Re: [Epic] [E40K] Squats -- different list

From: David Lado <lado_at_...>
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 12:28:26 -0400 (EDT)

>> I say get rid of all the special rules. Just make overlords skimming
>> WEs and forget they ever flew.
>
>Yeah, but the reason GW started to introduce multi-level flyers in the
>first place is that they couldn't see the Overlord down near the ground,
>much less having the pop-up ability of a skimmer!
>
>OTOH, I am planning to drop most of the special rules, like the +15 cm
>to range & stuff like that. Still no assaults, though. Basically, say
>they're flying at the height GW has the skimmers pop up to... that
>doesn't add anything to the range, but it lets evrything see the skimmer
>and vice-versa. Since GW doesn't define that height, it should work
>out, or players can define their own height... these *are* house rules
>after all.

>Alternately, make players use 15-25cm high flying stands for the
>Overlords, and measure distances from model to model. ^_-

Having overlords function as permanent pop-ups will introduce a whole
bevy of new problems, especially if their altitude is not specified:

1 The cost of the OL will take into consideration whether it can/can't
   engage in FFs or support CC. Groups who play it differently
   because, for example, they use a different height, will alter
   the cost/value balance of the unit.
2 Old flyer problems will be ressurected:
   a Can OLs claim objectives or deny enemy Cleanse objectives.
   b Can skimmers CC overlords (or troops with jetpacks)
   c Can other overlords engage overlords (very rare, but possible)
3 New problems will be created as well.
   a Can overlords elimnate enemy units that retreat from CC (if
         they are 15 cm up, then technically no unit can end up within
        15 cm of them.
   b If they are 15+ cm up, can they be snapfired? Technically,
        it's impossible for them to come within 10cm of an enemy, but
        flyers can be snap-fired.
   c Can Flak weapons shoot at overlords.

These problems can all be solved, but it will require the creation of a
whole new set of flyer-type rules to cover a single unit available to
only one army. I don't think it's worth the confusion (also, the more
special rules there are, the harder it is for people to accept them, no
matter how balanced the unit is in reality).

>>It's also possible to get rid of the
>> special critical rules by using existing rules. For example:
>>
>> To represent the old airbags save, give the overlord a regular save.
>> Give the overlord armor of 6 to represent its toughness.
>> The critical table has only 1 result: catastrophic damage.
>>
>> This represents the general toughness of the overlords while still
>> giving them that chance (1 in 36 per die in this case) that one
>> lucky shot will sneak through a flame the whole thing. And no new
>> special rules.
>
>No. Two words: Death Ray. That was one of the really fun/totally
>infuriating things about Overlords which I will *not* let go away: their
>ability to (usually) completely ignore the super-shots, like Magnus'
>Beam of Power or a Volcano Cannon, while later falling to a single
>bolter shot your opponent fired because he had nothing better to shoot
>at.

I forgot about death rays (oops). But I think it still works out. The
new OL is more vulnerable to deathrays than the SM/TL version was to
volcano cannons (but not to magnuses death ray, which works out to be
the exact same). But, the new version is half as likely to be auto-
killed by normal fire (save plus a 1/6 chance of critical is a 1/12
chance of autodeath, versus 1/6 chance in SM/TL). The armour value
also is equivalent to the old version as well.

Also, the OL was never on a par with a titan or colosus. It was more
in line with IG SHVs and ork battlefortresses. Both these units share
the same vulnerability to deathrays. They don't have saves and they
go catastrophic on a 7+. The overlord also has the advantage that its
save allows it to completely ignore the hit, while the SHVs will
always take some additional damage, which will probobly destroy the
vehicle if it's already taken a hit. Altogether, OLs would still be
much more durable than their ground pounding counterparts.

David
Received on Wed Jun 11 1997 - 16:28:26 UTC