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Wanted to open a discussion around the ubiquitous ADL and its possible physical configurations and what you guys run/think.
Had a youtube/blog trawl and couldnt find too much on it.

Feel free to share ideas/critique below.

(apologies, some of the images didnt rotate correctly)

First configuration is the most basic and probably most used one - The String
String the ADL out as much as possible for maximum battlefield coverage and place your units as needed. No real explanation here needed.



The second is The Bunker. Form a full ring with the ADL and place units inside it. This allows the placement of a large number of troop units or a mix of troops/1 vehicle. It gives an all round 4++ from DS or flanking and ensures any charges must enter difficult terrain from any angle.



The third is the Backfield Box. This allows you to have 3 seperate compartments, defended from all angles (even more so if you place units within 1" of the table edge to prevent outflankers. Each "box" can hold a vehicle or several troops, useful for long range units like WS or Broadsides etc. They can sit there with a 4++ from all angles and are well back from other weapon ranges.



The fourth is the "9" (from side on looks like the figure 9. This gives you two troop boxes and 1 front on vehicle protection. Useful for say 2x Long Fangs with Vindicator. With only 1 AADL in use, your vehicle is vulnerable to side armor hits though so evaluate accordingly.



The next is the Extended 9. Its a variation on the above and gives you one infantry box but two vehicle positions for placement. Line it up at the edge of the board and at least one vehicle has nearly all round protection (except for rear). Place at back and side of board and it gets nearly all round cover.



The sixth configuration is the Quad. This gives you 4 boxes to work with, all round protection for up to 4 infantry units if places correctly to stop outflankers.
Useful for IG HWTs or any backfield static/ranged backfield units.



The Diagonal is next. Pretty self explanatory and a variation on the basic string.



The eight config is the Starfort. This allows you to place two mid size vehicles and some infantry with an all round 4++. It also has the maximum all round coverage/space I could come up with. Useful for several armies and unit configurations.



And finally there is the Bulge. This is a variation of the string but creates two or more subtle bulges in the line. The idea here is to place expendable troops (for examples bolter Devastators) forward of your other more important trooper members. They still get a 4++ but have to be removed first due to shooting rules. Allows you some leeway to keep shooting but not have it randomised and maybe lose those important Lascannons.



Any other ideas?

The fact that the configs that create boxes give added protection from barrages is noteworthy. Especially for low save models heavily relying on the line.

I usually do the bunker around my havocs, but I may try the string or gunline. See how many guys I can get behind it for that 4+ cover.

These are some great ideas that I had never thought about. How do you alter these to include a Quad Gun or Icarus, if at all?

Thanks Oaka
I deliberately havent factored in the quad (which in hindsight I should have).
I suppose most of the ideas can accomdate it. If LoS is drawn from the gun barrel (?) no config should interfere with it.
As to its actual placement in the line, I'd have to lay em out again and evaluate.

Yeah, those configurations near the back of the table edge are great, but the 48" range of a Quad Gun does prevent that for most armies. I usually run something like this right in the middle of my deployment zone.



The blue circle is where I put my Quad Gun. This is how my models can usually fit inside my Aegis. Snipers and overall crappy close-combat models are in the part surrounded on three sides, and my Quad Gun unit and a screen hang out in the larger section. This is really just because of base sizes and unit sizes, not because of any actual strategy. The Quad Gun is a very important part of my army so I need it centered and far up in my deployment zone in order to hit everywhere on the board.

Nice idea and addition, cheers.

You just blew my mind....

LOL, aw thanks, I was surprised to find little or no info on configs on the webz. There was the usual evaluation and critiques of the ADL but no actual pics/vids of potential ideas.

Anyone who is good at spatial reasoning chime in here, Im sure I've missed some ideas. 4 short and 4 long pieces can make.....

Also, are you assuming that all the pieces have to be attached to each other? Some people think that as long as one piece is touching another, you're good to go, so it creates the possibility of two or more bunkers on opposite sides of the board. It's also debatable whether the Quad Gun actually has to be deployed in an Aegis.

Im assuming Oaka, each piece must touch one other piece. I cant see how you can have two seperate defense lines (but that might be a good Q for the YMDC forum). Otherwise you could have 2x4 seperate mini bunkers (since there are 8 sections in total).
Also unsure if the quad has to be deployed with them but I think it does personally.

Cool ideas, I tend to turtle a bit behind my defence line and get lovely cover saves. One thing I like to do is close off a whole section of the board and put all of my troops in there to deny drop podding plasma/melta space wolves so I have some chance of survival.

How so TH? Do you mean like an IG foot army and spreading out maximum 2" to cover the whole 2x2 table section?
I cant see how you'd close of a whole section with the ADL. It can provide a roadblock ( as per the diagonal string) but anything DS/outflanking can still do it?

It isn't a 2x2, its more of diagonally stringing out the ADL and lining all of my troops behind it and then putting tanks behind that again so drop pods can't get their footprint down. Doesn't stretch the whole board, out flankers can't get behind it and deep strikers will mishap if they scatter. I'll have to get a picture when I go to my club tomorrow, it is sort of hard to explain...

