Characters are defined as General, Battle Standard Bearer, Hero/Champion equivalent figures, and magic user equivalent figures.

The non-magical weapons and armour available to characters depends upon the army that the character fights for. Every army book has an equipment list printed right before the discussion of the units and characters for the army. In that equipment list, any item that does not have a *' by it is available to the characters of that army.

Champions of units must be armed and armoured the same as rank and file members of the unit. Army points must be expended to equip unit champions.

Characters may attack the fleshounds with non-magical weapons (temporarily sheathing that magic Frostblade to use an regular axe, etc.). All special characters come with 1 non-magical hand weapon. A character may change weapons in a combat freely.

No. The base statics for the character are printed. The modifications to the characters statistics need to be taken into consideration.

This means that characters armed with halberds or double-handed weapons need to add the appropriate strength modifier before determining the strength of the attack. Mounted chargers also need to add the appropriate strength bonus for spears and lances, and characters with flails need to add the strength bonus for the first round of hand to hand combat.

This also applies to the strength bonus witch elves receive for their poisoned weapons.

Yes.

Yes.

No. A magic user cannot wear armour and still cast spells.

A magic user can be mounted on a steed that will confer a 5+ or 6+ armour save. If the steed is some kind of horse, it may have barding.

Yes, but they cannot fire the machine.

Yes.

Basically a character that joins a unit can either go in the front rank, or be left outside the unit but touching it, like this (X = model in unit, ) = character):

XXXXO
XXXX
XXXX

No.

No, characters only get armour save bonus for regular mounts, not monster mounts.

Creatures with 1 wound are considered regular steeds, and those with more than 1 wound are considered to be monsters.

Yes.

Specifically, a rider riding a monster that causes terror gains:

• Immunity to Fear

• Immunity to Terror

Yes.

Specifically, a rider riding a monster that causes fear gains: Immunity to Fear

Creatures that cause terror only cause fear for the mounted character.

Yes.

Because the monster is considered large, the enemy missile troops gain a +1 to hit. Hits are randomized between the character and the monster before determining wounds.

Yes.

No. The steed/monster is too large, and the trooper in the second rank cannot attack past him.

Yes and no. Whether a mounted character can be singled out for missile fire depends on his size relative to the unit size. Effectively, there are three sizes:

• Small: These are unmounted rank and file troopers with either a 20mm or 25mm square base.

• Medium: These are mounted troops or other troops whose base size is 25mm by 50mm.

• Large: These are large monsters, or characters riding large monsters. These base sizes are 40mm square.

If the character is small, he cannot be singled out for fire if he is in a unit of small, medium, or large rank and file figures. This means that these characters (obviously unmounted) can never be singled out for missile fire if in such a unit.

If a character is medium, he cannot be singled out for missile fire if he is in a unit of medium or large rank and file figures. This means a character mounted on a horse cannot be singled out in a unit of knights, centaurs, bull centaurs, ogres, dragon ogres, etc. This also means that the mounted character can be singled out for missile fire if he is in a unit of unmounted foot soldiers.

If a character mount is large, he cannot be singled out for missile fire if he is in a unit with large rank and file figures. Therefore, a character riding a manticore cannot be singled out for missile fire in a unit of ogres, dragon ogres, rat ogres, trolls, etc.

If a character is within 5" of a unit, the legality of targeting the character for missile fire is the same as if the character was in the unit. See the section on "Mounted Characters in Units". Basically it boils down to the relative size of the character compared to the relative size of the unit (small, medium or large).

If a character is more than 5" away from a unit, he may be targeted.

When shooting at a character riding a monster, shots are +1 to hit. Hits are randomized between the character and the monster he is riding.

As long as the unit starts with more than 5 models at the start of the missile fire phase, all hits are applied to rank and file models. Only when all the rank and file models have been removed as casualties are hits randomly applied to characters.

If the character is in a unit then he gains the benefit of 'Look Out Sir!'. Basically, one of the rank and file troopers sees the projectile coming and pushes the character out of the way and takes the hit. Roll a 6 sided die, on anything other than a 6 a rank and file takes the hit for the character.

