Do models block melee?

[Barnaberible]

This cropped up in a game

Mounted McCabe was standing in a doorway of a building completely blocking the doorway in melee with chompy who was outside the building. A wastrel was inside the building within 3" of chompy.

Is the wastrel in melee?

We played it as yes but I'm not sure if

A. The wastrel was in melee because he was in chompys melee range and the fact McCabe was blocking the door made no difference

B. The wastrel was in melee because chompy is height 4 and can see over McCabe (presuming the door isnt also height 3)

C. The wastrel is in melee because the melee is basically a big brawl taking up a 6" diameter

Or

D. The wastrel wasn't in melee

Thanks

[Pagan Wolfe]

Unknown about door height...but...

Since choppy is height 4 and has a 3 inch melee range he can reach over intervening models to strike. So short answer? Yes, he could have attacked over a height 3 model to strike another within his range.

[13th Warrior]

It's not so much about being able to reach over another model, although that kind of comes into it, it's about having Line of Sight to that model.

Provided the doorway wasn't Ht 3 (and therefore completely filled by McCabe), Lord Chompy (Ht 4) could see over McCabe (Ht 3), and providing the Wastrel was in Chompy's melee range, he was a valid target and was engaged.

if, however, the doorway was Ht 3 and Chompy wasn't able to draw LoS to the Wastrel, then they wouldn't be in melee. (Now Lilith on the other hand...)

So, option B is correct.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Rob

[Ozz]

Yes option B is correct. (Assuming the door wasnt Ht 3)

However to save on confusion, also. Lilith could not hit through Mcabe. She can ignore terrain, not other models.

[Adran]

Models block line of sight. Line of sight is required for melee, so if the model blocks all possible lines of sight, then it blocks melee. If you can draw a line from 1 model to the other without crossing the middle models base, or one of the models is high enough to see over the interveening model then you have line of sight and therefore can attack

[13th Warrior]

However to save on confusion, also. Lilith could not hit through Mcabe. She can ignore terrain, not other models.

True, forgot about that - she'd just have to hit him through the wall instead :-P

[Barnaberible]

Thanks guys

Like I say it's never actually come up before believe it or not but using a model to block Los to a counter now makes it easier to position to pick up / destroy marker, even if they are in melee range of something

[Tiaden]

Beware, although a model may not target a model it has no LoS to it may still engage them. This is an issue not clarified by the Rules Marshals. According to mere rulebook text you may engage without LoS, because LoS, able to target etc. Is no condition for engaging. It just leads to strange situations.

[13th Warrior]

Indeed. Makes a difference for ranged attacks, interacting, shooting into combat etc, so no hiding behind a friendly model while trying to destroy the evidence!

[Barnaberible]

Ah right, so you if you are in melee range but not in Los you are engaged but can't be targeted, so in the example in the first post with McCabe blocking the doorway the wastrel would still be engaged (if chompy wasn't height 4)

I presume a wall would block engagement regardless of melee range?