Webway portals

Ok, I have a few questions about Webway Portals, as I might be using some on Friday to save my stuff getting murdered before it gets to the fight. Bit confused about them...

If you're playing a game that uses reserves rules, does that mean that if your reserves arrive before you drop the portal then they have to come on from your board edge?

Similarly, if your game does not use reserves rules, and you haven't deployed the portal by your second turn (when you'd normally start rolling for deep striking troops and such) what happens if you roll a 4+? Does this mean that that unit is available as soon as you deploy the portal, thus allowing you to delay them? Or do you have to roll for them again after you deploy the portal?

If you drop the portal on your third turn, does that mean you need a 4+ to bring stuff on (because it's the first roll for reserves) or a 3+ (because it's the third player turn)?

I realise I've asked three variations of almost the same question, but I just wanted to make sure I covered all the angles!

Mr Believer wrote:

Ok, I have a few questions about Webway Portals, as I might be using some on Friday to save my stuff getting murdered before it gets to the fight. Bit confused about them...

If you're playing a game that uses reserves rules, does that mean that if your reserves arrive before you drop the portal then they have to come on from your board edge?

Simple yes, since the Codex says: "From then on, any of your units arriving from reserves may move onto the board from the portal marker's edge instead of entering as normal", so before it is deployed you follow standard rules.

Mr Believer wrote:

Similarly, if your game does not use reserves rules, and you haven't deployed the portal by your second turn (when you'd normally start rolling for deep striking troops and such) what happens if you roll a 4+?

You just use the normal reserve rules, because the Codex says: "If you have a webway portal in your army, you may keep units in reserve, regardless of mission being played." So like some other units, that may always deepstrike, wether the mission special rule is used or not, and deepstriking units always use the reserve rules, even when these are not allowed normally, WWP allow you to use the reserve rules for everything, even when normaly not allowed to.

Mr Believer wrote:

Does this mean that that unit is available as soon as you deploy the portal, thus allowing you to delay them? Or do you have to roll for them again after you deploy the portal?

If you drop the portal on your third turn, does that mean you need a 4+ to bring stuff on (because it's the first roll for reserves) or a 3+ (because it's the third player turn)?

I realise I've asked three variations of almost the same question, but I just wanted to make sure I covered all the angles!

No, and no again. If you use a WWP you just use normal reserve rules, with two noteworthy exceptions. First is the already mentioned "you move onto the board from the marker, instead of the board's edge" effect. The other is that even units set up for deepstrike or outflank may enter the board through the WWP, even if they weren't able to enter the game via your board's edge normally.
"(it does not matter wether these units were intended to deepstrike, outflank, simply move on from their own table edge, and so on)"

This works for all units, and all missions, with one exception: Vehicles. And here's, where it get's interesting. While vehicles are excluded from the "enter the board through the marker" part, very clearly:
"Vehicles may not enter play via a webway portal.", they are not excluded from the possibility to be kept in reserve, at least by RAW.

{All quotes taken from the Dark Eldar Codex p.62}

So in that reading of the rules, you can keep a vehicle in reserve because you have a wwp and bring it on from the board edge? The wording of the rules allows it, in the way it says "you may keep units in reserve" but I thought it was implied that the units in reserve should be the ones coming through the portal? Allowing you to reserve something that can't use the portal because you have the portal doesn't make much sense, or am I missing something?

Mr Believer wrote:

If you're playing a game that uses reserves rules, does that mean that if your reserves arrive before you drop the portal then they have to come on from your board edge?

In this edition of 40k (5th) all units are always allowed to be put in reserve.
(By your post it looks like your gaming group might have missed this change)

Unless scenario special rules forbids that (not sure if recent 40k supplement, Battle Missions, didn't have some of those). But WWP always allow to use reserves, even if unit can't use WWP (for example is vehicle).

And yes Mr. Believer, it don't make sense but is allowed, just like 10 man SM squad taking Razorback. What, 5 guys picked shorter straws and need to run (Because I can't see them ride on tank like those Russian "MI" soldiers, not with Razorback shape) or what?


Also, You may consider leaving 1-2 Raiders near board edge, just in case some "fortunate" infantry unit would need taxi.

Mr Believer wrote:

So in that reading of the rules, you can keep a vehicle in reserve because you have a wwp and bring it on from the board edge? The wording of the rules allows it, in the way it says "you may keep units in reserve" but I thought it was implied that the units in reserve should be the ones coming through the portal? Allowing you to reserve something that can't use the portal because you have the portal doesn't make much sense, or am I missing something?

GW rules do not have to follow normal logic. Maybe the Raiders try to drive through it before the Commorragh traffic police tell them "Sorry pal, gotta go the long way from the board edge."

I now have a pretty vivid image of some sort of Dark Eldar policeman spoiling the fun of a bunch of partying Dark Eldar in their Raider. Excellent!

Whilst the normal scenarios use reserve rules, I was just checking the situation if you're playing a custom scenario that doesn't. I think I get it now though.

Ok, I don't want to open a new thread, and this is a somewhat related question...

I was wondering, If I have a WWP open on a table, and in a reserve, let's say raider with the wyches, can I (when they get their roll for entering the table) deploy the wyches through the portal and the raider from my side? I know that a unit which buys a dedicated transport does not need to be fielded in it, but this sort of entering from the reserve somehow feels... ''wrong''.

But if it is not, a new tactical options just keep on popping in my mind...

The answer to this question depends on the composition you declared, when putting them in reserves.
If you declared them as seperate units, the wyches can enter the board by WWP and the raider can come in by the board edge, but roll separately for each unit and the wyches can't come into play embarked.
If you declared the wyches to be riding in the raider, they can't use the WWP, because they can't dissembark before entering and the raider can't pass the portal.

So the important part is, that you have to declare what you want before the game starts.