BLADERIKER wrote:
What you need to know is simple. Skirmishers can reform as many times and they want in a movement phase meaning that if you wanted to move through a smaller gap you could just so long as each model could make the move to the new location and in some valid formation.

HawaiiMatt wrote:

Also remember that when you thread a gap, the unit has to reform around it's center to form the needle.

HawaiiMatt wrote:
The free reform rule stats that you can reform as often as you want, as long no model ends up moving more than movement x2.
That's different than reform as often as you want as long as all models end within movement x2.

 Tangent wrote:
Alright, another question. A unit is 5x4 and facing north. Can each model in the unit simply turn west, and now they're a unit that's 4x5 and facing west? And if they CAN do this, does that "turning" take up any movement?

 Vulcan wrote:

 Tangent wrote:
Alright, another question. A unit is 5x4 and facing north. Can each model in the unit simply turn west, and now they're a unit that's 4x5 and facing west? And if they CAN do this, does that "turning" take up any movement?

That is a legal reform, and takes no movement since Skirmishers get to reform at will.

At least, that's the way we play it.

skyfi wrote:as far as "shrinking" goes when charging and the charge distance...

When using squig hoppers, do you "shrink" per normal skirmisher USR or do you just "bounce" into them if you reach them, rank up, and start combat? (because of random movement)


Thank you.

 Tangent wrote:

 Vulcan wrote:

 Tangent wrote:
Alright, another question. A unit is 5x4 and facing north. Can each model in the unit simply turn west, and now they're a unit that's 4x5 and facing west? And if they CAN do this, does that "turning" take up any movement?

That is a legal reform, and takes no movement since Skirmishers get to reform at will.

At least, that's the way we play it.

I, too, thought that skirmishers can reform at will, which means this should take no movement... not correct?

MeanGreen wrote:

skyfi wrote:as far as "shrinking" goes when charging and the charge distance...

When using squig hoppers, do you "shrink" per normal skirmisher USR or do you just "bounce" into them if you reach them, rank up, and start combat? (because of random movement)


Thank you.

The 'shrinking' happens just before rolling the dice - this is however after measuring the distance for charges. I see this as making it easier to see who can fight in the combat phase, it should not be seen as 'free movement'. If the skirmisher unit was ten models wide and is flank charged, you could not 'shrink' them out of charge range!

Tangent wrote:I, too, thought that skirmishers can reform at will, which means this should take no movement... not correct?

Reform at will means they can attemp to reform using the normal reform rules, but with the limit restriction lifted.
Note if you have a musician you can test for a free reform before moving (not marching) - obviously at risk of not moving again, and other restrictions.

Personally I field small units of skirmishers of 10 or less, and i use them to annoy and redirect charges. Their shooting on the march is also helpful

Grey Templar wrote:
It means you can reform as many times as you want. Normally units can only reform once a turn. But skirmishers still pay the movement to do it.

 Tangent wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:
It means you can reform as many times as you want. Normally units can only reform once a turn. But skirmishers still pay the movement to do it.

Ok, now I'm really confused.

A "normal" reform takes your entire movement allowance. A "swift" reform (using a musician) allows you to reform and then make a "normal" move (not a march move). You can only make this reform maneuver, either normal or swift, once per turn.

Skirmishers can make these maneuvers as many times per turn as they want, but each time they do it, they must pay these movement costs.

So, how does this interact?

skyfi wrote:I understand and agree they would shrink if they were being charged though. I always thought it worked like this..

1 Declare charge,
2 skirmishers immediately shrink around center,
3 measure charge distance
4 declare charge reaction
5 oll charge range
6 move models

I think your operations are just out of order. As far as I know, it works like this:

1) Measure charge distance. You do this first because, from what I understand, you're not allowed to declare a charge that you have no chance of making. For instance, if an enemy unit is fleeing and you declare a charge against it, it must automatically flee again. You can "chase" units off the board in this way. If you could declare charges from outside your max charge distance, then every unit you have could charge and that unit would be guaranteed to be off the board.

2) Declare charge.
3) Declare charge reaction.
4) Resolve charge reaction.
5) Skirmishers shrink around center.
6) Roll charge distance.
7) Move charging models.

 Gorbad wrote:

His question is about random movement in combination with skirmishers and that question is really interesting to me too.
For other skirmisher it's pretty clear. The reform stuff is pretty easy. You can reform as often as you want as long as you have "movement" left.

MeanGreen wrote:

 Gorbad wrote:

His question is about random movement in combination with skirmishers and that question is really interesting to me too.
For other skirmisher it's pretty clear. The reform stuff is pretty easy. You can reform as often as you want as long as you have "movement" left.

Well to move a random unit, you pivot and roll. If it is enough to get into combat then it is in combat, so would shrink once it is understood to be fighting that combat phase. As no squig is going to miss out on a free-lunch.

But that then points to a rules conflict: Can a random movement skirmisher unit reform at will?
Either; 1 - it gets a free pivot and moves the max distance rolled or until terrain or friendly unit. Meaning no reform!
Or; 2 - it gets as many reforms it's rolled Movement allows. Meaning not to the Random movement ruling!

tgf wrote:
I use a pack of 10 ungor raiders with musisian to hide my 3 shadow stone shamans. It give the enemy -1 to hit and my shamans get LoS and distributed as per shooting that way as well. While they are not as awesome as the free moving 7th skirmishers they are still not completely horrible.