IHF's Archive: Sketching the Heresy - The Manufactorum

[Slips]

I did think maybe but I don't think the BA have a monopoly on angelic terms, and I hope they don't go overboard on angelic stuff for the BA anyway.

I would have included the Dark Angels alongside the Blood Angels but they aren't as "Italian Renaissance" as the BA Are in terms of Angelic Themes.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

I get your point about the BA & DA Slips, but the Blood Angels seem to use a blood-focused naming convention & the Dark Angels tend to use darker names - I honestly think Seraph suits the EC's the best of the three, and having thought about it for a few days, I can't see the unit with any other name, so I've decided to change it

[Slips]

I get your point about the BA & DA Slips, but the Blood Angels seem to use a blood-focused naming convention & the Dark Angels tend to use darker names - I honestly think Seraph suits the EC's the best of the three, and having thought about it for a few days, I can't see the unit with any other name, so I've decided to change it

Well, consider that the EC's unit - Phoenix Guard - and taking into account their preferred method of war, maybe using Mythical Birds of Prey would suit them Better?

 

Sure, it might step on some toes; things like Hawk, Raptor, Raven, Eagle being pretty common in 30k. But, other things like Rocs and other such mythical Birds

 

It would help not generate any potential confusion though its possible there still might be; Raven Guard in general, the Corvidae of the Thousand Sons, etc. but it wont be as immediately apparent as an Angel Named unit that isn't part of the DA or BA.

 

But thats just me.

[Fire Golem]

I still think Seraph works fine for EC, personally. Edited May 26, 2015 by fire golem

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Fair doos Slips - I'm leaving them as Seraphs for the time being, I'll keep an eye out for any alternate names I think would be cool

 

Anyway, some Mechanicum goodies I talked about a while ago, to round out the Thallax / Ursurax category:

 

MECHANICUM MATARAX COHORT [HEAVY SUPPORT]:

 

Conceived in the mid Great Crusade era, the Matarax were developed to provide additional support to the lumbering hulks of the Ordinati, built to provide heavy firepower against any opposing force which would seek to exploit the animate weapons’ lack of mobility. Founded upon the successes of the Lorica Thallax, the Matarax sacrifice the thrust units of the Thallax to integrate a series of inertial dampeners, additional targeting arrays and an auxiliary weapon mount to provide a dedicated heavy weaponry platform, outfitted with some of the Ordo Reductor’s most devastating weaponry of it class.

 

Like many of the Ordo Reductor’s most accomplished works during the Great Crusade, the Matarax was gradually disseminated to myriad sects and factions of the Mechanicum by a variety of means, with a number even reaching the arsenals of the Legiones Astartes. Although some amongst the Techno-orders of the Mechanicum considered the sacrificed manoeuvrability of the Matarax an unacceptable concession, the sheer destructive potential of these cybernetic tech-thralls ensured Matarax Cohorts endured within the order of battle on both sides of the Heresy.   

 

Matarax:   WS: 3   BS: 4   S: 5   T: 5   W: 3   I: 2   A: 2   Ld: 8   Sv: 4+

 

Unit Composition:

* 3 Matarax

 

Unit Type:

* Infantry

 

Wargear:

* Lorica Thallax

* Eviscerator autocannon

* Maxim bolter

* Close combat weapon

* Frag grenades

 

Special Rules:

* Bulky

* Stubborn

* Relentless

* Enhanced Targeting Array

* Fusillade Attack

* Ardex Machina (note this rule applies only to the Matarax’ Maxim bolters, or the weapons they are exchanged for)

 

Dedicated Transport:

* A Matarax Cohort unit may take a Triaros Armoured Conveyor as a Dedicated Transport

 

Options:

* The squad may include:

            - Up to an additional six Matarax

* The entire squad may have:

            - Melta bombs

* Any Matarax may exchange their close combat weapon for a:

            - Heavy chainblade

            - Chainfist

* The Cohort may be upgraded with one of the following augment upgrades:

            - Icarian

            - Destructor

* Any Matarax may exchange their maxim bolter for one of the following:

            - Volkite caliver

            - Meltagun

* Any Matarax may exchange their eviscerator autocannon for one of the following:

            - Phase plasma-fusil

            - Photon thruster

            - Conversion beamer

 

Eviscerator Autocannon:

Drawn from the vast archives of techno-arcana within the depths of Mars, the Eviscerator is a weapon previously abandoned due to the lack of an appropriate frame which could tolerate its firing stresses whilst maintaining peak accuracy. Further developed specifically for mounting upon the Matarax frame, the Eviscerator is capable of a rate of fire greater than any non-vehicular variant of the autocannon, a highly effective – if unsophisticated – weapon.

