The Book of Airborne Elite

[dnutt99]

The Book of Airborne Elite

Rise of the Valkyrie - Master Set​

If you cannot see the Army Card graphic, check Hasbro's Unit Page for stats and special powers, plus "character biography" and other non-game unit info.

Character Bio: Battle-trained on the planet Earth, the Airborne Elite squad has plagued the enemy with its deadly sneak attacks. Lifted high by Valkyries and dropped behind enemy lines, they parachute down for a surprise visit, then quickly fire a barrage of grenades to unleash total havoc in the enemy's own territory. Off the battlefield the Elites are a fun-loving bunch, known for their practical jokes and raucous card games. When called into action, they are unmatched in fast action, focus and fearlessness. (Hasbro)

GRENADE SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 5. Lob 12. Attack 2.
Use this power once per game. Start the game with a grenade marker on this card. Remove the grenade marker to throw grenades. One at a time do the following with each Airborne Elite: Choose a figure to attack. No clear line of sight is needed. Any figures adjacent to the chosen figure are also affected by the Grenade Special Attack. Roll 2 attack dice once for all affected figures. Each figure rolls defense dice separately.

THE DROP
Airborne Elite do not start the game on the battlefield. At the start of each round, before you place order markers, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 13 or higher, you may place all 4 Airborne Elite figures on any empty spaces. You cannot place them adjacent to each other or other figures, or on Glyphs.

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-Rulings and Clarifications-

- GRENADE SPECIAL ATTACK : Activating for Partial Squad
If I decide not to throw a grenade with one Airborne, Can I throw 2 Grenades with one of the other ones?
No, you must throw one grenade with each Airborne. They must be thrown in the same turn. If one of your Airborne Elite is out of range, he cannot throw a grenade and loses the ability since it is a once per game special attack. (Hasbro FAQ)

- THE DROP : Landing Under Overhangs
Can you use The Drop to drop the Airborne Elite into an area below an overhang?
No. (Hasbro FAQ)

- THE DROP : One Time Activation
Do you have the ability to drop the Airborne Elite every turn with The Drop?
No, due to the complexity of the Grenade Special Attack we had to cut down the wording on The Drop. The Airborne do not enter the battlefield until they are dropped (By a roll of 13 or higher prior to the beginning of each turn). After that they cannot be dropped again. You may go the entire game without dropping them. That is why the Airborne Elite are a valuable weapon, but also a costly risk. (Hasbro FAQ)

- GRENADE SPECIAL ATTACK : Optional Attack
When you use the Grenade Special Attack power, does each Airborne Elite have to lob a grenade if they have an enemy in sight?
No. They don't have to. But if one uses his grenades, they all have to use them. You can't split it up across turns. (Hasbro FAQ)

- GRENADE SPECIAL ATTACK : Order for Rolling Defense
When an Airborne Elite uses his Grenade Special Attack into a crowded area, who gets hit first?
The target always rolls defense first. Then the attacker determines the order in which the other figures roll defense dice. (Hasbro FAQ)

- GRENADE SPECIAL ATTACK : Attacking a Double-Spaced Figure
If I target a double spaced figure with Grenade Special Attack, who is considered adjacent?
Normally it’s anyone adjacent to the hex the character is on, however with double spaced figures any character that is adjacent to either space/hex it occupies is hit. (Hasbro FAQ)

- THE DROP : 4th Massachusetts Line and Valiant Army Defense Bonus
If I draft and field an all valiant army and include the Airborne Elite, do the 4th Massachusetts Line receive their Valiant Army Defense Bonus if I have not used The Drop to field the Airborne Elite?
Yes! Even though the Airborne Elite is part of your army and has a Disciplined personality, they do not disrupt the Valiant Army Defense Bonus until you activate “The Drop” and they are in play. (dnutt99)

- GRENADE SPECIAL ATTACK : Lobbing Grenades "Around / Through" Figures
If I want to attack a group of enemies behind an opposing Braxas, (who is standing between my AE unit and the group I wish to attack, and who has a height of 13), can I throw the grenade around Braxas, or through her legs to attack the group on the other side?
Yes! Figures are not walls. They have dead space that can be utilized as a legal passing point of the lobbed grenade. (Hasbro FAQ)

- BEFORE "THE DROP" : Placing Enhancements / Order Markers on the Army Card Before Units are on the Board
Can I place Eldgrim's "Warrior's Swiftness Spirit," (or any other viking spirit), on the Airborne Elite Army Card even though the Airborne Elite have not yet Dropped?
Yes, you can place it on any unique army card, yours or your opponents, on the battlefield, or not. This includes the Airborne Elite before they drop as well as the Retchets. (Hasbro FAQ)
​

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Synergy Benefits Received

- MARCUS DECIMUS GALLUS: Soldier Leadership
As Soldiers, the Airborne Elite may benefit from Marcus Decimus Gallus’ SOLDIER LEADERSHIP movement bonus.

