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Ave dominus Machina!

I tried looking up an easy to understand guide on how does the pistol rules work but can't seem to find one, so here I am.

How does a pistol work in melee in 8th edition? I simply can't understand what did they mean in the rulebook (and the fact it's in my second language won't help it at all). If I charge at an enemy with a pistol do I get an additional attack in melee like in the old days? It says that I can shoot them while locked in melee but have to target the closest enemy squad but does it happen in shooting phase or assault phase? Do I have to forfeit my attacks with melee weapons if I shoot with my pistol?

Try to make it idiot-proof for me if you can, thanks

You normally can't shoot while engaged in melee. With pistols you can against the closest enemy.

No bonus in the fight phase. Unless the weapon specifies otherwise.

Better now. Pseudo +1 attack without the old "holding this pistol sure makes me want to swing my other actual weapon again" system.

You can shoot with pistols even when locked in combat, but need to target the nearest enemy unit.
This happens in the Shooting Phase.
You get no additional attack in the Combat Phase.

Example:

Turn 1A
Move unit
Shoot with unit
Charge with unit
Fight with unit

Turn 1B - enemy turn

Turn 2A
Unit stays in combat and doesn't retreat
Shoot pistols with unit into nearest enemy unit your unit is in 1" of
No charge move possible
Fight with unit

Thank you both!
Now I understand

Also remember - the each model with a pistol has to shoot at the nearest unit to it. This means that models in a big unit may fire at different units, even at units it's not in CC with (if they are not all piled in yet)

I love that they separated pistols and base level melee weapons. Opens up a lot of new combos.

HoundsofDemos wrote:
I love that they separated pistols and base level melee weapons. Opens up a lot of new combos.

It made Pistols not complete garbage. Gotta thank ol' GW for that at the very least.

I can't wait to use my Hand Flamers in melee! I love the new Pistol rules.

By "nearest unit" isnt that always the unit you're in melee with?

Danny slag wrote:
By "nearest unit" isnt that always the unit you're in melee with?

No, remember its each model's nearest unit.

If you have 30 ork boys charging, they will be all over the board, its highly unlikely that every single one of those 30 (probably also forming a conga line back to a HQ), will have the cc target as their closest unit.

Even a normal unit of 10 models can find that some models have other units nearer, the charge could even be planned that way.