1) Which points for the Lightning are right, WD or IAB?.

Sadly neither! The actual points cost for the Lightning should be 148 pts. That is definitely right this time!

2) Why are the rules different for certain vehicles than originally in the Journal?.

In the meantime Jervis developed his vehicle design rules, and the Imperial Armour vehicles needed to fit in with them. In all cases the IAB replaces rules published in the Journal.

3) What category does the Salamander Scout come under, as it is not mentioned?

It is Fast Attack choice. This should have been noted on page 27, but is listed on page 4

4) The Manticore has different AP listed under the vehicle and platform. Which is right?

This is a straight typo. The platform is correct, both should have AP 2.

5) Is the Conqueror's gun really only Heavy?

Yes it is.

6) What happens if a flyer gets destroyed, does it explode in mid air or crash?

Both or either. It either explodes (kaboom!) or crashes off table, but whichever it has no effect on the tabletop.

7) Can bombs and rockets under the aircraft 'new weapons' list be fitted to any flyer as upgrades for additional points cost?

Usually no, the weapons on the aircraft are fixed, they cannot be upgraded unless it says so. That said, we missed out the optional upgrades for the Lightning. Add to the Lightning Options: A Lightning may be upgraded to carry up to 4 Hellstrike rockets at + 10 points per missile.

8) Can super heavy tank's shock other vehicles as well as infantry?

No, super heavy tanks can only tank shock infantry, just like any other tank, they are just better at it!

9) Can super heavy tanks still fire whilst tank shocking?.

Yes they can still fire as normal.

10) If your Imperial Guard mechanised infantry company replaces its Infantry command section and Chimera with a Salamander Command vehicle does this mean that troops within 12" of the Salamander get the leadership bonus as if it was a Lieutenant?

No they don’t. In effect the Lieutenant is now part of the Salamander crew, he’s not fighting on the ground with his men.

11) If the Marauder takes damage as a Super Heavy Tank... How do you deal with Engine Damage? Flyers have an infinite Move, so reducing it wouldn't really be damage (unless it causes a crash! )?.

We’ll be publishing a new set of super heavy flyer damage tables to cover this.For the time being just roll the result again.

12) Can AA weapons fire at ground targets?

AA weapons can still fire at ground targets as normal. They can only at fire at either ground targets or aircraft in one turn, not both!

4) In the description of the Medusa, it says that its siege shells are 2d6+5 for Armour Penetration against fortifications, etc. However, that's kinda lame compared with 10+ highest of 2d6. The seige shell has less than a 50% chance of affecting a bunker, while the standard shell will do it 8 times out of 9.(15/36 vs 32/36). Was this some kind of typo or something?

Now as I understand it when you 'Create your own Hive Fleet' you are making a list of broods to replace the ones printed in the codex (the thirteen detailed in the Army List section of the book) entirely. The "New Army List" must have between 4 and 12 brood types that you may then choose an army from.

That’s right

the army list).

That's right too.

Treat them as B to prevent abuses of the mutants system (they're 'free' otherwise)

2) On page 9 of the Codex it says that the victim of a Bio-Plasma attack gets a normal save. Does this also allow a save when used by a Monstrous Creature? Or is it "Gets Whatever save it would get when fighting against this creature in hand to hand". The reason I ask is that Rending Claws has pretty much the exact same wording as far as getting a save (if a 6 isn't rolled) and it is pretty obvious that you wouldn't get a save when a Monstrous creature has them. Neither mentions Monstrous creatures. How should we resolve this?

Bio-plasma always permits a save, regardless of what kind of beastie is using it - its an enhancement/ bonus spit before the creature can bring its awesome, rending strength to bear. Rending claws (being special close combat attacks) are subject to the benefits of the creature using them, so a monstrous creature would ignore armour saves, meaning its only real bonus would be auto wounding on a to hit roll of 6 and bonus armour penetration vs vehicles

3) Are the Tyrant Guard supposed to be Synapse Creatures?

