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In the "Deamon Summoning for IC's" topic, Cheexsta asked for some opinions about the workings of the berserker glaive:
As a quick aside, what do people think about Khorne models with the Berzerker Glaive having a free Icon and counting as a Scoring Unit? The Glaive entry specifically states that they are "in effect treated as a unit in his own right rather than a character", so it should have all the rules of a normal unit and none of a normal character...

This got me thinking and the underlined rule seems to have yet another consequence, possibly enough to warrant it's own topic:

Your typical Glaive prince (Mark of Khorne, Berserker Glaive, Deamonic stature, etc.)  has the following extraordinary characteristerics:

1. Counts as a unit and he has a mark of chaos, so he can have a free unit icon.

2. Counts as a unit instead of an independant character, so when above half unit strength^* he is able to capture table quarters.

half unit strength^*: I thought unit strength is measured in models instead of wounds, if this is true the glaive prince is a scoring unit until he is dead.

3. Since the prince counts as a unit, he can be joined by an independant character.
    Example:

 Deamon prince with Mark of Khorne, Deamonic stature, Deamonic essence, Berserker Glaive and Feel no pain.

 Chaos lieutenant with the mark of Khorne, Deamonic resilience, Deamon Spawn and lightning claws.

The Deamon prince (counts as a unit)  can now be joined by the Chaos lieutenant (independent character with a follower). 

This squad moves as infantry with the addition of an automatic bloodfrenzy move. This is because both members of the unit are suspectible to bloodfrenzy and  the Glaive specificly says that the unit automaticly makes a bloodfrenzy move, without having to roll any dice. It has been FAQ-ed in the old  Chaos Marine FAQ 4.0.1 that the spawn does not slow the unit down, but also makes the bloodfrenzy move.

In his shooting phase the enemy can then fire at the squad or single out the Deamon Prince (he can be picked out for shooting due to being a Monstrous Creature), although you can still assign wounds to the prince when your enemy is shooting at the whole squad.

In close combat the exact opposite is true:
Your opponent can target the lieutenant( an independant character in close combat) or the rest of the squad (Deamon prince and spawn), in this case you can not assign wounds, inflicted upon the squad, to the lieutenant.

 Do you people see the previous 3 points as consequences of the special rules of the Berserker glaive?

 

You might be on to something, but I'm not sure about #3.  IIRC the rules make it pretty clear that if you have the Glaive, you are on your own.

I can see #1 and #2, but I am in the boat that thinks that collar of khorne nullifies siren, so I am not a RAW expert.

Models with a glaive cannot join any other units.

Right, but can other ICs join the Glaive unit? That's different than the Glaive unit joining a different unit.

Hmm, I just answered that for myself - the IC counts as a unit also, doesn't he? Therefore the Glaive unit could not join the IC unit.

However, what's your logic that the glaive prince is a scoring unit?

Semantics. You can say "the prince isn't the one joining, the LT is" but in reality that's not what is happening. Prince is becoming part of another unit, something it cannot do based on the rules for the Glaive regardless of who is doing the actual joining. The act of joining is not the only part of the rule, the end result is also part. By joining another unit the IC becomes part of it. The same thing happens even if another IC were to be the one 'joining' the Glaive wielding model. The Glaive rules prevent this.

I believe the theory of "scoring unit" is based on the wording of the rules for the glaive. It's definitely a serious dig into the rules to find a 'loophole' , if you will, to give the CSM player an advantage. I haven't looked into the actual wording yet to say for certain but it appears to be a 3rd edition codex conflicting with the newer 4th ed rulebook.

The problem here is that all your assumptions are based on the fact that you see that text as changing the prince into a "unit" when he is already a unit. A unit is simply any entry from a codex. You have vehicle units, infantry units,HQ units, etc. That text is simply stripping him of some of the rights of an IC. He doesnt stop being an IC, so no good on making him scoring or letting another IC join him. As for the free icon, I think that is more of a personal call. The wording leans towards marked princes getting a free icon, but if that is the case how do you explain the word bearers dark apostle getting a free personal icon? If marked chaos lords already got a free icon, that passage makes no sense at all. Seems like the more parsimonious solution is that personal icons are in the armory for a reason.

I absolutely agree with you Slyde. It appears, like I said, a matter of semantics in relating the older dex with the newer rules. It tends to get convoluted in the 'happy medium' and twisted until it makes almost no sense to anyone.

I'd say the quoted text is explanatory and not an actionable rule; it is simply describing the rules already given, not imparting new rules of its own.

As for #2, the rulebook (p. 85) states that an IC is always an IC, regardless of his unit type, so Glaive Prince is not a scoring unit.