WMD's in the 40K universe

[Duke]

Ok, lets play test this dude... I was going to make one last suggestions though.

- Make it rubble... perhaps it should remove the terrain completly, is it worth it to take away one 4+ cover only to replace it with another 4+ cover?

Duke

[Lord Azaghul]

Make 2-foot wide craters...

It sounds like it just might be better to leave that rule out.

[AirHorse]

Hmm I read your rules for this guy and I really like the idea, but I feel like hes way too complicated. You really need to simplify him instead of having a massive mishmash of random tables, special orders and strategic assets. I think perhaps you should redo him, taking the best parts from your current template, and make a set of rules that follow a more straight forward structure. I also felt that perhaps you should make him have less powerful attacks so that it doesnt feel like cheating getting to use him each turn(which you should be able to! thats the whole point!).

If I was to write my own version(which i might if I ever get a guard force going :P) I would like to make him alot like a normal IG officer. Something like this:

Models

Marshal of Ordnance
A command squad with the usual guard additions such as commisars, can only take bodyguards as advisors. Must have vox caster!

Special rules

Artillery Command
The Marshal of Ordnance is in overall command of the amassed long range and indirect firepower available to the Imperial forces and as such when he issues orders he does so over the vox network to the different artillery groups.
The Marshal can issue two orders each turn and has access to special orders as long as both him and the vox caster remain on the table. Orders follow all the normal rules, leadership tests are required as normal, with off board artillery groups having a leadership of 8. The Marshal has no command radius for his special orders(as the orders are issued via vox) but may issue normal orders using his standard command radius of 12" as well. You may issue the same special order twice(in effect to two different artillery groups under his command).

Special orders
Bring the Rain
The marshal brings all available long range artillery groups to bear upon the enemy, unleashing a devastating massed bombardment upon the battlefield. The huge volume of shells falls heavily upon the target, though as would be expected with such a volume of shells not all find the mark.
Place one Apocalypse barrage template with the following profile-Str 7 ap3 Apocalypse Barrage(4). In additional d3 Large blast templates are randomly placed within 6+d6" of the centre of the Appocalypse barrage using the following profile-Str 7 ap3 Ordnance Barrage, 5" blast.

Shatter their Defenses
The marshal orders all bunker busting weapons to bring down a vital enemy strongpoint. Such a concentration of heavy breaching firepower can crack open even the greatest of strongholds.
Nominate one Bunker or building terrain piece and place 3+d3 templates centred on the target with the following profile- Str 10 ap1 Ordnance Barrage, 5" blast. Templates scatter as normal and if three or more templates score a hit result then the piece is obliterated, removing it entirely(replace with suitable ruins or craters if available). Any models within a building that is obliterated must take an armour save or be removed.

Let the Heavens Punish the Enemy
The marshal requests for an orbiting battleship to turn its weapons upon the planets surface. Since the enemy are at such close quarters only precision strikes from orbit can be risked, as such the ship brings its lance batteries to bear, tearing apart anything that the deadly beams strike as they sweep the ground.
Place one Hellstorm template with the following profile anywhere on the board- str D ap2. This template will not scatter, but its orientation is determinted by the scatter dice after a start point is determined(the narrow end is the start point). If a hit is rolled then the user may determine its orientation.

Ignite the Battlefield
The marshal orders a massed incendiary missile and rocket strike to drive the enemy from their shelter. As the missiles and rockets strike the target area each weapons payload further fuels the inferno.
Place one blast marker with the following profile- str 6 ap4 Ordnance Barrage, 10" blast, no cover saves allowed. The template will only scatter d6". In addition any leadership tests caused by this attack are at a further -1 due to the intensity of the firestorm(this makes it -2 since it is an ordnance weapon already).

Mark Those Targets!
The marshal issues an order for men on the frontlines to mark his targets for his artillery groups, to help them find their mark more easily. The marshal must pass his order onto the front lines via another officer who is in direct command of the soldiers he needs and as such which squads the orders are given to is at the discretion of an officer fighting in the thick of the battle, one who is often not willing to risk the lives of his men more than he has to.
This order is issued to any imperial guard platoon command squad with a vox caster. If successfully issued to the command squad, that command squad then immediately issues an order itself to one infantry squad within its command radius, and consuming the order for that command squad this turn.

If the order is succesfully issued to the squad then any subsequent bombardment called in by the marshal of ordnance that turn can double the number of templates placed and force any succesful coversaves to be rerolled as long as the templates are placed within line of sight of the selected squad(before scatter). The infantry squad may do nothing else this turn.



Ok so once i got started it turned into a fully blown set of rules since I was having so much fun XD. Im not sure where I would value this guy at, but I think he is an interesting representation of artillery command which would be awesome fun to play with. what do you guys think? :P

[Aldramelech]

There are some great ideas there. The Orders system makes more sense in yours. Not sure about the "Shatter the defenses" order though.

[Aldramelech]

Ok, lets play test this dude... I was going to make one last suggestions though.

- Make it rubble... perhaps it should remove the terrain completly, is it worth it to take away one 4+ cover only to replace it with another 4+ cover?

Duke

Makes sense...

[Duke]

Some interesting ideas... The rules on each order are kind of wordy though. Perhaps you could shorten them up a bit. and repost.

Duke

[AirHorse]

Ill give it a shot later on, but I italic'd the actual rules to make it easier to skip the random fluff blurbs I put in :P. I felt most of the orders were fine for length apart from "mark those targets", but that also had complicated rules. The opening bit about using the orders kind of has to be long too, but ill read through it when im not tired XD

[Duke]

It reads nice, its just when Im playing I want to see the rules quick and fast... Prehaps more seperation between rules and fluff. Or, get rid of the fluff all together and replace it one 'header,' fluff piece...

Duke

[AirHorse]

I changed the italics to bold text and added a bit of spacing, its a billion times easier to read the rules without the fluffy bits getting in your way now. Cant be bothered trying to rewrite "mark those targets!" to be less clunky just now, ill do that another night when im more awake

[Duke]

Much easier to read with the bold instead of the italics.

Duke