Mordians, fall in! (also, Russ Buff confirmed)

[CaptainMarsh]

Video review of the book, though it is lacking in detail due to understandable copyright concerns. I wanted to see more strategems, but it is good.

[CaptainMarsh]

Mordian Grades. Where there are two grades, the first is how I view it, the second is how I think it may turn out for others. I will focus exclusively on their unique rules- the codex is very, very strong so you won't lack for ways to utilize Mordian Rules in super effective manners.

 

Doctrine- C. It is an awesome fluffy rule. The ability to have better overwatch and better leadership is pretty cool, but it requires the enemy to charge you. In my experience, most enemies tend to shoot before they charge. This can be reduced by losing models and if the enemy isn't charging, this doesn't get involved save the better leadership. It is a decent, fluffy rule that is both passive and requires the enemy to comply.

Order- A. Arguably my favorite Regimental Order. While it reuires you to get the right squad in the right place at the right time without opponent counter-measures being triggered, that is a relatively small concern considering how battle changing this order is. Some factions rely on their characters to get work done and Mordians can remove them with greater ease than most thanks to this Order.

Strategem- D. Meh. Spending a CP to get the potential ability to get an additional shot on a 6+ is just not that good. Better than the Tempestus Doctrine because it isn't range limited, worse because you have to spend for it. 

Relic- C/B. Grade depends on how you view your Guard characters. If you view them as important characters for fighting as well as orders and benefits, this is pretty good. If, however, you care about Orders and generally using them as buffing, less good especially considering other relics available. It isn't bad in any case whatsoever, just lower on the totem pole.

Trait- D/C. This requires you to lose models first to combat(or a power of some kind) and then fail a morale check. Then you have a half-chance to keep a fleeing model in. This is a super fluffy rule that is pretty cool, but requires a bit too much negative feedback to come into play and even when it does come into play, may fail. Fluffy, effective in certain circles, but I don't think much of it.

 

The Mordian Rules are very fluffy and nothing is ineffective per se. Too much of it is passive for my tastes. The Order is outrageously powerful however and something I think will attract a lot of attention. Still, I think these rules accurately reflect a Mordian style of war and when you are playing the Defender, it makes for a very effective set of rules.

[duz_]

At first I found these somewhat defensive for my tastes, however on further reflection I think I can use these to my advantage and make them somewhat aggressive for my purposes ;)
There was certainly a few times over this weekend while I was at a 6 round tournament I could have done with a few of the Mordian and IG buffs ;)

[NatBrannigan]

They're only defensive if you put your Infantry in a position they can't be charged. Mine end up in the middle of the board every game and not charging them would mean giving up on a tasty objective more often than not. Either way is a win for me there.

 

I'm conflicted about defensive gunners though. Do I want my Russ to be charged and put the hurt down on the unit going for it? Or do I still want it out of combat using defensive gunners as a worst case if (when) I screw up it placement so it gets charged?

Edited October 3, 2017 by NatBrannigan

[duz_]

I generally run Punishers, Plasmacutioners and [now] Demolishers, so they often don't have a choice about being charged!
However now my opponents will think twice especially when I'll try and keep them within 3" of each other! ;)

 

A lot of my troops end up in the same position as yours Nat, screens or forward objective grabbers that will be charged so +1 to overwatch is nice :)

 

Not to mention T1 charges in this edition aren't the exception any more!

[NatBrannigan]

Those are my three favourites as well, I liked the Demolisher even before the new buffs.

 

I just need to be careful that a canny opponent isn't able to charge a nearby unit and then pile into my tanks (I hate that...)

[Vel'Cona]

IMO the Doctrine is better for the tanks than the Infantry by a massive measure, since they're mostly likely to survive long enough to use it and reduced stats won't matter since they'll be hitting on flat 5+ (without other modifiers).  It does necessitate running your tanks in close order, but it DOESN'T require them to be in the same squadron or any other nonsense, so it's pretty flexible.

