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Hello everyone and anyone that can help with this. Can an independent character in a chariot join a unit?

These are the rule principles I've been trying to use to answer this question:
- The rules express that the rider and chariot are a unique model and a unit in and of itself.
- Independent Characters can join units
- Some chariot riders are indendent characters

The issue is the independent character is embarked on a vehicle as a rider with a (usual) capacity of 1.
- According to page 81 of the rule book, if an independant character is embarked on a transport vehicle and the unit its attached to is not, the independent character automatically is no longer attached to the unit. But this seems to only apply to transport vehicles, but is a chariot a transport vehicle

The rider and the chariot are considered 1 model.
- If the rider is an independent character and according to page 166 if he comes within 2" coherency of a unit, he automatically joins that unit.

But the independent character can't join a unit while embarked on a transport vehicle and the unit he want's to join is not, but the rider and the chariot are one model and if the independent character is within 2" of a friendly unit he automatically joins the unit. I guess this boils down to whether or not a chariot is indeed a transport vehicle or not, although under the rules for chariot, I see no specific rules stating that its transport vehicle.

If someone can find an answer in the rules that I'm missing, I would greatly appreciate it. Or if you can tell me how you and your gaming community play it and why that would be helpful.

This makes a difference in a necron lord in a chariot or herald of slaneesh in a chariot joining a unit and just running around the board not getting singled out by a lascannon or something.

For Example:
A burning Chariot of Tzeentch has
- Transport Capacity: 1 (Exalted Flamer or Herald of Tzeentch only) lets keep in mind a Herald of Tzeentch is an independant character
- Unit Type: Chariot, Fast, Open-topped, Skimmer

A Storm Raven has
- Transport Capacity: 12
- Unit Type: Flyer, Hover, Transport

The defining difference is that a burning chariot has a transport capacity, but it's unit type is not a transport like the storm raven, so I'm thinking a chariot is not a transport vehicle and may not be subject to the rules of pg 81 of the rule book as far as transports and independent characters go.

But I don't know... that's why I'm here asking.

Per the FAQ, the Burning Chariot of Tzeentch does not have a Transport Capacity.

http://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/Errata/Warhammer_40000/Chaos_Daemons_EN.pdf

Every current Chariot that upgrades an IC either removes the ability to join units, or has been Errata'd to remove it.

The last one capable of doing this was the Necron Overlord in a Catacomb Command Barge in the last codex. The current codex changed the Command Barge to no longer be an upgrade and includes a non-IC Overlord standard.

So, yeah, you probably could if you could find one that qualified, but that is no longer the case.

Also bear in mind that per the above FAQ, Heralds lose their Independent Character special rule when taking a chariot option.

So I think that makes the question unnecessary?

EDIT:

*shakes fist*

Oh Ok... there is an FAQ that takes away the IC rule from a rider when they are mounted on a chariot? ok. Thanks guys

You can get a bit of a logic loop going if you try to join an IC on a chariot to a unit anyway.

"They cannot, however, join units that contain vehicles or monstrous creatures." So if the IC joins a unit, and is on a chariot, the unit now contains a vehicle...so the IC can't join it.

Not definitive...but hey. It's GW.

Lendys wrote:
You can get a bit of a logic loop going if you try to join an IC on a chariot to a unit anyway.

"They cannot, however, join units that contain vehicles or monstrous creatures." So if the IC joins a unit, and is on a chariot, the unit now contains a vehicle...so the IC can't join it.

Not definitive...but hey. It's GW.

That only works if you try to join it after you joined it. That's like eating your hot dog after you ate it.

Yes, the only issue in that case is the next ic trying to join the unit.

An MC-IC can freely join any unit including one that is, made up entirely of, or already contains another IC; this is how the farsight enclaves IC riptide can freely join the rest of the 8 as a single unit, or within another unit: once you join you are joined and never have to re-join so restrictions that apply at joining are no longer in effect.