Formations

[btk_kilroy_winterhart]

When and how are formations use? Are they for Apocalypse only or can they be in a normal game of 40k? I just downloaded the Assassins dataslate, first they show the formation then go through each individual model. Can they be use separtely or do they have to be used in formation? Please any help will be helpful.

[Power Klawz]

Formations are very specific collections of units that generally grant additional special rules when used in that specific configuration. They can be used in concert with or in lieu of other organizational tools. The standard detachment rules allow for a much wider variety of choices while still bestowing additional special rules, but the formation rules tend to be slightly more powerful while simultaneously being far more restrictive due to the general cost of having to take that specific brick of units in that specific configuration.

The current 7th edition formations are indeed an evolution of the original concept which was introduced with the first apocalypse expansion some years ago.

Specifically for assassins they can either be fielded in that formation with all the concurrent special rules, or individually as described elsewhere in the codex.

[daboarder]

NB: There are both 40k and apoc formations, the apoc formations are not for use in games of standard 40k

[sebi81]

The newer 40k formations are for use in normal games. The 4 assassins formation is an example but newer codizes or supplements feature 40k formations too like grey knights or champions of fenris. A formation is chosen as its own detachment and can either be the only detachment or one of two or more detachments in the army. You could for example choose a Combined Arms detachment from codex space marines, a knight detachment and the assassin formation as a legal battleforged army. In this case every detachment has its own special rules (only the space marines have objective secured). Or you could chose a bigger formation like the Grey Knight Brotherhood as your only detachment and fill it to the point level.

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As far as assassins are concerned, there are two ways of fielding these: the formation with all 4 or a assassin detachment with only one. So in a battle-forged army you can have one (or more) assassin detachments which have one assassin as the only unit of the detachment.