Mind Shackle Scarab Hits

[herigonz]

Just a question that I came up with. I don't have my codex handy but remember reading the rule and it not being clarified.

I don't have any questions about how they work but more about the hits a model dishes out once they fail the MSS roll. Namely, I've played it as once the unit loses the MSS roll, I roll a D3 and get how many hits they will "inflict". The rule itself doesn't say auto-hits but says something along the lines that it will do D3 hits when its turn comes around.

I was watching a batrep last night where the players treated the hits as autohits and only had to roll to wound. I know the rule specifies that the attacks gain any benefits/penalties that the unit normally bestows.

So I guess, do Mind Shackle Scarab hits automatically hit and you only roll to wound? Or do you have to roll to hit as well? I play it as the latter but now I'm not sure. There isn't any clarification in the FAQ either.

[Spectral Dragon]

The hits are indeed automatic. If they weren't they would have said attacks instead. I imagine the random number of attacks along with the fact the unit shouldn't see it coming is why you get automatic hits.

Now, bear in mind that model counts as allready having made it's attacks that round and they still go in initiative order. Usually this means he strikes at the rest of his units at the same time as the units strike at your unit.

Also, I just noticed that you are supposed to randomize the model that gets mindshackled. Can't pick the model you want at that point.

[herigonz]

Right on, the randomization is ironically not the hardest part of it all. I tend to either fight a single creature in base to base contact or get at most 2 in base to base making it an easy "1-3 its this guy, 4-6 its the other guy". Normally it tends to be a Powerfist or Powerklaw (or some other MC at I1) making it pretty easy to single out when they are attacking. I'm not purposely going to tell my opponents to have their heavy hitters not get in base contact with my Overlord. :P

I suppose when I read it it was a simple comprehension issue. I read it as "attacks" instead of hits. Fluff wise it does make sense that they're hits they just don't see coming.

[Spectral Dragon]

Actually, I have a question of my own.

Lets say I have a royal court of Necron Lords. They all use mind-shackle scarabs. How do I resolve the randomness? Can a model be mind-shackled more than once a turn? If so, does that model gain multiple D3 attacks?

I know that you can only use the rule with something in base contact, which would spread the number of models that have to take the test again.

[Wildcard]

yeah, 1 or 2 (or even 3) units can be rather easily randomised (ofc there are ways for more, but it'll take some time / rerolls - even more if there are more mindshackle scarabs / equivalent on the table)

I was thinking that i could suggest the following to my gaming group next time we played: When ordered to randomly select something, both players roll D6 and the one who rolled higher can choose the target of the randomised effect.

I know that it is not that random, but the changes to get the result owning player wishes is 50-50.. i do know that it turns in favor of mindshackle owner when there are more than 2 models in b2b, but, that would still make it faster and sort of "cleaner":

Necron wins: He get to choose who the powerfist dude will smash to bits
Marine wins: He gets to choose who gets zoinkd by the combat blade..

Now, i dont' know all the random effects there are, so it could very well be that this mode wouldnt even fit other cases..

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OP Issue, ye i believe aswell that the D3 hits are 'auto-hits' thus making it important to try to make sure no powerfist / claw / hammer dude gets in b2b with overlord (or whoever it is who gets the scarabs..)