Re: [Epic] Kustom Orky Battle Wagons

From: Matthew J. Silvernail <msilver_at_...>
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 08:50:18 -0600 (CST)

On Sat, 8 Nov 1997, J. Michael Looney wrote:

> Kustom Ork Battle Wagons:
>
> The basic Ork Battle Wagon (25cm 45cm 1 2 5+) is, well, a bit generic
> (like this is news to anybody). A lot of ideas on fixing this have been
> tossed about, normally taking the name of older SM/TL version and trying
> to do a E40K
>
> My thought on this is that is not really, well, Orky, not to mention
> going to be harder and harder to do, given the options to "Kustomize" a
> battle wagon out of the box, not to mention the Blood Axes and Death
> Skulls habit of getting other races stuff.
>
> This, therefore, is the Epic 41K Kustom Ork Battle Wagons design rules
>
> The following rules MUST be played WSIWYG. The basic battle wagon, as
> given in the Armies book, is assumed to be tracked, with a single gun,
> no claws or "Death Roller" and with a normal sized engine.
> If the Battle wagon does not fit the basic profile upgrade/downgrade
> with the following. Note that you CAN have more than one upgrade from
> this list, and in fact should take as many as are needed to make it
> correct.
> Note that all Ork Kustom Battle wagons still have the "Hitch a lift"
> Transport (1) value. The "No Guns" change allows a total transport
> value of (3). They are assumed to still be "Hitching a lift", but the
> total numbner is 3 stands, not 1
>
> Change Effect Cost
> ====================================================================
> Wheeled +5 cm move -1 armor 0
> Large Engine +10 cm Move +3 points
> Big Wheels +5 cm Move +2 points
> No Guns 0 FP -1 Assault +2 Transport -1
> point
> More that 1 gun +1 FP per barrel +5 points per barrel
> Attack Claws +2 Assault +3 points
> Death Rollers +3 Assault -5cm move +3 points
> Big Gun FP changed to AT +5 points
> Thick Armor +1 Armor - 5cm move +2 points
> Flame Gun 15 cm range, +1 FP, CS +3 points
>
> [ examples snipped ]

These look pretty good, and alot of fun. My only objection is
that when properly stacked up, these may lead to serious cheese.
Imagine if you will a battlewagon with Wheeled, Large Engine,
Big Wheels, and No Gun. It costs 14+3+2-1 = 18 points, and has
a move of 45, charge 90, and march of 135. Stick 3 nobz on it,
charge it at the enemy, put the nobz on assault.... well, you
get the picture. Since the nobz are hitching a lift and not
transported, the fact that the battlewagon will blow up easy
on march doesn't matter, since the nobz aren't inside when the
battlewagon blows up, and are still ready to charge the last
10 cm to engage pretty much anyone they want on the board in
the assault phase. Maybe Large Engine should reduce transport
(hitch a lift) by 1 or 2? The 'Wheeled' improvement is good,
since there's a tradeoff, but Big Wheels and especially
Large Engine can be a problem.

I really like these - it actually encourages Orky Kustomiziation
by giving them game effects, not just pretty models. If we
used these rules I'd have to buy some Scorchers and Bowelburners
so I could chop off and recycle the flame guns. :)

-- Matt Silvernail
Received on Mon Nov 10 1997 - 14:50:18 UTC