Casting from the second rank

Hi guys,

Since most of OK players tend put their casters in a unit's second rank, I was wondering if it hampered the ability to cast magic missiles. The magic missiles spell type requires you to have line of sight to your target in order for you to cast the spell. Now, if I recall correctly, when you are shooting during the shooting phase, models in the second rank are considered to have the same LOS as the models in the first rank. Is it the same for magic missiles? Page reference would be greatly appreciated as I couldn't find anything about it this morning before leaving home.

Thanks in advance!

Yes. line of sight doesn't change just because you're using magic second rank see just aswell as the first.

Where ever it is in the book it's talking about line of sight not about shooting


Just be careful with your vortexes

Thing is, I can't find anything about LOS and the 2nd rank. Anyone has a page reference?

I think it'd work in the same way as normal shooting attacks in that say Leadbelchers can fire their cannon from a second rank. The models in front don't block their line of sight. I don't remember it being covered by the rulebook but that's how I'd play it, it's effectively a shooting attack so if a normal RnF can shoot bows/handguns etc from the 2nd rank without LoS issues or penalty then surely a wizard with magic missile can as well.

I have always played that you use the LoS of the model in the front rank, but still measure range from the wizard's base.

Its in the shooting rules. It says models in the second rank use the model in front of them for LoS purposes(and this applies to everything, not just shooting)

The rule you are refering to says that you use the LOS of the models in the 1st rank for the purpose of all SHOOTING attacks. Since Magic Missiles are not a shooting attack per say, I was wondering if there was another rule to justify being able to cast Magic Missiles from the second rank.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not trying to prove you can't, I'm trying to find the ruling that allows us to do so!

Anyone else?

Per the BRB, pg 31:  "Accordingly, a Wizard can only cast a magic missile at a target that lies within his forward arc and to which he can trace line of sight (just as if the wizard was firing a missile weapon)."

So you shoot the magic missile the same as if you fired a missile weapon.  When firing a missile weapon you use the shooting rules.  The shooting rules say you use the LOS of the model in front of you if you are in the 2nd rank.  Seems pretty straightforward.

-Snark

Well that what how I've always interpreted it but I can see someone starting to argue about not being written black on white and I was trying to see if anyone had anything else that would confirm this ruling in a more specific way.

but I can see someone starting to argue about not being written black on white ...

If you run into that situation, try asking them to show you in "black on white" where it says you can't.

-Snark