FAQ

Q:	When establishing Cover lines and determining the point at which they cross terrain features or bases, what are the specific points that you should measure from, in particular for determining Cover and Obscured?
A:	Cover and Obscured require the operative to be at a certain distance from ‘a point’. This means it is any point at which a Cover line crosses a terrain feature – it does not need to be the closest point. In this example, Operative A is not more than from the closest point at which the Cover line crosses , however it is more than from a point at which it crosses , therefore it is Obscured.

Q:	When establishing Cover lines for Obscuring, parts of an Obscuring terrain feature within of the active operative are not treated as Obscuring. Does that mean if the active operative is within of a terrain feature that is Obscuring, the whole terrain feature is not treated as Obscuring?
A:	No. Only the specific parts of the terrain feature within of them are not treated as Obscuring (see example in above). In this example, all parts of the terrain feature within of Operative B are not treated as Obscuring . However, there are parts of the terrain feature more than from it that are Obscuring . Therefore Operative A is obscured.

Q:	Does a Cover line have unlimited height above and below the line drawn between two bases? In other words, if a Cover line is drawn above or below a terrain feature, does it cross that terrain feature?
A:	No. In this example, a Cover line drawn to operative B does not cross a terrain feature, therefore operative B isn’t in Cover or Obscured.

Q:	Is an operative Visible to itself?
A:	Yes.

Q:	Sometimes a target operative on a Vantage Point will be within of an intervening rampart or battlement to get Cover, but the active operative is positioned in such a way that a Cover line goes underneath the rampart, rather than crossing it. In this instance, is the target operative still in Cover?
A:	Yes. Treat the Cover line as crossing that rampart.

Characteristics

Q:	How are modifiers to the Movement characteristic applied?
A:	The modifier is applied to the total, rather than to each increment. For example, if an operative has a Movement characteristic of 3 and was added to it, the modified characteristic would be 3 1, not 3 3.

Q:	Do modifiers to the Movement characteristic affect how far an operative can move when it performs a Dash* action?*
A:	No, unless a rule specifically mentions the Dash action. For example, if was subtracted from an operative’s Movement characteristic, it would still move up to when performing a Dash action. However, if a rule states ‘each time an enemy operative performs a Dash action’, then it would be affected.

If an operative’s Action Point Limit is modified during its activation, will the action points it generated for that activation be affected?

No, unless otherwise specified. Action points are generated after determining an operative’s order for its activation, so modifiers after that point won’t affect how many action points it has for its activation. Modifiers to an operative’s APL when it is activated (e.g. if the KOMMANDO NOB uses its Get it Dun! ability on itself) could affect the action points generated, as this happens before it generates action points.

Q:	If an operative’s characteristics are modified during an action, does that impact the action it’s currently performing? For example, if an operative’s Movement characteristic is modified during a Normal Move action as a result of being injured.
A:	No. Unless otherwise specified, apply the modifiers once the action it’s performing is complete.

Q:	Some rules clarify that a modifier should only be applied if an enemy operative is activated within X of the relevant operative, e.g. Rust Emanations Strategic Ploy, GELLERPOX INFECTED: ‘Only subtract from their Movement characteristic as a result of being injured if they are activated within Engagement Range of that friendly operative.’ What does this mean?
A:	Do not apply that specific modifier unless the operative is activated within X of the relevant operative. In the example, Movement would be the specific modifier.

Q:	If a rule treats an operative as being injured regardless of any rules that say they cannot be injured (e.g. Rust Emanations Strategic Ploy, GELLERPOX INFECTED), and another rule allows an operative to ignore modifications to one or more of its characteristics (e.g. Calm Head Tactical Ploy, IMPERIAL NAVY BREACHER), which takes precedence?
A:	The former. The operative will always be affected by such abilities.

Moving

Q:	If an operative moves onto a Vantage Point, must its base be wholly on it, or can part of its base be over the edge?
A:	So long as the operative can be placed without falling, its base can be over the edge.

Q:	When climbing and dropping, does an operative get any free horizontal movement?
A:	No. All horizontal movement must be measured as well. Being within simply qualifies it to begin a climb or drop, but you must still measure the horizontal distance as normal. Therefore if an operative does not have enough movement to be placed on that terrain feature without falling, or enough to fully move its base off that terrain feature, it cannot complete that climb or drop.

Q:	Can the FLY keyword allow a friendly operative to perform an action in which it moves that would ordinarily be prohibited while within Engagement Range of an enemy operative, e.g. a Normal Move action?
A:	No. The rules for FLY apply when the operative would be physically moved, however being within Engagement Range of an enemy operative prevents the operative from performing a Normal Move action in the first place. Therefore it must perform a Fall Back action to move.

