Section 4.0: Aerospace Operations4.1.1 Aerospace FormationsQ: Can you draw a Crossfire to or from an Aerospace formation?
A: Yes and No. An Aerospace formation in flight cannot claim a Crossfire bonus (see section 4.2.2) and it cannot be used by another formation to generate a Crossfire bonus (see section 4.1.1). But an Aerospace formation that was landed is considered to be a ground unit and could both claim the Crossfire bonus and also be used by other formations to generate the Crossfire bonus.
Section 4.2: AircraftQ: Due to the extremely flexible nature of the aircraft rules it is possible for an aircraft to end its move in the middle of an enemy formation, in order to ensure that a specific target is allocated hits before other models. Is this legal?
A: This tactic is sometimes referred to as ‘Aircraft Sniping’ and although not against the letter of the rules it is against their intent. Because of this it’s a tactic that players should avoid if they want to play the game in the right spirit. Instead of a detailed (and rather complex) rule to get round the problem, we recommend that if an aircraft ends its move within an enemy formation then any fire is treated as coming from the direction of approach rather than its final position.
Q: If I have multiple Thunderbolt formations on CAP I can only send one to intercept an enemy ground attack, correct?
A: Yes. From section 4.2 of the rules: No more than one formation that is on cap may intercept a formation that makes a ground attack mission.
Q: Can aircraft on CAP intercept air assaults as well as ground attacks?
A: Yes, air assaults and landing are considered special types of ground attacks.
Q: Can more than one formation on CAP engage an enemy, or can I counterattack a formation on CAP orders with my own CAP formation?
A: No and no.
Q: Is it allowed for an aircraft to choose a STAND DOWN action?
A: Yes, if you want to take a Stand Down action you can, it's on the list of actions under 4.2.
Q: Do aircraft get a BM for failing an activation?
A: No (they lose all BM after activating pass or fail anyway)
Q: If an aircraft has travelled more than 30cm during its approach move but not made a turn can it then turn immediately when it does its disengagement move?
A: No. The aircraft's movement does not carry over after the approach move. In this case the aircraft would have to move the minimum 30cm during its disengagement move before it could turn again.
Q: When an air formation begins its disengagement move, would I be right in thinking that the formation has to move again BEFORE making its first turn.
A: Yes.
4.2.2 Aircraft AttacksQ: Do aircraft that attack ground formations suffer to hit modifiers for cover?
A: Yes.
4.2.3 Anti-Aircraft AttacksFor Flyer transport War Engine rules see also 3.2.1
Q: If an air Transport gets attacked by Flak during an Air Assault can it still jink and still participate in the Assault?
A: Yes. The rule for jinking (4.2.3) does not specify any other effect of jinking other than the aircraft losing its attack so there would be no other effect of jinking other than this. Also, note that most air transports are bombers and cannot jink.
Q: How are landed aircraft attacked by other units? Can you use AA weapons against them?
A: No. While landed, the aircraft counts for all rules purposes as a ground unit, not an aircraft.
Q: What happens to units that are in a landed aircraft when it is destroyed? The relevant rule phrase: ‘If the transport is destroyed while carrying units, then any transported troops are lost with it (no saves in this case!)’
A: The previous answer would apply – while landed it doesn’t count as a aircraft.
4.2.4 Flak AttacksQ: If a formation has Blast Markers and wants to fire its AA weapon(s) at an enemy air formation, but the only unit that has the range or the LOF to that enemy is the AA unit, is the AA unit suppressed?
A: All ground units are considered to have an LoF to air units so all the units in the formation, not just the AA unit, would be considered to have an LoF to the aircraft formation. If the AA unit is the only unit in the formation that is in range of the aircraft then it would be suppressed. If other units in the formation were in range then they could be considered valid Suppression targets, not just the AA unit. Note that a unit can be suppressed when firing at an aircraft even if it has no AA attack value.
Q: If an IG Infantry Company with a Hydra upgrade has one Blast Marker, can the Hydra fire at aircraft?
A: The normal Suppression rules apply when making Flak attacks. However, please note that any units in the formation may be suppressed, even if they don’t have AA weapons, just so long as they are within range and LoF of the aircraft unit with at least one weapon. Apply suppression ‘from back to front’ as normal.
Q: Suppression is applied from the rear of the formation relative to the A/c (the furthest unit from the aircraft) irrespective of whether that unit has AA capability or not, is that right?
A: Correct, as long as they have range and LOF.
Q: Ork Fighta Bommers make a ground attack. When my Hydra battery fires its Flak attack only one of the three Hydras are in range of the Fighta Bommers . I shoot with that one. When the Fighta Bommers disengage at the end of the turn the aircraft come within range of the other two Hydras in the formation. Am I permitted to fire the other two Hydras because those units did not previously shoot at that enemy formation?
