Multiple Squads and Cohesion

By 3dchambers, in Deathwatch Rules Questions

Hey Everyone,

I had a quick question. In the Errata for deathwatch it mentions the following:

"If the Kill-team becomes separated during the Mission its members may form multiple Squads for the purpose of Squad Mode abilities so long as all the requirements of entering Squad Mode are met and the Support Ranges of the multiple squads do not overlap."

What it does not mention is how the Cohesion is handled. Since Cohesion is created at the start of the mission does this mean that each Squad Leader needs to make their own cohesion pool at the start of the mission and pick a different Oath etc.

Or does it mean you select one Squad Leader and he defines the Cohesion for both groups in case of a split up. Also, if this is true does it mean that you still spend from the same pool even though you might not be able to see each other? And if you were to join up later how would cohesion add back up when the group came together?

Thanks.

The squads would share in the total pool of Cohesion. If one Alpha Strikes it will leave the other group boned

Thanks. Is there any documentation on this anywhere?

Also, if this is true and Kill-team A spends 3 Cohesion. Then does the other kill team get to activate that Squad Mode ability as well if it is sustained?

"When activating a Squad Mode ability that is Sustained, the Cohesion cost is only paid once per mission; after the cost has been paid, the Sustained ability may be freely used by any Battle-Brother in the Kill-Team that is in Squad Mode. The ability can be used for the duration of the mission."
So can the other Kill-Team activate the ability across the mission map? Or do they not gain access to that ability until the Squads reunite?

No.

When you form multiple squads, the subsequent squads must select a leader and cohesion for that squad is calculated off of that marine's characteristics/talents. Then subtract all the cohesion already spent during the mission from this amount.

Original squad remains unchanged.

I assume OP that you mean your team started as one whole group then half went down one hallway and the other half down the other (thus breaking the LOS requirement for squad mode).

In that case I would go with Rogaldorms post and save Herichimo's for when you're running two independent squads.

It keeps it simple, straight forward and avoids "manufacturing" cohesion out of thin air. "Ok the squad leader drops out of sight breaking squad mode, now the devastator takes over and since he has a fellowship of 50 we now 5 cohesion instead of the 1 we were at."

In your example Kamikaz, the team leader leaving support range is not justification to select a new team leader. In this case all battle-brothers outside of support range lose all benefits of having a leader. So no more rally or repairing cohesion damage for them, they may still activate and benefit from squad mode abilities activated and maintained by brothers within their support range pulling from the team's normal pool of cohesion.

If on the other hand, a part of the Kill-Team is going to be acting seperate from another part for extended periods of time, it may be beneficial to select a team leader for that squad.

Nothing else changes.

Selecting a new team leader clarification:

Setting up a new team leader (or a sub team leader) is a formal affair. In other words it doesn't automatically happen. The new team or new sub team then bases itself off the leadership of the new leader. If the new leader is better at leadership than the first, well then he's better. If he's worse, then he's worse.

As I stated above, you don't reset cohesion just because a new leader was chosen. The amount of strife, to-and-fro, and fatigue (and/or other essoteric things) which is represented by cohesion remains the same. As stated previously, you decrease the new(er) leader's cohesion pool by the amount of cohesion already spent during the mission. If there are two teams, they now track their remaining cohesion seperately.