Rogue Trader Combat Patrol and the Future of Agents

[ThePenitentOne]

The most recent White Dwarf has a Combat Patrol list for Rogue Traders, and it left me with mixed feelings.

 

First, I'm happy to have ANY support for Agents, so I'm grateful that the combat patrol exists, simply because it's better than nothing. But combat patrols, by their nature, are hella simple- a set list, two enhancements that are either/ or, two secondaries that are either/ or and 3 strats. It isn't much, but I feel like it's proof of concept for actual Agent detachments... Which I desperately want.

 

But here's the thing: I've heard rumours about Inquisition combat patrol boxes... And again, better than nothing. But it makes me nervous, because I'm afraid that GW is going to let Agents be combat patrols and nothing more.  And it's a shame, because 8th and early 9th came so close to getting it right. Unfortunately, 10th has further to go to get it right than either of those editions, because of the blandifying of all things psychic and the loss of equipment customization.

[sairence]

There was a recent leak that was potentially from an upcoming Agents codex, talking for example about the Chambers Militant. Nothing substantial beyond that though.

 

It's a bit surprising, since in the past they said they don't really envisage Agents as a force on its own in the 40k battlefields. But I guess that was before the numerous Agents-related Kill Team boxes.

[Remain_Indoors]

7 hours ago, sairence said:

 

 

It's a bit surprising, since in the past they said they don't really envisage Agents as a force on its own in the 40k battlefields. But I guess that was before the numerous Agents-related Kill Team boxes.

I think you’re right that it’s been spurred by Inquisitorial Agents and Exaction Squads selling like hotcakes. I’ve contributed by buying far too many sets of Elucidian Starstriders to make my Rogue Trader army.

[ThePenitentOne]

Yeah, I need another box of Inquisitorial Agents so I can build all the options, and at least one more box of Arbites... But I'm biding my time because there might be full combat patrol boxes that contain them at a bit of a discount. Mandrakes are on the radar too, but I don't need the box because I don't play Night Lords- I'm an Emperor's Children guy when I do CSM. 

[Emperor Ming]

I'm not gonna get over hyped by any potential agents stuff, 

 

Ill expect disappointment  

 

[Arikel]

I’m expecting nothing and that way mayhaps I will be pleasantly surprised. 

[ThePenitentOne]

I don't let expecting the worst prevent me from hoping for the best- and the Coteaz rumour is credible because we don't have a modern plastic Malleus Inquisitor (unless you were lucky enough to scoop the anniversary Erasmus Cartovolnus model... And luckily I was). I only trust the rumour as much as I do because  we have Greyfax for Hereticus and Draxus for Xenos.

 

But you know, it chokes me a bit that Eisenhorn is one of the most beloved characters in the entire IP, and many people's favourite BL series besides and they still haven't given him the plastic respect he deserves.

 

Probably saving that until the TV series (if that's still coming... I know Henry Cavill getting into the 40k film scene shook things up a bit).

Edited March 28 by ThePenitentOne

[brother_b]

I think 40K is 100% the system for inquisition. I’m super hyped. 40K is just a skirmish system, even the biggest armies have maybe 100-120 models. Even in epic style you could represent an inquisitor with a stand of minis. I digress…

 

My hope is they get their own special upgrade kits for stormtroopers/guard. I hope they get to take the navy breachers and other units, and get some heavy infantry of their own.

 

My question though is what will their vehicles look like? Upgrade spruce and rhinos? What about heavy weapons or anti-armor?

 

Those questions interest me. And I don’t just want brood brother style guard or marines or sisters. I know that’s an easy fix but really can’t fathom what it would be.

[ThePenitentOne]

Yeah, they actually included Agents in the Apocalypse game, not that they've supported it at all lately. I remember downloading the rules for them from Warcom... Probably still have them kicking around. I could see an Epic Scale Inquisitor + retinue on a stand. No point in Ordo Xenos, and Hereticus were formed after the Age of Apostasy, so while they work thematically they wouldn't be lore accurate... Unless GW wakes up and realizes that setting LI in the Heresy era limited their design space.

