Just played .....pinning question

[FF151]

Hey Guys,

 

Please don't get sick of me yet, but my other posts certainly started some good discussions. Here is a question....

 

I shoot my missile launcher to the small blast marker. It scatters and is directed at a different ork squad that I wasn't originally shooting at, however the Ork that it hits is locked in combat with another SM squad. I roll to wound and is successful, there is no cover save nor armour save so the ork dies. Now, the missle launcher is a pinning weapon isn't it? and if it is...how does the pinning test and subsequent falling to ground work?

 

Thank you so much for the effort in replying!

 

FF

[Hackbar]

I don't have any of the divergent codices, (BT, BA, DA, SW) but in C:SM the only pinning missile launcher is the Whrilwind, which is usually referred to as such to avoid confusion with the various other weapons called missile launchers. (all of which have near identical stats and none of which pin) For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume you're referring to the Whirlwind because otherwise there would be no pinning.

 

As far as I know (and I don't have my rule book in front of me, but I do tend to read it and my Codex when bored) units locked in combat ignore the state of being gone to ground entirely and cannot be forced to go to ground. Even if we assume that this is not so, consider the following:

1. The units in combat can't be shot at (aside from scattering blast templates accidentally hitting them, as above) and can't use cover saves to save wounds from combat, so the cover save benefit is only of use in the rare case that the same unit is repeatedly hit by scattering blast templates, which should be quite unlikely.

2. They already can neither move nor shoot because of being locked in combat, thus making that penalty of pinning redundant.

3. If they survive the combat and Fall Back or Consolidate, (depending on whether they won or ran) they are no longer Gone to Ground, thus removing the Gone to Ground effect before It gets to do anything the next turn.

 

That's how I see it, anyway. You've got me second-guessing my memory, though. I'll check the BRB if someone else doesn't first.

[gdeathlegion]

The ubiquitous space marine missile launcher is not a pinning weapon.

You were correct to resolve the hits against the squads in combat tho, this is the only way you can ever "shoot" into a combat (with the exception of some flamer tricks)

 

When one of your own units is pinned on the enemies turn, it does not stand back up until the ENEMIES NEXT TURN. The only way to get un-pinned, is to fall-back from wounds caused in the same shooting phase, or to be assaulted in the following assault phase.

 

Hint: if the enemy uses a pinning weapon that causes your squad of battle hardened space marines to get pinned, dont worry,let your squad get pinned(they get +1 cover save) and at the end of the phase, if the enemy does 25% casulaties to the pinned squad (which you're actually hoping for in this case) during that shooting phase, you will be called to do a morale check for that squad at the end of the phase (because thats when you do morale checks) instead of gambling, fall back voluntarily with combat tactics, give the marines their much needed space, next turn thay auto regroup ready to blast those pinning basturds to hell, space marine units are hard to pin down!

[FF151]

Thankyou everyone so much for that information!

[SeattleDV8]

BRB pg. 40 "units that are locked in close combat do not have to take Morale and Pinning tests caused by shooting..."