Basically the things that cause 'Look Out Sir!' rolls are:

• Catapult Projectiles (stones, Screaming Skulls, Doom Divers)

• Cannonballs (great gun, mortar, organ gun, siege cannon)

• Cannon Templates (Flame Cannon, Steam Tank, Gyrocopter)

No, armour does not help characters crushed by a huge boulder.

There are a few exceptions:

• The Armour of Skaldour always gives a save.

• The Black Armour of Nagash gives save against stone throwers and bolt throwers but not against other War Machines that allow no save

• The Black Amulet, Magic War Paint, The Golden Helm of Atrazar are devices of protection and thus gives a save.

Yes. Given that you can aim the cannon at the character when he is in the unit (forcing the 'Look Out Sir!' roll) you can aim it at the character when he is standing right next to the unit. The restriction on missile fire applies to archers, hand gun, crossbow, and other missile fire rank and file troopers. The restriction on missile fire also applies to bolt throwers.

No. The bolt thrower is considered traditional missile fire and must obey targeting rules for missile fire. Therefore, for unit of 5 or more figures, it only kills rank and file troopers.

No.

Please note that moving the two models is only a suggestion to make it clear they are fighting a challenge. The actual rule is that the challengers are moved so they are opposite each other, but remain within their respective units.

Yes.

No. The player in control of the unit determines what character in the unit answers the challenge. Any character (champion, hero, wizard, boss, big boss, general, etc.) may answer the challenge. If the challenge is not answered, the most powerful character in the unit must temporarily move to the rear rank and not participate in that hand-to-hand combat round.

The monster can only fight in the challenge.

The unit can use the character's leadership.

Lone characters cannot decline challenges, there is no place to hide.

Yes.

The other models in the chariot do not fight the enemy character in the challenge. The other models fight the enemy unit (unless enemy character is alone). The steeds may either fight the enemy character in the challenge or the enemy unit.

No, the Vermin Lord can issue and accept challenges because it is a character.

House Rule: The Warhammer Design Team suggest that Greater Daemons be treated as characters and be allowed to issue and answer challenges.

No. Challenges are made before Assassins are revealed. This means that an assassin cannot take part in a challenge on the turn he is revealed, and may not attack characters that are involved in a challenge either.

No.

Yes and yes. Although Skaven Assassins are listed in the regiments section of the army list, they are treated as characters for the purposes of challenges.

Yes.

No. If a character causes 4 wounds in a challenge, and the enemy character only has 1 wound, 1 wound would apply towards combat resolution.

House Rule: The Warhammer Design Team suggests the Overkill house rule.

As described in the Close Combat section, excess wounds caused when attacking characters are normally discounted. All the effort of those attacks goes into fighting the character regardless of the number of wounds caused. As any excess wounds are not inflicted they are not normally counted towards the combat result. However, when fighting a challenge any excess wounds scored do count towards the combat result, even though they are not actually inflicted. This is called the overkill rule.

The overkill rule represent the situation where troops are watching their hero battling for his life against his adversary. All eyes are focused on the mighty clash and both sides are yelling encouragement. If the troops see their champion crushed to a bloody pulp before their eyes they will inevitably get a bit upset and might decide to turn tail and run rather than stick around for a dose of the same.

In practical terms the overkill rule means that it is a positive advantage to crush a challenged enemy as overwhelmingly as possible. It also means that players will benefit if they meet a challenge with as powerful a character as possible. Players are advised to avoid taking on especially dangerous opponents with lowly champions, although, of course, even the most modest character will generally do better than an ordinary trooper.

The overkill rule is not intended to make powerful characters invincible, but to overcome an unrealistic situation where it is better to make a challenge with a champion rather than a more powerful character, because the champion has fewer wounds to lose. Obviously, it is still better to make a challenge with a champion rather than not, as a champion has more chance of reducing the number of wounds suffered, but the rule is intended to discourage players making challenges with weaker characters when they have better characters who might more appropriately make or meet a challenge.