House of Wisdom

“Would be nice if it was clearer though”
Handmade comment on the first printed edition of the New Syncretic Orthodox Bible
Anonymous – ca. 1455 

LAST UPDATE: 13 January 2026

Downloadable pdf version

For the legacy 1.6.3 playtest rules FAQ, click here.

Foreword: This document is a collection of Frequently Asked Questions from the Trench Crusade Discord Server, with the purpose of providing a possible interpretation of ambiguous rules. Any answer provided here is either grounded in references to the official Trench Crusade Rules or is based on consensus among the Discord community members. When trying to define the best answer in an ambiguous situation, we tried to adhere as much as possible to RAW (rules-as-written) as long as it didn’t conflict with other rules, but in some cases we also offered possible interpretations based on how we feel a certain rule should be played, or what is best for the overall game experience of all players. As none of the contributors is part of the design team, no part of this document is to be considered an official ruling, and any official FAQ or clarification that contradicts what is written here takes precedence. Feel free to adopt any interpretation of the rules you see fit, as long as it doesn’t conflict with the official rules.

References to rules in answer is reported as [Document | Page Number | (Paragraph)], with the following tags used to identify documents:

• Trench Crusade Digital Rules: TCDR
• Warbands of Tranch Crusade: WoTC

For example the tag [TCDR 36 §Declare Charges] reads as “See the Declare Charges paragraph on page 36 of the Trench Crusade Digital Rulebook”.

• (F) denotes answers that are found in the official Trench Crusade FAQ, reported here for ease of consultation (the reference number is provided). As they have been provided by Factory Fortress Inc itself, these are to be treated as official ruling. 
• (R) Denotes questions whose answers can be found in the rulebook. Reference to the rules sections are provided whenever possible.
• (C) Denotes questions whose answers are uncertain or hard to determine from the rules alone. The answers provided here are an attempt at solving the questions by seeking consensus among the Trench Crusade Discord community. They are in no way definitive and their application should always be agreed upon by players beforehand. In some cases consensus was not easy to reach: these situations will be marked and the most likely interpretations are provided.
• (?) denotes questions whose answer is not 100% clear and for which consensus was not easy to reach based on the elements we have available alone. These situations will likely require an official clarification on the FAQ or an update to the rules to be clarified once and for all. A suggestion on how to handle these has been provided, but please be aware that, even more than the issues described before, it’s impossible at this stage to know if our interpretation is correct. Always agree with your playgroup on how to handle these situations beforehand.
  

General Remarks

Q0.1: Rule X in the rulebook is different than what’s written in the Trench Companion / The Trench Companion Warband Builder doesn’t let me do X
A: While an excellent tool for list building and reference, the Trench Companion is not a source of rules. What is written in official documents (Trench Crusade Digital Rulebook, Warbands of Trench Crusade, official official warbands documents and FAQ) takes precedence over the Trench Companion in case of conflicting information.

Q0.2: Rule X was different in the playtest rulebook. Is the change intended?
A: While there are still some inconsistencies and potential unintended changes, it’s fair to assume that all significant changes from the playtest rules are intended.

SECTION 1 – Core & Comprehensive Rules 

1. Core Game Concepts

Q1.1 – RULES Q1: In what order do players apply BLOOD and BLESSING MARKERS to the same roll?
A: If two things happen at the same time, the player who has the Initiative determines the order in which they are performed. [TCDR 32]. (F)

Q1.2 – MISC. Q1: Some models have a Base size of 30x60mm. How does this work for rules that give different effects depending on Base size (i.e. smaller or larger than 40mm)
A: Models with Bases of different dimensions (e.g. 30x60mm) count their Base size as the larger dimension (e.g. 60mm) for the purposes of rules that refer to Base sizes. (F)

Q1.3 – MISC. Q2: Does a rule that affects ‘friendly models within X”’ also affect the model with that rule? For example, can the owner of a Musical Instrument benefit from its effects?
A: Yes. A model is considered to be within X” of itself unless otherwise stated. (F)

2. The Initiative Phase

No Q&A so far.

3. Actions

Q3.1: Do all ACTIONS require a Success Roll to be performed?
A: No. Only ACTIONS that explicitly dictate the player has to take a Success Roll or Risky Success Roll require rolling. If an ACTION doesn’t specify you need to roll as part of its text (e.g. the New Antioch Lieutenant’s Hold Your Fire! ability) then it automatically succeeds. (R)

4. Movement

Q4.1 – RULES Q2: Is ‘Move or Charge or Retreat’ a single ACTION? Or are they each a different type of ACTION (a Move ACTION, a Charge ACTION and a Retreat ACTION)? If the latter is correct, can a model take more than one of them during the same Activation?
A: They are different types of ACTION: a Move ACTION, a Charge ACTION and Retreat ACTION. However, a model cannot take more than one of them during the same Activation. If you want to move a model more than once you must use a Dash ACTION instead. (F)

Q4.2: Can a model that is within 1” of an enemy charge another enemy model or move within 1” of another enemy?
A: No. A model cannot move within 1” of an enemy unless it takes a Charge ACTION [TCDR 36], but you cannot take a Charge ACTION with a model that is already within 1″ of an enemy model [TCDR 34].
When a model starts a move within 1” of an enemy it has only two options [TCDR 35]: (1) It moves while remaining within 1” of all enemies it started the move within 1” of, but can’t get within 1” of any new enemies as per what listed above, or (2) It retreats, granting any enemy it is within 1” of a free Melee Attack. When retreating, it cannot end the move within 1” of any enemy [TCDR 37]. (R)

Q4.3: Can a mode make a “curved” charge to ignore enemy models or obstacles?
A: No. A model who is charging must move by the shortest route available that takes it directly towards the target [TCDR 37]. This usually means charging in a straight line unless there is impassable terrain in between.
A model cannot charge an enemy if that would make the path of the charge pass within 1” of another enemy [TCDR 36 §Interposing Enemy Models].
The only situations in which a model can choose an alternate path for the charge are when the shortest route available would make the model pass through Dangerous Terrain, make a Risky Success Roll to Climb or Jump, or take a Diving charge, potentially ending their activation or suffering damage. (R)

Q4.4: How does charging multiple enemies work?
A: First of all, a model would need to charge a single enemy target. After it has reached the target, the charging model can use any remaining movement it has, to move around the target, but only if (1) it remains in base contact with the target of the charge and (2) this movement allows the charging model to get within 1” of other enemy models. (R)

Q4.5: What happens if a model fails a charge? Does it remain where it is and does not move?
A: A model that declares a charge must commit to it and move as far as possible towards the target [TCDR 37]. You only check whether the charge is successful or it is failed after the charge move is completed: if the charging model is now within 1” of the target, the charge is successful, otherwise it counts as failed. Note that failing a charge only means the model is not in range to make a Melee Attack for the activation, but it can perform any other action, such as Dash, as usual. Remember however that a model can only make a Shoot ACTION with a weapon with the ASSAULT keyword in the same activation in which it charges. (R)

Q4.6: Can models move through narrow spaces like windows? If so, can they go through gaps of any size?
A: No specific provision exists in the rulebook, but since no two boards are created equal, players have to agree before the start of the game on which rules each piece of terrain will have [TCDR 38]. In general, encouraging mobility across the board while providing protection from ranged attacks is advisable, therefore we suggest you to let models move through windows or narrow spaces, as long as it’s reasonable compared to the model’s base size. (R)

Q4.7 – RULES Q3: Can you declare a Retreat ACTION for a model even if it is unable to move?
A: Yes. However, even though the model cannot move, it is still subject to being attacked as it had Retreated (unless stated otherwise). (F)

Q4.8 – RULES Q4: How does being placed on the other side of a gap after Jumping Over a Gap work? Can a model with a Movement Characteristic of 6” use 3” of movement before making a jump of 3”?
A: Any movement required to place the model on the other side of a gap is treated as being ‘free’ movement, as long as the total of the move up to the gap and the distance of the gap itself is less than or equal to the model’s Movement Characteristic. For example, a model with a Movement Characteristic of 6” can use 3” of movement before making a jump of 3”, with the extra movement required to place them and their base on the other side of the gap being ‘free’. (F)