[CaptainMarsh]

They're only defensive if you put your Infantry in a position they can't be charged. Mine end up in the middle of the board every game and not charging them would mean giving up on a tasty objective more often than not. Either way is a win for me there.

 

I'm conflicted about defensive gunners though. Do I want my Russ to be charged and put the hurt down on the unit going for it? Or do I still want it out of combat using defensive gunners as a worst case if (when) I screw up it placement so it gets charged?

I am not a fan of any doctrine that requires enemy action to prock. In general, most armies will be shooting your gentleman before charging them. They are already reduced when overwatch happens and even with their buff they are still hitting on 5s. This is good- it is better than nothing, and the fact it works on vehicles and gives you better leadership is all good. But it is inherently a defensive doctrine. This doesn't make it a bad doctrine, but it makes it less reliable(some armies don't fight melee at all or very often) and doesn't tip the scales or rewrite the tactical playbook the way others can.

 

More important than its crunch implication, the fluffiness of it is absurdly on point and very cool.

[NatBrannigan]

So so fluffy... It could give you a -1 to hit for all I care, I'd still use it!

 

Good point about the tanks hitting on a 5 (4 with the strategem) regardless of how damaged they are. Great way to get a last round of fully effective shooting in before the tank dies completely.

[duz_]

Got a sneak peak at the codex this afternoon.

 

Was disappointed to see Mordians didnt get the double page spread like the other regiments. :(

Just a few paragraphs with 7 other regiments right next to Tanith

[Guardsman Bob]

Happy Saturday everyone.

 

I actually like their Volley Fire Stratagem. Mix that bad boy FRFSRF at 12” and two comband squads and even T5 jerks will be making four extra saving throws if you max the lasguns.

 

What I am just loving is their Order of the Iron Star of Mordia. It’s just nutty giving some human that kind of wound negation. Since Guard can take more than one relic just dump your CP and/or/plus Order relics on other CCs. It’s a freaking party and everybody is invited!

 

The only thing that has me down is how Command Point hungry things are going to get. It’s not that hard to burn 7CPs before the first miniature is moved. How crazy is that? I might have to rethink going down from a Brigade Detachment.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Guard have tonnes of ways to recuperate said CPs though, and will start with more than almost any other faction.

[HenricusTyranicus]

Okay...so thinking about Mordian's stratagem....How about some d6 firing weapons?

Picture, for me, if you will, the following scene. A Vet squad disembarks from their chimera, and moves right next to an enemy squad. A Sabre Weapons battery shines it's light at said sad squad. You then activate the grenediers stratagem, and also the Volley fire. Meanwhile, your friendly neighborhood officer orders "Take Aim". 10d6 grenades shots, average 35, hit all or maybe miss one or two. On 5s and 6s, to hit, get another shot. We'll call that another 12d6. So now you've gotten at least 75 hits from your 10 man squad. Worth two command points? Probably not. Hilarious anyway? Yes. 

[CoffeeGrunt]

Hmmm, interesting. Now do you get just +1 Shot or the D6. I'm pretty sure it's just +1.

[HenricusTyranicus]

Hmmm, interesting. Now do you get just +1 Shot or the D6. I'm pretty sure it's just +1.

"That unit can immediately shoot again with the same weapon". So if you issued this to a heavy bolter squad, and you get a 6, then you fire again with the same weapon, heavy 3. It seems like the same logic would apply to heavy d6 weapons.

[NatBrannigan]

Is that the wording? I'm only picking up my codex today.

 

If it's not an additional shot but a weapon firing again that's a wee bit better for sure. I thought it was just a repeat of the Imperial Fists Stratagem which is very lacklustre frankly...

[Zectz]

"That model can immediately shoot again". Yeah it's the whole weapon again, I also overlooked the stratagem at first but when going over all the unique regiment stuff I'm really starting to like Mordians.

 

This stratagem is almost broken when you FRFSRF, I can see it working nicely for heavy Bolger teams as well. Apart from that I think it mainly benefits/designed for rapid firing weapons, just like the order which can't be a coincidence.

