The Book of Airborne Elite

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by The Super Atheist

These guys seem a little under-priced to me.

They're unique, which always drops their price. You lose one and you're guaranteed to lose overall effectiveness.

[Jexik]

Yes. Never place them in a spot where losing the initiative roll will cost you. Assume that you'll go second, and then tear it up. I've lost my AE to the Einar Imperium, and destroyed my friend's AE with Nilfheim later because of this sort of mistake. They have 8 range.

[Jexik]

Originally Posted by UtgarsWorstFear

i thought you got to look at the order markers before you place them. whats all this talk about "assuming" you go second. You should know if you are first or second.

You get to place order markers, but you don't get to decide which player gets the initiative roll. The dice decide that.

Imagine this:

Step 1: Place 4 Airborne elite within 8 spaces of (your opponent's) Nilfheim.
Step 2: Place your 1, 2, and 3 order markers on the Airborne Elite
Step 3: You roll a 17 for initiative; your opponent rolls a 20.
Step 4: Cry as Nilfheim flies within range and wastes 2-3 of your precious 110 point squad.

The problem here was Step 1. If you placed them really far from Nilfheim, but close enough to move and shoot at something else, your squad would still survive.

[Sisyphus]

The Airborne Elite pack great punch if used at the right time and place and for the Airborne Elite there are several right times and places. Being able to place a ranged squad that packs such punch as the Airborne Elite almost ANYWHERE on the board is incredibly powerful and don't underestimate the power of their area of affect special.

The pro-Airborne Elite people here assume that you will get initiative when they drop, the anti-Airborne Elite people assume that they will lose initiative and get slaughtered before they have a chance to do anything. In reality you will get initiative 50% of the time (barring glyphs). You can also protect yourself for when you do lose initiative. Since they can be placed anywhere, place them so that only 1-2 can be attacked at once by your opponent's anti-squad units. Also each figure should have height advantage because of the drop so it is not as if they will always be killed on every attack.

[Jexik]

And the people that really like the Airborne Elite will put them in a spot that is good whether you get the initiative or not. It can be difficult sometimes, sure. But you really can't overestimate the power of a squad with 8 range that gets high ground for free.

[ManTrainChooChoo]

Roll for the drop first.
Place AE if they drop.
Place order markers.
Roll initiative.

The idea is that you have to try to set up your order markers regardless of whether you win initiative or not.

[cosmosis]

Okay, so here's a funny scenario that came up when we played:

Both teams rolled successfully for The Drop. How is it determined who gets to place the Airborne first? Or do they alternate by dropping one at a time?

[NecroBlade]

Originally Posted by cosmosis

Okay, so here's a funny scenario that came up when we played:

Both teams rolled successfully for The Drop. How is it determined who gets to place the Airborne first? Or do they alternate by dropping one at a time?

I'm pretty sure this is covered in the FAQ. Before rolling for The Drop, everyone with The Drop is supposed to roll the d20 to see who gets to roll for The Drop first.

Although ruling that they alternate placement one at a time could be lots of fun, too.

[cosmosis]

Thanks for the replies guys, I went to look at the FAQ on the heroscape website and they did not say anything abuot that, unless you are talking about a different FAQ, necroblade? If so, I am not aware of it, so a link to it or something would be nice thanks!

Another question about these guys, when using the Grenade SA...
Do I throw a grenade with one, carry out the SA and see who is still alive before each subsequent grenade throw? Or do I make all 4 of my targets right away and have to plan beforehand on who I want to "hit twice"?

[NecroBlade]

I believe the card says "One at a time..." meaning you carry out the entire attack before moving on to the next one.

As for the d20 ruling, I didn't know if it was in the FAQ or not, but I do remember reading it somewhere...

[Revdyer]

Originally Posted by cosmosis

Thanks for the replies guys, I went to look at the FAQ on the heroscape website and they did not say anything abuot that, unless you are talking about a different FAQ, necroblade? If so, I am not aware of it, so a link to it or something would be nice thanks!

Another question about these guys, when using the Grenade SA...
Do I throw a grenade with one, carry out the SA and see who is still alive before each subsequent grenade throw? Or do I make all 4 of my targets right away and have to plan beforehand on who I want to "hit twice"?

Actually, the place where the answer is found about rolling to see who drops first if two or more players are going to do that is in the 2nd edition Rule Book on page 16:

"Simultaneous Special Powers
If you and an opponent are using the same Army Cards with powers that happen at the same time, you must roll the 20-sided die to see who gets to us them first."

[CheddarLimbo]

I think the thing I like the most about the AE is the balance of their Drop power on several levels. It's never always good or always bad.

They don't start on the table and may never drop BUT They could drop at any moment and you can influence your opponent's movement and position without ever actually having the units in play.

The units drop wherever you want (with minor restrictions) BUT You can't guarantee initiative so you have to drop at risk.

I have found the AE to be responsible for the biggest swings in advantage in either case. You either throw away 110 points with a botch, or you strike in exactly the right place and time in a way that your opponent can't recover from.