As has been the tradition over the last years, this year is no different with a new update for 9th edition. Despite the long following list of changes, a lot of them are just minor rewordings and clarifications. In order to make it clearer, I have listed the changes in italics and the rule itself in bold. A lot of work has gone into this update (as usual), so I hope most of the changes are to your liking.
This update contains the following changes:
- Replaced "Uncovered Situations" with "The Most Important Rule".
- Line of Sight: Added "For more information about the different Line of Sight values, see the Troop Types chapter for models, and Battlefield Terrain chapter for terrain." Example: A model with Line of Sight value 2 can see and be seen behind a model with Line of Sight value 1, but cannot see or be seen behind a model with Line of Sight Value 3.
- Removed
"If these abilities are not equal in power however, you may re-roll the
re-roll once in order for both abilities to have an effect" from re-rolls.
- Forming Units: A unit may not have more complete ranks than they have files, e.g. if the unit is 5 models wide, it may at most have 5 complete ranks.
- Templates: Added a straight line (length varies depending on the rule, the line itself can only ever cover one model in width).
- If a model is hit by multiple templates at the same time, resolve each template one at a time in an order chosen by the controlling player.
- Characteristics of Zero: If any model has a Movement value of 0, it cannot move at all for any reason, unless it has some special rule that allows it to move another way.
- Added a subheading for Psychology tests under Leadership tests.
- Redirecting a Charge now requires a Leadership tests.
- Flank and Rear Charges: In case the charged unit's position were to change as a result of a charge reaction, check to see which arc the charging unit is in before moving the unit accordingly.
- Move Pursuers: Note that pursuers make this move even if the fleeing unit was caught or otherwise destroyed for any reason, as described earlier.
- Direct Damage Spells: When targeting a unit with a small or large round template, the hole in the centre must be placed over an enemy model.
- Magical Vortexes: They may not be used in such a way that they affect any friendly models or models engaged in close combat when initially cast.
- Remember that, unless specified otherwise, each Wizard can only attempt to cast each spell only once per turn.
- Removed Short Range bonus.
- Ward Saves: A model that has a two 6+ Ward saves and a 5+ Ward save will be limited to a 4+ Ward save, though you may choose which Ward saves are used in any given situation. Note that does not stop single Ward saves from being used, such as a model having a listed 2+ or 3+ Ward save; the above limitation only applies to combining Ward saves.
- Some models may be allowed to re-roll a Ward save from a specific source. In that case, the re-roll will only apply to that specific Ward save, and not the model's total Ward save.
- Added
Close Combat Summary.
- Taking
a Break test: Note
that in case the penalty to the losing unit's Leadership is equal to or greater
than their modified Leadership value, no test is taken and the unit will
automatically break and flee from combat.
- Special Rules: However, unless otherwise stated, a model gains no additional benefit from having the same special rule multiple times. This also applies to unique special rules in the various Warhammer Armies books that might contain special rules that are normally cumulative.
- Ambushers: In addition, for every Core unit that deploys as Ambushers in your army, you are required to include at least one other Core Unit that is not Expendable (described later in this chapter) and that does not deploy using the Ambushers rule.
- Ethereal models have a 2+ Ward Save against mundane attacks. However, they only have a 5+ Ward save against magical attacks.
- An Expendable character may not join a unit that is not Expendable.
- A unit of Fast Cavalry or Skirmishers that chooses Flee or Fire & Flee as a charge reaction does not cause Panic from fleeing through friendly units and may re-roll failed rally tests in its next Compulsory Movement Phase (unless it is forced to Flee again from another source).
- Units
containing one or more models with an unmodified close combat armour save
better than 4+ cannot use the Fast Cavalry special rule.
- Fear: If the majority of the models in a unit cause Fear, they also gain the Immunity (Fear) special rule (described later), and thus the Combat Resolution bonus of their Fear-causing enemies is ignored for that unit.
- Flaming Attacks: Any Panic test taken by any of these Troop Types from a Flaming Attack suffer -1 to their Leadership when taking the test.
- Flaming, Ice, Lightning or Poisoned Attacks work with magic weapons.
- Flying models follow the rules for Skirmishers. However, they cannot use Feigned Flight, and if they have a Unit Strength above 2 and/or a close combat armour save better than 4+, they cannot use the Vanguard special rule.
