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The ADL can grant cover to a vehicle if 25% of its facing is obscured, simply being behind the line is not good enough, you need to check line of sight. Now from what I have seen many players do not play with their flying bases with skimmers (especially tau skimmers with landing gears) The flying bases are cumbersome and usually do not make a difference to the game. However, the way the ADL is set up you are more likely to get cover the closer you are to ground, so skimmers without their flying base are at a significant advantage. Because of this is playing without the skimmer base modeling for advantage? Also there are two sizes of skimmer stands, one is taller than the other, is using the smaller one modeling for advantage? If you are playing a game with someone who has a skimmer behind the ADL should you ask them to put their skimmer on a flying stand if it is not there already?

Yes, and additionally you are breaking the rule which states you use the base you model came with

Using the smaller one is not MFA

It is not MFA it is cheating. The rules assume that models are on the base provided. Furthermore, the only time a skimmer has permission to be removed from it's flying base is if it gets Wrecked or Immobilised (BRB pg 83). There is nothing wrong with using the shorter stand as it is provided.

If an opponent does not have the base (due to getting the models second-hand, for example) I still expect them to treat the model as if it were on the base, and will ask them to hold the model up about 1.5" of the ground to determine LOS.

Whether at MFA or not is immaterial, as it is not in the rules and you can only get a definitive answer from a TO or their opponent if it's a friendly game.

That said, models are supposed to be on the bases they are supplied with. The only exception is if its a custom base, in which it should be similar.

So, not putting the skimmers on bases is against RAW.

The short peg(at least the one that came in my devilfish box many years ago) for skimmers is approximately 1/16" different than the landing gear. Newer boxes the pegs are slightly longer. Yes they should be on the skimmer base for a game, but in the case of my old model it wouldn't make a difference. When that peg breaks(as they all eventually do) I will have to go to a taller peg, and than couldn't say it doesn't make a difference anymore.

Mfa is cheating.

Modelling your tank on the smaller flying stand provided in your kit is perfectly legal. Like modelling a riptide kneeling.

 megatrons2nd wrote:
The short peg(at least the one that came in my devilfish box many years ago) for skimmers is approximately 1/16" different than the landing gear. Newer boxes the pegs are slightly longer. Yes they should be on the skimmer base for a game, but in the case of my old model it wouldn't make a difference. When that peg breaks(as they all eventually do) I will have to go to a taller peg, and than couldn't say it doesn't make a difference anymore.

I bought a skyray not too long ago and it also had a very small peg that barely makes it higher than its landing gear, but there is also a longer peg that puts it up much higher. But because of the landing gears tau can put their models on the ground, they just don't get jink. (which shouldn't be a problem if you are claiming cover with the ADL) I do see eldar players with their falcons and fire prisms off of the base because it is just so much easier to handle and use.

The landing gear rule went the way of the Dodo. It no longer exists, and unless GW says the landing gear provided count as a base, then using the landing gear is no longer legal under the current rules. Though in a friendly game, or with a TO's permission it might be allowed, especially when shown the smaller flight stand peg, and how little difference there actually is between them.

 megatrons2nd wrote:
The landing gear rule went the way of the Dodo. It no longer exists, and unless GW says the landing gear provided count as a base, then using the landing gear is no longer legal under the current rules. Though in a friendly game, or with a TO's permission it might be allowed, especially when shown the smaller flight stand peg, and how little difference there actually is between them.

I don't know about pre-5th edition but in 5th edition, Skimmers (including Tau) could only be removed from the base if Immobilised or Wrecked.

 Happyjew wrote:

 megatrons2nd wrote:
The landing gear rule went the way of the Dodo. It no longer exists, and unless GW says the landing gear provided count as a base, then using the landing gear is no longer legal under the current rules. Though in a friendly game, or with a TO's permission it might be allowed, especially when shown the smaller flight stand peg, and how little difference there actually is between them.

I don't know about pre-5th edition but in 5th edition, Skimmers (including Tau) could only be removed from the base if Immobilised or Wrecked.

They actually had a landing gear rule that allowed it. It no longer counted as a skimmer if it remained stationary, as such no need for the base, and became a skimmer again when it moved.

 megatrons2nd wrote:

 Happyjew wrote:

 megatrons2nd wrote:
The landing gear rule went the way of the Dodo. It no longer exists, and unless GW says the landing gear provided count as a base, then using the landing gear is no longer legal under the current rules. Though in a friendly game, or with a TO's permission it might be allowed, especially when shown the smaller flight stand peg, and how little difference there actually is between them.

I don't know about pre-5th edition but in 5th edition, Skimmers (including Tau) could only be removed from the base if Immobilised or Wrecked.

They actually had a landing gear rule that allowed it. It no longer counted as a skimmer if it remained stationary, as such no need for the base, and became a skimmer again when it moved.

Not in 5th edition. Per the 5th edition rules, the only time a skimemr can come off of its base is if it is immobilised or wrecked. Is (for example) a stationary Hammerhead Wrecked or Immobilised?

Landing gear rule in the 5th edition Tau Empire Codex:

"In any turn that the vehicle does not move it may choose to no longer count as a skimmer until it moves again."

This means, as it is not a skimmer at this point, it does not require a flight base. I pitched my FAQ, but if I remember correctly it allowed for the removal of it's flight base.

 megatrons2nd wrote:
Landing gear rule in the 5th edition Tau Empire Codex:

"In any turn that the vehicle does not move it may choose to no longer count as a skimmer until it moves again."

This means, as it is not a skimmer at this point, it does not require a flight base. I pitched my FAQ, but if I remember correctly it allowed for the removal of it's flight base.

Nothing in the rules allowed you to remove the base.
The flying base isn't a "skimmer only" deal, not being a skimmer doesn't mean no base.

 megatrons2nd wrote:
Landing gear rule in the 5th edition Tau Empire Codex:

"In any turn that the vehicle does not move it may choose to no longer count as a skimmer until it moves again."

This means, as it is not a skimmer at this point, it does not require a flight base. I pitched my FAQ, but if I remember correctly it allowed for the removal of it's flight base.

What you are remembering was simply a player convention that some players used to show that it was not currently acting like a skimmer. This wasn't a real rule and, actually, broke the rules. However, in lieu of a counter was used in some places.