Unofficial FAQ/errata questions, round 1

By Zetan, in Runewars Rules Questions

Hey everyone!

As I've mentioned, I'm going to be try to work on an unofficial FAQ/errata to go with my unofficial tournament document. My goals for it are as follows:

  1. Do not change power level, just clarify rules that are unclear. The power level adjustment rules are in the very capable hands of several others. I just want to be sure everyone is using the same rules.
  2. Try to have all rulings follow general community consensus of how something should work, even if not everyone agrees that's how it does work in the current rules set. This is why I'm adding both FAQ questions and errata, since sometimes errata is necessary to make a rule function at all.

This these ends, I'm going to be posting several threads like this with a handful of FAQ entries and/or errata to add to the document. For each of them, please look them over and see if you disagree with how I've handled anything. If you do, please post a reply and we'll talk through it. If we can't agree, we'll eventually put it to a public vote. Once everything either has no objections or has been voted on favorably, it will be added to the FAQ/errata document (which I will create soon). I'm posting only a few at a time like this so they can each be discussed without too much distraction.

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Errata: Entering terrain when already in contact

Note that this errata negates a ruling at worlds 2018. It is designed to make terrain function the way it intuitively feels like it should; you shouldn't have to back up and run into a terrain feature from a distance like you're rocking the wheels of a car to get over a bump you parked behind.

If a unit already in contact with terrain takes a March/Shift action that would move it in the direction of that terrain, that unit can choose to enter and occupy that terrain if it consists of a number of trays equal to our lower than that terrain's capacity value and the terrain is currently unoccupied.

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Errata: Assigning damage to the backmost rank

I think this is how basically everyone plays this anyway, but it's good to have the rules on the book. Rules as written, since trays are removed after damage (10.10) and damage can only be assigned to the backmost rank (22.3), you can never assign damage to more than one rank at once, which is silly. It gets even sillier with Lingering Dead.

If a tray has no figures in it, it is ignored when determining which figures can be assigned damage and wounds.

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Errata: Filling Forward

This errata is specifically targeted at an interaction between Lingering Dead and Ankaur Maro that can result in some really weird situations if you follow the rules as written. It also fixes some of the problems the last FAQ attempted to address regarding killed unit upgrades, and future-proofs the rules against similar problems if any more development happens.

Filling Forward

A unit is required to Fill Forward anytime one of the following is true:

  • Figures are missing from a tray that is not in the backmost rank (ignoring any ranks that have no figures at all)
  • Figures are missing from a tray that, if that tray were removed from the unit, would cause that unit to be split into two separate groups of trays (ignoring any trays that have no figures in them)

To fill forward:

  1. If the tray that needs filling is different from the unit type (such as a heavy figure upgrade in an infantry unit), swap it with a tray from the backmost rank.
  2. Move figures from trays that do not meet the conditions above into trays that do. For example, if the middle tray of a 3-wide, single rank unit is missing a figure, move a figure from one of the side trays to replace it.

The unit's opponent makes all decisions for filling forward. However, figure upgrades may not be moved unless there is no other choice.

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FAQ: Assigning accuracy to a one-rank unit

This ruling was determined by a sentence diagram, printed on t-shirts, then ruled this way at worlds 2018. It clarifies some poor wording in 22.4.

Q: Which figures in a one-rank unit can be assigned damage?

A: Only figures on the leftmost and rightmost trays can be assigned damage (ignoring empty trays) as any other trays, if removed, would cause the unit to be split into two separate groups of trays. Accuracy, of course, can be used to ignore this restriction.

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FAQ: Vitality and Accuracy

This ruling has been debated a lot in the Initiative One Discord, and we seem to have come to a consensus there, but I'm opening it up for discussion here, as not everyone is there.

Q: If a figure upgrade is assigned accuracy, then assigned enough damage to be wounded, and the defender chooses to spend a Vitality token, what happens?

A: The vitality token prevents the wound. This means the figure has not been wounded, the accuracy is not spent, and that figure still has an accuracy assigned to it. The attacker must continue assigning damage to that same figure because of rule 22.2. For example, if a player is assigning 1 accuracy and 7 damage to a unit with a vitality token a 4-defense figure upgrade, that player may not assign 4 damage to the figure upgrade, have the wound prevented, then assign the other 3 damage to other figures. If a player wishes to achieve this damage split, they should instead assign the 3 damage to other figures first, and assign the 4 damage to the upgrade afterward.

As mentioned, please reply to any/all of these that you disagree with! For ease of discussion, use the bolded text to refer to one particular FAQ/errata entry.

Great stuff.

Errata: Entering terrain when already in contact

RRG 55.3 already provides a way to resolve a collision for cases like this, so technically this should be more of an FAQ item than an errata, but it being pointed out is definitely good.

FAQ: Assigning accuracy to a one-rank unit

I'd prefer to be able to target models without accuracy in these cases, simply because it works more like you'd expect. If it 1) is in the back rank and 2) wouldn't split the unit then you're good to go is the simple explanation, though I guess 2) is in a tray that, if removed, would split the unit isn't THAT much worse.

I’m not sure I agree with not needing an accuracy to target a model. I certainly appreciate the intuitive nature of what you’re saying, but you pay points for those upgrades and if they go poof too easy, it makes them difficult to justify. I’m probably a bit biased since I like upgrades as I feel they increase the list-building aspect of the game...