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Let me know if I have this right:

a mounted BSB in a unit does NOT gain Look Out Sir for things like mortar or tank shots, however, against standard BS shooting like bows or handguns, only 1 shot may be tossed at the BSB until EVERY infantry model has had a shot, THEN the BSB can have a second shot directed at him.

Is that correct? And can a mounted character still be picked off by spells if he is with infantry(with the exception of sniper spells like Spirit Leech which obviously still work fine)?

Basically I need to know the benefit, if any, of mounting characters in the current game. As an aside, I never run mounted characters with cavalry units as they tend to be too many points in one basket.

You cant just do it becuase its cool, It has to have a benefit?
You some kind of power gamer?

For the answer to your question read brb pg 99 "shooting"

He cant be picked out or hit if he is with 5 rank and file models and the same troop type.
Unless its a template weapon, then he can be hit but gets his LOS!

that didn't answer anything. Clearly he isn't the same troop type as he is cavalry in an infantry unit.

And no, I can't just do it if it means he can be killed outright.

Your answer *is* on page 99, but the relevant portion wasn't quoted.

In essence: If your character is mounted, he's type "cavalry" with a unit type "infantry". As there are fewer than 5 rank and file "cavalry" models in the unit, the controlling player (meaning you, the guy being shot at) picks models to be hit. You may not pick a model twice until all models have been chosen once, and so on.

Example: 15 hits from longbow attacks are landed on a unit of 20 halberdiers on foot with 1 mounted lord. The hits may be allocated on 15 halberdiers or 1 lord and 14 halberdiers. There are no other valid options. If, say, we had a unit of 6 halberdiers and 1 mounted lord, and the same 15 hits, you could allocate 2 on the lord and 13 on halberdiers, or 3 on the lord and 12 on halberdiers. Again, those are the only valid options.

Spells that do "hits", such as Fireball, are treated exactly the same as those 15 arrows.

At no point in any of this sequence does the mounted character get a Look Out Sir! save. (Nor would he under templates or other situations in which characters might normally claim LoS saves)

So there is still some protection in that only 1 hit in most cases will be dealt to the character in a decent sized unit.

Now if he's on foot he just ignores getting shot at in the unit?

Until the unit is below 5 RnF, yes - and remember a character is NOT RnF

Also be aware cannons (which are classified as template weapons, or at least follow same rules for them) can single out characters. i.e. Cav character in unit of infanty has no protection; same character in unit of cav. gets LOS until unit drops to 5 RNF, which does not include unit champion if present !

The benefits you get are with character riding a cavalry in a large unit of infanty: -
- protection from shooting from bows, handguns, etc + spells that inflict hits on the whole unit e.g. fireball
- rank bonus in combat
- supporting attacks in combat
- ability to charge out at separate target, with benefit on swiftstride from the mount

And it should be pointed out that when we talk about rank and file the unit champion is not included - so in a unit with full command you would need:

Character:Standard:Muscian:Champoionude
Dude: Dude

If you were missing one of the dudes in the back rank your character could be picked out for shooting.

This is how I read the rule on pg. 99 in BrB (which states champions don't count as RnF) but beleive it or not our local rules nazi disputed it.

If any of my units are only 6 strong something has gone wrong anyway!

Thank you for the replies.