IL VII - The Berserkers of Uran (thread 1)

[Raktra]

480 sounds fair with those bits thrown in. I'll try and do a breakdown of costs in a few minutes, just need to dig out my books to get some rough ideas.

[Raktra]

WS:8 BS:5 S:7 T:6 W:6 I:6 A:6 LD:10 Sv:2+


Cost - (SEVERAL HUNDRED POINTS OF STAB)

Unit Composition

• 1 (unique)

​Unit Type

• Infantry, character

Wargear

• The Behemoth Cuirass
• The Grinder
• Heartworm
• Frag grenades
• Impact Thrusters

​Special Rules

• Primarch
• Heaven's Judgement
• Sire of the Berserkers of Uran
• Skyhunter
• Bulky

The Behemoth Cuirass - 2+/4++
Heartworm - Archeotech pistol, may fire twice in the shooting phase

The Grinder - RNG:- S:+1 AP:2 Melee, Specialist Weapon, Grind, Sunder
Grind - Successful invulnerable saves taken against this weapon must be re-rolled.

Sire of the Berserkers - Raktra ignores enemy FNP rolls in close combat, and forces enemy models to re-roll successful It Will Not Die rolls resulting from wounds from his close combat attacks (keep track of how many of the lost wounds have been caused by Raktra). A BoU force with Raktra as its Warlord gains +1 to combat resolution whilst he is engaged in an assault.

Skyhunter - When models in a BoU force containing Raktra perform a shooting attack against a zooming flyer or swooping flying monstrous creature, their snapshots are resolved at BS2 rather than the usual BS1. Note this does not override any restrictions on which weapons can be fired usually placed by the snapshot rules. In addition, Raktra and all models with the LA:BoU rule (as well as Dreadnoughts) have the Preferred Enemy: jump infantry and Preferred Enemy: flying monstrous creature special rule.

Heaven's Judgement - Despite being Fearless, Raktra still has to take Fear tests to see if his WS is reduced vs Sanguinius.

 

 

 

So, I'm bad at points cost breakdowns, but wargear summary I can do pretty well...

 

Cuirass - +40pts

Grinder - +50pts

Heartworm - +30pts

Thrusters - +25pts (made it higher for him because of the high base S on the HoW attacks)

 

A guess at the rules...

Judgement - -10pts

Sire - 50pts?
Skyhunter - 40pts

 

 

Statline. I'm using the greater daemons as a basis for this, and guessing that with the Primarch rule added in they'd start around 200pts. So first, what I'd guess the baseline would be:

WS:6 BS:5 S:6 T:6 W:5 I:6 A:5 LD:10 Sv:-

 

So, going onto Raktra's stats...

 

WS - 10pts

BS - 0pts

S - +10pts
T - 0pts

W - +20pts

I - 0pts

A - +15pts

LD - 0pts

 

My guesstimates there would shove him to 500pts, add in the mild discount everything gets for being part of a bundle and 480 does seem appropriate. If anyone's got a better method/cost in mind, holler, but right now I'm in agreement with what's said so far.

[simison]

Well, I'm going to pull in Fulgrim in for this one since he's one of the cheapest non-psyker Primarchs.

 

380 points

 

Stats. -1 BS & -2 Init/ +1 Str, Att. So, -5 points for lower stats.

 

375 points

 

Armor. The Behemoth Cuirass is a straight 4++, while the Gilded Panoply bounces between 3 & 5, based on whether or not Fulgrim is in close combat. That kinda equals out, but Fulgrim's armor comes with a unique special rule, while the Cuirass doesn't. So, -5 points here.

 

370 points

 

Melee Weapons. The Grinder offers a +1 Str, over the Laer Blade's User Strength, so +5 points there. Two-handed is on par with Specialist Weapon, both denying a possible +1 Attack for the pistol. (Which makes Fulgrim's Specialist Weapon rule kinda redundant, unless I'm missing something?) Sunder is vehicles only while Rending might hurt Vehicles and will hurt Infantry. So, slight edge to Rending, -5 points. Grind is unique and clearly better than Specialist Weapon. +10 points, at least.

 

380 points

 

Ranged Weapon. An Archeotech Pistol is worth 20 points vs. Fulgrim's Volkite Charger which is 10 points. Both come with Master-Crafted, while Fulgrim has Shred, but Raktra has double fire. An additional shot has a slight edge over Shred, since it increases the number of possible wounds instead of insuring that the hits translate to wounds. +5 points

 

385 points

 

Extra gear. Fulgrim comes with extra grenades so -5 points there. Which leaves Raktra with the Impact Thrusters, which you have already priced. So, +20 points.

