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Couldn't see a thread addressing this question (if it is one at all, or if it's just me!) so here goes:

Stratagems:

“Use this Stratagem when you can set up an ALPHA LEGION INFANTRY unit during deployment. You can set up the unit in concealment instead of placing it on the battlefield. At the beginning of the first battle round but before the first turn begins, the unit emerges from its hiding place – set it up anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" away from any enemy models.”

“Use this Stratagem when you can set up a RAVEN GUARD INFANTRY unit during deployment. You can set up the unit in the shadows instead of placing it on the battlefield. At the beginning of the first battle round but before the first turn begins, the unit emerges from their hiding place – set them up anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" away from any enemy models”

Reinforcements rule from BRB:

“Many units have the ability to be set up on the battlefield mid-turn, sometimes by using teleporters, grav chutes or other, more esoteric means. Typically, this happens at the end of the Movement phase, but it can also happen during other phases. Units that are set up in this manner cannot move or Advance further during the turn they arrive – their entire Movement phase is used in deploying to the battlefield – but they can otherwise act normally (shoot, charge, etc.) for the rest of their turn. Units that arrive as reinforcements count as having moved in their Movement phase for all rules purposes, such as shooting Heavy weapons. Any unit that has not arrived on the battlefield by the end of the battle counts as having been destroyed”

Battle Round/Turn Sequencing from BRB:

“The Battle Round
Warhammer 40,000 is played in a series of battle rounds. During each battle round, both players have a turn. The same player always takes the first turn in each battle round – the mission you are playing will tell you which player this is. Each turn consists of a series of phases, which must be resolved in order. The phases are as follows:
1. Movement phase
Move any units that are capable of ​
doing so.
2. Psychic phase
Psykers can use powerful mental abilities.
3. Shooting phase
Your units may shoot enemy units.
4. Charge phase
Your units may move into close combat against enemy units.
5. Fight phase
Both players’ units pile in and attack with melee weapons.
6. Morale phase
Test the courage of depleted units.
Once a player’s turn has ended, their opponent then starts their turn. Once both players have completed a turn, the battle round has been completed and the next one begins, and so on, until the battle is concluded."

YMDC!

Already discussed here https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/735458.page

 BaconCatBug wrote:
Already discussed here https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/735458.page

Womp ; saw that but didn't read it, assumed it wasn't touching on the same issue. Reading it promptly quashed that misperception

Not sure if having a more specific/focused topic might be seen as provoking new discussion or not; if not, would invite a Mod to lock this thread.

These are actually different discussions. The linked discussions pertains to the Auspex rule and whether the unit in question counts as Reinforcements.

Whether or not they count as Reinforcements has NOTHING to do with whether they can move on turn 1.

The Stratagems set them up on the board BEFORE turn 1. Reinforcements penalty applies to the TURN you arrive. Since they do not arrive during a turn, they CANNOT receive the Reinforcements penalty (or rather, they do but it's effectively meaningless).

Once the 1st turn actually begins, they are no longer subject to the Reinforcements rule and may move normally.

I don't see how these rules can be read as anything but the old infiltrate rules from prior editions, with lemon. They are effectively still place during deployment, but in such a way that the controlling player has a chance to place them with respect to who has the first turn or not. For instance it used to be you infiltrated your Stealth Suits behind a dreadnought, and you HOPED you got the first turn/seized the initiative, or things got messy. But at the expense of CP, these strategems allow the controlling player in that would-be case to decide whether to use the unit's infiltrate-plus ability to position for a first turn alpha strike or a second turn beta strike.

No as they meet NONE of the qualifications for reinforcements. It is not a unit ability it is a stratagem, they are not arriving mid-turn as it specifically states they arrive before the 1st turn, nor are they arriving during any phase because all phases happen during each players turn.

Some people keep citing a rule that says any units not on the table at the start of the game arrive as reinforcements...however there is no such rule in the book stating that anywhere.

Wagguy80 wrote:
Some people keep citing a rule that says any units not on the table at the start of the game arrive as reinforcements...however there is no such rule in the book stating that anywhere.

Not quite true.

Pg. 215 BRB

“TACTICAL RESERVES
Instead of being set up on the battlefield during Deployment, many units have the ability to be set up on teleportariums, in high orbit, in Reserve, etc., in order to arrive on the battlefield mid-game as reinforcements. When setting up your army during Deployment for a matched play game, at least half the total number of units in your army must be set up on the battlefield, even if every unit in your army has an ability that would allow them to be set up elsewhere. Furthermore, in matched play games, any unit that has not arrived on the battlefield by the end of the third battle round counts as having been destroyed.”

(Bold emphasis mine)

And, as the game consists of battle rounds - not turns, as turns only exist inside of a battle round - and the Stratagems in question only occur after the first battle round has begun they'd count as arriving 'mid-game'.

What you quoted says "in order to arrive on the battlefield mid-game as reinforcements."

The stratagem specifically states that it's used during deployment and emerge before before the first turn, which is clearly not mid-game. The game DOES use turns to denote that each battle round consists of two player turns by the way.

I do not see how that rule would apply at all.

They can move and act normally Turn 1.

Reason being, normal 'Deep Strike'-esque reinforcements come in at the end of the Movement Phase, so cannot move any further by definition.

These guys are already on the table at start of their Movement Phase, so nothing would stop them moving as normal, nor would they count as having moved should they choose to instead stay still and fire Heavy weapons, for example.

What is this thread about?

Is this about whether they can move during the movement phase?

or

Is this about whether they count as half your army for reinforcements?

I would like to know if the player using the stratagem knows who is taking the first turn when they deploy their unit.

Tower wrote:
I would like to know if the player using the stratagem knows who is taking the first turn when they deploy their unit.

He does, yes. You roll for the seize before the game even starts and this stratagem concludes during the 1st battle round before the 1st turn is taken. By then the game has already begun.

Can I use forward operatives to exceed the 50% of units in reserve limit? The wording that's chosen seems to be a "No.". I don't think it would be intended to have a 100% alpha strike army.

It is an interesting Can of Worms created here; Boxes inside of Boxes with little bits of gaps between the Boxes where a quirk of Timing can inject a Rule or two.

As the third option, await the FAQ, was available I am going to state that answer as the only true and correct answer... just hope they write an entry, it might be the right answer but it still is one that requires faith in the Man-Emperor of Mankind. Rumor has it that Game Workshop wanted this to be a much more simple edition after all, and having to dissect several Rules and how they might interact to try and determine exactly what the Authors Intended is as clear as Mud. The Player Base would naturally question if something that occurs right at the start of the first battle phase, but before the first turn, falls under 'Start of Game' or 'Mid-of-Game' given it's unique placement in the new Timing system.

It is only logical to conclude You Make Da Call would take it the next step and question just how such a difference could be used to break / fix other Rules....