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How do!

So this is a concept I’ve been batting about with my local gaming group, but it’s not passed beyond the ‘seems interesting on paper’ point. But, the local consensus is, played well/perfected, it could prove very effective.

You’ve likely guessed it involves Impulsors. But why call it the Audi Manoeuvre? Well, here in the UK, it’s a widely accepted thing that Audi owners tend to drive and park with no regard or consideration for other road users. But hey, you insert the kind of car driver you have a largely baseless prejudice about .

And it’s the inconsiderate parking that this potential tactic seeks to replicate.

In short, Impulsors can be added fairly cheaply, and still pack a decent level of firepower. My current concept is a pair of them, with nothing to transport. Their job instead is interception. Not just of deep striking enemy enemy units, but acting as a highly mobile interdiction force, positioning themselves to block LoS and charges from more valued units.

Here, I think I’d go with the Shield Dome, particularly in tournament type games, where there’s a reasonable chance I can hold big stuff like Knights, who can’t them simply cut their way through, as I’ll (literally, witty tittering ensues) tank a fair amount of the damage. And even if that goes wrong, it can prevent that Knight wrecking more valuable units.

Thanks to Fly, they can even form a block for enemy infantry looking to assault my other stuff, and get out of the way neatly, letting me get more shots, and possibly the charge in myself.

So as I said, on paper it seems pretty solid. For very few points, I get a surprisingly flexible response force which isn’t particularly lacking in the anti-infantry department.

Heck, could even use Fly to zip over enemy screens, and unload the Dakka on a character. Highly situational of course, but still something to keep in mind as a C plan!

What do you reckon?

You've basically swapped flyer blocking with Impulsor blocking.

I guess? But with added movement and LoS blocking. And not having to work my turn angles in advance whilst second guessing deep strike locations

Only just getting back into the game, so apologies if this seems a wee bit basic.

Sterling191 wrote:
You've basically swapped flyer blocking with Impulsor blocking.

but with the added benefit of blocking line of sight.

Back in 7th I had great success using by battlewagons (once they had delivered their payloads) as blockers to stay in between the unit and their hard counter whilst the unit did their stuff. blocking LOS is a big, useful thing, and especially with a cheap vehicle, as the enemy has to use dedicated anti-tank to reliably shift it out of the way so their other units can shoot.

That’s what I was thinking, especially with a 4+ invulnerable. Sure it doesn’t help against stuff like Autocannon and similarly statted weapons, but it will help frustrate heavier firepower and assault units.

The other idea would be taking the Orbital Comms Array, so they can drop Mortal Wounds anywhere I might want them - but I suspect it might make them more of a target in the early game?

 some bloke wrote:

Sterling191 wrote:
You've basically swapped flyer blocking with Impulsor blocking.

but with the added benefit of blocking line of sight.

Indeed. No snark intended, purely a statement that screening with transports or other units that can cause consternation with their bulk (or base) isnt a new tactical approach. I do it all the time with Razorbacks.

Advantage here is they’re bloody fast. Native 14” move, and D6” for advance (when I need to get somewhere).

They also have the -2” to enemy charges, so could prove extra frustrating in The Audi Manouevre.

Shape and height of the actual model is pretty suited too. They’re long, but not especially wide, so can squeak into and block up various gaps.

I've been doing this for ages with with Wave Serpents. They're faster, more durable and can also fly. The fact they're a transport is secondary.

They don't block LOS do they? I can still see your units with my feet.

 vict0988 wrote:
They don't block LOS do they? I can still see your units with my feet.

Is that in response to me or the Impulsor in OP? they both fly so you can do both depending on positioning and how the flying stand tilts.

 some bloke wrote:

Sterling191 wrote:
You've basically swapped flyer blocking with Impulsor blocking.

but with the added benefit of blocking line of sight.

Back in 7th I had great success using by battlewagons (once they had delivered their payloads) as blockers to stay in between the unit and their hard counter whilst the unit did their stuff. blocking LOS is a big, useful thing, and especially with a cheap vehicle, as the enemy has to use dedicated anti-tank to reliably shift it out of the way so their other units can shoot.

