(nealhunt @ Aug. 30 2006,09:12)
QUOTE
Broadsides as infantry could be justified via basing and 40K # of models/wound count (even though I still think the other factors are more compelling*).
The major consideration in that case is that if you are going to count Drones for "wound ?count" in determining unit type, it's not valid to also count them as "ablative armor" to jack up their armor save.
The justification for making them immune to AT fire as infantry would basically be that AT fire directed at them would spend a lot of time picking off shield drones and therefore not affect the combat effectiveness of the stand, just like AT fire killing a trooper or two doesn't substantially affect the combat effectiveness of a traditional infantry stand. ?OTOH, large volumes of lower strength fire, i.e. AP fire, should be much more efficient at eliminating or bypassing the drone defense.**
If that's the route CS decides on, infantry status should be accompanied by a drop in the armor save because the most important aspect of the drones' defense (high ST weapons) has already been taken into account. ?To illustrate that point, the current weapon stats seem to reflect 2 Broadsides per unit. ?With a handful of shield drones 2 Broadsides wouldn't be appreciably tougher than 2-3 Crisis suits with their shield drones and shouldn't have a better save.
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The biggest problem with Broadsides, imho, is not their effectiveness, price, or LV status but the fact that like SM Dreadnoughts, they just don't fit into a comfortable role compared to the rest of the army.
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*similar factors mean I have no objections to the idea of Obliterators being LVs and even thought of stats for them
** not going strictly by 40K rules but by descriptions of how drones work
Disagree with the logic here.
Since we are talking about infantry in E:A at a model level...
Approximately:
5 40K terminators = 1 E:A terminator stand
3 40K BS and 3 drones = 1 E:A BS stand
Caveat: Drones for this purpose will be shield drones as that's all that's really taken with the 40K broadside...
FACT1 : 40K Shield Drones have the same toughness and armor save of the unit they accompany. They also assume the same movement type. They also come with a 4+ invulnerable save.
FACT 2: Broadsides have 2 wounds each. They have a 2+ armor save. They may have a 4+ invulnerable save as an option - but that is not factored here.
FACT 3: Terminators have 1 wound each, 2+ armor save or a 5+ invulnerable save.
+ + +
E:A Stand of TERMYs: Toughness 4 with 2+ armor, 5 wounds
E:A Stand of BS: Toughness 4 with 2+ armor, 9 wounds
Extrapolation: takes more small arms fire to kill a single infantry unit of broadsides than a single infantry unit of Terminators.
+ + +
5 terminators get 5+ invulnerable save in open vs Lascannons (AT fire)
3 BS + 3 Shield Drones get 4+ invulnerables against shots on drones and no save on BS, but first hits go to Drones.
therefore... (rounding enabled)
1 AT hit on termy unit = 1 dead termy
1 AT hit on BS team = 0 BS & .5 Drone
2 AT hit on termy unit = 1 dead termy
2 AT hit on BS team = 0 BS & 1 Drone
3 AT hit on termy = 2 dead termy
3 AT hit on BS team = 0 BS & 1.5 Drone
4 AT hit on termy = 3 dead termy
4 AT hit on BS team = 0 BS & 2 Drone
- - - - -
5 AT hit on termy = 4 dead termy
5 AT hit on BS team = 1 BS & 2 Drone (first time BS damaged)
6 AT hit on termy = 4 dead termy
6 AT hit on BS team = 2 BS & 2 Drone
7 AT hit on termy = Unit Eliminated
7 AT hit on BS team = Unit Eliminated
+ + +
Extrapolation: So you see, BS team with their shield drones are actually better at shielding both AP and AT fire than terminators are.
Only until a unit can score 5 AT hits is even the first BS brought into danger of damage!
+ + +
Now - put both units in 3+ or 4+ cover like they can do in 40K... then tell me which unit lasts longer to both AP and AT fire... the terminators simply don't have a chance by comparison!
+ + +
Furthermore, 3-man BS units usually have 4-6 Shield drones with them, not only 3... I only used three as it was a rounded down median inbetween 2-6!! They are actually even BETTER at shielding damage than the 5 man terminator unit than the above shows.
+ + +
MY OPINION:
No armor reduction is in order, they really are infantry, and they really are just that much better at terminators at shielding damage.
There is no reason to make them LV.
They really should be able to enter the same terrain as other infantry just as they do in core/background. They shouldn't require a special rule to do this.
They shouldn't have to take dangerous terrain tests where other infantry units do not.
Drone rules become simplier with BS as infantry.
BS in transports do not have to be different from crisis if they are all treated as core/background represents them - infantry.
To me: BS fit into a comfortable role just as easily as terminators fit into the infantry role, just as ogryns fit into the infantry role, just as obliterators fit into the infantry role, just as thousand sons fit into the infantry role... just as easy as CRISIS and STEALTHS fit into the infantry role. In fact - they are infantry.
A dreadnought is not what a broadside is. It would be erroneous to compare it to such a vehicle.
+ + +
In short as infantry , we can align with core/background, not imbalance the list, remove special rules, and save verbiage by ironically - making a broadside what it actually is...
Infantry.
)
