Death From Above & Fighter Ace

[Kur'os]

So, I just played my first Apoc game using the new rulebook yesterday and it was actually a lot of fun.  Looking forward to my next Apoc game...

In said game, I fielded 5 flyers: Dakkajet, Burna Bomma, Sunshark Bomber, and 2 Remora drones.  While building my list using my phone's app, I saw the option for Fighter Ace under the Remora.  Not exactly sure what it was ( having only seen something with a similar name as an upgrade to Ork flyers ), I selected the rather expensive upgrade.  Under the upgrade's name, it listed Death From Above pg. X, Tau. 

After doing a bit of research, I learned what the Fighter Ace upgrade is and I must say, it's an amazing little addition to ANY army that fields flyers.  For those who don't know it, it's basically an army specific D3 roll that will give your flyer an extra rule/ability for the game, rolled for after Warlord Traits.  It is an option for ANY flyer and I'm pretty sure ALL races are covered. 

In my case, I gave said upgrade to both of my Remora drones.  One scored an ability to drop multiple markerlight tokens on all enemy units within a set distance; the other got a permanent boost to its cover saves.  ( Had I more points to play around with, I would have given it to all of my flyers )

Has anyone else been able to use said upgrade for their flyers?  Most of the races have pretty good tables, but I really liked the additional edge it gave my Tau flyers. 

-Kurocyn

[SGS]

Space Marine ones aren't worth the points.  So looked at the, but not used.  If you had been playing against me, I would have taken issue with you putting the fighter ace on Remora drones.  They are drones, not a being that gets experience and gets good.  Also I believe it specifies flyer selected from codex: tau empire.  Might even be one per army.  If it says any tau flyer, then fine, legal but stupid.  Normally forge world flyers and units have their own upgrade items and costs.

my opinion-- cool concept.  better bonuses for certain armies.

[Kur'os]

I would have taken issue with you putting the fighter ace on Remora drones.  They are drones, not a being that gets experience and gets good.  Also I believe it specifies flyer selected from codex: tau empire.  Might even be one per army.  If it says any tau flyer, then fine, legal but stupid.  Normally forge world flyers and units have their own upgrade items and costs.

Then does the Puretide Engram Neurochip make any sense?  That's a digital collection of experiences.  Why couldn't a drone AI receive a similar software boost?  Not to mention that Tau AI are actually AI.  Sure they are compared to small animals, but even small animals can learn tricks.

Not sure if the Death From Above book does specify if a flyer must be from a codex or not, but I wouldn't really consider it an issue if it did.  After all, Remora have the "40k approved" stamp on their data sheet and are treated as a FA option for Codex: Tau Empire.

-Kur'os

[Archon Sharrek]

Yep, I don't really think putting it on a Remora is an issue, as it can be given to any flier, and as far as I can tell it doesn't specifically say Codex: whatever, it just has a table for the race. In any case, a Remora is like Kur'os said, an AI that could learn, and don't they get better in groups? Makes more sense than a Chaos Hell Blade getting Fighter Ace, given that's flown by a hardwired servitor.

As for my own experiences with the Fighter Ace upgrade, I love it. I frequently use it on my Tau fliers (mostly Sun Sharks or Barracudas) and have had lots of fun with the Marker Plane upgrade (the d3 marker hits to all enemy units in 12", rather than firing any guns). Just fly it close to the enemy army, and watch as everything gets lit, which is really handy given that I'm crap at keeping my pathfinders alive  . I also use it on my Nephilim Jetfighter, with mixed results, given that I don't really need the teleport homer result, with Ravenwing and Belial in my army. But the arrive from any board edge result has really helped it get those armour kills it should be getting. The re-roll 1's To-Hit is just nice as well, especially on a bolt cannon Nephilim, or any flier that has an ungodly amount of shots.

Also, SGS I have to disagree about the Space Marine ones not being worth the points. Whilst it might not be so great on a Stormraven, given that it doesn't really need re-rolls of 1's on many of its guns (just the missiles really), Defensive Flying makes them all but immune to Quad guns and the like. Not a fan of Spirit of the Emperor either, given the prevalence of bikes anyway, but if rolled, and used well it can really be useful. I can't see anything stopping a Stormtalon going VTOL and slowly escorting a unit of devs around (especially those pesky Imperial Fists with Heavy Bolters). Might not be point-for-point effective, but cool none the less.

[SGS]

Fair enough.  I still believe that the Death From the Skies rules were written with codex rather than Forge World models in mind.  It is a unique situation, but I can't take upgrades from a Forge World book and put them onto my codex/ death from the skies flyer, so why should it be allowed the other way?

Not against bringing FW models.  Just see it as rather questionable to mix and match units and upgrades.

[Waaaghpower]

It's pretty useless for Orks. I can't remember the third one, but one option gives +1 Armor to the front of the plane and one gives 6+ FNP to units within a certain radius. Nifty, but when you can get 7 more ork boys for the same cost, I'd rather go with that.