Magic in Close Comat

I don't see the rulebook say anywhere that I model can't, while already in close combat, cast a spell in its shooting phase and then fight in the following round of hand to hand combat. What say ye?

The rulebook says:
"Spells are cast in the shooting phase, and can be used
even if the caster is in hand-to-hand combat."

So go for it!

well on page 40 its says
"... even if the caster is in hand-to-hand combat..."
personally i think this souldn't be the case.
Imagine your a wizard and a bloodthirsty orc is trying to bash your brains in, now if you cast your spell the orc gets time to bash your brains out and effectively killing you.
Now i may not be a rule guru but i think that should change...
after you declare to cast the opponent can gain one AUTOMATIC hit on you (yes, in the magic phase) and if you are wounded (which is likely) you fail at the spell instantly because you have been hurt.
OR you could give them a skill that lets them cast a spell in close combat
OR you simply can't cast in combat
OR a mixture of the above

I think it is allowed because, in terms of game balance, magic in Mordheim tends to be on the underpowered side.

Some spells are specifically disallowed if the caster is in close combat.

If you want to change the rule for "realism" or whats it called, I'd go for the "no magic in hth combat".
Just to keep the game simple (that is not complicating it further than it all ready is ).

If you and your group is a fan of complex well ballanced rules for mordheim, then re-write the whole thing, or use one of the nice fan-rules sets like Asp's coreheim or wyldhunt's Mordheim revision

Just my 5 cents.

Half of magic spells (and prayers) are usless if u are not allowed to go for HtH combat that turn (and magic/shooting is after moving and declaring attacks). Just think of Magic weapons or protection spells.

Why do you assume it takes more than a quick swipe of a hand or some arcane power word?

It's not like the wizard necessarily has to stand on his head, recite the US presidents, and drink a glass of water to get a spell off

I would definitely side with snappy dresser. While i'm sure some more complex spells take longer I couldn't imagine any battle wizard who isn't going to use his spells when he's in the most danger.

seeing as most spells are rather simple compared to whfb, and the fact that it's stated in the rules, makes me side with snappy and dmig as well...
and yes, most are just a quick mumbling of words to call forth a little aid of the gods... whichever those may be..

Well since Magic isn't real, we could really rule out the "realism"-argument!

Magic isn't real?!?! But then how am I communicating with you elves in this magic box?

Popmouth wrote:

Well since Magic isn't real, we could really rule out the "realism"-argument!

are u kidding? whats not real about magic?


If u go that way u can just say i play my 5meter tall 8 armed goblin. Nothing is real what we argue about in Mordheim not even the kind of humans.

Keylan wrote:

Nothing is real what we argue about in Mordheim not even the kind of humans.

Tell that to the Middenheimers outside my office giving me dirty looks.

Those aren't Middenheimers, they're just dirty winos. But I can see why you'd get confused.

Rules as written spells can be cast while in close combat, although it is worth noting that I think normal targeting restrictions would apply (i.e. you can't target someone outside of the combat). Area-effect spells like Word of Pain, on the other hand, will just hit everyone in range.

Part of me agrees with Knightei, but then as mweaver points out magic users are already a bit of an underpowered class in Mordheim (at least in my opinion/experience), not to mention that very rarely do you run into more than 1 per warband, tops. Add to that spells like Clubba, which are very specifically designed for use in close combat. Does my orc shaman really have to cast it a full round before he engages in melee? Why not when he charges?

So in that sense I just don't really see the use in limiting them further.

Well I think hero's original question is well answered.
You are allowed to cast spells, when in hand to hand combat.
Unless the specific spell states that it is not.