LoS and Ht

[Gryffen88]

I need help understanding a few rules and though I am sure they are in the RM I can't seem to find what I'm looking for.

Setup...a Ht 2, 30mm base model (call them A) is behind a level (Ht) 2 small rock pillar that has a 40mm base, with an enemy, Ht 3 40mm base model (call them Z) that is 8" away firing at them....

1) A is right next to the pillar or with in 1", base is fully blocked behind the pillars base, can they be seen when Z is shooting?

2) A is still setup like #1 but is now over 2" away. Z wants to shoot, does the pillar convay any cover here?

I guess what I am asking is if a model is the same Ht as the hard/soft cover but the attacker is "taller" than the defender can the attacker see over the cover to hit the defender? I am not sure I buy the arcing bullet theory but... As a long time player of miniatures games I HAVE seen stranger things.

Gryffen88

[Hatchethead]

If the attacker or defender is taller than the intervening terrain, both parties can shoot over it. If one model or the other is within 1" of said terrain, that model gets cover. If neither model is within 1", no one gets cover. If both are within 1", no one gets cover.

This can result in some ... odd situations. Put a Ht 1 model in base contact behind a Ht 1 wall and a Ht 2 model 16" away, able to draw LoS. It feels a little strange. Malifaux doesn't use true line of sight, which is actually a blessing in disguise because that can open up a whole other can of worms. I prefer a set of hard and fast cover/LoS rules, even if they occasionally result in stangeness.

Also consider that models in Malifaux are never considered to be static and it becomes easier to justify.

[Q'iq'el]

Especially ht1 models tend to bob around all the time.

[MunkeyKungFu]

Its easier to get your head around when you remind yourself that malifaux does not use TLOS

[Calmdown]

The Malifaux line of sight rules are pretty easy once you get it into your head that you have to put logic to one side and just use maths.

It's much better than having true LoS arguments, especially with some of "those people" we all know exist. It's just a bit...funky, sometimes. And about to get a lot worse with multi-elevation Terraclips boards

[Mako]

I forgot that LoS is base to base, not model to model when I played my first game the other week. Led to me thinking I had Kirai and another spirit in cover, and Kirai getting several blast templates in the face (severe damage bounced off the other spirit...)

[Calmdown]

I forgot that LoS is base to base, not model to model when I played my first game the other week.

Out of interest - what's the difference?

[karn987]

Out of interest - what's the difference?

Model to model implies you are measuring from the actual model it's self. Most of the time if you see LOS like this, its done from the model's head to a piece of the target that is at least their head size. Infinity uses this kind of LOS.

[Mako]

Out of interest - what's the difference?

As Karn says, LoS model to model thins out your line of sight somewhat. A narrow crack between two pieces of terrain hid both my models from anything on the other side, but the base of one stuck out into the gap and you could draw a line straight from the side of one base to the side of that base.

True LoS I'd have been OK, but since everything effectively counts as a cylinder 30mm wide I was targettable. Which went badly wrong as my spirit got turned into a witchling stalker, who then allowed Criid to launch blasts at him knowing she'd hit and lucking out for severe damage twice over...