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A lot of my gaming group arent playing 40k anymore so a few moved to Warmachine/Hordes and we've played a few games to date.

Really liking it so far, its sort of like Necromunda crossed with MtG we feel. Some very very fun games to date.

However there are literally 4 rulebooks going around the group and tbh no one has taken a really firm handle on being a GM/rules lawyer so can I ask some basic newbie questions here?

If a Jack has a fully damaged cortex and is in combat it gets free hits against it? Is that right?
Can the enemy engaged with it move away freely?

Can you move away freely from any combat or do you have to stay locked in until the end?

When fleeing is it like 40k where you keep moving backwards until off the table? Can you do anything whilst fleeing?

Is it correct that everything in the game gets one move and one action?
If one runs you cannot perform an action?
Does charging = your move + action allowance? If you charge into combat can you then do a special attack? if not, can you do normal attacks with your weapons - say you have 2 weapons that would be 3 attacks total?

Are charges always in a straight line? We had a situation where a trolls big base was half behind impassable terrain and half not. He claimed he could charge through the terrain.

Can individual squad members do different things? For example, could half the unit shoot and then half charge (assuming they stay in command radius)?

What can a Jack do without spending any focus points? Anything at all?

Spells can be cast anytime except during a movement?


Sorry if they sound ultra newbish, we're just trying to get the basics right so we can move things forward, thanks.

Ratius wrote:
If a Jack has a fully damaged cortex and is in combat it gets free hits against it? Is that right?
Can the enemy engaged with it move away freely?

A crippled cortex just means a warjack cannot be allocated focus and cannot spend any focus it may have. It doesn't get any free strikes against it, and it can still attack normally, just not with focus.
See Prime p.66.

Can you move away freely from any combat or do you have to stay locked in until the end?

You can leave any time you want to, but if you leave an enemy's melee range, then you take a free strike from that enemy.
See Prime p51.

When fleeing is it like 40k where you keep moving backwards until off the table? Can you do anything whilst fleeing?

If you flee, then you must run. Running is moving between 0" and 2x your SPD. So, you can stay in place if you want. If you do move, you cannot move toward an enemy model.
See Prime p85.

You can do very little while fleeing, but it is also listed on that page.

Is it correct that everything in the game gets one move and one action?
If one runs you cannot perform an action?

You get one movement and one action, but your action may consist of several attacks (because of a power attack, a special attack, buying additional attacks or simply having several weapons). There are also many special rules that allow a model to move several times, both inside and outside their own activation.

You cannot perform an action while running, see Prime p46.

Does charging = your move + action allowance? If you charge into combat can you then do a special attack? if not, can you do normal attacks with your weapons - say you have 2 weapons that would be 3 attacks total?

Charging uses up your normal movement and action, yes. You can make a special attack as a charge attack, but not a power attack (specific kinds of special attacks that 'jacks can make). After your charge movement, you can make all your initial melee attacks, and the first of these would be your charge attack. So, if you had 2 weapons, you would make 2 attacks and the first one of these would get automatically boosted damage if it hits.

Are charges always in a straight line? We had a situation where a trolls big base was half behind impassable terrain and half not. He claimed he could charge through the terrain.

Yes, charges are always in a straight line, but not necessarily directly towards your target (you can charge at an angle). You can charge through rough terrain (at half speed), but never through impassable terrain. In that case your charge movement would stop as soon as you contacted it, and your activation would end.

Can individual squad members do different things? For example, could half the unit shoot and then half charge (assuming they stay in command radius)?

Models in a unit can do different things (for example, some of them shoot and some of them fight in melee), but if they are given an order (like Charge), then ALL models in the unit have to obey that order. If you charge, you cannot shoot (without special rules).

What can a Jack do without spending any focus points? Anything at all?

It still has its normal movement and action, so it could make all of its initial attacks, or any special attacks it has available.

Spells can be cast anytime except during a movement?

Anytime during the activation of the spellcaster, yes. It cannot interrupt a movement or an attack, so you could not cast a spell between an attack roll and a damage roll, for example.

Sorry if they sound ultra newbish, we're just trying to get the basics right so we can move things forward, thanks.

Everyone was new once

Ratius wrote:If a Jack has a fully damaged cortex and is in combat it gets free hits against it? Is that right?

Negative, if the jack loses its movement system, it's DEF is reduced to 7 and cannot charge or run, but losing the cortex does nothing like that.

Can the enemy engaged with it move away freely?

Yes, but you take disengaging strikes which add 2 to the hit roll and boosts damage.

Can you move away freely from any combat or do you have to stay locked in until the end?

You can have the models move out of melee during their activations, but they'll have to take the afforementioned disengaging strikes.

When fleeing is it like 40k where you keep moving backwards until off the table? Can you do anything whilst fleeing?

When fleeing all models in a unit must "run". Run doesn't require a distance, but will take up both your movement and action. In addition fleeing models can't move closer to enemy models. You could run 0", then try to rally.

