Codex: "feral" Guardsmen

[masterofweirdness]

Okay, this idea came into my head today... and I started the making the codex: its real rough and the only definant troops I have are the basic unit for the army Crossbow Men, I'll post them up right now.

Crossbow Squad:
Crossbows are the most common weapons amongst “feral” guardsmen regiments. As such, the majority of such armies are the highly trained crossbowmen squads.
Name_______ Pts per Model/WS/BS/S/T/W/I/A/Ld/Sv
Crossbow Men 8___________3/3/3/3/1/3/1/7/5+
Vet. Crossbow Man +8_______3/4/3/3/1/3/1/8/5+

Number/Squad: 5-20 Crossbow Men

Weapons: Laser Crossbow

Options: Up to 3 models in the squad may be equipped with a Heavy Crossbow at +5 points. Any model may replace his laser crossbow with a repeating crossbow at +2 points. One model in the squad may be upgraded to a Veteran Crossbow Man at +12 points, if so he may replace his Laser Crossbow for a sword at +8 points.

Weapons:
Laser Crossbow
Range Strength AP Type
24"_____4______4_Rapid Fire

Heavy Crossbow
Range Strength AP Type
36"_____5______4_Heavy Crossbow

Repeating Crossbow
Short Range:
Range Strength AP Type
18"_____4______4_Assault 2

Long Range:
Range Strength AP Type
24"_____3______5_Assault 2

Sword:
Swords used by Feral Guardsmen are huge, two-handed weapon used for close combat, swords increase the users strength by 2 up to a maximum of 8, they also count as rending weapons (because of the sheer strength of such weapons, which allows them to cut through armor with ease), however, when using such a weapon the model may only have up to 2 attacks because of the weight of such a weapon.

Also, I have some ideas for more weapons, they are:


Lance
A Lance is a long pointed weapon that is used to pierce enemy armor, usually from a mount. When charging into combat a lance doubles the user’s strength up to a maximum of 6.

Mini Crossbow
A mini crossbow is a small, short ranged weapon designed to be used right before entering combat. When charging into combat with a mini-crossbow if you possess another close combat weapon then you gain an extra attack as if you were armed with an extra close combat weapon, but do not gain this bonus the next round.

Mount
A mount is simply that, a horse that you may ride upon. A model equipped with a mount counts as Cavalry.

I should be coming up with an Assault type troop choice, as well as some fast attack and mabye heavy support.

[Khadhar'phak]

Nice idea. Nice idea indeed. So this is going to be a different type of regiment like Deathworld veterans? Cool. Small suggestion: The swords are FAR too nasty. They either have to cost as much as a squad or you downgrade the effects a bit. Because... mate ^^; It's just scary for guard to have that. Especially when it's available to squad leaders. Also, are the men armoured in carapace as standard? These are just stuff I'm confused about. Really nice idea though and I really want to see if you have any other ideas

[masterofweirdness]

Actually, now that I think of it... your right... I think it'd be best just to keep rending OR the extra strength, not both. Or perhaps make it ignore armor saves only on a role of 6?

And as for the 4+ save... I dunno, just thought it might be a good idea, I think that I'll get rid of it and lower the points cost... I will try and playtest these soon, in shooting and assault.

[last of the bloodthirsty]

well you could say the guys are like super ass tough and can take the punishment

[Gnr. Keil]

Well you could set it up like you buy a basic near stone age grunt with a two CCW's. BS-0 WS-4 S-3 T-3 I-4 W-1 LD-6 Sv-+0. A sergeant or leader would be a regular guard soldier and increas the LD to 7. Say they would cost you about 4 points per man with the 6 point sergeant.
Then say you can add another point onto the model and make him more like Mid-evil era. He would have a sword or bow/cross bow. Bassicly a fantasy soldier with about all the options. They could have a Guard Veteran Sergeant to give them LD-8 at regular points
BS-3 WS-3 S-3 T-3 I-3 W-1 LD-7 Sv-+6 with an option to make it +5 or +4. Finally you could make them rennasance making them 6 points per man. BS-3 WS-3 S-3 T-3 I-3 W-3 LD-7 SV-+5. They would be equiped with basic weapons that are assault 1 24". S-3 with no AP. They could have a Guard Veteran Sergeant to give them LD-8 at regular points
Well i guess you could throw this into the blender of ideas you have and see what comes out.