Cool, always found pics are much more expressive than the vaccum of text!

A few more ideas I came up with.

A variation on the Line in backfield, potentially useful for large HWTs like 15+ Loots, 2x5 man LFs, IG HWTs etc



The Half Moon. Covers a very large area and can fit multiple vehicles and units in it. Potentially vulnerable to outflankers but has great coverage and size.



The "L". Could be useful in Vanguard strike if you want to shield your units from outflankers and sit back in a sort of gunline. Covers quite a large area for defense but obviously has no frontage. Could be mitigated by using cheap expendables to cover your more important foot troops or vehicles (Grot/Kroot screen etc).



Came up with this one, the "X" but cant really see its usefullness - just a thought variation.




On a related note, does the Guardian get cover from the Marine in this pic? Note the orientation of the ADL. Does simply being behind it give a save or do you have to be "right side" of it?












Automatically Appended Next Post:
Guardian gets a cover save? Y/N?
Sorry Mods, I'll move this to YMDC tomorrow.

I dont agree with Fritz a lot of the time but his salient point here is valid imo.




"The ability to deploy cover saving terrain in a tournament environment where terrain can be light is key" (added by me: where and how you like in any setup and configuration)

There was a thread recently afaik about the ADL wrecking 6th edition. Perhaps in friendly games but not in Fritz's example above of tourney imho.

I have found the best way to deploy the ADL is to see what terrain is on the board and adjust accordingly to that and the enemy. I do find it funny how the OP struggles to cram in a Falcon into most of these when it will never benefit from the ADL...

I used the Falcon SoloF because it was at hand after a game
You can substitute it with anything you like, the setups should remain valid depending on what one chooses, can fit, uses.

I have found the best way to deploy the ADL is to see what terrain is on the board and adjust accordingly to that and the enemy

Sorry but that is illegal.

BRB:

Next, players must place any fortifications they have in their armies before placing any other terrain.

 Ratius wrote:
I used the Falcon SoloF because it was at hand after a game
You can substitute it with anything you like, the setups should remain valid depending on what one chooses, can fit, uses.

I have found the best way to deploy the ADL is to see what terrain is on the board and adjust accordingly to that and the enemy

Sorry but that is illegal.

BRB:

Next, players must place any fortifications they have in their armies before placing any other terrain.

true, that is what the rulebook says, but most people, including the guys at any tournament at warhammer world itself, disagree with this order and play it the sensible way - the big hill was there before the portable gun was set up. lets face it, with the 'legal' way to do it, you can ruin any gun brought by placing a big LOS blocking terrain piece right in front of it. it's silly and they did it wrong, and everyone i know agrees.

so for me, and the gamers i play with, it's dependent on the scenery that's set up and where the firing lanes are, and how easily it will be to get around it.

This thread's been useful, i'm bringing ADL to my next game, i might try something other than the string.

 Ratius wrote:
I used the Falcon SoloF because it was at hand after a game
You can substitute it with anything you like, the setups should remain valid depending on what one chooses, can fit, uses.

I have found the best way to deploy the ADL is to see what terrain is on the board and adjust accordingly to that and the enemy

Sorry but that is illegal.

BRB:

Next, players must place any fortifications they have in their armies before placing any other terrain.

Most people who use the ADL in a serious way are in tournaments. And in that case, terrain is pre-placed. Friendly games, who cares?

True SoloF and point taken.
Good points too SB.

However, the thread was only supposed to be an "idea sparker".

I accept its more for friendlies than tourneys. Cool?

Awesome post Ratius!

While I've moved over to using a Bastion (great place to hide FMCs), when I run my Aegis Armies, I've become a big fan of the "honey comb" formation when facing barrage weapons. It's awesome. Once I get home from this work trip I may take a picture of it (assuming you haven't beaten me to it)

Go for it Anon, as I said earlier, pics always compliment an idea better, forums and blogs usually espouse ideas - which are great but visuals really do better.

Dont think I've seen/tried a honeycomb. Is it like a figure 8?

If you really want to have some fun with it. Stack the ADL on top of itself. Build it up a bit to grant cover to your MC's

Fascinating, legal and interesting.

The "legal" way to deploy fortifications is dumb. Landing pands, bastions, etc i can understand because of their size but the ADL is a strategic advantage point being reinforced - why would this be put behind a giant building? it wouldnt, but following BRB rules it will because players tend to be dicks like that.

I dont know anyone that actually sets terrain up by the book. It supports city-scaping and ruins fortifications.

Stupid question coming:

If every other end is suppose to be attached to every other end of the ADL isn't it impossible to string it out?

Wouldn't the only way to deploy it be in a circle?

Simple, rules say nothing about multiple pieces attach to one end. Theyre still touching ends.

I just re-read the rules:

Each section must be placed in base contact with each other section.

So yeah I see it now, the last section is placed in contact with the section next to it.

I was thinking it said each end must be placed in contact with each other end.