is enough to take 3 off and 2 wounds remain on the unit.

This question recently came up on Warseer rules discussion. You can find the thread here:

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?390525-How-do-weapons-which-cause-multiple-wounds-affect-MI-MC