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#1. The reference section on pg413 lists Tyrants and Tervigons as MC (CH) indicating they are characters. They are not characters in the codex. Shield wall in the FAQ states a tyrant that joins guards is treated as an IC for all purposes. There are no other references that I could find about a lone tyrant (flyrant) or tervigon being changed to characters. Can these two units precision fire and challenge? It's also worth noting that the same reference section on pg 412 lists the Eldar Nightspinner as a transport, but AFAIK it was never given a transport capacity in the WD or FAQ. Typos in one or both sections?

#2. On another forum, people are discussing Deathleaper challenging. In the codex, he is infantry (not character). He is not changed to a character in the FAQ. However, the FAQ does say "Q: Tyranid Special Characters. ...Deathleaper, Old One Eye, Doom of Malantai..." It addresses the group as special characters but never changes them to type:character. Are Deathleaper, OOE, and DoM considered characters allowing them to issue challenges and precision fire?

The amendments in the FAQ tell us to refer to the back of the book for Unit Types, so those take precedence over the codex entries. If it isn't listed as a character there, it simply is not one.

Any character can use precision shots and LOS, though notice it is different from IC to normal characters. Any character can also issue or accept a challenge.

SCvodimier wrote:The amendments in the FAQ tell us to refer to the back of the book for Unit Types, so those take precedence over the codex entries. If it isn't listed as a character there, it simply is not one.

Any character can use precision shots and LOS, though notice it is different from IC to normal characters. Any character can also issue or accept a challenge.

If that's the case, what's the transport capacity of a Nightspinner since the back of the BRB lists it as a transport?

No clue, but since the FAQ doesn't have any answers, I suggest looking in the Eldar codex or laughing hysterically that the Eldar have a 0 model capacity transport

So you are saying that Mephiston is not a character..???

The back of the BRB is nowhere near a complete listing. It is missing almost all ICs and otherwise named characters.

p.110 helps explains who is considered a character.

If it says it in the reference section of the rulebook, its what they are. Unless specifically saying in the FAQ . They follow rules for that unit type.

Special Characters are....characters.

coredump wrote:So you are saying that Mephiston is not a character..???

The back of the BRB is nowhere near a complete listing. It is missing almost all ICs and otherwise named characters.

p.110 helps explains who is considered a character.

caught me there. let me rephrase "if you are not listed as an independent or special character, check in the back of the book to see what unit type your model is"

(though seriously, it does say to look in the back for unit types, so if he isn't listed, well BA are screwed =P)

No special characters are listed in the back of the book. Pg 110 and 64 say that special characters are characters with the added rule that if they are a unit of 1 (like Mephiston or Deathleaper) they must accept all challenges.

That is my point. There is no 'list' of special characters, and there is no attribute/USR/etc to indicate special characters.

There is just the description on p.110 (and some codices, like the Nids) of what should be considered a 'special character'

Lictor no
Deathleaper yes
Zoan no
DoM yes.

The only one I am not sure about is the Trygon Prime, since it somewhat fits the description of a character on p.63; but still seems a bit... different.

hyv3mynd wrote:

SCvodimier wrote:The amendments in the FAQ tell us to refer to the back of the book for Unit Types, so those take precedence over the codex entries. If it isn't listed as a character there, it simply is not one.

Any character can use precision shots and LOS, though notice it is different from IC to normal characters. Any character can also issue or accept a challenge.

If that's the case, what's the transport capacity of a Nightspinner since the back of the BRB lists it as a transport?

Transport capacity of 6 according to Imperial Armour Apocalypse

The description for characters is that they have their own profile but not their own unit entry. This means all tyranid pirmes, trygon or otherwise, are characters.

coredump wrote:That is my point. There is no 'list' of special characters, and there is no attribute/USR/etc to indicate special characters.

There is just the description on p.110 (and some codices, like the Nids) of what should be considered a 'special character'

Lictor no
Deathleaper yes
Zoan no
DoM yes.

The only one I am not sure about is the Trygon Prime, since it somewhat fits the description of a character on p.63; but still seems a bit... different.

Good question as being a Synapse unit, the main change being a prime gives, does not seem to be enough as Zoan while synaptic are not characters. I think you are safe that any unit called out by name and marked as Unique is a character, any solo HQ unit, and any unit specifically called an Independent character . That would be OOE, DoM, Death Leaper, Parasite, Tryanid Prime, Tyrant (all flavors), Swarmlord, and Tervigon. Trygon Prime is going to need a FAQ I think before opponents will let you do that to them.

The Trygon Prime falls under the category of having its own profile but not its own unit entry, is that not enough to make it a character. I thought the BRB was pretty clear about that.

Celticwelsh wrote:The Trygon Prime falls under the category of having its own profile but not its own unit entry, is that not enough to make it a character. I thought the BRB was pretty clear about that.

That is why the question. Is being an upgrade option for a unit of one, enough to count? If it was a squad entry like a SM Sarge it is obvious, in this case were it is an option upgrade, less so. The BRB is not really clear, it use the example of the marine Sarge to show that most characters are part of a squad and have there own profile to represent them as just another trooper.

EDIT: In the same paragraph it talks about characters that also have their own unit entry like Mephiston. Just having its own stat line is not enough or you would end up with weirdness in IG squads or BT squads that have multiple stat lines for the same unit not just the sarge, were half the squad would be a character.


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SCvodimier wrote:

coredump wrote:So you are saying that Mephiston is not a character..???

The back of the BRB is nowhere near a complete listing. It is missing almost all ICs and otherwise named characters.

p.110 helps explains who is considered a character.

caught me there. let me rephrase "if you are not listed as an independent or special character, check in the back of the book to see what unit type your model is"

(though seriously, it does say to look in the back for unit types, so if he isn't listed, well BA are screwed =P)

He is not in the back, but is specifically singled out on pg 63 BRB as an example of single model unit that is a character. Pretty good argument that the back of the BRB is incomplete.