Planetary Assault

Formations where all of the units have the planetary assault ability, or are transported in units with the ability, start the game in reserve and arrive randomly throughout the game. Roll a die for each of these formations at the start of a turn before placing units with tunneler. In order to arrive a formation must roll equal to or over a number determined by the current turn:

Turn Roll
1 5+
2 4+
3 3+
4 2+
5 1+

If a formation arrives then it must activate in the action phase and cannot delay to a later turn. Before you declare which action the formation will carry out place a unit with the ability anywhere on the table, the opposing player may then move it up to 45cm in any direction so long as it remains on the table. The unit then scatters 2d6cm in a random direction and lands.
If the unit lands off the table move it to the closest point on the table. If the unit lands on terrain that is impassable to it, on top of another unit, or in enemy zone of control then it is moved by the opposing player to the nearest area of clear ground where it can land.
After the unit has landed all other units with the ability must be placed within 5cm of another unit from the formation that has already been placed and within 15cm of the original unit. Any units being transported are now allowed to disembark. Landing does not count as movement for the purposes of triggering overwatch fire. Disembarking triggers overwatch fire as normal. The formation then declares which action it will carry out and rolls its action test.

Entry Point

Each entry point included in an army allows a player to keep up to three formations in reserve and have them enter play via an entry point. These formations may enter play by carrying out an action that allows them to make a move and then measuring their first move from the position that the entry point occupies on the table. A formation may use any of its army's entry points to enter play, not just the one that was “used” to allow it to be kept in reserve. Each entry point may only be used once per turn in this manner.

If a formation in reserve is using an entry point then it may only take actions which involve moving onto the board. If it is prevented from moving onto the board (e.g. the entry point is in enemy zone of control and the formation failed an action test) the formation loses its action. A formation that is unable to move onto the board may take no actions at all. Formations is reserve resolve effects that do not involve activation, such as rallying or critical hit resolutions, as normal.

Planetary Assault

Entry Point

After the Phase III games we've had I'd rather not open up the Tyranid lists to Planetfall. Not only did it seem too deliberate/pre-planned for the bugs but dropping them in the opponents face made for some very quick games. If planetary assault doesn't pan out then swarming will work fine as a good abstraction for mycetic spores.