Imperial Guard!
We did Codex: Eldar with humans, so why not Codex: IG with Eldar? Namely - Exodites! With S3/T3 and usually poor armor, should be a fairly easy fit.
HQ:
Farseer (Primaris Psyker)
Noble (Company Command Squad)
-Guardian officer.
Autarch (with Guardian escort) (Iron Hand Straken)
-Inspirational leader and kick-*** combatant in his own right.
Elite:
Exodite Warriors (Storm Troopers)
-On the frontiers, without as many Aspect Warriors the Exodites have had to maintain larger standing armies in addition to Guardian levies. While no match for Aspect Warriors, the Warriors have superior equipment to the regular Guardians and often have some experience as Rangers.
Elite Scout (Marbo)
-Elite Pathfinder with a special surprise package.
Alien Mercenaries (Ogryn)
-For larger engagements sometimes the Exodites call upon auxiliaries such as Loxatl mercenaries.
Troops:
Guardians (Veteran Squads)
-Out on the frontier they find lasers easier to maintain than shuricats (heck, old guardians used to use lasguns anyways) and distinctions between Guardian Defenders and Storm Guardians become blurry. Some even begin to take on the battlefield role of Rangers (Forward Sentries doctrine).
Corsairs (Penal Legion Squad)
-Eldar Corsairs operate across the galaxy, and can alternately take shelter among Exodite communities or come to their aid in times of need.
Fast Attack:
War Walkers (Sentinels)
Dinosaur Riders (Rough Riders)
-Aside from the large Knight warmachines that herd the larger dinos on Knight Worlds, some Exodites ride smaller dinos to help herd and defend flocks of smaller beasts, grox and the like. In battle their prods can be overloaded to provide a short-lived but lethal attack.
Skimmers (Valkyrie/Vendetta)
Heavy Support:
Nothin'. After buying all the Stormtroopers, Vets and Skimmers you won't have any points left anyways.
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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Counts-as Army ideas, part 6 - Eldar
Ah, the Eldar. Fine psykers, skilled warriors with powerful weaponry, fancy energy fields and hovertanks. What kind of counts-as army could work well with their rules?
How about a remnant human splinter from the Dark Age of Technology, or a historical force representing a force from the late DAoT/early Age of Strife? There are plenty of pre-Heresy armies floating around, why not some pre-pre-Heresy ones?
The army can have regular troopers (Guardians and derivatives), enhanced warriors (aspect warriors, representing the kind of genetic engineering that eventually led to space marines), lots of high-tech devices and emerging psykers.
HQ:
Battle Leader (Autarch)
-Skilled enhanced warrior, variety of high-tech gear and weaponry available.
Psykers (Farseers/Warlocks)
-various powers, witchblades as proto-force weapons.
Elites:
Enhanced Warriors (Striking Scorpions, Fire Dragons, Howling Banshees)
-Various specialist squads depending on weaponry.
Men of Stone (Wraithguard)
-Artificial humanoids toting mini vortex launchers.
Troops:
Troopers (Guardians, Storm Guardians, Guardian Jetbikes)
-Soldiers with early versions of what eventually become bolters along with crew-served weapons, and assault/bike versions.
Enhanced Warriors (Dire Avengers)
-Armed with better versions of the prototype bolters, better armor, access to some other weapons/tech.
Snipers (Rangers/Pathfinders)
-Back when cameleoline was fresh and new.
Fast Attack:
Enhanced Warriors (Warp Spiders, Swooping Hawks, Shining Spears)
-More enhanced warriors with various specialist gear.
Light Hovertank (Vyper)
Heavy Support:
War Wheels (War Walkers)
-Same role, heavy weapons on big spinning wheel instead of legs.
Enhanced Warriors (Dark Reapers)
Hovertanks (Falcon, Fire Prism)
Men of Iron (Wraithlord)
Vortex Launchers (D-cannon support weapons)
Not really that big a departure from regular Eldar, but could be fun for a modeller to create pre-Imperial versions of various things.
How about a remnant human splinter from the Dark Age of Technology, or a historical force representing a force from the late DAoT/early Age of Strife? There are plenty of pre-Heresy armies floating around, why not some pre-pre-Heresy ones?
The army can have regular troopers (Guardians and derivatives), enhanced warriors (aspect warriors, representing the kind of genetic engineering that eventually led to space marines), lots of high-tech devices and emerging psykers.
