Flyers and Ordnance

[Acebaur]

Forgive me, I'm sure this is a stupid question, but a flyer(such as a storm eagle) can fire an ordnance weapon(like a Hellstrike missile) but must then fire all other weapons as snap shots correct? I didn't see anything in the flyer section that specifically overrides this?

 

Second, assuming the above is true, can the flyer use PotMS to fire a second weapon at full BS?

 

 

Thanks guys

[Raeven]

If my memory serves me right, it's Yes and Yes.

 

Alternately, PotMS can be used to fire the Ordnance weapon after Cruising at 36"

[Dam13n]

Well the first question is a simple yes.

 

The second, not so much... It's actually been discussed in a previous topic:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/288363-storm-raven-plasma-cannon-vs-flyers/page-2

 

Now it ends up resorting to RAI, because the Power of the Machine Spirit isn't really written well enough to give a clear answer.

 

After dissecting the rule the best answer I could come up with was this:

 

Just to expand upon the topic even more.

 

The way I see PotMS working is that it affects the "Shooting with Vehicles" section on page 71.

 

If we look at the moving and shooting sub-section that tells us how many weapons may be fired at "full BS"

 

Namely the "Moving at Combat Speed" section which states that a vehicle moving at that speed may fire 1 weapon at "full BS".

- That exact wording is used "Full BS", I'll get to why that's important in a bit.

 

Power of the Machine Spirit interferes at this point and increases however many weapon may be fired at full BS by 1.

- This has no affect on a stationary vehicle, as it can fire all it's weapons anyway (although the secondary effect of split fire does apply).

- Combat speed will equal 2 weapons at full BS (1+1 = 2)

- Cruising speed will equal 1 weapon at full BS (0+1 = 1)

Expanding this to include some other vehicle types will give:

- A Fast Vehicle moving at cruising speed will get 3 weapons at full BS (2+1 = 3)

- A Zooming Flyer will get 5 weapons at full BS (4+1 = 5)

 

Now the wording "Full BS" is important here as it is used in both the normal vehicle shooting rules and in PotMS.  Now we know that certain game effects will over-rule the "Full BS" ruling in the vehicle moving section.  Such as Crew Stunned or any other game effect that causes the vehicle to fire snap shots.  I feel that one has to make the logical leap that these effects also affect the "Full BS" of the PotMS shot similarly.

 

Mainly because otherwise we could have people arguing that the wording "Full BS" in the Vehicle Moving and Shooting section over-rules these snap shot causing effects as well.

 

Now I'm aware this requires some RAI in addition to RAW, and therefore may invite some discussion (which I'm fine with, btw).  But to me it makes sense that it should work in this way.

 

Now should an Ordnance weapon be fired, all other weapons must be snap shots, which means the "full BS" of your PotMS shot is still 1.  At least by this interpretation.

[Raeven]

While you are correct that Ordnance has similar wording "can only be fired as/resolved as Snap Shots", flyers have a further restriction.  The reason you can't use PotMS to shoot at flyers, is because you can't normally shoot at flyers under Full Ballistic without skyfire.  With Ordnance, you don't have another rule restricting your ability to normally shoot at full ballistic.

 

 PotMS only has two restrictions that prevent it from shooting one more weapon than is normally permitted at full ballistic.  That is moving Flat Out and using Smoke Launchers.  

[Acebaur]

Well that kind of puts a damper on running a Storm Eagle with missiles :(

 

 

While you are correct that Ordnance has similar wording "can only be fired as/resolved as Snap Shots", flyers have a further restriction.  The reason you can't use PotMS to shoot at flyers, is because you can't normally shoot at flyers under Full Ballistic without skyfire.  With Ordnance, you don't have another rule restricting your ability to normally shoot at full ballistic.

 

 PotMS only has two restrictions that prevent it from shooting one more weapon than is normally permitted at full ballistic.  That is moving Flat Out and using Smoke Launchers.  

 

So if I ran my Eagle with missiles,  I could fire two missiles (one at a separate target if I want) at full BS and then snap shot the twin-linked MM/HB, Typhoon on the front?

[Raeven]

I would argue yes.

 

You can use PotMS to fire two ordnance weapons, as long as you moved combat speed or less.