The rules are clear that a passenger formation in a War-Engine cannot attempt to activate by themselves.
Quote:
3.1.3. While being transported the units may not shoot or carry out any other actions except to rally in the end phase (see 1.14.1).
If the War-Engine moves and shoots, the passengers can disembark and also shoot (if they can), and this counts as the passengers activation for that turn. If the War-Engine engages the passengers can similarly disembark and take part in the assault. They appear to take part in the assault whether they disembark or not: BMs count, numbers count(?), characteristics count(?) and consequences count. If they are themselves broken they cannot disembark. And in the case of the War-Engine assaulting and the passengers disembarking then they considered to have taken their action for the turn.
Quote:
3.1.3. Once the units being transported have mounted up, the war engine can move off with them inside as part of one of its own actions in a subsequent turn. It can dismount the transported units at the end of a move in the same way as a normal transport vehicle (i.e., the units are placed within 5cms of the transport at the end of a move).
Formations that dismount in this way may not take an action in the turn they dismount, but are allowed to either shoot or fight in an assault if the war engine that was transporting it is able to shoot or assault. In both cases, the war engine and the transported units are treated as a single formation until the shooting attack or assault has been resolved. The war engine and the formation that disembarked are treated as being separate formations once the war engine has completely resolved its action.
My question is:
If the passengers have not disembarked as part of an action on the part of the War-Engine, then it appears that they have not lost their action. So if a formation of passengers disembarks as part of a Counter-Charge, have they lost their ability to activate for that turn? The War-Engine certainly has not (assuming it is not broken during the engagement). Assuming the passengers stay disembarked then after the assault they will be separate(d) from the War-Engine, could consolidate by themselves, and subsequently activate independently?