[masterofweirdness]

thats not a bad idea... but I wanted these guys to be more "techno barbarians" meanings, like Laser Crossbows, and such... they're not normal guardsmen, as they use lances, swords, and crossbows, but they are definatly future warriors.

Anyways... I'm working on a command squad and well as an "assault" squad... I'll try to post them up ASAP.

[Khadhar'phak]

Thanks for the explanation. Can I submit a suggestion?: The assault squad could be based on the Highland clans, you know, big swords, berserk brave etc. Try giving them a weapon like a choppa or axe of khorne just suitably Guarded up. Also, do you plan on keeping the comand squad "as is" or do you want to make them more "feral"?

[masterofweirdness]

thats a good idea... I think I might add that in.

To be honest, I haven't work on this guys for a while. I think I'll take a look at them now.

Btw, I was working on getting cavarly, and I don't have a 4th ed. IG codex (though I do have the old 3rd ed.), I was thinking of doing something like Rough Riders... would that work?

[Khadhar'phak]

Yeah, I think it would, but perhaps give them options of command groups to show they're backwards. If they're on horseback, they'll probably be elite troops so that would be a useful way of representing it. Maybe some quirk to make them different would also be a good idea, like cavalry crossbows. The 3rd ed rules can't have been that different.

[last of the bloodthirsty]

ehhh make em elites and the viking assault troops fast attack and they get fleet of foot

[masterofweirdness]

Fleet... and I'll have a list of veteran skills, like feel no pain.

Also, I'm working on a sapper unit, this is what I have so far
Sapper Squad:
Name____________ Pts per Model/WS/BS/S/T/W/I/A/Ld/Sv
Sapper __________ 12__________ 3__4_3_3_1_4_1_7_5+

Number/Squad – The squad consists of 5-15 sappers.

Weapons: Sapper’s Crossbow. All sappers have been equipped with a Sapper’s Charge.

Options: The squad may opt to replace their normal quarrels with Explosive Quarrels at +5 points per model. The Sapper’s Squad may also select a veteran trait from the list of traits for an additional +4 points a model.

These are the traits I was going to use

Veteran Traits:
Dig In: The squad is stubborn
Sneaky: The squad can infiltrate or scout
Fast: The squad has hit-and-run
Angry: The squad has furious Charge
Berserk: The Squad has Feel No Pain

[Gnr. Keil]

How about a Crazed Cyborg. The work of primitive methods of melding flesh and steal. This would be a heavy support choice.
BS-2 WS-4 S-5 T-4 W-3 I-4 A-3 LD-FEAR LESS SV-+3
These guys would be heavy support with a squad size of 1-3 with a normal model called a Keeper or something. The keeper is an individual who the Cyborgs wont kill for some odd reason. They Cyborgs would all be equiped with heavy cross bows and CCW's and could exchange both for your strength enhancing sword. The keeper would have a regular cross bow with an option to upgrade it to a repeating cross bow. The Cyborgs would also have the furiouse charge ability. Look at these guys as more fleshy Chaos Dreads. I would place a points range on these guys from 35-70 with the keeper more or less free. Model ideas to represent these guys would be Ogryns or Obliterators. NOTE: If the keeper is killed the Cyborgs go on a rampage. They will move to the closest unit freind or foe and then attempt to assault the unit.

[masterofweirdness]

Nice idea... though the T4 would make them kinda useless, lemme edit the unit a bit...

Cyborg
Points/model 30
BS-2 WS-2 S-6 T-5 W-3 I-1 A-2 LD-7 SV-+4

Machine Master
Points/model 10
BS-4 WS-3 S-3 T-3 W-2 I-4 A-2 LD-10 SV-+4

Unit/squad 1-4 Cyborgs and 1 Machine Master

Weapons: Two Close Combat Weapons

Options: Upto 2 Cyborg's may upgrade their 2 close combat weapons to a single Chainfist.

Heavy Armor: The squad may be equiped with heavy armor at +5 points a model, if so their armor save will be increased to 3+

Machine Master counts as indepedent character in Close Combat.

