Design your own unit.

[Tawnis]

There are a lot of ranges out there with gaps in them and a lot of creative people on the interwebs, so I thought it would be fun to see what everyone thinks would be a good addition to their various armies. A few general guidelines: 

 

- It should fill some kind of gap in the army's current range.

- It should be fun to play as but not miserable to play against. 

- It should fit in well with the faction's lore.

- It should be feasible to make a physical model out of. 

- Each unit should have it's stat-line, weapons, and one special rule for a normal unit, or two for a character. Points are optional as they change over time. 

- A brief explanation of why you chose to make this unit. 

 

Here's my addition to T'au:

 

Vespid Venomwings.

M: 12" T: 4 Sv: 4+ W: 1 LD: 7+ OC: 1
Twin Neutron Pistols: (Assault) (Pistol) (Twin-Linked)
Range: 12" A: 2 BS: 4+ S:5 AP: 2 D: 2
Twin T'au Flame Pistols: (Pistol) (Ignores Cover) (Torrnet) (Twin Linked) 
Range: 12" A: D6 BS: N/A S: 3 AP: 0 D: 1

Stingwing Claws: 

Range: Melee A: 1 WS: 4+ S: 4 AP: -1 D: 1

Wargear Options: Any number of Vespid Venomwings may exchange their Twin Neutron Pistols for Twin T'au Flame Pistols. 

Abilities: 
Core: Deep Strike
Venomstrike: When a model in this unit is removed as a casualty, if there is an enemy unit within engagement range roll a D6. On a 5+ (adding 2 to the result if the unit in range is Infantry or Beast) that unit takes 1 Mortal Wound. 

Wargear Abilities: 

Cluster Grenades: Once per game, when this unit ends a normal move, you can select one enemy unit that it moved over during that move. If you do, roll 1D6 for each model in this unit, on a 5+ (adding 1 to the result for every 10 models in the enemy unit) that enemy unit suffers 1 Mortal Wound. 

Unit Composition: 5 Models: 75pts, 10 Models: 150pts

 

So the idea behind this started when I read the lore that Vespid don't use their stingers in combat and it got me wondering why. I hit on the idea that maybe they are like bees and that they die when they use it and/or some Vespid have evolved in a way to no longer be venomous? So I thought that it would be interesting if some Vespid might use their stingers as a last resort when dying to try and take their enemy down with them. 

 

As for the general kit of the unit, in playing a horde army myself, I notice that a lot of T'au lists struggle to output a lot of damage into horde armies, so a mobile unit with flamers seemed like a great tech option to help deal with that. It has a place in auxiliary cadre too as you want to be in close with your Vespid units and the twin-linked aspect of the weapons helps insure you can take out a model or two which means the unit can support the Hunting Pack as well as a solid initiator unit. 

I look forward to seeing what kinds of units everyone else comes up with. 

[Grotsmasha]

I think I'm an Ed. out of date now, but I had this idea back in 2023  ---- wait, 2022 (time flies, geez...), and my target was also the Tau, was a great bit of fun, and am looking forward to seeing what kind of units people come up with

 

 

[Tawnis]

I think I recall reading that back in the day and liking the design. They were fine in melee, but not crazy good which still fit well into the Tau frowning on close quarters combat. 

 

[Indy Techwisp]

I have an Idea for this (quite a few, even), but Imgur isn't playing ball with me and the format for the relevant units in the Army has changed slightly in our "soon-to-be-Preorder" codex, so typing it up is taking a while.

[Dr. Clock]

Cult Ridgehauler

 

Literally just a Necromunda Ridgehauler in 40k to give the GSC their 'battlewagon' to the Goliath's 'trukk'.

 

125pts

 

M:10" T9 Sv3+ W18 Ld7+ OC4

 

Core: Deadly Demise d6, Firing Deck 10, Transport 22

 

Special Rule: Rugged - attacks against this model reduce their AP by 1.

Wargear: This model is equipped with 1 rapid fire grenade launcher and two heavy stubbers.

 

Basically points are halfway between a Goliath and a Battlewagon on account of being a wagon-worth of firing deck and transport, but -1T, +2W and having far worse weaponry. It's a Neophyte party bus that would be a fun add for variety's sake, and would also be added to Outlander Claw strats everywhere Goliaths are referenced. Maybe it should be 16W not 18...

