There was a TON of comments about the questions posed by the Skyhammer Enigma article from yesterday. Checkout the rule that keeps getting quoted the most in replies, and how it relates to future formation rulings.
Games Workshop hit us with this great Space Marines formation over the weekend called the Skyhammer Annihilation Force. Problem is there is a ton of controversy swirling about how, and if you can even add Independent Characters to it.
Checkout this rule that may just lay the controversy to rest for some.
Pg. 166 BRB Independent Characters Section
So that seems to read as if the any unit’s special rules are not conferred to the IC himself. Now let’s look back at the formation…
Looks like the Skyhammer formation does indeed confer a set of ‘special rules’ to the squads contained within it, with the Shock Deployment and First the Fire… rules being the ones that seem to be the most enticing.
Shock Deployment All units in a Skyhammer Annihilation Force start the game in Deep Strike Reserve. Instead of using the normal deployment and reserve rules for these units, you can, during deployment, choose whether this Formation will arrive during your first or second turn. The entire Skyhammer Annihilation Force automatically arrives on the turn you choose—no Reserve Rolls are required. Ignore this Formation’s Drop Pods for the purposes of the Drop Pod Assault special rule.
Does the Independent Character wording above, prevent the use of these special rules by attached IC’s or no? Perhaps more importantly does this affect an IC’s abilities when added to any other formation that confers ‘Special Rules’ to units as well?
Next Up; The Curiosities of the Librarus Conclave …
Long War Episode 5 – Why Space Marines are OP?
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
