Clarification on the sniper rule...

Heya guys,

I just wanted clarification on the sniper rule. I read the rulebook and it says (iirc) 'a model with the sniper special rule may replace its normal shooting attack with a single sniper shot blah blah blah'

emphasis on 'single'... so I assumed that even if he has two pistols, he replaces his normal shots with a single sniper shot? Is this not the case? does it replace each shot with a single sniper shot?

If so, could anyone provide a link to an official ruling? (in case i'm called up on it)

Each shot can sniper.

Emphasis on "attack". That's one attack, you've got two guns and you fire two shots, it's two attacks.

I don't have an official ruling on this but this is how we've always played it and there doesn't seem to be much of a debate around this.

The "Single" part of the rule is useless language because ALL ranged weapons fire a single shot as their base profile.


All special rules, unless specified otherwise, will stack.


you start off with a ranged weapon. it gets a single shot at its profile, then you add special rules to it. In this case we are adding Multiple Shots(2) and the Sniper rule.

the 2 are not in explicit contradiction and as such will stack.

Hmm, creeping sense of deja vu . . . 

Before I'm tempted to weigh in on this, let me say that after pages of discussion, no conclusive answer has yet been agreed on, meaning that the only conclusion is that there is no obvious clarification for you, sorry, and we need to wait for the FAQ on this one. In the meantime, agree with your regular opponents beforehand on what seems sensible to you, or decide randomly at the start of the game.

Personally, I (no, I won't weigh in, I WON'T . . . )

Agreed, an FAQ is needed.

But, for what it's worth, this is what we play, and I think you'll agree this is what is intended (thinking about it from a common sense point of view). I find it baffling that people can somehow read otherwise:

1) A model's 'normal shooting attack' is defined by whatever it would normally be able to do (confined by normal rules) in the shooting phase. Thus, an Ogre with a Brace of Ogre Pistols would 'normally' fire two shots up to 24".

2) As the sniper rule states that a model with the rule may 'make a SINGLE SNIPER SHOT instead of shooting normally', you replace all the normal shots (in this case, two) with one shot. This makes sense according to the rules, and makes sense according to the fluff - the model readies himself for a single, devastating snipe.

3) Resolve this single shot, ensuring you take necessary modifiers to hit into account.


Anyone who argues that you get multiple shots (which seems to be the main point of contention) by merit of the gun's special rule, is exactly the kind of player I don't want to meet.

A fool. A rule-bender. A no-fun baboon.

By electing to snipe, you are paying the price by reducing the volume of fire. It makes sense.

That is all.

Q

Quannum,

Step off your high horse. You can't even quote the rule correctly so don't get all high and mighty and start name calling people having a discussion about rules just because you have it set in your mind how something should work and won't accept otherwise.

A model with the Sniper special rule can make a special Sniper shot instead of shooting normally. A sniper's shot suffers an additional -1 To Hit penalty, in addition to any other modifiers, but can be aimed with great precision.

There is no "single" word anywhere in the rule. Instead it literally says we can make a Sniper shot which has an additional -1 To Hit. You still apply all other rules to the shot including Multiple Shots, Flaming, Poison, Mover or Fire, and Quick to Fire. All of them still work.

Actually, I was trying to avert another thread of:

"It's clearly this."

"No, it's clearly that."

With associated degeneration and subsequent name-calling.

So let's not, eh? We need an FAQ, until then, play it the way you can agree with your opponents. No harm done.

This is getting too heated a discussion.  It looks like this has run its course.

Thread locked.