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Ok, so I understand with other armies/factions, a player may not necessarily want a unit to hit another figure when deep striking onto the board as they may have to roll on the deep strike mishap table. With spore mines it may be a little different for them now that GW has released a FAQ. According to the FAQ, it states that if a spore mine cluster deep strikes and lands on an enemy unit or impassible terrain "it detonates - resolve the barrage in exactly the same way as you would for a cluster fired i the shooting phase (including pinning tests)." So my question is, can I target my deep strikes on top of enemies on the field so that they explode on contact? I do not see why not as I cant find in the rule book (pg 95) other than that my figure is placed as I want it to be placed on the battlefield. Well, by the letter of that rule, I want it placed on top of my enemies so that my spore mines explode on them, but is this legal?

Thanks,
s2

I believe the rules do allow you to place your spore mine over enemy models and hope for a 'hit' result.


There are those who disagree citing that the rules require you to place the model anywhere on the "table".

My counter for that argument is always:

Exactly what constitutes the "table" then and why? Does having terrain boards over the table mean you can't deep strike because you're not placing the model on the "table"? If yes, why? Can I place the Deep Striking model on a hill or building even though this isn't on the "table" If yes, why? Etc, etc, etc.


The only clear way to play this rule that makes any sense is that the term "table" means "the playing area", which would most certainly allow Deep Striking models to be placed anywhere in the playing area, which if it lands over an enemy model means it goes *BOOM*.

From my understanding you may do just that, especially using biovores. The real question is do they still count as a KP?

Thanks for the answers, both of you. I had figured as much, but I wanted to ask "non-interested parties" so that I got an unbiased answer.

I have been playing that they do count as KPs,, but I thought that I read somewhere (cannot back it up with proof so I do not play it this way until I can re-find it) that if you detonated them they did not, but if the enemy killed them (missed hitting a figure) they did count as a KP. Again, I do not play this way as I have no proof so I just play them as KP. I mainly use them as vehicle killers when I can (I have had good luck using acid mines against Ork Trukks).

Again, thanks for the great answers.

s2

Oh wait, in another thread it specifically gives the ruling that spore mines do not count as scoring units. (http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/30/236619.page) The rule specifically is on page 29:

"Being essentially mindless a spore mine cluster is fearless as detailed on page 74 of the warhammer 40,000 rulebook. For the same reason, they cannot capture table quarters, hold objectives or count as scoring units."

Correct me if I am wrong, but this sentence states three things.

Spore mines cannot capture table quarters.
Spore mines cannot hold objectives.
Spore mines cannot count as scoring units.

I guess I will have to bring that up. I have a friend who fights tooth and nail that he gets kill points for my spore mines. I cannot wait to use some Biovores against him now as they have a 48" range with 2d6+3 strength. This will really help me against vehicles.

Bear in mind that they form a unit when fired. This is why they need to be Errata'd to not grant kill points.

The Nid codex was written for fourth, not fifth. A tank also can not do any of those three things, but they still give up kill points.

A scoring unit is a unit that can hold objectives. According to 5th ed standard rules, troops are the only scoring units in the game, and spore mines are not troops anyways (I don't have the codex, but from what I remember they weren't) so the point is moot anyway.

Anyways every unit in the game gives up a KP regardless. It has nothing to do with whether they are scoring or not (even though the name is misleading). This is all found on page 90 (for scoring units) and 91 (little box in lower left hand corner for rules on KP). But you are right, if the spore mine is on target and you never have an opportunity to place a spore mine model on the table, they would indeed not grant a KP, because only units do, and they are not a unit until they are represented on the table by a model.

Wow, thats my bad. My wife was in the hospital until late last night and I was half asleep when reading my codex. I guess your right, for some odd reason I was making a connection between scoring unit and KP. Thanks for making that point Padxon.

Edit:

Ok, now maybe I am not so sure. I think that InquisitorFabius is right in that it is going to have to be clarified in a FAQ, but I am not sure that scoring a KP with each mine that is killed is "rules as intended" anymore, but I can see how what padixon could be right as well.

Here is how I look at it. There are 3 ways of winning a game, correct me if I am wrong.
1. Hold an objective
2. Capture a table quarter
3. Score points via killing a squad

In my earlier post, I stated that there are three things that spore mines cannot do (they cannot hold an objective, cannot capture table quarters, and cannot count as scoring units), and I would have to stand by that after rereading the codex, but then again the rule book specifically states what a scoring unit can do. Now I a guess there is completing a scenario is another way, but those have different rules of their own and not part of the basic game play as I understand it. I guess the confusion comes from trying to use a 4th edition codex with a 5th edition main rulebook. While I think it would be a pain in the ass, I think that GW should think about, and possibly republish the codices for the armys when the new rule books come out, although I would hate to be them if this is the only way to avoid conflics between the main rule book and the codices.

IMHO spores need to be addressed in a FAQ, and it seems pointless to buy 3 to fill a fast attack slot unless you can get alot

But can sporemines contest objectives?

EzeKK wrote:But can sporemines contest objectives?

Everything can contest

I think it would be kind of pointless to buy something you plan on blowing up, to get a KP by killing an enemy unit when
a) you might not destroy the whole squad, and
b) they would give you opponent a KP anyways.
They would only be useful againts some tanks but not even all of them.





-Orkishly

The intfaq (for all its worth) ruled on spore mines.

iirc, if they detonate as soon as the come onto table they dont give up a KP, if however they do land, then they form their own unit and thus render a KP when killed.

I thought I had read that somewhere too psf, I just cant remember where it is. Can you post a link to the intfaq? That way I can look it up and verify thats what I read too? I cant seem to find it.