Q:	How does an operative move across stairs or an angled slope?
A:	Unless specified otherwise, the operative can move across them freely (they do not need to climb them).

Q:	As an operative can perform a Dash action during a climb or drop to reach its intended destination, can it also perform other actions that provide a free Dash action to do the same e.g. Dakka Dash (KOMMANDO DAKKA BOY)?
A:	No, it must perform the Dash action specifically.

Shooting Attacks and Fighting in Combat

Q:	When fighting in combat, some abilities (e.g. Storm Shield in Kill Team Compendium) cause a parry to discard two of your opponent’s successful hits. How does this interact with normal and critical hits?
A:	If the operative parries with a normal hit, they select up to two normal hits from their opponent to be discarded. If the operative parries with a critical hit, they select up to either two critical hits, two normal hits, or one critical and one normal hit from their opponent to be discarded.

Q:	How does an operative not equipped with a melee weapon interact with fighting in combat?
A:	Do not select a melee weapon or roll attack dice for it. It cannot provide combat support.

If an operative is incapacitated and is affected by a rule that states it isn’t removed from the killzone yet (e.g. In Death, Atonement Tactical Ploy, VETERAN GUARDSMAN, and Only in Death Does Duty End Tactical Ploy, SPACE MARINE & GREY KNIGHT), what happens when it fights in combat? Specifically in the Resolve Successful Hits step, it states you resolve your successful hits until one operative in that combat is incapacitated. Does that mean the VETERAN GUARDSMAN can’t resolve successful hits, as it is already incapacitated?

Yes. As such, being incapacitated (but temporarily remaining in the killzone) will not allow the operative to resolve hits in combat.

Q:	If a shooting attack is made against an operative in Cover with a 6+ Save characteristic, if the Defender would retain a defence dice as a result of Cover, would it still be a successful normal save, or would it be a successful critical save as they couldn’t otherwise roll a normal save?
A:	It would still be a successful normal save.

Q:	If there are no valid targets for a shooting attack made from a Manifest Psychic Power* action, what happens?*
A:	The action isn’t resolved and the action points are refunded. The operative must then perform a different action, or if it knows more than one psychic power, it can perform that action again to select a different psychic power.

Q:	Can an operative parry, even if the opponent has no successful hits to discard?
A:	Yes.

Q:	If a weapon has more than one profile, one of which has the Blast X special rule, can an operative perform the Overwatch* action with a profile that doesn’t have the Blast X special rule?*
A:	Yes.

Q:	If a rule inflicts additional damage (e.g. Hammerhand psychic power, GREY KNIGHT), then my opponent uses a rule to ignore the damage inflicted from an attack dice (e.g. Just a Scratch Tactical Ploy, KOMMANDO), is the additional damage ignored?
A:	No. Only the damage from the attack dice is ignored, the additional damage is still inflicted.

Q:	Do you have to declare the use of all re-rolls before the dice are re-rolled?
A:	No. You can see the result of a re-roll before deciding on a different re-roll.

Q:	Can you re-roll a dice you’ve already retained? For example, if I retain a defence dice as a successful normal save as a result of Cover, can I re-roll it later?
A:	No.

Q:	Some rules require you to roll a dice ‘as if that operative is fighting in combat’ or similar, e.g. CORSAIR VOIDSCARRED Slicing Attack* action.*
A:	Q1: Is the target considered to be fighting in combat too? A: No. Q2: Is combat support applied? A: Yes. Q3: Can rules that take effect when the target is incapacitated in combat be used, e.g. LEGIONARY Unending Bloodshed? A: Yes. This differs from Q1 because the target is still incapacitated in combat, even though it wasn’t fighting in the combat itself.

Q:	How does a MEDIC operative’s abilities that take effect when another friendly operative is incapacitated (e.g. Reanimation Beam HIEROTEK CIRCLE, Medic! KASRKIN , etc.) interact with ranged weapons that make subsequent shooting attacks (i.e. Blast and Torrent)?
A:	Resolve all of the required shooting attacks, then if the MEDIC operative is not incapacitated, use that ability at the start of the Remove Incapacitated Operatives step.

Q:	Some shooting attacks occur when an enemy operative moves within a specified distance of a token (e.g. the Proximity special rule, KASRKIN DEMO-TROOPER’s Melta Mine, INCURSOR MINELAYER’s Haywire Mine). Is this shooting attack made against the enemy operative as soon as it’s within the specified distance (interrupting its move), or at the final location of its move?
A:	The former – as soon as it’s within the specified distance.