5. Ranged Attacks

Q5.1: Can a model shoot with a Ranged Weapon and throw a Grenade in the same activation?
A: No. Unless explicitly allowed by a special rule, a model can only perform a single Ranged Attack during a Shoot ACTION [TCDR 42]. (R)

Q5.2: Can a model armed with two Pistols make two Ranged Attacks in the same activation?
A: No. When making a Ranged Attack, Pistols follow the normal rules for Ranged Weapons so only a single Pistol can be used to attack at range [TCDR 42]. However when making Melee Attacks a model armed with two Pistols can choose to use both as 1-handed Melee Weapons (suffering the standard Off-Hand penalty for the second attack). (R)

Q5.3: How does a weapon that fires multiple shots interact with shooting at models in melee?
A: As per the AUTOMATIC keyword rules [TCDR 53], each shot is a separate Ranged Attack, which is resolved individually using steps 2 to 6 of the Ranged Attack Sequence. During Step 2 “Select Target” of each attack you determine randomly if you hit a friendly or an enemy model (see [TCDR 42 §Shooting into Melee]) and then proceed to resolve the ranged attack as usual. (R)

Q5.4: Can a ranged attack with the BLAST keyword target a point on a vertical surface?
A: Here consensus is split between an interpretation of “a point on the battlefield” being a point on any surface, including vertical (so in the example below, all are viable scenarios) and a more conservative solution, less adherent to rules-as-written, according to which the target point must be on a surface a model is able to stand upon (cases 3 or 4 in the example below). Feel free to adopt the solution you prefer, as long as you and your opponent agree. (?)

Q5.5: Can a ranged attack with the BLAST keyword target a point on the very edge of a trench or other vertical surface from the top, so that it can hit models below?
A: The most agreed upon interpretation is that the point is on the horizontal surface, so anything that is below that level is not visible and not hit by the BLAST (see example 2 below). Scenario 1, where the point is exactly on the edge and allows models in the trench to be caught in the BLAST is generally deemed not being the best solution as it nullifies the protection provided by terrain. A potential solution (example 3) has been proposed to allow a BLAST to hit models that are in Line of Sight of the attacker, but those models could also be directly targeted by the attack. (?)

Q5.6 – RULES Q5: When I shoot into a combat that has multiple friendly models and roll the 1-3 result that makes me target a friendly model, can I pick a friendly model that is in that combat but is out of Line of Sight of the shooting model?
A: No. You can only choose a model that can be chosen as a target by the attacking model (i.e. is visible to the attacking model and in range of the weapon being used). If there is no such model, the attack is wasted. (F)

6. Melee Attacks

Q6.1: When a model is capable of making multiple attacks (e.g. Golden Khanjar, Champion), how many attacks is it allowed to make against a retreating enemy?
A: It depends on the ability that allows multiple attacks. Most abilities only allow a model to make multiple Melee Attacks during a Fight ACTION, therefore the model is only allowed a single Melee Attack against a retreating enemy. There are some inconsistencies in writing however and it is not clear whether all such abilities are supposed to work this way or not. For example Golden Khanjar [WoTC 91] states “You can make 2 Melee Attacks with this Weapon, one after the other, when it is used as a Melee Weapon”. As this ability is not restricted to Fight ACTIONS, it can theoretically be used also against retreating enemies.
Other abilities (Champion, Armour of the Fly, Executioner’s Axe) mention the possibility to make “a second attack” when a model makes a Melee Attack. These abilities never mention the Fight ACTION so they are likely usable against retreating enemies.
In the end it’s a complex topic and we can only hope it gets an official clarification soon. As a general ruling, this is our suggestion for the time being: if you prefer a more rules-as-written approach, check the description of each individual ability: whenever the possibility to make multiple attacks is not explicitly tied to a Fight ACTION, the model can attack multiple times against a retreating enemy, otherwise the ability only affects Fight ACTIONS.
If you prefer an overall more consistent approach, albeit not so adherent with rules-as-written we suggest to treat all multi-attack abilities as being usable only during Fight ACTIONS, with the exception of effects like Champion, Armour of the Fly or Executioner’s Axe, that grant an immediate second attack even against retreating enemies (see also below for interaction between Champion/Armour of the Fly and Off-hand weapon attacks or multiple attacks). (?)

7. Injuries

Q7.1: When an Injury Roll is converted to a Bloodbath Roll, can it be modified by BLOOD MARKERS, Armour and any other effects that affect an Injury Roll?
A: All +/- INJURY DICE and +/- INJURY MODIFIERS that would apply to the attack still apply to a Bloodbath Roll as if it were an Injury Roll [TCDR 47]. It is implied that any other effect that applies to an Injury Roll applies to a Bloodbath Roll as well. (R)

Q7.2: When a model is suffering an Injury Roll from an effect that is not an enemy attack (e.g. falling, dangerous terrain, being hit by a friendly model) who rolls the dice and who can spend BLOOD and BLESSING markers?
A: The opponent of the injured model makes the injury Roll [TCDR 22, 46] and can choose to spend any BLOOD MARKERS next to the model [TCDR 28] to grant the roll +INJURY DICE or make it a Bloodbath Roll. The controller of the model can spend BLESSING MARKERS next to the model to grant the roll -INJURY DICE. (C)

Q7.3: Are models with a built-in Armour Characteristic different than 0 (e.g. War Wolf, Desecrated Saint, Pit Locust) considered to be wearing armour for the interaction with effects like ARMOUR-PIERCING, IGNORE ARMOUR or the Prussian Tank-Splitter Sword?
A: While not explicitly stated in the respective Battlekit sections that these models are wearing Armour, it can be reasonably assumed that this is what the Armour Characteristic represents, therefore it is influenced by effects that interact with Armour (note that IGNORE ARMOUR explicitly mentions ignoring the Armour Characteristic of the model [TCDR 55]). (?)

Q7.4: Do effects that take a model Down (Away, Serpents!, Standard of Mammon) also cause the model to suffer a BLOOD MARKER as if it were a Down result on the Injury Table?
A: No. The BLOOD MARKER is tied to the Down Result on the Injury Table [TCDR 18, 48], not to the Down status itself. All effects that say to “take the model Down” or “mark the model as Down”, such as Away, Serpents! or the Standard of Mammon only apply the Down status without inflicting a BLOOD MARKER onto the model. (C)

Q7.5: Do effects that prevent a model from suffering a Down Result (e.g. the Standfast ability of Machine Armour) work against any effect that would take the model Down (e.g. Away, Serpents!) or only against the Down result of an Injury Roll?
A: Only against a Down Result of an Injury Roll. (C)

Q7.6: When a model goes Down within 1” of a ledge, what is the sequence of events to follow? Does the model receive a BLOOD MARKER and/or go Down before taking a Success Roll to avoid falling?
A: According to [TCDR 49] when a model would be taken Down within 1” of a ledge, you would first take a Success Roll. If successful, the model is taken Down (and suffers the BLOOD MARKER) but it doesn’t fall. On a failure the model falls and is then taken Down. (R)

8. Morale

Q8.1: If both players are forced to take a Morale Check at the end of the Turn, who rolls first?
A: As Morale Checks would happen at the same time, the player with Initiative determines the order in which they are performed [TCDR 32]. (R)

Q8.2: If my warband is Shaken, do I have to take a Morale Check at the end of the last Turn of the game? Even if I am winning?
A: Yes. If your warband becomes Shaken at the end of the second-to-last round you need to take a Morale Check at the end of the last round, regardless of who is winning the game. You might have a temporary Victory Points advantage but it’s not over until it’s over. (R)

9. Keywords

Q9.1: Where does a BLAST originate from when an attack targets a model?
A: Consensus leans towards “the point at the center of the base of the model”. Having the BLAST originate from a point on the base of the model preserves the “Blast radius in inches equal to X” clause (the alternative interpretation of “measure from the edge of the base”, while consistent with the general rules for measuring distances: [TCDR 30], would lead to blasts whose size depends on the size of the target). In addition, though it’s not clear to which extent rulings provided in playtest are still valid, using the point at the center of the base of the target as the origin of a BLAST radius is also consistent with how BLAST worked during playtest. (?)

