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The rules for the Skyhammer Annihilation Force specify that to use the special Shock Deployment ability, the player must choose whether it will arrive during his or her first or second turn.

Like the choice of which troops are embarked upon which transport, doesn't this mean that they must reveal their choice openly at the time of Deployment and pray that they deploy second?

You would declare it while deploying - is there any mention of writing it down secretly? Some things like death wing assault use this same method for similar results.

If not, I would declare it when I deploy the rest of my force, just like anything else I am reserving

I dont believe there is a requirement to tell your opponent.

Hiwpi I'd write it down like DW assault just to prove i havent changed my mind after his 1st player turn

That reveals a useful flaw in the Formation. A screen of Bikes would render it much much weaker as they can not Go To Ground (BRB pg 63).

you would have to declare it in the same way you have to declare what unit is in what drop pod along with any attached IC's

its the same way you dont get to secretly choose if a unit with outflank, and deepstrike uses DS or outflank or just walks on the board edge.

at least that is the rules for standard deployment, the rules do state you are free to modify the deployment rules in any way you see fit (put up a screen so its all secret ect)

but at that points its houserules (even though house rules are encouraged by the BRB)

Absent a rule that allows you to make the decision secret, it would have to be declared openly.

Just let them deploy first unless you are playing something like Mechanicum. That way you can see what they hold in reserves before you have to declare.