Q: Can you take a Drop Pod with a 10-man squad and then put a combat squad in it, deploying the other combat squad on the table, or leave it in reserve but not in the Drop Pod? (p32)
A: No, because squads that are placed in reserve may not break down into combat squads. (found here)
I disagreed with him over his interpretation. It looks to me that the FAQ is simply attempting to bar a unit from combat squadding and deploying one squad in reserve and one squad on the table. According to the codex, I think that a squad deepstriking may combat squad when it deploys. So, after the reserve roll is made, the unit combat squads and can be placed in different locations as is stated on the combat squad rule in the codex.
Ultimately, I kept my assault squad together and deepstriked them with Dante and a priest and they wrecked face. However, I want to know that answer. Can a deepstriking assault squad or vanguard vet squad combat squad when it is deployed on the table? I say yes. My opponent said no. Tell me what you think.
4 comments:
Ever since that FAQ dropped I have been playing my squads as that they cannot combat squad since they were "placed in reserves" The question was about drop pods, but the answer GW gave was a very blanket statement about combat squads and reserves in general, and a strong one at that.
I think that the way you interpret it is the way the ruling was intended, but not the ruling as written. Makes me sad face, because I used to make liberal use of the combat squadding rules when deepstriking pre-FAQ.
Strictly speaking, any unit which is placed into reserves (except units which arrive by drop pods, which may split when they disembark.)
Intent-wise, I think it is meant to prevent the half-on/half-off split. It is clear that units in reserve are never Combat Squadded, though, so if you're BA and doing jumpers, you roll for each 10man once and then choose to split as you deploy them (assuming you follow that interpretation.)
That was my understanding too. The codex stated that combat squadding happens when the unit is deployed and that the units may be placed in separate locations, so I took that to mean that when they are deployed via deepstrike, I can separate the squads and deploy them where I want on the board.
The FAQ answer is too ambiguous. Sure the answer to the question seems like a fairly strong blanket statement, but it is in response to a very specific question. Another great response from GW, I guess.
So, rules lawyerly counter to rules lawyering:
'squads that ARE placed in reserve may not break down into combat squads' only refers to units actually in reserve. Once it's time for them to come on, they are deploying, no longer in reserve and the ruling no longer applies. Combat Squading after Podding is the precedent for 'deployment' and 'reserves' being seperate states, as they 'deploy' from the pod, and can therefore combat squad.
If they meant otherwise, the phrase would read 'squads that HAVE EVER BEEN placed in reserve may NEVER be broken down into combat squads'.
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