Another thing I didn't think about at first came up when playing with bigger units and more trays. Calculating threat for ranged attacks is easy, your threat is equal to the number of trays at the front rank. But for melee I've become a bit unsure.

RR 82.1

"When performing a melee attack, a units threat is equal to the number of trays that compromise the contact edge."

So is the "contact edge" the full length of the edge in contact with the defender or is it only those trays actually in contact? The RR words this differently from the L2P and has me a bit confused.

In other words, if my 3x3 unit is engaging and attacking a 2x2 unit do I count my threat as 3 or 2?

The contact edge is the entire edge that is in contact with the enemy. So if you have a 3x2 unit that has its front edge in contact with an enemy, the threat would be 3. However, if another enemy flanked them, without reforming their threat would only be 2 if they were to attack that enemy.

you count 3. the contact edge is the edge you make contact, the entire edge. if for example you have a 3X2 unit, and hit in the front you have threat 3. if someone hits you in the side, you only have threat 2

Edit: Ninjad

Thanks for help clearing this up gents, I was suspecting this was the case but on the other hand it would make sense the other way around too.

Followup to this.

If my unit is attacking an enemy unit from the rear and the enemy unit has figure upgrades, those upgrades are susceptible to hits?

22.3, Damage can only be assigned to figures in the backmost rank of the unit.

So, damage will always go to the back rank, and the backmost rank of a unit will always be to their rear. Still need accuracies to target figure upgrades.

4 minutes ago, Tvayumat said:

22.3, Damage can only be assigned to figures in the backmost rank of the unit.

So, damage will always go to the back rank, and the backmost rank of a unit will always be to their rear. Still need accuracies to target figure upgrades.

Right, I was actually just figuring this out going through the rules. I don't know if I'm being overly nitpicky (paranoid) or if this rulebook is unusually unclear but I'm struggling with this compared to many other FFG games. Not that I don't find the answers, but I'm doubting them.

Just now, Soulless said:

Right, I was actually just figuring this out going through the rules. I don't know if I'm being overly nitpicky (paranoid) or if this rulebook is unusually unclear but I'm struggling with this compared to many other FFG games. Not that I don't find the answers, but I'm doubting them.

Now that we have a rules subforum, there's no such thing as too nitpicky. Pick those nits, brother!

38 minutes ago, Tvayumat said:

22.3, Damage can only be assigned to figures in the backmost rank of the unit.

So, damage will always go to the back rank, and the backmost rank of a unit will always be to their rear. Still need accuracies to target figure upgrades.

this makes the rules for that 1 move followup very important. if you charge the back of a unit you could easily become disengaged when you remove casualties.

3 hours ago, Klaxas said:

this makes the rules for that 1 move followup very important. if you charge the back of a unit you could easily become disengaged when you remove casualties.

Yes, but don't forget you can 'close in'!

Also, you can totally target the figure upgrades if they just are stupid and put them in the back ranks

4 minutes ago, Willange said:

Yes, but don't forget you can 'close in'!

Also, you can totally target the figure upgrades if they just are stupid and put them in the back ranks

You cannot put figure upgrades in the back

RR38.3 While a figure upgrade is equipped to a unit, the figure that corresponds to that upgrade must be slotted in that unit's front rank, replacing the default figure that would otherwise be slotted there.

43 minutes ago, Orcdruid said:

You cannot put figure upgrades in the back

RR38.3 While a figure upgrade is equipped to a unit, the figure that corresponds to that upgrade must be slotted in that unit's front rank, replacing the default figure that would otherwise be slotted there.

Huh, good catch. I just assumed everyone would do that anyway to protect them but as it turns out it's actually required!

7 hours ago, Tvayumat said:

22.3, Damage can only be assigned to figures in the backmost rank of the unit.

So, damage will always go to the back rank, and the backmost rank of a unit will always be to their rear. Still need accuracies to target figure upgrades.

Possibly a small correction, but damage isn't *always* applied to the back rank. Accuracy results let you assign damage to figure upgrades in the front if there are any. See 2.1 - 2.6.

11 minutes ago, Daverman said:

Possibly a small correction, but damage isn't *always* applied to the back rank. Accuracy results let you assign damage to figure upgrades in the front if there are any. See 2.1 - 2.6.

Correct, but in the absence of resolving accuracy results I mean.

The question was effectively if you are flanking the rear does it switch, and the answer is no.

Also, if the unit is currently only one rank, the front rank is also the back rank, at which point the upgrades are in both the front and back rank. Then you don't need accuracy results anymore.

56 minutes ago, Zetan said:

Also, if the unit is currently only one rank, the front rank is also the back rank, at which point the upgrades are in both the front and back rank. Then you don't need accuracy results anymore.

Unless the figures are in a tray that would split the unit when destroyed.

6 hours ago, Orcdruid said:

Unless the figures are in a tray that would split the unit when destroyed.

exactly, if your 9 tray spearmen with a front line rune golem are down to 3 trays, the golem still cannot be targeted unless you roll accuracy. until one of the side trays are done with.

EDIT: Assuming the golem is placed in the middle of the unit. which why not? unless youd rather put a character there.

For the starter match, the undead have a 2x1 tray of archers. Does that mean each ranged attack is 2 threat? So a hit will do 2 damage (minus shields)?

19 minutes ago, Back5 said:

For the starter match, the undead have a 2x1 tray of archers. Does that mean each ranged attack is 2 threat? So a hit will do 2 damage (minus shields)?

Yes, ranged attacks are multiplied by threat just like melee attacks, they get the effects of brutal and precise as well.

1 hour ago, Back5 said:

For the starter match, the undead have a 2x1 tray of archers. Does that mean each ranged attack is 2 threat? So a hit will do 2 damage (minus shields)?

And you don't minus shields. Each defense is how many hits it takes to cause a wound. It's a subtle difference.

5 hours ago, Orcdruid said:

Yes, ranged attacks are multiplied by threat just like melee attacks, they get the effects of brutal and precise as well.

Thanks. We played the promo game wrong on a number of levels. We were only applying 1 damage for the archers and I couldn't figure out why they were supposedly so good lol.

6 hours ago, Orcdruid said:

Yes, ranged attacks are multiplied by threat just like melee attacks, they get the effects of brutal and precise as well.

Precise requires 2 rows or the ability on the unit card

So to make sure it is defined, rank refers to the rearmost line of -trays- not the actual last row of figures. The reason that they designate that you -must- place upgrade figures in the front rank is so that you can't use a Front Line Rune Golem to protect your squishy soldiers as a shield against weaker troops.

10 hours ago, Ywingscum said:

Precise requires 2 rows or the ability on the unit card

My point was to clarify that ranged attacks get these benefits, not just melee attacks.

Ya, I realized after I quoted, my bad.