Allocating to multi-wound models

[Cyell]

Hi everyone,

I was reading the AoS rules for allocating damage to units, and it left me with some questions on how assigning wounds to a unit of multi-wound models. The rule as written reads:

"After all of the attacks made by a unit have been carried out, the player commanding the target unit allocates any wounds that are inflicted to models from the unit as they see fit (the models do not have to be within range or visible to an attacking unit). When inflicting damage, if you allocate a wound to a model, you must keep on allocating wounds to that model until either it is slain, or no more wounds remain to be allocated."

In other words, the bold text says once all models in the attacking unit is done (and save rolls made) I would assign damage to the defending unit. When I do so I would keep assigning wounds to a single model until it is dead or I've assigned all the wounds. And that's it. End of story. I start all over when they next unit attacks. Right?

The situation I have in mind is as follows, and is where I have a question about how this rule exactly works. If I have a unit of 3 skull cannons, 7 wounds each. During an attack I suffer 6 wounds. I allocate all 6 to a single skull cannon like I'm supposed to. The end, because the rule states I only have to assign wounds to that model until there are no more wounds to assign, which I've so far followed to the letter.

So the next time I'm attacked I suffer 5 more wounds, but I start the process all over and I can pick a different model to take those 5 new wounds? The rules as written says I have to keep assigning wound to the same model only until all the wounds from the first attack is all allocated. There is nothing that says I have to keep assigning wounds to that model from other attacks toward the unit.

There could very well be a difference between as-written and as-intended, but I want to focus on the as-written part because I need to be able to play games with the rules strictly as written (not house-ruled or modified in any way). Thanks in advance for any insight on this.

[theunwantedbeing]

There is no rule stating you have to allocate wounds to wounded models first.

[ChaosGrobi]

You may allocate wounds as you wish as long as you keep allocating to one model until it is slain. This gives you some tactical possibilities especially with units like the retributors. It is absolutely common to have a lot of models in a unit with only one health left.
There are also some other consequences which might not be obvious at first: for instance the mighty Lord of Khornes reality splitting axe can only kill one additional model, because there can only be one model wounded but not slain.

Hope this helps.

[Choombatta]

You may allocate wounds as you wish as long as you keep allocating to one model until it is slain. This gives you some tactical possibilities especially with units like the retributors. It is absolutely common to have a lot of models in a unit with only one health left.
There are also some other consequences which might not be obvious at first: for instance the mighty Lord of Khornes reality splitting axe can only kill one additional model, because there can only be one model wounded but not slain.

Hope this helps.

Well, if each attack is against a different unit, and each wounds but does not kill, the lord can auto kill multiple models in a turn.

[melonmelon]

I would say no, in the sense of rule streamlining(RAI).

Furthermore "When inflicting damage, if you allocate a wound to a model, you must keep on allocating wounds to that model until either it is slain, or no more wounds remain to be allocated." I can't tell this line written in micro(single phase) or macro(the game). Since INFLICTING DAMAGE is independent from MAKING ATTACKS section.

Just my 2 cents.

[ChaosGrobi]

Well, if each attack is against a different unit, and each wounds but does not kill, the lord can auto kill multiple models in a turn.

Good point. Never thought about splitting up the attacks in this context!

[bigbiggles]

I play it that wounded models die first. Easiest to do, and no one feels like they are gaming the system

[Cyell]

I would say no, in the sense of rule streamlining(RAI).

What you said may be true, but as I mentioned I'm looking for a "as-written" interpretation as it is so much more difficult to argue a developer's intent rather than clearly stated text.


Furthermore "When inflicting damage, if you allocate a wound to a model, you must keep on allocating wounds to that model until either it is slain, or no more wounds remain to be allocated." I can't tell this line written in micro(single phase) or macro(the game). Since INFLICTING DAMAGE is independent from MAKING ATTACKS section.

Just my 2 cents.

What you've just said is exactly why I'm looking for clarification. And while the rules does not specify if it is on a per phase or per game basis, the rule starts with "After all of the attacks made by a unit have been carried out..." which suggest that wound allocation is applied on a per attack basis. This, and as others have stated there are no rules specifying wounds need to be allocated to models that already have wounds makes me think you can assign wounds to which model you want for every new unit that attacks.



I play it that wounded models die first. Easiest to do, and no one feels like they are gaming the system

I very much agree with your sentiment, but how I feel the game should be play and how the rules tell me how the game should be played are not always the same.

[Vladyhell]

There are also Trolls,Crypt Horrors and Bloodknights that have special rules which allow each model in the unit to heal which tells me that allocating wounds is on a per attack basis.