Battle Shunt Question

[Dakkar]

Here's a subtle question the FAQ doesn't answer, so I'm wondering how folks play it in various areas.

Battle Shunt basically says, Pick a direction and a final facing, then roll the Shunt Dice for each ship and move them that distance to their final position and facing.
The new Relthoza Gunships have Shunt and a Fixed Forward which makes me question the method for declaring "final facing".
I realized I've fallen into the habit of saying, "They'll shunt xd6 towards that board edge, facing this enemy model here". But is that legal? That way ensures no matter how far each ship goes, they'll all be facing the intended fore target. But then possibly not all facing the same direction relative to the play field. (Take a minute to picture this...)
Since no one on the main boards has picked up on this yet, I'm wondering if folks in general are playing this way?
Or is the correct method to declare, "Facing this abstract direction per the direction template"? Then the ships would all land in parallel. But unless you're VERY lucky, Fixed Forward weapons are nearly useless as few will line up on target.

Anyone use shunting enough to have an opinion?

[Quickdraw]

That's an interesting quandary. For speed and viability purposes I think your method seems acceptable. However, I can see where the rules for declaring the facing would differ. It definitely makes the battle shunt a bigger risk.

[Creon]

I would have to say I'd turn my ships to face before shunting, so you cahn arrange it in any way you want, it just wouldn't happen at the end, but at the start.

[Dakkar]

I would have to say I'd turn my ships to face before shunting, so you cahn arrange it in any way you want, it just wouldn't happen at the end, but at the start.

We've tried that in the past, but I find it's damn difficult to accurately pick them up and move them the distance without skewing the orientation. We started using "aiming point" as an easy way to ensure direction at the distant end. But not sure its IAW the rules.

[Stephan]

I think what you're going to run into at the tourney is a RAW interpretation that you must pick your orientation before determining distance, and that orientation must be in terms of a clock facing, not a target.  If you adjust your facing after shunting to point at your intended target, you remove one of the degrees of uncertainty that I think were an intended part of the mechanic.

Regarding putting fixed weapons on a battle shunt ship, that's just a stupid decision assuming the rules for shunt remain unchanged.

[Dakkar]

Some may even argue that direction picks are limited to the 6 points of the directional template...

Seems worth reposting on Spartan, if no one's called out the Fore Fixed yet on the new gunship.

I just noticed said Gunships are Difficult target, so possibly worth it even if Shunt is never used.

[Ryjak]

Let's see what the rules say:

To make a Battle Shunt, the controlling player must first declare the direction and final orientation of the model that is about to perform the Battle Shunt.The final orientation must be a direction, it is not acceptable to declare a particular target to be a model’s orientation after a Battle Shunt.

The procedure seems pretty clear to me.  It specifically says to NOT do what the OP is doing.  It also does not say to use the random direction template; it says you can choose ANY direction.

So for the new Relthoza Gunships, you'll need to line up on your target before you move, and then Battle Shunt along that Fore Fixed channel.  Two tactics:

1). Hop backwards, which should allow you to maintain the 20"-30" spacing you want for Stealth + Difficult Target
2). Jump behind your target, unloading with point-blank beams and torpedoes.

[Dakkar]

1). Hop backwards, which should allow you to maintain the 20"-30" spacing you want for Stealth + Difficult Target
2). Jump behind your target, unloading with point-blank beams and torpedoes.

Neither's really viable.
For #1, it only works if you lined it up in the prior turn somehow, then go first in the next turn to keep them in your sights. A fairly narrow tactical band of options just to maintain a Stealth advantage. I much prefer Shunt for the tactical flexibility of laterals.

For #2, I can speak from experience that with a separate roll per ship, someone ALWAYS misses the distance to clear the target, and ends up with their butt in the wind before the enemy.  ;-)

It's a cute idea, but unreliable to base a whole ship design around. And a shame too, because Beams and Diff-Target are almost awesome enough on their own.
Coupled with the late realization that the 2-player boxes only come with parts for ONE upgrade, I doubt I'll even field the Gunships. (Still time for Spartan tweaks though , so we'll see)

[Stephan]

Actually it would work since Battle Shunt takes place in the secondary movement phase.  That means you get your normal movement first and then do the battle shunt.  You don't have a lot of movement (I haven't seen the new ships' stats so I don't know their exact MV, but it usually isn't much on a ship with BS), but you do have some move.

[Dakkar]

Actually it would work since Battle Shunt takes place in the secondary movement phase.  That means you get your normal movement first and then do the battle shunt.  You don't have a lot of movement (I haven't seen the new ships' stats so I don't know their exact MV, but it usually isn't much on a ship with BS), but you do have some move.

You're right! I keep forgetting that since we played shunt wrong for so long.
Dammit, this means I might have to get the Relthoza Reinforcement box too now ;-)