Isn't that thing hovering aka bit over base? In which case it's not blocking any los. Hard to see from photos but doesn't seem to be touching ground


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 Tyranid Horde wrote:

 vict0988 wrote:
They don't block LOS do they? I can still see your units with my feet.

Is that in response to me or the Impulsor in OP? they both fly so you can do both depending on positioning and how the flying stand tilts.

If the enemy feet can draw even sliver los under impulsor then no effect on shooting. As such rhino blocks los only sideway. Front to back never. If it hovers should be harder than with rhino

With Wave Serpents they have a natural front tilt so they do block LOS, no need to explain LOS to me tneva.

Only if everyone is on the same level plane.

Put my dudes on some slightly higher ground, and sorted

But hey, still mostly getting a cover save, so there’s something to that.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Advantage here is they’re bloody fast. Native 14” move, and D6” for advance (when I need to get somewhere).

They also have the -2” to enemy charges, so could prove extra frustrating in The Audi Manouevre.

Shape and height of the actual model is pretty suited too. They’re long, but not especially wide, so can squeak into and block up various gaps.

Dont forget you can auto ecplode it in enemy lines for a D6.. if i was a marine player id be looking at getting these little suicide boats in their lines objectives and go kabloom.

 Argive wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Advantage here is they’re bloody fast. Native 14” move, and D6” for advance (when I need to get somewhere).

They also have the -2” to enemy charges, so could prove extra frustrating in The Audi Manouevre.

Shape and height of the actual model is pretty suited too. They’re long, but not especially wide, so can squeak into and block up various gaps.

Dont forget you can auto ecplode it in enemy lines for a D6.. if i was a marine player id be looking at getting these little suicide boats in their lines objectives and go kabloom.

Isn't that only on Repulsors/Land Raiders?

IanVanCheese wrote:

Isn't that only on Repulsors/Land Raiders?

Repulsors, Land Raiders and Storm Ravens.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Only if everyone is on the same level plane.

Put my dudes on some slightly higher ground, and sorted

But hey, still mostly getting a cover save, so there’s something to that.

Seems dubious, I feel like you might be able to coax some less competitive players into letting you block los but going into frog view should reveal any unit behind it in most cases. Obscurement generally isn't worth anything unless you are a vehicle in a ruin/forest. Impulsors still seem viable in SM, but I wouldn't rely on its ability to block LOS.

I don't remember my buddy's Wave Serpent being tilted down and I only found one pic on the interwebs with an angled WS, most appeared level with the ground. Page 68 of codex Craftworlds shows an angled WS but you can still draw LOS from your feet to something behind it.

As with most of the plan, it’s terrain dependant.

I need it to block lines of movement and assault at the very least. But the core part of any tactic or strategy is knowing when you can make work as much as the how.

Thankfully my local crowd are into their tournaments, so once I’m beyond my ‘re-learning the ropes’ games I’m sure I’ll be picking up the finer points pretty quickly

Sterling191 wrote:

IanVanCheese wrote:

Isn't that only on Repulsors/Land Raiders?

Repulsors, Land Raiders and Storm Ravens.

Ohh my bad.. too many something something "ors" going around

I think they are extremely good in theory hammer. Where else you going to find a cheap disposable 4++ vehicle camp objectives? Its going to take a lot of dedicated fire power to remove.. Sure its not got a lot of dakka but does it matter if you just want to score objectives and force the issue? The fact it will then likely spill out some intercessors into cover to keep holding that objective when killed seems like bonus.

I really don't get why people are hating on this thing.. Just because it cant one shot big alpha target its apparently trash.

 Tyranid Horde wrote:
With Wave Serpents they have a natural front tilt so they do block LOS, no need to explain LOS to me tneva.

So the wave serpent is literally touching the ground? Because even tiny sliver between it and it doesn't block LOS. Even few mm's off the ground and hey presto LOS is NOT blocked.





That ain't blocking ANYTHING.



Note this from front doesn't block LOS to behind either. That bottom has huge clearance.



And looking at the bottom left corner again clearance can be seen so wouldn't be blocking. Unless the center area has substantial sized all the way to ground section it's not blocking LOS at all.

