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So last game I came across a situation for Look Out Sir that surprised me, but seemed correct, so I wanted to check.

To set the stage, my character is standing in the open. Just behind him (within 3") is another unit (meeting the relevant criterion), but they're further away from the enemy.
Further up the battlefield, I have another unit. Closer to the enemy but beyond 3".
Is my character protected?

I had assumed no - as LOS was keyed off units within 3".
But reading the rules seems to suggest he is. He fulfills both requirements of LOS; have an eligible unit within 3", not be the closest unit. Even though those two are different units.

So just asking for a sanity check - my character is indeed safe?

My understanding of the rule matches yours, that the "eligible unit" and the "closest unit" need not be the same thing. That is to say that the character is safe from targeting.

I've hand waved the justification in my head that the character hast just got "lost" on the battlefield among the other units that are involved in the decision.

Agreed.

That is how it works.

Having played with 8th edtion look out sir rules I like this one much more. Not that the most common way to negate these are:

1: Kill the units giving look out sir down to at least 2 models. (Or the one vehicle/monster.)

2: Use snipers that ignore look out sir. GSC, SM and Inquisitors have some good snipers.

3: Move close to the character to igore the look out sir. (Deep strikers come to mind.)

4: Really just an exstenstion of 3, but move your airplaine just out of base to base contact with sair character and kill it dead.

 kirotheavenger wrote:
To set the stage, my character is standing in the open. Just behind him (within 3") is another unit (meeting the relevant criterion), but they're further away from the enemy.
Further up the battlefield, I have another unit. Closer to the enemy but beyond 3".
Is my character protected?

the summary "Cannot shoot at an enemy CHARACTER with 9 or less wounds while it is within 3" of a friendly unit that contains 1 MONSTER, 1 VEHICLE or 3+ other models (excluding CHARACTER models with 9 or less wounds) unless it is the closest target."

I would say yes your character is protected.

conditions
- character
- 9wounds or less
- within 3" of vehicle/monster 10+wounds or 3+ other models in squad
- not be closest target

the, not be closest target, could literally be your screening squad 12"+ away between the character and the shooting unit, also don't forget to be 3" near another unit for the protection.

it never states the squad you are 3" near has to be between you character and the shooting unit it just says not closest target.