Transports and Objectives

Just a quick rules question here. If I have a transport on an objective, does the embarked unit count towards the number of models within 3" of the objective? Either way I feel this had pretty big ramifications for army building.

I don't believe so. I think it's literally models on the table.

That's the way I saw it as well. I was just hoping there was some official confirmation because it seems like a bit of a hit to transport heavy armies because we have to disembark at the start of the movement phase.

7th Edition GW clarified that models in a transport only interact with the rest of the world where the rules specifically say they do - i.e. when shooting out of a fire point. The rest of the time they are considered off the table. I would assume that would carry into 8th unless someone has something to say otherwise.

Although not specifically stated in the rules, I think it's clear that the intent is that embarked models have no effect on the table unless specifically stated otherwise. So I wouldn't imagine they would count towards units on an objective whilst still embarked, which means no last turn objective grabs.

You can still grab them if they're uncontested or you can blast whatever squad that's on them off of it. Raiders and Venoms are still models after all, though I do agree it's more difficult. To me this is where Scourges may shine, simply because a stock unit is only 70 pts and puts 5 bodies on an objective later in the game, whilst (I can imagine) seeming very inconsequential to your opponent.

Sorry, I should have said contested/occupied objectives. You can't simply move a Venom onto an objective on the last turn if there are enemy models already on it. You'd have to kill all of them within range of the objective in order to grab it.