Pinning If a non-Vehicle unit suffers one or more unsaved Wounds from a weapon with the Pinning special rule, it must take a Leadership test once the firing unit has finished its Shooting Attacks for that Phase. This is called a Pinning test. If the unit fails the Test, it is Pinned. As long as the Test is passed, a unit can be called upon to take multiple Pinning tests in a single turn, but only once for each unit shooting at them.
A unit that is affected by any of the following conditions does not take Pinning tests, and if called upon to do so is considered to automatically pass them:
• The unit is locked in combat.
• The unit is already Pinned (the unit remains Pinned, but takes no further Tests).
• The unit is composed entirely of Vehicle models.
• The unit is Embarked on a Transport Vehicle.
• The target unit is affected by the Fearless special rule.
A unit that has become Pinned cannot Move, Run or Charge. It can only fire Snap Shots if it attacks during the Shooting phase and cannot make Reactions in any Phase. At the end of its following turn, the unit returns to normal and the unit is free to act as normal from then on. Whilst it is Pinned, a unit is affected normally by enemy actions (for example, it takes Morale checks as normal). If the unit is forced to move, for example if it has to Fall Back, it returns to normal immediately. If assaulted, the unit will fight as usual, but because they are not set to receive the Charge, enemy units do not receive the Initiative penalty for assaulting a unit in Difficult Terrain (sec page 222), even if the unit is in Difficult Terrain. If a unit becomes Pinned during a Charge, then that Charge automatically fails. Units that are locked in combat cannot be Pinned and do not take Pinning tests.
Shell Shock (X) Pinning tests taken due to an attack or weapon with this special rule are made with a penalty to Leadership Characteristic equal to the value listed as part of the special rule.
For example, a unit that is forced to take a Pinning test by an attack made using a weapon with the Shell Shock (2) special rule, suffers a penalty of -2 to their Leadership Characteristic when resolving that Test.
Psychic Focus Before making any To Hit rolls with this weapon, the Psyker must make a Psychic check. If the Check is passed, then the Psyker may attack as normal using the profile shown for this weapon. If the Check is failed, then the Psyker suffers Perils of the Warp, and if the model is not removed as a casualty then it may attack as normal but may not use this weapon.
Force Any Psyker with a weapon or ability with this special rule may choose to make a Psychic check before making any attacks with that weapon or resolving the ability. If the Check is successful then the Strength value of any attacks made is doubled. If the Check is failed then Perils of the Warp is resolved targeting the unit containing the model that failed its Check. If the Psyker survives Perils of the Warp then it may attack as normal.