 

405 points

 

Special rules. Heaven's Judgement is a negative modifier so that'll be -10 points there. Bulky & Primarch match up. Now, I found something surprising, Raktra doesn't have any special rule affecting his Warlord trait. Now, I could be wrong, but I think every Primarch has something like that which hones their unique style, so that's something to think about. 

 

395 points

 

'Sire' rule. I'm combining Sire and Skyhunter, since they affect the army as a whole. Ignoring FNP is better than Crusader, so add +5 points there. Forcing a reroll of IWND is better than having to take challenges, plus 10 points there. The EC get +2 to Combat resolution instead of +1, so minus 5 points there. Now rerolling Reserve rolls is a great benefit if used correctly, but it's potentially on par with +1 BS vs air targets. However, gaining Preferred Enemy for two kinds of enemy units for the whole army is huge. So, I'm adding 45 points there.

 

 

Which means, according to my calculations, Raktra comes in at....

 

440 points

[Raktra]

Wanna give him a spin against Alex soon to see how the theoretical cost matches up with a practical one?

[simison]

Sure. Do you want the standard 3 rounds or just one?

[Raktra]

Whatever you feel best with, it'll be a chunk of your thread so I don't wanna muck with it too much.

[Slips]

Well, it should be fun, either way. It wont be as potentially one-sided as his Alex vs Angron Fight but, hey, it'll give you an idea as to how to potentially play him :p

[Raktra]

I'm back, brostartes.

 

 

Executioner Headsman Dorran Kldier

Silence, Black Hood, the White Devil's Equerry

WS:7    BS:5     S:4      T:4     W:3     I:5      A:4     LD:10     Sv:2+

 

Unit Composition

• 1 (Unique)

​Unit Type

• Infantry (Character)

Wargear

• Artificer Armour
• Iron Halo
• Frag grenades
• Krak grenades
• Two bolt pistols
• Impact thrusters
• Blame

​Special Rules

• LA: BoU
• Independent Character
• Unstoppable Charge
• Anatomical Precision

Warlord Trait - Butterscotch pudding (or rather, I need help designing this the most)

 

Blame - RNG:- S:+1 AP:2 Melee, Specialist Weapon, Murderous Strike, Savage Blades

Savage Blades - The same invulnerable reducing rule I penned earlier in the thread, just re-named it

 

Unstoppable Charge - +1S and +1I on the charge

 

Anatomical Precision - Enemy models hit by an attack with this rule half their initiative value. Gargantuan Creatures, vehicles and models with a T value of 7 or more are immune to this special rule. Not that this does not stack (i.e. a Praetor who suffered two wounds would only reduce their I value once). <<< Justifying that one by saying he's got a perfect understanding of where best to cut to debilitate opponents etc. etc.. Something clever sounding.

 

 

Based him off Khârn and Sigismund, I'm thinking 180-200 or so when the Warlord Trait gets sorted.

[Black Cohort]

what do you want his warlord trait to do in general?  Buff him, improved reserves, victory points?

[Raktra]

Hopefully something a bit more thought-out than my usual "and then he punches you REALLY hard" stuff. I feel like I lack depth. Not adverse to just giving him one of the set traits like Bloody-Handed or Intimidating Presence mind, not everything has to be original.

[Slips]

If you wanted, you could make him a character that goes against the grain of your legion in some way so that he varies up your play options.

[Sevatar]

I would reckon...

100

25

15 (ws)

10 (thrysters)

40- 5 (weapon and v.powerful reroll rule)

10 (anatomical and charge)

 

200 + value of warlord trait

[Slips]

If you want to make a Powerful Beatstick Character, at that point you need to compare him to Sigismund....

[Sevatar]

Yeah. He may stand up less in challenges, but his movement and utility are extremely vital abilities on the tabletop.

[Raktra]

I don't want to tread on Sigismund's toes, that guy's a league of his own and he can keep that spot. Scary banana-based bastard.

 

R.e. making someone to totally shift Legion focus - would making a third character with a unique RoW who stayed Loyal (and who also prevents the use of Kehl, Dorran and Raktra) be too much? Maybe a surviving Chaplain to roll with the fluff?

[Slips]

Sure, you could then use him as a basis for a DIY 40k Chapter.

[Raktra]

Just had a thought on who to compare Dorran to - Eidolon. Both fast, both nasty on the charge, both get differing forms of I boost at the start of combat etc. and he's 205 when given his jump pack (and really, who wouldn't do that).

[simison]

Either Eidolon or Sigismund will work as a comparison since they're both high-level Praetors. 

 

As for the Warlord Trait, since you want something more unique, I would suggest something that'll show tactical or strategic acumen. Raktra's abilities enhance the Berserkers' ability to shoot and to win combats. So, I suggest something to affect movement (actual movement or charge ranges) or objectives. 

