Can models climb?

[Lightmass]

So we have a table at the LGS and is supposed to be like a little beach, with sand on one side and grassland on the other, the problem is that he built a 2" sheer cliff right down the middle of the board, can we still use this board? How are units supposed to get at each other? Climb? Jump off a cliff?

[juckto]

The rules don't cover that. The closest they have is a obstruction less than 1" high. You'll have to come up with a house rule.

I would say that a model may climb up/down at a cost of 2", plus whatever is required to get their base width onto the other side. I would say it can't be charged across (even by pathfinders) unless you have flight. I would say models on one level cannot engage or be engaged by models on the other level.

[Michael]

As to that particular piece of terrain:
It depends on how you define the terrain. Honestly, you could say it's a "rolling hill" and then you play it like a "rolling hill". You could likewise decide that it's shallow water, or open terrain, or anything else you wish. (It might just seem rather weird.)

As for the more general question of "Can models climb?":
Sure they can. This game has volume, after all. If you want to climb a ladder (for example), then the rules for "Movement" cover this perfectly well.

...
Make all measurements from the front of an advancing model's base. Determine the distance a model advances by measuring how far the front of its base travels. ...

Nothing in movement specifies that this distance can't be "up".

[solkan]

Nothing in movement specifies that this distance can't be "up".

On the other hand, if the direction is "vertically straight down", it's generally "free" movement if the model pays in damage instead.

But, yeah, to be more serious, a cliff falls under one very important rule:

Players must discuss the terrain setup and agree on the characteristics for different terrain features prior to deploying their armies. Decide which terrain features grant cover or concealment, which provide elevation and at what level, which are impassable, and so on. It is vital to understand the rules for all terrain features in play before the start of the game; developing the habit of discussing terrain before the game will help you avoid unnecessary disagreements and misunderstandings during play.

The rest of the terrain rules are essentially just defining key types and attributes of terrain features, so that everyone knows what the rules mean when the rules say obstacle, and that two players can point to something, say "That's an obstacle" and know what each other means. But you can still put down a piece of styrofoam and say, "Let's treat this side like an obstacle because it has a steep edge, and treat the other sides like a hill because those edges are gradual."

Is that cliff that you have something that only warrior models can climb? Is it something that warjacks and warrior models can climb? Is it instead something that even cavalry can climb? If so, are there any movement modifiers when traveling either way? The answer to each of those question is "Whatever you agree is the case."

Question about terrain are questions that the two people playing the game (or their event organizer) have to decide and know the answer to.

[PG_ICleadpeople]

This is something that can be decided before the game starts. You are not going to find a rule for evey terrain situation.

[Seventhprophet]

Personally I would build some popsicle stick ramps and bring em with you to the store. Call it a day.

[Wishing]

Tables with large areas of impassable or difficult terrain can be quite interesting to play on, but there does need to be some way of traversing it so that the two armies can actually fight. I remember for a tournament many years ago we made a grand canyon-like table that was dominated by a giant hill that took up most of the table, which was split in two by a ravine. But there were lots of ways on and off the sides of the hill and into the ravine, so the games would be dynamic and interesting as the forces had lots of ways of approaching each other either in cover or in the open.

In the OP's case, I'd suggest saying that climbing up or down the central cliff face is difficult terrain that takes up 2" of movement, or something to that effect.

[Valander]

There are no rules for climbing in the book. Feel free to agree on any terrain effects and special rules with your opponent before the game, though.