 

Fun thread!

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Marines

shield intercessors- heavy intercessors but with shields. 4W instead of an invuln.

reapers- melee jump gravis unit.

 

guard

corvus corax light tank- an actual unique light tank, not a variant of chimera hull or taurox.

T9 13W Sv3+ scout 6”

Gothic patter lascannon

36” 2A S11 AP-3 Dd6+1 <rapid fire1>
optional pintle storm bolter, hull mounted heavy stubber or meltagun.

 

orks

lazzkanonon boyz

3 boys with lazzkannons 

36” 1A S16 AP-3 D2d3+1 <heavy>

Edited May 16 by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[Indy Techwisp]

Doing the stats in the new format is a pain 

 

Here's the concepts (These are gonna feel a little familiar if you've seen the "11th ed Wishlist" thread in the TSons Category):

 

Khenetai Occult Marines _{(Basically Assault Rubrics)}

Comes in units of 5 or 10.
Armed with Prosperine Khopeshes and Inferno Bolt Pistols. Khenetai Occult Sorcerer equipped with a Force Stave, Khopesh and whatever the new codex name for Warpsmite is. One marine in 5 can trade out their Pistol and Khopesh for a Prosperine Greatblade (The Khopesh-like Polearm that a bunch of HH TSons units have) for more STR/DMG in exchange for no shooting. Unit's ability would be an "move closer when shot" type ability.

TSons don't really have a dedicated Melee threat that's not a Goat or a Terminator, so this would fill that role.

 

Rubric Havocs

Somewhat self explanatory. Massed Bolters and Flamers are nice, Soulreapers are a decent force multiplier, but we really need some more heavy Ranged Shooting as the Chaos Shooty Army. Armed with some normal Havoc stuff: Lascannons, Meltaguns, Missile Launchers, Heavy (Inferno) Bolters, Plasma Guns, etc. No Flamer or Autocannon/Chain Cannon since we have those mostly covered by basic Rubrics already. Havoc Sorc can have a Plasma Pistol (since we lost those for normal Rubrics) or Inferno Combi-Weapon and a Force Stave, plus an Anti-Armour Psychic Gun (probably not as strong as the one the Termie Sorc has).

[HeadlessCross]

13 minutes ago, Indy Techwisp said:

Doing the stats in the new format is a pain 

 

Here's the concepts (These are gonna feel a little familiar if you've seen the "11th ed Wishlist" thread in the TSons Category):

 

Khenetai Occult Marines _{(Basically Assault Rubrics)}

Comes in units of 5 or 10.
Armed with Prosperine Khopeshes and Inferno Bolt Pistols. Khenetai Occult Sorcerer equipped with a Force Stave, Khopesh and whatever the new codex name for Warpsmite is. One marine in 5 can trade out their Pistol and Khopesh for a Prosperine Greatblade (The Khopesh-like Polearm that a bunch of HH TSons units have) for more STR/DMG in exchange for no shooting. Unit's ability would be an "move closer when shot" type ability.

TSons don't really have a dedicated Melee threat that's not a Goat or a Terminator, so this would fill that role.

 

Rubric Havocs

Somewhat self explanatory. Massed Bolters and Flamers are nice, Soulreapers are a decent force multiplier, but we really need some more heavy Ranged Shooting as the Chaos Shooty Army. Armed with some normal Havoc stuff: Lascannons, Meltaguns, Missile Launchers, Heavy (Inferno) Bolters, Plasma Guns, etc. No Flamer or Autocannon/Chain Cannon since we have those mostly covered by basic Rubrics already. Havoc Sorc can have a Plasma Pistol (since we lost those for normal Rubrics) or Inferno Combi-Weapon and a Force Stave, plus an Anti-Armour Psychic Gun (probably not as strong as the one the Termie Sorc has).

At the same time, it feels out of theme to not go the Flamer or Bolt weapon route. In my mind, this is part of the problem of separating the Cult Legions from the core CSM codex: you lose out on tons of basic coverage. 

[Evil Eye]

I can't really say much for modern rules as I haven't looked at 10th's rules since they dropped (and that was enough to have me go "no thanks, I'm good") but I do have some concepts for units, and how they'd play in classic 40K.

