(Answered) Aerospace Re-Entry Question

[BattleVette84]

I've been a long time BT player and I am starting to explore the aerospace side of the universe.  I was hoping to get some clarification on how a failed re-entry plays out.  I've read through the aerospace movement section in TW and I'm struggling with the re-entry mechanics.

On page 78-79 of TW
When crossing from a space hex to an interface hex, a unit
must make a Control Roll, applying the appropriate modifiers
from the Re-Entry Table...

If the result is less than the target number, re-entry has failed.

The unit's Velocity drops to 0 and it remains in the hex
from which it tried to enter the interface; it's movement turn is
over. In addition, for each point of the margin of failure, apply 5
points of damage to the nose of the craft (see Damage, p. 238).

The first question is, "does this mean that the unit is now 'out of control' ?".

The following text states that it does.

Page 92 of TW states...
Some game mechanics use Control Rolls to determine success
or failure of an action, rather than determining whether or not a
unit is out of control. The Control Roll actions that may result in
the unit going "out of control" are shown in the Situation column
of the Control Roll Table.

The Control Roll Table lists 'Atmospheric re-entry' as a situation which would then make the unit "out-of-control" if it fails its re-entry roll.

If this is the case then during the end phase gravity will  pull the unit into the interface hex (in an out of control state) and thus take 50 points of damage.

from TW pg 79,
In the
unlikely event that an out-of-control unit enters the interface
with a Velocity of 0, the craft suffers 50 points of damage to its
nose (or forward facing); the specific location determined via
a 2D6 roll on the Hit Location Table.

The wording here 'unlikely event' makes me think that it is uncommon for this to occur and has me wondering if I am handling re-entry correctly.

Does a failed re-entry roll automatically turn into 50 points of damage?

[Welshman]

If the re-entry (Control) roll fails is the unit considered "out-of-control?" or does it mean they just stop in the previous hex with zero velocity and their movement turn ends.

Per pg78-79 Total Warfare, the latter. It remains in the last space hex it was in before trying to enter the interface, with 0 velocity, and the movement turn ends. It is not out of control due to the failed interface crossing; see further on pg79 about what happens if the craft is out of control prior to hitting the interface.

Note- We may be exploring this, as the 0 velocity does raise some interesting issues.

Also, at the end phase, do they get moved toward the planet (which would be the interface row) due to gravity if they fail reentry, or do they remain in their hex from the failed attempt?  If they do get moved do they make another re-entry roll?

If they failed their Movement Phase re-entry roll then in the End Phase they start in the last space hex as discussed above. Gravity then applies in the End Phase, shifting them 1 row downward into the interface, giving them a second re-entry roll in the end phase. Refer to the re-entry rules at that point: they make the control roll.

If they fail the roll, gravity has still taken effect, the unit is now out of control and treat it as a unit that has hit the interface layer already out of control.

We will need to issue an errata for this.

Best,
Joel BC

[BattleVette84]

Thank you for looking into this. 

So when it says on page 92 that situations listed on table on the following page are "out of control" and re-entry is listed as one, I am now assuming it is for the gravity induced roll for reentry and not for the movement phase attempt of re-entry else the unit would be out of control from the first failed attempt.

Thanks again