I would like to take this opportunity to say that this appears to be a sensitive and controversial subject, and would remind everyone to continue to display respect and decorum. Let us not go down the path of instigation and closed-mindedness. Remember - all opinions are valid, as is healthy discussion. I would not like this to become a divicive issue.
Wedge, Stalker, PFC Joe, and others are FAQ Team members. Their opinions come from an attitude of wanting to see the game thrive above their own personal desires for how something should work. As such, their respective opinions will not always agree with how a "favorite model ought to be played..."
That said, I want to reiterate a counterpoint. Saying that a vehicle is "still moving" after it has activated does not make sense to me, for the following reasons:
- Single-crewed vehicles are allowed to move and fire in the same AC. If they place their last AC on Wait, that means that the vehicle has not moved in it's last AC, and the driver would get a +3 to its RC.
- Multi-crewed vehicles' drivers expend their AC's moving the vehicle, while crew use their AC's firing weapons. If the driver decides to use his last AC to move, the vehicle comes to rest at the end of the move (game mechanic - you cannot assume that the vehicle is still moving as next turn it may maintain that position on its activation). If the gunner(s) place their last AC on Wait, they are allowed to use it at any time up until the squad (vehicle) activates. In my opinion, they should get the bonus to their RC. It would make no sense to not give them their RC bonus, based on an assumption that the vehicle is still moving. Further, Wait AC's are outside of the normal turn order, and should not be subject to anything that the vehicle may or may not have done. We don't assume a gunner loses his RC bonus if hit by rocket, which would cause a lot of movement!
Special cases exist for everything. An EDD gains all the bonuses of a single-crewed vehicle, yet the argument isn't raised about how powerful it's RC attack becomes when it doesn't move (@MR, RC 16 (x3), DM 13). If it holds it las AC on Wait, it gets its RC bonus. An Orca gunner may only use one AC to shoot during an activation and suffers a -3 RC penalty while firing from the Orca. If the Orca doesn't move, he still suffers the penalty, but also gains +3 RC because the Orca is stationary during that AC - it may have moved in other AC's, but if the gunner fires in the AC the Orca doesn't move, he gets the bonus to offset the penalty.
I think, personally, that more is being made of this issue out of the sense that it seems to be overly powerful for the Skimmer gunner to be able to use two AC's to fire from Wait. I'll concede that I believe that Ambush for a vehicle gunner is powerful, and a bit out of scope. I think that Ambush is a skill better suited to unmounted models that can maintain a sense of stealth and surprise. Nothing is less surprising that a hovercraft with a 20mm Vulcan spewing enough hot lead to make a Mercurian Maculator take a moment to reflect upon how its lead its existence.
However, I trust that the points were figured correctly, and that the vehicle is designed to do certain manuevers. I welcome counterpoint, and am more than willing to explain anything upon which I have not made myself clear.
Thanks for listening, and thanks for keeping it sane, folks.