Re: [Epic] [E40K] Squat Army List, take 2

From: David Lado <lado_at_...>
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 22:57:31 -0400 (EDT)

>> ============================
>> Squat Army List for Epic 40K
>> ============================
>>
>> Unit Speed Range Firepower Assault Armor Special(*)
>> ------------------- ------ ------ ---------- ------- ----- ----------
>> Warriors 10cm 30cm 1 2 4+ Stubborn
>> Berserkers as Warriors + Assault
>> Thunderers as Warriors + Heavy Weapons
>>
>> Hearthguard as Warriors + Hero
>> Warlord as Warriors + Hero
>> Exo-Armor 10cm 30cm 1 3 5+ + Save

I like the overall basic stats. The only thing I would bring up is I see
no real purpose for the exo-armor units. It's not that there is anything
wrong with them, I just don't think there is enough of a difference
between them to justify having two distinct unit types. Why not just say
that hearthguard are squats with the exoarmour upgrade and give
them hero status.

For those who wonder what the Hearthguard were like in SM/TL, they were
really tough. They had a +6 CAF (very good by any standard) vs 0 for
tacticals, as well as a 6+ armour save. They shot like tacticals but
had a -2 save modifier vs none for tacticals (thunderers only had a -1).

My only other comment is about the brezerkers. I will bring this up
one time, but I really think they should be rampagers. The fluff about
breserkers is that they are dishonored squats who seek to restore their
status by finding honerable death in battle (basically, they're troll-
slayers for you warhammer people). In SM/TL, they never checked morale
(or morals). I can't think of a more appropriate unit to have the
rampage ability, since such a unit would rather die than face the
dishonor of retreat.


>> =================
>> SUPREME COMMANDER
>> =================
>> -------------
>> Grand Warlord
>> -------------
>> You may include up to 1 Supreme Commander
>>
>> Up to one Grand Warlord ....................50 points
>> consists of one Warrior unit (Hero, Commander)
>>
>> Extra cost to:
>> mount in a Rhino .........................+7 points
>>
>> mount in a Termite ......................+10 points
>>
>> upgrade to Exo-Armor (Hero, Commander) ...+5 points
>>
>> include a Living Ancestor (+Psyker) .....+10 points
>>
>> Up to one Grand Guildmaster ................55 points
>> consists of one Guildmaster Trike unit
>> (Hero, Commander)
>>
>> Extra cost to:
>> include a Living Ancestor (+Psyker) .....+10 points

I think the exo-armor upgrade is redundant... :)

>Few things.. very few. The list is looking good.
>
>I'd like to see special rules eliminated as much as possible, how about
>a min 5cm move for all units. 2nd ed. aside, 0 cm move creates scenario
>hassles as well as rules additions.

I have to agree, it would make life simpler (maybe you could use some
sort of carrier/tower for them). Anyway, the old Goliaths could move
too, IIRC.

>For transport (1) termites are overpriced. I think 5 points per would
>be appropriate. I also think that they should be purchased in units of
>1-3, rather than as single support units.

Thats a tough one. It has a better assault (and the difference between
0 and 1 is very significant IMO), but half the transport capacity and
a poorer move. On the other hand, it can tunnel. A termite without
the tunneling capacity is certainly worth only about 5 pts. It
might be worth more depending on what tunneling rules you settle on.

>I feel that the goliath as it is is extremely underpriced. It is
>essentially a hvy. barrage that fires every turn and should be priced
>accordingly. How about 80 pts.

ditto. 60 pts is waaay underpriced. Compare it to a nightspinner
which has better stats (but what good do movement and assault value
do an artillery piece?), the same armour, and worse range. It costs
41 pts and puts an average 0.5 BM on it's target. The Goliath
automatically puts a BM on the target. From this alone, I think the
goliath should be 80 pts. On top of that, it has a chance to actually
inflict casualties and it has a longer range (the other important
stat for artillery after firepower). I think 100+ pts or more would
be more appropriate.

>For no reason except a gut feeling that gyrocopters shouldn't be as fast
>as jet bikes, I'd like to see them reduced to 35cm. I realize they were
>even faster than j-bikes in 2nd ed., but it's a gut feeling, nothing
>reasoned.

I dunno. They were the fastest ground units in the old SM/TL game
(which is all we have to go on for squat vehicles).

Two final comments:

1 I think tunnelers should be a seperate detachment type, like tyranid
myscetic spores. This would allow restriction of the types of units that
can be put on tunnelers without any special rules.

2 I very much like the fact that the squats have few psychers (well, only
one actually). However, according to the fluff, they are also very
resistant to psychics themselves (that's why they rarely turn to chaos)
and should be less vulnerable to them. To balance their weakness and to
represent their inate "anti-psycherness", I would suggest the following
racial special rule:

Squat Special Rules:

Any fate card played defensively by a squat player (i.e. to counter act
an enemy card play) is automatically treated as a PB-3, regarless of it's
actual value.

This should help the squats out some.

David
Received on Sat Jun 14 1997 - 02:57:31 UTC