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Rune/Wolf priests on TWC, counts as bikes?


skeletoro

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I don't see a whole lot of reason for our priests to be denied thunderwolves, and have been thinking of maybe modelling some. Of course, they'd technically be bikes, rules-wise. A few questions:

 

1) How should I demarcate the "counts-as" thunderwolves from the actual thunderwolf models? I can't imagine it being a huge issue (as any "counts as" models would be independent characters anyway) but my opponents might like a way to tell them apart from each other (for instance, the TWC have fleet while bikers don't).

2) Would it be acceptable to have these models on the normal 60mm bases that thunderwolves are on? I don't want to seem like I'm modelling for advantage.

Well, you'd be on a much, much bigger base. That's somewhat problematic, as the mount gives the Rune Priest some extra height, and thus a clear line of sight much of the time. It can also be subtly disruptive like pushing other models out of the way.

 

You could try modeling the rune Priest on a Normal Fenrisian Wolf, or perhaps even a fantasy wolf (the latter of which use the same base as the bike would), but then you get into the issue of the normal wolves don't look like they could support a marine.

Unfortunately, doing this you will run into a host of problems (including, but not limited to):

- base size

- model size for TLoS and Cover

- rules mismatch between the "counts as" and the actual models (Fleet, Turbo-boost, Jink, Relentless)

I think you're better off just modeling the IC as equipped, then trying to model them around the fluff prohibition on joining.

Regarding those 3 points, dswanick, yeah, #1 had occurred to me. I hadn't realized #2 would be an issue - how big is the height difference? Hmm. Putting them on fenrisian wolves would look a little silly, but I wonder if there's a possibility of making the wolves slightly more "crouched" or something, hmm!

 

I could always give the bike-wolves wheels on the ends of their legs, hehe! Or a rocket attached to their rumps, representing the ability to turbo-boost :D

 

Regarding the actual rules discrepancies, the only ones I can see as REALLY mattering are Fleet and Turbo-boost. They'd all be characters, so Jink isn't a huge deal, I don't think. "My rune priest has a 5+ cover save" isn't crazily broken or surprising. Relentless, not too much of an issue either, IMO (I'd probably model them with combi-bolters in one hand).

 

But yeah, the extra line of sight would defnitely be a potential problem. Anyone know the relevant measurements for bikes and cavalry?

I would think if you put those rune priest on wolves which count as bikes on bike bases it might take care of a big part of the problem immediately both for demarcation and clarification.

 

Just my two credits...

Perhaps this is the easiest solution to dswanick's issue #1. It really would be nice to see them all on the same size base, but hey.

I would think if you put those rune priest on wolves which count as bikes on bike bases it might take care of a big part of the problem immediately both for demarcation and clarification.

 

Just my two credits...

Perhaps this is the easiest solution to dswanick's issue #1. It really would be nice to see them all on the same size base, but hey.

I can post a quick side-by-side comparison when I get home this evening.

This is only vaguely related, but does anybody know to what extent TWC and SM bike parts are interchangeable? Can you easily replace the torsos, for instance? Would the TWC legs fit on a bike? I do have an old unassembled SM bike model but I wonder if the model has been updated since then. The version I have has a flat join between the legs and the torso, rather than a ball and socket style connection.

 

I can post a quick side-by-side comparison when I get home this evening.

sweet, thanks!!

I go with the base size being appropriate for the model it's meant to count for. If you want to further seperate it apart from the TWC models, how about modelling the character standing next to his mount instead ? The only unmounted character - counts as <bike> etc. Obviously you don't get the desired look, and the base size is still different, but you get the full size character model and wolf (if you can fit them on together that is).

Yeah, good idea. I think using the bike bases, keeping eye level of the models appropriate, and having a clear visual cue to demarcate bikes and TWC (possibly in ADDITION to the bases) is necessary. But I would feel a little odd putting the rune priest on the ground (even if I could fit it). After all, bikes are FAST! How's that RP on foot going to keep up with his pet wolfy?

 

One option would be to have some sort of indication on the base that it was a bike. Possibly have the thunderwolf stand on a mostly-buried, wrecked thousand suns bike? Can TS even get bikes??

 

Another option might be adding extra details to the wolves - extra cybernetics perhaps? Something extra on their bodies somewhere, inscribed with runes in some way? They're rune priests - maybe their psychic powers might explain the slight mechanical differences between TWs and bikes. Perhaps use the cybernetic faces/legs and add runes to them (if it would fit)?

 

It's worth pointing out that the only motivation I have for doing this, really, is that I like rune priests on bikes (and sadly, rune priests cannot get TWs), as well as TWC. Rules-wise, they complement each other fairly well - but aesthetic-wise, it would be nice if they matched, thematically, a little more. So for aesthetic reasons it would be nice to make them cohesive. It really would be easier to just use bike models, but if you're running something outside of the box, why not take the opportunity to model it appropriately? :D

One kinda enticing option is to make a unit of thunderwolf cavalry and a unit of swiftclaws, as well as 4 rune priests, and then make them magnetized at the base (to allow for different base sizes) and the waist (So that I can put all my rune priests on thunderwolves if I like and my opponent allows, but if not, I'm always able to revert to the correct models).

 

It even ought to be possible to make some "dismounted" bases (i.e. a marine standing over a dead thunderwolf or something) for when the rune priests or TWC lose a wound? That would be really cool, but perhaps extremely laborious and expensive. And it might be tricky to explain how they retained their 12" move in spite of the fact that they'd been dismounted. But potentially really, really cool!

 

Has anybody ever seen anything like this done?

In addition to the bike bases (which I was a fan of originally msn-wink.gif)... You might try kit bashing a TW with a juggernaught. Especially the older ones were very mechanical looking iirc. Just a thought. This gets you on the right base and further clarifies what is what by a close but clearly different look.
Hmm yeah, those models do look quite awesome... but they have a very difference aesthetic! I wonder if any of the bitz are interchangeable? Making the counts-as-bikes a bit more cyborgy (but still very wolfy) would definitely be an option.

Hmm yeah, those models do look quite awesome... but they have a very difference aesthetic! I wonder if any of the bitz are interchangeable? Making the counts-as-bikes a bit more cyborgy (but still very wolfy) would definitely be an option.

 

Exactly the look I was thinking might work for what you are after :).

Having a toddler of my own, I know how that is dswanick. Thanks for posting that pic.

 

So yeah, there is a definite size difference, although it's ALMOST within the margin of error that the presence or absense of a scenic base would add.

 

Arez, good idea. That may be a worthwhile way to go.

 

In other news, I'm having second thoughts about the tactical viability of this strategy. If all the Rune Priests had a 5+ cover save (jink) but none of the thunderwolf cav did, then (at least in the shooting phase) the attacking player could choose either to target just the thunderwolves or just the rune priests... correct? If they went just for the wolves, then there wouldn't be any room for the wound allocation shenanigans I was talking about in my other post.

 

If you gave one of the rune priests Stormcaller, or included at least 1 IC on an actual thunderwolf, you could get around this, but it's a bit more tricky to pull off. All in all, it kinda means that it's hard to make bikes and thunderwolves work together.

 

Out of interest, are there any fluff reasons at all for rune priests and wolf priests to be denied access to thunderwolves? Or is it simply a peculiarity of our codex that we can hope will eventually be resolved in a few years when we see a new codex (when's that likely to be? 2015 maybe? heh)

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