A: Yes. The rules in 4.2.4 specify that a unit cannot fire on an aircraft more than once so in this case the other two Hydra units would be allowed to fire if the aircraft came into range when they disengaged but not the first Hydra which had already fired on them during the approach move
Q: A formation of Ork Fighta Bommers attacks a formation that has a Hydra attached to it. The Fighta Bommers are also intercepted by two Thunderbolts. What is the order of fire for the Thunderbolts, Hydras, Fighta Bommers AA and Fighta Bommers ground attack?
A: Each formation is allowed to make its Flak attacks after each new air unit has finished its approach move. The attacks would then be resolved in the reverse order that they were initiated following the rule of approach, flak, attack. So the Fighta Bommers would get a Flak attack at the end of the Thunderbolts approach move, the Thunderbolts would get their air attack, the remaining Fighta Bommers would then take fire from the Hydras and then the Fighta Bommers would finish their ground attack.
The order of aircraft and flack attacks is
summarised in the following table:
1. Attacking air units activate and move into position.
2. Defending player may "un-CAP" up to one aircraft formation on patrol and move it into position.
3. Attacker's unit ground flak fires at CAP (if applicable).
4. Attacking aircrafts' defensive AA fires (i.e. not just ground flak)
5. Defender's ground flak fires at attacking air units (if applicable).
6. CAP formation fires at attacking air units (if applicable).
7. Attacking air units perform ground attack or assault.
Q: Does the movement have effect on flak? Eg. If I double a unit with AA do I get -1 to hit?
A: No modifiers for movement. It's just a free attack. The only formation statuses that affects flak fire are marching or being broken, which negate the attack entirely.
4.2.5 Transporting Ground UnitsQ: Can an aircraft land in an enemy ZoC?
A: Only if they are making an Air Assault. In such a situation the aircraft could land right in the middle of a formation, and, assuming it was a War Engine, it could barge enemy units out of the way in order to make space in which to land.
Q: Do troops held off board in an aircraft Transport have to be deployed on the first turn? Or can they come on whatever turn you wish?
A: They can be deployed on any turn.
Q: The rules say the following about units that are picked up by Transport aircraft: “Any units that are picked up and transported off the table may later return to play in the same transport aircraft”. If the unit had the Teleport ability could it choose to return to play by teleporting instead?
A: No.
Q: Can aircraft like Marauders land?
A: No. Only aircraft with the Transport ability can land. From section 4.2.5 Landing: Aircraft with a Transport capability can land after making their approach move and having being fired upon by any enemy flak.
Q: If you have a landed Thunderhawk (or indeed any transport aircraft) that didn't leave the table can it conduct any normal action on the turn after (ie, take off, fly along a bit then ground attack something?) or are they only allowed to make a disengagement move.
A: The crucial part of the rules in my mind is 4.2.5 (Landing subheading - 2nd paragraph):
"Once landed, the aircraft is treated in all ways as a ground unit with a speed of 0..."
This means that the aircraft can, assuming it started the turn on the board (or enters by planetfall), perform any action that a ground unit can (i.e. Advance, Engage, Double, March, Marshal, Overwatch, Sustained Fire and Hold). Obviously with a move of 0, some of these are pointless. It may NOT make an aircraft action, it doesn't count as an aircraft until the end of the turn, at which point it may make a disengagement move as normal.
Q: What happens to Fearless aircraft that lose an assault?
A: Fearless aircraft are immune to the automatic destruction and are instead treated as any Fearless ground unit.
Q: It is possible for an aircraft to assault into a formation which is completely covered by the Zones of Control of a formation of Scout units. That would force the dismounting troops to enter the ZoC of the scout formation, which is not allowed. How should this work?
A: In general, treat this as if the unloading formation is starting a move in enemy ZoC. They are already Engaging the target formation, so that requirement is met. The other requirement is that they must attempt to move out of the enemy ZoC. Keep in mind that as enemy units are contacted, they lose their Zone of Control.
[list=][*]If the dismounting troops enter a target's ZoC, they must attempt to reach base contact with that unit, per the charge rules.
[*]If the dismounting troops can move out of all enemy ZoC (avoiding the target's ZoC entirely and escaping the screening ZoC), they may choose to do so instead of charging to base contact.
[*]If the dismounting troops cannot escape all enemy Zones of Control, they must attempt to reach base contact with the target formation.[/list]
4.3 SpacecraftQ: Do Spacecraft count for the Break Their Spirit goal if they are the most expensive formation in an army?
A: No. Spacecraft (or any off-board units or formations) do not count towards goals.
Q: The spaceship and drop pod Deathwind rules are somewhat confusing with respect to what constitutes a "firing action" and how BMs for "coming under fire" would be placed. How does Spacecraft and drop pod fire work?
A: Spacecraft attacks generate a single "BM for coming under fire" just as if any other multi-attack unit hits a target. It's analogous to a titan which fired both a barrage weapon and direct fire.
