Though I'm just getting into the game and it appears that it might be really good I have some FAQ questions .

1. I was just wondering if anyone knew why sniper has become a "shared" ability? It seems weird that the highly specialized field that it is automatically gets bestowed up the generic grunt unit, just because the sniper joined the unit.

2. Why on earth does the unit disembarking from an air dropped transport get two actions? Why not just allow them to disembark, one move action, and that is it? Seems that air drop with a transport is very brutal.

Other questions :

3. If I roll no hits during initiative I cannot be the first player correct, even though I may have one or two command orders (minimum of one plus command squad if one is present).

4. Am I misreading/missing something about the "Jump" ability. It seems to say you can go vertically over 9", but what is your horizontal move?

#4. your horizontal move is whatever the unit's move rating is. For all the Allied infantry, it's 12".

Genestealer said:

Okay, in order…

1.) IRL people get stupid when snipers start picking them off. Having a Scout/Sniper team attached to your team really helps open up great angles for your team as well.

2.) IRL closest example is disembarking a helo in a hot LZ. It's amazing how quickly trained operators can get off, dislocate, and start laying down effective fire.

3.) Wrong! Rolling no hits (unless your opponent ties you) ensures you are the initiating player. ie, you go first.

4.) See felkor's response above. I'll append the obvious - he means all allied jump infantry has a horizontal move of 12" (24" if taking a March Mive Action).

Genestealer said:

Thanks all.

On #3 lets say I roll no hits and my opponent rolls three. Doesn't that mean he goes first as the player with the fewest rolled hits becomes the first player for that turn? If I don't roll any, then I can never be the starting player, with the assumption that the other guys rolls at least one.

Genestealer said:

No because…

1. 0 is still a number, and as such is less than 3.
2. Keep reading the rest of the rule, determining Initiative, page 28… "The player with the most Orders therefore goes second, but will have more options in the Command phase."

You are taking a too literal interpretation of "fewest number of hits.". Zero is still a number.

Dakkon426 said:

Sniper isn't a, "Shared" ability, per se, but it's effects are equivalent, as clarified in the FAQ…

" IF A HERO WITH THE SNIPER SPECIAL ABILITY JOINS A UNIT (OR A HERO JOINS A UNIT WITH THE SNIPER SPECIAL ABILITY), DOES THE ENTIRE UNIT BENEFIT FROM THE SNIPER SPECIAL ABILITY?

Yes, the Sniper special ability functions if even one attacking miniature has it. This means that Angela may join a unit and it will benefi t from her directions on where to fi re. Likewise, Rosie can join a Sniper Team and gain all the benefi ts of the Sniper special ability with her M9-D Bazooka!"

And yes, Rosie in a Sniper Team is very devastating!

#3 OK. I was taking it at face value and thought you needed to get a hit, which seemed weird because as your total # of units dropped it would be harder and harder to get them. Somewhere I read that as that happens you are more likely to win initiative, and I was trying to figure out how that would ever happen.

As to snipers. I understand the ability just don't get why. Was there a problem with the rule before? seems like they took a good ability that was not being shared, and effectively made it to have the same rules as a shared ability and made it more powerful.

Still liking the rules and trying to get more games in, but man it seems like a few tweaks and they could have had something great.

The sniper ability has always affected the whole unit but is not listed as shared, hence the clarification.

"…An attack made by a unit with a sniper miniature does not allow…." Straight from the Sniper rule in the book.

lightcavalier said:

I think he was more asking about the why. I quoted the FAQ clarification for folks who were telling the OP it wasn't a shared ability.

As for the why, I stand by my earlier post and as a guy with real world experience as a one-time CQB instructor who's been boots on the ground in Sniper territory will give a more detailed answer…

Guys being shot at by a sniper get tunnel-visioned trying to locate the psychological nightmare picking them off, and ignore the fact they could at any moment become involved in a firefight with other blokes. They become easy targets for close in types. Which is reflected very well with the suppression rules.

Now, as far as why a Sniper effects accuracy of guys in the same unit who don't have accurized rifles with scopes, it's because the person who does can tell you where the enemy is hiding. I may have never seen the guy prairie-dogging behind the fence 2 meters left of the gate, but if my buddy with a scope tells me where he is, I can sure lay a short accurate burst there next time his head pops up.

I find the rule very realistic as written.

Nice reply and thanks.

I don't know if it was answered anywhere but I have one question about snipers.

Since they treat soft as hard cover, if shot at in the open. What cover do they gain when used "hit the dirt" reaction?

Galadhir said:

Hard cover.