Hello all! FIrst I want to thank you all for the help that has been provided on these forums. I've come a couple times and it's usually cleared up some very interesting issues.

Anyway, I'm a new DM and a player and I were discussing how the fear rules work with the cmd test to resist cohesion damage. I guess I'll keep it simple, after the kill team leader has failed his WP roll to resist the fear effect while the team is in squad mode, can he then take the CMD test to resist cohesion damage? I was under the impression the CMD test was to resist cohesion damage from certain damage/weapon types and from taking 10+ damage. But, the fear rules are worded in such a way that it might be possible to take a second test to just negate the cohesion damage from fear altogether.

Kugruk said:

Going by the RAW, I say you can't use the Com/Fel test after taking Cohesion damage from Fear. Look at how things are organized on pg. 212. The Com/Fel test is listed after the damage sources of Cohesion loss. Note that part begins with " This Cohesion damage ..." so it's referring to the Blast/Devastating/Accurate sources of Cohesion loss. The section on Fear comes right after, so it wouldn't be included. The Willpower test is mentioned, and it basically serves as the Com/Fel test for Fear.

Nope. You use the Command skill to resist Cohesion lost against being hit with big guns, and a WP check to resist Cohesion loss from fear.

Yeeeeaaaahh... no I don't think so.

Both tests (the CMD to resist cohesion loss from damage, and the fear test) are attempts by the team leader to maintain discapline, formation, and fighting effectiveness when something bad happens to the team. He might yell out a line from the codex, or remind his men about the need to hold ground, or mention a line from a heroic tale. Whatever it is a particular team leader is apt to do, I doubt he would be able to convince his team to hold ground or not get affected by disturbing enemies IMMEDIATELY after he FAILED to convince his team to hold ground or not get affected by disturbing enemies. Essentially the Wp test is the CMD test when confronted by something that takes willpower to confront.

**Hive Tyrant bursts through the wall**

Team leader, "Men... oh my, wow that thing has sharp teeth, how.... how can we beat him, do you haveany ide..., oh my."

1 second later, "Men ignore my mumbling a second ago, focus your rage and fight on!!!"

Once you show weakness, its done, your men have seen it and you can't take it back. So NO you can't use the CMD test vs. cohesion damage to prevent cohesion loss when the team leader FAILS his fear test (the test he takes when confronting a fear causing enemy).