Some marker questions

[sunnyside]

Since this isn't a WH40K question I'm hoping this belongs here instead of the 40K rules board.

Anyway I've got some questions about how to model things and handle some rules when it comes to ordenance.

So you buy up some of the fight/bomber/assault boat packs. How do you model them.

For example if I have a ship that can lanch for craft from both the port and starboard side, should I make two bases of each type, each with four individual craft on the base.

Then if deployed together, I'd have two bases with four craft each for a total of eight craft?

Similarly with torpedos, if I fire from a squadron of cruisers so there are 18 normal torps, I'd have one long row of torps moving through space right? If they come into contact with a ship they attack. And then continue one. As the controlling player I'd decided which side to remove the markers from. For example I could chose to remove only from the starboard side, so that I can hit a second enemy ship that would be contacted by the torpedo furthest to port as they continue their move.


Continuing lets say a cruiser releases seperate groups of fighters from the port and starboard launchers to engage multiple threats. Could I have four bases out there with a single model on each? Or could I only have two bases with two ships each.

I've got some questions about what happens when fighters run into bombers and torpedos, but I think I'd need answers to the above questions to pose the next questions properly.

[sunnyside]

Hmm while poking around for answer to BFG questions, it seems that everybody, including tournaments, is using the "2010 Faq, errata and rules expansion" as will as the 2010 compendium files.

The new rules seem vastly more straightforward for ordinance. Torpedos are always represented by a three torp marker regardless of size. Fighters and bombers and such are now one craft one 20x20mm base and waves have to be arranged as close to a square as you can.

Fighters vs other attack craft simply means remove each in pairs until one is gone (well, it gets more complicated with resiliance and whatnot but that's the basic idea).

A torpedo wave of any size will completely detonate any other torpedo wave it runs into (including friendlies I suppose).

I'm still not 100% sure this is right, but it seems like maybe fighters reduce torpedo salvo strength? I.e. six torps hit a wave of four fighters, two torps continue. If two torps hit another wave a four fighters, two fighter bases are left. Is that right?

[The_Giant_Mantis]

Well, after initially posting that fighters can remove any number of bombers I looked into it and actually you're right. It's one for one.

I've always played with the rule that a single fighter can remove any number of bombers/assault boats though. I'll have to try playing the other way and see if I can recommend that as a house rule (I have a feeling I've been excessively benefiting from it by playing orks, so I don't think it's balanced). But yes, you are correct.

Except that a single fighter squadron will remove a single torpedo salvo, regardless of size. So if 6 torps hit four fighters, all the torps are removed and only one of the fighters. However, if you got some destroyers to launch 3 separate salvos of 2 torpedoes each, each fighter would still only destroy one salvo.

And yeah, even friendly torpedoes detonate each other. The guidance systems of the 41st millennium are not very smart.

[CaptainSarathai]

Yeah, I really dislike the Torps vs. Torps ruling - it actually gives players MORE reason to field torpedoes and hold them until they are firing at point-blank (fire and hit on the same turn). This rule lets fleets like IN focus more heavily on torpedoes and fore-go the majority of their small-boat support, since assault boats and bombers are less prevalent than the torpedo. Who wants to close to pb of an IN torpedo fleet, or try to come 'round to their sides and fire closing shots at close range against the massive batteries on IN capitals?

But yes, modeling has definitely been made easier by the 2010 update. Initially, the ordnance markers weren't on 20mm bases, so you had to cut down balsa stands etc to get the right sizes. Now they've set it up so that you can just buy WHFB bases, spraypaint them (if you don't model them) and be done with it. Torpedoes are still a bit grumbly, I had to mount all of mine on heavy card, and they're still only good for a few dozen games before they start wearing thin.