 

It would be awkward to do correctly though if you use it on a FRFSRF squad for example you need to roll each models hits separately when determining 6's.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Yeah I just got my rulebook and cards, and hot damn they Mordian stratagem is excellent.

[HenricusTyranicus]

 

It would be awkward to do correctly though if you use it on a FRFSRF squad for example you need to roll each models hits separately when determining 6's.

Why? Just count your 6's and shoot that many rifles off again. If some are out of rapidfire range, you can do those separately.

[Halfpint100]

Just has a look at 30 cons and 20 guard doing FRFSRF with that mordian strat. (This may be incorrect due to each 6 potentially allowing 4 further shots, but i left it here anyway):

 

30 cons; 46.67 hits (6.67 extra)

30 cons with sabre; searchlight 80 hits (20 extra)

20 guard; 43.16 hits (6.16 extra)

20 guard with sabre; 65.74 hits (16.44 extra)

 

Sabres help with this strategem so much! 

 

Vet squad with frags and grenadiers strat:

10D6 shots, 35 on average

Basic; 23.3 hits generating 5.83 6s, leading to an average of 20.405 addition shots, 13.6 hits. Total of 36.9hits (13.6 extra)

With sabres; 29.17 hits 11.66 6s, leading to an average of 40.81 addition shots!, 34 hits. Total of 63.17 hits (40.81 extra).

 

After NatBrannigan suggestions further in the topic. Each 6 would give you an extra 4 shots for FRFSRF, not 1 as i calculated above. So here are the numbers with that in mind:

 

30 cons; 120 shots, 40 hits, 20 6s leading to 80 extra shots, 26.67 extra hits. 66.67 hits total

30 cons with sabre; 120 shots, 60 hits, 40 6s leading to 160 extra shots, 80 extra hits. 140 hits total 

20 guard; 74 shots (laspistols for 2), 37 hits, 12.33  6s, leading to 49.3 extra shots, 24.66 extra hits. 61.66 hits total

20 guard with sabre; 74 shots (laspistols for 2), 49.3 hits, 24.65 6s, leading to 98.6 extra shots, 65.73 extra hits. 115 total hits.

Edited October 11, 2017 by Halfpint100

[Zectz]

Maybe I've miss understood it but the way I read it was that if an individual model rolled more than one 6 for example, he only gets to shoot again once, regardless of how many 6's. So if you roll 20 dice and count the 6's you can't tell if those 6's came from the same model or not.

[HenricusTyranicus]

Maybe I've miss understood it but the way I read it was that if an individual model rolled more than one 6 for example, he only gets to shoot again once, regardless of how many 6's. So if you roll 20 dice and count the 6's you can't tell if those 6's came from the same model or not.

Nope. It says they fire again for each 6 rolled. Model rolls 3 6s, model fires three times.

[Guardsman Bob]

Zectz I think you’re recalling how the 6s can only proc once. Sort of like the overall game core mechanic where any dice roll can never be re-rolled more than once.

[Zectz]

Ah right I see now, sorry I misunderstood. Thanks.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Vet squad with frags and grenadiers strat:

10D6 shots, 45 on average

Basic; 30 hits generating 7.5 6s, leading to an average of 26.25 addition shots, 17.5 hits. Total of 47.5 hits (17.5 extra)

 

With sabres; 37.5 hits 15 d6, leading to an average of 52.5 addition shots!, 43.75 hits. Total of 81.25 hits (43.75 extra)

 

If you can combine strategies (unsure if you can). That is 81.25 hits from only 80 points of dudes and 2cp!! that is nuts! (granted on str 3 6" range) those 81.25 hits still kills 27 GEQ or 9 MEQ. pretty funny from just 10 dudes and a searchlight.

D6 average is 3.5 not 4.5, so you'd only generate 35 shots on average. That's about 23 Hits, and about 6D6 extra shots from the Stratagem. So an additional 21 shots landing a total of 37 hits, in average.

 

I still think RF2 at 12" with Lasguns will do more on average though.

 

36 shots. 24 hit, 6 of which proc for an additional 24 shots. 40 hits total. Costs less Command Points too.