- MARCUS DECIMUS GALLUS: Soldier Attack Enhancement
As Soldiers, the Airborne Elite may benefit from Marcus Decimus Gallus’ SOLDIER ATTACK ENHANCEMENT.

- SIR GILBERT : Jandar’s Dispatch
As a Squad that follows Jandar, the Airborne Elite may benefit from Sir Gilbert's JANDAR'S DISPATCH movement bonus.
​

Synergy Benefits Offered

- SACRED BAND: Disciplined Army Defense Bonus
Having a Disciplined personality, the Airborne Elite may aid the Sacred Band with their DISCIPLINED ARMY DEFENSE BONUS.

​

C3V and SoV Custom Synergies

Spoiler Alert!

Synergy Benefits Offered

8TH INFANTRY PATHFINDER : MARCHING ORDERS
As Unique Soldiers that follow Jandar, Airborne Elite can be used as the end-of-movement adjacent figures for the 8th Infantry Pathfinder's MARCHING ORDERS ability.

SIR ORRICK : A BROTHER'S CALL
As a Human who follows Jandar, Airborne Elite may aid Sir Orrick with his A BROTHER'S CALL movement bonus.
​

Synergy Benefits Received

CAPT. JOHN VARAN : PURPLE HEART
As a Human who follows Jandar, Airborne Elite may benefit from Capt. John Varan's PURPLE HEART wound reassignment.

EBON ARMOR : ANIMATED MATERIEL & ETERNAL WAR
As a Unique Human, a destroyed Ebon Armor you control may be placed on Airborne Elite's Army Card to replace the Airborne Elite figure upon his own destruction.

​

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

When placing your AE on the board after a successful drop, remember to place them at least one turn’s movement away from where you want them to actually “land”. Example: if you want to throw a grenade on your first turn, place your AE four hexes (away from the enemy and hopefully with height advantage) back from the hex where you plan on throwing it from. If you happen to lose the initiative, those 4 buffer spaces should at least keep them safe from melee attack on the first round where you can then hopefully reevaluate the situation. (UPC)
​

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-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

Power Rankings

Jexik: Airborne Elite- Though easy to kill, the AE can attack with high power. A-

OEAO: Airborne Elite- 4x4 at 8 after a first round Drop is crazy ridiculous. Avoid using grenades other than in a very specific few circumstances as they are a trap. Inconsistent in that they can fail to drop or just not drop when you need them to, and 2 defense is bad. A-

Cleon: Tier 8 (32/208)

dok (VC inclusive): A-

Master Index
Paratrooping onto Ladder Rungs?
Grenades under Overhangs?


Unit Strategy Review

Unit Strategy Review: Airborne Elite
​

 

[IAmBatman]

Love these guys. Getting the drop can be kind of risky sometimes in smaller armies, but if you're going to build a tourney worthy army that's NOT centered on Vydar units (Q9, KMA, Braxas), these guys are a good place to start, IMO.
Plus, as long as the rest of your army is valiant, they work well with the 4th Line, because until the AE drop, all your figures on the board are valiant and the 4th Line get their bonus.

 

[GForce3062]

I've seen these guys destroy armies by themselves!(This happened for me against PoF and his "2 moves per order marker army". Long story short, I put them each on sniping posts and fired away with 4 attack!) I absolutely love these guys, great clean up units, and most of the time they will kill equal to or more than their point value. But they do have a history of being inconsistent sometimes. Their weakness is their move of 4, but can be replenished with Marcus' "Soldier Leadership" Overall, I give these guys a B+

 

[IAmBatman]

These guys are one of my top 10 most competitive units in all of Heroscape, along with (off the top of my head), Q9, Raelin, KMA, Braxas, 4th Line, Laglor, Charos, Kaemon Awa, and the Deathreavers.
Of course, plenty of other great options out there as well, but I'd rarely try to build a competitive army (as opposed to a thematic one, or all melee, or something like that) without fielding one of these ten.

 

[Revdyer]

In the team tourney in Dallas, IMax and Minimax (it was the latter's doing) dropped the AE on my teammate's and my army and with initiative, took out six (count 'em, six) guys (knights and 4th Mass) with grenades on the very first turn. Can you say, "game defining moment"? It was and it was so astounding that both victors and vanquished enjoyed it immensely.

