Vehicles on a 6 replaced with crater, diff. terrain, cover also?

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**Target**

Here's the question:

At a recent tourney I played a friend (frgsinwntr on here) who pointed out that after my vehicle exploded on a 6 and was removed, i needed a difficult terrain test to move out of where the vehicle was. The rulebook says (page 61):

(under the heading 6 - Destroyed - Explodes)
"The vehicle is then removed and is replaced with an area of difficult ground representing scattered wreckage or a crater (if you have one)"

My question is, if it becomes a crater/scattered wreckage, does it also provide a cover save, as craters are a type of cover, on page 21, under c) "...jungles, wreckage, craters, rubble, rocks, ruins, walls, building, wrecked vehicles"

Thanks, Target

**Gwar!**

It depends on how you define Craters pre game. The rulebook suggest that Craters are Difficult terrain and provide cover, but it is up to you and your opponent on how to play it.

**Dave47**

Yeah, it's one of those problems without obvious solutions. The rule explicitly states that you replace it with "difficult terrain" and not with "area terrain" or "cover." And the "representing..." language may be a fluff explanation (in which case it would be discarded) but it also may be the designer's intent.

Personally, I think that the RAW argument is against granting the cover save. But I acknowledge that it's a close issue, and I believe that "policy" considerations push somewhat in favor of granting the cover save, so I don't mind when people play it that way.

**Lordhat**

Raw to me says the it does indeed provide cover, and that's the way I've always played it. The fact that craters are listed as terrain which provides cover saves seems to cement it. Of course you and your opponent are always free to agree otherwise under TMIR, but I interpret the default as being difficult area terrain wich provides 4+ cover.

**Target**

Thanks for the replies folks, I feel the raw favors it (my opinion) as it states to replace it with wreckage or a crater which are both defined as area terrain granting a 4+, so thats how I'll likely be playing it.

If anyone else has more opinions/input/personal experience if you do/don't use it (and for more of a reason than being to lazy to make the craters (which was my old reason)) please chime in!

**willydstyle**

Personally, I think that RAW says that you place the terrain if you have it... so if you don't have an appropriate craters you would not have difficult terrain or cover. Most people I know just sort of assume the crater is there even if you don't have the terrain for it though.

**Dashofpepper**

I like to put down felt strips that show where my vehicle was. I have craters, but I don't like using them because its hard to put models on them and get them to stand up.

**Wehrkind**

We usually ignore the whole terrain thing when we explode vehicles, but I know some people who outline it with cotton balls and the like. It just seems easier for us to ignore the problem since we don't usually have extra terrain laying around, though I suppose making some Rhino sized craters wouldn't be too hard...

**barlio**

Dashofpepper wrote:I like to put down felt strips that show where my vehicle was. I have craters, but I don't like using them because its hard to put models on them and get them to stand up.

That's a great solution.

I've considered just using a wooden rectangle the size of the the vehicle (maybe 1/8" thick), covering it and painting with Grey gravel, and placing a couple of small bits in random places. That way it appears difficult, but won't block line of sight or be confused as area terrain.

**Target**

Wehrkind wrote:We usually ignore the whole terrain thing when we explode vehicles, but I know some people who outline it with cotton balls and the like. It just seems easier for us to ignore the problem since we don't usually have extra terrain laying around, though I suppose making some Rhino sized craters wouldn't be too hard...

Im from the portal as well, I played the mech guard in the tourney the other day, and yea, the ignoring terrain thing i think has brainwashed me as I didnt realize most people played with it, and its a fairly big factor for my army.

Expect to see me toting along chimera sized craters from now on!