Shouldn't all drop pods hit, and shoot, simultaniously?

Then after attacking you should apply BM's for casualties > Then formations should disembark.

That order would clarify how to do overwatch, no?

Essentially, shouldn't the drop pods, and any barrage attack/pin-point attack, all be treated as the space ship's "weapons"?
So simultanious shots, and then you apply BM's. Just like a Titan firing different gun systems.

_________________
Currently doing a plastic scenery kickstarter

Most people seem to want to do each pod as a semi independant event, then check for broken formations after they are all complete.

I'd say yes.

Seems like this semi-independent stuff is only causing rules trouble.

_________________
Currently doing a plastic scenery kickstarter

This is the real question. If all attacks are "spaceship weapons" then you would apply 1 BM for coming under fire regardless of the number of overlapping pods.

It could be done that way and work perfectly fine. Honestly, I would be okay with it either way. I just don't think most groups have used a "one massive attack" interpretation in the past. From Meph's comments it seems that EUK has done pods as separate fire.

And yes, there is an internal conflict there - separate fire for purposes of BMs, but not for purposes of determining when a formation breaks.


Simultaneous would be my personal preference, but the rules are pretty clear - Place planetfall, disembark, place the next planetfall. Deathwinds insert their attack prior to disembarking, so that's "place, attack, disembark, repeat."

EDIT: Also, note that simultaneous attacks would increase the number of attacks. Removing casualties prior to the next round of attacks lowers the number of targets/to-hit rolls.


Doing it in the RAW order doesn't really cause any issue with OW, unless the formation wants to sit through multiple waves (which would clearly have diminishing returns).

I tend to agree Meph. So the sequence would now look something like this:-

1. Spacecraft bombardment takes place. Defending casualties are removed and BMs placed
2. 1st Drop pod arrives
   • Deathwind attack. Defending casualties are removed and BMs placed
   • Attackers disembark
   • OW fire is resolved, potentially with some units surpressed. Attacking casulaties are removed, BMs placed and if Broken, the attackers withdraw
3. 2nd Drop pod arrives - repeat Drop pod actions
4. 3rd Drop pod arrives - etc
5. Once all planet falling attackers are placed on the table, Broken Defenders now Withdraw en masse

Well, this seems to work and is fairly straight forward. Any Defending fomations that get clobbered will end up totally surpressed so reducing OW, while they still exert ZOC to keep the attackers at bay. There is some opportunity for 'peeling the onion' through the removal of casualties, and if the Attacker gets lucky he can exploit the gaps created, reinforcing successes. Finally the Defender gets to withdraw any remnants past known Landing zones

You can remove the "peeling" by doing it like this:

Bombardment/Pin-points (remove casualties and place BMs)
Place and scatter all planetfalls, moving them out of defender ZoC
work out all Deathwind attacks (remove casualties and place BMs)
check for broken defenders
disembark all formations
defender gets to overwatch

I believe that's still a valid interpretation of the rules, it avoids peeling and keeps everything within one activation. Considering Deathwind pods are supposed to be launched before the transport pods it makes sense that their attacks are worked out before disembarking. Also, with the formations all disembarking at once the defender gets their choice of where OW is going to go.

With Deathwind being treated like barrages their might be some overlap with the 15cm radius attack circle. Some units might get hit two or more times, and it might slow things down a bit, but not unbearably so I would think.

_________________
Dave

Blog

NetEA Tournament Pack Website

Squats 2019-10-17