 

Malleus though... They would work. I think they were created during the Heresy. 

[Lord_Ikka]

2 hours ago, ThePenitentOne said:

Malleus though... They would work. I think they were created during the Heresy. 

The Inquisition didn't come into being until after the Heresy, the closest thing to them was Malcador's Chosen/the Knights Errant.

[ThePenitentOne]

Thanks for clearing that up for me- the lack of Xenos and SOB has left me utterly uninterested in the era, so I was never sure.

 

 

[Lord_Ikka]

I honestly have no idea how LI works (was never really into Epic or Adeptus Titanicus either), but in lore there were definitely enough Knights Errant to form some sort of small "hero" unit that could go with the game. As far as the Chosen go, we don't really know what a lot of them were up to/did in general, besides assisting the Sigilite in his duties in the palace. Several of them are former military, and others later became part of the Inquisition, so a similar role isn't out of the question- that of specialists like Imperial Assassins or investigators.

[sairence]

16 hours ago, ThePenitentOne said:

But you know, it chokes me a bit that Eisenhorn is one of the most beloved characters in the entire IP, and many people's favourite BL series besides and they still haven't given him the plastic respect he deserves.

 

Probably saving that until the TV series (if that's still coming... I know Henry Cavill getting into the 40k film scene shook things up a bit).

 

To be fair...it's a pretty excellent resin kit, and not that old. So I wouldn't hold my breath on a new one any time soon.

[Lord_Ikka]

I enjoyed my resin Eisenhorn, the sculpt was great.

[Cpt_Reaper]

I was discussing this with the gang at my LGS. In theory, Imperial Agents could work both as a standalone army and a "allied force" just like Imperial/Chaos Knights.

 

How I'd do Imperial Agents is us it to represent all military forces that fall outside Astartes, Sororitas, Militarum and AdMech.

• Move Tempestus Scions into IA.
• Add in the Taurox/Prime
• Add in Valkyrie/Vulture dual kit (Do it GW)
• 5 Detachments (Ordo Malleus, Hereticus and Xenos, Navy and Scions)
• Scions, Arbites and Voidsmen are battleline choices
• Keep the rule for X Character and X Retinue units per game size allied into other Imperial forces
• Generic Characters are Inquisitor, Rogue Trader, Scion Command Squad
• New Entourage unit (Rogue Trader unit consisting of Navigator, Zealot, Servitor and Scout with a further 0-4 generic fighters like Acolytes)

[Dr. Clock]

On 6/19/2024 at 2:00 AM, Cpt_Reaper said:

Keep the rule for X Character and X Retinue units per game size allied into other Imperial forces

Respectfully, this part can get in the sea. Why can't this just be 500 pts like other factions? The daemons fix was a fine way to avoid too much weird spam opportunities IMO.

 

I am otherwise incredibly interested to find out the status of Deathwatch in all this. I do not intend to go above the ~25 Proteus bois in my collection, I just hope that the oldmarine unit gets a bit of a look on this. Ideally, Deathwatch will just benefit from the army rules and at least one detachment rule... I just hope they can resist making the Ordo detachment rules relevant only vs parts of the meta. It's one thing to attach some detachment rules to limited units in a list, but if those rules also then only apply depending on opponent I will never take them.

 

My biggest hope is that I can go back to taking like 2 kill teams, a single Knight, and then a bunch of random 'beleaguered defenders' for screening and scoring.

 

I definitely hope we see rhinos, chimera and taurox all available... even if they're keyword locked in some measure. I expect the team will be scrambling to make this a viable army at 2000pts, and it'll be devilishly hard to do that without the ability to use whatever metal bawkses you might prefer.

 

I guess I'm just trying to manage my hopes and expecatations, because this seems like to be a pretty bold move, just hard to say in what direction right now.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.