Come see the latest rules to hit the internet about the flyers themselves from the new Death from the skies book!
Source: Warseer’s Inq.Serge May 2, 2016
Well, With the book in hand, here’s a fun thing on dogfights (other than that you can kill off enemy fliers in reserve, and that the dogfight phase is less of a phase and more of a quick mini-game); If you have flyers in reserve, and your opponent doesn’t, you gain air superiority, which gives you +1 OR -1 in reserve rolls (Your choice) AND gives your opponent -1 to reserve rolls. If you have the flyer detachment, this bonus is increased to +2/-2.
Also; Who plays with more than 1 voidraven? Most of the bombers are rarely taken in multiples. Most of the flyers are rarely taken in multiples. Sure, I rarely play DE without my 3 RJF, and I occasionally add in 1 VRB, but most people do not spam flyers, especially not the same flyer. Thus, you will, most likely, never meet a proper attack pattern, and if you do, the opponent will be lacking in ground forces.
And the loss of skyfire, Considering that most flyers jink a lot, it’s not that much of a loss.
And for -1bs against ground targets; Skimmers and jetbikes do not count as ground targets! Thus, 3 RJF in attack pattern can get Tank hunter when shooting Monoliths. And ignore cover against jetbikes!
In my opinion; It’s a wonderful book, and I love it.
The tank hunter thing:
You must have 3 flyers (of the same sort, I.E: 3 valks, 3 RJF, 3 Stormhawks) in this formation (like a triangle, everyone looking at the same direction. Note; They are not a squadron, and all act independently, targeting independently. )>-
->
>-(You have to put your planes in that formation).
Fighters get Tank Hunter against flyers, FMC, Jetbikes and skimmers.
Attack craft against every thing else.
Bombers reroll failed to pen rolls, and may chose to reroll glances (However, it only applies to their bomb)
You can always ally in 2 stormhawks (or any other pair of fliers) in any army with the flier detachment.
Considering that the vendetta’s not even mentioned in the book, and FW’s already making a vendetta upgrade kit (have one myself); I think It’ll go back to FW-only.
And come on people, Unlike me, most of you do not use an average of 3-4 flyers in your 1850 pts armies, and even if you did, the sky isn’t falling down. Sure, the formations do not give voidravens 10″ stD blasts, but then again, the formations are free and the attack patterns are free-er, we all saw how pissed people got when marines got a free disintegration gun, making attack patterns and formations too good would make people go crazier than usual. It’s just a compensation for the lack of footsoldiers.
The dogfight subphase and the new roles and stats make flyers something more than poorly manoeuvred hard-to-hit skimmers. They’re more “gamble”-y, less overpowered (not that most of them where overpowered, just presumed to be), and still not mandatory.
Checkout the rest of the pictures below on the roundup:
New 40k Death From The Skies Release
In the pipe, five by five.
New Flyers – Does The Game Need MORE Rules? Long War Podcast Episode 49
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.
