101 - AOE Attacks

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This article is part of Warmachine University's Crash Course (101) series, which is "Basic Training" aimed at new players who are still learning the core rules.

 

The 101 series is intended to help you understand the rulebook, but you shouldn't be reading this instead of the rulebook.

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First, a quick recap:

1. Choose a model in your LOS to be the target. You cannot target an empty spot on the table.
2. Measure to see if your target is in range.
3. If it is in range
   • Roll to hit the target. Or auto-miss, if they have Stealth.
     • If you hit the target, centre the AOE on the target. They are directly hit and other models in the AOE are hit
     • If you miss, roll for deviation. You start the deviation on the target. The max you can deviate is half the distance between the attacker and the target. After deviating, no one is directly hit but anyone under the AOE is hit.
4. If it is out of range
   • You auto-miss.
   • Roll for deviation. You start the deviation at the weapon's max range. The max you can deviate is half the weapon's range. After deviating, no one is directly hit but anyone under the AOE is hit.

Hit vs Directly Hit vs Missed but then Hit

All models in an AOE are hit, but only the original target can be directly hit.

Many special abilities only trigger on a direct hit (such as Shield Guard). On the other hand, some AOEs have special effects that will affect everyone in the AOE regardless of whether it directly hit or not (such as Scourge). Those AOEs are popular because missing is not a complete downside.

Sometimes you will miss your original target but then only deviate a small distance, and still hit them with the AOE. In this case the target counts as both missed (for stuff like Dodge) and hit (for stuff like damage rolls). Refer to the Attack Sequence if you need help knowing what order to resolve stuff in.

Blast Damage vs Not-Blast Damage

    Default AOE    

By default all AOE weapons do normal damage (full POW) to the model directly hit, and blast damage (half POW) to other models that were hit.

    "Never blast" type    

However some weapons/spells overwrite the default damage with the phrase "Models hit suffer a POW [x] damage roll" (for example Breath of Corruption).

In this case:

• All models hit take the full POW, it is not halved.
• None of the damage counts as blast damage. This is relevant for stuff that is immune to blasts (such as Force Barrier).

    "Always blast" type    

More rarely, a weapon/ability will only do blast damage with the phrase "Models hit suffer a POW [y] blast damage roll" (for example Airburst). In this case, you don't halve it again!

Maximum Deviation

Deneghra1 is channeling the spell Scourge, which causes models hit to be knocked down, through a Deathripper arc node.
The Deathripper is exactly 4.1" away from Stryker1 so no matter what gets rolled for deviation, the AOE can't miss. It will land in one of the six spots shown and still clip his base.

When you miss with an AOE you have to deviate. There's a clause in there that says something like "the maximum distance you can deviate is half the distance between the attacker and the target. Or half the weapon's max range, whichever is less."

If you have an AOE that inflicts a useful effect on hit, it doesn't need a direct hit, you can use this maximum deviation rule to your advantage.

Consider a 3" AOE targeting a small base model (30mm).

• If the AOE deviates 1.5", the edge of the AOE's new position will still touch the center of where the AOE started. It started at the center of the small base model.
• If it scatters another 15mm, the edge of the AOE's new position will still touch the edge of the small model's base. So that still counts as a hit.
• 1.5" plus 15mm is 2.09".

If you scatter 2.09" or less, you hit the target. If you scatter 2.10" or more, you miss the target.

If the attacker is standing 4 1/8" (4.125") away from the target, the max it can scatter is 2.06", guaranteeing you always hit.

This 4.125" is the "perfect AOE distance" for where you can stand and still guarantee yourself a non-direct hit no matter how the dice betray you.

With different sizes for the target's base and the attacker's AOE, there is a bit of variation in the "perfect AOE distance". See table below.

What's the furtherest you can stand from your target, and still guarantee a hit? Rounded down to nearest 1/8"
	Target
	Small	Medium	Large	Huge
3" AOE	4" 1/8	4" 1/2	4" 7/8	7"
4" AOE	5" 1/8	5" 1/2	5" 7/8	9" 5/8
5" AOE	6" 1/8	6" 1/2	6" 7/8	9" 5/8

Leap frogging AOEs

A Mariner has a range of 15" and is targeting a Railless Interceptor.
In the top example the Mariner is 15.1" away, so the AOE deviates from max range (shown with the cyan AOE). It scatters 3" backwards (shown with the blue AOE).
In the bottom example the Mariner is 15.0" away, so the AOE deviates from the centre of the target's base. It scatters 3" backwards (shown with the green AOE).
Even though they scattered the same distance & direction, one AOE easily overlaps the target and one does not.

The other weird thing that happens with AOEs is how, if your target is just out of range, you will scatter from a point near the edge of their base. But if they're just in range, you'll scatter from the centre of their base. The bigger your target is, the more of a difference this might make.