SST TMG - Drop Pods

[Alexb83]

Okay, if you use aero braking and elect to come onto the board during the first or later air phase, you have to enter the table with a move(fly) action, no? And then you must make a move(land) action. I assume this has to be at burn speed? (so 30-60 inches) however in the ruleboook it states that move(land) cannot be performed at burn speed.

Given that, can you move on at burn 30", then land at your minimum move which is again 30" - the shortest landing distance is 60" from a board edge. Or, is it the case that any unit with 'Burn' in its profile can move at any speed up to Burn (except VSTOL). I ask because most other air units have VSTOL/Loiter for example, but the pod only has Burn.

Speaking of board edges, do you have to come on from your own board edge, or can it be any one?

 

[tneva82]

Okay, if you use aero braking and elect to come onto the board during the first or later air phase, you have to enter the table with a move(fly) action, no? And then you must make a move(land) action. I assume this has to be at burn speed? (so 30-60 inches) however in the ruleboook it states that move(land) cannot be performed at burn speed.

Pods overrule basic rules. So with drop pods you can indeed land with burn speed.

Given that, can you move on at burn 30", then land at your minimum move which is again 30" - the shortest landing distance is 60" from a board edge. Or, is it the case that any unit with 'Burn' in its profile can move at any speed up to Burn (except VSTOL). I ask because most other air units have VSTOL/Loiter for example, but the pod only has Burn.

It can move only at burn speed. Which is why angling it so that it moves sideway is good idea least it not go over the edge in the 2nd action

 

[Alexb83]

Well, hopefully I will be playing deep defence on a 6 by 4 table, so I should be able to drop behind enemy lines quite happily. with 12" to spare, assuming I come on from my own short table edge.

 

[Poko]

but it says in the move(land) action that you move any distance UP to your minimal move, so it could be 30" burn, and then 0-30" land.

 

[JoseDominguez]

Correct lots of people misread that one.
It's burn 30 to 60 then land 0 to 30.

 

[Alexb83]

Even better - hopefully my cougar LT will come as a nasty surprise to his brain bug. I'm just agonising over whether to give him a firestorm now (will help collapse the inevitable tunnel entrance) or a sixgun (more shots at the brain himself)

 

[JoseDominguez]

sixgun, firestorm on a cougar is a waste as they work so much better in pairs. Plus, you'll be deep in enemy territory a sixgun gives you 12 shots a turn then gets a stack of reaction fire. Other problem is the LT is a big target, and even if he's with a unit of caps the bugs can apply all of their hits on him after putting just one on each of the others..... and, you can't swap him in close combat if he's with caps.
Better option is a unit of pathfinders
If he's underground he probably has no shield, just go in after him.

 

[Alexb83]

Unfortunately that's not an option - it's a platoon of LAMI, a skyhook, and a platoon of 4 cougars. He's drop-podding on his own, as I understand that's not a problem since he's independent and can purchase his drop pod separate from the squad.
I'm outfitting the cougar corporal and trooper with a firestorm each, since I want to get some lz damage on his warriors as they march accross the board - with deep defense deployment, between 2 firestorms, 2 longbows and a strafing skyhook I should be able to take out quite a few before they get to my guys, and by then his Brain should be tackling with the LT.

 

[JoseDominguez]

For long range fire, you'd be much better with grizzlies, twice the firepower, plus more likely to get two hits and activate the piercing 2, multihit (you only need two hits out of the four shots). I'd never put a firestorm on a cougar, it cuts it down to one fire action and no reaction. Also, drop podding a lone LT into combat is risky, if he has flyers he may never reach the ground. And one Cougar LT in combat vs a brain may not win, even if the brain has no back up. Cougar lands and you are player one, next turn he gets his first action, he can inflict six hits with his sixgun. Brain reacts, he's got d6+3 in combat, he kills the cougar on a 5+
If the brain is already shielded, the cougar hasn't got much chance on his own. If the brain has backup (even 5 warriors) the cougar is boned.

 

[Alexb83]

The cougar has dirty fighter, and I don't have any guard bugs to worry about. I wont drop him in until the bug flyers (the player I'm up against only has 6 hoppers) are dealt with or commited to the ground, either by using the rest of the Exos' sixguns, or by using the 50s on the skyhook.

At the very least, I'll be scaring the brain underground. If I take your advice and drop the firestorms from the rest of the cougars also, I can afford to give the LT true grit too.

It's pricey, but I have to make do with what I've got for now - just like my opponent. He's even borrowing my brain bug

 

[JoseDominguez]

Watch out on basing choices on what he's got.
What if he buys 12 hoppers? But only brings on the second six when the first are dead?

The other handy option is to do as you've said and count on him having shield up.... that way if he reacts to you he'll strip his own shields