Nope, if they were it would say so in their special rules

4) Do the "Red Terror" and "Old One Eye" count as independent species when counting for "Creating your own hive fleet"? Or does the "Red Terror" count as a Ravener, and "Old One Eye" count as a Carnifex?

Yes they count as separate species.

5) If a unit is in hand to hand, is forced to make an "Instinctive Behvaiour" roll, and rolls either "Lurk" or "Fall back", does this take the unit out of hand to hand? If so, and it their opponent will no longer be in hand to hand, can they pursue or consolidate?

Yes the Tyranids fall back from combat and normal options for the winners apply

6) Quick one for you. Using the rules from the Tyranid Codex, can Spore Mines Still Crossfire enemy units falling back into them?

With the revised rules in the Codex I'd say no

7) Since you can shoot at Spore Mines. Will a Spore Mine within 6" prevent a unit from Regrouping? Or do they not count as an enemy model for that purpose? Thanks.

Since spore mines don't crossfire I don't see that they should prevent regrouping either.

8) Is it possible to mutate a single creature? Say a Hive Tyrant? It has 4 wounds, so if you had few enough species could you do a mutant Tyrant?

Yes, you could although the swarm would be pretty mono and the exceptional size mutation (which is what is desired I assume) would be costing you 49 pts.

9) Do multiple Lictors/Biovores/Zoanthropes count as a single brood when determining if one (or more, in rare cases) may be a mutant? For example, if a hive fleet has 9 different species in it, and the Tyranid player takes 3 Lictors, may one be a mutant? With 3 wounds apiece, they do have enough if they're all counted together.

They count as individuals for the purposes of mutation (they're kind of like specialist mutations anyway)

10) For Tyranid warriors who take a venom cannon or barbed strangler. Can they take any biomorphs from the upper list (the list with scything talons, rending claws etc... ) or can they only have the venom cannon/ barbed strangler and no other bioweapons..

No, its not terribly clear but the idea is that the 'hvy weapon' 'Nid can take one pick from the lower list but must still choose one from the upper list.

Also what do the "Hands" from the tyranid sprue represent? For the lictor they seem to represent scything talons.

They are rending claws (read the description and you'll see what I mean)

Finally, this might be a silly question but what do these different plastic pieces from tyranid sprues represent ? The Small blade-like arms for the warrior?

They're Scything Talons

The Large Mantis like claws?

They're scything talons too.

11) Page 38 and 39 of the codex seem to contradict each other with respect to Warriors with heavy weapon bio-modifications. On Page 38 it says that Warriors with Heavy weapons are HQ or Heavy, and on 39 it says that More than one heavy weapon makes them Heavy. What is the correct way to interpret this? Should it be that if they have one they are HQ or Heavy and if more they are Heavy only? or is one or the other a misprint?

p39 has the mistake, they should be HQ or Heavy Support in either case.

And the answer is....A.

12) In the Tyranid Codex the Hive Tyrant Psychic power 'Warp Blast' has a different cost depending on whether you use the Army List one vs a Genomorphed one. All of the other powers are the same cost. Is this a typo or is it correct?

Again use the army list as the guide here, making it 20 pts.

13) Here's another common one that we think is pretty clear but we wanted to get it from you just to be sure. Pertaining to 'Old One Eye' and 'The Red Terror'. It never calls them "Special Characters"... Or even Characters... Are they Characters (special or othewise)

Nope, they're Tyranid monstrous creatures

14) And do you need your opponents permission to take them...

Nope

15) Also, can you take more than one. (seems obvious but they don't have the 0-1 and the fluff text indicates that there are more than just one.)

No, a maximum of one of each can be chosen, the *background* text is to make it clear they could appear in other places than where first reported.

16) What would be the result of shooting a Venom Cannon at a Imperial Guard Hellhound.

They are treated as glancing hits - just like if the hellhound has fired off smoke launchers, taken a hull down position etc.

17) If I create a new Hive Tyrant species using the rules in the back, can that creature take a Tyrant Guard brood?

Assuming you've chosen Tyrant Guard as one of your species, yes.

