overwatch and target's movement

[Karun 575]

Hi !

 

It says that if "an opposing squadron completes any movement action within the fire arc..." you can make a firing action.

Complete seems to mean that you can fire only if the ennemy achieves it's mvt in your fire arc. So if it wander right in front of you in your fire arc, but end its movement out of your fire arc, you cannot fire at it...

That seems very incoherent to me ? I would say, if at any moment during its move it has passed in your fire arc in LoS and in range, you can fire at it.

 

What do you think ?

[alextroy 580]

I think the rule is clearly written as it needs to be in arc at the end of the move, which is much easier to resolve than interrupting the movement to resolve the fire.

[knightperson 153]

I'm pretty sure this is one of the rules that is for clarity not realism. Since non-Lumbering models at cruising speed can turn any number of times during their movement, there would be no clear way to determine which arc, or even which range, the model is at when the fire actually takes place. Resolving it at the end of the movement is simpler, and worth the cost of occasionally having scenarios that don't make sense, like a model completely crossing an Overwatchers firing arc without taking any fire.

[WestAustralian 817]

My mind keeps going over a scenario where a squadron is hiding on over watch and an enemy parade rolls past, then a squadron of light vehicles drive past slowly etc. The commander of the team on over watch calls up and asks why they haven't fired. "But Sir no one will stop infront of us"