- A unit
that includes one or more Frenzied models that attempts to restrain
pursuit if it beats a foe in close combat suffer a Leadership modifier equal
to the result they won the combat against that unit by. They are no longer
forced to overrun.
- Models
with Immunity (Psychology) may flee from charges. Unbreakable
units may not (including units with Feigned Flight).
- Killing Blow: Against other troop types, a successful Killing Blow only inflicts one Wound which Ignores Armour saves and Regeneration.
- Mixed Unit: The handler(s) must be deployed in the rear rank(s) of the unit, as centrally as possible. Any special rules that the unit might have do not apply to the Handlers unless specified. Note that if the unit is Expendable, this also applies to the Handlers.
- Each wound inflicted by an attack with the Multiple Wounds special rule (after saves) is multiplied into more than one wound.
- If a model
is granted two sets of Multiple Wounds (like D3 and D6), use only the
highest set before rolling.
- Skirmishers; Skirmish Formation: All Skirmishers in a unit do not count as blocking each other’s Line of Sight (note that they still count as blocking Line of Sight for other units). Removed second paragraph of Skirmish Formation.
- Reworked distance that models with Swiftstride and Pursue/Flee. Models with <M7 roll 2D6. Models with >M7 roll 3D6 and discard the lowest result. Removed "Swiftstride has no effect on models using a Movement value lower than 4".
- Vanguard: Units containing only models with the Vanguard special rule can immediately make a move up to 6" (12" in case they move using the Swiftstride special rule).
- Note that Volley Fire cannot be used as Stand & Shoot charge reaction.
- Cavalry, Split Profile: Added: " In some cases, you may find Cavalry models that do not have a split profile. In this case, treat the model as single entity that may make up to two supporting attacks. The model also counts as mounted for the purpose of using certain weapons, as described in the Weapons and Armour chapter, but counts as a model on foot for the purposes of using Parry." Removed "In the case of Regeneration saves, use only the highest value" from split profile.
- When attacking a Cavalry model, always use the highest Weapon Skill, Toughness and Wounds value from either the rider or the mount.
- A cavalry model can make one supporting attack from the rider, and one from the mount.
- A monstrous cavalry model can make one supporting attack from the rider, and the mount can make as many supporting attacks as are on its profile, up to a maximum of three.
- Monstrous Cavalry without a split profile can make up to four supporting attacks.
- War Beasts have the Vanguard special rule.
- War Machines, Split Profile: You always use the Movement, Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill, Strength, Wounds, Initiative, Attacks and Leadership of the crew. Added "Once all the crew are slain, the war machine is removed as a casualty". "Removed "A war machine's Wounds are always considered to be equal to the number of remaining Wounds on the crew models (which is stated in the war machine's entry) - the Wounds value on its profile is included only out of completeness". Wounds will be removed from all war machines in all army books.
- Removed
Full Plate Armour. (3+ save armours are still available in multiple army books but in a more limited form than before).
- Shooting at War Machines: Added "In case the crew of the war machine is made up of models with different profiles, such as a character or other unique crew model; allocate the hits between the crew as you would for shooting at characters in a unit".
- Cannons: When you have chosen your target, place a small marker over your target as a reminder of where the shot is intended to land.
- Fire Throwers: If the fire thrower has a number listed under "range" in its profile, place the narrow end anywhere within that range.
- Fire Throwers: The template cannot be placed over friendly models, enemy models from a unit that is engaged in combat, or in such a way that the template might hit a friendly unit as the crew refuse to deliberately target their allies.
- Added
new heading for Command Groups and Casualties which clarifies how
casualties are removed. When no rank-and-file models remain, the controlling
player chooses the order in which the command group models are removed.
- Clarified Champion's "Follow Me!". It now includes re-rolling Ld tests for redirecting charges,
- Musician: Fast Cavalry and Skirmishers that has
fled using Feigned Flight automatically rallies.
- Lone Characters that are Infantry follow the rules for Skirmishers. Lone Characters that are Cavalry follow the rules for Fast Cavalry.
- Characters and Shooting: If there are fewer than five rank-and-file models left in the unit before resolving the hits, there is a chance that any characters in the unit could be hit.
