[CmdrBonesaw]

Alright, let`s jump "in medias res":

I`m about to fight an Eldar player soon, and I have encountered an interesting theoretical situation:

The Eldar player zooms across the battlefield with a Serpent full of Banshees/Scorpions, and halts dangerously close to my main line. Now, the question I have is: If I use a Piranha/Devilfish/Hammerhead/whatever to block its rear exit, can the Serpent turn around, disembark his troops, fly away, and let the troops hit my lines?

From what I have figured out so far, the answer is no: A vehicle has to disembark its troops either before or after it moves. Turning around is moving, flying away is moving - therefore this is impossible, after the vehicle turned and troops have disembarked, neither can the troops assault nor the vehicle move any further.

Am I correct in this one, or am I missing a crucial point (I`m aware of the shooting rules (ie turning around is not a movement), but this relates to units which are standing still entirely for one turn)?

What do you think?

[thecuriousmonke]

I think you are right in the fact that he cannot fly away, thus leaving his back exit open and vulnerable to fire ;D

I would think he can pivot and disembark though, as disembarking doesn't count for any actual inches of movement. Though it can be argued either way, so I would allow, the player to pivot before he disembarks.

In conclusion I believe you to be right. Be careful though if you ever play the Dark Eldar, they have an upgrade called... scaling nets I think which allow them to disembark at any part of the move. (Note: I can move that if needed for forum rule purposes)

[Tau-killer]

Originally Posted by CmdrBonesaw

Turning around is moving,

I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. In the vehicle movement section, it says: 'vehicles may turn any number of times as they move' and most crucially 'turning does not decrease the vehicle's move.'

If it doesn't decrease movement - how can it count as movement? Therefore I think a transport can pivot and disembark its troops with them still being allowed to move and assault.

[Gada Mazaha]

Actually Tau-killer, because of the quote you used, I disagree with you.

Originally Posted by Tau-killer

'vehicles may turn any number of times as they move' and most crucially 'turning does not decrease the vehicle's move.'

From this, we see vehicles can only turn as they move. That denotes they must be moving in order to turn. The only other time I can think of that vehicles get a free turn to during the shooting phase, but that's only facing to fire.

[Droids_Rule]

Originally Posted by Tyrant Chrysaor

Actually Tau-killer, because of the quote you used, I disagree with you.

From this, we see vehicles can only turn as they move. That denotes they must be moving in order to turn. The only other time I can think of that vehicles get a free turn to during the shooting phase, but that's only facing to fire.

Gah, I'm too slow on these forums... :-X

[CmdrBonesaw]

Actually Tau-killer, because of the quote you used, I disagree with you.


Quote from: Tau-killer on Today at 04:58:03 PM
'vehicles may turn any number of times as they move' and most crucially 'turning does not decrease the vehicle's move.'

From this, we see vehicles can only turn as they move. That denotes they must be moving in order to turn. The only other time I can think of that vehicles get a free turn to during the shooting phase, but that's only facing to fire.

Exactly my point. The Eldar player would have to turn, disembark his troops, and then move the tank away - which is not possible, because once he started turning the tank, he has to make the rest of the movement before being able to disembark. The fact that turning doesn`t decrease the moving distance is unimportant, since it doesn`t say that turning is NOT movement.
Alright, this made Harlequins/Banshees just a lot less threatening ;D

In conclusion I believe you to be right. Be careful though if you ever play the Dark Eldar, they have an upgrade called... scaling nets I think which allow them to disembark at any part of the move. (Note: I can move that if needed for forum rule purposes)

Well, DE-vehicles are open topped, anyway, meaning they can disembark wherever they want... no access points there, so this tactic would be futile.
But if I manage to beat the Eldar player, they should be next up, anyway... :P

[Tau-killer]

Originally Posted by Tyrant Chrysaor

Actually Tau-killer, because of the quote you used, I disagree with you.

From this, we see vehicles can only turn as they move. That denotes they must be moving in order to turn. The only other time I can think of that vehicles get a free turn to during the shooting phase, but that's only facing to fire.

Fair enough. You've convinced me. ;D

[laxlover_bill369]

What is there a new rule that allows people to assualt out of tanks, I thought you only can do that on an open top, or land raider. ???

[khanaris]

You could always assault out of a vehicle that did not move before you disembarked.

But yes, this is an excellent counter to the rather ridiculous tactic of parking a Falcon a few inches from the enemy and relying on its durability to give you a charge next turn. The Falcon or Wave Serpent can either leave, or turn and disembark (and then stay where it is). In neither case may the enemy unit charge. You could technically follow an Eldar skimmer around every turn, ensuring that it had to remain stationary (and thus, penetrable) in order to discharge troops. Although the Piranha would probably get shot down fairly quickly. But even keeping a Piranha as a guard will stop a Harlequin or Banshee charge from being much of a threat. It forces them to disembark further out and walk the last part in.

This doesn't really work with Rhinos or Devilfish, as they have more doors. But they are not as likely to want to charge.

[CmdrBonesaw]

Well, I wasn`t the one who came up with this idea in the first place - I`ve found it on the Necrons board: http://forums.tauonline.org/index.php?topic=46004.0 "Countering the Falcon Fortress".

Awright, now I can face Eldar with fewer headaches!