HQ:
Battle Leader (Autarch)
-Skilled enhanced warrior, variety of high-tech gear and weaponry available.
Psykers (Farseers/Warlocks)
-various powers, witchblades as proto-force weapons.
Elites:
Enhanced Warriors (Striking Scorpions, Fire Dragons, Howling Banshees)
-Various specialist squads depending on weaponry.
Men of Stone (Wraithguard)
-Artificial humanoids toting mini vortex launchers.
Troops:
Troopers (Guardians, Storm Guardians, Guardian Jetbikes)
-Soldiers with early versions of what eventually become bolters along with crew-served weapons, and assault/bike versions.
Enhanced Warriors (Dire Avengers)
-Armed with better versions of the prototype bolters, better armor, access to some other weapons/tech.
Snipers (Rangers/Pathfinders)
-Back when cameleoline was fresh and new.
Fast Attack:
Enhanced Warriors (Warp Spiders, Swooping Hawks, Shining Spears)
-More enhanced warriors with various specialist gear.
Light Hovertank (Vyper)
Heavy Support:
War Wheels (War Walkers)
-Same role, heavy weapons on big spinning wheel instead of legs.
Enhanced Warriors (Dark Reapers)
Hovertanks (Falcon, Fire Prism)
Men of Iron (Wraithlord)
Vortex Launchers (D-cannon support weapons)
Not really that big a departure from regular Eldar, but could be fun for a modeller to create pre-Imperial versions of various things.
Counts-as Army ideas, part 5 - Dark Eldar
This is one I've had floating around for a while, and may even do someday...
The Pulp Sci-Fi army! Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, Mongo and Barsoom, rayguns and rocketships! While I'd probably do mine in color, I think it would be a hoot if someone painted them up to look like they were on black & white film.
The basic army will be human/alien troopers with fancy rayguns for the various blasters/dark lances and so on, with hover skiffs/rocketships for the Raiders and Ravagers.
Some example miniature possibilities:
http://www.parroom.net/Core%20pages/Core_PSMinis.html
http://www.pulpfigures.com/catmain.php (especially the US Rocket Corps and the Weird Menace section)
http://fourcolorfigs.com/catalog_henchmen.html
HQ:
The Hero (Archon/Dracon)
-Extraordinary swordsman, raygun, capable of amazing feats.
Mad Scientists (Haemonculi)
-Not-quite right folks with even more fantastic weaponry than the rest of the force.
Royal Guard (Incubi)
-Elite sluggers on loan to The Hero.
Elites:
Sharkmen! (Wyches)
-Tridents, nets, bad attitudes.
Plasti-men! (Grotesques)
-Many attacks pass right through or bounce off harmlessly. Creations of the Mad Scientists.
Red Wolves of Zongor (Warp Beasts)
-Semi-tamed fauna from the wilds.
Troops:
Troopers (Warriors/Raider Squads)
-Humans/aliens with rayguns. Sprinkle species, skin colorations and uniforms to taste.
Fast Attack:
Rocketbikes (Jetbikes)
Hawkmen (Hellions)
Heavy Support:
Rocketpack Troopers (Scourges)
Rocket Gunship (Ravager)
TOBOR 2000 (Talos)
-Another creation of the Mad Scientists.
The Pulp Sci-Fi army! Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, Mongo and Barsoom, rayguns and rocketships! While I'd probably do mine in color, I think it would be a hoot if someone painted them up to look like they were on black & white film.
The basic army will be human/alien troopers with fancy rayguns for the various blasters/dark lances and so on, with hover skiffs/rocketships for the Raiders and Ravagers.
Some example miniature possibilities:
http://www.parroom.net/Core%20pages/Core_PSMinis.html
http://www.pulpfigures.com/catmain.php (especially the US Rocket Corps and the Weird Menace section)
http://fourcolorfigs.com/catalog_henchmen.html
HQ:
The Hero (Archon/Dracon)
-Extraordinary swordsman, raygun, capable of amazing feats.
Mad Scientists (Haemonculi)
-Not-quite right folks with even more fantastic weaponry than the rest of the force.
Royal Guard (Incubi)
-Elite sluggers on loan to The Hero.
Elites:
Sharkmen! (Wyches)
-Tridents, nets, bad attitudes.