Is it correct that everything in the game gets one move and one action?

Yes, but it's important to note that units activate together and all them must complete their movement before any start their actions.

If one runs you cannot perform an action?

No, running takes both your movement and action (and requires a focus for jacks and beasts)

Does charging = your move + action allowance? If you charge into combat can you then do a special attack? if not, can you do normal attacks with your weapons - say you have 2 weapons that would be 3 attacks total?

Charging is movement, but cannot be done if you don't have both your movement and action (for example you had to shake being knocked down). When you charge you are required to make a melee attack against your charge target assuming you successfully charged. After your charge attack, if you have other weapons eligible, they can attack any model still in your melee range (including the charge target), but will not recieve the charge bonus. You can do special attacks as charge attacks, but they take up all of your initials, so even if you have multiple weapons it will still only be one attack and models that can buy additional attacks with focus fury can still buy attacks normally.

Are charges always in a straight line? We had a situation where a trolls big base was half behind impassable terrain and half not. He claimed he could charge through the terrain.

Charges must be in a straight line that could concievably bring the target into your melee range. Period, no exceptions anywhere in the book or model special rules exists. You can't charge through impassable terrain because it's by definition impassible.

Can individual squad members do different things? For example, could half the unit shoot and then half charge (assuming they stay in command radius)?

Yes and no. You can have some squad members aim their weapons and others fight in melee, but Charging is an order. If a unit recieves and Order (Run, Charge, Assault, Shield Wall) all models in the unit must participate. A unit can only recieve one order in a turn. If a unit gets the charge order every model in the unit must charge or run, so ranged attacks are completely out unless you have gunfighter.

What can a Jack do without spending any focus points? Anything at all?

Full advance and make normal attacks. They need focus to run, charge, buy and boost, but to walk up and make normal attacks they don't need anything.

Spells can be cast anytime except during a movement?

You can't interrupt something i.e. movement or an attack roll, to cast a spell or feat, but you can do either between attacks, before or after movement etc.

Brilliant stuff guys, many thanks.

Could a unit shoot with say 5 guys and then move forward with another 5 into melee range and fight there? (assuming they take no orders).
I've heard you dont actually need to charge to get into melee, infact you can move or even run into melee range?

Ratius wrote:Brilliant stuff guys, many thanks.

Could a unit shoot with say 5 guys and then move forward with another 5 into melee range and fight there? (assuming they take no orders).
I've heard you dont actually need to charge to get into melee, infact you can move or even run into melee range?

Entirely correct, "in melee" is just another board position and it's legal to run or just walk there.

Brilliant stuff guys, many thanks.

Could a unit shoot with say 5 guys and then move forward with another 5 into melee range and fight there? (assuming they take no orders).
I've heard you dont actually need to charge to get into melee, infact you can move or even run into melee range?


Entirely correct, "in melee" is just another board position and it's legal to run or just walk there.

Not entirely correct. Remember that you would move all the figures in a unit first and then take its action.

So a unit with 10 figures in it would move 5 figures into melee while 5 figures remain back and shoot. Once movement is complete for the unit then you can take combat actions. This means if the shooting figures are targetting figures that are engaged in melee the target would receive a +4 DEF due to being engaged. (this doesn't take into account any bonuses to hit due to sacrifcing movement for aiming bonus or anything else)

So while you can walk or run to get into melee range you cannot shoot with half the squad and then move the remainder into combat. The sequence is move all the figures in the unit first and then resolve combat, ranged or melee, in the order you choose.

shintaibane wrote:Brilliant stuff guys, many thanks.

Could a unit shoot with say 5 guys and then move forward with another 5 into melee range and fight there? (assuming they take no orders).
I've heard you dont actually need to charge to get into melee, infact you can move or even run into melee range?


Entirely correct, "in melee" is just another board position and it's legal to run or just walk there.

Not entirely correct. Remember that you would move all the figures in a unit first and then take its action.

So a unit with 10 figures in it would move 5 figures into melee while 5 figures remain back and shoot. Once movement is complete for the unit then you can take combat actions. This means if the shooting figures are targetting figures that are engaged in melee the target would receive a +4 DEF due to being engaged. (this doesn't take into account any bonuses to hit due to sacrifcing movement for aiming bonus or anything else)

So while you can walk or run to get into melee range you cannot shoot with half the squad and then move the remainder into combat. The sequence is move all the figures in the unit first and then resolve combat, ranged or melee, in the order you choose.

Yes and I said that in an earlier post, I was just clarifying for him that "in melee" didn't have a special status granted that required a charge to get there.

Now that I look closely through all the stuff I see it there. Sorry bout that. Just wanted to clarify the point as his example had a sequence that was shoot part of the squad and then move the remainder and melee.

As long as no order is given, each model can do whatever attack they want. So in your example, half can advance and stab, and the other half can shoot, as long as no orders were given.

And stuff.