Flying Monstrous Creatures are massive winged monstrosities that are essentially ferocious living aircraft.
Flying Monstrous Creatures are
Monstrous Creatures that have a number of additional rules.
A Flying Monstrous Creature that is
deployed at the start of the game starts in
Gliding mode. If a Flying Monstrous Creature is kept as
Reserves then, as soon as it enters play, you must declare whether it is in Swooping or Gliding mode. If a Flying Monstrous Creature arrives via
Deep Strike Reserve, it always counts as being in
Swooping mode.
If a Flying Monstrous Creature is conjured or otherwise summoned during the course of the game, as soon as it enters play, you must declare whether it is in
Swooping or
Gliding mode.
In addition to the special rules that all
Monstrous Creatures have, Flying Monstrous Creatures also have the
Jink and
Vector Strike special rules.
Flying Monstrous Creatures can move using one of two flight modes:
Swooping or
Gliding.
At the start of its move, a Flying Monstrous Creature must declare whether it is
Swooping or
Gliding until the start of its next turn. If a Flying Monstrous Creature changes flight modes during its turn, it cannot
declare a charge during the same turn.
A Gliding Flying Monstrous Creature cannot change flight mode whilst
Falling Back.
If a Flying Monstrous Creature is Gliding, it
moves,
Runs and
charges exactly like a
Jump Monstrous Creature.
If a Flying Monstrous Creature is Swooping, it moves exactly like a
Jump Monstrous Creature, with the following exceptions:
- It must move at least 12" and can move up to 24".
- Due to its limited manoeuvrability, a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping can make a single pivot on the spot of up to 90° before it moves. Thereafter it must move directly forwards in a straight line. As many Flying Monstrous Creatures are mounted on circular or oval bases, it’s not always clear which way is forward. If in doubt, just make sure you use the same point on the base as the ‘front’ for the entire game.
- A Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping can move over intervening units and impassable terrain exactly as a Jump Monstrous Creature. In addition, a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping does not take Dangerous Terrain tests.
- Models that physically fit under a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature can move beneath it. Likewise, a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature can end its move over such models. However, when moving this way, enemy models must still remain 1" away from the base of the Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature, and it cannot end its move with its base within 1" of other enemy models.
- A Flying Monstrous Creature that elects to Run can move up to 2D6" straight forwards if Swooping.
- A Flying Monstrous Creature cannot charge or be charged whilst it is Swooping.
- A Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature can never Fall Back.
Flying Monstrous Creatures are quick-witted predators, able to track their targets even when moving at high speeds. They can, therefore, fire up to two of their weapons normally, even if
Swooping (provided that they don’t
Run). Flying Monstrous Creatures can shoot all around, just like other non-vehicle models.
In addition, a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping can choose whether or not to use the
Skyfire special rule at the start of each phase. They don’t have to use the Skyfire special rule, but if they do, all weapons they fire that phase are treated as having the Skyfire special rule.
A Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature is a very difficult target for units without specialised weapons. Shots resolved at such a target can only be resolved as
Snap Shots unless the model or weapon has the
Skyfire special rule.
It’s quite likely that a Flying Monstrous Creature will leave the board whilst
Swooping. Indeed it can, unlike other units, deliberately do so. If this happens, whether deliberate or not, the unit is said to have left combat airspace – it then enters
Ongoing Reserves. Whilst in Reserve, the unit cannot change flight mode (it’s too busy trying to get back to the battlefield).
A Flying Monstrous Creature cannot leave combat airspace on the same turn that it entered play from Reserves – the
owning player must deploy their model in such a way that it will not leave the board on this turn.
If a Flying Monstrous Creature that is
Swooping suffers one or more unsaved Wounds during any phase, it must take a Grounded test at the end of that phase.
To take a Grounded test roll a D6. On a 3+, the Flying Monstrous Creature maintains control and suffers no additional effect.
If a 1 or 2 is rolled, the beast comes crashing down to the ground – it suffers a single Strength 9 hit with no
armour or
cover saves allowed, and becomes Grounded. A Grounded Flying Monstrous Creature is treated as if it is in
Glide mode with immediate effect, and can therefore be charged in the following
Assault phase. Furthermore, a Grounded model automatically loses any
saving throw granted by the
Jink special rule (if it had one) until the start of its next
Movement phase and cannot Jink for the rest of the current turn. A Grounded model can revert to
Swoop mode again in its next turn.
Note that if a Flying Monstrous Creature is Grounded during the enemy’s turn, it will start its own Movement phase in Glide mode and so can
declare a charge during its turn if it chooses to do so, unless it chooses to change
flight modes.
Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures and Tank Shock
Due to their high altitude and manoeuvrability, a
vehicle cannot
Tank Shock a
Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature – if the vehicle would end up underneath a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature, move the vehicle by the shortest distance so that it is 1" away from the base of the Flying Monstrous Creature.
FAQ
Monstrous & Gargantuan Creatures
Q: | Can Gargantuan Creatures shoot all of their weapons at different targets, or can they only shoot two different weapons at two different targets? |
A: | They can shoot all of their weapons, at different targets if desired. |
Q: | If a Monstrous Creature is also an Independent Character, can it join other units? Can other Independent Characters then join the unit that the Monstrous Creature is now a part of? |
A: | No, to both question. |
Q: | After my Flying Monstrous Creature is Grounded, when I choose to use the Swooping flight mode again the next turn, can I change his forward-facing direction, or is it still stuck in the direction it was Swooping in before it hit the ground? |
A: | It is still stuck facing in the direction it was Swooping in when it struck the ground. |