Death from the Skies

I've updated the thread title to reflect how this discussion is gone, it's now been said that there will be no rules changes, just a presentation of flyers.

I hope (no doubt in vain) that it will include new defensive measures as well as the flyers themselves. I am really, really getting tired of having nothing dedicated in my armies.

Edit - Bah! Never mind, just read the official newsletter announcing it, doesn't sound hopeful at all.

Official newsletter?

It was in the internal GW newsletter. The call it now a compendium with rules and picture of all flyers for collectors (yes, they wrote collectors, not player).
I don't think that we will see any rule changes. It will be just the codex rules/ WD rules of flyers modified the 6th FAQ rules. It's a book for collectors, not really gamers. If there would be important rule change, the book would be released in all GW language and not just in english. No new rules for us and no flyer for our Eldar allies.

Oh you mean the internal one that was doing the rounds a few days ago, gotcha. I thought Gobs meant an official GW one had been emailed out.

Anyways, copy and pasted the discussed newsletter for those not in the know....



Death From the Skies (Direct only – Range item) 60040199031
sale through Direct on Saturday 16th February (no advanced order)
•A 72p full colour, softback, Warhammer 40,000 Compendium
•Contains a fantastic showcase of flyers available to collectors,
beautifully painted by the ‘Eavy Metal team
•Contains all the updated 6th Edition rules for the following Flyers:
- Stormraven (that can now be used in Codex: Space Marines and Codex: Black Templars)
and Stormtalon Gunship
- Valkyrie and Vendetta
- Ork Dakka Jet, Burna Bommer and Blitza Bommer
- Necron Night Scythe and Doom Scythe
- Dark Eldar Razorwing and Void Raven

•Includes the rules for the Space Marine Stormtalon Gunship and Ork
Bommer previously available in WD
•Contains cool new content – new scenarios as well as the Dog-fighting
rules from Crusade of Fire
•This compendium will be promoted on the web and by the blog
•English language only
•Please note: This product will go out of stock for short periods if
demand is high

Sky Serpent wrote:

Oh you mean the internal one that was doing the rounds a few days ago, gotcha. ....

Yes, that's the one. I only saw it this morning, I try not to pay too much attention until the product finally hits the pavement.

There are already Rule changes mentioned for the Stormraven about who it's available to.

I doubt it will change anything majorly, but I think we will see some updates elsewhere as well.

I'm not expecting anything major like the Razorwing getting Vector Strike, or a torrent liquifier gun it shoots out of its ass...

Balisong wrote:

I'm not expecting anything major like the Razorwing getting Vector Strike, or a torrent liquifier gun it shoots out of its ass...

well i cant see that happening

Book is now up for preorder for £20. Also available is a Dark Eldar flyer bundle, 'Razorwing Murder Squadron, 3 Razorwings, 0 savings.'

Games Workshop wrote:

Death from the Skies brings the white-knuckle intensity of aerial combat in the 41st Millennium to your tabletop, featuring selected material from White Dwarf magazine, the Crusade of Fire supplement and exclusive new content. Exclusively available from games-workshop.com, this 72-page, full colour softback compendium book is crammed with background information, gaming ideas and hobby inspiration to help you bring the battle for air superiority to life.

It includes: a detailed account of the Battle for Cardrim, featuring White Scars Space Marines, Necrons and Orks locked in a deadly battle for control of a vital airfield; four new Air War missions that showcase the lightning-fast nature of aerial warfare; optional rules for dogfighting and veteran fighter aces for your Warhammer 40,000 games; and a showcase of beautifully painted Flyers from the 'Eavy Metal collection.

There are rules for using the Stormraven Gunship with a Codex: Space Marines and Black Templars army; updated rules for the range of Warhammer 40,000 Flyer models, including new bestiary and army list entries for the following codexes: Black Templars, Blood Angels, Dark Eldar, Grey Knights, Imperial Guard, Necrons, Orks and Space Marines.

Please note: Death from the Skies is available in English language only.

Availability: This product is available for Advance Order. Release Date Information. Part Code: 60040199031

I'll be heading by my local GW shop tomorrow. I'll look at the book, but I am 100% positive I won't be buying it. A waste of money on something that should have been free (as far as rule updates are concerned).

Nice picture are fun and all for different painting styles, but no "new" content in this book makes me really disappointed.

Didn't it say it's going to be exclusively sold via gamesworkshop.com?

Kinnay wrote:

Didn't it say it's going to be exclusively sold via gamesworkshop.com?

It's indeed directs only.

I just ordered it. Will let everyone know when it arrives.

