Crowded landing pad

[Quixus]

I was wondering if there were limits to the units on a Skyshield Landing Pad beyond the usual (space and proximity restrictions). Can you for instance deploy a Stormraven (ready for take off) and a unit of Devastators on the pad?

 

One other thing, fortifications are deployed with your army, not with the rest of the terrain (i.e. before deployment), right?

[Dam13n]

The top of a landing pad is open ground, not battlements, so there is no limit on how many models / units can be placed upon it except the usual space and proximity restrictions.  (See Stronghold Assault)

[Quixus]

That does not change even if the landing pad is in shielded configuration, right? Could a flyer move off the landing pad even when it is in shielded configuration?

[Dam13n]

The configuration only affects the special rules, not the terrain type.  Regardless of it's configuration, it remains "open ground", so a unit can move onto / off of the landing pad regardless of configuration.  There is more to it (regarding difficult / dangerous terrain tests), but this is covered in the rules in Stronghold Assault pretty clearly.

[Quixus]

Sorry, but I'm still not clear how to move a hovering flyer (i.e. fast skimmer) from a shielded landing pad.

 

Skimmers freely move over all terrain unless they start or end their movement in difficult terrain, in which case they must take a dangerous terrain test.

The Landing pad claims that moving onto or off the pad counts as moving through difficult terrain. It does not say that the terrain where the skimmer sits at the start of the move is/counts as difficult terrain.

 

So if the skimmer moves from the shielded pad to open ground elsewhere, it did not start or end its movement in difficult/dangerous terrain, so it should not need to take a dangerous terrain test.

 

The unfurled configuration however implies that the skimmer should have to take that test in the shielded configuration. Otherwise there would be no difference whether Jump units, Jet Pack units, Jetbikes and Skimmers move onto or off a shielded or unfurled landing pad.

[Dam13n]

If it's move takes it from on top of the unfurled pad to anywhere off the pad it would take a difficult (dangerous) terrain test, or vice versa.

 

I suspect the explanation is that the unit is having to pass through the power field in order to move and there's a risk of said field interfering and causing a crash / malfunction.

 

The landing pad's rules will over-ride the Skimmer rules by virtue of being in an expansion, rather than in the main rulebook.

 

Your last sentence is hitting the RAI nail on the head.  Why would GW bother to put that sentence in if those unit types wouldn't have had to take difficult (dangerous) terrain tests in the alternate configuration?  Answer - they wouldn't, so the implication is that if the pad is shielded, those units must take those tests if they try and move onto or off it.

[Quixus]

If it's move takes it from on top of the unfurled pad to anywhere off the pad it would take a difficult (dangerous) terrain test, or vice versa.

I'm totally on board with the RAI, however the RAW is as I wrote above.

Leaving the pad counts as moving through difficult terrain, but neither the pad nor the end point of the move are difficult terrain (unless you deliberately go to such a point). The landing pad neither has a rule that makes those points difficult terrain, nor does it say that this move through difficult terrain is to be treated any different form any other move through difficult terrain. So any unit that is only inconvenienced by terrain if either of those points are difficult terrain would not be inconvenienced at all.

 

I guess it is another case of GW being unable to write clear rules.

[Carlson793]

When taking off, they have to be careful of various items on the ground to avoid crashing.

 

Hollywood examples:

 

Superman (1978) - Helicopter is taking off from the roof of the Daily Planet and snags an electrical cable that has popped it's bracket, crashing and dangling off the edge of the building. (failed Dangerous Terrain Test)

 

Aliens (1986) - Dropship is trying to escape imminent nuking of LV-426. The minor explosions around them cause the landing gear to catch a railing, but Bishop is able to clear it and make for orbit. (successful Difficult Terrain Test)

[Quixus]

I'm not disputing the fluff or the RAI, I'm just wondering whether the RAW actually matches. Right now I'm not seeing it.

 

Nowhere do the rules say that the landing pad itself (more importantly the part of the pad the skimmer is on) is difficult/dangerous terrain. So unless the skimmer ends its movement in difficult/dangerous terrain it did not start or end its movement in difficult terrain. As such it would not need to take a dangerous terrain test. As always skimmer are not slowed by difficult terrain and thus get their full movement.

[Ming]

I'd bet my dice that always roll 1's that GW intended there to be a dangerous terrain check if you flew off the pad with the shield (and sides) up.  Heck, the last time I played vs a guy using the pad, he quit the tournament when I asked to have a cover save because he was shooting from the pad through his own units...it had nothing to do with the pad, the guy was wired on angry pills...maybe he should have been on the pad himself.

 

Regardless, GW's terrain features were meant more to "forge the narrative" rather than be part of tournament play...I'd clarify the rules with my opponent before using...its only a 1:6 chance there would be an effect RAI or RAW, or RAA.  

 

The neat thing about this thread is that you brought this up...I had no idea...

[Quixus]

What's RAA?

[Ming]

Rules as assumed...some people just never read them, LOL...