Q9.2: If a model uses the movement granted by the SKIRMISHER keyword to position itself outside of the Line of Sight of the charging enemy, is the charge still happening?
A: Yes. Line of Sight is checked when the active model is declaring the target of the charge [TCDR 36 §Declare Charge]. SKIRMISHER is triggered when a model is chosen as the target of a charge [TCDR 56] so when the check for line of sight has already been done. The charging model can then follow up with the charge towards the target’s new position. (R)

Q9.3: If a model uses the movement granted by the SKIRMISHER keyword to position itself in a point where the charging enemy must pass within 1” of an ally of the SKIRMISHER, how is the charge resolved?
A: As with Line of Sight, checking whether the path of the charge passes within 1” of an enemy is made when the target of the charge is declared. If the SKIRMISHER evades in such a way that there’s another model in the path of the charge, the charging model can move around this enemy to get towards the target along the most direct route possible. Note that, depending on the relative position of the models, the charging model might find itself within 1” of both the target and the interposing enemy at the end of the charge. (C)

Q9.4 – KEYWORDS Q1: Can I target the point under a model’s base with a BLAST weapon?
A: No. You can only target a point on the Battlefield that is in the attacking model’s Line of Sight – and the LoS to the ground under the model is blocked by the model’s base. (F)

Q9.5 – KEYWORDS Q2: If I Activate a model in a FIRETEAM as an individual model, can I then Activate the second model later in the Turn as a FIRETEAM – therefore gaining a second Activation for the model that Activated first as an individual?
A: No. (F)

Q9.6 – KEYWORDS Q3: Do Keywords like IGNORE ARMOUR or IGNORE (MODIFIER) also ignore the Special Rules or Abilities granted by that Armour or the source of the Modifier?
A: No. (F)

Q9.7 – KEYWORDS Q4: Do weapons with the PISTOL Keyword with the effects of a type of ammunition (i.e. Incendiary Ammunition, Armour-Piercing Bullets, etc.) gain the benefits of said ammunition when they are used in melee combat?
A: Yes. (F)

Q9.8 – KEYWORDS Q5: How does the TOUGH Keyword interact with other rules that prevent a model from being taken Down?
A: You follow the rules as written, and apply them one after the other in the order they occur. For example, a Lieutenant with the TOUGH Keyword wearing Machine Armour is taken Out of Action for the first time in a game. The TOUGH Keyword means that the Out of Action Injury result is treated as a Down Injury result the first time it is rolled, and Machine Armour has the Standfast rule which means that, when a model in Machine Armour suffers a Down result, it is treated as a Minor Wound result instead. This means that the Lieutenant does not suffer the Out of Action result, but instead suffers the Minor Wound result. The next time they suffer an Out of Action result, they are taken Out of Action as the TOUGH Keyword only alters the Injury result the first time it is rolled. (F)

Q9.9: When an effect (e.g. Voice of God, Faithful Followers, Hold Your Fire!) requires a player to pick a model to be activated, and the chosen model is part of a FIRETEAM, can that model’s controller choose to activate the other member of the FIRETEAM as well?
A: Yes (C)

Q9.10: What happens when the target point of a BLAST attack scatters across a ledge, or over a raised obstacle due to the SCATTER Keyword?
A: The management of SCATTER in situations that involve obstacles and potential changes of directions is not clear. While waiting for an official answer, several ways to address the issue have been proposed. In general, there’s agreement that (1) scattering happens across a surface (no scattering upwards in the air) and (2) a point doesn’t scatter horizontally towards an obstacle for it to be projected upwards (as if the scattering happened in 2D from the top-down). (Note – In the images below, X is the original target point)

This said, what happens when a scattering point encounters a ledge or an obstacle is up to debate. Concerning a ledge, it is possible that the target point scatters across (3A – maintains the scatter distance but involves the blast originating mid-air) or is projected down (3B – preserves the blast originating from a surface, but makes the point move more than the scatter distance). As for obstacles, it can either stop at the first encountered obstacle (4A – not really supported by Rules-as-Written however), pass through, if there is a place within scatter distance beyond (4B) or “climb” along the vertical surface, if it can end on top (4C).

Another interpretation that is taking place, and that preserves the rules-as-written condition of the point being within at X” of the original target, is just move the target point X” in any direction, disregarding anything in between (and allow for mid-air explosions, should the point fall out of an edge) – see Image 5 and 6 below. 

Until an official clarification is released, we recommend you to choose the solution that better fits your group needs and be consistent with your approach. (?)

10. Terrain

Q10.1: Obstacles up to 1” high can be crossed as Open Terrain. Does it mean a model can ignore them when moving ?
A: No, an obstacle counting as Open Terrain only means you do not have to take a Risky Success Roll to climb anything that is 1” or lower. Movement can be in any direction [TCDR 35], including vertical, and the vertical distance still counts towards the model’s movement for the current ACTION (e.g. a model with a Movement Value of 6” that crosses a 1” high fence will only move up to 5” across the battlefield for that ACTION). (R)

Q10.2: Does a model need to make a Risky Success Roll in order to climb out of a Trench?
A: As specified in the Terrain section [TCDR 61 §Trench Sections], the side of a trench can be crossed as if it is Open terrain if it is less than 3″ high, but must be Climbed or Jumped Down from if it is at least 3″ high.
Note that, as above, the side of a trench counting as Open Terrain does not mean you ignore the vertical distance moved, only that no Risky Success Roll to climb is required. (R)

Q10.3: I’ve followed the suggested terrain setup rules and my battlefield doesn’t look dense enough. Have I done something wrong?
A: Remember that the provided rules for setting up terrain [TCDR 64, 65, 66] are presented as guidelines and suggest adding at least the listed number of terrain pieces. Here’s a few more suggestions you might want to take into consideration when building your battlefield:

1. The denser the board is, the better. Remember that, due to how Cover works in Trench Crusade, if a model can see an enemy, having multiple obstacles between the shooter and the target would not affect the attack if the target is not adjacent to terrain. Many weapons also have the IGNORE COVER keyword therefore it’s important to have obscuring terrain to prevent models from being shot down easily.
2. For the same reason, avoid creating “firing lanes”: areas where a model can see unobstructed from one deployment zone to the other and terrain that provides elevation in or close to deployment zones are to be avoided to prevent long range weapons from dominating the battlefield. Diagonal or sideways firing lanes are acceptable though, as they reward maneuvering and tactical plays.
3. Take into account the size of terrain pieces relative to the size of the board, not just their number. The suggested setup rules list 14 pieces, up to 8”x8” each. If all are at their maximum size, they’ll cover about 69% of a 3’x3’ board, or 39% of a 4’x4’ board. Try to aim at least as 50%, and count multiple smaller terrain pieces as one of a similar area (for example, four 4” x 4” pieces cover the same footprint of a 8” x 8” piece and should therefore count as 1 item, not 4). 
4. Verticality is an important part of the game. Don’t leave it out. Use terrain that can be climbed upon at least 3” above the ground so that the Elevation and Diving Charge bonuses can be used and models can risk taking damage when falling. Use planks and walkaways to connect elevated terrain pieces to create alternate routes.
5. While Dangerous and Difficult Terrain should be part of the game and makes for interesting boards, avoid having too large areas. The same for obstacles, sheer surfaces and deep trenches: models should always have the option to move around the board with relative ease. Covering half of the battlefield with Difficult Terrain will disincentivize movement and lead to static, unfun games.
6. Give players tactical options, particularly around objectives. Spread out cover and obscuring terrain so that models can advance slowly and safely, or can take risks in order to move quicker. Allow multiple paths to get to objectives and let the player figure it out what is the best one. (C)

11. Battlekit

Q11.1: Can a model use an Automatic Pistol to make two Melee Attacks during a Fight ACTION?
A: No. The AUTOMATIC keyword [TCDR 53] allows the model to make multiple Ranged Attacks with the weapon. When used as a Melee Weapon, a weapon with the PISTOL Keyword is making Melee Attacks [TCDR 55], so it won’t grant the additional attacks from AUTOMATIC.
Note also that any modifiers to Ranged Attacks won’t apply to a PISTOL weapon used in melee, while modifiers to Melee Attacks will apply. (R)

