Chapter Master Lias Issodon "The Grim"

[Kaldoth]

Well, I recently came across an article on Lexicanum about Lias Issodon, Chapter Master of the Raptors. For such a unique army, I thought it only appropriate their CM be represented with some unique rules. My main priorities were properly representing his unique Omen pattern bolter (rare bolter variant with a longer range and a higher rate of fire, also able to fire specialized ammunition) and giving him some Chapter Tactics to reflect the Chapter's specialty in jungle warfare and ambush. So, here is my proposed ruleset for Lias:

 

WS BS S T W I A LD SV

6 5 4 4 3 5 3 10 3+

 

Unit Composition: 1 (Unique)

Unit Type: Infantry

 

Wargear:

Power Armor

Power Sword

Omen Pattern Bolter

Frag and krak grenades

Iron Halo

Specialized ammunition

 

Special Rules:

And They Shall Know No Fear

Independent Character

Orbital Bombardment

Chapter Tactics

 

Omen Pattern Bolter: The Omen Pattern bolter is a rare bolter pattern that has a longer range and a higher cycling rate, enabling the wielder to lay down high amounts of fire accurately down the battlefield. The Omen Pattern bolter is a master crafted bolter that may rapid fire up to 18 inches and fire up to 36 inches, as opposed to the normal limitation of 12 and 24 inches.

 

Specialized Ammunition: See the Sternguard entry in Codex: Space Marines. Note that even when firing specialized ammunition, the extended range for the Omen pattern bolter is used.

 

Chapter Tactics: If you include Lias Issodon then all units in your army exchange the combat tactics special rule for the Jungle Warfighters special rule. In addition, you may infiltrate Lias Issodon and any unit he is attached to.

 

Jungle Warfighters: Any Infantry or Jump Infantry unit may move through (and in the case of jump infantry, land in) any type of forested terrain without penalty. Any unit inside any type of forested terrain get +1 to their cover save. In addition, Space Marine Tactical squads gain the Infiltrate universal special rule.

 

 

Only thing I can't think of is a points cost for him. C&C appreciated!

 

-Kal

[Race Bannon]

Lias has rules out of IA:10. Having said that, this version has some interesting ideas. Forge World priced him at 140 - this guy looks closer to ... 225.

[Kaldoth]

Oh, well I didn't know that :lol: Well, either way, I don't have access to IA 10 so I suppose this guy will have to do. Out of curiosity, what kinda of rules does the IA Lias run with? Are these comparable? Im always one to take fluff over gameplay, so Im curious to know if you or anyone else has some comments or comparisons on mine. Im just concerned with doing the fluff justice.

 

-Kal

[Rain]

I don't know, he doesn't seem that good. I mean the terrain ignoring thing is pretty big, I think only Harlequins get that as it stands, but overall I think a valid comparison is Shrike who seems better in almost every way to me. He also allows the squad he joins to infiltrate, but he grants fleet which is more useful than this for anything except maybe assault squads that can use this power to avoid crashing. His bolter is nice, and I guess he would be infiltrated with a Sternguard squad which would be a powerful strat, but not overly powerful. You used to be able to infiltrate pretty much entire loyalist and Chaos armies anyway, and it was never game breaking in my opinion, just a different style of play.

 

If anything, mark him at 160 points and instead of having him give all tacs infiltrate, have him give the the ability to take infiltrate at +20 points per squad. Then his total cost scales with how much advantage he gives to the rest of the army and I'd say he's plenty balanced.

[Kaldoth]

That does sound fairly decent in price. I wanted to avoid making other units buy the infiltrate ability, but then another idea popped in my head. What if Issodon could elect one squad of tactical marines per x pts to be "waiting in ambush," much like the Lictor. Choose a terrain piece and pop em out when the time is right?

 

-Kal