Go to Ground and Fearless

[Seahawk]

Eldar (and other armies) have a couple ways of gaining Fearless. 

 

- Khaine Awakened: "All friendly units chosen from Codex: Eldar within 12" are Fearless."

- Mental Fortitude: "If the target is falling back, it immediately regroups. It then gains the Fearless special rule for as long as the power lasts."

- Also, Fearless characters can join units that have gone to ground. 

 

Fearless: "Units containing one or more models with the Fearless special rule automatically pass Pinning, Fear and Regroup tests and Morale checks, but cannot Go to Ground..."

 

 

So, a Fearless unit cannot go to ground. Does that mean that such a unit that already has that suddenly become Fearless, also suddenly stops going to ground and can act normally?

[JamesI]

My guess is no. Tbe unit already went to ground, so has to keep the penalty of going to ground.

[Zero_2005]

40K BRB FAQ v1.5, says

"Q: If a unit has the Fearless special rule applied to them while they have Gone to Ground, are the effects of Go to Ground immediately cancelled (for example, if this were to occur at the start of their turn could those units then move, shoot etc. as normal in the appropriate phases?) (p35)

A: Yes."

 

So, as soon as the fearless rule is applied, they are no longer "Gone to Ground" Meaning, if applied before beginning of your player turn, you can move and act normal, as oppose to having to not move.

[infornography]

This rule is actually used by some Tyranid players trying to eke out some degree of relevancy from their genestealers.  The strategy is you infiltrate them ahead of your force and opt to go second.  The other player will probably shoot at the genestealers who then go to ground outside of synapse range.  On the Tyranid players turn, they then move their synapse bubble forward encompassing the GtG genestealers who then pop up and are ready for action as if nothing happened.

 

This strategy isn't a bad one but the genestealers are still unlikely to get to melee before something untoward happens to them and any template weapon can pretty much just wipe them out regardless of going to ground, but at least some people are trying.

[Seahawk]

Didn't spot that one, thanks!

[Kastor Krieg]

That's actually something I made big use of with the Dark Angels DakkaPole lists I ran. It uses cover, so the current Heldrake / Tau / Eldar meta made it obsolete, but previously it was pretty nifty.

Here's how:

2-4 "Tesco" bolter squads (10x, 140 pts each)

Command Squad + + Razorback / Land Raider Crusader (for larget points and more Tacs) + DakkaPole + whatever else

2x (maybe bike) Chaplain

1x Aegis Defense

 

Obviously, you place your Aegis almost midtable, in a slight curve, protecting the middle of your Deployment Zone.

 

If you begin, you move your Tacs 6" ahead, move your Command Razorback / LRC up to 12", just enough it can have cover / LOSblock and share the Dakka beauty with the Aegis area. The Chaplains ride in the Razor / LRC "shadow", losblocked by it. Fire your Tacs if you got anything dakkaworthy in range. If not, Run to the Aegis and Go To Ground (2+ cover, yay!) and wait out shooting. Turn two happens, the Chappies ride to two of the GtG squads and join them, making them Fearless. RISE, RIIIIIISE! MWAHAHAHA. A lot of shooting occurs :D

 

If you're going 2nd, it's even easier, setup behind the Aegis, GtG and join the Chappies for full BS Dakka in Movement.