Drop Capsules

[Zelria]

A few questions that came from a game this week. MI player tried something weird, to set up with nothing fielded, and there was some discussion, and a few disagreements. Any help would be appreciated.

1)Do drop capsules count against your reserves? IE if you take "Attack" as your tactics, do troopers in drop capsules count against the units that may be held in reserves?

2)If no, then could you put most of your army in drop capsules and hold the rest in reserves as long as those reserves are less than half your units?

3)Can you put your whole army in drop capsules and field nothing at the beginning of the game?

 

[Alexb83]

Good question. I would say that no, drop capsuled troops do not count as reserves, however of those that are not in drop capsules, only half can be kept as reserves. Even if they only have two independent models left out of drop pods, at least one of them should start on the table in the first turn.

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

As far as I know, air units don't count towards the reserve limit.

 

[MongooseMatt]

This is correct - they are Air Units, and thus do not count.

 

[JoseDominguez]

so a 100% airborne MI army is legal

But cheesy.

 

[Galatea]

Just as cheesy as a 100% airborn bug army.

 

[JoseDominguez]

not really, a 100% airborne bug army is a severely limited force with nothing but hoppers and ripplers, a totally airborne MI force has no limits whatsoever..... you can still field everything you're normally allowed, anything that can't be given a drop pod can arrive by landing craft.


On the other hand, a totally subterranean bug army is pretty cheesy



Still waiting for the game when a tunneling bug force meets a drop pod MI force: nothing happens.

I'm playing on Saturday, my bugs are half in reserve and half underground. Any bug that shows itself above ground deserves to get it's bonce shot off.

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

not really, a 100% airborne bug army is a severely limited force with nothing but hoppers and ripplers, a totally airborne MI force has no limits whatsoever..... you can still field everything you're normally allowed, anything that can't be given a drop pod can arrive by landing craft.

Of course, the MI player is paying a premium for drop capacity. making an entire army droppable reduces its' size substantially.

 

[JoseDominguez]

Doesn't hurt it much though
You pay the points for being highly mobile, which is fine. What it doesn't charge for is 'reserves' capacity even if defending and the fact that you could make an entire defending army come on as reserves, making them immune to any sort of ranged attack or bombardment.
Drop capsules really mess up the tactics sequence of the game.... bugs go attack, MI go defend..... game should be a straight out defensive set up, but with capsules the MI can all attack the bugs rear line.
I still think air units should be deducted from reserves, makes no sense that an army would be allowed to place defensive structures and bunkers and launch an airborne assault. In reality being on attack and defend orders at the same time. (maybe it's OK by the fluff, but in terms of game balance it allows the MI to blur the distinction between attack/defend at will).

 

[Kenrick Dargoth]

yeap that's MOBILE INFANTRY it should be mobile ie have tactical advantages

 

[dyssnowman]

...makes no sense that an army would be allowed to place defensive structures and bunkers and launch an airborne assault. In reality being on attack and defend orders at the same time. (maybe it's OK by the fluff, but in terms of game balance it allows the MI to blur the distinction between attack/defend at will).

I have to agree with you there. It seems like it should be limited to Attack and Probe tactics only, at least for a 100% drop pod army. I can understand have some manned defensive structures with reinforcements dropping in, but to have the defenses set up for the troops to drop down to and man? Just seems too silly to me.

It also seems like if you are going to field a 100% drop pod army that the other player should be allowed to deploy anywhere on the board. If the MI are going to have that kind of a mobility advantage, the enemy should be allowed to be more entrenched.

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

...makes no sense that an army would be allowed to place defensive structures and bunkers and launch an airborne assault. In reality being on attack and defend orders at the same time. (maybe it's OK by the fluff, but in terms of game balance it allows the MI to blur the distinction between attack/defend at will).

I have to agree with you there. It seems like it should be limited to Attack and Probe tactics only, at least for a 100% drop pod army. I can understand have some manned defensive structures with reinforcements dropping in, but to have the defenses set up for the troops to drop down to and man? Just seems too silly to me.

You could explain it as the dropping troops moving to take an abandoned base, or the fortifications being dropped as prefabs shortly before the MI arrive.

 

[dyssnowman]

True, but in my opinion that would still mean that the enemy should be able to deploy anywhere on the board. Make the MI fight to take back the defensive positions rather than handing them on a silver platter.

 

[JoseDominguez]

yeap that's MOBILE INFANTRY it should be mobile ie have tactical advantages

but in game terms, that allows you all of the advantages of attack and defend at the same time... not really fair.

 

[5.56 Surgeon]

yeap that's MOBILE INFANTRY it should be mobile ie have tactical advantages

but in game terms, that allows you all of the advantages of attack and defend at the same time... not really fair.

But an all under ground bug army is cool. Double standard.

 

[5.56 Surgeon]

It also seems like if you are going to field a 100% drop pod army that the other player should be allowed to deploy anywhere on the board. If the MI are going to have that kind of a mobility advantage, the enemy should be allowed to be more entrenched.

Hey you have two full turns to position your bugs anywhere you want. Do you really need more time?

 

[dyssnowman]

Hey you have two full turns to position your bugs anywhere you want. Do you really need more time?

If you are using a King Tanker, then yes.

Seriously though, I am not just thinking of the bugs themselves. I am also thnking of all of the tunnel assets and ambushing warriors. If the MI is going with all drop pods, then the bugs should be able to put their tunnel and command assets anywhere on the board.

 

[tneva82]

If the MI is going with all drop pods, then the bugs should be able to put their tunnel and command assets anywhere on the board.

That would open up new can of worms like MI deploying their artirelly type units(or just 1 model) on board and thus deny bugs of that advantage.

Also it would weaken drop pods. MI has paid for drop pods and now you want to take their advantage out? Why pay for pods then...

 

[dyssnowman]

That would open up new can of worms like MI deploying their artirelly type units (or just 1 model) on board and thus deny bugs of that advantage.

I don't see that as unreasonable. The pods would be reinforcements coming to the aid of an isolated unit. Heck, sounds like a good scenario idea even.

Also it would weaken drop pods. MI has paid for drop pods and now you want to take their advantage out? Why pay for pods then...

I don't see how this would be the case. With the Burn move, you could put you MI virtually anywhere on the the board that you choose.

 

[JoseDominguez]

drop pods negate the disadvantages of taking defend orders... means the MI don't have to worry about tactics at all really, a couple of units in caps can negate anything the bugs have. Think about it, the MI take defend orders and place bunkers and reliants. Then the defending army places absolutely no infantry on the board as they are still in space. How's that 'defend'? . As for all underground bug armies..... easily taken apart with pathfinder reavers or multihit firestorms, no reason why a defending bug force wouldn't all be underground anyway.... same for attacking, the only reason to put a warrior bug on the surface is to eat someone.