Codex: Star Shields

[chaplain belisarius]

very nice! :)

[SnakeoilSage]

Thank ya! During our playtesting on Sunday my Dark Eldar opponent (who absolutely owned my poor Star Shields :D ) suggested that the Chapter get a weapon that provides it with some extra defense against close combat specialists; not enough to break the balance, but enough to make melee specialists think out their tactics a little more: all he had to do was rush into close combat in the second round and after that even Roan Drake was no match for them.

 

So we tried to think of a concept for a new defensive grenade, and it evolved into the mauler, and from the mauler we got the Chilling weapon special rule. I like the idea a lot because it is primarily defensive, but it also gives Assault squads a little extra punch when they run into close combat.

 

After that I reworked the Terminators and Sternguard into more customizable forces; snippets from Assault Terminator and Vanguard were added. And I took the old Land Raider Hephaestus and broke it down into a sponson-turret/transport, but restricted its use as a Dedicated Transport.

 

I've yet to playtest them (tonight, hopefully) but they'll probably need some nerfing. Where's Thade anyways? Haven't seen him around in a week.

[Coryphaus 101]

The new rules are AWESOME!!! Just one question: are ice grenades boream grenades? Cause in wargear you have boream grenades listed as defensive grenades but you don't have ice grenades listed as anything.

[SnakeoilSage]

The new rules are AWESOME!!! Just one question: are ice grenades boream grenades? Cause in wargear you have boream grenades listed as defensive grenades but you don't have ice grenades listed as anything.

 

Thanks! And thank you for spotting that mistake; I was using Ice as a placeholder while I tried to think up a unique name. I decided on Boream, after Boreas, the Greek god of winter wind. I made the proper corrections.

 

And thank you for no Mr. Freeze puns. *Laughs*

[Coryphaus 101]

And thank you for no Mr. Freeze puns. *Laughs*

Hmmm... I think I know who my armies going to be led by!

 

Let's see: combi-mauler, ice hammer (thunder hammer) and artificer armour. Oh this'll be fun :yes:

 

One last thing, why can't you get a full on mauler? It seems that every one has to be part if a combi-mauler.

[SnakeoilSage]

lol Captain Victor Freis?

 

The Assault Sergeants can upgrade to carry a mauler to offset their lack of +1 Attack on the charge. Most others have combi-maulers because even though they're Strength 3, AP 6, they're still Rending Blast weapons with the potential for lingering Dangerous Terrain damage. That's pretty potent when you think about it. Still I think maybe Captains and Force Commanders could carry one, if they wanted.

[chaplain belisarius]

u got a test mini painted yet? :)

[SnakeoilSage]

u got a test mini painted yet? ^_^

 

I do! I borrowed one of my buddy's minis from his Assault on Blackreach set. I'll get a pic posted tomorrow, hopefully.

[chaplain belisarius]

(is excited!)

 

Its been interesting watching your chapter evolve-dont you think? :D

[SnakeoilSage]

Here's a rough (very rough) attempt at a Star Shield Tactical Marine.

 

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u123/Snakeoil_Sage/StarShield.png

[Commander S. Caesare]

very nice. Quite similar to my Ceruleans...white stripe on the head, blue armor. Just have the shoulders with white trimmings.

[SnakeoilSage]

very nice. Quite similar to my Ceruleans...white stripe on the head, blue armor. Just have the shoulders with white trimmings.

 

Thankya.

[Coryphaus 101]

Sweet!

[chaplain belisarius]

looking good! :huh:

[SnakeoilSage]

Thanks guys!

 

My paint dealer didn't have Fenris Grey, so I had to improvise.

 

On a Chaos Black base coat I painted the majority of the model in a 1/1 mix of Midnight Blue and Regal Blue, and Codex Grey for the sections that will be white. Then I painted the metal sections of the bolter Boltgun Metal, added Ice Blue to the eyes and Boream Grenade, Scorched Brown to the holster and boltgun strap. Then I gave te leather bits some Snakebite Leather to help the color, and layered the entire model in a 2:1 wash of water and Chaos Black. Then I layered Skull White onto the boltgun plate, shoulder pads, helmet and backpack, Ultramarine highlights on the blue armor, and finished it off with a Matt Varnish. The problem is I wanted a Gloss Varnish for the white sections and some of the colors ran because the Ultramarines areas weren't wholly dry and bled into the white. :lol:

[SnakeoilSage]

I made one final (I hope) update to the Codex; really just adding fluff bits to the special characters. Next, I'm gonna complete the Star Shields' background to add more personality and flavor to 'em!