 

[killercactus]

Apparently, you lose the game and cannot try for the drop if all your other figures are destroyed before the AE come down.

http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=150

Yes, this is the great weakness of the AE -- the possibility that they will never drop. On the other hand, sometimes when they drop late in a game, coming iin all fresh and landing in the perfect places, they are simply devastating. Some people have actually passed on dropping the AE early in order to have the possibility (you do have to re-roll for drop) of saving them for later.

If I hit Drop on the 1st turn, I will almost NEVER drop them. I find the AE much much more effective once the opponent's army is spread out all over the map and have advanced up a little. If you drop them turn one or 2 and lose initiative, all of your AE are probably dead. All the opponent has to do is put Order Marker #1 on a strong ranged squad to kill 3-4 of them. When you drop them late, your army is there for backup, and it eases order marker placement for the first few turns. The AE have the ability to catch up with your army no matter where they are on the board.

 

[Matthias Maccabeus]

I just played these guys last night. They rocked the house. I got the drop a little late in the game (round 5...I think). They landed on to a high platform about 8 hexes high. I put all 3 order markers on them. They took out DED, Q9(with 2 wound markers on him), 2 ninjas, and Mimring(with 1 wound marker on him) in 2 turns. I didn't even need to use them the third order marker. Ohh I also had an attack glyph with one of my samurai. Needless to say They earned a lot of respect from me last night.

 

[DingoDarkly]

I just played a 4 hour game Ullar/Jandar Vs Vydar/Einar.
I managed to get the AE out on the second round and placed them close enough to the enemies front lines. Two of them got taken out by Kaemon but the other two soldiers prevailed and Used their Grenade SA. The first AE rolled a 2 and took out all 3 gorillinators, 2 Nakitas and 1 Microcorp Agent which i thought was awesome, but the cherry on the top had to be the second soldiers attack. He lobbed his grenade at a Gladiatron and killed 2 of them and 2 blastatrons! This was the second round and already half of Vydars team was annihilated!
The game ended with 3 Vydar figures vs 3 Jandar Figures and finished with Vydar winning with 2 players left; Dund (not damaged) and X17 (4 lives gone!)
It was a really good match and i think the map i played on was great!

 

[Cleon]

These guys are one of my top 10 most competitive units in all of Heroscape, along with (off the top of my head), Q9, Raelin, KMA, Braxas, 4th Line, Laglor, Charos, Kaemon Awa, and the Deathreavers.
Of course, plenty of other great options out there as well, but I'd rarely try to build a competitive army (as opposed to a thematic one, or all melee, or something like that) without fielding one of these ten.

They're definately on my top 10 list as well, maybe even top 5 (but probably not). I think the drop is a very great ability to follow up a grenade S.A. or to get a height advantage. And I love how they can out range poeple with their 8 range. They're also disciplined and soldiers which helps in some armies. 3 attack normally, with a range of 8 and being a squad of 4, can be killer and can take out many units. They do only have a move of 4 and a def. of 2, though. But their drop ability can make up their move and their long range of 8 can make up for their low def. Over all, in my opinion, they deserve an A instead of an A- on the power rankings.

 

[FADE]

Dont drop them with the thought of using the grenade special, they make great snipers and can come down anywhere.

Hint hint on the far side of a map where there are units without turn markers on them.

 

[DingoDarkly]

When I play with these guys they always do horrid, maybe I not doing something right....

The trick is to not place them too close to your enemys forces because the AE's range is pretty great (even if they only have 4 movement) and get Height advantage straight away allowing them to get 4 attack which is great for picking off the Foe's figures!

 

[IAmBatman]

These guys always, always, always tear it up for me. An early drop is usually a big help, so you can get to height advantage before your opponent. I almost never use the grenade special as four attacks from height are usually more valuable offensively. But every once in a while if I see a particularly vulnerable section of squaddies clustered around, say, Raelin, I might take a shot with it. It's a special attack, so it's useful for hitting figures like Drake whom normal attacks are less effective against as well. Basically, I agree that you shouldn't strategize to use their grenade lob, just keep it in your back pocket. When you drop them, keep them on height about 10-12 spaces away from your opponent's front lines. Then, when it's your turn, move them into range and fire away. As your opponent moves troops forward, keep backing up - there's no reason to easily allow any opponents to get you in range unless it's Syvarris or another unit with higher range. The Krav can be tough against these guys, as well as a few other units, but the AE can tear up armies for sure. Just keep them out of melee absolutely as long as possible - just like Mimring.

 

[Eclipse]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Oyhedwig]

Apologies, if this is a repeat question...
When counting starting spaces (24 for a 500 pointer), do you count the Airborne Elite if they are on your team?

What I mean is, if you have all 24 hexes filled, could you also have the Airborne as they don't start on the field?