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Assume you are playing a watchtower mission, you have garrisoned the tower with a unit that has Ward Saves. Your unit champion is equipped with the other trickster's shard. Your opponent assaults your unit with models that also have a ward save.

You both choose 10 models to fight in the combat, and you nominate your unit champion to fight. Which models in the combat are considered to be in base contact for the purposes of the shard? (Scenario 1)

What if you choose NOT to have the unit champion participate in the fight. Would anyone be considered in base contact with him, even though he is not in the combat? (Scenario 2)

From what I have read, there is literally nothing in the rulebook that even comes close to suggesting what would happen here. If you happen to have heard of a ruling at a tournament, have read something in an FAQ that stands out, or know of something in the BRB that could help, I would appreciate it. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind suggestions on how you would interpret these 2 scenarios.

For the 2nd, I would tend to say that neither side is affected by the shard, as the guy with it isn't in the combat.

The first scenario though, I have no clue. Under normal circumstances, assuming similar base sizes, you would affect 2-3 enemy models and 3-5 of your own (depending on placement). The following 2 diagrams are 2 basic representations of how a fight *might* normally play out given the shard. Obviously flank and rear charges would have a different outcome. That being said though, a building has no flanks, and no rear so those can be tossed right out.

a A A A a
b B S B b
b B B B b

a a a A A
b b b B S
b b b B B

a - Enemy models
A - Shard affected enemy models
b - Your models
B - Shard affected friendly models
S - Placement of the guy with the shard

Given that a tower fight has no formation, instead the fight is described in the fluff as a "swirling melee", these 2 standard representations of what might normally occur are also quite useless. I would consider using the upper limit of 3 as a guideline to the number of models that could be affected, but I wouldn't mind others' input on the subject.

Any suggestions on how to determine who would be in base contact with the shard inside a building?

The rules for buildings covers who counts as being in base to base.
Models not fighting are not in base to base with the enemy.

-Matt

Ah, I skipped over the "Special Attacks" paragraph. That is where it is covered. Thanks Matt... seems only 1 model is considered in BTB.