Hesh's Homebrews

[Hesh Kadesh]

Inspired by IHF, I've decided to write a few potential rules for my own tanks; many of these are pretty much just interactions between some of my favourite weapons. I've not really playtested these, and costs are suggestions, really. My favourite one when writing has to be either the Sicaran Atlas, or the Sicaran Cocytus (purely for the fluff, rather than simple, "oh, fire, must be Salamanders", I loved the idea of writing about the sheer murder of civilans just because - hence the World Eaters). And a Whirlwind with a Multishot Skyspear Missile? I loved the Skyspear Missile mechanic (just a shame that S7 AP2 isn't exactly the most lethal), and have loved the idea of including it in 30K. And the Terminus Alpha. The Ultra to my eyes always looked ridiculous that 4 of the Lascannons couldn't fire in a Straight Line. Oh, and 8 Lascannons? I raise you 12. The Ajax I came up with after a friend at my LGS came up with their Achilles for their Dark Angels using their Nephilim Fighter Bolt Cannon, and ever since enjoyed the Dakka Pred; this one actually capable of attacking marines quite effectively, especially the Iron Warriors with their Pinning Heavy Bolters.

 

Sicaran Phlegethon (160pts); 

Phlegethon is a Forge World less well known for its Plasma Weaponry, but rather for its cooling systems. While less glamorous for many soldiers than the ability to rain incandescent death on their opponents, the ability to operate for long times and operate highly stable Plasma weaponry is much more preferable. Newly conquered by the Iron Warriors and the Salamanders shortly before the Heresy, the Sicaran Phlegethon is one of the few vehicles upgraded to make use of these powerful cryogenics.

 

 only sees minor use among the remaining legions. The Salamanders themselves actually have a comparatively large contingent of these vehicles, with a large shipment intended for Isstvan delayed by critical repairs to its transport vessel; the small legionary force on board the Mechanicum vessel were able to defeat those few traitor mechanicum on board that vessel, and turned it to the Solar System in readiness for the inevitable siege of Terra. Phlegethon itself was torn asunder by the internal strife, the mountain sized plasma reactors from nearby Ryza sabotaged by the traitors as those loyal to the Emperor sought to crush the rebellion and broke through their hastily erected defenses; Phlegethon's ruling Archmagos proving to be more loyal, ruthless and capable than his traitor subordinates assumed.

 

- Sicaran Battle Tank, replacing their Twin-linked Accelerator Autocannon with a single Hellfire Plasma Cannonade and Phlegethon pattern Heat Exchangers

- May purchase Plasma Guns as sponsons for +30pts.

 

Hellfire Plasma Cannonade (Sustained Fire); Range 36", S7, AP2, Heavy 4

Hellfire Plasma Cannonade (Maximal Fire); Range 36", S7 AP2, Heavy 1, Get's Hot, Large Blast (5")

 

Phlegethon pattern Heat Exchangers; These Heat Exchangers are built into the Sicarans hull, rediverting the excess heat back into the weapon system.

- Any Plasma Guns taken as sponsons lose the Get's Hot special rule. In addition, when rolling to see if the Sicaran suffers from Get's Hot, if the Sicaran rolls a 5+, then the next Hellfire Plasma Cannonade shot is made at Strength 8 and AP1. Note that the Sicaran still takes a glancing hit if it rolls a 1-3. In addition, if the Sicaran Phlegethon suffers a "Vehicle Explodes" damage result, add 1" to the radius of the blast.

 

Sicaran Atlas (210pts)

The Nonarchs of Dzesjac plagued the galaxies eastern realms, in particular, the Shenlong Forge World, reknowned for its Graviton weaponry, until their hive queens were shattered by the combined forces of the Iron Warriors and the White Scars. The White Scars were initially tasked with ending this threat, but the parasitic aliens had proved troublesome to defeat until the Iron Warriors were able to eliminate them. The White Scars were not kind to the Iron Warriors who had aided them, as they believed that the victory won was without any poetry or life-joy, calling it an "adventure is mundanity". However, despite this outward disdain from the command of both expedition fleets, the few warriors who served together on the battle field earned each others respect, despite its grudging nature.

