Deploying loaded transports on the board

[Quixus]

Since at least half of your army has to be deployed on the board, I wonder does a transport with an embarked unit count as one or two units for the purpose of determining the half.

[Jolemai]

It counts as one. There's a small paragraph in the sidebar on transports with regards to deployment.

[Eddie Orlock]

I'm not sure it's quite that simple. The side bar on pg 183 does note that the units that start the game embarked are considered set up at the same time as the transport, it's a little less explicit about whether or not the transported units are technically 'at the battlefield'.

 

I think we could argue some ambiguity around the second paragraph under 'Embark' and all that it talks about embarked units being unable to do anything or be affected whilst embarked. The 'set up' language is consistent with text otherwise used for the various deep strike mechanics.

 

Also, the deployment note for transports on 183 also only makes specific comment about with respect to counting if a unit is deployed or not, not specifically where the unit is deployed.

 

Examining the Tactical Reserve rule in the Matched Play Mission Rules sidebar on pg 215 it refers to units having the ability to be set up elsewhere. We could read this as the only units susceptible to not counting as present are those with innate abilities, but this does open a question about deep striking transports and other methods of granting alternate deployment modes.

 

With this in mind lets cross reference to an example unit, the drop pod. The drop pods set up rules make note that the unit embarked is also considered set up in the same stand by location as the drop pod. This would seem to imply that it does count as a separate unit set up in that location.

 

So, with the drop pod's text in mind and generalising, I'd infer that the unit set up in the transport counts for enumeration purposes as a separate unit in the same location as the transport, either on or off the battlefield so far's determining if half the army is on the field or not at the start of the game. Units in drop pods won't, units in deployed rhinos will count as deployed to the field.

[Quixus]

So, with the drop pod's text in mind and generalising, I'd infer that the unit set up in the transport counts for enumeration purposes as a separate unit in the same location as the transport, either on or off the battlefield so far's determining if half the army is on the field or not at the start of the game. Units in drop pods won't, units in deployed rhinos will count as deployed to the field.

That's what I hoped. So a stormraven carrying a character, a unit and a dreadnought deployed on the table counts as four units on the table, right?

Edited June 28, 2017 by Quixus

[Jolemai]

No, it counts as one. From the Designer Notes:

The Battlewagon example is one unit during Deployment. It cant count as one on the table and more than one off the table as you because you deploy it into reserves - so you still deploy the transport and say what's embarked.

As you're only putting transports down (and not the contents), only the transports count towards any number for determining half.

[Quixus]

Those are two separate issues IMHO. One is for the sequence of deploying and one is for how many units may start off the board.

[Jacinda]

I see it as one deployment choice just like the designer notes say.  That does not change the fact that there may be more than one unit in that deployment choice.  I think they made it clear by distinguishing between units (plural) and a deployment choice (singular) that after deployment they are in fact multiple units.  They are not seperate deployment choices but they are seperate units.

[Quixus]

I agree, which means the single deployment choice of a stormraven, character, infantry unit, dreadnought allows you to put 4 units in reserves.

[Claws and Effect]

Related question:

 

When it says "half of your army", does that mean half the points or half the units?

[Quixus]

"half your army " is just paraphrasing the rule, the rule actually says

 

at least half the total number of units in your army must be set up on the battlefield

[TheWolfLord]

I agree, which means the single deployment choice of a stormraven, character, infantry unit, dreadnought allows you to put 4 units in reserves.

That's my opinion too.

 

It says half of your army not half of your deployment choices.

[OutlawSixActual]

This doesn't pass the smell test for me.  Are we saying that a unit in a transport is considered in reserves?

[Jacinda]

Only if the transport is deployed in reserves.

 

What we are saying is that the transport and all units in it are deployed together at once but still count as seperate units when determining how many units are on the battle and how many are not.

 

In Quiixus example, after deploying the Stormraven and its embarked units in reserves, they would need at least 4 other units setup on the table. 

[TheWolfLord]

Only if the transport is deployed in reserves.

 

What we are saying is that the transport and all units in it are deployed together at once but still count as seperate units when determining how many units are on the battle and how many are not.

 

In Quiixus example, after deploying the Stormraven and its embarked units in reserves, they would need at least 4 other units setup on the table.

 

However the same Stormraven and embarked units would count as a single deployment choice for determining who gets first turn.

[OutlawSixActual]

Ah! Okay, makes perfect sense.

 

So, just so we all agree and to avoid any other confusion, if we had an army consisting of two tactical squads, with one embarked in a rhino on table and the other embarked in a drop pod off board, then this would be legal for matched play, correct?

[Jacinda]

Yes

[Adeptus]

The Battlewagon example is one unit during Deployment. It cant count as one on the table and more than one off the table as you because you deploy it into reserves - so you still deploy the transport and say what's embarked.

This is rules.

 

As you're only putting transports down (and not the contents), only the transports count towards any number for determining half.

This is opinion.

 

If you have a Stormraven deployed on the table with a unit, a character and a dreadnought embarked, then that is four units on the table. Not one.