6th Ed Impressions, Part Five - Vehicles

 

Vehicles.  The kings of 5th edition have seen some significant changes in 6th, some that make them better, some that make them worse.  Will they retain their throne?

Moving 

Most regular vehicles (non-walkers) can move Flat Out.  Similar to the bike turbo-boost, this happens in the shooting phase.  Regular vehicles get an extra 6", fast vehicles 12", fast skimmers 18".  So you have some of the same flexibility that you have with bikes, being able to move, see how the rest of the shooting phase goes, then shoot or move again as desired.  There's no requirement about having to move 12" in movement before going flat out, so you should be able to move 6" (or even remain stationary) in the movement phase, then decide to go flat out during shooting.

Shooting

Stationary = fire all weapons.

Combat Speed = one weapon at full BS plus snap shots with others (but must be those that can use snap shot, so no blast/templates). (Fast = all weapons at full BS)

Cruising Speed = can only make snap shots.  (Fast = two weapons at full, rest snap shots)

If fire Ordnance, rest of weapons are snap shots, even if stationary. 

Take a long look at your secondary weapons, sponsons and the like.  Things with secondaries that can't use snap shot won't be able to move and fire as well.  No distinction for "defensive weapons" anymore.

Damaging vehicles

Blast vs. vehicles = full strength if any part of the marker is over the hull.  No longer need the little hole in the center to be on target.

Vehicles all have Hull Points now.  Most have three, weak things like speeders, buggies, and light walkers have two each, bigger stuff like land raiders have four.  When you lose all your hull points, you become Wrecked.  Glancing hits remove a hull point, but no further effect.  Penetrating hits take a hull point off and get a roll on the damage chart.

AP 2 = +1 to the damage chart, AP 1 = +2 to the damage chart.  AP - no longer has any negative effect.  Open topped still +1.

1-2 = shaken, 3 = stunned, 4 = weapon destroyed, 5 = immobilized, 6 = explodes.  Which weapon is destroyed is RANDOM.  So be sure to get that pintle bolter for your vindicator.

25% obscured = cover.  Smoke launchers give 5+ cover.  

Assaulting vehicles

To charge a vehicle you must have some chance of damaging it.

Vehicles can't overwatch unless walkers.  Passengers can fire overwatch from fire points if their ride is assaulted.

Stationary vehicles are WS0, moving vehicles (any speed) are WS1. Walkers still fight at full WS, but are hit on rear armor if immobilized.  Grenades at full WS vs walkers, no only hit on sixes anymore.  No more driving into the midst of the enemy and trusting in 6+ to hit to keep you safe from assaults.  Anyone who can kick out lots of attacks or high strength attacks in assault should trash most vehicles pretty easily.

Squadrons - No more stunned to shaken or immobilized to destroyed.  Damage results are normal.  However, now squadrons can abandon immobilized members, leaving them behind to form their own unit.

Transports

Normal disembarkation is 6" from access points - no free 2" move, models must have their bases FULLY within the 6".  Disembark from a wrecked transport is only 3".  

If a vehicle moves and then passengers disembark, vehicle can't move further, so no flat out later.

Cannot disembark if vehicle moves over 6".  This is NOT different for fast vehicles.

NO CHARGING the turn you get out of a transport, even if it has not moved yet!  Exceptions for assault vehicles like land raiders and open-topped transports.

Passengers can fire normally (counting as moving, and subject to fire point restrictions) from a vehicle moving at combat speed.  Cruising speed they can only fire snap shots.  Cannot fire if vehicle moves flat out or uses smoke launchers.  I don't see it spelled out, but the reverse should be true as well - if passengers shoot, can't then choose to flat out or pop smoke later in the shooting phase.

Chariots - have some funky rules.  If you or your opponent have something that works as a chariot, look this up (p.82), otherwise don't bother as they're pretty rare so far - I think the Necron command barge is the only thing in the game that qualifies, though since they added a category for them perhaps they'll become more common.  

Skimmers

If moved flat out in your last move and get immobilized in your or opponent's turn, wrecked instead.

Skimmers have Jink (5+ cover save, 4+ if went flat out).  

Just as easy to hit in CC as regular vehicles.

Walkers 

As before, treat like infantry for movement, run, charging etc.

Stunned walkers cannot do sweeping advances or consolidation moves.

Can fire overwatch.

Tanks

If you tank shock, you can't go flat out later.

No tank shock plus embark or disembark that same turn.

Cover saves cannot be taken vs. death or glory, so no jink save.  Jink does apply vs. rams.

Flyers

Must start in Reserve.

If have Hover type (H in the back of book summary) can act like a fast skimmer or choose to Zoom.  Those without Hover type MUST Zoom.

Zoom = combat speed 18", cruising 36".  Can only make one 90 degree or less turn before moving.  Can fly off the edge of the table and go back into reserve.  When it comes back on, comes on your regular edge, not from where it left the battle.

     - Various restrictions and rules about them shooting/dropping bombs.

     - Can't be assaulted, rammed, etc.  Jink save if you choose to evade, but then can only fire snap shots yourself ("Go to Air"?)

     - Need 6's to hit them with shooting, can't be hit with templates/blasts.  Skyfire rule lets a unit fire at them with normal BS.  Flyers can choose to use Skyfire if they wish, so flyers are a good way to shoot down enemy flyers if you can line them up.

     - If shot down, crashes to earth, scattering and damaging what it smacks into.  Passengers in this instance take a S10 hit with no armor saves.

So that's pretty much it!  

Vehicles seem to have gotten faster, a little more flexible, and able to fire more on the move (except for some weapons).  They did however get more vulnerable to glances (while now being immune to glancing stunlock) and transported units have more restrictions.  Flyers are a big change to the game, with only being hit on snap shots they will frustrate many foes, or quickly get taken out to a lucky hit.  I'm sure somebody can do the math as to whether or not you're better off trying to glance it to death or just hit it with fewer more powerful shots and go for the killing penetration (only have to hit once, one jink chance).

Next up, terrain.