New Player Rules Questions

[Acceptableloss]

Played my first game of BFG last night.  I really like the ruleset - definitely one of GWs diamonds in the rough.

I have a few rules questions that came up during my game:

1) Is it possible to board more than one enemy ship at a time if your ship is in B2B with both?  I managed to base two enemy escorts with my Dauntless Cruiser thinking I could board them both in one combat phase, but then didn't see any way to do it in the rules, so I just attacked (and destroyed) one. Was this correct? Could I have tried to ram one and then board the other?

1a) Is it possible to ram an enemy ship and then (assuming both ships survive) board it during the same turn?

2) Am I allowed to "scuttle" attack craft to allow me to launch more?  This came up because I had two wings of fighters on the board that had nothing to attack and wanted to launch a full wave of 4 bomber squadrons from my Dictator Cruiser during the ordnance phase.

3) What do most people do regarding the issue of models that won't fit as close together as they are supposed to be?  This came up several times during my game.  For example, trying to ram something with a cruiser or ending your movement head on in B2B is basically impossible. I am considering a house rule that if the models are touching they can initiate a boarding action or ram rather than having to do something weird like remove the model from its base or stack them or something.

4) Is it possible for (non-squadron) ships to split their waves of torpedoes?  For example, could a Dictator Cruiser with a Str 6 wave of torps choose to split them into two Str 3 waves?

5) With the rule for blast markers being considered to be "all around" the base of any ship they are touching, its seems like it is very difficult to concentrate fire on one enemy ship. The first ship (or squadron) to score hits will not have its shots affected, but any subsequent ships will all suffer a column shift to the right. This seems to be the intent of the RAW, but it just seems odd.  I guess this just encourages you to squadron your ships?

6) If I choose to squadron two cruisers together, do I issue special commands to them together or separately?  If together, which ship's leadership do they use since cruisers could each have a different leadership value?

7) What is the benefit of fleet commanders (other than raising the Ld of the ship they are on) ?  Why would I ever want to spend 150pts for a Solar Admiral if he only improves the leadership of one ship?  Have I missed something there?

8 ) What is good about boarding torpedoes? Assault boats appear to be in every way better.

Thanks.

[horizon]

4) Nope.
5) Pity, that is indeed the rule. In the original rules this was not the case.
6) No, one SO for the squadron. Highest Ld is used.
7) Well, face Orks you know why. Or a surprise attack by Chaos Infidels. Or Marines in synergy with Thunderhawks etc.

[Vaaish]

1a. If you end in base contact at the end of your AAF move to ram and don't fire weapons I think you would be able to board so long as it was declared but the odds are rather slim of pulling it of regularly.

2. yes, this is allowed to my knowledge.

3. We tend to mark the position or remove the ship from its base. As long as both of you know where a ship is supposed to be and which way it's facing you are fine.

4. no. not ever. this was clarified again in the latest FAQ.

5. it just means you have to calculate what will loose the least by firing second... and fire lances after WB.

6. no, the SO is issued for the squadron as a whole. The only time this doesn't work is when a ship is out of formation (and then it cannot receive SO). They use the ship with the highest leadership value. This is all detailed nicely under squadrons on page 37 of the rulebook...

7. Not really much benefit for IN unless you have a really high points game and really want the high LD.

7. yes they are, but when you get them standard as marines as well as AB, whose to complain.

[Valhallan]

Welcome to the game!

1.) yes you can board multiple enemies at the same time. your dauntless vs two escorts would work like this: you have 6 hp, so your boarding is D6+6. he has two ships at 1hp (and turrets for defending), so he rolls 2+Tur+d6. higher total scores damage equal to the difference.

1a.) if you managed to All Ahead, successfully ram, and your still in b2b - you could board.

2.) yes you can scuttle AC - in your end phase IIRC.

3.) ........ahhh welcome to the stacking argument. currently you are supposed to remove your ships from their bases to make everything fit. [this is stupid]

4.) no. a single ship cannot split its torps.

5.) your guess is correct. a fine tactic is to compose squadrons of Weapon Batteries and use them to take down shields, then have squadrons with lances swing in for heavier damage.

6.) in the Adv. Rules pdf it clearly states you roll Special orders for squadrons as a whole. you use the highest leadership in the squadron. (remember a ship w/ blast markers in contact is at -1 LD).