The rules for Drop Pods state explicitly that each formation creates a BM for "coming under fire" for all enemy formations in range of the Deathwind, exactly as if the attacks come from a separate formation. Note, this means a formation hit by a spacecraft barrage and 2 Deathwind attacks will receive 3 BMs for coming under fire, plus any additional BMs for casualties.
There is no clear rules answer about when to apply BMs and check for broken formations, but the best analogy is the bonus BMs for a massive barrage. With that approach, all fire (spacecraft and all Deathwind attacks) woudl be treated as a single, mass "firing action." Apply all BMs generated by all fire as directed, then check for broken formations only after all firing is complete.
Q: The order of resolution for drop pods can make a difference, e.g. if a scout unit is killed by a Deathwind attack, the loss of Zone of Control might clear the area for a different drop pod to land. What is the order of resolution for spacecraft and drop pod attacks?
A: The spacecraft rules state that Planetfall occurs after the spacecraft fires. Each formation is placed and scattered (and any dismounting decisions made) before moving to the next planetfall formation. The SM Drop Pod rules state that the Deathwind attacks occur after the formation has been placed but before the marines dismount, so those attacks would "interrrupt" the placement order. Drop Pods are placed sequentially after the previous pod and deathwind have been resolved.
So that's 1) Spacecraft attacks, 2) Place and scatter Drop Pod, 3) Deathwind attacks, Repeat 2 and 3 as needed. The spacecraft player may choose the order in which the planetfalling formations are resolved. Note, this does allow a certain level of "peeling the onion" as Deathwind attacks can clear the way for follow-on formations.
Keep in mind the effects of casualties and BMs are resolved at the end of the spacecraft's activation, i.e. formations do not break in the middle of a wave of drop pod attacks. While this keeps a formation from being able to retreat, it also means that the Marine player may not use their drop pod placement to try to catch broken formations in order to get the "hackdown" kills from blast markers on broken formations.[/quote]
4.3.3 Orbital BombardmentsQ: Do formations that are under an Orbital Bombardment template receive a Blast Marker for being shot at?
A: Yes.
Q: Under section 4.3.3 of Orbital Bombardments it states: “Take one of the templates and place it with its centre at the co-ordinates you recorded at the start of the battle. Place the two other templates so they are touching the first one…” Does this mean that the minimum number of templates for an orbital bombardment is three and can go up to five depending on the size of the bombardment?
A: No. They get the same number of templates as it says on the Barrage Table in section 1.9.8.
Section 4.4: PlanetfallQ: Do the Space Marine and Chaos Space Marine Drop Pod figures represent an actual unit or are they just a marker to indicate a landing location?
A: They are just used to represent the location of the Planetfall.
Q: Let’s say I have a Battle Kroozer. I also happen to have four Ork Landas. Do all have to land within 15cm of the same drop zone marker or is it possible to set up multiple drop zones? Or is the only way to have multiple drop zone markers to get multiple spacecraft?
A: Each transport formation may have its own drop zone. In this example there could be up to four drop zones, one for each Landa. If you use multiple drop zones, you will need to record clearly which Landa is allocated to each drop zone.
Q: Can Flak attacks be made against units using Planetfall?
A: No.
Q: Can units transported by Planetfall (for example Assault troops in a Thunderhawk) disembark as soon as the transporting unit lands?
A: The intent of the Planetfall rule is that units landing via Planetfall get to land for free early in the turn, and then function as if they had been on the table since the start of the turn. This means that they can take their action later in the turn, as they won't have used it up yet - they are literally counted as having done nothing during the current turn.
Units on board WE or other transport can choose to disembark immediately when they land or they can remain on board. If they choose to remain loaded they act as a normal mounted formation. Regardless of the choice to disembark or remain embarked, the formation may take an action on the turn it lands, as the process of landing and disembarking is free - in other words, just a way to get the units onto the table as part of the spacecraft’s activation. Note if a formation chooses to remain embarked on a War Engine transport, 3.1.3 will apply as normal.
Q: If a formation fails to activate and they are still in a vehicle that entered play using the rules for planetfall, can they deploy in a chain up to 15cm from the vehicle and then make a move (as part of the Hold Action they can take) or can
they only move as per the regular activation/order rules?
A: There is one critical point to make before I answer the question: the special rules that apply to Space Marine drop pods do not apply to other units using the planetfall rules; they only apply to drop pods. Units in drops pods may not choose to stay on board (they must disembark on landing) and only units in drop pods get to deploy up to 15cms from the unit they landed in; units disembarking from other planetfall vehicles must disembark normally, using the normal rules.
Q: Does Planetfall trigger Overwatch?
A: Landing does not count as movement for the purposes of triggering enemy overwatch fire. Disembarking triggers overwatch fire as normal.