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On page 61 of the BBB it says:

Skimmers are capable of making a powered boost to gain height and cross obstacles.  As such, skimmers ignore terrain altogether when they move and can even end their move hovering over difficult or impassable terrain (but not over other models).  Conversely, mobile skimmers never count obscured target benefits from terrain they are hovering over, instead relying on speed for their protection.

The way I read this, it means that if I deploy my Hammerheads in a forest, then on the first turn not only do they count as stationary (so can be penetrated), but they can see and be seen by every model on the board that isn't camped out behind a wall or something because they ignore the 6" sight through forests rule.  Is this right?

Am I right in extending this to skimmers that are behind said forest?  Or any terrain piece for that matter?  This would imply that no matter where I deploy a skimmer it can always be seen by everything regardless of area terrain or los blocking terrain between the skimmer and the spotter.

Is this really weird, or am I way off the mark here?

The skimmer can be inside the forest or over the forest. this is your choice.

If it is inside it must make a dangerous terrain test when it enter, move or goes out of the forest and cannot be seen past 6 inches of forest.

If it is over it cannot claim being obscured and can see and be seen from the other side of the forest.

If it is behind it cannot be seen or see something because forest count as a size 3 obstacle and nothing is higher.

For a wall you just apply the line of sigth.

Check out page 61 of the BGB again. Skimmers ignore terrain entirely, so they can never enter area terrain. They just move over it.  So on turn 1, you leave your skimmers behind the forest.

Note that Tau vehicles can now be equipped with terrain following radar (Sensor Spines) allowing them to move into/through area terrain without taking dangerous tests.

Also note that there are only 3 size categories, so although a skimmer over a piece of area terrain can see (and be seen) over it, all other size 3 pieces of area terrain will still block LOS to and from the skimmer as normal.

They ignore terrain entirely for movement.. not stopping unless you want them to,

skimmers ignore terrain altogether when they move and can even end their move hovering over difficult or impassable terrain

"Can" means it's optional.

-Legacy40k

Posted By Legacy40k on 04/12/2006 1:37 PM
They ignore terrain entirely for movement.. not stopping unless you want them to, skimmers ignore terrain altogether when they move and can even end their move hovering over difficult or impassable terrain

"Can" means it's optional.

-Legacy40k

Thats true, they do not have to end their move hovering over difficult or impassible terrain. Instead they could stop before they began to cross it, or go around it.

You are told to ignore the terrain. Period. Nowhere are you allowed to stop ignoring the terrain.

If you must ignore it, you cannot enter it.

Damn it, If I want to drive my car into a tree.. I'm sure as hell going to do it.  If I want to fly my skimmer into a tree, im going to do that too!

Isnt the term "ignore" enherently optional?  Since you cant accidently ignore something, then it's simply not hearing.  To ignore, you have to be aware of it, and choose to not pay attention to it.

-Legacy40k

Its not a decision type thing. By their very nature, skimmers ignore terrain.

If you want an OT example:
You inner ear ignore's the massive speeds and forces associated with Earth flying through space. Why? Because Earth's gravity well makes all of those speeds and forces irrelevant.

The classification "Skimmer" does the same thing. It makes terrain, for the purposes of movement, irrelevant.

But stopping is not movement.. So you can therefor fly above terrain, ignoring it, then choose not to hover.. and therfor land in it.

-Legacy40k

1. Skimmers cannot "land" unless they have a Codex specific rule which allows them to do so.

2. Vertical movement is still movement and is described in the movement phase.

So.. What happens when a viper with a crytstal targeting matrix starts behind some woods, moves partway over them, shoots and then moves back behind?  It can not enter the woods, so it hovers over and can see everything. But since you can't hover untill the end of your move, it must go into the terrain to shoot?

It can neither hover, nor go into the terrain?

-Legacy40k

So.. What happens when a viper with a crytstal targeting matrix starts behind some woods, moves partway over them, shoots and then moves back behind? It can not enter the woods, so it hovers over and can see everything. But since you can't hover untill the end of your move, it must go into the terrain to shoot?

It can neither hover, nor go into the terrain?

No. It always ignores terrain. So it always is over the woods.

Legacy:

See the reference guide in the back of the rulebook. Skimmer vehicles are never allowed to enter area terrain (unless they have some wierd rule/piece of wargear that allows them to). Jetbikes have the option to do either, but not skimmers.