 

Tau Wobbegong Bombardment Gunship: Heavily modified Devilfish chassis, mostly the same at the front, the rear has been rebuilt around a "smart mortar" that launches drone-guided munitions. Essentially a Tau Basilisk. Extreme range, variety of deadly payloads but can only fire on targets designated by markerlight; it cannot fire "blind".

 

Eldar Wraithstalker: Essentially a Wraithlord configured like a War Walker (and also an homage to the RT era Scout Walker studio conversion). Normally carries one heavy weapon (but can be upgraded with a second), has the mobility of the War Walker with the toughness of the Wraithlord. Must be taken along with a Spirit Guide, though they do not have to be anywhere near each other and operate independently. All the while the Spirit Guide is alive and not engaged in combat the Wraithstalker does not have to test for Wraithsight.

 

Tyranid Teslacrine: A monstrous gun-beast actually descended from the Trygon that has developed its bio-electric organs into a huge anti-aircraft weapon-symbiote. Produces arcs of lightning to destroy enemy air support, but also works on more conventional skimmers. Extremely advanced motion-sensitive bio-apparatus allow it frightening accuracy against moving targets, and as such gains a bonus to hit rolls against models that moved in their previous turn. Not very effective against "grounded" targets but extremely dangerous to anything not touching the ground- flyers, skimmers, jump infantry that flew in their movement phase etc.

[Wormwoods]

The main thing I want for Tau is just some non-special character options. I want a Stealth Suit character I can put in a unit, and a non-named pathfinder character. 

 

They don't even have to be good, I just like putting leader models in infantry squads. 

[kabaakaba]

close combat unit for IG, something not mutant abhuman, but still can't justify why mere human can be good at cc ) may be some powerfist suicide gang, but it would be costs like landraider

Edited May 16 by kabaakaba

[Dr. Clock]

Leagues of Votann - Ironkyn Ancient:

 

Classic stompy robot - thinking maybe a bit bigger than a boxnaught, smaller than a Redemptor. More guns because it's Leagues, but they're still BS4+ base

 

155pts

 

M:7" T10 Sv2+ W9 Ld6+ OC3

 

Core: Deadly Demise d3, Deep Strike

 

Armaments (all WS/BS4+):

Twin-linked bolt cannon (right arm)

Mass Hammer (left arm - as Einhyr Champ but +1A; may be replaced with twin-linked L7 missile launcher and 2 Charon missiles [1A, BS 2+, S:14, AP-2, d6+1 damage, Ignores Cover, 1-shot])

MATR Autocannon (shoulder - may be replaced with HyLas beam cannon)

 

Special Rules: 

Soul of Iron - attacks against this model reduce their damage by 1

Grudging Reprisal - this unit re-rolls hits against all enemy units whose attacks dealt it damage it in the previous turn

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Tawnis]

33 minutes ago, Dr. Clock said:

Leagues of Votann - Ironkyn Ancient:

 

Classic stompy robot - thinking maybe a bit bigger than a boxnaught, smaller than a Redemptor. More guns because it's Leagues, but they're still BS4+ base

 

155pts

 

M:7" T10 Sv2+ W9 Ld6+ OC3

 

Core: Deadly Demise d3, Deep Strike

 

Armaments (all WS/BS4+):

Twin-linked bolt cannon (right arm)

Mass Hammer (left arm - as Einhyr Champ but +1A; may be replaced with twin-linked L7 missile launcher and 2 Charon missiles [1A, BS 2+, S:14, AP-2, d6+1 damage, Ignores Cover, 1-shot])

MATR Autocannon (shoulder - may be replaced with HyLas beam cannon)

 

Special Rules: 

Soul of Iron - attacks against this model reduce their damage by 1

Grudging Reprisal - this unit re-rolls hits against all enemy units whose attacks dealt it damage it in the previous turn

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

 

Oh, I really like this. Very thematic for the army. 

[ThePenitentOne]

I want a Corsair Aircraft transport; I want it keyworded so that it can be used in Asuryani and Drukhari armies,

 

My head cannon is that the Corsairs are the Aircrafty folks. I know they can use Hover Tanks, but that doesn't feel the same as aircraft.

 

I won't bother fleshing the unit out with stats and abilities- I'd have it act like a Valkyrie.

[Magos Takatus]

14 minutes ago, ThePenitentOne said:

I want a Corsair Aircraft transport; I want it keyworded so that it can be used in Asuryani and Drukhari armies,

 

My head cannon is that the Corsairs are the Aircrafty folks. I know they can use Hover Tanks, but that doesn't feel the same as aircraft.

