A noble death weird interractions

[angrom]

Hey, I found another weird interaction that would have been great to FAQ.

 

In the visions "A noble death" it state that in the command phase we can create a 6" aura of obsec AND set to defend for core and characters.

I was a bit puzzled by the second part and had a look in the rules.

 

The conditions to usually be able to set to defend are: be infantry,  be within 3" of an obstacle terrain feature, not be within engagement range to declare it and as part of the defensible rules is usually triggered when an enemy unit is charging the unit.

 

Since this ability seems to bypass all of that (as we trigger it during our command phase (not in combat), does not require an obstacle and affects our core unit and characters (bypassing the infantry restriction)) I then went on reading what is the exact wording of "Set to defend" that we actually get

when within the aura.

The exact wording is : "Cannot fire overwatch but add 1 to hit rolls in next fight phase".

Since nothing in the "Set to defend" ability requires you to actually be charged (this is the defensible rule) does that mean that we can actually

use this offensively?

aka can we trigger it in command phase and provide obsec and +1 to hit for core and character charging in our subsequent charge phase while within

6" of the character with the vision?

[Cryminysakes]

IMO - I would say no.   Noble Death says a unit of character gets ObSec... and {CAN} Set to Defend.

 

So, how do you Set to Defend?  You have to have EVERY model near enough to a Defensible terrain piece to qualify in such a way that a charging unit has to cross the terrain feature to get into engagement range.

 

So yeah its all a bit loosey goosey...as usual... but either way the ruling goes, its once per battle so not likely to break be a terribly game breaking thing I guess.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Cryminysakes

[angrom]

But that would make no sense to state that as part of a special ability or aura, the unit is granted the ability to do something

that they were entitled to do in the first place.

It is like having a stratagem written that way "When shooting every 6 to hit will wound automatically, also the unit can shoot in the shooting phase"

[Cryminysakes]

Great point!

[Gnomeo]

I would say yes it can be used offensively and the reason it says "can" is incase you wanted to overwatch as set to defend prevents this.

[Mr4Minutes]

Of course it allows them to set to defend, even if they are not in a terrain piece that normally grants the rule. Etc: being out in the open.

 

That would be like tide of shadows only granting light cover if you’re in light cover.

[angrom]

Of course it allows them to set to defend, even if they are not in a terrain piece that normally grants the rule. Etc: being out in the open.

 

That would be like tide of shadows only granting light cover if you’re in light cover.

I guess my question was more to evaluate if this could he used during our turn before the assault phase to give ouserlves a turn of +1 to hit aura instead of using it passively when being charged.

As I pointed out the fact that you normally need to be charged to declare the set to defend is not part if the set to defend rule but part of defensible terrain rules and is the condition to allow to get set to defend in a normal way.

Since we are allowed to set to defend as part of noble death without the normal conditions that make me wonder if we can use it even without being charged.

[Mr4Minutes]

Well that’s what I get for reading poorly. Sorry about that.

 

I think you are correct in your interpretation. Defensible terrain grants the Set to Defend rule when charged, but A Noble Death just says it can Set to Defend. However it may not be what was intended. It’d be a great faq question.

 

I’d just tell your opponent how you are using the rule before the game starts to eliminate a gotcha situation in advance.