Bladestorm and Overwatch

[dswanick]

On a related note, this came to me in the "Signum v Snap Shots" thread :

So, gentlemanloser had this thought about why Signum would only be useable in a Shooting phase, thus unusable for Overwatch shooting:

Ballistic Skill 5 for the remainder of the Shooting phase.

I guess by remainder, GW are implying that you use the signum at the start of the shooting pahse, and it only works for that shooting pahse.

Which explains why the GW answer may have been Signum > Snap Shots for moving and Hard to Hit, but not Overwatch. However, does Bladestorm have any implied reference to it being used exclusively in the Shooting phase other than it's status as a 4th Ed rule which never accounted for the idea of Shooting in your opponent's Assault phase?

[Feste]

The rule is:

 

The Exarch and his squad may choose to add one to the number of shots they each fire with their shuriken weapons that turn.

It makes no reference to their shooting phase, just a turn.

 

One thing that I have thought about this is that while 5 and 6th editions refer to turn as player turn, did 4th edition? The rule is so loose with turn, in a way in which using player turn makes no sense, that I wonder if at the time it was written that turn meant game turn.

[Aidoneus]

BUT some Eldar players are stating you can bladestorm during your own shooting phase, then bladestorm again when assaulted via overwatch. That I take issue with.

Unfortunately, that is the clearest part of this debate - by RAW, "a turn" has been clearly defined as "a player turn" and the Bladestorm rule is suffering from "4th Ed rule in a 6th Ed game" syndrome.

Not to mention that Bladestorm specifically limits your shooting in "the subsequent shooting phase." Since Overwatch doesn't happen in the shooting phase, it clearly isn't affected.

 

Now where in the text of the Signum does it say that it can only be used in the Shooting phase?

Signum

A model can use a signum in lieu of making a shooting attack of his own. If he does so, one model in his squad is Ballistic Skill 5 for the remainder of the Shooting phase (<- here). Declare that the signum is being used before any rolls to hit are made.

[dswanick]

I'm thinking you missed my post from about 5 hours ago where this was sorted? :P