So the new Dark Eldar book seems to have been universally panned by the Internets, but is it possible that we’re just doing it wrong? Has something been staring us in the face this whole time and we just missed it?
I only say this because all of the Dark Eldar skimmers have the Deep Strike ability, and in nearly every story in all the books where they fight against outsiders it talks about them emerging out of a Webway Portal to fall on top of their surprised prey.
But we can’t seem to play them like that in the game, because you can only take so many Webways as equipment, and deep striking a line of skimmers in front of the enemy is just too risky… or is it?
The basic rules for Deep Striking models (BRB pg. 162 ) really haven’t changed from 6th Edition, however checkout these lines of text in that section;
Deep Striking units may not move any further, other than to disembark from a Deep Striking Transport Vehicle if they are in one.
Further down the page under shooting for Deep Striking units we have;
They count as having moved in the previous movement phase, and vehicles count as having moved at Combat Speed.
So it seems that by these two statements, in the same section, that both during the movement phase and shooting phase, Deep Striking units preformed movement.
Now lets take a look a Deep Strike Mishaps (BRB pg. 162 as well) reads;
If any of the models in a Deep Striking unit cannot be deployed…. something has gone wrong (consult the Mishap chart).
From that I think the argument can be made that the act of deploying via deep strike is a form of movement, as it has two separate supporting statements to that effect under it’s Universal Special Rules sections and occurs during the Movement Phase itself.
Even more curious is a line of rules for Skimmers that is very tantalizing when inserted into this line of thought. On page 89 of the BRB at the end of the text about skimmers’ movement there is this;
If a skimmer is forced to end it’s move over friendly of enemy models, move the skimmer the minimum distance so that no models are left underneath it.
Wow so lets think about that for a second.
According to this whole train of thought, if you Deep Strike a Skimmer and it’s forced to end it’s move over friendly of enemy models, you would just “move the skimmer the minimum distance so that no models are left underneath it” as it can “now be deployed” and will no longer trigger a mishap?
Rules as written the only spot for debate here may just be if a unit deep strikes closer than 1″ and not over friendly of enemy models, then it seems like it would then indeed suffer a mishap.
So is it now viable perhaps to deep strike a line of Dark Eldar skimmers point blank into the enemy? Thinking a little bigger you can even make the same argument perhaps for Necron Monoliths as well.
What say ye? Leave it here and let’s hear all the angles! -MBG
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.