 

I won't bother fleshing the unit out with stats and abilities- I'd have it act like a Valkyrie.

Ooh, like a mini Vampire? That would be awesome.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

8 hours ago, kabaakaba said:

close combat unit for IG, something not mutant abhuman, but still can't justify why mere human can be good at cc ) may be some powerfist suicide gang, but it would be costs like landraider

Define good.

you can have specialists that have 3 or 4 attacks, and one or two special melee weapons. Hitting at S3-6 is good for guard but not nearly as good as marines or many other options.

[sitnam]

I'd like a ranged biomporh variant for GSC. Like Hybrid Metamorphs but with Spinefists and Devourers

[jaxom]

10 hours ago, kabaakaba said:

close combat unit for IG, something not mutant abhuman, but still can't justify why mere human can be good at cc ) may be some powerfist suicide gang, but it would be costs like landraider

Penal Legion on Slaught and Frenzon with explosive collars. Str 6, Fights First, FnP 5+, and deal MW on death.

[DemonGSides]

That'd be a sweet lil unit. Just any sort of melee horde unit so I can convince myself to buy some of the Solar Auxilia firefighters to add alongside my lasrifle section that's masquerading as Catachans. 

[Tawnis]

3 hours ago, sitnam said:

I'd like a ranged biomporh variant for GSC. Like Hybrid Metamorphs but with Spinefists and Devourers

That's a great one. GSC ranged output is pretty meh. 

[Dr. Clock]

4 hours ago, Tawnis said:

GSC ranged output is pretty meh. 

Have you... met a Primed and Readied 20 Neophytes + Benefictus? Lethal + Sustained and Ignores Cover + with 1CP Crit 5+ is no joke. Tee up with a Ridgerunner, and things start to die fast. 

 

And then 3 of those bricks is just 1/3rd of a 2k list, and you can bring one back (albeit without the Lethals or brain lascannon) if it dies.

 

Their shooting is fine. It CAN be meh if you run a melee detachment and/or don't take the good shooting buffers, granted.

 

6 hours ago, jaxom said:

Str 6, Fights First, FnP 5+, and deal MW on death.

 

In principle, a great idea, but...

 

S6 Seems a bit excessive for human dregs when something like jakhals' DPS is markedly inferior? If this was Necromunda maybe, but I don't think some random drugs are making random prisoners fight first with power fists? Direct mortals from the collars also seems like it'd need to be more expensive when we likely want them to land near Battleline price?

 

How about

 

Penal Conscripts

 

60pts / 10 or 120 / 20

 

M6 T3 W1 Sv5+ LD6+ OC1

 

melee weapons: 3A WS4+ S4 AP0 Sustained 1

One per 5 has a demolition charge (GSC shooting rules)

 

Scouts 6", FnP 6+

 

Life Without Value: Friendly units may shoot at enemy units in engagement range of this unit. When doing so, any rolls of 1 to hit are resolved as hits against this unit.

 

Been good knowin' ya lads!: In the fight phase, models armed with demolition charges may be destroyed instead of making their attacks. For every model destroyed in this way, inflict d3 mortal wounds on an enemy unit in engagement range of this unit. In addition, whenever a model with a demolition charge is destroyed by a melee attack, roll a dice and on a 3+, inflict d3 mortal wounds on the unit that destroyed the model.

 

Basically just make the 'collars' a sprinkling of bombs you can use in different ways instead of just automatic mortals-on-death which seems a bit out of place in the current meta.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited May 17 by Dr. Clock

[jaxom]

1 hour ago, Dr. Clock said:

S6 Seems a bit excessive for human dregs when something like jakhals' DPS is markedly inferior? If this was Necromunda maybe, but I don't think some random drugs are making random prisoners fight first with power fists?

You’re right, it should be Frenzon, Slaught, and Ghostfire Pollen Extract.

[Moonstalker]

Veteran Tactical Squad

Battleline

5-10 marines

M6 T4 Sv3+ W3 Ld5+ OC2

Bolt Rifles all around.  1 in 5 can swap for a special or heavy weapon.  Sergeant gets full wargear options.