18) In the examples listed for the Warriors (Codex page 39) it lists the Huntsman and the Lasher type Warriors as different species. Their stats are all the same with the only difference being the weapons they are armed with. So I guess the question is: Does simply giving they broods different weapons constitute a new species, even if all the bio-morphs and bio-morph enhancements are example the same? It seems to say that any changes in the brood would make it a different species, but we just want to make sure.

Yeah, but the counter -argument is that it says that the weapons within a warrior brood can be different... In the case of Warriors where the weapon can be changed within the brood, a species would have to have different 'morphs to be a new species (so the examples are wrong in that respect) however in the case of something which can't have different weapons, a weapon-change will create a new species.

19) Are Hive Mind Powers counted in the overall number of biomorphs for design-your-own bugs which can have them? I get the impression that it's only biomorphs and biomorph enhancements that get counted, but the examples leave you wondering.

You're correct, Hive mind powers don't count towards biomorphs

20) A space marine with a power fist is hit four times by the Red Terror. His ST and T are 4, but the power fist makes him fight with a ST of 8. May the Terror make a lunch of him? He may not swallow anyone with a ST and/or T of 5 or more.

Count S and T _after_ any modifications for Marks, power fists, frost blades etc. etc.

21) Rending claws that hit on a 6, and monstrous creatures, ignore armor saves, but implant attack only gives the second hit if the target FAILS its save. The problem is that there is no save taken, so no save is FAILED. Should, say, genestealers hitting on a 6, or hive tyrants, each of which also have implant attack, give the second hit, even though the armor save is not failed because it is ignored in the first place?

The save is ignored in these cases - which I would interpret as being 'failed' automatically

22) How do you determine how many mutations a unit of a Hive Tyrant and several Tyrant Guards may have?

They are two seperate broods so you do not add their wounds together for the purposes of working out mutations.

People are buying the second unit of Tyrant Guards, then putting their Carnifex with them. May the Tyrant Guards "guard" a Carnifex? The codex says that Tyranid Monstrous Creatures don't get the benefits of joining other units, except Tyrant Guards. (I assume this was to mean, "except Hive Tyrants joining Tyrant Guards," and was not meant to include Carnifexes.) Or am I wrong? Please let me know.

Nope, that's a perfectly legitimate use of Tyrant Guard, Carnifexes can be guarded too.

24) Is there any reason that a Hive Tyrant couldn't leave his Tyrant Guard? All other bodyguard/retinue types from the other codexes state that the commander ceases to be independant when joined by them (and all that that implies). But the Tyrant Guard bodyguard has no similar statement. Is this a correct assessment?

Gah! That is correct, not what was intended but hey, you want to by Guard and then leave them its your choice I guess.

25) And Just for the record: The MINIMUM number of Species in a Hive Fleet would be 3 correct? A Heavy, Troops, and Elite that includes at least one species of Warrior so HQ is covered correct?

Yes.

26) Spinefists in the Codex are Assault X. In a White Dwarf they are listed as Assault 2X. Which is correct? (I assume the codex but it is always best to check)

Assault X

27) Should Gargoyles have Ld10 or is it a misprint. A lot of GW staffers are claiming misprint.

Ld10

28) Poison Spore Mines: They cause an auto glance on an open-topped vehicle. Do they get the bonus hit for being a template weapon. (ie a template weapon counts as two hits on an open topped vehicle)

No, just one ( says it scores a single hit)

29) Does a change of weapon count as a change of species when designing your own hive fleet? For example if I have one group of Gaunts with Leaping and Scything Talons and another group of Gaunts with Leaping and Spine Fists, do they count as different species? All that has changed is the gun.

Read the notes more carefully, it varies from Genus to Genus - ie Gaunts must have identical weapons or they count as different species, warriors can vary their weapons.

30) Do any of the Tyranid weapons which have an Ordinance Template (Spore Mines, Barbed Strangler etc) count as 'real' ordinance. Do they get 2 dice against vehicle armour or use the ordinance damage tables?

31) Can a psychic hood nullify for a turn any of the Tyranid constant powers, like synapse, psychic scream, etc?

