Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

When the DE codex was released I mentioned that with two 'flyers' in the dex and with the Valkyrie/Vendetta and forthcoming Stormraven all sharing characteristics of aircraft (as opposed to things like grav-tanks that always, even in the fluff, tend to stay close to the deck at all times) it may have pointed to GW looking ahead to introducing flyer rules into 6th edition.

An idea that was discounted at the time now seems to have come to fruition with phrases like 'Summer of Flyers' being tossed around, the rumour mill regurgitating its 4,067th round of plastic T-Hawk speculation but now coupled with previously unsaid Tau Barracudas/Tigersharks/Orcas, Chaos Hell Talons, Eldar Phoenix, etc.

So what do people think - is it time for aerial dogfights and AA weaponry to be properly incorporated into mainstream 40k? Or should this just be restricted to Apoc only? Will we see a flyers expansion soon, or will it wait for 40k6? And what impact would the introduction of flyers into 40k (if it happens) have on the game?

I'd prefer no fliers in normal 40k, keep ti to how it is now and if they introduce small fliers like Valkyries etc then skimmer rules works well, but don't make too many skimmers that normal tanks become unused.

I am moving the thread to 40K Discussions.

oops, sorry, had a brain freeze there. Thats what not posting for ages does to you...

I'd like to see flyers added ínto the normal rules, just using them as fast skimmers is rather dull...

I am looking forwards to a possible flyer expansion, though I cannot really see how they are going to incorporate super-heavy flyers alongside regular flyers.

I am looking forward to things like Thunderbolt, Lightning, Fighta, Fighta-bomma, Barracuda, Nightwing, Vulture, DE flyers and things of that size.

I think hoping for several Stompa/Shadowsword-sized kits is simply wishfull thinking.

Then again, GWs poster boys the Spaze Mahreens might get the one and only "big" kit in the expansion, making it completely loop-sided. Never fear though, I cannot imagine GW doing anything other than what they always do to their expansions, ie letting them go unsupported after a very short while.

If they did a flyers expansion, they would have to stick with it, simply because of the models they would need to churn out.

Planetstrike was just a few terrain peices that could be used equally as well in standard games, but introducing flyers would mean each army would need one or more (or at least flak guns/equivalent).

They could make it work for SM by allowing all chapters access to the Stormraven and making plastic LS Tempests without the need for T-Hawks (although I would guess that bringing these out as an apoc kit would make a hefty profit) but you couldn't introduce super heavy flyers into standard games without also letting people take super-heavy ground units - at which point 40k becomes Apocalypse Lite...

I don't mind the idea of flyers in 40k, just as long as they don't do what they did in Soulstorm

I don't think anybody is talking about introducing neither flyers nor superheavies in regular 40k.

The flyer-thing is rumoured to be an expansion, just like Planet Strike and Cities of Death.

I'm figuring they'll do an expansion this summer (as rumored) and use it as a testing ground for flyer rules in the 6th edition rulebook. Wouldn't be the first time they did this sort of thing.

Forge World-esque flyer rules might be a bit out there. It's almost a different game. Aeronautica Imperialis does a good job of doing dogfights, so it's unlikely GW will incorporate Flyers into mainstream 40k rules (imagine how many models you'd need for a squadron, and imagine the size).

As for an expansion, it might just be Fast Skimmers instead of "true" flyers. That way codexes with no "flyers" can partake too, as well as not requiring them to release new model rules.

Steelmage99 wrote:The flyer-thing is rumoured to be an expansion, just like Planet Strike and Cities of Death.

I'm thinking more like Spearhead, heres hoping i like this vehicles based one better.

I have missed your point.

Spearhead is also an expansion, just like Planet Strike, Cities of Death, Apocalypse and Imperial Armour is.

I can see how they might expand the game to capture more skimers as they are handling vandetta's/valkries/blood Ravens, etc. however anything past this level of vehicles would really bog the game down.

Let's face it...we are moving to apoc lite but probably not till 7th will we see super heavies in standard codeci.

I personally dread that day for the simple fact that boards are not large enough to truelly capture the feel of what an Apoc size game should be in my opinion. Also in coorelation with the time needed to play these games, it just isnt sustainable as a standard 40k game.

Steelmage99 wrote:I have missed your point.

Spearhead is also an expansion, just like Planet Strike, Cities of Death, Apocalypse and Imperial Armour is.

But, unlike the 'published' expansions, they did not require you to buy new models. It helps, sure, but not required.

I'm wondering if the update will be like the rules for the Eldar web spinner in WD, just a new data sheet for each faction and some new models?

I'm thinking we'll see the Storm Raven with perhaps a couple of variants and the DE flyers being released so they can be built for either type of eldar (optional sprue or extra sprue and different box - the fluff already says the DE flyers look like craftworld interceptors).

Well i just hope that they will be releasing a plastic hydra to deal with all these flyers that are coming out. I really want to see what they can do with that kit.

i think it would slow the game down a liitte in relation to the movment that will need to be done but i think its a good idea........ this being that air fought battles are just as important as the ground fought battles (it will add a bit more naritave which i like to do) but i do question the support that GW will give it after its release as most if not all expansions that GW releases have been left to wither and die out due to lack of support and publications on them 2 months after there release.... well thats my 2 bob worth anyway