Psyker Battle Squads
Last night I was all up in arms and as dramatic as I get. The question I was working on, is how the new FAQ's effect my Psyker Battle Squads. Well, lets get right down to it, they don't effect them that much. Lets look at the new FAQ for those of you that were not hanging around last night.
From yesterdays additions to the new Main Rulebook FAQ under Vehicles
Q: Can models embarked upon a vehicle use its fire points to draw line of sight to a unit to use special rules or wargear (other than shooting)? (p66)
A: No.
The question is whether or not this hampers Psyker Battle Squads from using weaken resolve out of the top of a chimera. The rule out of the IG codex reads like this....
Imperial Guard Codex
Choose one enemy unit within 36" and line of sight of the pskyer battle squad.
So does the weaken resolve work from a chimera firing hatch. To find out, we were blessed with the astute readership of BoxerSaint here, (others too, but he was first) reminding us to look in the psyker section of the FAQ's for clarification.
Psykers from Main Rulebook FAQ
Q: Can a model use a psychic power that is not a Psychic Shooting Attack if it is embarked in a transport vehicle? (p50)
A: Yes. If the power requires line of sight, this is still worked out from the vehicle’s fire points (this will count as one model shooting through that fire point if the power is used in the Shooting phase). If the psychic power does not require line of sight and has a range or an area of effect that is normally measured from the model using it, these are measured from the vehicle’s hull, as explained in the Embarking section on page 66.
So finally we come to our answer. As far as fire points are concerned, wargear and special powers (other than shooting) cannot use a fire point to draw line of sight. However, Psychic Powers that require line of sight and are not shooting powers, may still be drawn from the vehicles fire point if the power is used during the shooting phase. Psyker Battle Squad Units remain unchanged.
Imperial Guard Orders
This one is a lot easier, but easy to miss when trying to figure things out. Can a command unit give orders while embarked in their chimera? Many people are claiming that codex over-rides rule book, but I am here to tell you that it does not matter.
The rule that is of concern is this one, listed above, and here for your convenience.
Q: Can models embarked upon a vehicle use its fire points to draw line of sight to a unit to use special rules or wargear (other than shooting)? (p66)
A: No.
The issue is, that a lot of the orders require line of sight, to the target of the orders. Line of sight to the unit receiving the orders has never been required, they must simply be in range of the orders.
Orders that require line of sight to the target of the orders, are "bring it down" and "fire on my target". If you cannot draw line of sight from the officer to target of these orders, then you cannot issue it. Lets look at the Chimeras special rule to see how orders are actually issued from a chimera.
Mobile Command Vehicle. (from the IG codex pg 39)
An officer embarked within a Chimera may still issue orders to squads. Measure range and line of sight from any point of the chimera's hull.
Ah ha. Most people think that line of sight from orders is taken from the hatch, but in reality that has never been the case. So line of sight and range, is measured from anywhere on the hull of the chimera. Problem solved.