7) a fleet commander comes with 1 special order reroll, that is his major bonus besides his higher leadership for his flagship. rerolls are great because if you fail a special order check, you can't give anymore orders for that turn - making rerolls very valuable. Also you have to take a fleet commander if your fleet is over 750pnts.

Boarding torps can turn at the beginning of the ord phase. because turrets can only shoot at torps or AC in one turn, you could hit a ship with both boarding torps And A-boats for more successes also torps that fail to damage keep flying...

[Vaaish]

your dauntless vs two escorts would work like this: you have 6 hp, so your boarding is D6+6. he has two ships at 1hp (and turrets for defending), so he rolls 2+Tur+d6. higher total scores damage equal to the difference.

this is incorrect. Boarding value is only used for determining modifiers, it is not actually added to the d6 roll. the dauntless would have a boarding value of 6 which is compared to the boarding value of each escort added together. Lets assume falchions. Each escort has one hit and one turret which gives the two for a total boarding value of 4. That is then compared on the chart for modifiers, in this case the dauntless gets +1 for having a higher boarding value. To figure out the results, the dauntless rolls d6+1 and the escorts roll a single d6 with the side having the higher value winning.

[Commx]

1) Is it possible to board more than one enemy ship at a time if your ship is in B2B with both?  I managed to base two enemy escorts with my Dauntless Cruiser thinking I could board them both in one combat phase, but then didn't see any way to do it in the rules, so I just attacked (and destroyed) one. Was this correct? Could I have tried to ram one and then board the other?

Technically, it is your opponent's choice. You can only board one ship at a time, but if he has multiple ships in base contact with yours, he may elect to have them join.

1a) Is it possible to ram an enemy ship and then (assuming both ships survive) board it during the same turn?

Yes, but only if you end up in base contact with said ship (which may be hard, as you are using AAF to ram and must therefore move the entire distance.

2) Am I allowed to "scuttle" attack craft to allow me to launch more?  This came up because I had two wings of fighters on the board that had nothing to attack and wanted to launch a full wave of 4 bomber squadrons from my Dictator Cruiser during the ordnance phase.

You can indeed. This has been the case ever since the Attack Craft Limit was added to replace limited reloads.

4) Is it possible for (non-squadron) ships to split their waves of torpedoes?  For example, could a Dictator Cruiser with a Str 6 wave of torps choose to split them into two Str 3 waves?

Currently - no. Once the 2010 FAQ is finalized - perhaps. In the draft it currently allows salvoes of 8+ to be split in salvoes of at least Str4 each.

6) If I choose to squadron two cruisers together, do I issue special commands to them together or separately?  If together, which ship's leadership do they use since cruisers could each have a different leadership value?

As mentioned by others, one order per squadron (this includes BFI!) using the highest available Leadership value.

7) What is the benefit of fleet commanders (other than raising the Ld of the ship they are on) ?  Why would I ever want to spend 150pts for a Solar Admiral if he only improves the leadership of one ship?  Have I missed something there?

For IN it is honestly not that significant. However, for certain other fleets they are of vital importance to have the slightest chance of using any Orders (ie. Orks). Of course, the highest Leadership for a Commander is often higher than the one that comes on a roll of six for a ship.

8 ) What is good about boarding torpedoes? Assault boats appear to be in every way better.

Nothing, unless you really want to H&R something and want to send both Boarding Torpedoes and Assault Boats at it to avoid the target's Turrets (which can only target torpedoes or attack craft each turn).

Thanks.

You're welcome.

[Zhukov]

Played my first game of BFG last night.  I really like the ruleset - definitely one of GWs diamonds in the rough.

7) What is the benefit of fleet commanders (other than raising the Ld of the ship they are on) ?  Why would I ever want to spend 150pts for a Solar Admiral if he only improves the leadership of one ship?  Have I missed something there?

8 ) What is good about boarding torpedoes? Assault boats appear to be in every way better.

WELCOME TO THE GAME!!! Now you need to buy some mini's and promote the game!!!

7) Imperial Navy doesn't have to place their Fleet Commander on the most expensive ship. Have a few Dictators (or others) squadroned together and use that Ld 10 to perfection!

Chaos Infidel Class Raiders and Space Marine Hunter Class Destroyers may launch boarding Torps. That's an advantage to consider!

-Zhukov