Topic: Characters and Mandrakes

[Endless Void]

I was looking through the DE codex and reread the mandrakes' hidden deployment rule and I got an idea. Could an independent character join the unit before deployment and thus hide with the drakes?
The rules about independent characters were vague about this as they say that the character joins the unit during the deployment phase, so is this before or after the drakes hide?
This would have such cool application. Drakes would be much better in CC, your lord couldn't be shot at until you chose, and, the best I think, WWP.

Is this legal, or has anyone tried this?

[Disciple of Nagash: GT]

No, it's not legal. Because it states that they are not deployed like other troops and have special rules that are associated with their special deployment. If you look on P48 of the BRB, under SPECIAL RULES, it tells you that unit's special rules are not conferred upon the character, and vice versa. Therefore, it would not gain the 'Hidden Deployment' special rule that the mandrake get.

[Khain Mor (/kharandhil)]

yeah, it's a special rule only they have. The Decapitator has a similar rule, but he can't join a unit. You can't transfer a special rule to a character, it's like like a lord joining a wych squad, does he get the combat drug bonus? No. A lord joining scourges can't suddenly fly, scourges have to move at his speed.

[Endless Void]

Alright, thanks.

Too bad, it would have been a cool thing to try.