With the Proximity special rule still in mind, what happens in the unlikely event that an active operative performs a Charge action, triggers the Proximity shooting attack, survives, but can no longer finish that action within Engagement Range of an enemy operative (e.g. the intended enemy operative was incapacitated by the Proximity shooting attack, or moved away as a result of Medic! ability)?

If there are no enemy operatives it can finish that action within Engagement Range of, then it does not need to (any remaining increments of movement can still be used as the player chooses)

Q:	If my operative has a rule that allows me to resolve a hit before the attacker (e.g. Bladed Stance ability, VOIDSCARRED KURNATHI), can I use that rule when I’m the attacker?
A:	Yes. In such instances, the VOIDSCARRED KURNATHI could parry, then you (as the attacker) would resolve the first hit in the normal order of dice resolution.

Special Rules and Critical Hit Rules

When fighting in combat or making a shooting attack, if an operative has multiple special rules and critical hit rules that would take effect at the same time, in what order are they resolved?

The operative’s controlling player can choose the order for rules that would take effect at the same time. Note that this is an exception to the usual method of resolving simultaneous rules, in which the player with the initiative determines the order. Also note that if one rule stated ‘in the Roll Attack Dice step’ and another stated ‘at the end of the Roll Attack Dice step’, they do not take place at the same time (the latter must be resolved last).

Q:	If an operative has a rule that allows it to repeat a specific combat or shooting attack (e.g. as a result of the Veteran of the Long War Tactical Ploy, TRAITOR SPACE MARINE), can it do so if a weapon with the Limited special rule was selected for that combat or shooting attack?
A:	Yes. In this instance, you could use the weapon again, even if it has the Limited special rule.

Q:	If an operative has a rule that allows it to repeat a specific combat or shooting attack (e.g. as a result of the Veteran of the Long War Tactical Ploy, TRAITOR SPACE MARINE), must I select the same target?
A:	Yes, assuming it’s still a valid target. If it isn’t, you can’t repeat that combat or shooting attack.

Q:	In rare instances, an operative can gain a special rule/critical hit rule more than once. Can both be used? E.g. PISTOLIER’s dual Kroot pistols and the Prey Strategic Ploy (FARSTALKER KINBAND) both provide Balanced.
A:	No. The operative only benefits from the same rule once. If the x is different, choose which to use (e.g. if the operative has MW1 and MW2, it wouldn’t be MW3).

General Principles

How do you resolve contrasting rules? For example, the Contagion Strategic Ploy (DEATH GUARD and CHAOS DAEMON) means enemy operatives are treated as being injured, but the Emperor’s Chosen ability (TALONS OF THE EMPEROR) means the operative cannot be injured.

In such circumstances, ‘cannot’ takes precedence; the Emperor’s Chosen ability would prevent the operative from being injured as a result of the Contagion Strategic Ploy. There may be some rules where specific wording overrides this though. For example, a rule might say ‘the operative is treated as being injured, regardless of any rules that say it cannot be injured’. In this instance, the Emperor’s Chosen ability would not prevent the operative from being injured.

Q:	Does an action performed when an operative hasn’t been activated count as an activation? E.g. Overwatch* or a free Dash action from Recon in the Scouting Step.*
A:	No.

Q:	If an operative would be injured from more than one rule, are the effects applied more than once? For example, an operative has fewer than half of its wounds remaining and is within of an ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative with the Creeping Dread Strategic Ploy (TALONS OF THE EMPEROR).
A:	No. In such instances, the Creeping Dread Strategic Ploy would have no additional effect on that operative.

Q:	Some rules such as the PHOBOS STRIKE TEAM Track Target action interrupt an activation after an enemy operative performs an action. If it’s the last action of an activation, or even the last action of the final activation of the Turning Point, can that activation still be interrupted?
A:	Yes.

Q:	Is an operative equipped with the weapons it can use from psychic powers? For instance, can psychic power weapons be upgraded with rare equipment from the Core Book?
A:	No. Note that this means being injured won’t affect that weapon’s characteristics.

Q:	If an operative carrying an objective marker or token loses the ability to perform the Pick Up action during the battle (e.g. Unleash Daemon, LEGIONARY ANOINTED), what happens to that objective marker or token?
A:	The operative must drop it.

