Home > Wiki > The Ninth Age > Rules > Allocating Attacks

Allocating Attacks

(Rule)
Description:

When Allocating Melee Attacks, each attack must choose a target. All attacks of the given Agility Step should be allocated before determining the number of hits.

Viable targets are:

  • Rank-and-File models in any Unit Boundary (see Models and Units in the Definitions and Terminology chapter) that the attacker is in contact with.

  • Any Attachable Model that the attacker is in contact with.

If a model is making Supporting Attacks, it can allocate its attacks as if it was in the first rank of the unit, in the same file.

h2 class='ruleTitle'>Standard Melee Attacks

Standard Melee Attacks

The most common type of attack in the Melee Phase is the Standard Melee Attack, which all models can perform provided they have an Attack Value on their profile (see Characteristic Profiles in the Definitions and Terminology chapter). To resolve these attacks, roll a number of D6 equal to the Attack Value of the attacking model part. This roll is called a to-hit roll.

Compare the attacking model part's Offensive Skill with the target model's Defensive Skill and consult the table below for the needed dice roll to score a successful hit. A natural roll of ‘1’ is always a failure, and a natural roll of ‘6’ is always a success. Both tables present the same relation, visualised in different ways.

Offensive Skill -
Defensive Skill		 Needed roll to hit
4 or more 2+
1 to 3 3+
-3 to 0 4+
-4 or less 5+


Once you have determined the number of hits, follow the Attack Sequence, using the Strength, Armour Penetration, and on the profile of the attacking model part, potentially modified by things like Weapon, Spells and Model Rules.

Non-Standard Melee Attacks

Attacks that do not fall under the category of Standard Melee Attacks, have their own specific rules for determining the number of hits, as well as the Strength, Armour Penetration, and additional rules to use.

Off 1 Off 2 Off 3 Off 4 Off 5 Off 6 Off 7 Off 8 Off 9 Off 10
Def 1 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+
Def 2 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+
Def 3 4+ 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+
Def 4 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+ 2+
Def 5 5+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+ 2+
Def 6 5+ 5+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 2+
Def 7 5+ 5+ 5+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+
Def 8 5+ 5+ 5+ 5+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+
Def 9 5+ 5+ 5+ 5+ 5+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 3+
Def 10 5+ 5+ 5+ 5+ 5+ 5+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+


In the attack sequence, the first step is to determine the target. This involves selecting the unit to attack, and which models in the unit to target. This works slightly differently for Ranged Attacks than for Melee Attacks.

For Melee Attacks, if several attacks (such as from models in the same unit) attack simultaneously, each attack may be Allocated towards a different target. When targeting specific models inside a unit, the following restrictions apply:

  • The Rank-and-file models in the unit can always be chosen as the target.

If there are no Rank-and-file models in the unit, then any model may be chosen as the target.

  • Melee Attacks can select Attachable Models joined to the unit as the target if they are in contact with the attacker, including Support Attacks. See Melee Phase for details.

For Ranged Attacks , all simultaneous attacks from the same unit must select the same unit as their target, but may allocate Attacks towards different Health Pools within the unit under certain circumstances:


  • The Rank-and-File models in the unit can always be chosen as the target. If there are no Rank-and-File models in the unit, then any model may be chosen as the target.

  • Ranged Attacks can target Attachable Models joined to a unit as the target if they are either:

  • A different Height than the Rank-and-File models in the unit.

  • In a unit with fewer than 5 Rank-and-File models in the unit (or 3 if they are of Height 3 or above).

In cases where not all models of a Health Pool have the same relevant Characteristics or rules (such as different Resilience values or different saves), use the value or rules of the largest fraction of the Health Pool's models, and apply them to all rolls (to-hit, to-wound, saves). In case of a tie, the attacker chooses which fraction to use.

In cases where a single attack or effect is multiplied into several hits, repeat the attack allocation step once it has been established how many hits are scored. At least one hit must still be allocated towards the original target. For example, you cast a spell that causes D6 hits, targeting an enemy unit. When resolving the spell effect you roll a '4' on the number of hits. These hits are now Allocated to the Health Pools in the unit, either the Rank-and-File models, or Attachable Models meeting the criteria listed above.

Building an army? Create, validate and share your list with New Recruit, army builder for The Ninth Age and many more games.

Try the builder