Infantry Platoons.. Rules changed?

[John Bower]

Okay, in the old codex IG, an infantry platoon was counted as pretty much a single unit for all intents and purposes, whether it blobbed or not. So if you kept it in reserve you made a single roll and brought the whole platoon in at the same time.
However, it no longer makes that stipulation in Codex AM, it just states that if you choose to combine squads the new larger squad counts as a single unit from that moment on, and must be done before generating warlord traits; but it makes no mention of how a platoon may arrive from reserves; so do I assume from that (until GW FAQ if they do otherwise) that I roll for each squad now? It would make sense otherwise you could not have a squad in a Valk with 2 others on foot unless you can treat each as an individual unit.

So what say you guys? Single unit? or just there to be broken up like Marines can with their combat squads? Well, not exactly like that but you get my drift.

[This Dave]

Since they're taken as a single choice in the Force Organization I would say they still count as a single unit for Reserve rolls. But that's just my opinion about it.

[Charistoph]

Nope, separate unit is separate unit. The Reserve rules don't talk about FOC choices, just units. A PCS and 2 IfS would need to take separate Reserve Rolls unless mounted in the same Super-Heavy Transport, as they are (at a minimum) 2+ separate units.

[Gleipnir]

Charistoph is correct the Reserve rules are unit based and special rules are provided to permit multiple units to arrive at the same time, absent a special rule permitting multiple units in an Infantry platoon to arrive together they would each roll to arrive separately.

Tempestus handled this via special rules for their formation Dataslates permitting all the units in the formation to arrive the same turn for example.

The rules for Reserves of course also permit units in reserve to embark upon Transports or be joined by Independent characters and all arrive at the same time., though once grouped together in reserves they are not allowed to separate or disembark until they arrive from reserves.

[John Bower]

From general consensus then I am reading it right at least, I think that's an improvement myself. It can get a bit crowded especially in a city fight with guard board edges. :)

[Mad Cat]

If you put a 25 man platoon of PCS + 2x10 squad (not blobbed) in a squadron of 3 Valkyries then you only roll for reserves once (for the flyers).

Data-slates may be another way if any get released in future.

[Katharon]

I wonder if questions like this one will turn up in a new FAQ. Also, am I the only one that's pissed that we can no longer upgrade or purchase a single commissar for each Infantry Squad?

[Gleipnir]

I wonder if questions like this one will turn up in a new FAQ. Also, am I the only one that's pissed that we can no longer upgrade or purchase a single commissar for each Infantry Squad?

Only because you are opposed to blobbing them :)

You can always snag some Independent Character Commisars from Militarum Tempestus though being allied presents issues for transporting together.

[Katharon]

Only because you are opposed to blobbing them :)

You can always snag some Independent Character Commisars from Militarum Tempestus though being allied presents issues for transporting together.

Whaaat? I've never been opposed to blobbing. But I do remember fondly the one time I took five separate infantry squads all in their own Chimeras and outflanked with them with Al'rahem. The look on my friend's face was priceless.

[Gleipnir]

My bad you were only opposed to putting Heavy Weapons in the infantry squads, I just normally blob my Infantry squads with Heavies so got a bit confused there for a sec.

Yeah buying 3 more Armored Fists is on my to do list I want to run 2 30 man mixed Heavy Weapon infantry blobs with a couple of supporting special weapon teams and a 3rd platoon as a mechanized platoon.

[John Bower]

I guess at least we can put the commissars where we need them though; in the Heavy weapon squads where their ld10 can really help with those 'take it down' orders.

[Gleipnir]

Big risk of doing that though is if they do execute someone you are losing a 2 wound model, that's where Listen up Maggots or a Lord Commisars leadership bubble comes in handy

[Katharon]

My bad you were only opposed to putting Heavy Weapons in the infantry squads, I just normally blob my Infantry squads with Heavies so got a bit confused there for a sec.

Yeah buying 3 more Armored Fists is on my to do list I want to run 2 30 man mixed Heavy Weapon infantry blobs with a couple of supporting special weapon teams and a 3rd platoon as a mechanized platoon.