Q11.2: Do Binoculars prevent models with the INFILTRATOR keyword from being placed within 16” of the model with the binoculars via redeployment abilities (e.g. Temporal Assassin, Time Slip, Left-Hand Path)?
A: Though the wording would suggest so, it’s likely unintended. Binoculars should be used to prevent a model from using the INFILTRATOR keyword to deploy within 16” of the model carrying them, but don’t have any other effects afterwards. (C)

Q11.3: Is a model equipped with (a) a 2-handed Melee weapon and a Pistol, or (b) a Shield or HELD Item, a 1-handed Melee weapon and a Pistol capable of using both the Melee Weapon and the Pistol to make Melee Attacks during a Fight ACTION?
A: No. The model is limited to what their hands allow them to use [TCDR 68 §Two Hands, One Head and a Body]. If the model has a 2-handed melee weapon, or a 1-handed melee weapon and a Shield or HELD item, it can only attack with that weapon. The ability to freely switch refers to the fact that a model can switch between melee weapons when it needs to make a melee attack, to ranged weapons when it needs to make a ranged attack, without any penalty, but the requirement of hands must be respected. (C)

Q11.4: The rules for Battlekit restrict a model to carrying either a 2-handed Melee Weapon or two 1-handed Melee Weapons. Does this mean a model with the STRONG keyword can only use a 2-handed Melee Weapon in one hand and either a Shield, a HELD Item or a 1-handed ranged weapon with the PISTOL keyword in the other?
A: No. It is implied that the ability of a STRONG model to use a 2-handed Melee Weapon with one hand also makes the model treat that weapon as 1-handed for equipment purposes, therefore a STRONG model can wield a 2-handed Melee Weapon in one hand combined with a 1-handed Melee Weapon (e.g. Greatsword/axe + Trench Club) in addition to the options listed above. (C)

Q11.5: What does the fact Grenades are not Ranged Weapons entail?
A: The following are consequences of Grenades not being Ranged Weapons:

• The following Ranged Skills do not apply to Grenades: Point Blank, Hip Shot, Headshot.
• A model with the Wrath of God ability in the Procession of the Sacred Affliction is prevented from having Ranged Weapons, but it can have Grenades.
• The Jabirean Alchemist Mastery of Elements ability only works on Melee Weapons and Ranged Weapons so it doesn’t apply to Grenades.
• A Plague Knight cannot use the Knight of the Rotten Cross ability to acquire Grenades
• Heralds of Beelzebub can only take Ranged Weapons, so they can’t have Grenades.
• Yoke Fiends can take up to 1 Ranged Weapon that costs 30 ducats or less, while the rest of Battlekit has no limit so they can take both a Ranged Weapon and one type of Grenades.
• The Mendelist Ammo Monk’s Cartridge of His Wrath ability only affects Ranged Weapons so it can’t give BLAST(2) and SHRAPNEL to Grenades (note that the other two options of the Ammunition Sacrament ability affect all Ranged Attacks made by the model, including those made with Grenades). (R)

Q11.6 – BATTLEKIT Q1: Why do the pieces of Battlekit in the Standard Battlekit and Glory Item sections of the rules not have the stipulations (like Bayonet Lug, Shield-Combo, etc) included in their descriptions, as they are when they appear in the Faction Lists? Is this a mistake?
A: No. The Battlekit in the Standard Battlekit and Glory Item sections can be used by several different Warbands, and sometimes the stipulations for the different Warbands will be different. Because of this we decided not to include the stipulations in the Standard Battlekit and Glory Item sections of the rulebook. For example, the forces of New Antioch are relentlessly drilled in the art of bayonet fighting, granting their Shotguns the Bayonet Lug stipulation. However, the hordes of the Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent see little reason to entertain the mundanities of the bayonet, instead opting for more arcane and brutal weaponry when they face their enemies up close. Therefore, their Shotguns do not have the Bayonet Lug stipulation. (F)

Q11.7 – MISC. Q3: I have some models in my collection that carry some items of battlekit that the rules don’t allow them to use, just because I think they look great modelled that way. For example, I’ve made one of my models with a rifle slung on its back, holding a pistol in one hand and a trench club in the other. By the letter of the rules this model can’t be used, because it has a 2-Handed Ranged Weapon (the rifle) and a 1-Handed Ranged Weapon (the pistol). Is it okay for me to use the model if I don’t use the rifle during the game? If the answer is yes, do I have to pay the cost of the rifle even though I won’t use it?
A: It is definitely okay to use your model in a game – the rule of cool takes precedence in this case. If you do, any extra Battlekit that you add is considered to be purely decorative, and you cannot use it and do not have to pay its cost in ducats. It is also ignored when working out the range or Line of Sight to or from the model. However, if you use a model like this in a game, you must tell your opponent which Battlekit is decorative at the start of the game, before either side deploys. (F)

12. Warband Building

Q12.1: How many Ducats and/or Glory am I allowed to spend to create my warband for a one-off game? Is there a limit to the number of models I can field?
A: Any amount of ducats, glory and models you and your opponent agree upon. The rules [TCDR 144] suggest a value of 700 ducats for your first games, and of 800 Ducats and 6 Glory once you have started to grasp the mechanics of the game but any value can go. 900 Ducats and 8 Glory is a common game size as it was the standard during the game’s playtest, for example. As per models, there is no defined limit in the rule but we suggest to stick with the maximum field strength of a campaign warband of equivalent value [TCDR 97] so 10 models in the case of a 700 ducats warband, 11 for  800 Ducats/6 Glory and 12 for 900 Ducats/8 Glory.
Be aware that if you are still familiarizing yourself with the rules, games with over 900 ducats/12 models per side could become long. (R)

Q12.2: Is my warband required to have a “leader” model (e.g. Lieutenant, Heretic Priest) all the time?
A: No. As written in [WoTC 13] “Most Faction Lists include a model that must be taken when the Warband is created, usually representing the commander of the Warband”. Besides being mandatory when the Warband is created, there is no requirement for that model to be recruited again if it leaves the Warband for whatever reason. (R)

Q12.3 – STARTING A WARBAND Q1:When I have a special rule that allows me to purchase Battlekit from other Factions Armoury Tables, does that Battlekit still come with the stipulations from the other Armoury Table (i.e. ELITE only, Shield Combo, Limit: 1, etc.)?
A: Yes. Battlekit purchased from an Armoury Table always comes with the listed stipulations unless stated otherwise. (F)

Q12.4 – STARTING A WARBAND Q2: Do weapons with dual-types such as Pistols or Halberd-Guns count towards both limits of Ranged and Melee weapons that a model can have?
A: No. Weapons count towards the limit of the same type they are purchased from on an Armoury Table. For example, a Pistol counts as one 1-handed Ranged Weapon, whereas a Halberd-Gun counts as one 2-Handed Melee Weapon. (F)

Q12.5 – STARTING A WARBAND Q3: If I have a Shield, can I have a 1-Handed Melee Weapon AND a 1-Handed Ranged Weapon?
A: Yes. (F)

SECTION 2 – Campaign Rules

13. Campaign Games Setup

Q13.1: For Scenarios that require players to count the number of models in your warband, for example to determine attacker and defender in Supply Raid, is the number counted before or after using pre-battle abilities like Broken on the Wheel ?
A: To determine attacker and defender you count the number of total models in your warband, before picking Forces [TCDR 160, 175, 186] so any model not brought to the battle, and models that are placed on the Wheel of an Anchorite Shrine do count for the total. (R)

14. Campaign Phase

Q14.1: Can I promote more than a model in the same Promotion & Experience Step?
A: Yes. [TCDR 103 §Roll Promotion Dice].” You roll dice assigned to a model one at a time. As soon as you roll a 6, you stop rolling and promote the model. Then roll for the next model…” The use of “Then” implies you also roll for the next model when you promote someone, not just when the model is not promoted.(R)

Q14.2: Does a newly promoted ELITE model start gaining Experience Points immediately after promotion?
A: Yes. Experience is assigned after promotion rolls have been made, and there are no restrictions for models that have been just promoted  [TCDR 104 §Experience]. (R)

Q14.3: If you choose to Reinforce during the Campaign Phase, do you have to skip the Quartermaster Step?
A: No. Although the rules for the Campaign Phase [TCDR 99] say “However, if you do so you will not be able to Explore or visit the Quartermaster, so it is not a decision to be taken lightly”, they also link to TCDR 111] for the resolution of the Reinforcement Step. Here a more detailed resolution process is given, and on step 6 there’s an explicit call to forego the Exploration & Looting Step and go directly to the Quartermaster Step instead. (C)

Q14.4: When a Warband has the chance to choose between two different Exploration Tables during the Exploration & Looting Step [TCDR 113], is the table chosen before or after rolling?
A: Consensus leans towards choosing the table before rolling. (?)

