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I don't forsee too many issues, the Scout USR is a pretty hefty trump card the way it is currently written.

The USR will break a general rule if it specifically does so, but where it does not specifically break that rule, the rule stands. Yes, Scout allows you to break the rule that Escalation keeps you off the table; no, it does not break the rule that the whole unit must deploy at the same time. Therefore, as that rule is not broken, the whole unit must deploy at the same time, when it comes available.

Is it really that vague of a rule though? I mean, yes, it isn't spelled out that Pathfinder infantry may start on board in escalation, but the Scout USR also doesn't spell out every single unit that has the ability.

The IG Command Platoon example is the same scenario. In a match where the Command Platoon does not start on board (i.e. Scouting Engagement), would you prevent the attached Sentinels from starting on board? They're part of the Command Platoon (the same FOC selection) and are rolled for in one go.

The IG FAQ address platoon subunits with Light Infantry being able to deploy differently then subunits without them, but that's Infiltrate, not Scout. You can elect to Infiltrate one Fire Support squad, Deep Strike another, etc which breaks the deploy rule anyways.

"...any Scouts in the army may be deployed at the start of a battle, even in scenarios where they could not normally be deployed" (BGB, pg75, emphasis mine).  Escalation is used as an example in the next sentence, but it doesn't actually say Scouts may deploy in Escalation, Scouts may deploy in Patrol, etc.  Players have to infer that Scouts may start on board in any mission where they would not normally be allowed to start for any reason, be it Escalation or otherwise.

Is it really that vague of a rule though? I mean, yes, it isn't spelled out that Pathfinder infantry may start on board in escalation, but the Scout USR also doesn't spell out every single unit that has the ability.

If we are starting with the assumption that the rules set is permissive, then yes, it would be required. Let's assume for a minute that the Fearless USR made no mention of the effect of pinning. Would we automatically assume that models that are Fearless get to ignore pinning based on the fact that they never have to fall back?

The IG Command Platoon example is the same scenario. In a match where the Command Platoon does not start on board (i.e. Scouting Engagement), would you prevent the attached Sentinels from starting on board? They're part of the Command Platoon (the same FOC selection) and are rolled for in one go.

This is a sticky issue. If the Command Squad was starting off the board due to Escalation (they had a Chimera transport), then yes, the whole platoon (sentinels included) has to start off the board. If the reason the Command Squad was starting off the board was due to the use of the Drop Troops doctrine, then the Sentinels may start on the board since the Drop Troops doctrine entry gives specific permission to split up deployments.

The doctrines actually spell out that the FOC can split up deployment when using them. If an IG army was not using doctrines, and had a platoon with a Command Squad in a chimera, his opponent would have every reason to believe that the whole platoon has to start off the board.


The reverse is also true too, if the IG player is deploying his sentinels no matter what on the board, then he has no standing to deny the Pathfinders the ability to deploy on the board without their Devilfish.

Your fearless vs. pinning argument is a very different case, as pinning is distinctly different from falling back so it's necessary to include both if you want fearless to counter them.

In the case of Scout - Starting on the table is just that, starting on the table. Scout allows you to do it, even when you normally wouldn't be allowed to do it. I counter that a restriction would therefore have to specifically mention that it overrides Scout in order to prevent the effect from working. (For an actually good example of something like this, try the entanglement rules from a destroyed transport vs. fearless units.)

It's escalation he can't be on the table
-Units with scout may start on the table
He shares a force org chart with something that isn't going to start on the table
-Units with scout may start on the table
It's some upside down version of escalation where infantry units don't start on the table
-Units with scout may start on the table

Any special cases that pop up in the future that don't specifically negate scout, will not prevent a unit with it from starting on the table.

Your fearless vs. pinning argument is a very different case, as pinning is distinctly different from falling back so it's necessary to include both if you want fearless to counter them.

Apologies, my example was off the cuff (at work with only the IG codex, and the GW sites are blocked here).

hmm i like this line of discussion, i should have highlighted the core excalation rules sooner.

infantry may always deploy in excalation as long as they do not have a vehicle.

it would kind of be reedundant if all scout forces were infantry who can come on the table anyway and then tell us they get to ignore the escalation rules restrictions to come on the table. because they are scouts.

IG special rules aside escaltion rules say scout units  ignore escalation rules and can start on the table reguardless of them. this means they would ignore the dedicated transport restriciton.

You know, I'm looking at the Drop Troops doctrine entry (Codex: IG, pg56) and I don't see anything about being able to split up the FOC. Is there another printing that I'm missing somewhere? By my reading, you may select any Guard Infantry unit (w/o Chimeras) or Sentinels and Deep Strike if mission permits. Guard Infantry unit is defined on the preceding page and it includes command squads, support squads, etc. You don't have to go all-or-nothing, that is, you can Deep Strike some of the Command Platoon squads, and not others. Obviously this breaks the FOC deployment rule, with some on the table and some off at the start of the game.

Of course the rule set is permissive, and I would think that "...any Scouts may be deployed" spells it out pretty well. Since a Devilfish is not a Scout, it cannot start on board. Since Pathfinder infantry are Scouts, they may start on board. Was there the same kind of discussion when the 3rd edition Tau Codex came out, before the FAQ was released on this same issue? I don't seem to remember it.

Mughi3: Unfortunately, there's several tournament missions that restrict what may be deployed (like 2 Troops only, or 1 HQ and 1 Troop, etc), so Escalation isn't the only reason units have to stay off board at the start of the game.

On a side note, I was thinking "Oh heck! Land Raiders don't count as dedicated transports, so a Terminator Command Squad w/ an attached Land Raider could start in Escalation!", which would at least give us another precedent to debate. Fortunately, the Space Marine codex addresses this issue. "Land Raiders....do not count as dedicated transports for the purposes of holding objectives and scoring Victory Points" (Codex: Space Marines, pg.35)