Drop Pod Assault
(Rule)Description: Before the start of the first turn, when placing units into Reserve, a player using the Drop Pod Assault Rite of War must assign all Legion Drop Pods, Legion Dreadnought Drop Pods, Legion Dreadclaw Drop Pods or Legion Kharybdis Assault Claws as well as the units Embarked upon them to perform a Drop Pod Assault.
All units assigned to a Drop Pod Assault must enter play at the start of the controlling player’s first turn, before any other units are moved and following the Drop Pod Assault procedure as follows:
Performing a Drop Pod Assault
To deploy those models assigned to a Drop Pod Assault onto the battlefield, first the controlling player must select any one Legion Drop Pod, Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod, Legion Dreadclaw Drop Pod or Legion Kharybdis Assault Claw assigned to the assault. Place that model anywhere on the battlefield that is at least 1" from any enemy model, battlefield edge or piece of Impassable Terrain and then scatter that model (see the Scatter rules on page 152 of the Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness rulebook).
If the model’s final position is within 1" of an enemy model, any battlefield edge or a piece of Impassable Terrain then the controlling player’s opponent may move that model to any position within 18" that is more than 1" from any enemy model, battlefield edge or piece of Impassable Terrain. If there is no suitable position within 18" then the model may be repositioned anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 1" from any enemy model, battlefield edge or piece of Impassable Terrain. If possible, the model must be placed in a position that will allow the models Embarked within to deploy (see as follows), and may only be placed in a position that denies the Embarked unit space to deploy if no other position is available.
Once this first unit has been deployed, roll a dice. On the roll of a ‘1’ the Drop Pod Assault is Disordered, and the opposing player may deploy each remaining Legion Drop Pod, Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod and Legion Dreadclaw Drop Pod and Legion Kharybdis Assault Claw in the Drop Pod Assault anywhere within 24" of the first unit without scattering, though no model may be within 1" of an enemy model or within Impassable terrain. If the roll is a ‘2’ or higher, the controlling player deploys those models anywhere within 24" of the first, though no model may be within 1" of an enemy model or within Impassable Terrain. If possible, each model must be placed in a position that will allow the models Embarked within to deploy (see as follows), and may only be placed in a position that denies the Embarked unit space to deploy if no other position is available. Once all of the Legion Drop Pods, Legion Dreadnought Drop Pods and Legion Dreadclaw Drop Pods and Legion Kharybdis Assault Claw have been placed, any enemy units that have one or more models within 6" of any model deployed as part of the Drop Pod Assault must make an immediate Pinning test. Once all Pinning tests are resolved, all units Embarked on a Legion Drop Pod, Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod or Legion Dreadclaw Drop Pod and Legion Kharybdis Assault Claw deployed as part of this Drop Pod Assault, must Disembark following the normal rules for Disembarking. Any models that cannot be Disembarked are removed as casualties.
Once all units taking part in the Drop Pod Assault have Disembarked, any enemy units that are neither Pinned or Falling Back and are within line of sight may choose to make the Interceptor Reaction (See page 309 of the Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness rulebook) targeting any one of the units deployed as part of the Drop Pod Assault or that has Disembarked from a model deployed as part of the Drop Pod Assault. Note that no Reaction other than Interceptor may be made against the deployment of a unit as part of a Drop Pod Assault.
Once all units from the Drop Pod Assault have been deployed and any Interceptor Reactions have been resolved, the turn proceeds as normal. Units that have been deployed as part of a Drop Pod Assault may not Move or Run in the same turn as they are deployed, but may make Shooting Attacks as normal in the Shooting phase. During the Assault phase, only units deployed from a model with the Transport Sub-type with the Assault Vehicle special rule may declare and resolve a Charge and Assault as normal, other units deployed as part of a Drop Pod Assault may not declare or resolve a Charge on the same turn as they are deployed.