Q14.5 – CAMPAIGNS Q1: Do you HAVE to make Promotion Rolls and/or assign Promotion Dice?
A: Yes. When your Patron or your High Command deems it right to promote a member of your Warband, it would be unwise to refuse. (F)

15. Skills

Q15.1: Do skills that increase the Limit of certain models in the Warband (e.g. Logistical Skills, Sultan’s Favour) apply to Mercenaries?
A: Rules-as-Written, yes. However there’s debate about whether this is an intentional choice or an oversight. Pending an official ruling we suggest that all players taking part in the campaign agree on whether to allow the limit of Mercenaries to be affected by skills like Logistical Skills and Sultan’s Favour or not. (C)

Q15.2: Do skills that increase the Limit of certain models in the Warband (e.g. Logistical Skills, Sultan’s Favour) apply to models restricted by faction variants?
A: Consensus is these skills can increase any model’s Limit, including instances not explicitly worded as “Limit: 0-X”, such as “cannot have more than X copies of model Y” (e.g Mechanized Heavy Infantry in a Stosstruppen of the Free State of Prussia Warband).
However if a Warband cannot include a particular model (e.g Defenders of the Iron Wall cannot include Lions of Jabir) then increasing the Limit won’t have any effect: you still cannot have that kind of model. (C)

Q15.3: Do skills that increase the Limit of certain items in the Warband (e.g. Knowledge of Sciences, Money Can Buy Everything) apply to Glory Items?
A: No. These skills explicitly affect Battlekit. Glory Items are not Battlekit [TCDR 124] (see also Q16.1 below). (R)

Q15.4: How do extra Attacks granted by the Champion skill combine with the melee Attacks granted by wielding two weapons?
A: Consensus is that the model gains one extra Melee Attack from Champion after attacking with each weapon, the extra Melee Attack made after the attack with the Off-Hand weapon gains the Off-hand Weapon penalty.
So, to summarize:
1) Main hand attack with no penalty
2) Extra attack from Champion with -1 DICE penalty
3) Off-Hand attack with -1 DICE penalty for attacking with an Off-Hand weapon
4) Extra attack from Champion with a total  -2 DICE penalty (-1 DICE for Champion, -1 DICE for the Off-Hand weapon) (C)

Q15.5: How do extra Attacks granted by the Champion skill combine with effects that allow a model to attack multiple times, such as Golden Khanjar, Crushing Blows, Beelzebub’s Embrace etc ?
A:Rules-as Written, Champion would grant an additional Melee Attack after each attack made by the model through their Battlekit/Abilities (and the only way to prevent an infinite loop is that attacks granted by Champion do not allow the model to generate additional attacks themselves). However there’s arguing that attacks granted by items such as Golden Khanjar and Beelzebub’s Embrace are resolved “in a row, one after the other” so Champion could possibly grant a single additional Melee Attack, which is made after all the attacks made by the weapon or through the ability are resolved. (?)

Q15.6 Can a model with the Gunslinger Skill and two Automatic Pistol make 2 Ranged Attacks with each weapon in the same Shoot ACTION thanks to the AUTOMATIC keyword (for a total of 4 Ranged Attacks)?
A: Yes. (C)

Q15.7: Can a model with the Gunslinger skill and two PISTOL weapons swap one of the pistols with a Melee Weapon when entering Melee in order to ignore the Off-Hand Weapon penalty for the other PISTOL?
A: No. the model must be equipped with a single PISTOL weapon in order to gain the IGNORE OFF-HAND WEAPON keyword from Gunslinger. (C)

Q15.8: Which modifiers apply to an attack made with the Point Blank skill?
A: Although it uses a Ranged Weapon and is modified by the Ranged Characteristic of the model, an attack with Point Blank is a Melee Attack [TCDR 107], therefore all modifiers that apply to a Melee Attack (e.g. the +1 INJURY DICE against enemies who are Down [TCDR 18, 48] or skills like Close Quarter Combat, Relentless Charge, Strength of Samson, Surgical Strike, Champion [TCDR 106]) also apply to a Point Blank attack, while modifiers that apply to a Ranged Attack (e.g. skills like Hunter or Headshot [TCDR 107] do not). (R)

Q15.9: Can a model use the Point Blank Skill against an enemy that is retreating?
A: Yes. Point Blank allows the model to make a Melee Attack with a Ranged Weapon and is not restricted to Melee Attacks made during a Fight ACTION. (R)

16. Glory Items

Q16.1: Are Glory Items considered Battlekit? Are all items that cost Glory Points, such as Troop Flag or Field Shrine considered Glory Items?
A: Glory Items are only those items who appear in the “Glory Items” section of the rules [TCDR 124-142], while items in a warband’s armoury are considered Battlekit regardless of their cost. According to the descriptions in [TCDR 124, 127] and by the fact they are mentioned separately in [TCDR 123], it is implied Glory Items are not Battlekit, though they are divided into the same categories (melee weapons, ranged weapons, grenades, armour, shields and equipment) and follow the same stipulations and limitations (e.g. an Executioner’s Axe counts as a 2-handed Melee Weapon so a model carrying it cannot have any additional Melee Weapons). (R)

Q16.2: Can I purchase any Glory Item I want during the Quartermaster Step as long as I have the Glory to spend?
A: Although the text of “Purchase Glory Items” in [TCDR 123] might lead one to think all Glory Items are available for purchase during the Quartermaster Step, you can only acquire a Glory Item in one of the following ways:

1. by making a discovery from an Exploration Table that allows you to take a Glory Item for free (e,g, Ruined House)
2. by making a discovery from an Exploration Table that allows you to purchase Glory Items up to a certain value from that moment on (e.g. Black Market).

Note that these restrictions do not apply to the acquisition of Battlekit that costs Glory (e.g Troop Flag) or Mercenaries (R)

Q16.3: Can I use Glory Items in one-off games or are they restricted to the Campaign?
A: Although Glory Items are meant to be used in a Campaign, they are allowed in one-off games as long as both players agree [TCDR 98].(R)

Q16.4: As the Tormentor Chain does not have the ASSAULT keyword, am I prevented from dragging an enemy within 1” and attacking it in melee in the same activation?
A: According to the letter of the rules, yes. You cannot make a Shoot ACTION and a Fight ACTION in the same activation. However when this rule was introduced in v1.0.1, the Tormentor Chain wasn’t changed accordingly. We suspect the missed change is unintentional, therefore we suggest to add the following line to the Dragged Forwards rule: “If the target model ends this move within 1” of the attacking model, the attacking model can take a Fight ACTION in the same activation (even if the Tormentor Chain does not have the ASSAULT Keyword)”.
Note: Another option would be to play like it had the ASSAULT keyword. Be wary that this adds additional functionalities that the Tormentor Chain didn’t have before. (C)

Q16.5: Do Trench Dogs count towards the number of models in the Warband for Maximum Field Strength?
A: The core of the debate is [TCDR 96 §Field Strength] “When you’re working out the number of models in your Warband, only include models that have a Warband Entry; models that represent pieces of Battlekit or a Glory Item are not included”
It is true that a Trench Dog represents a Glory Item, but it also has a Warband Entry ([TCDR 141] “A Trench Dog uses the Trench  Dog Warband Entry below.”). In addition it counts as a model for every other purpose with the only explicit exception of not counting towards morale, so it is likely it counts towards Maximum Field Strength as well. (?)