- Refusing a Challenge: The character may return to the front rank in the next round of combat if you wish, or stay in the rear rank until the unit reforms.
- Assaulting a Building, Fighting the Assault: It's hard to maintain the impetus of a charge in a confined area, so models assaulting or defending a building lose all charging bonuses.
- Assaulting a Building: At the start of the Close Combat phase, before any blows are struck, both players must choose Unit Strength 10 worth of models (with a minimum of 1 model regardless of Unit Strength) from their unit to form the courageous assault party that will fight in the assault (if the unit numbers less than Unit Strength 10, there is no choice!).
- Assaulting a Building: Added Sally Forth!: In case the attacking unit chooses to not attack the building after a failed assault, the defending unit may instead choose to sally forth (Frenzied units must pass a Leadership to restrain). This is treated just like assaulting a building, excepting that the now-defending unit is not automatically considered steadfast and will flee as normal if they fail their break test. The unit sallying forth cannot pursue as the assaulting models instead rejoins the rest of the unit in the building.
- Duplicate Choices: Added example: if you play a 2500 points game; you may choose three of the same special unit in your army, but only one of each rare unit. At 3000 points, you may choose up to four of the same special unit, and two of the same rare unit.
- If a character has a Monster, Chariot, Shrine or War Machine mount that is available as a Special or Rare choice, then these will also count towards the limit of duplicate choices.
- Casting value for extra range on boosted spells increased depending on range. Spells that increase the range from 12" to 24" adds +4 to cast. Spells that increase the range from 18" to 36" adds +3 to cast. Spells that increase the range from 24" to 48" adds +2 to cast.
- Lore of Fire, Flame Storm: Place the small round template anywhere within 18" of the Wizard – it then moves D6" in a random direction determined by the scatter dice. All models touched by the template from its starting point to its end point suffer a Strength 4 hit. Boosted version cast on 26+.
- Metallic Attraction: The casting value for a Lore of Metal spell is lowered by 1 if the majority of the models in the target unit have a close combat armour save of 4+ to 6+, or lowered by 2 to if the majority have a close combat armour save of 1+ to 3+ (excluding Natural Armour).
- Searing Doom: The To Wound score is equal to the unmodified close combat armour save of the target.
- Glittering Robe: The target unit gains +2 to its armour save.
- Transmutation of Lead: The target suffers a -1 penalty to Hit in close combat and with missile weapons, -1 Initiative and -1 to its armour saves until the start of the caster's next Magic phase.
- Final Transmutation: Roll a D6 for every model in the target unit – on a 5+ they suffer a Wound using the Multiple Wounds (D3) and Ignores Armour Saves special rules as well as ignoring Regeneration.
- Regrowth: "First any slain command groups models are resurrected in an order of your choosing, displacing rank-and-file models as required." Removed "If the unit already has more than one rank, models can only be added to the rear rank.". Added "Any models that are resurrected retain any rules and/or bonuses the unit has gained or lost this turn."
- Dwellers Below: Every model in the target unit must pass a Strength test or suffer a Wound using the Multiple Wounds (D3) and Ignores Armour Saves special rules as well as ignoring Regeneration.
- Transformation of Kadon: Whilst transformed, the Wizard cannot channel, cast or dispel spells.
- Pit of Shades: All models underneath the template must pass an Initiative test or suffer a Wound using the Multiple Wounds (D3) and Ignores Armour Saves special rules as well as ignoring Regeneration. Boosted version causes D6 Wounds.
- The Purple Sun: Any model touched by the template must pass an Initiative test or suffer a Wound using the Multiple Wounds (D3) and Ignores Armour Saves special rules as well as ignoring Regeneration. Boosted version causes D6 Wounds.
- Unlike other magic items; Wizards can take up to two Arcane Items. If they do, one of the items must be marked as "One use only".
- Dragon Blade costs 70 pts.
- Berserker Sword costs 10 pts.
- Trickster’s Helm is Model on foot only. Costs 30 pts.
- Gambler's Armour is a light armour.
- The Opal Amulet bestows a Ward save (2+) against the first unsaved wound suffered by the bearer.
- Channelling Staff costs 40 pts.
- Gem of Taranto: The bearer of the Gem will be able to cast the spell themselves (limited by their Wizard level as normal).
- Arabyan Carpet has Fly (10).
