CRB p.203
At sample of Grunt are individual grunts with atributes, skills, AR and also with Condition Monitor.
is it only an individual? Correct?
On this page you have example of individual grunt stats, yes.
CRB p114
The group of grunts, for example 3, for simplicity acts as one.
They have each one, club AR6. CM9, Agility2, Close combat 3.
Then they have,as group AR8 and close combat pool 6.
On this page you have optional rules to speed up combat where you group multiple individual grunts into one single grunt group, yes.
Highest attack rating of any one individual in the group is 6
Highest attack test dice pool of any one individual in the group is currently 5 (agility 2 + close combat 3)
Currently none of the groups member have any negative dice pool modifiers from wounds or status effects etc.
Two additional members in the group mean +2 AR for a total of 6+2=8
For every odd member except first add a positive dice pool modifier of 1 dice 5+1=6 dice
Just as you typed.
What their CM?
Group rules apply when the group is attacking.
Group rules does not apply when the group is being attacked.
Instead each individual grunt have one individual condition monitor track of 8 + (half body or half willpower whichever is highest) and suffer wound modifiers for every 2 full boxes of damage. Both stun and physical damage is tracked on the same single condition monitor track.
When it comes does wound modifiers you still take the highest dice pool of all the groups member and then add a positive dice pool modifier of +1 for each odd member (excluding the first).
For example; If one member of the group is unhurt and the other two have 4 boxes of damage (stun or physical, doesn't matter) then the group will still attack with a dice pool of 6 dice.
...but also note the optional "Here comes the Reaper" rules on p. 203 where an individual grunt might give up after a single wound and/or where all rolls against them are treated as simple tests rather than opposed tests.
For example; If we have the same scenario as above, one member of the group is unhurt and the other two have 4 boxes of damage then they are no longer part of the group and the single member now have an AR of 6 instead of 8 and a dice pool of 5 instead of 6 (and will also not roll to avoid getting hit or resist spells).
If you track CM individually (and status effects such as Zapped), you'd basically have to apply the greatest penalty to the group.
Why?
As I am reading it you only apply individual wound modifiers and individual status effects on the whole group when they are directly affecting the highest dice pool of all its members:
SR6 p. 114 Grunt Groups
For a group of grunts, determine the highest Attack test dice pool ... of its members.
...
For every odd-numbered member of the group beyond the first, add 1 die to the Attack test dice pool.Grunt groups don't necessarily have a combined CM, but I know some GMs just use a combined CM for fleeing and penalty purposes.
What MC is saying is that rule-wise a grunt group does not have a combined CM.
In a grunt group each grunt still have their own individual condition monitor track
(but each individual grunt only have one combined track where you track both stun and physical damage).
