Continuing the series, see prior posts for parts 1 and 2.
*Bikes - BIKES CANNOT BE PINNED and cannot go to ground. I know that I'll forget that, hopefully you'll remember! Have Hammer of Wrath (the Impact Hits thing), Jink (5+ cover), and Relentless. Turbo-Boost is done in the shooting phase. Turbo for regular bikes is 12", jetbikes 24", and Eldar/DE jetbikes 36". So Eldar jetbikes can come in from reserve and end the turn touching the enemy board edge given long-edge deployment. I also don't see any restrictions about turbo-boosting through terrain, so you can apparently do that (just take dangerous terrain tests). Eldar jetbike assault phase move anywhere move is 2d6".
- Toughness boost counting for ID is a nice boost for attack bikes and characters on bikes (and bikers that get FNP, like DE reavers and BA bikers with a priest handy). Jink is a nice survivability boost for bikers in general. The real winner here tactically in my mind though is the change for turbo-boost (and flat out for vehicles) happening in the shooting phase, instead of in movement. This opens up a TON of options for players.
- Move bikes/vehicles up in position to shoot or charge, fire rest of army. No longer need them to shoot? Turbo somewhere else (out of danger, into blocking position, whatever).
- Move out of the way to allow friendlies to shoot cleanly, then turbo in front of them to provide them cover, block enemy chargers, etc.
- And so forth. The ability to stagger your movement out over several phases gives you lots of options, especially when that movement is reliable and of significant distance. Run is nice, but a guaranteed 12, 24, or 36 is awesome. Expect to see lots of dirty tricks pulled with bikers and vehicles going flat out.
*Artillery - Instead of AV10 destroyed on a glance or pen, artillery is T7 W2, 3+ save. Shooting attacks vs. artillery always use the toughness of the guns, but are allocated to closest model first as with other units. So...stick your Techmarine in front of his Thunderfire Cannon and good luck to someone taking out the T7 2+ armor save in a reinforced ruin. Or have fun with Ork artillery loaded up with T7 grots everywhere. Madness.
*Jump Units - As a quick note, Jump can be added to various types of units, normally infantry but can also have Jump MCs, Jump cavalry, whatever. Keep this in mind as not all MCs with wings are automatically Flying Monstrous Creatures, which is its own category. Most have been listed as such in the book summary or the FAQs, but for example the CSM DP with wings has not been clarified as a Flying MC, so is currently just a Jump MC. Probably an oversight, and will likely be corrected in the apparently soon-to-come CSM codex, but there you have it. OK, back to Jump. Can use their packs either in movement or to charge, not both.
- When using their jump packs to charge (and therefore subject to dangerous terrain checks) they get Hammer of Wrath and can reroll the charge distance. So generally you'll probably be using the packs to move to get in a position you won't need the charge reroll. If you can walk in close, do so and use the packs to get the HoWrath hits.
*Jet Pack Units - Assault phase move is 2d6" as with Eldar jetbikes.
*Monstrous Creatures - Fear, Hammer of Wrath, Move through Cover, Relentless, Smash (Smash is also what makes their CC attacks AP2). MtCover making them immune to dangerous terrain is nice, especially for Jump/Flying MCs.
*Beasts - Move 12", Fleet and Move through Cover. Not slowed by difficult terrain even when charging. So move 12, charge 2d6 rerolling one or both dice, ignoring terrain. Fast buggers.
*Cavalry - Not quite as good a deal. Move 12, Fleet and Hammer of Wrath. Not slowed by difficult terrain but count it as dangerous. So as fast as Beasts, but more risk and get impact hits.
*Flying Monstrous Creatures - Can move as Jump, or can "Swoop" and essentially become Flyers - only hit on 6s, can't assault or be assaulted, etc. While swooping must move at least 12", only make one turn at start of move, max move 24". Get Vector Strike, which lets them swipe at guys they pass over. If hit (hit, not wounded) while swooping have a chance to come crashing to the ground and take a S9 no armor/cover save hit, and can then be assaulted. It's unclear from the writing if they still are only hit on 6s from further shooting - common sense would lean towards no, they're peeling themselves out of their MC-shaped crater, not zipping in the sky, but RAW is fuzzy.
Weapons!
*Blast weapons can't fire snap shots.
*Template weapons can't fire snap shots, but CAN fire on overwatch, getting d3 hits. The position of the flamer, etc. apparently doesn't matter for overwatch, so flamers in the back still fire at chargers to the front even though your own guys are technically in the way. If doing Focus Fire (targeting guys outside of terrain instead of closest guys), templates are placed and resolved per normal shooting (so can't flame the closer guys in the building and have the wounds go against the guys in the open 12" away).
*Ordnance still gets 2d6 pick highest for armor pen.
*Rapid Fire - big change - double tap is half range, not flat 12", so Pulse Rifles do it at 15", Hot-shot lasguns at 9". Can fire one shot at full range even when moving.
*Melee Weapons - AP values, and power weapons have been split up. As a quick summary, if your weapon attacks on initiative, you're AP3 or worse, if it strikes at I1 you're AP2. Witchblades vs. vehicles are now user strength + 2d6 instead of triple strength + d6.
*Grenades - a number can be thrown now, one per unit instead of firing another weapon (tip - if moving, consider having your Heavy weapon guy toss a grenade at regular BS instead of trying to snap shot his regular weapon). 8" range. Frag/Assault/Plasma grenades are a blast, Krak and Haywire single target. Melta bombs are not thrown.
-Defensive grenades give the unit Stealth as long as within 8" of unit shooting at them and have not gone to ground. Also still pull bonus attack from assaulting units (but on its own does not cause a Disordered Charge, so attackers still get Furious Charge). So, if going to charge a unit with defensive grenades, unless you have Furious Charge you don't lose anything extra by going for a multi-assault.
- Most grenades can be used in close combat against vehicles and MCs. Still single attack, but hit on WS now instead of just 6's. Various AP values may help vs. different MCs, and Melta Bombs' AP 1 will help on the damage table for penetrating hits vs. vehicles. Since you only get one attack anyways, if you are relying on grenades to assault enemy vehicles no real penalty to going for a multi-assault here either (except for potential extra overwatch shots from walkers and transport passengers).
OK, all for now. Next up Characters and the "fun" of Look out Sir and Challenges, Psykers and powers.
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