Plasti-men! (Grotesques)
-Many attacks pass right through or bounce off harmlessly. Creations of the Mad Scientists.
Red Wolves of Zongor (Warp Beasts)
-Semi-tamed fauna from the wilds.
Troops:
Troopers (Warriors/Raider Squads)
-Humans/aliens with rayguns. Sprinkle species, skin colorations and uniforms to taste.
Fast Attack:
Rocketbikes (Jetbikes)
Hawkmen (Hellions)
Heavy Support:
Rocketpack Troopers (Scourges)
Rocket Gunship (Ravager)
TOBOR 2000 (Talos)
-Another creation of the Mad Scientists.
Counts-as Army ideas, part 4 - Daemon Hunters
Daemon Hunters! I can tell I'm going to be really stretching for ideas after I've done five or six power armored armies!
OK...let's focus on Grey Knights for this army. Good anti-infantry shooting, good close combat, fearless, some anti-psyker stuff.
How about an army of Necron Pariahs? A force of some rare alternate type of Pariah, or some Tomb World that got cut off from the rest of the tomb network and is still using some outdated prototype version.
So how could this work out using the DH codex?
General: Good saves, "C'tan" type ranged weapons that ignore invulnerable saves, some anti-psyker stuff. Some stuff can teleport, which could either be actual teleporting or burrowing up like Flayed Ones and Scarabs. "Warscythes" can easily represent Nemesis weapons and storm bolters.
HQ:
Pariah Master (Grey Knight Hero)
-Solid HTH monster, add in a psychic hood for more "abomination" effect and a psycannon or psycannon bolts for more invulnerable save ignoring.
Elite:
Heavy Pariahs (GK Terminators)
-More warscythe choppiness, with option for psycannon or incinerator to bypass invulnerable saves.
Troops:
Pariahs (GK)
-3+ save, choppy, good shooting on the move, some weapons that can ignore invulnerable saves.
Fast Attack:
Pariah Teleport/Tunnel Attack (GK teleport attack)
-Same as above, but Deep Strike.
Heavy Support:
Pariah Cleansers (GK Purgation Squad)
-Load up on either pyscannons or incinerators. I imagine incinerators would be more fun, big necrodermis shrapnel sprayers or somesuch.
Pylon Attack (Orbital Strike)
-Nearby Pylon is targeting the battlefield.
Tomb Crawlers (Land Raiders)
-Either tracked vehicles or large tomb spyder like things that roam the tomb world carrying Pariahs around. Could either have regular doors or short-ranged teleporters to represent squads embarking/disembarking.
OK...let's focus on Grey Knights for this army. Good anti-infantry shooting, good close combat, fearless, some anti-psyker stuff.
How about an army of Necron Pariahs? A force of some rare alternate type of Pariah, or some Tomb World that got cut off from the rest of the tomb network and is still using some outdated prototype version.
So how could this work out using the DH codex?
General: Good saves, "C'tan" type ranged weapons that ignore invulnerable saves, some anti-psyker stuff. Some stuff can teleport, which could either be actual teleporting or burrowing up like Flayed Ones and Scarabs. "Warscythes" can easily represent Nemesis weapons and storm bolters.
HQ:
Pariah Master (Grey Knight Hero)
-Solid HTH monster, add in a psychic hood for more "abomination" effect and a psycannon or psycannon bolts for more invulnerable save ignoring.
Elite:
Heavy Pariahs (GK Terminators)
-More warscythe choppiness, with option for psycannon or incinerator to bypass invulnerable saves.
Troops:
Pariahs (GK)
-3+ save, choppy, good shooting on the move, some weapons that can ignore invulnerable saves.
Fast Attack:
Pariah Teleport/Tunnel Attack (GK teleport attack)
-Same as above, but Deep Strike.
Heavy Support:
Pariah Cleansers (GK Purgation Squad)
-Load up on either pyscannons or incinerators. I imagine incinerators would be more fun, big necrodermis shrapnel sprayers or somesuch.
Pylon Attack (Orbital Strike)
-Nearby Pylon is targeting the battlefield.
Tomb Crawlers (Land Raiders)
-Either tracked vehicles or large tomb spyder like things that roam the tomb world carrying Pariahs around. Could either have regular doors or short-ranged teleporters to represent squads embarking/disembarking.
