Elevations Upon Elevations

[Hatchethead]

So we were playing with a new piece of terrain the other day and something came up:

So the Vulture on top of the saloon sign counts as a Ht 2 model, but is not within 1" of the edge of the main saloon structure and therefore cannot see the Daydream, right? But what if it were all Ht 4 of Lord Chompy Bits up there, making him Ht 5 (taller than the building itself)? Can he then see the Daydream?

Someone came up with some off the cuff math, insisting that if the individual on top was taller than the shadow zone, you would then reduce the size of the shadow zone by the difference; i.e. If LCB is Ht 5 (5") and the shadow zone is 4" due to the Ht 4/4" tall building (a 1" difference in favor of Chompy), the shadow would be reduced to 3", exposing the Daydream in this case.

What followed then was a discussion regarding true line of sight (or the lack thereof) and various other issues bordering on trigonometry, at which point I had an aneurysm.

Meh?

Edited August 19, 2011 by Hatchethead

[Ratty]

The real question is has the building been counted as a Flat Elevation.

• If it is a Flat Elavation it has a shadow equal to the Flat Elevations Ht, no matter what the height of the model targeting from the top is (as long as it's more than 1" away from the edge).
  
• If it's not a Flat Elevation then it doesn't have a shadow.
  

TBH

I think it's not a Flat Elevation, so has no shadow, but that's up to you to decide before the game..

[Ratty]

However if you are going to claim they are Flat Elevations, these are the 2 shadows I would consider you need to consider.

So the way you have drawn it I would say it's targetable even with Shadows.

[Hatchethead]

Cheers, Ratty.

I originally had the bottom shadow zone drawn exactly as you do, but then I recalled how we played it during the game (in retrospect, not how I intend to play it next time).

Also, the top shadow zone is moot - I shouldn't have included it at all - as there is no way to perch a 30m base on the sign platform without being within 1" of either edge.

Despite the shape of the roof, it would be odd not granting some kind of shadow cover to models on the ground level. The adjusted shadow zone definitely makes more sense, however.

Got me thinking about a piece of Ht 3 flat elevated terrain with a 3" shadow zone. Place a Ht 4 Chompy completely within the shadow. Technically he has cover from someone on top despite being Ht 1 taller than the terrain itself.

I guess he's ducking? I have no problem with that. I always try to explain to players that models in Malifaux should never be viewed as static. Everything makes more sense if you can imagine them ducking, laying prone, pressed up against walls for cover, engaged in swirling melee, etc.

[Ratty]

I'm sure that's covered in the rules, I believe you have to be equal or shorter than the flat elevation to be in it's shadow. I'm out and about at the moment so can't check.

Actually I lie... I have the rules on a USB stick.

A model on a flat elevation cannot draw LoS to a target below while that target is completely within the elevation’s shadow, unless the Ht of the target is greater than that of the elevation.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Ratty