Fly High With New Rules For Warhammer 40k In Death From The Skies
April 30, 2016 by brennon
It looks like you'll be able to take to the skies once more in Warhammer 40,000 with the updated rules present in Death From The Skies. See what you think of the new book from Games Workshop...
Inside this book you will find...
"...the 160-page hardback contains new rules for Flyers that completely replace those found in Warhammer 40,000, with datasheets including new Agility, Combat Role and Pursuit Value characteristics and options for fielding Flyer Wing units, with their own leaders.
On top of this, the book introduces the Dogfight phase – detailed combat between Flyers is now possible!"
I do like the sound of this but I'd potentially run with using these Flyers independent of my regular games of Warhammer 40,000 simply to see if the Dogfight Phase holds up by itself.
You will also find twenty-one data sheets covering the armies of Warhammer 40,000, six new Air Missions and formations as well.
We also have the flyers.
Space Marine Flyers
So now we need to check out what's coming to the tabletop for the armies of 40k. Kicking things off we have the addition to the Space Marine arsenal with the Stormhawk Interceptor...
This is the new and decidedly sleeker looking addition to the Space Marines. It still has a bit of a chunky look to it but it feels more like a flyer when you look at the profile of it. I do really like the big guns strapped to the wings too.
As well as the Stormhawk they also have the existing Stormtalon Gunship available.
This looks back to the older range of flyers. I'm still not entirely convinced by the look of this as a flyer but it seems a few people did like it. Still, it's good to see it return so that there are additional flyers for the Space Marines.
Orks Go Flyin'
As well as the Imperial side of things the Orks have also given this flying lark a go. First up is the newer flyer with the Wazbom Blastajet.
If you're looking for a proper Ork flyer then I reckon this epitomises it. It is covered in guns, it has massive engines and it looks bulky and mean. I think it would look even better with a splash of battle damage and such across it though - smoke damaged and blasted.
The additional Flyers include the Burna-Bommer...
...the Dakkajet
and finally the Blitza-Bommber.
It seems like the kit has been updated to allow you to build all of these different variants from the one kit which is rather impressive. I do like the novelty of Ork vehicles and I'd love to see what people did with this as a massive fleet of aircraft.
I'm still not entirely sure about adding more to the regular game of Warhammer 40,000 which is big and chunky as it is - but maybe this will bring in the final element of combined arms that people are looking for.
Will you be picking up one of these new flyers?
"...maybe this will bring in the final element of combined arms that people are looking for"
Supported by (Turn Off)
Supported by (Turn Off)
Supported by (Turn Off)
I assume (but stand to be corrected) that these sets are basically the original ones, with an added new sprue which will convert to the new variant – a la that Imperial Knight upgrade one. Whilst it does breath new life into old kits, I do tend to agree with Ben here, does the base 40k game really need more stuff added in? It strikes me that the freshest move GW made in years was developing the Ad Mech faction. I know it’s more expensive to create entirely new factions but boy is it more interesting than just bulking out… Read more »
I agree with you, the 40k releases I liked the most were harlequins, admech and the recent deathwatch overkill game. I am personally way more interested to see new factions and would love to see some more exotic aliens in the near future.
…or buy Aeronautica! Flyer combat in 40K is just silly.
It’s one aspect of the game that’s never appealed to me. I’ve never bothered with a flyer for any of my armies. I don’t see the point at 28mm and the stands just look ugly as Hell.
Agreed, flyers in 40k are daft. Jet planes that move the equivalent of 90 feet (27.5m) in a turn (or 540 feet (164.5m) in a full battle) is just plain ridiculous.. Assuming similar levels of plane tech to today, it would take a Boeing 747 less than 2 seconds to travel that far (approx 800 feet/s).
As Jervis would put it, technology in the Imperium has been regressing and so things will go slower. #ProblemSolved
Yes, years ago with Epic that was his standard defense for anything not working like it should. Well thats what he told me whenever I emailed him to ask why are you doing this or that, it doesn’t make sense in the game. 😛
That’s why I used Boeing 747 as an example of a fairly slow jet aircraft as opposed to a Blackbird SR-71.
New options are always nice but it would be better IMO if more options were also given to others than just Vanilla Marines and Orks.
How ever I have to agree with both Ben and tresilliian that does base 40k really need more stuff added in? GW seems to like keep adding things to they systems to sell models and make those bigger and chunkier. Playtesting would sure help a lot.
when i saw this book and what it seems to contain i thought wth .. are they under the impression the current system is ok as it is? they even added a new phase for aerials apparently … It would be hillarious if 8th edition is just 7th with more special rules.
“Wazbom Blastajet” is a stupid, stupid name, even.by the standards of Ork nomenclature. Cool-looking kit, but urgh. The name is horrible.
I agree that this should really be a standalone game. Although, a smaller-scale game like X-Wing (like a revamped Aeronautica Imperialis) would probably be better to satisfy that dogfighting urge.
I must be getting old. I find ‘Wazbom Blastajet’ to be such a stupid name for a model…
I think those ork planes are actually kinda great, but as a game this feels like its in the wrong scale and adding even more stuff to a system I already think is bloated.
Cynically perhaps, I have the feeling that GW are trying to keep everyone playing the same game and think that they will sell more units by crowbarring it into 40k than they would if they packaged it separately. They had a separate flying game before and it didn’t sell that well.
Wazbom Blastajet is a silly name. I would have called it Jetty McJetface!
Best. Comment. Ever. 🙂
Can you imagine if they did go with that name. It would be relevant to us, due to the public voting of a ship that should be called Boaty McBoatface.
