Hi everyone,

I have a question about the Airdrop rule. Can you use a command in the Command phase to airdrop a unit?

I know the airdrop rule says they count as entering as a March Move which requires two actions (not the 1 granted in the Command Phase). This would seem to indicate that you therefore cannot. But there are also references to issuing commands to units held in reserve for Airdrop using your radioman. This would seem to indicate that you can. If you can do this, can the unit then use 1 action in the unit phase?

Thanks!

Dan R said:

I don't think so. The two rules are not contradictory. Page 31, off table units states only that you can give orders to an off table unit but only by a radioman or another special ability, which is logic as the unit being off table will never be in 12" range of any command section.

Which order can you give the unit ? depends, move order is out of question as to enter into the battle it has to be via a March Move as cleraly stated on page 56 in the description of Reserved. Reserved is the ability which allows the unit to be off table [period]

Air drop modifies the Reserved ability to allow you to deploy anywhere in the field (but more than 12" from enemy units) instead of having to use a battlefield border.

Attack is also out of question as being off table there is no LOS to anything and even if the off table unit has Artellery weapons, to use the radioman to fire them with Indirect Fire requires the off table unit to take a substained attack which is also not possible.

Therefore, I have no clue which legal order can be issued to an off table unit in the command phase, but it is pretty clear to me that neither can it be commanded to enter the field, nor attack, as least as far as I can see.

Any other opinion guys ?

I am a bit lost now about the "strange" passage on page 31…

Thanks. I agree that it does not seem possible by the function of the rules, it is just the passage on page 31 that you note that makes me wonder why they say any order could be given to a airdrop unit inthe command phase.

Page 31 text:

Units that are off the table awaiting a chance to enter play (such as those that are using an Air Drop, or are Reserved) may only be issued Orders through
a Radioman another ability that allows them to disregard Command range, such as the Blutkruez Ape special ability.

If using the "Unprepared" deployment, you could order someone to move onto the board during the command phase instead of during the unit phase, because in that situation you do not need to use a March Move to enter the board.

Could be that caveat was added for future expansion as well. It wouldn't surprise me to see the SSU have some off-board helicopter Shenannigans.

felkor said:

That is true, but still you will be not able to introduce the Airdropped unit in game in the command phase even if "unprepared"(I mean as airdropped unit), on page 66 it says that units enter the battle field with a move action (second paragraph of the description of unprepared) and specifies clearly that the unit moves from the border edge. So the reserved or airdropped unit will move its 6" (or whatever its normal movement is) from the border.

The paragraph before the last concerns the use of reserved or airdrop units which "may enter play as described in their special rule […] when they are activated". So they would have to wait until the unit phase (activation of unit) to use a March move and airdrop in the field.

Or at least is how I interpret the rules here…

What do you think ?

You are correct Ariano. I'm pretty sure Felkor wasn't referring to air-drop units, but explaining why the rule was worded to give orders in the Command phase to other off-board units.

BTW, my Favorite phrase in the entire rulebook is in that rule, "radios that communicate with the dead are still not standard issue." I literally lolled reading it the first time.

Yeah, there's definitely no way for a unit to air drop during the Command Phase. I was just explaining one possible use of the rule referred to for giving orders to off-board units.

felkor said:

That was what I tough but only wanted to be sure. Sorry for posting without need.

Btw, there was another post with a similar issue concerning the airdrop in the thread "300AP Battle Report @ Dust-War.com", seems to be that the Allies love it :)

Myself I cannot say, so far we only played one game to check the rules and we tried to keep it simple, so no airdrop units, we will see next time…

I used air drop in a game last night and it was really fun. I dropped in Red Devils + Action Jackson, as well as a squad of Death Dealers. In the next turn, the death dealers shot at and suppressed a squad of Heavy Recon Grenadiers, then the Red Devils ran in behind them where they had no cover and blew them away in one shot. It was loads of fun. :-)

I can't see wanting to do a Red Devils platoon though… if I'm going to airdrop, I'd rather see a mix of Red Devils along with troops that can fire from outside the reaction range.