How Do Dataslate Formations Work?

[Chris Copeland]

Troops, I'm writing my list for a tourney tomorrow at an LGS. I have the new Tyranids Codex as well as the Leviatian dataslate. Here's the thing: I haven't figured out how dataslates work. I'm considering adding "Manufactorum Genestealers" to my army but I am confused. They are listed as a formation. Do they still take up troop slots in my army or are they outside of the normal force org and just added onto the army after everything else. Please help! It's all too confusing!

[Aaron LeClair]

Think of them more as allies then as part of your main force.

[This Dave]

Troops, I'm writing my list for a tourney tomorrow at an LGS. I have the new Tyranids Codex as well as the Leviatian dataslate. Here's the thing: I haven't figured out how dataslates work. I'm considering adding "Manufactorum Genestealers" to my army but I am confused. They are listed as a formation. Do they still take up troop slots in my army or are they outside of the normal force org and just added onto the army after everything else. Please help! It's all too confusing!

Check page 4 of the dataslate. They are treated as an extra allied force, so they don't take up Primary or Allied slots at all.

[Katharon]

Check page 4 of the dataslate. They are treated as an extra allied force, so they don't take up Primary or Allied slots at all.

Bingo.

[Houghten]

The downside of which is, if you'd normally have bought some or all of them as Troops, you don't get to and therefore they don't score.

[Katharon]

The downside of which is, if you'd normally have bought some or all of them as Troops, you don't get to and therefore they don't score.

They still count as their specific FoC slot. If they are troops in the troop section of their respective codex, then they remain troops and can therefore score.

[Gleipnir]

Troops, I'm writing my list for a tourney tomorrow at an LGS. I have the new Tyranids Codex as well as the Leviatian dataslate. Here's the thing: I haven't figured out how dataslates work. I'm considering adding "Manufactorum Genestealers" to my army but I am confused. They are listed as a formation. Do they still take up troop slots in my army or are they outside of the normal force org and just added onto the army after everything else. Please help! It's all too confusing!

They are outside of the FOC restrictions, treated as an allied detachment for the sake of determining if independent characters can join, warlord traits etc, but the unit retain their "Battlefield Role" as specified in the codex they are taken from. Battlefield role(described in the first page of each 6th edition codex Army List being HQ, Troop, Dedicated Transport, Elite, Fast Attack, Heavy Support etc.

So yes they remain scoring Troops without taking up troop slots on the FOC(including the mandatory ones)

[Chris Copeland]

Thanks, all!

[Houghten]

They still count as their specific FoC slot. If they are troops in the troop section of their respective codex, then they remain troops and can therefore score.

Oh good, so it's only Iyanden armies who get screwed over. Lucky me. >.>

[Gleipnir]

Oh good, so it's only Iyanden armies who get screwed over. Lucky me. >.>

Spiritseers convert Elite Wraithguard to Troops in the same "army" not detachment so hardly screwed since all detachments allied/formation etc are included in that special rule.

Though I imagine losing your Spiritseer would not be a good thing as you would lose the scoring capability on your Wraithguard, perhaps why Iyanden can take so many of the bloody things.

[TimmyPowerGamer]

Spiritseers convert Elite Wraithguard to Troops in the same "army" not detachment so hardly screwed since all detachments allied/formation etc are included in that special rule.

Though I imagine losing your Spiritseer would not be a good thing as you would lose the scoring capability on your Wraithguard, perhaps why Iyanden can take so many of the bloody things.

I don't have my codex with me, but does losing the Spiritseer really stop the Wraithguard scoring? Does this mean that losing a Space Marine Captain on a bike would stop my Bikes being Troops? I can't remember seeing this anywhere in the rules.

[Gleipnir]

Not sure if the question has ever been asked, I know there was discussion that when the Warlord dies his warlord trait goes with him, would the same apply to changes to the force organization table for battlefield roles? Specifically in the instance where you have one formation that list thier role as Elite and a special rule that changes all versions in the army to Troop selections.

Or are battlefield roles set at the time of deployment and unable to change, seems that would make the most sense but don't ever remember reading it anywhere in the rules.

[Nabterayl]

I don't have my codex with me, but does losing the Spiritseer really stop the Wraithguard scoring? Does this mean that losing a Space Marine Captain on a bike would stop my Bikes being Troops? I can't remember seeing this anywhere in the rules.
Rules that permit FoC changes for taking or having a given model or wargear persist throughout the game. Your army includes a spiritseer even if that spiritseer is dead, so wraithguard don't suddenly stop being Troops if he dies.


in the instance where you have one formation that list thier role as Elite and a special rule that changes all versions in the army to Troop selections.

Or are battlefield roles set at the time of deployment and unable to change, seems that would make the most sense but don't ever remember reading it anywhere in the rules.
If a dataslate specifies that a unit has to come from a given FoC slot, I would think that it has to come from that slot, and FoC changes that are mandatory rather than permissive could potentially leave you unable to use the formation.

[TimmyPowerGamer]

Yeah, now that I've read the various entries most of them say 'As long as the army includes...' (or words to that effect). Even if they're dead, the army still includes them.

As far as the Warlord trait being lost if the Warlord dies, on reading the Warlord traits I would say you definitely do. Most of them are worded along the lines of 'The Warlord and all units within ...', 'The Warlord and his unit'. It may just be the way I read them, but it would mean no Warlord - no trait.