Got the Chaos codex today and sat and read the Lash rules finally for myself, word for word. Here's my reading of them:
Line 1: "A psyker may use this psychic power in the Shooting phase instead of another ranged weapon."
Instead of another ranged weapon, means that they are regarding this weapon to also be a ranged shooting weapon, therefore all contraints for shooting would apply. Selecting a unit in combat is not allowed.
Line 2: "Pick a non-vehicle enemy unit visable to the psyker and within 24", and then take a Psychic test in order to use the power."
So we need line of site and can't use against vehicles. Straight forward enough.
Line 3: "If the test is successful, the target is moved 2D6" by the Chaos player."
Whether the Chaos player physically moves the models or just designates the direction to move the target is open to debate. I would imagine
GW never forsaw people actually touching other people's models therefore it is more likely to be the latter (my opinion).
Target is moved 2D6"... right well let's look at the next sentence in conjunction with this, as most people have argued that the movement is subject to all the movement phase rules.
Line4 : "This move is not slowed by difficult terrain, but dangerous terrain tests are taken as normal."
If it were normal movement then you would test for difficult terrain, therefore I would expect us not to apply normal movement rules and take it as written (and yes I do think Tau jetpacks should move the full
D6 also). Move the target 2D6" and "is not slowed by Difficult Terrain"...
So what is GW's intention by having the Difficult Terrain not affecting the movement in the rule. Was it because they wanted the full 2D6" moved at all times or was it because they didn't want the Chaos player restricted by the terrain when deciding how much of the 2D6" he wanted to use.
Well if the Chaos player was also allowed, like some have claimed, to be able to move the unit in any direction, round in circles, etc; that stipulation about the terrain would not even be needed. He could move it round in a circle then head for the terrain leaving only 2" left to go into it. So I think it points to the target being moved the full 2D6" and in one direction.
If it is the full move the Chaos player has to pick a direction that allows the full 2D6" to be used, so not into other models, not so the path crosses/rounds Impassible Terrain, not off table, etc.
Line 5: "Victims may not be moved off the table, into impassible terrain or within 1" of enemy models."
See how it all fits.
Line 6: "After this the affected unit must take a pinning test."
Only if you are not immune to pinning.
As I've always said, when in doubt always side on the least devastating for your opponent, until such time the rules are cleared up with futher updates.
People are again trying to find gems in the writing that just ain't supported without trying to read more into it than is actually there. Looking for loop holes and trying to get as much cheese for their points as possible. It goes against the nature of the game.
Conclusion:
For now I think the best we can do is compare this, apart from the difficult terrain not affecting the move, to the fallback move. The unit moves as a whole the full distance allowed, each model is moved back within the 'fallback corridor' towards the table edge, in this case in the 'direction corridor' chosen by the Choas player.
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