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 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Only if everyone is on the same level plane.

Put my dudes on some slightly higher ground, and sorted

But hey, still mostly getting a cover save, so there’s something to that.

Infantry cover doesn't improve. And even vehicles need to be in terrain for impulsor to provide cover bonus. but yeah that's about only benefit.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
As with most of the plan, it’s terrain dependant.

I need it to block lines of movement and assault at the very least. But the core part of any tactic or strategy is knowing when you can make work as much as the how.

Thankfully my local crowd are into their tournaments, so once I’m beyond my ‘re-learning the ropes’ games I’m sure I’ll be picking up the finer points pretty quickly

Yeah getting in the way of assaults, preventing shooting by tagging etc those are all solid things and impulsors are already seeing use in that. It's just the LOS blocking that's rather hard in 8mm seeing even 1mm gap under it and it's not blocking LOS(thanks GW!).

But for rest...yeah impulsor is good for that. Guess that's why impulsor parking lots are already rather popular and were even before model got released

Well done for sourcing an unrealistic photo of a wave serpent tneva. My Wave Serpents touch the ground at the front yes, because if you've ever bought one, you'll find they differ quite a bit from the photo and tilt like there's no tomorrow.. In fact, I've never seen a balanced falcon chassis like that photo. If you go back to my original statement, I did have a caveat about the way the flying stand tilts, stop arguing the point.

You're also assuming that the unit shooting is on the same level as the wave serpent, something that quite rarely happens and you're also assuming there is no terrain blocking the way. Maybe you play on flat, terrainless boards, but I don't.

I tend to play mine without its flight stand because its fiddly..

@ Mad Doc Grotsnik - You should call this the Van driver manouver. I.E. Park in the most unreasonable, annoying and hindering places "because Im only goin to be there for 5 minutes init"

But I’m playing Iron Hands.

For the Van Manouevre, you want White Scars

 Tyranid Horde wrote:
Well done for sourcing an unrealistic photo of a wave serpent tneva. My Wave Serpents touch the ground at the front yes, because if you've ever bought one, you'll find they differ quite a bit from the photo and tilt like there's no tomorrow.. In fact, I've never seen a balanced falcon chassis like that photo. If you go back to my original statement, I did have a caveat about the way the flying stand tilts, stop arguing the point.

You're also assuming that the unit shooting is on the same level as the wave serpent, something that quite rarely happens and you're also assuming there is no terrain blocking the way. Maybe you play on flat, terrainless boards, but I don't.

If you have troubles balancing your models on their stock stand then I would just assume you would deny them the ability to block line of sight, at least on a flat plane. Just like people who play without the stands.

There are situations where models with gaps due to hover or tracks can be made to block line of sight.


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 Tyranid Horde wrote:
With Wave Serpents they have a natural front tilt so they do block LOS, no need to explain LOS to me tneva.

I think this statement is generally speaking misleading. Every physical model blocks some line of sight. Hover and tracked models generally speaking dont always block line of sight. If you are intentional positioning your models because they have an unnatural or unintended tilt to block line of sight, you are probably playing the game with the wrong intent.

I'm just getting back into playing marines and I never even gave a thought to using an impulsor like that. You know how many times I've had gallants running down the board at me and wish I had some way to at least provide a speed bump. And I love the look of the model so I'll definitely need to look into shoe horning 2 into my list.

Can people riding in an impulsor shoot out of it? I've not played any open top transports in 8th. I see there's a rule for getting out and assaulting but it would be hilarious to give it the 4+ invuln and have my IH dudes drive around at 14 inches and shoot their stalker bolt rifles at full bs...or some other heavy weapon

The Impulsor is not open topped.

It's modeled that way so I assumed it was. I don't see any rules related to that specifically in the data sheet but wanted to make sure a rule for open topped for the impulsor wasn't buried somewhere...

 necron99 wrote:
It's modeled that way so I assumed it was.

Assuming a particular ruleset based on appearance is straight shot to disappointment with 40k.

Yeah if this was an older model I could see that but they could have at least given us an option for a hard top