Hexwraith Complexities

[Woolly.Mammoth]

First of all, there's some clear things not open to interpretation:
- hexwraiths cannot pass through engaged (in-combat) units
- hexwraiths can move though any unengaged units (even friendly) and through any terrain
- As fas cav, they can reform as many times as they choose, but no single model may travel farther than 8" (16" when marching)
- Per FAQ, VDM counts as a "remaining moves" movement, activating Spectral Hunters.
-There is no rule that says you cannot cast the same spell on the same unit multiple times in one phase (only that a wizard who rolls for spells cannot choose the same non-sig spell if someone else has it). Therefore, with the right kooky setups you can cast VDM 3 or more times on one unit of Hexwraiths.

But some of the Soulstriders rule is very vague:

Soulstriders: Hexwraiths and Hellwraiths can move through unengaged units (whether friendly or enemy) during the Remaining Moves sub-phase, but cannot end their movement within 1 " of another unit.

1. What does "through" mean? Does this mean I have to hit them perpendicular and come out the back? Or can I just nick the corner of a unit? With fast cav, I can reform as I like - can I move half way through, turn around, and come back out the way i came?

It just says "Move Through" which can be interpreted as "not inhibited by the 1" rule or assumed "physical barrier" that the units create. Therefore, you could hypothetically move as if the opposing unit wasn't there, as if moving over open ground (provided my movement doesn't end in a illegal way). If you "moved through" a unit in any way during that movement, they are susceptible to Spectral Hunters.

However, the official definition of the word through indicates moving "in one side and out another side", or sometimes "out the opposite side". Therefore you could have to enter one side and leave out another, or opposite side. While you can still play with this due to the crazy movement of fast cav rules, it puts a serious hindering on the possibilities of Spectral Hunters.

2. The idea that a unit cannot end their movement within 1" of another unit. is not a special but, simply a given rule with the game. The problem is whether or not its YOUR responsibility to end within 1" or the GAME RULES responsibility. For example, a magical vortex cannot end within 1" of a unit as well:

Pg 31: If a magical vortex ever ends its move over a unit, place it 1" beyond the unit in the direction it was moving

Wouldn't you assume that anything would work in the same manner? Anything that ends over a unit is pushed though the other side, 1" away. It just says they "cannot" end their movement, just as I cannot fly. Just as gravity would bring me to the ground If I jumped off a roof, wouldn't warhammer rules push the hexwraith through the unit to end 1" away?

Generally speaking, cannot means cannot - so if you do have a choice in the matter, you must choose what you can do rather than cannot. While there may be some argument there, arguing that you can end on top of a unit in order to push through might be not be the way a "gentleman" would try to interpret the rules. While, it makes more sense trying to manage multiple ranks of hexwraths (who would otherwsie have a harder time clearing their targets), it also allows someone to put a crapton of hexwraths in one unit and push them through to the back of the board on turn one causing absurd amount of hits.

Still, couldn't you legally make a conga-line of 40 and get them 30" to the back of the board on turn one, passing every enemy unit and choosing one to drop a ton of auto-hits on? Since their fast cav you could take 10, conga line them out, pass though several tragets and then use their center to reform them in ranks to end the movement. This is all legal.

Lastly, the 1" rule is for clarification only as defined in the rulebook, so ending .001" would be legal as nudging the full 1" is commonplace.

Overall, my interpretation would be that, when passing through a unit, you must touch two sides and fully end your movement outside of a unit for the movement to be legal (then nudge 1" away if necessary).

Is there a different consensus on this? Are there any techniques to maximize Spectral Hunters? I want to start bringing 1-2 units of 10 and I want to maximize their effectiveness.

 

[Mad 'At]

1. In Sweden it is considered fully within the rules to just move into contact with a unit, say that you reform until all models have touched the unit and do the hits. Not sure how it is viewed on the outside though, nor what RAW would be exactly. As you say it all comes down to the word through and what you put into it. You definition seams reasonable, with entering one side and exiting another, but I think it could create a lot of grey zones. Which is why I think the tournament scene here choose to allow the reform manoeuvre.

