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View Full Version : Defensive Weapons and Dark Eldar



Nabterayl
08-11-2009, 11:55 AM
I have a question about horrorfexes. As we all know, the Dark Eldar FAQ (http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1180149_Dark_Eldar_FAQ_2004-08_5th_Edition.pdf) states that horrorfexes are not defensive weapons. However, page 58 of the rulebook states that


Any vehicle weapons of Strength 4 or less (or with no Strength value) are classified as 'defensive' weapons.

The horrorfex has "the same effect as" a terrorfex, which has a listed Strength of "n/a." So ... can anybody explain to me what the Dark Eldar FAQ is smoking? What are your guys' experiences in terms of how people play this rule?

Let me try to forestall some replies by saying I know what the FAQ says. I also know that


The FAQs on the other hand are very much 'soft' material. They deal with more of a grey area, where often there is no right and wrong answer - in a way, they are our own 'Studio House Rules'.

In other words, FAQs can be wrong (yes yes, I know that tournaments are likely to consider them authoritative, etc.). I'm interested in a discussion of reasoning, not repetitions of what is.

Anybody have anything? Or is the FAQ just making things up?

Lucky Moniker
08-11-2009, 12:07 PM
in most cases, the codex trumps the rulebook, so if the codex (or faq) states it isnt a defensive weapon i would assume it is not

Nabterayl
08-11-2009, 12:12 PM
in most cases, the codex trumps the rulebook, so if the codex (or faq) states it isnt a defensive weapon i would assume it is not

Yes, but Frequently Asked Questions are not a codex. Errata are part of a codex, notwithstanding that they aren't physically printed in a paper book. FAQs, while frequently granted "codex" status by players, never claim to be codex-level authority. That's why I included the second quote in my OP.

I know that "the FAQ says so" is the answer most of the time in actual games. I'm not questioning that. I'm wondering if the FAQ has some reasoning behind it that I'm not seeing.

Drew da Destroya
08-11-2009, 03:51 PM
I think the only real reasoning is balance-wise... you can't pin a squad that you also drop a Disintegrator template on. It'd just be mean.

It is a rather annoying limit on DE firepower, though.

helvexis
08-12-2009, 01:35 PM
yeah im pretty sure the only reason is balancing i did that once before reading the faq and it really isnt nice ... not that dark eldar are supposed to be nice but it was ridiculously cheap guy didnt get to move the entire game... was kinda good roles on my part though