Q:	If an operative performs an action during another action, e.g. an Operate Hatch action during a Normal Move action, when can they be interrupted for things like a guard attack or the PHOBOS STRIKE TEAM INCURSOR MARKSMAN Track Target action?
A:	After that operative performs any action, even if another action is still ongoing. In the example, you could interrupt them after they perform the Operate Hatch action, or after they’ve fully performed the Normal Move action.

Q:	Some rules require operatives to be within a certain distance of an objective marker (e.g. Martial Protocol Strategic Ploy, HUNTER CLADE). If an operative is carrying an objective marker, can other operatives or the operative carrying it be within the required distance of that objective marker for these rules?
A:	No. Unless the rule also mentions carried objective markers, it must be objective markers in the killzone. This is to create a clean and consistent rules state, and avoid other more unusual rules interactions if the answer was ‘yes’.

Q:	Many MEDIC operatives have an ability that says ‘Once per Turning Point, the first time a friendly X operative would be incapacitated…’, (X being the required keyword of the friendly operative). What does ‘the first time’ mean?
A:	It means the first friendly X operative incapacitated that fulfils the rule’s criteria during the Turning Point. If you do not use it for the first operative, you cannot use it for a different operative later in the Turning Point.

Q:	In rare instances, an operative has multiple rules that allow it to ignore lost wounds. Can both be used? E.g. CHRONOMANCER’s Chronometron Cryptek action and Quantum Reanimytes equipment (HIEROTEK CIRCLE).
A:	Yes. Resolve each, one after the other.

Q:	If an operative can perform a free action, but another rule requires additional action points to be subtracted to perform such an action, which takes precedence? For example, CORSAIR VOIDSCARRED Light Fingers Tactical Ploy and PHOBOS STRIKE TEAM REIVER’s Terror unique action.
A:	The former – it’s still free.

Q:	As you cannot use an operative’s abilities when it’s incapacitated, what happens when it’s affected by a rule that states it isn’t removed from the killzone yet? E.g. the In Death, Atonement Tactical Ploy (VETERAN GUARDSMAN).
A:	In this instance, you can use its abilities until it’s removed from the killzone.

Missions

Q:	When setting up additional barricades (e.g. the Fortify option in the Scouting step), can they be set up on a terrain feature?
A:	No, unless that terrain feature has the Insignificant trait.

The Consecrate Ground action (Mission 1.2 Consecration, Critical Operations mission pack, Kill Team Core Book) modifies an operative’s Action Point Limit characteristic (APL) until the start of the next Turning Point. As this modifier doesn’t generate any additional action points for the operative’s activation (as explained in the Characteristics commentary above), what is the effect of this?

It means the operative is better at controlling objective markers and tokens until the start of the next Turning Point (which is determined by APL). Note that ‘until the start of the next Turning Point’ is an exception to the usual APL modifier time frame, which is usually until the end of the operative’s current or next activation (whichever comes first).

Q:	The Rob and Ransack Tac Op card differs from that presented in the Core Book. Which one is correct?
A:	The one printed in the Core Book. Use the card to generate the Tac Op, but use the rules presented in the Core Book.

Q:	Are drop zones considered to be unlimited height? For example, if a rule specifies ‘within of your opponent’s drop zone’ and you’re measuring from a Vantage Point, do you measure the horizontal distance only?
A:	Yes. The same does not apply to the ‘centre of the killzone’. This distance should be measured specifically to the central point of the killzone floor.

Q:	For the Plant Banner Tac Op, can an operative that cannot perform the Pick Up* action be selected to carry the Banner token?*
A:	No.

Q:	When using the Sentries mission rules, when do you determine Line of Sight for raising the alarm?
A:	Before and after an action is performed. Operatives can move into Line of Sight during an action, but the alarm isn’t raised unless they start or finish that action in Line of Sight.

Q:	For the Duel of Wits mission (Critical Operations mission pack, Core Book), do players have to select different objective markers to be a Priority objective marker?
A:	Yes.

Spec Ops Narrative Play

Q:	When I add an operative to my dataslate for a Spec Ops campaign, and that operative has options for what it must be equipped with, do I have to select one of the options?
A:	Yes. Note this means that operative is then equipped with that option for the duration of your Spec Ops campaign.

Q:	When using the Equipment Drop Requisition, how do you determine the points worth of equipment that has a split cost? For example, High Capacity Magazine (1/3EP), WARPCOVEN.
A:	Use the lower cost.

Q:	When an operative makes multiple shooting attacks from one Shoot action (e.g. Blast or Torrent), does the Sharpshooter battle honour apply to all the shooting attacks from that one action, or just the first one?
A:	All of them.

