Dark Angels Vets - Bodyguard Rule

[Kilofix]

Command Squad Bodyguard: <mod-edit>See Codex: Dark Angles, pg. 94, Company Veterans Datasheet</mod-edit>

 

 

If a Character gets a single hit by a LasCannon doing 4 damage and a Vet Unit intercepts - does 1 Vet die or 4 Vets die?

 

Thanks.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Eddie Orlock
Compliance with B&C IP use and rule posting guidelines

[Eddie Orlock]

does 1 Vet die or 4 Vets die?

Neither. During the fifth sub-step of the fourth step of the shooting sequence, Inflict Damage (pg. 181) The character takes wounds one at a time from the Lascannon's four damage. This comes from the reading that it's one for each point of damage with the implication that these are discrete events and the sequencing side-bar on pg.178. Thus, one at a time, for each damage being converted the bodyguards get to test to intercept that wound.

 

So, if the character only had one wound left and the first roll was botched the character takes that one and dies and the process ends there. Or maybe you make a couple of rolls and hemorrhage a couple of bodyguards before that fatal one turns up. Also, by extension as separate events, if you run out of bodyguards before you run out of fobbable wounds the bodyguard unit is longer there with it's ability to soak them up.

 

So, between zero and four vets depending on how alive the character was when you started, how well you rolled, and how many guards you started with.

[Jolemai]

According the Command Squad Bodyguard rule, should a Character lose a wound withing range, a Company Veteran will intercept the hit.

 

Similar to when a lascannon fired at a Tactical Squad can only ever kill one Marine, only one hit has been made and only one death can occur regardless of damage.

[Eddie Orlock]

According the Command Squad Bodyguard rule, should a Character lose a wound withing range, a Company Veteran will intercept the hit.

The whole bit about 'intercepting the hit' is what in rules design parlance tends to be known as 'colour text', it's not actually part of how to parse the rule, but something to help the players mentally justify the rule. Conceptually similar to the colour text about the Apothecary retrieving the post-mortem progenoids in the Narthecium rule, which also doesn't stop him from trying to replace the same fallen warrior on the following turn.

 

The idea that it's multiple iterations stems from the notion that it triggers only damage is converted to wounds which is only at the very bitter end of the attack resolution cycle and that that step uses 'for each' language which implies an iterative loop.

[Kilofix]

Makes sense Eddie - thanks.