The Cyborgs can be upgraded to Close Combat or Ranged Cyborgs. If so, they cost an extra +10 point/model, Cyborgs with Close Combat Skill get furious charge and WS3. Cyborgs with Ranged are equiped with Heavy Crossbows and have BS3.

Is that good?

[sarpedon]

i must admit i like this idea very much,
ive always liked the idea of imperial worlds stuck in a different peroids of our history aka medieval, ancient, etc. and have always wanted this represented in the game. i particularly like the idea of a mount as well.

can i make a suggestion tho?
i think the laser crossbows are far too powerful, they are the same more powerful then boltguns and space marines are suposed to have the best basic equipment in the imperium so why would some 'feral' guardsman be armed with better weapons. Also they are too cheap if they are to be armed with laser crossbows at 8 points per model? this is the same as vet. squad if i remember rightly. sorry but in my mind's eye i just cant see it. if they are suposed to be feral then surely they should be the same stat line as laguns, maybe even worse. . maybe you could make some fluff explaining the crossbows. sorry for the rant btw.

[masterofweirdness]

Okay, well, a crossbow could penetrate plate mail (IIRC), so, a laser crossbow, well, I think it'd be pretty danged powerful... though I might need to adjust it, perhaps make it S3 AP5?

Oh, and I fooled with the Cyborgs... is this good?

Cyborg Squad
Name____________ Pts per Model/WS/BS/S/T/W/I/A/Ld/Sv
Cyborg______________30_______2___2_5_5_3_1_2_7_4+

Machine Master
Name____________ Pts per Model/WS/BS/S/T/W/I/A/Ld/Sv
Machine Master_________15_______3__3_3_3_1_3_2_10_4+

Points/model 10
Number/squad 1-4 Cyborgs and 1 Machine Master

Weapons: Two Close Combat Weapons. The Machine Master is armed with a laspistol and close combat weapon.

Options: Up to 2 Cyborgs may upgrade their 2 close combat weapons to a single Chainfist.

Heavy Armor: The squad may be equipped with heavy armor at +5 points a model, if so their armor save will be increased to 3+.

Specialists:
Any Cyborg may be upgraded to a Specialist Cyborg at +10 points/model. If so, they must choose either Close Combat Specialist or Ranged Specialist, not both. Close Combat Specialists get the Angry Veteran Trait and count as having WS3. Ranged Specialists are equipped with Heavy Repeating Crossbows and have BS3.

Special Rules:
Unstable: Should for any reason the Machine Master be killed, the Cyborgs must take a morale test, if they fail this morale test, the squad will move 2D6 to the nearest unit, whether friend or foe and try to assault them. At the beginning of each movement phase, the squad will take a morale test and repeat this procedure.

[Khadhar'phak]

I'm not too sure. That would be a blasphemy in the eyes of the Tech priests wouldn't it? You know, perverting the holy machine and all that? I could be wrong of course...

[Imperial Commander Gent]

I would advise lowering the basic crossbow to S3 AP6. Allow a unit upgrade so that x number of models can have the S4 AP4 crossbow. Dont make it the basic!

[masterofweirdness]

Gent, thats not a bad idea.... I'll work on changing the stats when I got a chance, while at the same time, allow more AP4 special/heavy weapons.

Khad (umm.... this your name a FF name?):While this could be right.... this is a feral world, and, if I wanted to go fluff wise, I could say they were combat servitors.

[Khadhar'phak]

Fair dos (what is FF?). What about a chariot unit to replace the vehicles that would be too high tech for them, like sentinels

[Imperial Commander Gent]

Chariots arent bad ideas to replace their vehicles with as most imperial vehicles are way too high tech!

[masterofweirdness]

ah!!!

I seem to always forget about this... I'll try and go over and edit this today, if I get the time.

FF is Final Fantasy.

[Khadhar'phak]

(ahhh... no. It's "Nightbringer" in Chaos speak ^^; I'm a geek. Sue me.) Back to the topic, I had a thought. What about replacing the tanks with steam tanks? Similar to fantasy, but teched up a bit perhaps?

[masterofweirdness]

Steam tanks...

While I like the picture, I think it reminds me of the High-tech, yet low-tech to much... "laser" crossbows, "super" chariots, "cyborgs" I can handle, but for some reason, I don't like that idea.

Anyways... I'm off to edit some stuff for this codex.