Cave squig movement

No-one has asked this yet in our games, but it's another edge case just waiting for the light bulb...

Cave squigs move 2d6" distance in a single turn. While under player control, should they end up that distance from where they started, or could they, say, move in a circle (or forward/back) to end up less than the distance rolled from their starting point?

(I completely understand that uncontrolled cave squigs should move the full distance rolled away from their starting point in the random direction determined.)

it's a bit dodgy.

The essence of O & G's is its unpredictability. This is no different in Mordheim.

moving back and forth is cheesy.. really. And not what the rule was intended for.


I would personally not mind a squig making a circular movement, there is some tactical plausibility there. No one said it should be a straight line? but i think there should be a line, if it's straight curved or S like to avoid some obstacles. It's under your control so you can bark orders right?

well thats my opinion

Paluke wrote:

not what the rule was intended for.

This kind of assertion wants supporting evidence.

The way I see it, squigs move by bouncing all over the place. Random movement distance is a simple way to represent how much "bounce" he's got this turn. It's fairly easy to imagine desperate gobos keeping an energetic squig in check by having him bounce back and forth in the same spot.

ok, you want some supporting evidence?


They have "minderz" rule, if the squig could bounce back and forth the minderz rule wouldn't be so scary. unless all gobbo's are taken OoA and only then will they break loose.

if you do this, it makes squigs overpowered for their 15 gc..

It takes away the randomness out of the 2d6 roll.. if you roll 2 6's and move only 4 inch using the back and forth method, why use a 2d6" then?

and as last, why wasn't it included in the rules that you roll 2d6 for his -maximum- movement. coz that is what you do, you limit his movement.

need more?

It seems Paluke my old friend is pretty much right on with the INTENT.

I found an old email from Mark Havenor (Author of Da Orc Mob)



1. How does the squig's 2D6" move work? Is the resulting number the
squig's _maximum_ move, or is he forced to use it all? If the latter,
what's to stop him moving in an arc or even going backwards then forwards?

Or does the player need to declare the direction before he rolls the
movement?

******
This is the amount he moves (that's what it says in the text, and the intent).
If this move takes him into an enemy model, he stops and it's counted as a
charge. Nothing other than your sense of fair play stops a player from running
his squigs around in circles. The intent is that the little buggers move 2D6"
in a direction nominated by the player, only moving less if something impedes
their progress (like an enemy model). If your group likes the idea of them
running in circles though, that's how you should play it!





2. If an uncontrolled squig is in combat with another model that becomes
knocked-down or stunned, will the squig continue to fight or will it bounce
away randomly?

We played the latter, mainly because it was more fun.

******
Really up to the player. I'd probably keep it in combat, but I can see a player
arguing that it should move away, since it can (against a prone opponent).


3. Can a stunned goblin act as a minder? Surely not! What about a
knocked-down goblin? This seems reasonable - just like a leader and his
rout tests.

******
Actually stunned or KD goblins CAN act as minderz...keep in mind that squigs
aren't that bright, they're beasts, and the presence of their 'master' is enough
to keep them pretty well in line (in fact this is alluded to with the
prodder...it's the sight of the thing that keeps the squigs in line as much as
the occasional poke with the pointy end...).

Rules-wise it's this way to keep the squigs from being utterly uncontrollable.
You have to actually take the gobbos out (OOA) to make the squigs go wild.


4. If a goblin attacks one of his own models, does that model fight back?
I'd presume so but it's not clear.

******
It's a "round of hand-to-hand combat", so I guess it's up to whether or not your
group normally lets models that are in combat elect to not strike back.



- Mark

Point da bank on establishing intent.

Thanks, Da Bank - especially for holding onto old emails like that! I'll be putting this into our local game FAQ for reference. We will keep it as moving the full distance away from that starting point - when possible.

great info there, i have been moving my squigs up to the distance rolled and only worrying about running wild if the nearest goblins are taken out. This changes things slightly...