 

I am not sure how to word it, but I'd include combat squadding as one special rule except that it's forced - they can't be fielded as 10 men.  And when combat squaded, the 1 in 5 special or heavy has to be maintained (can't stack two specials in 5 guys).  But, depending on the special/heavy, the squad gains a special rule on their bolters.  For instance, a heavy bolter would give the other 4 guys Sustained Hits.  Flamer would give them free overwatch stratagem.  It'd be a complex special rule but I like the idea of a tactical squad where the special weapon plus bolter guys work out to more than the sum of their parts.

Edited May 18 by Moonstalker

[Osteoclast]

Assault Inceptors: Cuz thunder hammers and inceptors are both awesome.

M10 T6 3+ 3W 6+6D 1OC

 

Melee weapon options:

Twin lightning claws

5A 3+ 5S -2 1D Twin linked

 

Thunder hammer with storm shield (with +1W).

3A 4+WS S8 -2 2D Dev wounds

 

Twin power fists (If other options are underwhelming)

3A 3+ S8 -2 2D Twin linked

 

Abilities: Deep Strike, Hammer of Wrath: Stolen from assault intercessors, 1MW for a 4+ on a d6 for every model in engagement range after a charge.

 

Models should be relatively straightforward even to simply kitbash; I personally just like the idea thematically even if I suspect that normal Inceptors would likely do better in most cases. 

[Arikel]

On 5/16/2025 at 9:17 PM, Dr. Clock said:

Have you... met a Primed and Readied 20 Neophytes + Benefictus? Lethal + Sustained and Ignores Cover + with 1CP Crit 5+ is no joke. Tee up with a Ridgerunner, and things start to die fast. 

 

And then 3 of those bricks is just 1/3rd of a 2k list, and you can bring one back (albeit without the Lethals or brain lascannon) if it dies.

 

Their shooting is fine. It CAN be meh if you run a melee detachment and/or don't take the good shooting buffers, granted.

 

 

In principle, a great idea, but...

 

S6 Seems a bit excessive for human dregs when something like jakhals' DPS is markedly inferior? If this was Necromunda maybe, but I don't think some random drugs are making random prisoners fight first with power fists? Direct mortals from the collars also seems like it'd need to be more expensive when we likely want them to land near Battleline price?

 

How about

 

Penal Conscripts

 

60pts / 10 or 120 / 20

 

M6 T3 W1 Sv5+ LD6+ OC1

 

melee weapons: 3A WS4+ S4 AP0 Sustained 1

One per 5 has a demolition charge (GSC shooting rules)

 

Scouts 6", FnP 6+

 

Life Without Value: Friendly units may shoot at enemy units in engagement range of this unit. When doing so, any rolls of 1 to hit are resolved as hits against this unit.

 

Been good knowin' ya lads!: In the fight phase, models armed with demolition charges may be destroyed instead of making their attacks. For every model destroyed in this way, inflict d3 mortal wounds on an enemy unit in engagement range of this unit. In addition, whenever a model with a demolition charge is destroyed by a melee attack, roll a dice and on a 3+, inflict d3 mortal wounds on the unit that destroyed the model.

 

Basically just make the 'collars' a sprinkling of bombs you can use in different ways instead of just automatic mortals-on-death which seems a bit out of place in the current meta.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Do the catachans still have the bonus to str when fighting in melee? Guard don’t need to be great at close quarter battle, but their should be an option for it, and catachaners with that ability would be the squad best suited for it.
 

Give them catachan machete that allows 2 attacks per model, choice of laspistol, shotguns, or las carbines (18 inch range, but assault 1 instead of rapid fire, so can shoot and still charge), sarge should have pistol and ccw upgrades (bolt, plasma, chain sword, power weapon, power fist). Up to two soldiers per squad can have a flamer OR a melta bomb to take out armour upclose. One soldier can take a vox in exchange for losing the machete. Maybe allow one with a medipack too(again, losing the machete). Can be joined by priests, commisars, command squads and castellans.

 

Even just replacing the basic catachan squad with this one would work in my opinion, or you can have both but the CQB squad are not battle line, call them Jungle Stalkers and the base squad are still Jungle Fighters.  Fills a niche the guard don’t have much for and further cements the role of the catachans as the  choice for sneaky CQB guardsmen.

 

Since it’s past time for the jungle fighters to be upgraded, and even the old kits have all those huge rambo knives, be a good time to see this happen