Best get the terminology out of the way:
[Terms]
Dropship: The vehicle used to deploy models in this scenario. These do not have to be represented by a physical model, and are not valid targets for shooting attacks. Instead, a dropship's "footprint" can be abstractly represented by templates (small teardrop, large teardrop, or circular), and are used as a method to deploy models. Dropships cannot make shooting attacks in the active turn, but rather have powerful AROs. The details will be explained later.
Deployment Template: A circular, small teardrop, or large teardrop template. Units deployed from the dropship deploy within this template simultaneously. Units must deploy on the highest surface covered by the template. Deployment templates may not be placed on top of enemy deployment templates or enemy units. Small items, like boxes and barricades serving as cover are exempt from this rule. They may, however, be placed on top of enemy camo markers.
For example, a circular template cannot fit in a narrow alleyway, instead it's sides overlap two rooftops. The models deployed from this dropship must exit to fit within the template and be placed on the highest rooftop. If the rooftops are the same height, the units may be placed on both.
[Skills]
Dropship Reaction: The dropship with this skill may only make AROs on enemies which fire at models currently within the dropship's deployment template. AROs are made at the weapon's full burst value. Furthermore, enemy rolls are compared to the dropship's ARO as well as any other shooting Ftf rolls.
Example: Uxia makes an attack a troop which is located within a dropship template. She rolls a 9, 12, and a 4. The troop AROs with a 5. Normally, Uxia would score two hits, however, the dropship is able to react, since Uxia's target was within it's deployment template, Uxia's rolls are compared to the dropship's AROs as well. The dropship rolls a 10, 11, and a 7. Uxia only scores one hit, since the dropship's 10 cancells out her 9.
Nimble: Nimble dropships can quickly adjust their entry patterns to deploy quickly and effectivly. Nimble dropships do not need their landing zone marked or relayed. A nimble dropship can place it's deployment template anywhere, even locations which do not have a Landing zone marker. . (We'll get to landing zone markers, as well as using dropships do in the next section).
[stats]
Capacity: Dropships can only carry a certian amount of troops. The capacity is how many soldiers and their equipment a dropship can carry.
Light infantry and skirmishers take 1 capacity.
Medium infantry take 2 capacity
Heavy infantry take 3 capacity
TAGs take 4 capacity.
Example: The firefly light transport has a capacity of 3. It can carry three light infantry, 1 medium infantry and 1 light infantry, or just 1 heavy infantry.
Duration: The amount of player (both your and your opponent) turns the dropship template stays on the board.
Example: The firefly transport has a duration of 0. You just deployed units with the firefly dropship on your active turn. When your turn ends, the dropship template will be removed from the board.
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[Rules: Deploying with Dropships]
Alright, now the terminology is out of the way, we can get to the good stuff: using the dropships.
1) Mark or relay the landing zone.
-As a short skill, A forward observer can mark a landing zone by making a successful WIP roll. The potential landing zone must be within line of sight of the forward observer. Place an "LZ" (short for Landing Zone) marker on where the landing zone is meant to be. If the observer's WIP roll is successful, the LZ marker stays put. If the roll fails, then there as been a miscommunication between the specialist and the incoming dropship. The marker scatters with the "1" of the circular template facing the center of the board.
-Alternatively, a hacker can relay coordinates for a landing zone. As a long skill, the hacker declares he is relaying coordinates for the landing zone, then may put an LZ marker anywhere within the hacker's zone of control.
2) Spend an order to call the dropship in.
It takes one order to call a dropship in. To do this, simply spend an order, place the dropship's deployment template on the LZ marker. The template must fully cover the LZ marker.
2.5 enemy reactions
Dropships may be hacked. Hackers may attempt to hack any dropship whose deployment template enters their zone of control. This is a normal WIP roll modified modified by the dropship's BTS. If the hacker is successful, they may choose one of two things:
a) reposition the dropship's deployment template. The player who succeeded in a hacking roll may re-position the dropship's deployment template in any way they see fit, as long as the LZ marker is still fully covered by the template.
Note: Nimble dropship's deployment templates may be re-positioned anywhere on the board if not landing on an LZ marker!
b)Scramble reactive weapons: The hacker may scramble the dropship's weapons. The dropship's weapon's burst value is reduced to 1 as long as it remains on the board.
3) Place models
Now the dropship has landed. Place the models carried to the by the dropship within the dropship's deployment template. If not all units can be placed within the deployment template on the highest surface under the template, then the models which cannot fit must make armor saves as they fall from the craft. They must roll an ARM roll of 5 + [falling damage] modifiers.
Example: A circular template is halfway over a rooftop. A link team of riot grrls can not all fit on the rooftop and still be within their deployment template. One model cannot be deployed fully on the roof, and so is placed on the street below instead. The distance from the roof to the ground is four inches Therefore the riot grrl must pass an armor save of 5 + (2.5*4), or 15. If the armor save is failed, then the riot grrl receives a wound.
3.5 enemy reaction
Any models which can make a valid ARO to the troops deployed by the dropship may do so.
Got all that? No? Well, lets use an example:
A crafty chasseur wants to call in a reinforcement team of loup-garous. It takes one order to move + mark. He makes a WIP roll, applying a -3 penalty, because the drop zone is 34 inches away, within the 32-48, -3, range bracket. The chasseur rolls his modified willpower of 10. He rolls a 15. The LZ marker scatters 12.5 inches in the "5" direction. The order ends.
While it's not the ideal location, it's good enough. The next order is spent to call the dropship down. The active player spends an order and places the dropship's deployment template anywhere over the LZ marker. He opts for a prime location that will allow the loup-garous to land on a nearby roof. But lo! The template is within an enemy hacker's zone of control. The hacker rolls a hacking roll, subtracting the BTS of the dropship. The hacker succeeds! The hacker's player elects to shift the template to where only one or two models can fit on the rooftop. The loup-garous must attempt deploy on the highest surface under the template. Two loup garous can deploy on the rooftop and still be within the deployment template, however, three fall to the street below and must make armor saves. Two fail, one succeeds, leaving two loup-garous on the rooftop and one in the street below.
It is now the other player's, a PanO player's, turn. He decides to attack the loup garou on the street. The street-garou is still under the dropship's deployment template, despite not being on the rooftop. Since the loup garou is under the dropship's deployment template, the dropship may react to the attack as well. The PanO player makes a shooting attack on the loup garou.
The PanO fusilier rolls an 11, 10, and a 8. The linked-loup: 3 and a 9. The dropship rolls a 12, 2, and an unsuccessful 20. The fusilier's 8 is cancled by the loup's 9. and the fusilier's 11 and 10 are cancelled by the dropships' 12. The fusilier's must make one armor save which must equal or exceed the damage of the dropship's weapon.
And that's it! All the rules in one go!
I'll reserve two posts. one for the stats of the dropships themselves, and another for a few custom scenarios. I've you've got ideas for the stats of a dropship, then feel free to post them!