I've preached it once and I'll preach it again -- but seriously, just don't put your heavy weapon teams inside of infantry squads. It ties down the squad which could be doing something useful other than being abbreviated wounds for an autocannon or lascannon.

And yeah, same idea for the Mechanized.

[John Bower]

Big risk of doing that though is if they do execute someone you are losing a 2 wound model, that's where Listen up Maggots or a Lord Commisars leadership bubble comes in handy

Simple solution to that is don't execute anyone. :) You aren't forced to in the new dex, that was why I never took commissars in the old version; but now they look more like a viable option for me. WW2 attitude rather than WW1.

[Gleipnir]

Simple solution to that is don't execute anyone. :) You aren't forced to in the new dex, that was why I never took commissars in the old version; but now they look more like a viable option for me. WW2 attitude rather than WW1.

Depends on what battle you are fighting in WWII, Stalingraad?

[Tynskel]

The rules are better this way. Depending on who you talked to, you couldn't split up the Guard Platoon to take advantage of things like the Valkyrie. Now you can. And Taking a squad of Valkyires means you can put three squads in there... like special weapon squads...

[John Bower]

Depends on what battle you are fighting in WWII, Stalingraad?

what I meant was that in WW1 they just executed you for cowardice; blanket . But by the 2nd lot they had realised it wasn't as simple as 'stay and fight or you're a cowardly dog', there's reasons people run away; shell shock being 1 that readily springs to mind. And I'd imagine that would be far worse in the galaxy we're supposed to be fighting in. Even some Commissars are going to be like... "there's nothing to fear but fear itself..." *looks around* "Oer, I dunno though, leg it chaps".

[Katharon]

Simple solution to that is don't execute anyone. :) You aren't forced to in the new dex, that was why I never took commissars in the old version; but now they look more like a viable option for me. WW2 attitude rather than WW1.

I'm not sure if this is fluffy enough for me though. The idea was that Commissars in the 40k universe are the guys that will go to the most extremes (except for Space Marines) to keep fighting and others fighting in the face of anything. Now you can "opt" to not execute someone? Makes the commissars far too human.

[Charistoph]

The rules are better this way. Depending on who you talked to, you couldn't split up the Guard Platoon to take advantage of things like the Valkyrie. Now you can. And Taking a squad of Valkyires means you can put three squads in there... like special weapon squads...

??? It was like this in the previous codex, I don't see the differences here. Or are you talking about the Commisars?

[Charon]

I'm not sure if this is fluffy enough for me though. The idea was that Commissars in the 40k universe are the guys that will go to the most extremes (except for Space Marines) to keep fighting and others fighting in the face of anything. Now you can "opt" to not execute someone? Makes the commissars far too human.

No, makes them actually useful in the light of new rules.
Units in cc with a unit they can not harm (like IG vs Wraithknight) can opt to fail their fall back morale check to get out of cc. "Ok guys, we have to flee we cant harm him, but first im gonna shoot one of you... just for reasons"

[This Dave]

what I meant was that in WW1 they just executed you for cowardice; blanket . But by the 2nd lot they had realised it wasn't as simple as 'stay and fight or you're a cowardly dog', there's reasons people run away; shell shock being 1 that readily springs to mind. And I'd imagine that would be far worse in the galaxy we're supposed to be fighting in. Even some Commissars are going to be like... "there's nothing to fear but fear itself..." *looks around* "Oer, I dunno though, leg it chaps".

You should take a look at actual Soviet Commissars in WW2. Setting up machine guns behind the lines to gun down runners rather than using it to support the attack wasn't uncommon. Or executing units retreating on verbal orders because they didn't have written orders. Not quite the Tsarist Cossacks but still not too understanding.

[Katharon]

"Ok guys, we have to flee we cant harm him, but first im gonna shoot one of you... just for reasons"

Doesn't it just put a smile on your face to imagine it? Bwuahahaha.