I think you could save alot of space by simply changing the first line to:

Support Craft

Some units operate above the battlefield, below the airspace used by aircraft, but higher than standard skimmer levels and terrain features.

If you are including every unit type, then the word Unit should be used.

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*double post*

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I think that although the rules don't remove the cover save for infantry next to popped-up skimmers, it's a rare enough occurance that it has quite likely not happened other than in theory.


I could go either way.

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OK another attempt, I will for now include the bit about not being able to take cover using a Support Craft just because it seems logical.

Support Craft

Some units operate above the battlefield, below the airspace used by aircraft, but higher than standard skimmer levels and terrain features.

Support craft are skimmers, which for all line of sight and terrain purposes count as ‘popped up’ at all times. If the Support Craft has a transport option, it may embark and disembark units as normal, embarked units are allowed a save (see 1.7.5) if the Support Craft is destroyed.

Support Craft must always use their Skimmer ability to force a firefight in engagements and Infantry in base contact with a Support Craft may not use it to count as being in cover.

Only a minor change i propose:

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One thing, the rule as written doesn't seem to tackle the problem of a Support Craft War Engine blocking LOS.

So, as it stands, I can have my 'high flying' Manta protecting a Fire Warrior Cadre from shooting, due to 1.9.2 LOFire rules. I don't think that's what the rule intends, but there's nothing to prevent it.

Fix, please.

Morgan Vening

yes, we were discussing this and my main point was this (as underlined):

"Some units operate above the battlefield, below the airspace used by aircraft, but higher than standard skimmer levels and terrain features."

Surely a support craft does not offer the blocking of LOS to other units other than War Engines (if that?)?

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Unfortunately Morgan is correct, war engines block line of sight - nothing about the Support Craft Rule overides that so another amended version below.

Support Craft

Some units operate above the battlefield, below the airspace used by aircraft, but higher than standard skimmer levels and terrain features.

Support craft are skimmers, which for all line of sight and terrain purposes count as ‘popped up’ at all times. If the Support Craft has a transport option, it may embark and disembark units as normal, embarked units are allowed a save (see 1.7.5) if the Support Craft is destroyed.

Support Craft do not block line of sight, must always use their Skimmer ability to force a firefight in engagements and Infantry in base contact with a Support Craft may not use it to count as being in cover.


If this is OK I will include it when I update the Tau army list to v6.32

I like it yme-loc

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Looks good, very clean and precise

Is everyone else Ok with the fudge to embarkation / disembarkation? All other Skimmer transport has to be firmly on the ground to embark or disembark troops - which actually prevents them from popping up, (because they only pop down at the end of the activation, after movement, shooting etc).

Is there a compromise here that could be adopted that operates like the pop-up rule, but in reverse? So a support craft may declare it is popping-down to assault and embark or disembark troops, but pops-up at the end of the activation?
(Note this would prevent troops from embarking under 3.1.3 at the end of their movement, because the craft would not be on the ground).

I like this approach. It keeps it mostly intuitive and as close to existing mechanics as possible, imho.


I am. Justifications are legion - grav chutes, grav lifts, rappelling, winch systems, jump packs/jet packs/skyboards, "popping down" (briefly enough not to need a game mechanic), psychic levitation, Harlequin Flip Belts, short range teleporters, teams of grots running chain-driven elevators...

Keep it simple.

Fair enough.
I do like the idea of Grot powered chain drive elevators. Reminds me slightly of Paternoster technology

It figures this topic would come up AFTER I have submitted for Raiders 2.0 to be printed. I hate all of you.

Moving on.

This is what is in the Raiders 2.0 book:
Support Craft are much like a hybrid between a Skimmer and an Aircraft. They remain high up in the air, hovering over the battlefield, firing over intervening terrain when possible. Support Craft function identically to a Skimmer unit that is always ‘popped up’. Support Craft fire and are fired at normally (i.e. antiaircraft ability is not required). In an assault, Support Craft automatically force a firefight in the same manner Skimmers may choose. It is assumed that Support Craft transports or the troops they carry are appropriately equipped to embark and disembark troops as normal.

And here are the FAQs:
1.1.1 Support Craft
Q. I thought support craft could draw a line of sight to any unit
on the board like aircraft. What changed?
A. The rule changed. Like many things in Epic the rules are
playtested, evaluated, and occasionally changed for balance and
play purposes. The support craft is now designed more closely
to the skimmer than to the aircraft.

Q. How do you determine how high the unit is popped up?
A. Remember that the unit is counted as ‘popped up’ for line-ofsight
purposes only. It is an abstract concept that allows support
craft to fire over intervening terrain as long as that terrain is
closer to the support craft than to the target. It also prevents the
support craft from being unrealistically targeted from behind
buildings (see Core Rules 2.1.13 and available FAQs).

Q. For transport purposes, what is the maximum distance a
transported unit can disembark?
A. 5cm for all unit types. Support craft are not aircraft and do
not benefit from the skimmer/jumpack 15cm disembark rules.