The Berserkers of Uran - a thread from the past

[Grifftofer]

 

Riktus Innorvak - 275pts(?)

Hand of the Devil, the Barren One, Dominator of the Blood Boilers

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

 

Unit Composition

• 1 (Unique)

​Unit Type

• Infantry (Character)

Wargear

• Boiler-pattern terminator armour
• Atrocity
• Grenade harness
• Rad cleanser

​Special Rules

• LA: BoU
• Independent Character
• Eternal Warrior
• The Barren
• Master of the Legion
• Very Bulky
• Daemon

Warlord Trait

• Let the Monster Rise

Wargear

Atrocity: S+1, AP2, melee, armourbane, weighted

- Weighted: Attacks with this weapon are performed at -1I.

 

Boiler-pattern terminator armour: 2+/4++

 

Special Rules

The Barren: This model is immune to effects of rad grenades/furnaces, however he may only join units of Destroyers or Architects, unless the We Go Further Rite of War is taken.

 

Let the Monster Rise: This model receives both the Zealot special rule. This model must be the warlord unless the Primarch Raktra is present.

I suspect that Riktus is a bit too powerful, as I believe that simison implemented a 225(?) point limitation on characters who are not our Sigismund (R.Damn Redd). As such you may need to tweak some of his special rules/stats to fit into that scheme. Autek Mor would seem to be a good start in terms of points/stats.

 

One question I do have though is about the Boiler-pattern Terminator Armour. Is it just Cataphractii? Or does it have different limitations?

 

Oh, and one other question. Is it Kehl Dorhak or Dorahk? I ask as the fluff section uses one spelling, the title the other.

[MikhalLeNoir]

One rule you can skip is the eternal warrior. Sim restricted it to only a few legions ( don't ask moi, forgot which ones^^)

[simison]

One rule you can skip is the eternal warrior. Sim restricted it to only a few legions ( don't ask moi, forgot which ones^^)

 

I did because the Primarch is the usual vessel to check off the Eternal Warrior box. Only a few canon legions have Eternal Warrior outside of a Primarch, usually those with an emphasis on endurance, such as the IF or Sals. Here the Iron Bears are one due to Redd being our 'Sigismund'. 

 

The Berserkers' emphasis isn't on endurance but on their offense. 

[Raktra]

Yeah, I thought that'd be the first thing to drop. I based his stats and rules off the 4.5th ed Daemon Prince mainly, totally forgot about Mor. Let's have a take two.

 

Riktus Innorvak - 225pts(?)
Hand of the Devil, the Barren One, Dominator of the Blood Boilers
WS:7 BS:5 S:5 T:5 W:3 I:5 A:4 LD:10 Sv:2+

 

Unit Composition

• 1 (Unique)

​Unit Type

• Infantry (Character)

Wargear

• Boiler-pattern terminator armour
• Atrocity
• Rad cleanser

Special Rules

• LA: BoU
• Independent Character
• The Barren
• Master of the Legion
• Very Bulky
• Daemon

Warlord Trait

• Let the Monster Rise

Wargear
Atrocity: S+1, AP2, melee, armourbane, weighted
- Weighted: Attacks with this weapon are performed at -1I.

 

Boiler-pattern terminator armour: 2+/4++

 

Special Rules
The Barren: Each this model suffers the negative effects of rad grenades/furnaces, roll a D6. On a roll of a 4+, the effect is ignored until the beginning of the next turn. However it may only join units of Destroyers or Architects, unless the We Go Further Rite of War is taken.

 

Let the Monster Rise: This model receives the Rampage special rule. This model must be the warlord unless the Primarch Raktra is present.

 

 

He's probably still too buff, but I've trimmed it down a bit.