Tsk tsk, you should read p9, in the hive mind powers intro para states 'Only those powers which require a psychic test to use may be cancelled by enemy psykers' - so the hood can only be used on catalyst and an over-charged warp blast.

32) The new 'nid codex states that monstrous creatures are treated like units with regard to allocating victory points. SO.... Do players get awarded say 1/2 victory points for reducing a Tyranid Monstrous creature to 1/2 it's wounds total? Say I blast a Hive Tyrant for 2 wounds and it has two wound left, do I get 1/2 it's point total in victory points?

If you take a look in the 40K rulebook you'll see that under the scenario special rules for victory points it states that models with two or more wounds are worth half their Vps if they take half their wounds.

33) Okay, if the Bugs have no independent characters or vehicles, does that mean ALL bugs would be subject to the Ork Speed Freek Preliminary Barrage? It is my understanding that the preliminary barrage affects all units, except for vehicles and independent characters. Thus, if the bugs have no vehicles or independent characters it would seem that all of the bugs are at risk (if the ork player can roll a 6 for that unit!).

1) If a unit uses blind grenades, would that unit block LOS for friendly units at all? Or could you still shoot through them?

The only effect of blind grenades is that the unit counts in cover.

2) In the Fighta-Bommer rules in issue 38 of CJ, it states that the flyer can take 2 Grot Bombs in addition to the rockits, but lists no points cost for the option. This seemed odd to me, even for the Orks. If it's free why list it as an option as you'd be half-cocked to not take as many weapons a possible. We played a few games with the Fighta-Bommer and it seems that the Grot Bombs are a must in order to justify the points cost of the Fighta due to the Orks lovely shooting prowess and as the thing was pretty easily shot out of the sky in the first few passes.

Grot bombs should cost an extra 10 pts each, it got missed off the list

3) Looking through White Dwarf #250 I was reading about the Flesh Tearers and didn't notice the Chapter Approved stamp. They look really good and official otherwise so we will inevitably get the questions about whether people can use them without their opponent's permission. Are they "Chapter Approved" and Official, or just a "Fun" list?

It's untested so it has to be just a fun list, for an 'official' one use the Blood Angels Codex straight.

4) In the White Dwarf article on the Flesh Tearers it does not say whether the Death Company Dreads are purchased as Heavy or Elites. It says 'as normal'. Where should people purchase these things from if they wish to build a Flesh Tearers army?

Normal refers to the Blood angel list, wherein they are Elites

5) In the Harlequin list (in CJ 39), in the description of Bio Explosive Ammunition in the 'fluff' section it makes it clear that it is designed to kill living things, but in the rules for it does not make a distinction. Is it a valid assumption that Bio Explosive ammunition would not work against Wraithlords, Necrons, Demons, etc?

It affects all targets, just like a Dark Eldar stinger (waaaay too

complicated to think of it otherwise.)

Yes - it's not an actual psychic attack (no test was needed).

It's hard to tell. I could tell the new Command Unit rules are optional, as it says so. Should we assume that anything in Chapter Approved are official (and not optional) unless it says specificially that they are optional?

No, the night fight rules are optional as well. The only things I view as being official amendments in Chapter Approved are those written in-house by me, Jervis, Gav or Pete Haines.

8) Can Dark Eldar Raider with Slave Snares attack more than one unit? Using the same method as above (run over more than one unit), can they cause d6 S4 to more than one unit? Can they attack a single character if they are not in a unit? Example, a lone Avatar or Chaos Lord on his own.

Yes if the Lord is standing on his own, tough luck.

9) Can Raider (w/ torture amp and Slave Snares) do tank shock and also cause D6 S4 Snares attack to the same unit in the same turn.

NO! I always imagine skimmers doing tank shock drop to just above ground level and drive _through_ the unit like a normal tank, while the slave snares are used by flying _over_ the unit.

Which is right?

Trucks may only carry 10 troops.

--Okay, who moves their model first? Positioning can be really an important factor in the aftermath of the combat. There's no real indication of how you should resolve this challenge. Do you move the EC and challenged models outside of base contact with any other models? How do you handle this?

