Assault Craft Question

[Blind_Baku]

Hello, this is my first post here, though I have lurked off and on for a while.

I realize I may be asking for a good deal of flame by admiting I play Dark Eldar, as they don't seem to have any love, but I do, and I had a question about the Assualt craft.

I had though that when an assault craft hits, it is a critical hit, therefore the escor (hit by said craft) is removed.
Now, if I run assaultcraft into escorts, opt for the slave raid, is that a Critical Hit, no damage, +10 VP and since it is a crit, the escort is removed (assuming it is just an eerie empty ship at this point)?

I had thought this was the case, and have seen the same thought written out elsewhere on the internet but I cannot find a rule that explicitly states if a slave run is or isnot a critical that causes no damage.

Thanks,
Baku

[AndrewChristlieb]

Well first a hit and run attack from an Impaler or Slavebringer will not automatically destroy an escort anymore, roll a D6 against the escort and it is destroyed on a 4+ (3+ for DE due to your +1).

Now being that it says to forgo your critical hit roll in favor of slave taking i would be inclined to say no it wouldnt destroy the ship. In the FAQ2010 it states escorts are destroyed when 30 pts worth of slaves have been removed, an Impaler is also bumped to +30 points per hit instead of +10. Im not much of a fan of that route but meh its there if you want to use it.

[Sigoroth]

Well first a hit and run attack from an Impaler or Slavebringer will not automatically destroy an escort anymore, roll a D6 against the escort and it is destroyed on a 4+ (3+ for DE due to your +1).

Just a clarification here. Escorts are still destroyed by any critical hit, though Slavetaking and Leech Torpedoes do not count for this. However, when conducting hit and run attacks against escorts you no longer simply apply the critical associated with the number rolled but instead apply a critical (i.e., destroy) the target on any modified roll of 4+. So, since most H&R attacks normally use 1 dice this means that a standard H&R attack has a 50% chance of destroying an escort. Modifiers apply as normal. For example, a DE Slavebringer assault boat conducting a H&R attack against an escort would only need to roll a 3+ to destroy it, since DE get +1 to their H&R rolls. If the target was a SM escort however, you would need to roll a 4+, since SMs give a -1 penalty to enemy H&R rolls. When using an Impaler you would still use 2 dice as usual, destroying the target on a 4+. Against SMs you'd roll 2d6-1, again needing 4+ to destroy.

When Slavetaking you would need 3 normal assault boats or one Impaler to assure destruction. Since Slavetaking guarantees an escort kill for Impalers and grants 30 VPs whereas a normal Impaler attack has a (small) chance of failing, you should always choose Slavetaking when using Impalers against escorts. For normal a-boats I'd just use their normal attack.

[AndrewChristlieb]

Impalers dont roll 2D6 tho, they roll 1D6. On a result of 1 the attack fails and the Impaler may no longer be used, on a 2-6 (original rules) or 3-6 (FAQ 2010 including the +1 to hit and runs) you roll a standard (2D6) critical hit instead of applying the result of the roll as per the standard hit and run rules. So against an escort its still 1D6 3+ to destroy, of course you should still just take the auto kill and +30 bonus vp from slave taking .

[Sigoroth]

Impalers dont roll 2D6 tho, they roll 1D6. On a result of 1 the attack fails and the Impaler may no longer be used, on a 2-6 (original rules) or 3-6 (FAQ 2010 including the +1 to hit and runs) you roll a standard (2D6) critical hit instead of applying the result of the roll as per the standard hit and run rules. So against an escort its still 1D6 3+ to destroy, of course you should still just take the auto kill and +30 bonus vp from slave taking .

Ah yes, I forgot about the initial roll. This roll, however, is just a 2+ roll. On a 1 you lose the Impaler for good, on a 2+ you get to inflict your crit; 2d6 roll, needing 4+, affected by applicable modifiers such as SM penalty but not the DE bonus (which does not affect impalers).

[AndrewChristlieb]

Doh your right, how does this work with the FAQ 2010 then? Is it still a 2+ or does it change to the 4+ like all other hit and runs?

[Sigoroth]

Doh your right, how does this work with the FAQ 2010 then? Is it still a 2+ or does it change to the 4+ like all other hit and runs?

Both. You need to roll a 2+ in order to make your crit run. Then you roll 2d6 looking to beat a 4+. As for the Slavetaking, the RAW mean you don't even need to roll the 2+, you just automatically score 30 VPs and if the target is an escort it is destroyed. However, I think this is an oversight and you should in fact still need to roll the 2+ first.