Cover Saves & Units Partially In Cover

[Interrogator-Chaplain Ezra]

This one came up in a game recently.

 

A unit of Guardsmen are straddling a line of cover, 5 are in the open (and closer to the firing unit), the remaining 5 are on the far side. Opponent hoses them down for 6 wounds, without focus-firing.

 

Are the models in the open entitled to a cover save, since there was no focus firing? Or just the models actually in the cover?

 

We ran with giving them a cover save, since they were 50/50 and we couldn't find anything that convinced us either way (we probably missed it).

 

So, what did we miss/do wrong?

[AceofCase]

Cover saves are on a model by model basis. If the weapon was ignoring their armor saves, it'd just murder the 5 in the open, and the last wound would get the cover save. At least from my understanding.

[Fibonacci]

Only models in cover get a cover save.  What focus fire does is allow you to ignore those models in cover that are closer than the models in the open.  For just regular ol' shooting where some are in cover and others are not, see "Mixed Saves" on page 15.

[DarkGuard]

Cover saves are on a model by model basis. If the weapon was ignoring their armor saves, it'd just murder the 5 in the open, and the last wound would get the cover save. At least from my understanding.

 

And you are indeed correct sir.

 

Cover saves are model by model, if the model is not in cover, it doesn't get a cover save, even if it's mates are in cover. However, be wary for AoE cover saves, these often do affect the entire unit should even just one model be within the AoE when fired upon.

[Interrogator-Chaplain Ezra]

Right, I figured that we'd missed something. Cheers.