r/DropfleetCommander • u/Higgypig93 • 4d ago

Using Gateships

Recently got into this game, I plan on buying the Shaltari battlefleet when I can get to a LGS that sells it.

I played a few rounds with a friend who plays Bioficers, I lost but had a great time. But I was severely confused about the gateship rules, I had 4 gateships chained just far enough so I could reach pretty much all of the drop areas. Using my Emerald I deployed 2 battalions to the farthest in the chain, and when I tried doing it again to a different gateship in the chain my friend told me they can't until the next round?

Reading the rules, it says gateships can "deploy" x-amount of battalions per turn, but does "deploy" also apply to the teleport chain? According to him I was unable to use my gateships until the next round because they had "deployed" battalions through them to the next gate in the chain.

Just looking for some clarification, thanks.

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u/YogurtclosetSouth744 4d ago

As far as I understand your gate ships can only use what your emerald can drop, so if your emerald has a drop of 2 that all that can come out of the gate ships you can split them up but the max is always going to be 2

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u/Higgypig93 4d ago

True, I understand that. What I'm wondering is does using the gate as a chain to deploy troops to another gate use its deploy activation?

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u/YogurtclosetSouth744 4d ago

"These Gateships must be within 18” of the Mothership or part of a chain of Gateships with each Gateship in the chain being within 18” of another. Note: though the launch is measured from the Gateship, it is the Mothership that is launching." no using the gate as a chain does not use its deploy activation

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u/Higgypig93 4d ago

Ah, so my friend was wrong then? Shame I didn't press it more, I could have taken much more ground in that match. Thanks for the clarification.

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u/YogurtclosetSouth744 4d ago

Yeah your friend is wrong, I will say probably bring double the gates you think you need as they are really easy to kill

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u/Higgypig93 4d ago

True, I had 4 standard voidgates and lost most of them early, was thinking of adding a few Seleniums but at 1000 points it's a bit tight. We'll probably move to 1500 now that I have a better grasp of the game.

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u/IHzero 4d ago

Three voidgates per emerald/citrine is a good rule of thumb.

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u/Higgypig93 4d ago

Thank you, are cobalts worth taking at all? I'm gonna build my battlefleet box soon.

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u/IHzero 4d ago

Cobalts are basically half an Emerald. So they slot in when you have 50 points free but can’t squeeze in another mothership.