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The tactic states " Use this Stratagem just before an Imperial Fists unit attacks in the shooting phase. Each time you make a hit roll of 6+ for a model firing...."

While it states you use the Stratagem before an IF unit shoots, it does not specify anywhere that it applies only to that unit. Nor is there reference to a unit in the text, just that models firing bolt weapons get the power.

So basically, the restriction on the Stratagem being used is it has to be announced before an (or any) IF units shoot. So you could fire say, IG allies, then move to the IF units or whatever combo you want.

Thoughts?

Just an addendum, Scions of Guilliman specifies it only affects one unit. Actually, all of the other Stratagems are quite clear as to the number of units it affects.

I'm convinced that Bolter Drill affects all IF models with bolt weapons.

I would say baring errata down the line it affects all models and also doesn't seem to have a time limit, so lasts all game.

Dort have my codex nearby but I'm gonna assume that's not intended if indeed there is no proper limitation.

nekooni wrote:
Dort have my codex nearby but I'm gonna assume that's not intended if indeed there is no proper limitation.

The stratagem is super underwhelming on one unit. If it's army wide, it might actually become decent.

if this is true... my 6 units of Heavy Bolter devastators just got really strong using the Hellfire Shells Strategem !!!

There's no way its intended to be army-wide for every unit for the entire game for a single CP.

If it were, there's no reason the strategem would bother mentioning that you have to use it before firing an Imperial Fists unit, instead it would just say that you use it and it applies the whole game. I mean, the whole point of strategems is that they're things you use at a certain point that give you a one-time benefit. For stuff they wanted to affect the entire game, they made Chpater Tactics.

I agree, the whole game would be silly.....

In the intro paragraph for the stratagems they take "Bolter Drill" as an example for successor chapters use of stratagems. So maybe this indicates that RAI is the stratagem works only for one unit shooting? Would be really underwhelming for (in the most cases) 1/6 of your CP...

 Zeshi wrote:
In the intro paragraph for the stratagems they take "Bolter Drill" as an example for successor chapters use of stratagems. So maybe this indicates that RAI is the stratagem works only for one unit shooting? Would be really underwhelming for (in the most cases) 1/6 of your CP...

A. I would argue that is evidence that the Stratagem is only for one unit.

B. The paragraph was probably written by someone else who just used it as an example without reading the text <g>

 yakface wrote:

There's no way its intended to be army-wide for every unit for the entire game for a single CP.

If it were, there's no reason the strategem would bother mentioning that you have to use it before firing an Imperial Fists unit, instead it would just say that you use it and it applies the whole game. I mean, the whole point of strategems is that they're things you use at a certain point that give you a one-time benefit. For stuff they wanted to affect the entire game, they made Chpater Tactics.

To be fair, Chapter Masters are now a Stratagem that are active the whole game. So there isn't a clear distinction here.

Shooting sequence (BRB p. 179):

1. Choose a unit to shoot with
2. Choose targets
3. Choose range weapon
4. Resolve attacks

Rule 'Bolter Drill' states:
"Use this stratagem just before an IMPERIAL FISTS INFANTRY unit attacks in the shooting phase."
So here the choice of using the stratagem clearly must be made at the beginning of shooting sequence. I argue that ".. unit attacks in the shooting phase." means the Shooting Sequence of a chosen unit.
The 'Bolter Drill' makes no mention the duration or limit how long it is activate. In my opinion, there are two RAI options:
I: The stratagem is active only for one single shooting sequence (This makes sense considering the 1 CP cost).
II: The stratagem is active indefinitely, until end of game (This makes no sense considering the 1 CP cost).

The II option would break the game, as this way the rule would be in effect indefinitely and it would also affect every weapon with word 'bolt' in the name. And by every weapon it also means every opponents weapon with word 'bolt'. Imagine what would happen if one side had Fire Raptor gunship with 2 quad heavy bolters?

My Call for this is:
I: The stratagem is active only for one single shooting sequence, and thus one single unit.

 BaconCatBug wrote:
I would say baring errata down the line it affects all models and also doesn't seem to have a time limit, so lasts all game.

This is why we can't have nice things. Colloquially written is fine and perfectly clear to 99% of users. There's no way it's intended for the whole army or the whole game. I'd simply walk from a game where someone espoused and stuck to an interpretation like this.

