Re: Re: [v5.0] Core Rules addition - Common Special Abilities

From: Jarreas Underwood <jarreas_at_...>
Date: Wed, 08 May 2002 21:35:26 -0400

>> Cavalry (the IG ones)
>> +++++ This could be included in the Imperial Guard army list, but
>since
>> it's a special ability we might want to include it with all the
>other
>> special abilities.
>
>The fact that they are not subject to the Chain of Command? Isn't
>really a "Common Special Ability". Or you mean another thing?

The first, but since Imperial Guard and Defenders are the only ones that
use the Chain of Command - no one else would use it. How about one of the
abilities I suggest in my flier rules:

Independent: The detachment can go anywhere, regardless of coherency, chain
of command, Hive Mind or other restrictions common to the army. Coherency
within the detachment still applies, though. This includes Titans, Fliers,
IG Cavalry and certain Tyranid units (Genestealer, I think).

Give it to IG cavalry, then have a note saying if they fail a morale test
and aren't within CoC radius, they rout.


>> Tow: May transport a light artillery piece. It takes one turn
>to "mount
>> up," and units lose their ability to fire in exchange for the
>increased
>> movement rate in following turns. It takes one turn to dismount and
>prepare
>> to fire again. Damaged Super-Heavy units may be rotated but not
>moved in
>> the tactical time scale.
>
>Isn't really a special ability... transport vehicles can all tow
>light artillery... or not?

Might as well combine Transport and Tow - that way we don't need the
Artillery Tractor as a unit. Just buy a detachment of Rhinos for 50 points
and you can transport both your light artillery and some troops to guard
them. And APCs become a little more useful - a few infantry *and* light
artillery.


>> Transport X: The vehicle may carry X number of infantry stands.
>Walkers
>> (Sentinels, Dreadnaughts, Tinbots, etc.) count as two infantry
>stands.
>
>Yep, will add too. Walkers too? I'm not sure...

There was some discussion of SM walkers needing some speed in order to be
useful. I agree, and I'd like to make it part of the generic Transport
ability. That way we don't need an additional unit specificly to transport
walkers *or* artillery. You know, Rhinos are looking better all the time.
*grin*


>> HQ (HeadQuarter)
>> +++++ This has been broken into two abilities - Command and HQ:
>>
>> Command: The unit either moves at Charge and fires on Advance, or
>moves at
>> Advance and fires on First Fire.
>>
>> Headquarters (HQ): Unit may not be fired at unless it is the
>closest valid
>> target of that size category, or farther then 10cm from anything in
>it's
>> pinning class.
>>
>
>Better wait 'til the poll conclusion for this too, but why divide the
>HQ skill in two?

Because a lot of units deserve the HQ targeting protection (Medic,
Tech-Marine, Psykers, etc.) but don't deserve command status (they're not
exceptionally fabulous combatants). I'd prefer to give the Command ability
to really good fighters and strategic centers, and HQ protection to things
that would blend in with the surrounding troops (like medics). That also
eliminates the need to say "HQ unit but can be targeted normally" on every
HQ larger than a vehicle. That make any sense?


>> Ambush
>> +++++ I dunno about this as a separate ability - how about we
>combine this
>> into the Special Ability: Sniper. I've been irritated about the
>slow speed
>> of my snipers before and this would make them a good deal more
>useful.
>
>Many units aren't snipers but Ambush as well (Lictors, Mandrakes...)
>Better leave divided (and not all Snipers ambush!)

Ahhhh! Lictors that start the game halfway across the board and are within
Charge range in the first turn! *pause* Um... perhaps not. *grin* I dunno -
I'll have to playtest it a bit first before you can talk me into it.


>> Trap
>> +++++ Let's put this into the Engineer unit description and let
>engineers
>> lay traps. Putting 12cm templates out on the battlefield before the
>game
>> starts is a little powerful for me.
>
>Before? DURING the game! By the way... you have some reason here...
>Trap is a skill of a particular unit (bought as a Special card), not
>an effect you may use again and again over time... It will be more
>clear when you see my Codex Catachans, Codex TAU and Codex Feral
>Orks... I'll put up somewhere when finished.

Ok - the way it was worded implied that the player placed counters before
the game, anywhere on the board. That's what got me worried. As it is, it
still sounds like another Engineer ability - they can lay minefields, may
as well add another type of "place things that blow up" ability.

Given that all engineers do on the battlefield is lay/remove mines and
explosives, let's give Orks an equivalent unit - the "Boom Squad" or
something like that.

>> Immune to pain
>
>Obviously! =) But I don't comprehend all the fear about this skill...
>The unit will have an appropriate cost, and the bonus don't last in
>close combat...

Hm... As far as the name "immune to pain goes, if we had a 'penalty from
getting shot' rule I could see the use. As it is, not feeling pain isn't a
concept that makes it to the Epic scale - it's too small an ability to show
up. I don't imagine Terminators feel very much pain, and I'm *not* making
*them* immune to most weapons. :)

The ability itself is very impressive - "Man of Steel - bullets bounce off
the chest" sort of thing. I think that's most appropriate to Titans and
other massively huge things, appropriately represented by the Void Shield.
To give a single guy (however powerful) that ability dilutes the
impressiveness of the Titan. I'd like to keep the "only defense against a
Titan is another Titan" concept to Titans, and not start including anything
else in that catagory.

True, I can see where things like Greater Daemons would be massively
resistant to damage. I think that's accurately represented by their 2+
armor save and the "negate the hit with a Chaos Card" ability. If I'm
facing a Titan with infantry, I'm dead - pure and simple. If I'm facing
anything else I want a chance - however small - of taking it down. This
ability would prevent that.
-Yar
Received on Thu May 09 2002 - 01:35:26 UTC