Do you use Squats, and how?

[Feyralwolf]

I was digging though ideas and lore for some stuff on a custom army and codex I've been tinkering with and came across 'Squats'.  From what I've seen these guys were only really in first and second edition and we're all the way up at seventh now.  I wanted to know what the general consensus on them was, did they vanish from the game completely for a good reason?  Would you include them if you could?

 

It helps that I ran across an article for the White Dwarf (a Fantasy model in the 300th issue of White Dwarf) that had some very insane stats and made me think about them some more.  I've been thinking of bringing a small squad of them out to play with, as the Abhumans they are (seems they were sort of replace with ratlings).  With them, I imagined the armours of a regiment, suggesting a reason for more and better quality gear than might otherwise show up.

 

Anyway, your thoughts?

[nismogrendel]

I don't use Squats but I love the idea of them.

 

Check out this awesome thread:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/297627-astra-squatarium/

[WarriorFish]

You have stumbled upon ye olde 40k The official story is that the design team didn't feel they were done justice (there's a kernel to that, though all armies were somewhat bonkers back then) so were removed. The term "Squatted" was born For a long time now there's been no sign of them ever returning (though it would be Dwarves in spaaaaaace rather than actual Squats again, probably). However with crazy stuff like the AdMech getting books and models perhaps it's not quite so far into the realm of fantasy..?

That said I'd put money on them not returning, though maybe we'll get really lucky and a new race of T'squats will appear and eat the Tau? For using them now short of using counts as Guard your options are a bit limited. None of the existing profiles lend themselves to an accurate representation of Squats. They were tough and strong with a flair for engineering and Ratlings don't really cover that unless you've got anaemic Squats or something

If it was a single model, an Enginseer would be quite good with his equipment, abilities and power armour. For something more numerous I think I'd go for Vet squads. Tooled up with carapace and weaponry that sounds more appropriate to me. It depends on how much you want to represent them or have them on the table?

[Feyralwolf]

I've actually been thinking of using models from other games and perhaps modified Fantasy ones to represent the Squats.  The actual army I'm considering is Space Wolves for the most part (but with some major modifications) with a modified Imperial Guard attachment of support troops.  I'm actually modeling the structure off the stuff in the Heresy books for squads and gear so it's a little strange.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/318094-curse-of-the-wulfen-to-extremes/

 

For the Space Wolf side.  So far my standins would be D&D miniatures that I've selected and might modify some.  I really haven't put TOO much thought into it yet, looking for feedback on the ideas first.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Welcome back Feyralwolf. I remember Squats, they were kinda fun. As for modelling them, adding lasguns to some fantasy dwarves is probably the way most people would go. THere are some Sci-fi dwarves minis out there but I can't seem to find them.

[Feyralwolf]

I've been thinking about the weapon swaps with fantasy Dwarves, and that might be how I go with it.  At the same time I REALLY like the idea of deploying troops in plate armour that's in truth power armour made to look that way, or with refactor fields to give an effective armour save, etc.  There's been a LOT of rethinking of the army that I first came up with (as that list in the other thread would suggest.

 

For the moment I'm not working on the Imperial Guard (Nilfhelm Guard) section of the army just because it's a headache and time to finish all the miniatures I'm working on now (metal is much harder to paint), but I did sort of like the feel of the Squats.  Debating how to work them into battle though.

[Inso]

I am a Squat fan and have been assembling an army using the old plastic Squats:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/306932-astra-imperial-guard-with-a-hint-of-heresy/

 

I have just chosen to count them as Astra Militarum to keep things simple. 

 

From a gaming perspective, they are short and with LOS rules, they may need to be mounted on slightly taller bases to keep things civil... but apart from that, they are a very characterful race and with a little imagination, can be fitted into most armies using 'counts as'.