 Weazel wrote:

nekooni wrote:
Dort have my codex nearby but I'm gonna assume that's not intended if indeed there is no proper limitation.

The stratagem is super underwhelming on one unit. If it's army wide, it might actually become decent.

Right. It would be "decent" if it was permanently active for all if units? Come on."wet panties inducing" is not the targeted power level for stratagems. If they had wanted it to be permanent they'd backed it into the CT.

nekooni wrote:

 Weazel wrote:

nekooni wrote:
Dort have my codex nearby but I'm gonna assume that's not intended if indeed there is no proper limitation.

The stratagem is super underwhelming on one unit. If it's army wide, it might actually become decent.

Right. It would be "decent" if it was permanently active for all if units? Come on."wet panties inducing" is not the targeted power level for stratagems. If they had wanted it to be permanent they'd backed it into the CT.

Well obviously not permanently, but for one shooting phase. It's just one extra ROLL for all 6's. If it was an extra HIT for 6's it would be somewhat better.

However it's is most probably intended for one unit only, so as it stands it's not that impressive outside of maybe Aggressors or DevCents with bolter loadouts.

And no, I don't think that would have been too OP as a CT instead of a stratagem.

 Weazel wrote:

nekooni wrote:

 Weazel wrote:

nekooni wrote:
Dort have my codex nearby but I'm gonna assume that's not intended if indeed there is no proper limitation.

The stratagem is super underwhelming on one unit. If it's army wide, it might actually become decent.

Right. It would be "decent" if it was permanently active for all if units? Come on."wet panties inducing" is not the targeted power level for stratagems. If they had wanted it to be permanent they'd backed it into the CT.

Well obviously not permanently, but for one shooting phase. It's just one extra ROLL for all 6's. If it was an extra HIT for 6's it would be somewhat better.

However it's is most probably intended for one unit only, so as it stands it's not that impressive outside of maybe Aggressors or DevCents with bolter loadouts.

And no, I don't think that would have been too OP as a CT instead of a stratagem.

What, so based on the "there's no limit" thing you're saying it's not too strong by introducing an entirely different limit that's not mentioned anywhere? Cute.
But I agree, replacing the Chapter Tactics with a permanent version of the Strategem would be fine.

 yakface wrote:

There's no way its intended to be army-wide for every unit for the entire game for a single CP.

If it were, there's no reason the strategem would bother mentioning that you have to use it before firing an Imperial Fists unit, instead it would just say that you use it and it applies the whole game. I mean, the whole point of strategems is that they're things you use at a certain point that give you a one-time benefit. For stuff they wanted to affect the entire game, they made Chpater Tactics.

I agree that these aren't ment to be for the entire game... however it seems a bit ambiguous as to if it applies to one unit or all.

I feel its only for one unit...however the wording is just bad.

 JohnnyHell wrote:

 BaconCatBug wrote:
I would say baring errata down the line it affects all models and also doesn't seem to have a time limit, so lasts all game.

This is why we can't have nice things. Colloquially written is fine and perfectly clear to 99% of users. There's no way it's intended for the whole army or the whole game. I'd simply walk from a game where someone espoused and stuck to an interpretation like this.

You've personally talked to 99% of users? Look at all the other stratagems, which are crystal clear they are meant for one unit, user, vehicle etc. Bolter Drill never mentions unit after the precondition of announcing before an IF unit shoots. It does say any model with a bolt weapon.

I dunno, it sounds like it could actually run indefinitely. It has no end point phrasing like "until the end of the phase" or "until the start of your next turn". It also makes no mention of what units are affected, so it technically affects all Infantry units.

I don't necessarily see this as something that will be left in place, but perhaps it was intended. I will be sending the question to GW Facebook.

Wouldnt that mean that gw intended this to also affect opposing units? Hard to believe.

nekooni wrote:
Wouldnt that mean that gw intended this to also affect opposing units? Hard to believe.

Technically it affects enemy units as well. Kind of funny. They need to clarify it.

 casvalremdeikun wrote:

nekooni wrote:
Wouldnt that mean that gw intended this to also affect opposing units? Hard to believe.

Technically it affects enemy units as well. Kind of funny. They need to clarify it.

It's simply what happens when you say "ok, there're no restrictions, so they clearly didn't want any restrictions". IMHO they will clarify that it's also just for that one unit, and that's it. Until that's clarified, I'm going with that as a quick fix to a currently broken Strategem.