Monday, September 28, 2009

Soul Reapers Mini-Dex Project Part One



This is a follow up post to my post on the Problems with Chaos space marines. This will be the first post of many on this subject.

I have set myself in motion to make a Soul Reapers min-dex as a companion to use with the Codex Chaos Space Marines. I am not trying to reinvent the “Wheel” here, what I am attempting to do is make Chaos Space Marines viable at their current points values.

The only thing that I will be creating from scratch are two new units to be mentioned later, and the Soul Reapers Special Characters. For the Special Characters I will be tweaking existing ones to make them fit my background and to ease balancing them.

So now onto the meat of this post:

The following special rules apply to all Soul Reaper units chosen from the following entries in the Codex Chaos Space Marines.

Chaos Sorcerers
Chaos Chosen Space Marines
Chaos Terminators
Chaos Space Marine
Chaos Raptors
Chaos Bikes
Chaos Havocs

Fear is for the weak: Soul Reapers automatically pass all tests to regroup, they can make such tests even if the squad has been reduced less than half strength through casualties. Usually squads that regroup cannot move and count as moving, but these restrictions do not apply to units with this rule. If a sweeping advance catches any Soul Reapers unit they take an immediate leadership test. If they pass the leadership test they are not destroyed, and will continue to fight as normal. If this happens the unit is subject to the No Retreat rule for the rest of the combat.


Preferred Enemy:
The Soul Reapers have been fighting their loyalist brothers for ten thousand years and have become accustomed to their combat doctrines. Because of this all Soul Reapers are subject to the Preferred enemy rules when fighting any Space Marines loyal to the Emperor.


Listed below are the Units from Codex Chaos Space Marines with changes to their entry in the codex listed. Anything not listed below is used as is out of the Codex.

HQ


Chaos Lord: Gains Preferred Enemy

Chaos Sorcerer: Gains Fear is for the Weak and Preferred Enemy

Elite

Chaos Chosen Space Marines: Gain Fear is for the Weak and Preferred Enemy, they are otherwise unchanged.

Chaos Terminators: Gain Fear is for the Weak and Preferred Enemy, they are otherwise unchanged.

Possessed Chaos Space Marines: Roll for their Daemonkin abilities at the beginning of the game before deployment.

Troops

Chaos Space Marines: Gain Fear is for the Weak and Preferred Enemy, they are otherwise unchanged.

Fast Attack

Chaos Raptors: Gain Fear is for the Weak and Preferred Enemy, they are otherwise unchanged.

Chaos Bikes: Gain Fear is for the Weak and Preferred Enemy, and the point value drops from 35 to 28 points per model.

Chaos Spawn: Gain the Feel no Pain special rule for no additional cost.

Heavy Support

Chaos Havocs: Gain Fear is for the Weak and Preferred Enemy, they are otherwise unchanged.


Now you may be saying to yourself that the “Fear is for the Weak” special rule is just a tweaked version of “And they shall know no Fear”; you’d be right. Chaos Marines have just changed their faith from the Emperor to the Dark Gods of Chaos, so I see no reason for Chaos Marines to be weaker than Imperial Marines. Should they be different, yes, but weaker absolutely not. So to be different they must pass a leadership test to avoid being destroyed in a sweeping advance, but if they pass they basically become fearless. I think this adds character to the forces of Chaos.

Preferred Enemy is added because it makes sense. Chaos Space Marines detest the blind faith of their loyal brothers. With the ultimate goal for the Chaos Space Marines being the destruction of the Imperium, the loyalist Space Marines are their main obstacles in achieving those goals. Combine this with the fact that the have been fighting loyalist Space Marines for ten thousand years, it again makes sense.

I am looking for feedback on these ideas. I don’t mind criticisms, but please keep it constructive.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Sorcerers verses Rune Priests


Okay guys, Space Wolves are almost here and their Rune Priest Psychers are pretty nasty.

With the ability to shut down any psychic power successfully cast within 24 inches of the Rune Priest on a 4+, it looks like a rough time for Chaos Sorcerers and Daemon Princes with powers. Plus their Runic Force weapons wound any Daemon on a 2+ combine this with the Saga of the Beastslayer and they will be re-rolling their to hit and wound rolls against the Daemon Prince.

The Rune Priest also has some good psychic powers to go along with their ant-psycher/daemon abilities.

Oh, and I don’t wanna forget the SW Special Character Njal Stormcaller. He’s an absolute beast, as his Rune staff shuts down powers on a 3+ and he has all 7 SW psychic powers he can cast two of them a turn, plus a nifty passive power that is it goes off gives him access to a third power each turn.

So my question to you guys is how are the Space Wolves going to affect your lists and how are you going to deal with the Rune Priests?

Personally I'll be using Kharn and a squad of Zerkers in a Landraider to go strait for the Rune Priest throat. Then use my Lash Sorcerer in the late game to set up charges and move their troops off objectives.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Soul Reapers Tourney List



After a bunch of playtests I've settled on the list I'll be taking to Da Grand Waaagh Indy GT, if I can get off work to go.

HQ 280
Sorcerer
MoS, Lash O’ Submission
125

Daemon Prince
Wings, Warp time
155

Troops 1053

10 Chaos Space Marines with 2 meltaguns and icon of chaos glory
Aspiring Champion with power fist
Rhino havoc launcher
270

10 Chaos Space Marines with 2 meltaguns and icon of chaos glory
Aspiring Champion with power fist
Rhino havoc launcher
270

10 Chaos Space Marines with 1 Plasma gun, 1 Lascannon and icon of chaos glory
Aspiring Champion with power weapon and combi-plasma
Rhino
270

8 Khorne Berzerkers
Aspiring Champion with power fist
Rhino
243

Heavy Support 515
2 Obliterators
150

Predator
Lascannon sponsons
130

Landraider
Extra armor
235


Total points 1848


The Sorcerer rides in the Zerkers Rhino, while the Zerkers ride in the Landraider.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Aspiring Champion

Here is my only Aspiring Champion with a power weapon. I like the way the blade turned out, but I’m not quite sure if the red color is too much. I’m not sure if a glowing green blade would work either, which was my second choice. Blue is over used so I’d like to avoid it as a choice, I’ve chosen purple as the color for my Force weapons, so that’s probably out too.






So what are your thoughts?

Big Jim