Q16.6: If a Trench Dog and its owner form a Fireteam in a New Antioch’s Warband, do they gain the benefits of the Concentrated Attack ability?
A: Yes. The rule for New Antioch’s Fireteams [WoTC 22] states “Fireteams in a New Antioch Warband have the Concentrated Attack ability:”. It doesn’t pose any restriction beyond the Fireteam belonging to a New Antioch’s warband. (R)

Q16.7: How do extra Attacks granted by the Armour of the Fly combine with the melee Attacks granted by wielding two weapons?
A: As discussed for Champion above, consensus is that the model gains one extra Melee Attack from the Armour of the Fly after attacking with each weapon, the extra Melee Attack made after the attack with the Off-Hand weapon gains the Off-hand Weapon penalty. (C)

Q16.8: How do extra Attacks granted by the Armour of the Fly combine with effects that allow a model to attack multiple times, such as Crushing Blows or Beelzebub’s Embrace etc ?
A: Rules-as Written, the Armour of the Fly would grant an additional Melee Attack after each attack made by the model through their Battlekit/Abilities (and the only way to prevent an infinite loop is that attacks granted by the Armour of the Fly do not generate additional attacks themselves). However, as discussed for Champion above, there’s arguing that attacks granted by items such as Golden Khanjar and Beelzebub’s Embrace are resolved “in a row, one after the other” so Armour of the Fly could possibly grant a single additional Melee Attack, which is made after all the attacks made by the weapon or through the ability are resolved. (?)

Q16.9 – MERCENARIES Q1: Can a Mercy Dog drag a Downed model?
A: Yes. The rule specifically states that the Mercy Dog can move a model that is Down. (F)

17. Scenarios

Q17.1: Can Sultanate Sappers or New Antioch Combat Engineers use their Defuse Mine ability to defuse mines or gas mines in the Trench Warfare or Don’t Breathe scenarios?
A: Rules-as-written the Defuse Mine ability would only work on mined terrain (such as terrain mined by Sultanate Sappers [WoTC 84]) and not on Mine Tokens as ruled by the scenarios. However it is possible that this is not what the developers intended, and indeed Combat Engineers and Sultanate Sappers are also able to defuse Mine Tokens. We suggest allowing it, if players in the campaign agree. (C)

SECTION 3 – Warbands of Trench Crusade

18. The Principality of New Antioch

Q18.1: How many Ducats and Glory Points are available to a Papal States Intervention Force warband for a one-off game?
A: As the Specialist Force rule [WoTC 34] only refers to Campaign Games, it is fair to assume that no special provisions are given for One-off Games and players are free to organize themselves however they see fit. However, given that during playtest Papal States warband had a suggested value of 700 Ducats and 15 Glory for 900 Ducats/8 Glory matches it can be useful to keep that as a reference.
As a rule of thumb, reducing the Ducats value of a Papal States warband by 200 ducats and granting them 7 additional Glory Points looks like a fine compromise. (R)

Q18.2: Machine Armour cannot be combined with a Trench Shield. Does it mean that it can be combined with other kinds of Shields?
A: Yes. Rules-as-Written the prohibition is explicitly for a Trench Shield. Machine Armour can be combined with a Heavy Ballistic Shield and, if taken by other factions, such as warbands from the Knights of Avarice or the House of Wisdom variants, with any other shield those warbands may have access to, such as the Fire Shield or Holy Icon Shield. Remember however that a model cannot have a -INJURY MODIFIER better than -3 [TCDR 18, 48]. (R)

Q18.3: Is it correct that a model in a Fireteam can benefit from the discounted Bloodbath from the Concentrated Attack ability even if not activating as part of a Fireteam, as long as the target has been hit by the other member of the Fireteam in a previous activation during the same turn?
A: Rules-as-Written, yes. However there are reasons to believe that the clause “earlier in the same turn” [WoTC 22] is not correct and it’s supposed to be “earlier in the same activation”, meaning that Concentrated Attack can only be used when a Fireteam is performing a joint activation. (C)

19. Trench Pilgrims

Q19.1: In a Procession of the Sacred Affliction warband, can a model with the Wrath of God ability carry and use Grenades?
A: Yes. Grenades are not specifically Ranged Weapons [TCDR 77] therefore they are always listed separately when allowed or prohibited. The model with Wrath of God must be a Castigator, Trench Pilgrim or Martyr Penitent, therefore it can have any Battlekit from the Trench Pilgrim Armoury. Wrath of God prevents it from using Ranged Weapons but doesn’t explicitly exclude Grenades so they are allowed. (R)

Q19.2: Are Stigmatic Nuns in a War Pilgrimage of St. Methodius Warband allowed to wear Reinforced Armour if promoted to ELITE?
A: Rules-as-Written no, they must wear Standard Armour [WoTC 62], but there is a possibility that this is not intended. (C)

Q19.3: In a War Pilgrimage of St. Methodius Warband, can an Anchorite Shrine with the Grand Anchorite equipment use a Dash ACTION to move away from enemies it is within 1” of?
A: The core of the debate is the sentence [WoTC 65] “In addition, a Grand Anchorite Shrine can use a normal move or a charge move if it starts within 1″ of any enemy models.” and what exactly “normal move” means. No formal definition of “normal move” is given in the rules, however the text on [TCDR 35] seems to imply that a normal move is a move that has no additional special rules (i.e. not a charge or retreat), therefore originating from either a Move ACTION or a Dash ACTION.
With this definition, an Anchorite Shrine with the Grand Anchorite equipment can use a Move or Dash ACTION if it is within 1” of any enemies and it doesn’t take free Melee Attacks from those enemies if it moves away. (?)

Q19.4 – TRENCH PILGRIMS Q1: Can I resurrect a Trench Pilgrim that died as a result of being Broken on the Wheel as a Martyr Penitent?
A: No. Though the knowledge of their sacrifice is a reward unto itself, they have not earned their martyrdom. (F)

Q19.5: What ability triggers when a War Prophet with the TOUGH Keyword (gained, for example via the Saintly Relic – Rare exploration result 23 – [TCDR 118]) goes Out of Action for the first time in the game? Can the ability that does not trigger be used later to prevent a subsequent Out of Action Result?
A: As both Memento Mori and TOUGH trigger “The first time the model suffers an Out of Action result on the Injury Table”, the player with Initiative decides which effect resolves first [TCDR 32]. Consensus is that the other ability can no longer be used in the current game as any subsequent Out of Action result will no longer be the first. (C)

20. The Sultanate of the Iron Wall

Q20.1: When an Alchemist uses its Mastery of the Elements ability to apply the FIRE, GAS or SHRAPNEL keyword to a weapon that already has a different keyword, does the new keyword replace the original one or do they stack ?
A: Both keywords apply at once (as long as they are different), and each will apply an additional BLOOD MARKER to the injury caused by the attack . For example, if an Alchemist armed with a Flamethrower chooses GAS as the keyword for Mastery of the Elements, the Flamethrower will have FIRE and GAS. Note that effects that negate those keywords will apply individually, so a Gas Mask will negate the additional BLOOD MARKER caused by GAS but won’t affect BLOOD MARKERS caused by FIRE or SHRAPNEL. (R)

Q20.2: Can a Sultanate Sapper be deployed within the player’s deployment zone?
A: Until we get a clarification on whether the Forward Position rule is mandatory or optional, consensus is that it can, as long as it’s in contact with a terrain piece that is at least 1/2″ high. Since a Sapper can be deployed up to 6″ from the edge of the deployment zone, it can be deployed at 0″, so at the edge of the zone itself. (C)

Q20.3: As the Bow of Alamut does not have the ASSAULT keyword, am I prevented from redeploying my assassin within 1” of an enemy hit by the Bow and attacking it in melee in the same activation?
A: According to the letter of the rules, yes. You cannot make a Shoot ACTION and a Fight ACTION in the same activation. However when this rule was introduced in v1.0.1, the Bow of Alamut wasn’t changed accordingly. We suspect the missed change is unintentional, therefore we suggest changing the Temporal Slipstream rule as follows: “… you can immediately redeploy the attacking model within 1″ of the target model, regardless of the distance or any intervening obstacles. If you do, the attacking model can make a Fight ACTION in the same activation (even if the Bow of Alamut does not have the ASSAULT Keyword)”.
Note: Another option would be to play like it had the ASSAULT keyword. Be wary that this adds additional functionalities that the Bow of Alamut didn’t have before. (C)

Q20.4: Is a Fida’i of Alamut Dervish allowed to wear Reinforced Armour if promoted to ELITE?
A: Rules-as-Written no, as Dervishes cannot have Reinforced Armour [WoTC 89], but there is a possibility that this is not intended. (C)

Q20.5: When is the movement penalty from Banner of the Desert Wind applied to models that move into or out of the range of the banner? In what order is this penalty applied to a model that starts its activation Down?
A: Consensus has not been reached, neither on whether the movement penalty is applied to models that start their movement within 24” of the banner or on models that move within range at any point during their turn, nor on whether the penalty is applied before or after halving the model’s movement for standing up (it’s even possible that the player with Initiative chooses). As it’s impossible to provide a definitive answer, we suggest you agree beforehand with other players in the campaign on the interpretation and act consistently to it throughout the campaign until an official ruling is given. (?)

