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I play against Eldar and Tau a lot and I need to know for sure whether a squad can shoot through a skimmer. Even though the vehicle itself blocks LoS, since it's a skimmer I'm told they can shoot under it, but my squad can't shoot at his squad behind the skimmer. That seems a bit unfair. So if they can shoot under it do my guys get a 4+ cover save, and since he can shoot under it shouldn't I be able to likewise with the same saves applying?

True line of sight applies to all models in the game.

shrug

4th ed, skimmers never block LOS so you could always shoot 'through' a skimmer.
5th ed, shooter needs to be able to see the target (true LOS), Basically, if you can see it (under the slimmer), you can shoot it. And yes, if the models being shot at are obscured by the skimmer, you will most likely get a cover save.

With Tau it is a bit easier to be able to fix your skimmers. Try and find one of the long steam flying bases. Your fire warriors would be able to have a clear shot under it. The models are not very tall and you have have ones that are squatting.

My Dire Avengers have no chance of being able to see under my wave serpents, they just stand to tall. I just always make a point of cocking the butt of the Wave Serpent out so they can bladestorm their intended target, while the Wave Serpent gives them the most cover they can.

Yes it does suck that you can not shoot under your transports (sometimes) yet your opponent and still shoot your feet.

Dakka Dan wrote:With Tau it is a bit easier to be able to fix your skimmers. Try and find one of the long steam flying bases. Your fire warriors would be able to have a clear shot under it.

Doesn't the BRB state that you must remove skimmers from their bases after they move?

You only remove the base if it is immobile or wrecked.

SeattleDV8 wrote:You only remove the base if it is immobile or wrecked.

That makes sense and I certainly wouldn't have a problem with that. However, I saw two tau players the other day who were taking their vehicles off the bases. Doesn't see right, but a raw fundamentalist would say that a flying base is in "mid-air"

"Note that a skimmer must be set down on the table and left in place at the end of its move--it cannot be left hovering in mid-air!" p.71

olympia wrote:

SeattleDV8 wrote:You only remove the base if it is immobile or wrecked.

That makes sense and I certainly wouldn't have a problem with that. However, I saw two tau players the other day who were taking there vehicles off the bases. Doesn't see right, but a raw fundamentalist would say that a flying base is in "mid-air"

"Note that a skimmer must be set down on the table and left in place at the end of its move--it cannot be left hovering in mid-air!" p.71

The base is part of the skimmer at that point- its to stop you having the skimmer placed on top of a lamp post or tree- or just floating 3 feet off the table (then again if you can manage this feat...i'd let you )

Olympia wrote:"Note that a skimmer must be set down on the table and left in place at the end of its move--it cannot be left hovering in mid-air!" p.71

That's just a loose reference meaning that during the skimmers "hop" over models - features - etc it returns to the same level as the playing field: in short - skimmers can't move for example upward 24" at a 45 degree angle and just stay there.

Interesting, I generally have my dire avengers shoot at they feet of my opponents models. If you can see my feet I can probably see your feet. If thats not the case you should deploy differently.

As an aside, I oddly enough run my tau skimmers without using bases, Just the landing gear as my shortest stems that came with my model in the first place are only 1/8" taller than the landing gear. I usually tell my opponents you may shoot my models on the other side, I just hate having stems break. No one seems to mind that. (and yes I shoot under my fish all the time)

And if you read the Shooting at skimmers section on pg.71 "...it is not pemitted to remove the flying stand other than the two cases above....."(immobilized or wrecked)

olympia wrote:"Note that a skimmer must be set down on the table and left in place at the end of its move--it cannot be left hovering in mid-air!" p.71

Technically speaking, a skimmer is still on the table even if it is still on a flying stand. IE, picking up a skimmer (and base) and then placing the skimmer (and base) on the table is "setting" it down on the table. That rule coupled with the rule that the flying stands can only be removed if the skimmer is wrecked or immobilized, means that you cannot (as someone else mentioned) move a skimmer 24" straight up in the air and have it stay there.

The danger with using a "tall" skimmer base is that it may allow the enemy to move directly under the skimmer to arrange an assault on the unit behind it.

Distance between an infantry model and a vehicle is measured from base-to-hull. If the skimmer is tall enough to allow a 1" model to move beneath it then it is more than 1" from that same model. So the infantry model can move under the skimmer without violating the 1" exclusion rule.

olympia wrote:

SeattleDV8 wrote:You only remove the base if it is immobile or wrecked.

That makes sense and I certainly wouldn't have a problem with that. However, I saw two tau players the other day who were taking their vehicles off the bases. Doesn't see right, but a raw fundamentalist would say that a flying base is in "mid-air"

"Note that a skimmer must be set down on the table and left in place at the end of its move--it cannot be left hovering in mid-air!" p.71

They were using landing gear, i'm not sure if they were using it correctly by your description though. Its a piece of wargear i'm pretty sure all tau vehicles get for free, during the movement phase, a vehicle with landing gear may count as if it were not a skimmer until the beginning of your next turn, but may not move this turn. They were doing that so that the vehicle would block LoS so units behind it couldnt get shot

Its a pretty decent idea to get pathfinders safely in range in certain circumstances, you can fly in their devilfish, wait a turn, next turn, pile them out, have them move into cover, then drop the landing gear to block LoS, then next turn lift it off, now your pathfinders are in cover and ready to fire their markerlights.