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Can you use the smash special rule to not hit with a D weapon, in the event that you're likely to kill them in the next turn and dont want to be shot at, so they will take the HoW hit, and then a single smash which will be a str 10 ap2 (if it hits) instead of 5 D melee hits with a sword (on the WK).

wording of smash - can substitute all attacks for a single str 10 attack with reroll of armour pen

my concern on this would be that this is clearly a downgrade of the units offensive output, and in no scenario could it improve the results.

Trazer985 wrote:
Can you use the smash special rule to not hit with a D weapon, in the event that you're likely to kill them in the next turn and dont want to be shot at, so they will take the HoW hit, and then a single smash which will be a str 10 ap2 (if it hits) instead of 5 D melee hits with a sword (on the WK).

wording of smash - can substitute all attacks for a single str 10 attack with reroll of armour pen

my concern on this would be that this is clearly a downgrade of the units offensive output, and in no scenario could it improve the results.

Smash does say you can do this instead of making its close combat attacks.

You will lose out on the Charge bonus, though. In a way it's kind of like using a pistol instead of a Fist/Klaw/Power Weapon, strategically.

(Technically it's Str x 2, not Str 10, but not very many things with Smash aren't Str 5+).

Yes, you certainly can use smash to intentionally reduce your attacks vs a weak unit.
I often see wraith knights do this, and use it as an opportunity to put stomps onto nearby units.

I don't think the D hit would become S10 though. The model is still hitting with its weapon, which in the case of a WK is what grants strength D.

Arson Fire wrote:
Yes, you certainly can use smash to intentionally reduce your attacks vs a weak unit.
I often see wraith knights do this, and use it as an opportunity to put stomps onto nearby units.

I don't think the D hit would become S10 though. The model is still hitting with its weapon, which in the case of a WK is what grants strength D.

Smash doesn't say it uses a Weapon for this Attack, though, and is reliant on the model's Str statistic. If a Hammernator had Smash, they would hit just as hard with this Smash Attack as with their Thunder Hammer.

It is only for this specification that I think that you can get away with this.

I don't think Smash attacks says you don't use a weapon either though. In which case you still have to follow the CCW rules of having to use one of you CCWs to attack.

From 'Smash' (pg. 171, main rulebook) emphasis added:

If it does so, roll To Hit as normal, but resolve the Attack at double the model's Strength (to a maximum of 10)...

 Charistoph wrote:

Smash doesn't say it uses a Weapon for this Attack, though, and is reliant on the model's Str statistic. If a Hammernator had Smash, they would hit just as hard with this Smash Attack as with their Thunder Hammer.

It is only for this specification that I think that you can get away with this.

Yeah fair enough.
I skimmed over the smash rule earlier and saw it say (...unless it's attacking with an AP1 weapon...). But after looking again I see that only applies to the first part of the rule.

The models currently with both Smash and a D-weapon have Smash so that all of their attacks are AP2 (unless the weapon is AP1). While you can choose to do only 1 attack with Smash, the weapon with still be in use, and if you have a melee weapon you must use that weapon in melee unless you have more than one and choose another.

SJ

 CrownAxe wrote:
I don't think Smash attacks says you don't use a weapon either though. In which case you still have to follow the CCW rules of having to use one of you CCWs to attack.

I thought this might come up, I was hoping to avoid it because it really is only implied.

The only time you have to make that determination is when you are using Attacks profile and have More Than One Weapon. Or rather, that is the only time it is addressed in the rulebook.

Smash definitively overrides using the Attacks profile in favor of making the Smash Attack while giving specific instructions on how to process the Smash Attack, and does not reference using any Weapon profile while doing so. And Smash is an Advanced Rule versus any Basic Rule found in the Assault Phase section.