I’m trying to wrap my head around the phase timing rules in Warhammer 40K, especially during my Command Phase when playing against a Plague Legion. My opponent wants to use the Melancholic Miasma ability, which can force a Battle-shock test on one of my units as long as it’s within 9″ of his Nurgle units. He argues that since the ability states it can be used in each player’s Command phase, he can activate it at any point during my Command Phase, including during the Battle Shock step.
Here’s what I can activate during my own Command Phase:
– I can use the Hospitaller’s resurrection ability (which is optional),
– and Celestine’s Healing Tears to return models.
The problem is the timing of my opponent’s abilities, like Melancholic Miasma and Plague of Woes. When does he have to declare his use of Plague of Woes? Is it before or after I declare my abilities? I need some clarity on the turn order and how we should be declaring abilities without giving away too much info. If we both declare our effects at the same time, does that lead to confusion? Could multiple interpretations of the rules potentially shield or exploit units, depending on when we trigger these abilities? Any insights would be appreciated!
2 Answers
From what I understand, you can declare abilities one at a time, going back and forth if you prefer. For instance, after you declare the Simulacrum, your opponent can respond with Plague of Woes, then you resolve Celestine’s effects. This should keep both players engaged without giving too much away at once. It can help maintain the element of surprise! Just be clear on what effects are happening and try to visualize the sequence.
I totally get where you’re coming from! The FAQ usually states that when both players have abilities that can trigger, the active player gets to decide the order. So in your case, you would declare your abilities first during your Command Phase. After you’ve done that, your opponent could then activate his abilities in response, like Melancholic Miasma or Plague of Woes. The key thing is that once you’re in the Battle Shock step, only abilities that specifically trigger there can influence the outcome, so manage your activations wisely!
Yeah, but that still raises the question of how much information you’re giving away by declaring everything at once. Shouldn’t you at least allow your opponent to respond?