 

 

Also, while I'm here:

All was sterile and quiet for hours, only the disquieting pull of a scalpel blade against formaldehyde-preserved flesh and the occasional scrape of a radiation-scrubbed tray being moved to break the cold silence. The sound constantly managed to be at odds with itself - dry papery rasping from parting skin gave way to a perversely succulent slurp of sliced muscle and subcutaneous fat, a dribble of blood not yet coagulated making its slow crawl down the shaven torso, treating the surgeon to a noise so minute that only those possessed of hearing such as his could ever appreciate it. Beyond these side affects of his art, even the mercilessly bright lumen that illuminated his work seemed to dare not hum.

  

   Silence, as with all things, is never to last, and a trio of heavy knocks rang out. To the inelegant ears of mortals, these sounds could have come from any brave soul daring to ask audience, but to a son of the Emperor, the level of force, order in which knuckles struck the metal, and amount of time the sound reverberated around the chamber, were all as distinctive as a fingerprint. Of the scant seven granted the honour of his time, there could be no doubt as to the visitor. A hand wrapped in a surgical glove briefly broke away from its methodical operations to press an activation rune that permitted entry, before returning to the specimen on the slab.
   “My lord,” said Riktus, his voice a cascade of sparks hissing as they cooled upon water. The Primarch before him gave the slightest of recognitions, a minute twitch of the head, to show that he was listening.
   “Word comes from Prospero.” Every syllable rang cold, the stiff formal tone of one expending calculated effort to suppress their own enthusiasm. "The legions of the second and eleventh are… No more.”
   The statement hung in the air for several seconds. The surgery stopped. Riktus, implacable before almost any other being, knew to take his leave, and then there was but one once again.

   He stripped off his gloves and placed his surgical tools in cleaning solution. Stepping towards a set of shelving towards the rear of the room, he placed his now bare hand against the steel, activating the hidden scanner placed within. The wall parted with a gentle hiss of compressed air, and he entered the hermitage. Lighting archaic gas lamps, a creature comfort from Uran, his eyes ran across a series of inhumanly detailed anatomical sketches, each laden with hundreds of minute annotations detailing physical flaws, scar tissues, and echoes of old injuries. Indulging himself in a small moment of fantasy, he amused himself with the thought that the Scions Hospitaller were still naive enough to keep records of a far more philanthropic ilk. Shaking his reverie, Raktra plucked down the drawings labelled “II” and “XI”, and put them to the flame.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Raktra

[MikhalLeNoir]

 

Is he a daemon prince? If so then he is for your later list. How about making a version of him who is not a daemon? So you can drop either s,t. I think that will drop his points a bit.

 

Maybe have in human form a greater malus on the atrocity and in daemonform no malus at all. This would show his enhanced powers thanks to daemonform. That would help to drop his points a bit further and in daemon mode you can aim high.

[Raktra]

This is him sort of halfway there, Old Blooded up. Imagine Argel Tal after he got his little daemon hitchhiker, this is about the same thing. I could drop the armour down to just cataphractii for now, slow him down a tad and give him another downside. Or make it indomitus with a 4++, representing how he's strong enough to move the cataphract suit normally, but still not enough to sweep folk.

 

If I do him as a mortal, I'll drop the T stat and make the armour cataphractii with... I dunno, plasma grenades built in?

[Raktra]

Riktus Innorvak - 225pts(?)
Hand of the Devil, the Barren One, Dominator of the Blood Boilers
WS:7 BS:5 S:5 T:4 W:3 I:5 A:4 LD:10 Sv:2+

 

Unit Composition

• 1 (Unique)

​Unit Type

• Infantry (Character)

Wargear

• Boiler-pattern terminator armour
• Atrocity
• Rad cleanser

Special Rules

• LA: BoU
• Independent Character
• The Barren
• Master of the Legion
• Very Bulky
• Daemon

Warlord Trait

• Let the Monster Rise

Wargear
Atrocity: S+1, AP2, melee, armourbane, weighted
- Weighted: Attacks with this weapon are performed at -2I.

 

Boiler-pattern terminator armour: 2+/4++, however this model cannot make Sweeping Advance moves.

 

Special Rules
The Barren: Each this model suffers the negative effects of rad grenades/furnaces, roll a D6. On a roll of a 4+, the effect is ignored until the beginning of the next turn. However it may only join units of Destroyers or Architects, unless the We Go Further Rite of War is taken.

