[Lucyth]

I've been embattled with the DE community (all three of them) on how to read and play two rules outlined in the codex. The ruling of the INAT FAQ is hotly contested. I was curious how DM would rule (INAT FAQ aside) on these cases:

1) Can a Dark Eldar model with a webway portal (wargear) deploy the portal while inside an open-topped raider? Also, what does the conjuction "OR" mean? The reading goes:

"It may be activated by the model carrying it in the shooting phase, instead of moving or shooting that turn. Place a spare Blast marker in base contact with the model when it activates the portal."

2) Can a Terrorfex pin a fearless unit? The codex reads:

"If one or more models are hit then the unit they belong to must pass a Leadership test or become pinned."

- The argument goes that the Ld test is not a morale test or a pinning test, hence Fearless units do not autopass it. While some argue that this is "rules obsoletion," the counterargument runs that this reading of the rules was intentional, because of the way the more powerful Xenospasm wargear works:

"Any non-Dark Eldar unit with models under the Terrorfex[sic] Blast marker must take a Pinning test at -1 per hit."


Rule on the Case, DM lawyers!
_________________
"So your fantasy Fred is a prepubescent Fred?"
- DAPatrick

www.dorkamorka.com/bloodbowl/

[mace_ace]

Webway portal: Is this instead of shooting? What phase is it done in? In the rules for deploying a webway portal are there any other conditions or restrictions other than what you've listed here?
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"well, you can split fire between four seperate units, plus that squad can make french fries and cure cancer! And they never miss!" -Tunderjaw

[mace_ace]

The pinning test:
In 5th ed a fearless model passes pinning test automatically.
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"well, you can split fire between four seperate units, plus that squad can make french fries and cure cancer! And they never miss!" -Tunderjaw

[Lucyth]

Mason, there are other rules for the Webway portal, but not pertinent to its deployment. That is all it says.

And the question isn't on pinning tests, its a leadership test that forces pinning. Pinning tests are different from Leadership tests. Fearless in the the 5th ed. book is defined as passing all morale and pinning tests. But not Ld. tests (like Eldar psychic power Mind War).

RAW, it would imply that a Xenospasm cannot pin fearless unit, but a Terrorfex can.
_________________
"So your fantasy Fred is a prepubescent Fred?"
- DAPatrick

www.dorkamorka.com/bloodbowl/

[mace_ace]

OK thanks for the clarifications. In that case I'd say that you would cause fearless units to take the Leadership test just as a fearless psycher still takes a psychic test on his leadership.
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"well, you can split fire between four seperate units, plus that squad can make french fries and cure cancer! And they never miss!" -Tunderjaw

[afeinman]

My take. Bear in mind for the tourney I will be the Voice Of The INAT FAQ, but these are my own takes for now:

1. Gut reaction: you can't use a webway portal while embarked, because it's impossible to put a blast marker in base contact with your model.
However, given you can use some psyker abilities from inside a Land Raider these days, and this doesn't specify a target (i.e. you don't need Line of Sight) then I could see an argument the other way.

2. If you're fearless, you can't be pinned, RAW aside. Even the INAT FAQ abandons RAW when it makes no sense.

"And the question isn't on pinning tests, its a leadership test that forces pinning." sounds like dinky weaseling. It is a shooting attack. It makes people scared so they don't move. Fearless people do not get scared. QED. "Well they wrote it different in two different places" holds no water to me--old GW codexes are full of unintentional inconsistencies; it is important NOT to read them like some sort of blessed liturgical text where every little comma is significant.

[mace_ace]

[tinfoil]

[Lucyth]

Alrighty then! Thanks for the input guys! Pretty much my thoughts too.

Though I would argue for using a portal in a raider based on the example of a flamer template shooting from an Ork Trukk (Where does the template start on the model if they are in a trukk/battlewagon?) or like some said, psyker powers from within vehicles.
_________________
"So your fantasy Fred is a prepubescent Fred?"
- DAPatrick

www.dorkamorka.com/bloodbowl/

[afeinman]

BTW, you also asked, "What does the conjunction 'or' mean?"

In English, 'or' means 'and', and 'and' means 'or'. At least if you were raised in the computer generation.

In English, "Show me all the people in Texas and Nevada" means "show me all the people in Texas, plus all the ones in Nevada".

To a computer you would spell that "all people in Texas OR Nevada", because no one is in Texas AND Nevada simultaneously! Since we are all forced to speak computer now, because of Google and other websites, 'or' means 'and'...

[Lucyth]

[SterlingSylver]

[afeinman]

[Lucyth]

[afeinman]

Here's the acid test. If you're debating what a word *means* then you're probably wanking.

In the case you mention, it's just a rules wrinkle that doesn't make a lot of physical sense. That's different--aggravating, but different. It's not like they said, "If a vehicle moves fast enough, then its passengers cannot shoot", they spelled it out. It is probably in there for game balance reasons, or just because they blew it when putting the rules together. 5th Ed is a lot closer to a workable rulesset but it does still have oddities.

If you're debating the meaning of "or" then you are probably trying to get an advantage for your army or something. "It says I remove a model from the squad when it dies. But it doesn't say when! As the controlling player, I choose to remove it at end of game." Yeah. That's wanking.