7th Ed. Saurus Spears in Combat

[superskink3000]

In close combat after the first round when a unit with spears attacks, do both ranks get 2 attacks, or does only the first rank?

 

[n810]

yep
secod round both ranks 2 attacks each....
and the first round too if you are defending.

 

[skinker]

6 wide units = 24 strength 4 attacks. OUCH!! Get the lvl 1 heavens spell off on that unit and you'll, on average, be re-rolling 4 missed attacks and 2-3 missed wounds.

You should, therefore, be getting 14 hits on average and wounding 8-9 if they're toughness 4. Wounding 10-11 if toughness 3. YEOUCH.

 

[Bibamus]

spears allows a unit to fight in 2 ranks if the unit hasn't moved the turn it is fightning. ergo unless it is charging, you fight in 2 ranks.
also, if i have a mounted scar vet in a spear unit [wich fills 2 spaces in 2 different ranks] do i get to fight with the saurus behind the scar vet? technically its the model right behind the one in the front rank, but it also is in the 3rd rank.
if the answer to the above is YES and the motivation is somewhere along the lines of "a model with spears can attack if it is base to base contact with a model in base to base with an enemy" then would actually all 3 saurus touching the scar vets base get to attack?
if the answer is YES again i'd like a page refference in the BRB

 

[n810]

spears allows a unit to fight in 2 ranks if the unit hasn't moved the turn it is fightning. ergo unless it is charging, you fight in 2 ranks.
also, if i have a mounted scar vet in a spear unit [wich fills 2 spaces in 2 different ranks] do i get to fight with the saurus behind the scar vet? technically its the model right behind the one in the front rank, but it also is in the 3rd rank.
if the answer to the above is YES and the motivation is somewhere along the lines of "a model with spears can attack if it is base to base contact with a model in base to base with an enemy" then would actually all 3 saurus touching the scar vets base get to attack?
if the answer is YES again i'd like a page refference in the BRB

Ummm....
They might have covered that in GW's FAQ 2
they covered a lot of mounted character in unit questions.

 

[strewart]

Yeah I have always played it that a spear cannot go through a mounted model since it is too long. In any case, you will have a hard time convincing an opponent to let you use 3 models from the third rank as well. They should be in the second rank, not behind the model in the first rank. Of course at this stage I have no pages to backup my statement.

Bibamus, you come up with some very interesting and complex rules queries.

 

[erians]

also, if i have a mounted scar vet in a spear unit [wich fills 2 spaces in 2 different ranks] do i get to fight with the saurus behind the scar vet? technically its the model right behind the one in the front rank, but it also is in the 3rd rank.
if the answer to the above is YES and the motivation is somewhere along the lines of "a model with spears can attack if it is base to base contact with a model in base to base with an enemy" then would actually all 3 saurus touching the scar vets base get to attack?

Page 55 BRB:

"Spearmen can fight in two ranks - warriors in the second rank can stab past their comrades using their long spears."

"If a unit is entitled to fight in this way then any model in a second or subsequent rank can fight if it is behind a model that is engaged in close combat to its front."

Imo it pretty clearly states that its warriors in the second rank that fights, not the third even if they are behind a model in the first rank. Also states that the model needs to be behind a friendly model in combat, not in BTB with them.

 

[Barotok]

I can agree with the above two posters. Models in the 3rd rank don't make sense to be attacking.

To further add to the train of thought, lets assume that you run a list with a Slann but no TG. Instead of running the Slann on his own, you have him join a unit of Sarus with spears. Since the Slann is technically placed in the 1st rank, does that mean the Sarus in the 3rd rank, behind the Slann get to attack? I should think not, even though the palanquinn would technically allow them to slip under and attack with their spears.

If you even decide to open this line of reasoning up, you also have a ton of other questions and arguments that you could make about spears. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the wording is bulletproof here, but to me, it's pretty clear. First and second rank of the rank and file models.

 

[Bibamus]

thats mostly the same situation i was giving but with a slann instead of a mounted scar vet. same problem, same answer.
i also tend to agree that models in the 3rd rank don't get to attack but the reason for that being that the model in front of them is placed in 2 ranks doesn't sound right even if it is by the rules.