My friend was using a DF-90 mortar trooper against me and he said because it is a mortar it doesn't need line of sight. I searched all the keywords on this card and couldn't find anything about this. Is there anybody who knows more about this? Unit card below for reference.
It still needs line of sight to shoot.
I am with you. Can't see why this unit should not follow the general rules of LoS and shooting.
On 12/29/2019 at 9:25 AM, CL4nkEr said:My friend was using a DF-90 mortar trooper against me and he said because it is a mortar it doesn't need line of sight. I searched all the keywords on this card and couldn't find anything about this. Is there anybody who knows more about this? Unit card below for reference.
There's no keyword or anything in the Mortar indicating that it doesn't need line of sight. By your friend's logic I could argue that if Vader throws his lightsaber to a unit behind a barricade, they don't get cover as the lightsaber can cut through that barricade.
Check the rules reference guide for more rules for fire support (page 39 of the current Rules reference). The following says that the mini needs line of sight.
"During the “Form Attack Pool” step of a friendly unit’s ranged attack, each mini in a unit with the fire support keyword may contribute an eligible weapon to the attack pool if that mini has line of sight to any mini in the defending unit."
Does your friend play 40k? They are probably confusing Imperial Guard mortar teams not requiring line of site.
On 1/2/2020 at 12:34 AM, modise said:Check the rules reference guide for more rules for fire support (page 39 of the current Rules reference). The following says that the mini needs line of sight.
"During the “Form Attack Pool” step of a friendly unit’s ranged attack, each mini in a unit with the fire support keyword may contribute an eligible weapon to the attack pool if that mini has line of sight to any mini in the defending unit."
To further @modise point, the unit that you are attacking when adding dice to the attack pool using fire support also needs to be in the correct range bands, in the case of the DF-90 range 3-4.
Well, the written rule seems pretty clear, but it's also silly. Mortars are designed to fire indirectly without being able to see the target. Whenever I get around to getting one of these mortars I'll house rule it that as long as the firing unit can see the target it can call in the fire from the mortar to add to the attack pool.
On 1/9/2020 at 2:23 AM, ScottWasburn said:Well, the written rule seems pretty clear, but it's also silly. Mortars are designed to fire indirectly without being able to see the target. Whenever I get around to getting one of these mortars I'll house rule it that as long as the firing unit can see the target it can call in the fire from the mortar to add to the attack pool.
Just make sure your opponent agrees on that houserule. A unit that can add three dice, suppressive and critical one to an attack while being completely out of harms way at the same time is no weak feat. I'm pretty sure the designers thought about the possibility of idirect fire but found that it would either be too powerful or too expensive. I suggest for a houserule to also state that the mortar cannot be targetted using the coordinate keyword. so you have to at least put some effort into triggering the rule.
Of course. I'd never use a house rule against an unsuspecting opponent. At the moment I'm the only one in our game group who has Legion, so I'm providing all the minis and terrain and setting up the games, so it's not a problem. If I ever play anywhere else I'll make sure my force is 100% by the book.