Q20.6: Can you re-create a Homunculus that has been promoted to ELITE and reached 3 Battle Scars?
A: There is a strong argument towards treating a model as “killed” only if it suffers an effect that directly removes it from the warband roster (a “Dead” or “Captured” result on the Trauma Table for example), while a model that suffers 3 Battle Scars is “Unfit for Duty” [TCDR 100] and has to retire from the warband, therefore a Homunculus cannot be re-created in that situation. (?)

Q20.7: How many weapons can a Homunculus with Human Hands and Additional Arm have?
A: The rule provided on [WoTC 95 §Human Hands] is inconsistent with the standard rules for equipping models and is potentially a typo. The number of  weapons a Homunculus with Human Hands and Additional Arm (3 hands) depends on the number of hands each weapon it wields occupies, so normally it would be:
M1) three 1-handed Melee Weapons – one of which can be a 2-handed Melee Weapon wielded in one hand if the Homunculus is also STRONG, or
M2) one 1-handed Melee Weapon and one 2-handed Melee Weapon, plus
R1) three 1-handed Ranged Weapons, or
R2) one 1-handed Ranged Weapon and one 2-handed Ranged Weapon. (C)

21. Heretic Legions

Q21.1: At which warband value do I get a second Artillery Witch?
A: The Artillery Witch Battery rule [WoTC 115] reads “You may include 0-2 Artillery Witches in a Warband if the total cost of all of the other models in the Warband (including their Battlekit, etc) adds up to 1000 ducats  or more”. “All the other models in the Warband” refers to all other models besides the 0-2 Artillery Witches, therefore, as each Artillery Witch costs 100 ducats without equipment the minimum warband size required to include 2 Witches is 1200 ducats. (R)

Q21.2: Can models in a Knights of Avarice warband take pieces of Battlekit that grant another item the FIRE or SHRAPNEL keyword, such as Incendiary Ammunition?
A: No. Incendiary Ammunition creates an illegal situation by granting a weapon the FIRE keyword. Models in a Knights of Avarice warband wouldn’t be able to have that weapon. (C)

Q21.3 – HERETIC LEGIONS Q1: Does the special rule that allows a Knights of Avarice Warband to purchase a Goetic Warlock Mercenary for Ducats stop me from being able to recruit a Goetic Warlock as a Mercenary for Glory?
A: No. This rule allows you to have two Goetic Warlocks in a Knights of Avarice Warband. (F)

22. The Cult of the Black Grail

Q22.1: When a model without any INFECTION MARKERS activates within 1” of a Hound of the Black Grail, does it get an INFECTION MARKER from the Hound’s Disease Carrier rule first, and then a second one from The Infection Spreads rule of INFECTION MARKERS? Or does The Infection Spreads only apply to models that had an INFECTION MARKER when activated?
A: As both Disease Carrier and The Infection Spread effects happen at the same time (when the model is activated, before it carries out any ACTION), the player with Initiative determines the order in which they are performed [TCDR 32]. (R)

Q22.2: Can a Lord of Tumours use its Crushing Blows ability even if it has no Melee Weapons? If so, can it be used if both hands of the Lord of Tumours are occupied by HELD items and/or a Shield?
A: Consensus leans towards the Lord of Tumours not needing a Melee Weapon in order to use its Crushing Blows ability, but still requiring at least a free hand to make the attacks. (?)

Q22.3: Can a Lord of Tumours use its Crushing Blows ability to make two Melee Attacks against a retreating enemy?
A: Consensus is yes, rules-as-written it can attack twice against a retreating enemy with a Crushing Blows melee attack (see also Q6.1 above for general considerations regarding attacks against retreating enemies). (C)

Q22.4: Can a Dirge of the Great Hegemon’s Bereaved armed with a Pistol use both its unarmed attack and the Pistol to make two Melee Attacks?
A: No. A Grail Thrall’s Overwhelming Horde rule [WoTC 136]  allows it to make a Melee Attack even if it’s not armed with a Melee Weapon, but it doesn’t make the Thrall count as having a Melee Weapon, nor it grant any additional Melee Attacks.
When armed with a single Pistol, the Bereaved is considered armed with a single Melee Weapon, therefore the rule for making multiple Melee Attacks [TCDR 45] doesn’t apply. (R)

Q22.5: Can an Amalgam use a Dash ACTION to move away from enemies it is within 1” of?
A: The core of the debate is the sentence [WoTC 139] “In addition, an Amalgam can use a normal move or a charge move if all enemy models within 1″ of it are mounted on bases of 32mm or less” and what exactly “normal move” means. No formal definition of “normal move” is given in the rules, however the text on [TCDR 35] seems to imply that a normal move is a move that has no additional special rules (i.e. not a charge or retreat), therefore originating from either a Move ACTION or a Dash ACTION.
With this definition, the Amalgam can use a  Move or Dash ACTION if all enemies it is within 1” of are on a 32 mm base or smaller, and it doesn’t take free Melee Attacks from those enemies if it moves away. (?)

Q22.6: Can an Amalgam attack multiple times with an AUTOMATIC weapon it is equipped with?
A: While the answers are not unanimous, the base is split between an outright “yes” and a more conservative “not according to rules-as-written, but it should be allowed to”. No objection towards allowing an Amalgam to attack multiple times with AUTOMATIC weapons. (C)

Q22.7: Which kind of 2-handed weapons can an Amalgam wield in one hand due to its special ability?
A: The line “[…] an Amalgam can treat two 2-Handed Weapons as 1-Handed Weapons instead of the one normally granted by the STRONG Keyword” [WoTC 139] is widely interpreted as referring only to 2-handed Melee Weapons, therefore an Amalgam cannot wield 2-handed Ranged Weapons in one hand. (C)

Q22.8: Can a model with the Black Grail Shield use its Power of the Cult of the Black Grail ability against an attack with the FLAMETHROWER keyword, in an attempt to roll a Critical Success and make the attack miss ?
A: Some argue you can use the Black Grail Shield against a FLAMETHROWER, because FLAMETHROWER Weapons must still go through the Ranged Attack Sequence: the Power of the Cult of the Black Grail ability triggers “when the model is chosen as a target for an attack.” (Step 2 of the Ranged Attack Sequence) while the need to make a Success Roll is checked on Step 5 at least. On the other hand, the main argument against this ruling is that, as FLAMETHROWER weapons do not make a Success Roll, this invalidates the “before the Success Roll is made for the attack” clause of the Black Grail Shield. In the end as we didn’t reach a conclusive answer, we suggest you work out with your group how to address this particular ruling, at least until it’s addressed in an official FAQ. (?)