 

Let the Monster Rise: This model receives the Rampage special rule. This model must be the warlord unless the Primarch Raktra is present.

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, take three on Riktus. Reduced T, no more Sweeping Advances, and now Atrocity swings at I3 most of the time. How's he looking?

[Grifftofer]

I think that with the reduction in toughness the Weighted rule should go back to being a -1 penalty. Then he'd still strike at the same time as regular marines and not risk being taken out before he can strike. As it also puts him at risk of instant death from many more weapons I think he'll be fine at those points.

[bluntblade]

While I'm thinking armour, what sort of helmet do the Berserkers favour? Could be a good way to differentiate them from the Ravens and World Eaters in terms of their look and vibe.

[MikhalLeNoir]

No helmets at all so that they can spit on their enemies face while throwing insults at them and hacking their limbs off.

[bluntblade]

See, I think the Berserkers should be more sensible than that

[Raktra]

I'm modelling them with majority helmets. They're brutal, but not careless.

[bluntblade]

Which sort of helmets did you opt for? I reckon DG with the spikes removed could be fitting, or some of the more brutal Iron Warriors helms

[Raktra]

I'm gonna mix them up a bit, but the DG were definitely top of the list.

 

Rough draft for the final RoW:

 

Daemons, We Are

- Fear the Old Blood: all non-vehicle models in this detachment cause Fear. Those that already cause Fear impose a -1LD penalty on enemy units in combat.

- The Deepest Cut: on the turn a unit charges into combat, improve the AP of their melee weapons by 1.

- The Nightmares of Man: Architects are now Elites choices, and not restricted by the number of Masters of the Legion present.

- No Librarians or psykers of any type may be taken with this RoW

- No allies, no fortifications

- At least one unit of Wretched must be taken, in addition to compulsory troops choices

 

 

I also entertained the idea of being able to upgrade squads with access to Rhinos to the Beast unit type for +50pts, but not entirely sold there.

[bluntblade]

I reckon DG heads on Contemptors would rock monstrously

[Raktra]

I did that with an Iron Hand head awhile back, it's decent but pretty dinky.

[bluntblade]

Oh well. Btw, any ideas what Destroyer weapons would be suitable for boarding actions where the ship is to be kept relatively intact, the crew not necessarily?

[Raktra]

Rad cleansers I guess? I know that's not standard fare, but I can see the Boilers having them. Some kind of atmospheric poison could work too. Basically anything that targets organic material exclusively, then any mechanical defences etc can be handled with bolt weapons and melee. Edited November 26, 2016 by Raktra

[bluntblade]

They might just opt for gas. Something that reacts violently with chemicals in sweat or saliva, perhaps

[Skalpynock]

Oh well. Btw, any ideas what Destroyer weapons would be suitable for boarding actions where the ship is to be kept relatively intact, the crew not necessarily?

Irrad-cleansers and rad grenade launchers. Gas if you want, but I guess most ship crews have respirators at hand in case of atmosphere breach.

[Raktra]

Whilst I have everyone's attention, thoughts on the final RoW? Starting on the terminator squad tonight.

[Grifftofer]

The rule I'm leery of is the AP improving one. It can be either completely useless or overpowered depending on the situation. I can see that you are aiming for an effect to improve their combat prowess on the charge that isn't more attacks/strength, but I don't think that improving the AP is it. Possibly something that matches with their fear rule when they charge? (re-roll successful checks when charged or test on an extra dice and take the 2 highest?)

[Raktra]

My logic was that the Bloodborne fluff says that armour is of little use against beasts, so I wanted to reflect that here. I'm not sure what else I could do to replace it that wasn't very bland/wouldn't tread on the toes of the Sire bonuses.

[bluntblade]

How might the Berserkers view their Dreadnoughts?

[Raktra]

Ultimate badasses. Going down fighting against insane odds and yet still refusing to die properly. We like our dreads, us.