Re: [Epic]E40K Orks, Blood Axe Mob et al

From: David Lado <lado_at_...>
Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 08:49:34 -0400 (EDT)

>Shayn Raney wrote:
>>
>> >1. Blitzwagons. These are Battlewagons with an FP of 2 and an AF of 1.
>> >Cost 20 pts.
>
>>If you think about it, these units are
>> basically vehicle-versions of shooty boyz weighing in at 3 pts less.
>> The only thing they sacrifice is the +1 AV value from terrain and the
>> ability to enter buildings. They gain speed, armor, and transport
>> capabitity and still come out less.
>
>Eh? Shooty Boyz cost 17 pts, ie 3 pts less, not more.Thy're also like
>Flakwagons, but gain an extra 15cm of range but lose the flak ablility.
>Are they able to transport as well? Good question, I'd say _NOT_ . At
>least, not for 20 pts. Perhaps these should cost more, as I agree with
>your reasoning regarding usefulness, reason for not being included etc.

Mia culpa, I failed to notice the cost and assumed they were 14 pts.
20 pts is a very reasonable price. I would also still give them the
transport ability.

On a related topic, does you know if squiggoths and stompas can
transport troops? That is, when the rules say that battlewagons can
carry troops, do they mean the specific unit or the general class of
vehicles. It makes sense to me that a stompa or squiggoth could
carry a stand of troops (since their the same size as a battlewagon),
but not a dreadnought.

>Bear in mind that you can take either 1-3 Battlewagons, or One repeat
>One Land Raider or whatever for the same slot.
>
>> I don't know the prices of the IG units, but I assume it is more
>> expensive for the orks to take the same units.
>
>But in SM2 a group of 3 Land Raiders cost 150 pts for Orks, 200 pts for
>everyone else. That's because of the (defunct) Ork Command rules of
>course. But I see no reason for having an extra cost, just restrict
>availability.

The one unit a slot restriction is not very severe, since there is no
restriction on blood-axe detachments (and it's easy to field enough
boyz and runts to fill 10 slots).

More importantly, the one-per-slot restriction is already on several
ork units, including dreadnoughts, stompas, squiggoths, and flackwagons.
I don't think Imperial equipment should be as readily available as ork
equipment, even to bloodaxes. It's not that landraiders are all that
great, it's just that they give the orks so many things that are
otherwise unavailable to them. Would you rather stick stompas in those
spots, or for about the same price landraiders, which are the only
tanks in your army that have AV 6 (except dragstas, which are limited
to vehicle dets), transport 2, and anti-tank shots.

>> >SPECIAL RULES ??: Addition of a Blood Axe mob reduces strategy rating by
>> >1 unless no Boyz Mobs are used.
>>
>> I definitly agree that the bloodaxes should have some penelty, but I
>> think if anything, they would have a better strategy rating than normal
>> orks (they fink about stratergy).
>
>OK, howza bout being similar to Imperials: Strategy Rating 4 if only
>Blood Axes are used, 3 if no Blood Axes, 2 if mixed.

I like the rational between the mixed strategy ratings (when blood
axes are around regular orks, they don't get along). But I still
think there should be some rule to represent the fact that bloodaxes
are cowardly hoomie-loving gits, and not as tough as regular orks.
(And also to balance the advantages in flexibility they get.)

>From the way the detachment was written out, I would assume that only
the bloodaxe infantry detachments can be fielded in a pure
Blood axe army? If so, the inablity to field KOS units (without
getting that 2 strategy rating) is a good limitation. Would the ork
player also take the strategy rating hit if he took Bloodaxes with
war engines and flyers?

>> I have been thinking about making a "speshul list" of silly ork units
>> with way too many special rulez. The list would include such known
>> and forgotten favorites as:
>>
>> 0 Wildboyz. They don't really have special rules, but they are silly
>> and I miss having them about (I would say give them identical stats
>> and cost as beastmen).
>
>Not too bad, nor silly, this one.
>
>All the rest are too complex or SM2 like in their exceptions.

I almost didn't include the wildboyz, because they weren't silly enough
(and *didn't* have any special rulz ;).

>> 5 Last but not least, the completely silly Goffic rockers (the big
>> rolling stage they got in CJ last year).
>
>And if you can find me a set of Epic models, I'd be very interested
>indeed...
>I believe they exist.

I don't think so. At least, I've never seen one. The CJ Goffic
Rokkers platform was made from a carved up mega-gargant. I had started
work on one (I stepped on a mega, so it was put in the bits box...)
and it is a very entertaining mini to make, that's why I wanted to
think up some rules.

Oddly, of all the "special" units, it's rules would fit most neatly
into e40k:

Goffik Rokk War Engine

move 15 cm
armor 5+
assault 6?

range 30 cm (all weapons)
weapons: weapons battery: 6 FP
                sonic blast (death ray)

Specials: 4 power fields (or D3+2 if you prefer)
                commander ability (the old version allowed any troops
                nearby to pass all morale checks)

It would need a critical table, probobly similar to the battle
fortresses. It would have 6 or 8 wounds?

Cost ??? no idea. Maybe about 300 pts

David
Received on Wed May 21 1997 - 12:49:34 UTC