Can someone explain melee?

[Skidoosh]

Hey, so I know this all factors in dice rolls and such but my melee guys die in EVERY encounter usually in the first or second hit.

I dont understand how my sargeant with a badass sword dies immediately fighting the most basic genestealer up close.

If someone could explain it in better detail for me I would greatly appreciate it, for now I just dront trust it over using bolters. I have a phobia for power fists now.

[Artcake]

Genestealers rolls 3 dice with 6 faces, terminators 1 dice.

The highest scores from each side are compared, the one with the highest score kills his opponent, in case they both roll an equal dice rolls, it is a draw.

Attacking a terminator in the back gives a +1 to the Genestealers roll, also if the terminator wins in this way, he cannot kill his opponent, instead he gets an immediate free turn to see his opponent.

Seargent gets a +1 because of his sword, and forces his opponent to re-roll his highest dice (or re-roll one of his own, I can never remember which is which).

[Skidoosh]

Thank you, I suppose I have just been having horrible luck as of late.

Genestealers have 3 dice and terminators have 1? Damn they are scary.

[Artcake]

Yup... however if you roll a 6, regardless of what the genestealers rolls is an automatic kill for the seargent (6+1= 7 and there is no dice that can beat 7 :) ).

Bottom line is, you do not want to melee with Terminators, with the exception of placing on guard your hammer+shield guy or the Claws guy, going for a melee frontal assault is terribly risky, even suicidal.

[T!wysta`]

Lightning Claws + The Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield have modifiers too.

Thunder Hammer gives + 1 to your highest dice roll and the Storm Shield takes away one of the genestealers dice.
And being that the thunder hammer is normally always on your sergeant that's an additional +1, so you get a +2 modifier.

Lightning Claws get a +1 modifier and something else... I forget what now... I'm sure someone here knows xD

[Artcake]

Originally posted by T!wysta`:

And being that the thunder hammer is normally always on your sergeant that's an additional +1, so you get a +2 modifier.

I am not sure that is accurate, the sergeant has a Power Sword, which is a +1, unless I am forgetting something.

Could be wrong but I think the claws gives you 1 more dice to roll... *Sigh* gotta re-read the rules, it's been over a month since I last played it :(

In any case the most reliable guy you have in melee is hammer+shield guy.

[SimplySarcastic]

gideon (hammer and shield guy) is also a sergeant

[SimplySarcastic]

also the librarian (while he has psi left) is even more reliable in melee then gideon

[Artcake]

Originally posted by Reaper:

gideon (hammer and shield guy) is also a sergeant

I completely forgot that...!

Or maybe I honestly did not know... does it mean he can also give you re-rolls on your CP?

[SimplySarcastic]

yes. gideon and lorenzo are the only two that allow cp reroll

[jackx]

In the Sin of Damnation campaign, the thunderhammer/stormshield combination is used by teh 2nd Sergeant, Gideon, and thus quite potent, particularly when combined with guard (allows the terminator to re-roll one dice if attcked).

Lightning claws get 2 dice, and a +1 to the higher result. As with the thunderhammer and stormshield, they're most effective when used with guard, but the additional +1 from the sergeant puts the latter ahead.

With the way the automated re-rolls work, they're also at a greater disadvantage than single-dice weapons and the power sword parry, as with 2 dice, they have the largest probability of re-rolls where the outcome can never be worse, but which the game doesn't take.

I.e. GS highest result is a 5. LC rolls a 4 and a 2. This is a draw. A human player would now re-roll the 2, for a 33% chance at a kill. The game in this situation doesn't seem to re-roll at all.


All the weapon special effects, like power sword parry, storm shield etc. are only applicable when facing the opponent, you don't get to use them if flanked or attacked from the rear.

The Librarian is technically un-killable in melee with enough psi, but using him for melee is a last resort, as a bad roll can still drain a lot of psi. He's generally better off preventing melee (and genestealer movement in general) with his force barrier.

[Artcake]

Originally posted by jackx:

I.e. GS highest result is a 5. LC rolls a 4 and a 2. This is a draw. A human player would now re-roll the 2, for a 33% chance at a kill. The game in this situation doesn't seem to re-roll at all.

Could it be a result already calculated with the re-roll?

[jackx]

The battle log specifically states when a re-roll occurs in other situations, so I doubt that.

[Artcake]

I think this is one of the many small disadvantages of the videogame, like being unable to interrupt enemy turn to use CP or choose when to use them.

[Badda Boom]

Calistarius - as long as he has psi points - is a killing machine. He will automatically charge his force axe so it kills the enemy Genestealer. But once he runs out.......

[NecronomiconUK]

Originally posted by BlackRabbit:

Attacking a terminator in the back gives a +1 to the Genestealers roll, also if the terminator wins in this way, he cannot kill his opponent, instead he gets an immediate free turn to see his opponent..

There's no +1 bonus for attacking from behind in 3rd Edition Space Hulk, I'm pretty sure there isn't in the game either.