 

The results of that campaign saw both legions shunted to the top of the Shenlong's production orders in thanks, receiving much of the worlds graviton weaponry. Perturabo himself visited the Forge World to recognise the Magi' for their aid and thank them personally; so enamoured were they of this humility despite his reputation, the Archmagi decreed that they would attempt to create a new weapon for him and his legion. Wondering what that could be, the Primarch returned to his fleet, and took up the campaign. The next he saw of it was several years later, when a Mechanicum Astra-Pentamaran caught up with his legion, and requested the transfer of cargo; agreeing so, but wary, he discovered the Sicaran Atlas, and announced with pride that its main weapon system was named after Olympia, the Primarch's homeworld.

 

That pride soon turned into what the adepts of Mechanicum would class as dismay, as Perturabo told them the gut wrenching tale about his slaughtered homeworld not 6 months prior, and ripped their bodies asunder, stealing the secrets of the forge world. It is unclear how many, if any, the White Scars received, however - their flightiness and speed of moving has kept the Mechanicum constantly chasing the Vth Legion.

 

- Sicaran Battle Tank, replacing their Twin-linked Accelerator Autocannon with a Olympia Pattern Graviton Cannon and a Titanomach Singularity Inducer

- May purchase Graviton Guns as sponsons for +30pts

 

Olympia Pattern Graviton Cannon; Range 36", S*, AP4, Heavy 2, Large Blast, Concussion, Graviton Pulse, Haywire

 

Titanomach Singularity Inducer

- If a model is under both blast templates of the Olympia Pattern Graviton Cannon, then it is considered Strength 1 for the purposes of its strength test, and AP is hit at AP2, and causes D3+1 Haywire hits. If a model is under both of the holes in the template, then the hit is considered to be caused by a Destroyer weapon (only the model under the template is hit by this). In addition, any Difficult Terrain tests caused by the Graviton Pulse from the Sicaran Atlas' ranged weapons roll one less dice than normal and successful Dangerous Terrain tests must be rerolled.

 

Sicaran Cocytus (220pts)

Despite popular culture within the Imperium the Cocytus pattern of the Sicaran is never used by the Salamanders Legion. The 18th were there at its literal baptism of fire alongside the World Eaters, but seeing it in action and used in such a manner ensured that Vulkan would swear to "never use that vile creature masquerading as a weapon and tool in the XVIIIth".

 

It was the World Eaters who created it. It's use in battle was kept a secret and the World Eaters were never ones to be keen on logging each and every detail; simply the modification of its tanks was to them nothing more than putting a new handle on an axe or sharpening a sword. It is said that with a grin, the World Eaters commander, whose name has been lost to history, said with a grin that it should be named after the river of screaming souls, for that is the sound that elicited from the innocent population caught by its immense knight-titan class weaponry as these newly-born tanks crested the forest city-scape in the hunt for xeno warriors thought to be noted as Eldar, although history makes it unclear.

 

The World Eaters, rather than hunting down the Eldar in a typical fashion turned to populace themselves; the more lucid high command reasoning that if the Xenos were insistent on taking captives, dead ones were no use to them, and set the branch-living abhumans to the torch, with squadrons of Infernus pattern Predators assisting the Sicaran Cocytus, although it was yet to get that name. Despite its reputation, however, the Space Wolves, Night Lords and Death Guard were keen to make use of its immense flamer; rumours of the latter even converting it to contain utterly lethal chem weaponry as was the want in their forces.

 

- Sicaran Venator Tank Destroyer, replacing their Neutron Beam Laser with an Acheron pattern Flame Cannon and automatically comes with Armoured Ceramite

- May exchange the Acheron pattern Flame Cannon with a Flamestorm Cannon and Pyrosuchus Siphonatore for +10pts

- May take Heavy Flamer sponsons (same cost as Heavy Bolter)

- Death Guard Sicaran Cocytus may exchange the ammunition of either weapon with Chemical Ammunition for free

 

Pyrosuchus Siphonatore

 

- The Sicaran Cocytus' Flamestorm Cannon gains the Torrent special rule.

 

Chemical Ammunition

- Changes the profile of the Acheron pattern Flame Cannon to S3 AP2 and the Flamestorm Cannon to S1 AP2. Both weapons gain the Poisoned (2+), Pinning, and Armourbane special rules.

 

Volative Ammunition

- Any melta, flame or volkite weapon rolls +1 on the vehicle damage table (rerolling any natural 1's before modifiers), and automatically counts as rolling a 5 or 6 on the D3 to any explosion radius caused by the Dangerous Reactor Core special rule.

