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.

Ok, I understand fully that if I have say 2 squads of deathwing and 3 squads of ravenwing in my army and I want to deep strike and out flank the bikes , I would only be able to deep strike the 2 squads of deathwing and outflank 1 bike per rules for reserves. Now I have a question on a pure deathwing list.

Pg. 44 Codex: Dark Angels
Deathwing Assault: Immediately after determining warlord traits, tell your opponent which units are making a deathwing assault, and make a secret note of whither it takes place during your first or second turn. All units making the Deathwing Assault automatically arrive via Deep Strike at the start of the chosen turn - there is no need to roll for reserves.

reserves rule page 124:"When deploying their armies, players can choose not to deploy up to half oft heir units (rounding up) keeping them as Reserves to arrive later.Units that must start the game in reserve are ignored for the purposes of working out how many other units may do so."

Also the normal rules of Units that must start in reserve are ignored for the purpose of working out how many other units may do so.

My question and how I'm reading my codex is I'm not actively putting my deathwing by declaring they are deep striking. I am declaring deathwing assault for all of my units which forces them to go into reserves and deepstrike turn 1 or turn 2 per the rules of deathwing assault. I think this bypasses the 50% model count on the table rule because it places my entire army into a specific rule (deathwing assault) vs normal reserve rules. Nowhere in the entire rule for deathwing assault does it say I am placing that unit in reserves. Please help me on this thought process dakka.

There was much debate on this very issue until the FAQ came out.
In short, yes, they do count for the 50% reserve limit.

Deathwing Assault is optional and doesn't have any special provisions that allow it to ignore the 50% reserves limit, so the units do count towards the limit.

aww, didn't see the errata since they removed it. Ok that ends that thought process right there.