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quick question from our last multiplayer game and the wording around the exploding-rule.

When a vehicle/monster explodes: Do you roll 1D3 and and every unit gehts the result in MW, or do you roll 1D3 for each unit?

Roll for each unit separately.

but why?

Explodes: If this model is reduced to 0 wounds, roll a D6 before removing the model from the battlefield; on a 6 it explodes, and each unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds.

What if the text said "and each unit within 6" suffers 2 mortal wounds."? Dont we just replace the D3 for the result of the D3 throw? Is there a hidden rule about D3/D6 throws? Or is D3 the actual number and wont get replaced by the result in the rule and therefore every unit gets their seperate D3?

thanks in advance!

The rule says '... each unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds...." and not "... roll a D3 and each unit within 6" suffers that many mortal wounds...". You resolve the D3 roll for each unit within 6" to determine how many mortal wounds that unit suffers.

 Ghaz wrote:
The rule says '... each unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds...." and not "... roll a D3 and each unit within 6" suffers that many mortal wounds...". You resolve the D3 roll for each unit within 6" to determine how many mortal wounds that unit suffers.

This. The order of the words is important here.

 Ghaz wrote:
The rule says '... each unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds...." and not "... roll a D3 and each unit within 6" suffers that many mortal wounds...". You resolve the D3 roll for each unit within 6" to determine how many mortal wounds that unit suffers.

The rule doesnt say roll D3 for each unit seperately either, or something similiar. Its only one D3 roll for every unit within 6".

 p5freak wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:
The rule says '... each unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds...." and not "... roll a D3 and each unit within 6" suffers that many mortal wounds...". You resolve the D3 roll for each unit within 6" to determine how many mortal wounds that unit suffers.

The rule doesnt say roll D3 for each unit seperately either, or something similiar. Its only one D3 roll for every unit within 6".

It says each unit suffers D3 wounds, which does require you to roll a D3 for each unit.

 Ghaz wrote:

 p5freak wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:
The rule says '... each unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds...." and not "... roll a D3 and each unit within 6" suffers that many mortal wounds...". You resolve the D3 roll for each unit within 6" to determine how many mortal wounds that unit suffers.

The rule doesnt say roll D3 for each unit seperately either, or something similiar. Its only one D3 roll for every unit within 6".

It says each unit suffers D3 wounds, which does require you to roll a D3 for each unit.

No. Its only one roll.

No, because then the unit does not suffer D3 wounds but instead a predetermined number of wounds. You're literally trying to rewrite the rules to say "... roll a D3 and each unit within 6" suffers that many mortal wounds...". Is that what the rule says?

 p5freak wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:

 p5freak wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:
The rule says '... each unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds...." and not "... roll a D3 and each unit within 6" suffers that many mortal wounds...". You resolve the D3 roll for each unit within 6" to determine how many mortal wounds that unit suffers.

The rule doesnt say roll D3 for each unit seperately either, or something similiar. Its only one D3 roll for every unit within 6".

It says each unit suffers D3 wounds, which does require you to roll a D3 for each unit.

No. Its only one roll.

Incorrect. You roll for each unit. If you roll a d3 and get a 2 and apply to each unit, you haven’t rolled a d3 for that unit. You’ve just applied two.

Interesting. I never thought twice about this. Every game of 8th I've played both me and my opponents have rolled for each individual unit. No one has ever questioned it or said otherwise.

I'm in the roll for each unit camp otherwise I think it would say something along the lines of "Roll a D3 and each unit with 6" suffers that many mortal wounds." instead of the current wording.

nosferatu1001 wrote:

Incorrect. You roll for each unit. If you roll a d3 and get a 2 and apply to each unit, you haven’t rolled a d3 for that unit. You’ve just applied two.

Ah, ok. Now i see your point of view. I guess it can be seen that way, but i'm not 100% convinced.

It is D3 for each unit. I've seen a few Youtubers do it the other way which is unfortunate as its spread that misinformed rules interpretation.


If you need something to wrap your head around, its obviously the shrapnel from the exploding vehicle doing the damage. It's random damage because its random pieces of wreckage flying in all directions.

I'd agree it's not fully clear, though I'd lean towards the RAW being one roll per unit.

That being said, just ask your opponent/TO how you want to do it, and be consistent. It probably doesn't matter a ton which way you do it.

okay thanks A LOT for the feedback!

i guess i am with the interpretation that D3 already is a "fixed" amount. (e.g. when rubric marines dont get their +1 save when a d3 dmg weapon hits. since its d3 dmg and not 1)

BRB p 176
Warhammer 40,000 uses six-sided dice, sometimes abbreviated to D6. Some rules refer to 2D6, 3D6 and so on – in such cases, roll that many D6s and add the results together. If a rule requires you to roll a D3, roll a dice and halve the total. When halving any dice roll, round fractions up before applying modifiers (if any) to the result. All modifiers are cumulative. If a rule requires a dice roll of, for example, 3 or more, this is often
abbreviated to 3+.

this speaks for the 1D3 for everyone-interpretation

If you need something to wrap your head around, its obviously the shrapnel from the exploding vehicle doing the damage. It's random damage because its random pieces of wreckage flying in all directions.

but what if sometimes only the engine bursts into flames and sometimes the whole fuel ignites and explodes? the burning engine is less dangerous for every1 around

Each unit suffers a dice roll in damage.

D3 should not be read as a variable. "Each unit suffers X wounds" because each instance of the dice can vary, and reading it this way implies that the X is constant across all units.

Since it specifically says each unit suffers D3 damage, that means you need to roll a D3 for each unit. D3 is not constant.

It’s a roll per unit. (Even BCB has changed his stance on this one to the correct one!)

Each unit suffers D3 wounds. D3 is not a fixed value so is rolled for every time, unless there’s also a special rule saying roll once and apply for all.