Killzones

Q:	For Scrap Pile terrain features in Killzone: Octarius, can an operative perform a Dash action in the same activation in which it performs a Charge Over action, even though a Charge Over action is treated as a Charge action?
A:	Yes. That is an exception for that terrain feature.

Q:	For Scrap Pile terrain features in Killzone: Octarius, how far is an operative treated as moving when performing a Scramble Over or Charge Over action, e.g. for the purposes of a WARPCOVEN RUBRIC MARINE operative’s All is Dust ability?
A:	The distance it has travelled from the start to the end of that action.

Q:	For Scrap Pile terrain features in Killzone: Octarius, can operatives that perform free Normal Move or Charge actions perform the Scramble Over or Charge Over actions respectively instead? For example, during the free Charge action as a result of the WYRMBLADE LOCUS operative’s Quicksilver Strike action?
A:	Yes.

Q:	For terrain features with Hatches in Killzone: Chalnath, what parts on the terrain feature are a Hatch, and therefore what parts can an operative move through?
A:	The area specified in the diagram below:

Q:	Some terrain features such as pipes would realistically provide Cover for an operative, but as they are slightly elevated off the ground, Cover lines drawn to the operative would not cross the terrain feature. In such circumstances, should they still provide Cover?
A:	If terrain features like this should realistically provide Cover, treat small gaps between the bottom of a terrain feature and the killzone floor as part of the terrain feature. Be sure to discuss this with your opponent in the Determine Killzone step, and use common sense to resolve it.

Q:	In Killzone: Gallowdark, the Wall trait says ‘operatives cannot move over or through Wall terrain regardless of any other rules, other than as a result of the Accessible trait.’ Do you really mean this, or can operatives move through walls as a result of rules like Breach (KOMMANDO BREACHA BOY) and Breach Point (IMPERIAL NAVY BREACHER HATCHCUTTER)?
A:	Yes, we really mean this. As unique as it might seem, allowing certain operatives to move through walls breaks a fundamental feature of Killzone: Gallowdark, therefore it’s prohibited in order to maintain the experience and balance that we feel is appropriate for this killzone.

Q:	On mission maps that use Killzone: Gallowdark, does the position of Hatchways indicate which direction the hatch should open in?
A:	No. They simply identify the orientation of long walls with Hatchways.

Q:	In Killzone: Gallowdark, does the hatch of an open Hatchway provide Cover and is it Obscuring?
A:	Yes. Treat Cover lines that go underneath it as crossing it.

Q:	In Killzone: Gallowdark, how do you resolve rules that require an operative to be within a certain distance of Heavy terrain?
A:	Resolve this by only using pillars and wall ends (excluding wall ends for Hatchways), and Heavy terrain from a Killzone: Gallowdark supplement (e.g. Ancient Apparatus).

Close Quarters

Q:	How does the Guard* action work when the operative must perform a Shoot action with a specific weapon, e.g. Bolter Discipline, Exalted Astartes, Dakka Dash, etc.?*
A:	The operative can perform the Guard action, so long as the relevant weapon is selected if it performs Overwatch or point-blank overwatch during the subsequent guard attack.

Q:	Can an operative equipped with a ranged weapon that has the Heavy special rule perform a Normal Move, Fall Back or Charge action, then perform a Guard action in the same activation? If so, can it subsequently use the Heavy weapon for the guard attack?
A:	Yes.

Q:	If an operative incapacitates an enemy operative in a Hatchway Fight action, can rules that take effect when an enemy operative is incapacitated in combat, within Engagement Range or still work, e.g. the Rob and Ransack Tac Op?
A:	Yes.

Q:	Can an operative perform a Hatchway Fight* action as a guard attack, as a Hatchway Fight action is treated as a Fight action?*
A:	Yes.

Q:	If I interrupt an enemy operative’s activation with Guard, but then cannot complete a guard attack, is the operative still on guard? For example, there could be no valid targets, such as if a NOVITIATE player uses the Blinding Aura Act of Faith.
A:	Yes.

Q:	When using the Guard* action, if I interrupt an enemy operative’s activation and perform an Overwatch action, can I target a different enemy operative?*
A:	Yes.

Books

Line of Sight

Characteristics

Moving

Shooting Attacks and Fighting in Combat

Special Rules and Critical Hit Rules

General Principles

Missions

Spec Ops Narrative Play

Killzones

Close Quarters

OPERATE HATCH1AP

CONSECRATE GROUND1AP

DESTROY BANNER1AP

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	Name	A	BS/WS	D
	Haywire Mine	4	2+	2/4
Special Rules		!
Lethal 5+, No Cover, Proximity*		Interference*