[TrashMan]

Boream gas....like my Camus Cygno Touch of Winter weapon ;)

[SnakeoilSage]

Boream gas....like my Camus Cygno Touch of Winter weapon :)

 

Yes, but balanced. :blink:

[Coryphaus 101]

Expanding on an earlier concept:

 

Captain Victor Zero

 

Captain Victor Zero is renowned amongst the Star Shields for his mastery of chilling weaprony and his cold efficient leadership of the x company (what company can I put him in command of?). A native of Ursalis and an aspiring scientist, Zero was inducted into the Star Shields as a Techmarine under the tutelage of Alondo Kes. Zero showed a love of chilling weapons, constantly tinkering with any of them he could get his hands on. It was clear to Alondo that Zero would make a lousy battle mechanic but his knack for modifying and improving weaponry impressed Kes and he fostered this, helping Zero with his projects and even asking for his advice on how to better the Star Shields current chilling weapons.

On the battlefield Zero used his brilliant mind and cold ruthlessness to forge new weapons and armour to better protect himself and smite his enemies. His two greatest inventions were the Boream Exo Suit and Freeze Cannon which he used to deadly effect. But it was during the campaign against the Great Devourer that Zero truly shone. During a battle against a swarm of rippers and raveners, the Captain of x company was struck down. With no one else to take his place, Zero stood up to the plate. Using his tactical genius he led his company to victory in many battles. At the end of the campaign, he retired from his role as Techmarine and took over command of the x company.

Zero still works with Kes in some projects but devotes the majority of his time to leading his company.

 

Captain Victor Zero WS:5 BS:5 S:5 T:4(5) W:3 I:4 A:3 Ld:10

 

Wargear:

• Boream Exo Suit

• Freeze Cannon

• Winter's Hand

• Boream and Melta Grenades

• Iron Halo

 

Special Rules:

• Focused March

• Slow and Purposeful

• Move Through Cover

• And They Shall Know No Fear

• Independent Character

 

Boream Exo Suit: This suit was forged by Zero using Boream gases to increase both the armours and the wearers resilience and physical strength. It is a suit of Terminator Armour that incorporates Winter's Hand and a Freeze Cannon, grants Zero +1 T (included in profile)(use the original toughness for Instant Death) and makes him immune to 'Get's Cold' on his Freeze Cannon.

 

Winter's Hand: Power Fist with rending special rule. In addition any enemies hit by this weapon that survive strike at -1 I next turn.

 

Freeze Cannon: This weapon was crafted by Zero and incorporated into his suit. It is a ranged weapon with the following profile:

Range: Template Strength:4 AP: 4 Special Rules: Heavy 1, Chilling

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

The only problem I have is the fluff. Zero is ridiculously awesomez to the max. Might it be possible to tone it down a bit?

[Coryphaus 101]

The only problem I have is the fluff. Zero is ridiculously awesomez to the max. Might it be possible to tone it down a bit?

Yeahhhhh, the fluff was written sort of Mat Ward style... Anyway I've changed if to be more not godlike. On the fluff, if anyone's wondering why it's Victor Zero and not Victor Fries it's because the original name for Mr Freeze was Mr Zero.

[SnakeoilSage]

I like it! Straight hit with the crowds that love Batman and Warhammer both (like me).

 

If I could make some suggestions?

 

- His personality should be akin to Mr. Freeze; coldly ruthless in his tasks.

 

- His suit should make him immune to the "Get's Cold!" rule for his Chilling weapon.

 

- Star Shield veterans have I3; once they get Strength 5 their bodies are officially built for strength, not motion. The additional muscle layers include new connective tendons that give them heightened balance and leverage, but at the cost of rapid coordination; where humans and other Space Marines can just run with instinctive surety, Star Shields have to think out their movements so they don't lose control of their momentum or put themselves off balance: think of them like elephants - powerful on their feet, but pretty much dead the moment they stumble in a fight. So they have to root themselves.

 

- the Chapter doesn't have the Relentless rule; their Terminators have the Move Through Cover and Slow and Purposeful rules instead. This keeps them rooted as a slow moving force, reluctant to get into close combat. Mr Freeze isn't that much of a mover either, if you think about his appearances in the cartoon (which is the Mr. Freeze I hope you're emulating lol). I'd say give him those rules and the +1 Toughness.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

A Mr. Freeze-esque character should be pretty fun for the chapter, like the concept overall. Might be worth giving him a force-multiplier capability, though - most special characters seem to have one nowadays. I don't have any definite ideas, but maybe he could have a Bolsters Defences that effects multiple ruins, representing him quickly coating them in a thick layer of ice before the battle?

[SnakeoilSage]

A Mr. Freeze-esque character should be pretty fun for the chapter, like the concept overall. Might be worth giving him a force-multiplier capability, though - most special characters seem to have one nowadays. I don't have any definite ideas, but maybe he could have a Bolsters Defences that effects multiple ruins, representing him quickly coating them in a thick layer of ice before the battle?

 

Hmm, maybe he grants his unit an aura of cold that limts the enemy's Weapon Skill by 1? And the constant cloud of ice mist gives them a 6+ cover save.

[Coryphaus 101]

I was thinking something sort of like Rites of Battle, just less powerful, to represent his ruthless efficiency.