Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

For Characteristic tests, the BRB says that models use their highest Characteristic for their Characteristic tests.

For Ridden Monsters, it says that the monster and rider count as one model, but that they're hit and wounded separately. It also says that templates are assumed to hit both of them and you must resolve the template against each.

So...

If I drop the Purple Sun on a Ridden Monster (or scatter it off of my own), do you test for the rider and the mount separately or do you test for the whole thing using the higher Initiative?

The Skaven FAQ deals with this when it comes to the Bell/Furnace. It seems a reasonable analog.

Q: If the Screaming Bell/Plague Furnace is struck by a spell such as Pit of Shades or Dwellers Below, does the rider test separately from the Screaming Bell/Plague Furnace to see whether they are destroyed? (p43 & p48)
A: Yes.

Do the Bell/Furnace and rider usually follow similar rules to Ridden Monsters (count as one model, randomize shooting, both hit by all templates, etc.)?

Yes, they do. Except for being "unique", they follow the rules for ridden monsters. It doesn't say "this is a ridden monster", but it is a mount, can be attacked separately, etc.

That's why I said it seems to be a decent analog.

On a related note, Virginia? NoVa or a different part?

Okay, thanks. I don't know their weird "unique" rules to know the rest. If they follow other rules like Ridden Monsters, then I would assume that does then apply to both.

This was answered a long long time ago.
Basically it goes like this:
1. The "Templaes" rule explains what happens when a character on a monster is hit by a template.
2. This replaces the 2nd step of the "Shooting at Ridden Monsters rules" whenever a template is involved thus eliminating the randomising rules.
3. It is then followed by step 3 the wounding rules.
4. Purple Sun/Pit of Shades are spells that use templates and thus hit both the rider and his mount.
5. These spells however do not wound but cause a characteristic test, one per model.
6. These hits would mean two tests, but this would brake rule example 5, because a character and his monster are one model.
Conclusion – We have no choice but to make one test using the rules as given on page 10.

The skaven FAQ has nothing to do with this as it has to do with a unique unit type, ridden monsters have a defined ruleset as seen on page 105.

Send the question to GW's FAQ department as it is a worthy question. In fact, GW has asked everyone to do exactly that.

Gamefaqs@gwplc.com

I will. Does GW still have a ruling hotline?