Flyers with bases: embarking/disembarking

[Indefragable]

Just put together and Anvillus Dreadclaw Drop Pod. It can be set up either in drop pod mode (standing up on its claws) or in flight mode (using the flying base). 

 

From a rules perspective, does it matter which you use? Especially when measuring units that are disembarking and such. The standing-pod mode of placing it on the table has a more circular footprint while the flying stand is more oval. At the end of the day it shouldn't make a huge difference, but it's an odd situation where I can foresee potential issues.

[The Ironic Warrior]

It does matter in terms of disembarking, as the Dreadclaw states that the disembark distance is 2" from the hull (as it includes the drop as part of the distance) and it's a lot easier to hide something behind a Dreadclaw off it's flyer stand, so you could pull cover shenanigans. Best bet is just to put it on the flyer stand when it's zooming, and have it off it when it's hovering.

Edited July 18, 2020 by The Ironic Warrior

[Kizzdougs]

This is a strange one. I love my Dreadclaws and I've always played it that they stay on their stands. It's a Flyer and nothing in the rules says that you take Flyers off their flying stands when they go into Hover mode. Hover mode means that the vehicle is treated exactly like a Fast Skimmer, which also have flying bases.

 

You don't take a Storm Eagle or Fire Raptor off their stands when they go into Hover mode.

 

I've had one opponent ask me to take the Dreadclaws off their stands and I was happy to do it for that game. Off the stands is safer for everyone's minis, easier to remember which of my four Dreadclaws are zooming and which are hovering, easier to hide behind terrain, and better at obscuring models so as to give them better cover.

 

The real problem arrises when it comes to disembarking models. The old rules said "passengers can disembark at ground level within 2" of the hull". This was pretty limiting and impossible if the model was still on the flying stand. The new 'clarified' rules say: Access Points • One access hatch beneath the hull. In practice, you may choose any point at the base of the hull to measure from when disembarking.

 

The disembarking rules say "place the first model in base contact with one of the vehicle's Access Points (including its flying base, if it has one)." The second paragraph says "The model can then make a normal moved - Difficult Terrain tests and Dangerous Terrain test should be taken as normal, but it must end its move wholly within 6" of the Access Point is disembarked from."

 

So the main rulebook says that flyers can measure from the base, but the Dreadclaw entry says measure from the "any point at the base of the hull". Obviously the specific unit entry would usually trump the general rule book, but all of my opponents have allowed me to measure from the base when embarking and disembarking models. Measuring from the hull when it's on a giant flying base is extremely prohibitive, and there is nothing to say that it should be removed from that base.

 

If the Dreadclaw entry removed the line "In practice, you may choose any point at the base of the hull to measure from when disembarking" that would make everything much simpler because there are already rules for how flyers, skimmers, flying bases, and disembarking work in the main rule book 

[Gorgoff]

They added it because they think it is obvious to take it off the flyer base.

Source: they do it in their battle reports.

 

Even more obvious is the fact that not everyone can know that of course which created this kind of situations in which players don't know how to use it. I would allow both variants so everyone can be happy but if you ask me everyone should take it of the flying stand as much as possible.

I've seen several "fly" through rooms or of tables. Not pleasant to watch.

Not pleasant at all.

Grown up men on their knees picking up the pieces of their claws with tears in their eyes.

Edited July 17, 2020 by Gorgoff

[Indefragable]

They added it because they think it is obvious to take it off the flyer base.

Source: they do it in their battle reports.

 

Even more obvious is the fact that not everyone can know that of course which created this kind of situations in which players don't know how to use it. I would allow both variants so everyone can be happy but if you ask me everyone should take it of the flying stand as much as possible.

I've seen several "fly" through rooms or of tables. Not pleasant to watch.

Not pleasant at all.

Grown up men on their knees picking up the pieces of their claws with tears in their eyes.

...considering how fiddly it was to put together, I’d have tears in my eyes too.

 

Rule of Cool I think it would be off it’s flying base for disembarking units.

[Lovecraft0110]

They added it because they think it is obvious to take it off the flyer base.

Source: they do it in their battle reports.

 

Even more obvious is the fact that not everyone can know that of course which created this kind of situations in which players don't know how to use it. I would allow both variants so everyone can be happy but if you ask me everyone should take it of the flying stand as much as possible.

I've seen several "fly" through rooms or of tables. Not pleasant to watch.

Not pleasant at all.

Grown up men on their knees picking up the pieces of their claws with tears in their eyes.

 

I play with two, just scored a third on eBay...and I've had several close encounters, but thankfully no disasters yet...(touch wood!). 

[Gorgoff]

 

 

They added it because they think it is obvious to take it off the flyer base.

Source: they do it in their battle reports.

 

Even more obvious is the fact that not everyone can know that of course which created this kind of situations in which players don't know how to use it. I would allow both variants so everyone can be happy but if you ask me everyone should take it of the flying stand as much as possible.

I've seen several "fly" through rooms or of tables. Not pleasant to watch.

Not pleasant at all.

Grown up men on their knees picking up the pieces of their claws with tears in their eyes.

I play with two, just scored a third on eBay...and I've had several close encounters, but thankfully no disasters yet...(touch wood!).

Being one of those crying men I meantioned earlier:

Lucky you. ;)

[Lovecraft0110]

Hahahah, ok! I have snapped so many chain axes that I can definitely relate anyway!

[Mogsam]

One of mimy many dreadclaw had an issue dropping from the stand to the floor.

 

Now they will be taken off the stands as often as possible!