 

Sicaran Zephyrus (180pts)

 

- Sicaran Battle Tank, replacing their Twin-linked Accelerator Autocannon with a Twin-linked Boreas-Aiolos Missile Launcher with an Austerion Helical Targeting Array.

- May take Cyclone Missile Launchers as Sponsons (50pts)

- Or may take a normal Missile Launcher (30pts), which may take Flakk (+10pts) and/or Rad Missiles (+10pts)

 

Austerion Helical Targeting Array

- If the Sicaran Zephyrus chooses to neither move nor move Flat Out in its turn, it may, if the controlling player wishes, gain the Skyfire and Interceptor special rules for that entire game turn for the Boreas-Aiolos Missile, as well as lose the Scattershot special rule from the Boreas Missile. 

 

Boreas-Aiolos Missile Launcher

Aiolos Missile; Range 60, S6, AP3, Heavy 3, Independent Tracking

Boreas Missile; Range 60, S3, AP4, Heavy 3, Blast, Shred, Scattershot

 

Scattershot; Blasts with this rule do not subtract Ballistic Skill.

 

Whirlwind Theraphon (220pts)

- Whirlwind Scorpius, replacing their Scorpius Multi-launcher with a Sirocco Rocket System

 

Sirocco Rocket System; Range 60", S7, AP2, Heavy 1, Armourbane, Skyfire, Interceptor, Rocket Barrage, Savant Lock

 

Rocket Barrage; If the Whirlwind Theraphon chooses to neither move nor move Flat Out in its turn, the Sirocco Rocket System rate of fire is increased to Heavy 1+D3 for that entire game turn.

 

Savant Lock; If any shot from this weapon misses a flyer or flying monstrous creature, place a Savant Lock counter next to the target. At the start of each subsequent friendly shooting phase, the owning player rolls a D6 for each Savant Lock counter in play. On a 5+, the counter is removed, and the target unit suffers a hit (using its rear armour value if it is a vehicle) with the profile above. If the target leaves combat airspace or is engaged in close combat, immediately discard any Savant Lock counters it has. Every time a model drops an Illum Flare, roll a d6 for each Savant Lock counter it has, remove 1 for every 4+ rolled. These counters cannot be removed by any other means. Any hits caused by Savant Lock counters (but not the initial shot) count as a Missile Weapon for the purpose of Flare or Chaff Launchers.

 

Land Raider Ajax-Alpha (275pts)

- Land Raider Achilles-Alpha, replacing their Hull mounted Quad Mortar with a Hull mounted Avenger Bolt Cannon and the Two Sponson Mounted twin-linked Volkite Culverins with Two sponson mounted Quad Heavy Bolters

 

Transport Capacity increased to 8

 

Land Raider Ares-Alpha (320pts)

- Land Raider Achilles-Alpha, replacing their Hull mounted Quad Mortar with a Hull mounted Demolisher Cannon

 

Land Raider Terminus-Alpha (300pts)

- Land Raider Achilles-Alpha, replacing their Hull mounted Quad Mortar with a Hull mounted Quad Lascannon and the two Sponson Mounted twin-linked Volkite Culverins with Two sponson mounted Quad Lascannons.

 

Any of the Quad Lascannons may be replaced by Laser Destroyers at no extra cost.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Land Raider Ajax-Alpha (275pts)

- Land Raider Achilles-Alpha, replacing their Hull mounted Quad Mortar with a Hull mounted Avenger Bolt Cannon and the Two Sponson Mounted twin-linked Volkite Culverins with Two sponson mounted Quad Heavy Bolters

 

Transport Capacity increased to 8

 

Land Raider Ares-Alpha (320pts)

- Land Raider Achilles-Alpha, replacing their Hull mounted Quad Mortar with a Hull mounted Demolisher Cannon

 

Land Raider Terminus-Alpha (300pts)

- Land Raider Achilles-Alpha, replacing their Hull mounted Quad Mortar with a Hull mounted Quad Lascannon and the two Sponson Mounted twin-linked Volkite Culverins with Two sponson mounted Quad Lascannons.

 

Any of the Quad Lascannons may be replaced by Laser Destroyers at no extra cost.

 

Great minds think alike eh? :P

 

linky

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

double post - guess it had to happen at some point

[depthcharge12]

Will you be able to test these rules? :)