[Slips]

Or maybe have it play on reserves/deepstrikes/outflanks and the like. Say, he can give D3 units deepstrike OR outflank. It may have been done before but it might work.

[Raktra]

Hmm, both are pretty strong ideas. The D3 outflank I can already envision its usage from my Chaos Marine days with Huron, so there's that. Or objectives-wise, maybe have him destroy them so neither side can claim it? Then I could make the theoretical Chaplain guy his polar opposite.

[Slips]

ehhh invalidating an objective doesn't seem like a good gameplay mechanic. Maybe let him place a marker on an objective and if an enemy unit captures it, on a roll of 3+ or 4+ the whole unit takes a, lets say, S5 Ap4 Concussive/blind Hit?

 

Seems kinda like something a Vigilator would have though. Or Alpha Legions -_-

[simison]

ehhh invalidating an objective doesn't seem like a good gameplay mechanic. 

 

 

No, but it would be hilarious to see how people would react to that the first time. Seriously though, don't use it unless you want bad things to happen to you.

 

However, Calas Typhon has a unique Warlord trait that enhances his ability to Deny Objectives to his opponent. Perhaps something in that line of though?

[simison]

Raktra peered over the the small group of warriors before him. Small being a relative term as there were over three thousand legionnaires standing behind their Primarch. Raktra glanced at the nine thousand of his sons behind him and allowed a savage grin cross his face as his keen mind reminded him he had another four thousand that could be summoned from fleet defense. It didn't matter that his opponents were infamous for their walls of shields. Not even the famed Shield of the Imperium could win against these numbers. His attention returned to that of his brother.

 

For once, that obnoxious, superior smile on Alexandros' face was missing as he surveyed the odds against him. The Berserkers had completed forming their lines a few minutes ago and a tense silence had fallen. Raktra was enjoying, for all he he could hear was satisfication and the promise of putting one of his arrogant brothers in his place. He allowed another minute passed before he sauntered a few steps forward. "Nothing to say, O' great Seer? Weren't you expecting this?"

 

"Only that the irony isn't lost on me," Alexandros replied as his grip on Xiphos tightened. "And we both know, you're only a one step away from feeling Father's judgement."

 

"Yet, here we are," Raktra said as his hands sweeped over both forces. "The Emperor sends out a general call for your detention, and who should be closest, but none other than myself. I suppose I should offer you a chance to surrender, but," he finished as he revved up the Grinder, "where's the fun in that?" A large crash of metal tore through the silence as the Primarch's Impact Thrusters braced for the jump. It was immediately followed by a cacophony as several companies-worth of Executioners did the same. "KILL THEM ALL!" He roared as hundreds of Berserkers catapulted into the air, casting a large shadow over the Wardens.

 

 

[Free Preview b/c I had a free moment at work and no dice to work with.]

[Raktra]

I could kiss you, you know. Man kiss. With TURBO MUSCLES.

*ahem*

Back onto the rules stuff, no murdering objective markers. Gotcha. I think I'll go for the D3 outflankers, feels kind of right and as I said I already know how I could make use of it.

On a separate note, I've been doing a tiny bit of modelling for these guys, fiddling at making the two named characters to far, and mulling over how this future Chaplain will be. I'll post some WIP pics soon.

[simison]

Alex's Usable Powers - Foreboding/Shriek

 

Alex wins the first roll. On fire, Alex activates all 3 of his powers, and rolls a 13 for the Shriek attack, dealing 1 wound against Raktra. Then adds 1 more for plasma. 

 

Raktra jumps the distance between them. Heartworm scores both wounds, and, for one glorious moment, sees snake eyes before Precognition kicks in. Raktra makes the charge, but takes 2 wounds in Overwatch from a Foreboding Alex. Then, with two 1's and a 2, Raktra promptly fails all 3 of his invul saves and dies......

 

 

[......I'm beginning to think Foreboding is a much scarier power than most people think. That and a lucky Shriek, which does fail over half the time.]

 

 

 

Overconfident, Raktra ignores his burning plasma wounds and charges straight into Alex's waiting sword. The Shield of the Imperium is on edge and makes no mistakes as he waits for the right moment. Raktra lands before him, creating a crater with his impact. In the half-second of recovery, Alex strikes. With a snarl, Raktra falls to his knees as the wounds take their toll. Before Alexandros can deliver the final blow, four squads charge into him as the Executioners desperately throw away their lives to save their Primarch. 

 

"My lord!" a Primus Medicae yells as he and several apothecaries crowd around Raktra. Meanwhile, the tidal wave of Marines push Alexandros back as not even he can defeat so many at once. 

 

May we never meet, Raktra hears the telepathic thought echo in his mind before Alexandros retreats.