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Is there anything preventing me from using this stratagem more than once? Seems a little powerful, set up 9" away... move/charge turn 1, so I am just assuming its FAQ'd or something

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Is there anything preventing me from using this stratagem more than once? Seems a little powerful, set up 9" away... move/charge turn 1, so I am just assuming its FAQ'd or something

Yes, it's powerful. Yes, it's the sole reason anyone uses Alpha Legion. Yes, you can use it as many times as you want, even in matched play, because it does not happen in a phase.

However, it's been nerfed heavily in the BIG FAQ 2, to coincide with the new beta Tactical Reserves rule, so its days are most likely numbered.

This has been changed in the Big FAQ 2:

Codex: Chaos Space Marines, page 160 – Forward Operatives

Change this Stratagem to read:
‘Use this Stratagem when you set up an Alpha Legion Infantry unit from your army during deployment. At the start of the first battle round but before the first turn begins, you can move that unit up to 9". It cannot end this move within 9" of any enemy models. If both players have units that can move before the first turn begins, the player who is taking the first turn moves their units first.’

It's now a free move, not deploying 9" away.

BIG FAQ 2
Codex: Chaos Space Marines, page 160 – Forward Operatives
Change this Stratagem to read:
‘Use this Stratagem when you set up an Alpha Legion Infantry unit from your army during deployment. At the start of the first battle round but before the first turn begins, you can move that unit up to 9". It cannot end this move within 9" of any enemy models. If both players have units that can move before the first turn begins, the player who is taking the first turn moves their units first.’

ItsPug wrote:
BIG FAQ 2
Codex: Chaos Space Marines, page 160 – Forward Operatives
Change this Stratagem to read:
‘Use this Stratagem when you set up an Alpha Legion Infantry unit from your army during deployment. At the start of the first battle round but before the first turn begins, you can move that unit up to 9". It cannot end this move within 9" of any enemy models. If both players have units that can move before the first turn begins, the player who is taking the first turn moves their units first.’

This only applies if you're using the beta Tactical Reserves rule from the same FAQ.

THE BIG FAQ 2 - Revision 1 wrote:Related Errata
If you are using the Tactical Reserves beta matched play rule, the following errata apply

Only took them a year to figure that it was OP. When does the new FAQ take place?

As a Beta test: Whenever you want to use it.

As as a permanent change to the Match Play rules: In the Spring FAQ if they don't decide it doesn't work and decide to try something different.

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Only took them a year to figure that it was OP. When does the new FAQ take place?

Most people on here (and people I play with in my experience) take the beta rules as being in affect immediately.

So it makes alpha strike harder... will it reduce the number of your deployments for purposes of getting that +1 to go first still? (I mean it does reduce your deployments now right?)

So two questions :-)

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
So it makes alpha strike harder... will it reduce the number of your deployments for purposes of getting that +1 to go first still? (I mean it does reduce your deployments now right?)

So two questions :-)

It doesn't change the amount of "drops" you have because you spend a "drop" to use the stratagem on the unit. It's not like transports where you bundle up multiple units into one "drop".

Declaring that you will deploy a unit after the game starts using any rule that allows you to do so (eg teleporting terminators) also counts as a deployment drop too.

Is sticking units inside transports is the only way to reduce the number of drops to try to get the +1 to go first?

Some Stratagems also let you place 2 or 3 units in outflank/Webway etc. as one drop.

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Is sticking units inside transports is the only way to reduce the number of drops to try to get the +1 to go first?

Not the only way, but the most common. Some stratagems let you set up multiple units outside the battlefield (like in a Teleportarium or in the Webway) in a single action. And as is the case in 8th due to bespoke rules, they are all subtly different in how many units they can put and how many CP they cost.

 BaconCatBug wrote:

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Is sticking units inside transports is the only way to reduce the number of drops to try to get the +1 to go first?

Not the only way, but the most common. Some stratagems let you set up multiple units outside the battlefield (like in a Teleportarium or in the Webway) in a single action. And as is the case in 8th due to bespoke rules, they are all subtly different in how many units they can put and how many CP they cost.

So since I'm currently running chaos marines and chaos demons.. then I've got
1. The demon summoning stratagem (plaguebearers)
2. Teleportarium (obliterators)

Think thats all... other than running Rhino's which I'm not doing ATM.

Note that generally a Teleportium (such as for Terminators and Obliterators) does not reduce the number of drops.

Honestly, it's not worth worrying about too much when you build your list.

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Is sticking units inside transports is the only way to reduce the number of drops to try to get the +1 to go first?

As an example, I have 2 archons and 8 wyches in a raider. That shoves 3 units into the one transport, thus counting as only one 'drop'. When needed, one archon sometimes deploys on his feet, adding a drop, usually when it won't matter if I add one because my opponent's drops are far less than mine. Which with Drukhari is usually the case.

What army are you setting up? Are you trying to work Ind. Characters into rhinos? Bosses into Battlewagons?

Eldar, Tau and Chaos
I understand the transports reduce drops. Which is easy, 2 5 man units and 2 characters and my waveserpent takes 4 drops down to 1.

I'm curious about any other means. for example.

I don't get why teleportariums wouldn't reduce drops, but it appears that using forward operatives does.

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Eldar, Tau and Chaos
I understand the transports reduce drops. Which is easy, 2 5 man units and 2 characters and my waveserpent takes 4 drops down to 1.

I'm curious about any other means. for example.

I don't get why teleportariums wouldn't reduce drops, but it appears that using forward operatives does.

Forward Operatives does not reduce drops. The reason Webway Strike does is because you use the stratagem once on two units at the same time.

 Sazzlefrats wrote:
Eldar, Tau and Chaos
I understand the transports reduce drops. Which is easy, 2 5 man units and 2 characters and my waveserpent takes 4 drops down to 1.

I'm curious about any other means. for example.

I don't get why teleportariums wouldn't reduce drops, but it appears that using forward operatives does.

Declaring you are putting a single unit in a Teleportium Chamber is a drop. If you do it twice that's two drops and so on. Same for Forward Operatives. Each time you select a single unit, declare you are using the Stratagem, and that is a drop.

Rules that allow you to deploy multiple units as one drop, other than Transports, are generally very rare.