I think its easiest to treat this as a drawn combat 'bundle in' move, so both players roll a D6 and the higher scorer moves in first. Enemy models being base contact should be irrelevant - either one side will run away or there will be another bundle in move after the combat anyway.

Always an Independent Character:

--Can the EC join a unit? Or if riding in a transport with a unit does he still count as separate? Can he even ride in a separate unit's transport? What's the intention of this rule?

This confused me - he's an independent character so he can join

units as per the standard rules.

12) Perusing the Citadel Journal I noticed that the Land Raider Prometheus has the 'Imperial Armor' stamp overit and I was wondering if this should be considered to be part of that book (as far as being official).

You can treat the Prometheus just as if it were in the IA book.

It (the Prometheus rules) states that it may carry a Command squad. I don't have to tell you that a command squad can consist of many things, From 10 Deathwing terminators to a Raven Wing Bike command squad. Both of these examples are very extreme, but you would be surprised what people can assume.

Up to ten guys in power armour (no jump packs or bikes), or five in Terminator armour.

13) Quick question for you. Are a unit of Grey Knights counted as a single psycher or multiple psychers? Demonic possesion and the Cullexus assassin are the two main reasons right now but there are probably more.... (Crucible of Malediction???)..

Umm, err count as multiple psykers I guess 

14) Do all of the Gargantuan Tyranid Creatures count as Heavy support? The article doesn't specify where they fit on a Force Organization chart. We also are assuming that they are counted as a new and separate species. Is this correct?

Yes to both.

gargantuan creatures?

16) Are the Emperors Children rules in White Dwarf #254 Official list or not?

1) I have a Necron that is a casualty in my opponent’s assault phase. The rest of the Necron unit loses the hand to hand combat but does not fall back. If the Necron casualty regenerates and stands back up, does it set up in base to base contact or not?

Since the combat is still ongoing the Necron would indeed be placed back in base to base contact (Terminator-esque grabbing of ankles etc.)

2) Are Necrons considered living or are they similar to a Wraithlord and Talos? I ask this because we had a question come up as to whether a Plague Knife/Sword would affect them or not.

Technically, yes they are affected because the rules don't say they aren't affected and under those circumstances just saying no they aren't affected makes them more powerful (A bit of answering rules philosophy there).

However, logic dictates that there is a good case for a house rule and/or Chapter Approved Q saying they aren't.

3) Can the Veil of Darkness be used even if Deep Strike rules are not in place for the scenario?

The veil is used in any mission, even if Deep Strike rules aren't being used.

This is horribly confusing isn't it? The answer is b] the penetration roll.

6)Necron question: If a Necron squad is broken and then wiped out, but comes back with the old 4+ roll, is it still broken?? Example a necron lord is attached to a unit of 10 Immortals. After a vicious HtH battle with some Termies and a non-attached Chaplain the Imortals are reduced to 4 models and they break and flee along with the Lord. The Chaplain catches them and wipes them out.

Necrons automatically Regroup when charged while Falling Back, so not applicable. See page 73 of White Dwarf 230, under Morale.

7) Does being caught and destroyed after breaking count as Instant Death for coming back? (since multi-wound models are instantly destroyed)

See above.

8) Does crossfire count as Instant Death for coming back? (Again Multi-wound models are destroyed)

Necrons can be destroyed in Crossfire (same page), so I'd guess Instant Death but we'll ask.

9) If the Necron Lord is allowed to come back can any dead necron (not intstant killed)within 6" check to get up or is the 6" determined at the beginning of the turn? In other word do newly rising models allow other models to check?

I'd say no.

10) Assuming the Lord and some immortals come back (being destroyed by another source, prehaps by fire in a later turn) but they are still below 50% are they still broken (and thus can't rally) or do they come back unbroken?

The latter.

11) Does the Necron Lord, when standing up because of the ‘I’ll be back rule have 3 or 1 wound?

Hmm, on balance I think they should get back up on one wound because

a] They're lucky to get the chance to get back up at all
b] They don't pay any points for it
c] Its' then the same as bionics

When we revise the Necron list (due for WD 259) I'll clarify this.