Counts-as Army ideas, part 3 - Chaos Space Marines
Chaos Space Marines! Similar to regular marines in many respects - power armor, terminator armor, various tanks - but different both by what they don't get (tank variants, scouts, speeders) and the extras they do get like cult troops, possessed and other daemonic goodies.
So what kind of counts-as army to make using Codex: Chaos Space Marines? Howabout some non-Tyranid insectoid xenos? Let's call them the Kakak Collective. A hardy race that relies on its natural resiliency enhanced by a technological mastery over their own genetic code partnered with advanced energy weapons.
HQ:
Swarm Leader (Fabius Bile)
-Mainly included to allow for enhanced warriors, but he has his own uses as well.
Elite:
Elite Cadre (Chaos Terminators)
-With powerful talons and double blasters they can do a lot of damage, and their extra-thick chitin allows them to survive most retaliation. They can also tunnel, lying in wait for the enemy until the right moment (Deep Strike).
Veteran Frenzy Cadre (Possessed)
-Sometimes after repeated activation, a member of the Frenzy Cadre will metamorphasize into a true killing machine. The metamorphasis can take on different forms, but they all involve better ways to slay the enemy up close at the cost of a disdain for any manner of ranged combat.
Troops:
Frenzy Cadre (Chaos Space Marines enhanced by Bile)
-Armed with blasters and talons, when activated for battle they throw themselves at the enemy with abandon.
Fast Attack:
Deathwing Cadre (Raptors)
-Bugs with wings and guns.
Heavy Support:
Destroyer Cadre (Obliterators)
-Similar to the Elite Cadre, they can burrow as well. Armed with powerful claws and a large variable-frequency blaster, they have a settings enabling them to fell any enemy.
General:
Symbiotes (Icons)
-An extra psychic brain-bug attached to one member of a cadre. Depending on specific breed, it can enhance the reflexes of its cadre (MoS), add to their frenzy (MoK), deaden their pain (MoN) or provide a psychic shield (MoT). They can also contact and guide burrowing Elite Cadre or Destroyer Cadre to needed locations on the battlefield (no-scatter Deep Strike).
You could of course also include bombadier-beetle Defilers, other cadre with fancy blasters for Noise Marines or Thousand Sons, transports and the like if desired as well.
Next up, Daemon Hunters!
So what kind of counts-as army to make using Codex: Chaos Space Marines? Howabout some non-Tyranid insectoid xenos? Let's call them the Kakak Collective. A hardy race that relies on its natural resiliency enhanced by a technological mastery over their own genetic code partnered with advanced energy weapons.
HQ:
Swarm Leader (Fabius Bile)
-Mainly included to allow for enhanced warriors, but he has his own uses as well.
Elite:
Elite Cadre (Chaos Terminators)
-With powerful talons and double blasters they can do a lot of damage, and their extra-thick chitin allows them to survive most retaliation. They can also tunnel, lying in wait for the enemy until the right moment (Deep Strike).
Veteran Frenzy Cadre (Possessed)
-Sometimes after repeated activation, a member of the Frenzy Cadre will metamorphasize into a true killing machine. The metamorphasis can take on different forms, but they all involve better ways to slay the enemy up close at the cost of a disdain for any manner of ranged combat.
Troops:
Frenzy Cadre (Chaos Space Marines enhanced by Bile)
-Armed with blasters and talons, when activated for battle they throw themselves at the enemy with abandon.
Fast Attack:
Deathwing Cadre (Raptors)
-Bugs with wings and guns.
Heavy Support:
Destroyer Cadre (Obliterators)
-Similar to the Elite Cadre, they can burrow as well. Armed with powerful claws and a large variable-frequency blaster, they have a settings enabling them to fell any enemy.
General:
Symbiotes (Icons)
-An extra psychic brain-bug attached to one member of a cadre. Depending on specific breed, it can enhance the reflexes of its cadre (MoS), add to their frenzy (MoK), deaden their pain (MoN) or provide a psychic shield (MoT). They can also contact and guide burrowing Elite Cadre or Destroyer Cadre to needed locations on the battlefield (no-scatter Deep Strike).
You could of course also include bombadier-beetle Defilers, other cadre with fancy blasters for Noise Marines or Thousand Sons, transports and the like if desired as well.
Next up, Daemon Hunters!