I wish I said that^^
Nice to see marines getting some attention, finally 😀
I agree with the sentiments above. Most of the existing armies don’t need any more stuff. What some of them do need is their oldest kits upgrading to the level of quality that GW is capable of now.
Although, in an ideal world I’d also like to see plastic sisters and plastic Vostroyans.
Aerial combat is probably best left to the new version of Epic, which is promised to come one day from FW. Rumour is it’ll be a different scale from the original. My money’s on 15mm.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the new Epic is a different scale. If only to invalidate existing collections…
FW and 15mm, at what price i wonder
I find it very amusing how in the new White Dwarf the supplement is promoted as providing new rules for the aerial units of every faction in the 40K!… While failing to mention that previews of the supplement make it clear that there is nothing in these rules usable by either Tyranids or, so far as I can see, Daemon armies (do Daemon armies get access to Heldrakes?). I know flying aircraft aren’t something either faction is exactly known for, but the way the supplement is described as covering every army does sort of make it sound as if GW… Read more »
Couldn’t they have gotten the rules for flying vehicles right the first time ?
Extra rules for flying in specific formations at 28mm scale is a bit silly when you consider the implied speed of these things (surely the aircraft in 40k universe move quite a bit faster than walking speed ?).
That’s one of my issues with it. You can chuck in the super-heavies and claim the battle is a small snapshot of a much larger battle but fliers would literally be across the battlefield in the blink of an eye. If they really wanted to add it in properly it’d be far more realistic simply as a bombardment or missile strike from off-board like the old Orbital Bombardment the Daemonhunters had access too.
But then you wouldn’t have to buy models
I’d still have to fork out for a book and templates though! 😀 maybe some sexy new dice!
@torros : that’s about the only reason that makes sense.
It’s a shame that GW isn’t willing to do that while their current design/sales philosophy remains profitable.
One could argue that there’s a few changes in attitude already, but it’ll be a while before that happens to the sacred cash cow known as WH40k.
You are right @irredeemable. They could use modified skimmer rules for helicopter analogue 40K units with plenty of firepower if they want that sort of thing at 40K scale, and as you say represent missile and bombing strikes from fliers, and attacks by long range artillery units, as off-table support options for 40K games, with actual models available for Epic scale games. It would make a heck of a lot more sense, and you could even work it in alongside the existing reserve rules to reflect the anarchy of battle making fire missions potentially less than entirely accurate or always… Read more »
It would be good if you guys could do a battle report. 🙂
Anything more than a jetbike or skimmer seems too large for standard 40K.
As observed by other commenters, The place for fliers really isn’t 40K, but rather Epic. That would be a hint, you know GW. Give us Epic, and we will happily buy whole squadrons of fliers You cold also do it in Battle Fleet Gothic, representing Drop Ships heading down from orbit to take part in an Epic scale battle. So, give us back Epic and Battle Fleet Gothic, and selling us fliers will be a piece of cake.
Pretty please? You know it makes sense…;-)
Or they could update this (as hinted at by @unclejimmy ) :
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Aeronautica_Imperialis_%28game%29
Epic is indeed the perfect scale for units like this.
Wow, here I was getting ready to say something nice about GW but the comments above have me reaching for a… well, codpiece is the most polite phrase!
I can see GW positioning models like this in advance of a major upgrade of 40K to simplify and streamline the rules. I can’t see the utility of these in 40K but I have not played it in several years. @warzan did seem to enjoy bringing out for Orc’s drift, so who knows?
I had the very simple approach of deciding I was gonna have some fun 🙂
Im happy to add and subtract anything from a game to suit the moment 🙂
The game is big… Don’t play all of it at the same time, because in that game (because of its ‘bigness’) the opportunities for exploration and adventure are extraordinary 🙂
Picking the bits and pieces you like is probably the only viable method of having fun in a game as big and complicated as 40k.
It is something that is impossible to do for new players because there are so many options.
And it’s not made easier by GW telling us that these extra rules are a ‘must buy’ extra instead of an optional feature for experienced players.
I dunno. Do you get to pick and choose which bits to use if your main avenue to getting games is attending tournaments when any player can bring anything? If a company decides to drop a big addition like this into the game and declares it to be tournament legal, do I get a say in if it fits? Last time I went to an event with a large 40K tournament going on it seemed like every table had at least one Knight/xeno equivalent on it. When I go to that event next year am I going to see whackadakkabakka… Read more »
@ugleb that is down to tournament organisers, if people avoid tournament s with certain rules included then they won’t be for long
Thats what id like for 40k, but hope they retain complexiy with simpler means. AT-43 is a grand example of a mini wargame that is simple but contains so many cool rules that are both realistic and deep. A 40k overhaul would be very much welcome and needed imo.
Naming aside I actually like the new flyer models. Personally beyond one per army I don’t think they are a fit for 40k, and certainly squadrons seem excessive. Still I think it is probably a smarter strategy to go wide with 40k then codex churn and additional bloat, and this strikes me as widening the game rather than bloating.
Another book you MUST HAVE, as it supersedes everything before it. FFS. Is there a shelter for abused 40k players?
Yes, it is made from all the 40k expansion books 😉
If there is going to be a new flier based expansion, a certain sound track is nothing short of mandatory.
Ride of the Valkyries, but of course. You have to reference Apocalypse Now in circumstances such as these, I’m pretty sure it is a legal requirement:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPf_PJlJsJQ
Not forgetting The Airwolf theme music:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqcQUmKJEK8
Annnnd now I have really dated myself, haven’t I? 😉
I like the new flyer,
airwolf Lol that a blast from the past I liked blue thunder as well
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Blue+Thunder+Intro&&view=detail&mid=065DF96532B25CE1B1E6065DF96532B25CE1B1E6&FORM=VRDGAR