Hi,

Quick rules question.

When a transport bomber(I.e landa, thunderhawk) carries out a ground attack, it can unload infantry before making its ground attack. Can the unloaded cargo join in with the shooting? I take it they count as advancing.If not, do they count as having activated that turn?
I'm sure this in the rules but couldn't spot it myself, just looking for clarification. Thanks.

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Any units that dismount can shoot with the aircraft as part of it's activation but cannot take an action of their own that turn, as with normal WE transports (3'1'3).

From 4.2.5
landing section

And a supplementary question to this - can aircraft that land via planetfall carry out a ground attack? I can see the rules being interpreted either way(in transporting troops it states aircraft carry out ground attack after landing)

Thanks in advance- seem to struggle with the rules with this game...

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No. The difference here is that it is the Spaceship that activates. During it's activation, it fires its weapons, then drops its cargo onto the table. "Planetfall" is merely a mechanic to place the various formations on the table.

i think the question was more - what can the aircraft do when it comes to activate after planetfalling? I think the assumption is the aircraft is on the ground and it can try anything a non-aircraft with a 0 move can do e.g. sustained fire or marshall but it can't ground attack

Not quite

When the air transport is on the ground (after planetfalling), they become a *Ground* formation, so will use the normal ground formation activations - except obviously it cannot move very far when doing an advance, double or march with its 0cm movement. However it may declare a sustain or even an assault if it is in range of an enemy.