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Hail brothers!

Hopefully this will be a nice easy one to answer.

In a recent game, I had a unit of Screamers with 5 models left, one of which was on a single wound. I positioned him at the back so that incoming fire would be directed at the unwounded Screamers. My opponent seemed to think that "whole models" must be removed, regardless of the fact that the unwounded models were the closest targets. As I was well ahead anyway, I just let this go, but I've since looked it up and I cant find anything that says "whole models" must be removed first. I thought it was just the closest target(s)??

I welcome your insight!

So a multi-wound model, wounded in a previous shooting phase, was moved to the back to protect it from subsequent incoming fire - no problem with this at all. You opponent may be misapplying the Assault wound allocation rule that relates to multiple models in base contact.

Or he was remembering the old wound rules, which did have you remove wounded models first.

The whole model rule is not in this edition. Wounds are put on closest for shooting, or b2b for CC and you the model controller makes the decision unless they get a precision strike. However in a phase once you start allocating wounds to a model it must take all the wounds till it is dead or you are out of wounds to distribute. No spreading them out in a single phase.

Aa above, except in close combat, replace "phase" with "initiative step".

Would I be correct however in saying if you had an IC at the front of the unit instead, with 2 models in base contact with him, couldn't I make Look Out Sir attempts and place one wound on each model before having to take them off. Look Out Sir seems to allow me to allocate to a wound to any model, using that which is closest. If I've more than one model in base contact I can allocate yes?

If two models are equidistant, you randomize which is considered closer for the entire duration of that attack. Since Look Out Sir dumps the wound onto the closest model, you'd determine which counted as closest, then he's the LOS victim until he dies or until a different unit shoots at them.

In assault only, if multiple models are in base contact with the enemy, you may choose which is considered closest, and it must take every wound until it dies or until the next initiative step, at which point you're allowed to nominate again (assuming you've still got multiple models in base contact).

 Mannahnin wrote:
If two models are equidistant, you randomize which is considered closer for the entire duration of that attack. Since Look Out Sir dumps the wound onto the closest model, you'd determine which counted as closest, then he's the LOS victim until he dies or until a different unit shoots at them.

In assault only, if multiple models are in base contact with the enemy, you may choose which is considered closest, and it must take every wound until it dies or until the next initiative step, at which point you're allowed to nominate again (assuming you've still got multiple models in base contact).

Would you not have to use random allocation for every wound since it doesn't actually specify otherwise in the Look Out Sir rules? I understand normal rules for shooting mention what to do when two models are equidistant but does this apply to Look out Sir when the FAQ uses the term Wound instead of Wounds?

I'd probably play it as you suggest, but just wondering RAW.

Given that...

A) The general wound allocation rules tell us to apply them to the closest model.
B) The wound allocation rules tell us that when the closest cannot be determined, you randomize, and that that model is considered the closest until he dies.
C) The revised (see the FAQ) Look Out Sir rules tell us to re-allocate the wound to the closest model to the character.

...I think this seems pretty straightforward and consistent.