Q22.9: Can a Plague Knight with the Knight of the Rotten Cross ability acquire a Machine Gun, even if it has the Amalgam Only stipulation? If so, does this allow a Black Grail Warband to have 2 Machine Guns?
A: While the rules are not 100% clear on the topic, consensus is that items taken from other factions’ armouries follow their own, independent set of stipulations, therefore a Knight of the Rotten Cross can have a Machine Gun and can do it even if your warband has an Amalgam with a Machine Gun. (C)

Q22.10: Heralds of Beelzebub have the option to take a single Grail Devotee, even if the Devotee has the ELITE Only stipulation. Is the stipulation supposed to be ELITE or Herald of Beelzebub Only, or can the Herald of Beelzebub have a Grail Devotee only when promoted to ELITE?
A: The current stipulation in the v1.0.1 manual is potentially a typo.Consensus is that Heralds of Beelzeub can have a single Grail Devotee even if they are not ELITE. (C)

23. The Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent

Q23.1 Can a model cast multiple Goetic Spells in the same activation?
A: Yes. Although many spells require a Cast Spell ACTION to be used, a model can cast each individual spell available to it once per activation, as long as there are enough BLOOD MARKERS to spend [WoTC 146]. (R)

Q23.2 – THE COURT Q1: Can my Sorcerer make a cast spell ACTION to use the Burning Inferno Ranged Attack and make a Shoot ACTION to make another Ranged Attack in the same Activation?
A: Yes. Ranged (and Melee) Attacks are not ACTIONS, and it is only ACTIONS that are limited to once per type of ACTION per Activation unless stated otherwise. (F)

Q23.3: Can a model use Burning Inferno and make a Fight or Charge ACTION in the same activation?
A: Yes. Burning Inferno requires a Cast Spell ACTION [WoTC 153] therefore it does not prevent the model to take a Fight or Charge ACTION in the same activation. (R)

Q23.4: Can Sorcerer gain a Ranged Weapon or a Grenade using the Envy Goetic Ability Envious Eyes?
A: While the rules are not 100% clear on the topic, consensus is that the clause that prevents the Sorcerer from having Ranged Weapons or Grenades [WoTC 162] refers to those from the Court’s Armoury Tables, not to those acquired from other tables via Envious Eyes, therefore a Sorcerer with Envious Eyes can have Ranged Weapons or Grenades from another faction’s armoury. (C)

Q23.5: Can a model using the Envy Goetic Power Coveted Position swap places with an enemy so that it ends up within 1″ of another enemy (see image below)?
A: No. The general rule is “You can only move within 1″ of an enemy model (measured from the base of each model) by taking a Charge ACTION.” [TCDR 36] Coveted Position does not explicitly allow the model to redeploy within 1″ of an enemy (see for example Goetic Portal [WoTC 176] that explicitly allows it). (C)

Q23.6: What kind of Equipment can be disabled by the Gluttony Goetic Spell Uncaring Gluttony? Can it affect Equipment that place models or terrain on the Battlefield (e.g. Trench Dogs, Field Shrine)? Can it affect Martyrdom Pills? Can it affect equipment that cannot be removed or lost, like a Communicant’s Cross?
A: Consensus is that Uncaring Gluttony cannot affect the following:
1) equipment that has effect when purchased (e.g. Incendiary Ammunition, Armour-Piercing Ammo): the item has already been used and its effect lasts for the rest of the battle.
2) equipment that can be used at the beginning of the battle (e.g. Martyrdom Pills): the item has already been used and its effect lasts for the rest of the battle.
3) items that place a terrain piece (e.g. Field Shrine, Golden Calf Altar): Once the item is placed, the model is no longer considered equipped with it.
4) Trench Dogs: Once deployed, a Trench Dog works as an independent model and its owner no longer “has” it for the duration of the battle. (C)

Q23.7: Can the Greed Goetic Spell Black Heart or the Hell Knight Goetic Spell Blood Magic be used multiple times on the same roll?
A: No. They can be used multiple times in the same activation (neither requires a  Cast spell ACTION [WoTC 146]), but they can’t affect the same roll more than once.
It’s possible, but not confirmed, that if they would have been meant to affect the same roll multiple times, they would probably have a variable cost (e.g. Cost X: Add +X DICE / INJURY DICE, or Cost 1-X: Add +DICE / INJURY DICE equal to the cost paid for the spell). Compare, for example, with Blessing of the Serpent Moon, that is not a Cast Spell ACTION but has an effect that depends on how many BLOOD MARKERS have been spent. (C)

Q23.8: Can a Hunter of the Left-Hand Path use its Left-Hand Path spell during a Dash ACTION?
A:The core of the debate is the sentence [WoTC 164] “This spell can be used for a normal move or a charge or a retreat […]” and what exactly “normal move” means. No formal definition of “normal move” is given in the rules, however the text on [TCDR 35] seems to imply that a normal move is a move that has no additional special rules (i.e. not a charge or retreat), therefore originating from either a Move ACTION or a Dash ACTION.
With this definition, the Left-Hand Path Goetic Spell can be used on any movement, be it a Move, Charge, Retreat or Dash ACTION. (?)

Q23.9: Is a Sorcerer using Blessing of the Serpent Moon to gain -INJURY MODIFIER considered to be wearing armour for the interaction with effects like ARMOUR-PIERCING, IGNORE ARMOUR or the Prussian Tank-Splitter Sword?
A: The -INJURY MODIFIER from Blessing of the Serpent Moon is not described as being due to Armour, therefore it’s reasonable to state that effects that interact with Armour cannot affect Blessing of the Serpent Moon. (R)

Q23.10: Is a Pit Locust able to make Melee Attacks only during a Fight ACTION?
A: The wording of the Pit Locust’s Poison Stingers ability is likely incomplete as it only mentions the ability to make Melee Attacks during a Fight ACTION. All other abilities that grant a model the possibility to make Melee Attacks without a Melee Weapon are not restricted to Fight ACTIONS, but also implicitly allow them to make a Melee Attack against a retreating enemy. It is  possible that it’s the same also for Pit Locusts. (C)

Q23.11: According to how of the Yoke Fiend’s Torturer Ability [WoTC 168] is worded, it looks like a Yoke Fiend is prevented to make any attack after it has made a Melee Attack against a friendly model, but nothing prevents it from attacking before that Melee Attack, is it correct?
A: Yes. According to how the ability is worded, a Yoke Fiend can, if all other conditions are met, make a Ranged Attack and/or a Melee Attack against an enemy model, before attacking a friendly model in melee in the same activation. Once it makes a Melee Attack against a friendly model, however, it can no longer attack in any capacity for the rest of the activation. (C)

Q23.12: As, according to the Official FAQ (MISC Q2 – See Q1.3 above) a model is always considered to be within X” of itself, does the Desecrated Saint’s Aura of Envy prevent an enemy model within 12” of the Desecrated Saint from charging any model in the Saint’s warband?
A: There are reasons to believe that the Aura of Envy (Enemy models within 12″ of this Desecrated Saint cannot Charge models that are within 1″ of a model from the Desecrated Saint’s Warband) [WoTC 169] is in fact preventing an enemy from charging models that have another member of the Desecrated Saint’s Warband within 1” of them. (?)

24. Mercenaries

Q24.1: Can a Communicant Anti-Tank Hunter or a Goetic Warlock make two melee attacks against a retreating enemy?
A: Rules-as-written yes, as their ability to make two Melee Attacks is not restricted to a Fight ACTION. However the fact that the second attack suffers the Off-Hand penalty could imply that these models are considered to be armed with two weapons, and can only make two Melee Attacks during a Fight ACTION [TCDR 45 §Multiple Melee Attacks]. (?)

Q24.2: The Mendelist Ammo Monk’s Ammunition Sacrament “applies to the model until the end of its next Activation”. The fact that it doesn’t end with the current turns means you can apply a Sacrament to a model that has already been activated, then activate the Ammo Monk in the following turn and apply another Sacrament before the model has the chance to activate. Is that intentional?
A: Rules-as-written yes, the Ammunition Sacrament lasts until the recipient’s next activation ends, but if you think it shouldn’t carry over to the following Turn, feel free to discuss it with your opponent beforehand. (?)

Q24.3: If a Mendelist Ammo Monk applies the Ammunition Sacrament to a model that is performing a joint activation via the Monk’s Faithful Followers ability, does the effect of the Ammunition Sacrament end at the end of the current activation?
A: Consensus leans towards the Ammunition Sacrament lasting until the end of the joint activation caused by Faithful Followers, but a significant amount of votes went towards a more literal interpretation (Ammunition Sacrament lasting until the end of the model’s next activation). (?)