Convenient Conversion or Evil Advancement Modeling?

[Pandiano]

Hello Folks!

I am just working on reinforcements for my Necron army. Now I am going to model a Skyshield Landing Pad in a tomb/necron/gothic style to serve as a backfield shield platform for the doomsday arc.

For "normal" footslogging enemies the access points seem to be the elevator thingies on the pillars. These can be modeled or painted othes than elevators and the rules say access points are "as modeled". So I thought I'd put a ramp on the backside as access point and don't have a pillar-access.

Since I am quite new to the process of converting, modeling and fortifications in general I'd like to ask if the rules would allow this, or if I would be EAM (Evil AdvancementModeling)?
Does "as modeled" refer to the final model or the "probably supposed final state of the unmodified product"?

Regards,
Pandiano

[IJW]

Landing Pads are enough of a mess in the rules as-is, this would probably be regarded as modelling for advantage. At least if you put the ramp toward your deployment zone instead of somewhere more neutral...

[MyNameDidntFit]

I'd say stick the ramp on the side with the downward part towards the middle of the field. It's no advantage to your enemies over the standard Skyshield and that way people can see you're doing it in good faith.

[Pandiano]

Well, I think the general point is, is EAM defined after deployment?
In a friendly game no problem, sure, but in a competitive environment I see discussions about what ramp direction would be EAM and what would be okay.

Also with the height of the pad (length of the pillars): Higher is nice for me to see more, but I can also be seen bye more. Or is height modification a no go?

[ehlijen]

Actually, I've always seen the skyshield played as 'access it from anywhere, with a DT test'. It's certainly no higher than ruin floors so it makes sense.

[Pandiano]

Actually, I've always seen the skyshield played as 'access it from anywhere, with a DT test'. It's certainly no higher than ruin floors so it makes sense.

Is that what is modeled?
If so, isn't the Fortress similar in height? Also buildings can't be climbed upon until some means like a ladder is modeled if I remember correctly, no?

[ehlijen]

The skyshield isn't a building, and I believe it's rules actually state that climbing onto the platform is simply a DT check.

The model certainly seems to fit the ruins rules much better than the building rules.

[Dwane Diblie]

If you are using the GW modeled landing pad then it has no access points or fire points, as it is clearly not an occupiable building while still technacaly being a building. To get to the top of it is a DT test and it is open ground on top and not actualy part of the building. If it was then you wouldn't beable to put vehicles on it at all. The referance to access points and fire points to as modeled is for those that have attached occupiable buildings to their skyshield. I think GW had one in WD some time ago where they filled the bottom section with ruin wall sections as an example. The one at my local has a tower attached to it that is used as the building segment.

So I would say build it how you want and incluse a building component if you want but there is no embarking or disembarking from the platform component of the building, just dificult terrain tests, so the location of the ramp is not at all important with reguards to access points as it will not be one. It is up to you and your opponent if you want to treat the ramp as open ground access to the platform.

[Pandiano]

Thank you, that makes sense actually! I haven't thought about that, regarding access points as a part of a complex.
As a last question, what would look better, the side barriers down or up? I think I tend to replace them or have them down since they are very imperialish and hard to necronisable. What do you think?

[Vlad Urkana]

I have some ideas about how to make them more Necronic(?) but they would be more appropriate for the M&P forum. For simplicity's sake I'll say it here, though. Remove the Imperial sides and replace them with translucent green acrylic sheet that has been cut to size to represent energy shielding.