2. Don't think they would skip through the unit if they end their movement inside of it, as there is nothing forcing them to move there. Being allowed to end within 1" and nudging away seams better, but that too seams like a bit of a stretch. Not sure about this really.

 

[Infernal Skull]

The Magical Vortex rule is not an accurate comparison-- The MV rule states:

"if a magical vortex ever ends its move over a unit,..." [That means that the MV's move (ie: the number of inches it moves and where it comes to a stop at the end of its move) is actually ending over a unit. Its move distance ends with the MV overlapping a unit] "...place it 1" beyond the unit in the direction it was moving."

So, Magical Vortexes can end their movement over a unit. But, if that happens, move it further so it's 1" beyond.

The Rule for Hexwraiths states that they "cannot end their movement within 1" of another unit." So wherever you bring the units move to an end (ie: the end of number of inches of their movement allowance) the unit of Hexwraiths cannot be within 1" of an enemy unit.

They don't bounce further after their move ends because they are not allowed to end their move over (or even within 1") of a unit.

 

[najo]

Hexwraiths have a cap of 10 models on their units. Move through means that you ignore them until you finish moving. You are responsible for not being within 1" of any other unit when the hexwraiths end their move, so you have to follow all movement rules for fast cavalry. If they move through a unit, I think its fair to assume that all of the models hit the unit unless their lack of movement would make it impossible for them too through their movement, though being fast cavalry, this is unlikely due to reform rules.

 

[Woolly.Mammoth]

So can hexwraith just nick the corner of a unit - or move into a unit, reform back around and move right back where they started and still have activated SH since they "touched" the unit while moving?

 

[Swoosh]

So can hexwraith just nick the corner of a unit - or move into a unit, reform back around and move right back where they started and still have activated SH since they "touched" the unit while moving?

Yes.

 

[maelstrom808]

Just remember that when moving through a unit, you only get to make 1 attack per hexwraith that passed through it. This means if you just clip a unit on the corner, you likely are only going to have 1, maybe 2 attacks via spectral hunters, not the full amount granted by however many hexwraiths are in the unit.

 

[Swoosh]

Just remember that when moving through a unit, you only get to make 1 attack per hexwraith that passed through it. This means if you just clip a unit on the corner, you likely are only going to have 1, maybe 2 attacks via spectral hunters, not the full amount granted by however many hexwraiths are in the unit.

They're fast cav, so you can just reform to optimize.

 

[Smogg]

It's defenetly what I would call a grey area of the rules.

On one hand you can argue that you can reform as much as you like since its fast cav, and you therefore can ensure all 10 models touching where the unit pass the corner by reforming 5-10 times over that quater inch movement.

On the other hand you could argue that no kind of reform is possible while you are actually in the process of moving through something because it requires you to re-arrange your models when you do so.

 

[GhoulKing505]

Is it any different then a night goblin fanatic? Can't you move into a unit, bounce around inside a little, then move out? You never stop moving. You just haven't finished moving when you are reforming.

 

[Swoosh]

On the other hand you could argue that no kind of reform is possible while you are actually in the process of moving through something because it requires you to re-arrange your models when you do so.

Where does it say you can't do that?

 

[Smogg]

When you reform you have to place your models in a new formation, keeping the same center, being 1" i think away from other units and so on. You should be able to read them in detail under the rules for reform.

My point: It is reasonable to argue that you cannot perform a legal reform while moving through a unit because you cannot physically set the unit in the new formation like you are supposed to.

 

[Swoosh]

When you reform you have to place your models in a new formation, keeping the same center, being 1" i think away from other units and so on. You should be able to read them in detail under the rules for reform.

My point: It is reasonable to argue that you cannot perform a legal reform while moving through a unit because you cannot physically set the unit in the new formation like you are supposed to.

Fair point.