Counts-as Army ideas, part 2 - Chaos Daemons
Daemons. They all have invulnerable saves, Deep Strike onto the table, have hard-hitting close combat troops, some funky abilities and big walkers backing them up.
I didn't want to break out Ad-Mech so early, but that's what's coming to mind.
Invulnerable saves - Refractor fields, check!
Deep Strike - I can easily see an Ad-Mech force being teleported onto the battlefield, either from an orbiting ship or underground facility. Check!
Close combat - servitors and cyborg soldiers with all kinds of stabby additions. Check!
Funky abilities - "Any sufficiently advanced technology..." and all that. Check!
Big walkers - Big weapon platforms, funky tanks, knights - Check!
This is one of the books I don't have, so I'm sure I'm missing some tricks. But the basic force that came to mind is a bunch of combat-cyborgs (Bloodletters) backed up by heavy combat servitors (Bloodcrushers), cyborg attack beasts (Flesh Hounds) and Knights/funky walkers (Soul Grinders). Add in some Prime Units (Heralds) and you're good to go with a pretty mono-"Khorne" force.
You could add other things of course like some Flamers as gun servitors, vat-grown abominations as Greater Daemons, attack cherubs as furies, etc. if desired.
What other Ad-Mech "daemons" might you like to see on the table or create yourself?
I didn't want to break out Ad-Mech so early, but that's what's coming to mind.
Invulnerable saves - Refractor fields, check!
Deep Strike - I can easily see an Ad-Mech force being teleported onto the battlefield, either from an orbiting ship or underground facility. Check!
Close combat - servitors and cyborg soldiers with all kinds of stabby additions. Check!
Funky abilities - "Any sufficiently advanced technology..." and all that. Check!
Big walkers - Big weapon platforms, funky tanks, knights - Check!
This is one of the books I don't have, so I'm sure I'm missing some tricks. But the basic force that came to mind is a bunch of combat-cyborgs (Bloodletters) backed up by heavy combat servitors (Bloodcrushers), cyborg attack beasts (Flesh Hounds) and Knights/funky walkers (Soul Grinders). Add in some Prime Units (Heralds) and you're good to go with a pretty mono-"Khorne" force.
You could add other things of course like some Flamers as gun servitors, vat-grown abominations as Greater Daemons, attack cherubs as furies, etc. if desired.
What other Ad-Mech "daemons" might you like to see on the table or create yourself?
Counts-as Army ideas, part 1 - Introduction
As a firm proponent of counts-as armies, I thought I'd do a series exploring some ideas for them for fun, to explore the concept and for a bit of a challenge. I'll try to come up with an interesting (at least, to me!) counts-as army using each 40K codex. I don't have them all (for shame...) but think I know enough to present the basic idea.
Some example armies others have done:
Kenton Kilgore's Dvergar, a not-squat xenos race using the Ork codex:
http://www.fightingtigersofveda.com/aotjdvergar.html
Kenton's Kurindans, lizards using the Tyranid book:
http://www.fightingtigersofveda.com/themekurindans2.html
Gorgon's Genestealer Cult, another use of the Ork codex:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Gorgon%27s_Genestealer_Cult
So, the armies I'll need counts-as ideas for:
Chaos Daemons
Chaos Space Marines
Daemonhunters
Dark Eldar
Eldar
Imperial Guard
Necrons
Orks
Space Marines
Black Templars
Blood Angels
Dark Angels
Space Wolves
Tau Empire
Tyranids
Witch Hunters
So, sixteen different armies. First up, Chaos Daemons!
Some example armies others have done:
Kenton Kilgore's Dvergar, a not-squat xenos race using the Ork codex:
http://www.fightingtigersofveda.com/aotjdvergar.html
Kenton's Kurindans, lizards using the Tyranid book:
http://www.fightingtigersofveda.com/themekurindans2.html
Gorgon's Genestealer Cult, another use of the Ork codex:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Gorgon%27s_Genestealer_Cult
So, the armies I'll need counts-as ideas for:
Chaos Daemons
Chaos Space Marines
Daemonhunters
Dark Eldar
Eldar
Imperial Guard
Necrons
Orks
Space Marines
Black Templars
Blood Angels
Dark Angels
Space Wolves
Tau Empire
Tyranids
Witch Hunters
So, sixteen different armies. First up, Chaos Daemons!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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