Horus Heresy Volume V, Tempest - sort of pseudo-squats within...

[Mr Mystery]

How do?

First up, don't get too excited, but Squats are, after a fashion, back.

The Imperialis Militia list allows you to pick up to two 'Provenances of War'.

These are bought as upgrades to your Commander, and are a flat cost regardless of the size of your army.

And one of those? Abhuman Helots....35 points.....

Abhumans, often draw from the helot labour classes of afflicted worlds, sub-citizens on the cusp of accepted tolerance levels for mutation and genetic deviance, are often pressed into the front line fighting by their human Imperial Commanders in times of emergency, and suffer this fate even more readily at the hands of cult demagogues and petty tyrants in the Traitors' service

All eligible units receive an increase of +1 to their Toughness value but also lower their Initiative by -1 (to a minimum of 1)


Sounding a bit Squatty? Why not marry it up with......

The detachments troops are trained to a high standard and possess discipline worthy of a regular Imperial Army unit

All eligible units and models receive +1 to their Leadership value (to a maximum of 9). Militia Levy squads in an army with this Provenance gain the Support Squad special rule.

And yeah, that's about it. Only just started exploring the book, so can do a more in depth report later on (like tomorrow, because I'm off home from Comicon, and when I say 'off home' I of course mean 'nicking off up the pub)

Feel free to post questions in the mean time. I get pretty crappy reception at t'pub, but can still post sometimes!

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Forge world seems (?) to often be a testing bed for things, it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring back "abhumans" as a unit or two and see how well they sell. For WHF they brought back things like Fimir and chaos dwarfs and I expect 30k/40k stuff would probably sell a lot better.

[Haighus]

There is a better way of doing it- combine Abhuman Helots with the Survivors of the Dark Age provenance- that give them +1 T, -1 I, +1 to armour saves and have to take Grenadiers as compulsory Troops (for a 3+ Sv total...). Can also take Land Raiders and Rhinos, and can upgrade lasweapons to +1 strength for a fee. So, power armoured abhumans in Land Raiders and Rhinos...?

[Cpt Codpiece]

while the abuman scenario haigus mentioned would be fine for stunties, i think most old school guys would look more to beastmen..... like the old days
which would be right for the +T -I.

it could also lever davinites for chaos forces in heresy era.

[Mr Mystery]

Yeah.....frothreading makes it tricksy to spot everything....that +1 armour is ace, and certainly helps the Squat theme.

Plus, Abhuman Helots can all have Discipline Collars. Granted as an item they're not especially Squatish, but they do grant Stubborn, which is fitting. Downside is that there's a chance of the unit being removed entirely....

Right, off up my local GW to share the froth with the manager. This book is goooooood!

[AlltoEasy]

I did say to someone the other day when they mentioned that Squats were dead... that they weren't dead in 30K... I have my fingers crossed.

[Kernbanks]

Yet another $100 book to buy.

[Mr Mystery]

Totes worth it! Got all five volumes thus far, and they look very nice on the bookshelf.

Just need to get me a Heresy Era army to go with it!