Sky Serpent wrote:

It's indeed directs only.

I was replying to Ehawther's post on the previous page.

But damn I hope they give our fliers Vector Dancer! And an actual model for the Raven!

GW wrote:

Exclusively available from games-workshop.com

Right you are. Even less interested now... As an aside, I wonder what the online only strategy is for?

As a marketer, I imagine they are testing a direct-only strategy to see if they can reduce reliance on distributors.

Oh hell the only difference we have is that most of the Flyers including ours lost Deep Strike.

Who was dreaming about Vector Dancer?

Check FAQs.

Vendetta lost Scout and DS.

No Voidraven model....

Every Unit with flyers got a new faq just to represent the changes.
As Azdrubael said, most flyers lost deep strike.
At least they nerfed the Vendetta a little bit (no more flanking attacks).

Overall, I don't understand GW business politics. Time to order some Infinity miniatures....

I went through the FAQ's this morning. Here is what I can summarize from them all as it relates to flyers:

• Black Templars - No update (thought they were supposed to get the Stormraven and Stormtalon, no?) Edit: see Space Marines
  
• Blood Angels - Stormraven lost Deep Strike and they changed disembarking too; if you disembark from a flyer moving more than 6" and scatter you take a Dangerous Terrain test. (or something like that I don't play BA's so I don't know what the rule was changed from.)
  
• Chaos Daemons - No changes to FMC's.
  
• Chaos Space Marines - No changes (360 barbecue still being served 24/7.)
  
• Dark Angels - FAQ looks like an incomplete file (was it always only 2 pages?) otherwise no changes there.
  
• Dark Eldar - Both flyers lost Deep Strike.
  
• Eldar - No changes.
  
• Grey Knights - Stormraven lost Deep Strike and disembarking Interceptor squads leaving a flyer moving more than 6" no longer get the benefit of the personal teleporters. If you scatter you take a Dangerous Terrain test.
  
• Imperial Guard - Both the Valkyrie and Vendetta lost Deep Strike and Scout.
  
• Necrons - Doom Scythe and Night Scythe lost Deep Strike.
  
• Orks - No update other than this gem: "Updated rules for the Ork Dakkajet, Burna-bommer and Blitzabommer can be found in the Death From the Skies compendium."
  
• Sisters of Battle - No update (Surprise!)
  
• Space Marines - Clarification: "Updated rules for the Stormtalon Gunship and Stormraven Gunship can be found in the Death From the Skies compendium." And they let Black Templar players know they can use their new flyers (both). In another army's FAQ.
  
• Space Wolves - No update.
  
• Tau - No update.
  
• Tyranid - No update.
  

And apparently Polish players got an update to a lot of their publications. Also the BRB update was the same as the Space Marines one and specified that the Storm Talon is a Flyer, Hover.

Let's see what the actual book reports bring.

I've got to admit, one thing that was still keeping me thinking about getting a couple flyers was the idea of deep striking them to get rear armor on enemy fliers. With Deep Strike gone, it sort of tips the scales just enough to stick with 3 Ravagers instead.

Obviously its not a huge nerf, but its just barely enough to keep me from adding them to a list.

This

Balisong wrote:

As a marketer, I imagine they are testing a direct-only strategy to see if they can reduce reliance on distributors.

Yeah, just selling stuff over the one-man stores. It's no secret that GW has a difficult relationship with independent traders. I just hope that the tactic will fail, but thats another story.

This is essentially a FAQ that we must purchase. The suppliments should be sold separately, but no we are being told we must buy a book to get the updates. This isnt for a special mission or game type. This is for the regular 6th edition game.

Whats next GW? Purchasing FAQ's? Maybe a tank or bike update in a few months we have to buy?

Its a bit rediculas.

I might get it, I am still very much on the fence though. It would be nice to have all the rules together in one place, but the lack of accompanying new models for existing flyers (VR and Harpy), let alone the much-ballyhooed new flyer wave are a major, major disappointment.

However, the FAQ's may not tell us evrything, I find this part of the official release statement to be interesting (unless I Am reading it wroung):

Games Workshop wrote:

There are ........ updated rules for the range of Warhammer 40,000 Flyer models, including new bestiary and army list entries for the following codexes: Black Templars, Blood Angels, Dark Eldar, Grey Knights, Imperial Guard, Necrons, Orks and Space Marines.

Hmmmm .....

I have a fealing that the "new bestiary entries" are only a new text for SM and BT books, explaining the use of the Storm Raven. The army list entries could mean "look it's the same as before but without Deep Strike".

Consider me disappointed.