1) Whom exactly can (or cannot) use the 'generic' weapons on the list on page 77? It seems to imply Imperial, but without them Chaos cannot build lots of their vehicles.

Like all of the vehicle design rules, a degree of common sense (rarest and most precious of substances) must be applied. Chaos obviously has access to these weapons, but not Eldar.

2) Are the Tyranid players supposed to use these rules until their 'big bug' design rules come out? Which list should they choose their weapons from?

3) About the Orks and the targeter.... How much to Orks pay for the weapons with a BS that isn't on their chart?

Given the lack of BS3 prices its probably best to say Orks can't buy targeters.

4) Am I correct in assuming that You cannot make a Space Marine vehicle 'open topped'?

5) How are the new vehicle rules in WD 252 handling closed top ork trucks? How many/locations of exit points? how many/locations of firing ports? There is now mention of this in the new rules.

Depends on the way the conversion has been handled and the degree of

co-operation between players. A default where players are being anal would be no fire points and a single rear access point - for 8 points I would not expect sophisticated hatch arrangements and if they don't like it they can stay open-topped.

6) From the IA codex, (constructed using VDR rules) I noticed that the earthshaker platform can be modified to be indirect for 0 points. I take that to mean that a VDR vehicle with an earthshaker can take the cannon as either a guess or direct fire weapon, but only the basilisk can have both, and the indirect optiona comes at a cost of +25. Is that correct? If not, what is the disposition of the earthshaker direct / indirect for VDR?

You can't pull special rules from IA or the IG Codex into VDR, so the latter.

7) Just a quick question for you about the Imperial Void Shields. Do they work against all attacks (shooting & assault attacks) or just against shooting? The rules seem to say all attacks. In Epic, as you know, they only worked against shooting attacks. 40K and Epic I know are different games, but I just wanted to make sure about this one.

Good point. They should only work against shooting attacks.

8) What happens to the automatic crew stunned effect of a Thunder Hammer when hitting a war machine?

It counts as driver stunned instead.

9) What is the effect of the Haywire Grenade on vehicles with more than one structure point?

The normal rules apply.

10) With the new Flyer rules, it seems you can equip them with melta weapons (and gatling versions of melta weapons for true dual purpose vehicle attack and ground strafing) How do you place the model/ measure the distance when attempting to gain the extra D6 to armor penetration for being close?

The normal rules apply.

11) How are Deep Striking vehicles to be treated in relation to the Deep Strike rules?

If a model is simply too big to fit under the template, deploy it so that the center of the model is under the center of the template. Models still can't land within 1" of any enemy model, so take care where you bring them in! Because of this you'll be much better off designing things like Drop Pods as flyers which have the Orbital Lander upgrade, as this will allow you to pick exactly where they land. See page 85 of the VDR rules for details.

12) How come I cannot build a Falcon Grav tank using the VDR?

It might be worth reminding the guys that the VDR were not really designed to allow them to make variants of existing GW models, as this is really very easy to do within the existing rules structure (all you have to do is apply the appropriate vehicle upgrades, which covers most conversions, and if this isn't possible you just say "I know it looks a bit different but it just counts as a Falcon, Rhino or whatever). Rather the VDR were written to allow players to field models that they have in their collection but which are covered by the existing Codexes. When used like this the rules work just fine, and I really don't see any need to tweak or twiddle them any further simply to allow players to make variants of existing models like the Falcon.

(b) - the vehicle can fire one weapon, the troops can't dismebark (they deep struck this turn so they can't move, regardless of the fact they're in a vehicle).

14) If a unit of Chaos Marines in their Rhino (that is stunned, so the troops cannot embark) has their Aspiring Champion possessed by a Greater Demon can HE disembark?... What about if the Access Points are blocked by the enemy and the Aspiring Champion is possessed? How should these situations be resolved.

On the GD thing, I think its best to say the possessed champ somehow gets out under any circumstances - that's in the spirit of Jervis' original response to this question and I think it's a suitably cinematic event that no-one should mind too much.

15) Are the Vehicle Design Rules Official or Optional?