 

Eviscerator Autocannon:   Range: 36”   Str: 7   AP: 4   Type: Salvo 2/4

Edited May 26, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Nakuth]

^ That would be really nice to round out the Thallaxi cohorts of the Ordo Reductor. Would love FW to make a similar unit to this.

[depthcharge12]

Always like more cyborgs :)

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Another unit for the Mechanicum I've had in reserve for a while, with the switch to entirely original artwork, I've finally got an outlet for depicting them properly, so expect some sketches over the summer:

 

LYSSAX BATTLE-COVENANT [ELITES]:

 

The Lyssax Tech-Priests of the Legio Cybernetica are named for the intimidating warframes which carry them into battle alongside their hulking battle-automata, towering monstrosities replete with burnished plating and arcing power-fields. The Lyssax are amongst the most militant of the Legio Cybernetica’s priesthood, driven to unleash the terrifying power of their Order’s most advanced weaponry upon those who would oppose the might of their steel-clad creations, directing them amidst the maelstrom of battle with unflinching zeal.

 

Despite their awe-inspiring power, the Battle-Covenants of the Lyssax are held in mixed favour by their peers within the Legio Cybernetica, where some regard them as excessively avaricious, even envious of the automata which they maintain, seeking to outmatch their power over warfare. Whatever their standing at the time, the Lyssax grew in significance parallel to that of the Legio Cybernetica at large during the years of the Heresy, with some Taghmata even enforcing compulsory induction into the Cybernetica sub-cult for those Tech-Priests who held dominion over their battle-automata cohorts.  

 

Lyssax Adept:    WS: 3   BS: 5   S: 5   T: 6   W: 3   I: 4   A: 2   Ld: 8   Sv: 3+

Lyssax Magos:   WS: 4   BS: 5   S: 5   T: 6   W: 3   I: 4   A: 3   Ld: 9   Sv: 3+

 

Unit Composition:

* 1 Lyssax Adept

 

Unit Type:

* Lyssax Adept: Monstrous Creature

* Lyssax Magos: Monstrous Creature (Character)

 

Wargear:

* Lyssax warframe

* Cortex controller

* Twin-linked lightning gun

* Mauler bolt cannon

* Pair of lightning claws

 

Special Rules:

* Stubborn

* Covenant Cybertheurgy

* Bonded Tech-Priests

 

Options:

* The unit may include:

            - Up to two additional Lyssax Adepts

* A single Lyssax Adept may be upgraded to a Lyssax Magos

* Any model in the unit may purchase shock chargers

* Any model in the unit may exchange their twin-linked lightning gun for one of the following:

            - Twin-linked multi-laser

            - Twin-linked phase plasma-fusil

            - Twin-linked photon thruster

* Any model in the unit may exchange their mauler bolt cannon for one of the following:

            - Kheres assault cannon

            - Irradiation engine

            - Darkfire cannon

            - Graviton imploder

            - Heavy conversion beamer

 

Lyssax Warframe:

Lumbering armoured exoskeletons, the lyssax warframes are constructed by the tech-priests of the Legio Cybernetica to grant them sufficient destructive and defensive capabilities to accompany their automata charges into the most hazardous of warzones, so they might experience but a fragment of the Omnissiah’s power.

 

A model equipped with a lyssax warframe has a 3+ armour save and a 5+ invulnerable save. Additionally, the model has the Extremely Bulky, Lumbering Advance and Feel no Pain (6+) special rules.

 

Covenant Cybertheurgy:

Every model in the unit has the cybertheurgy special rule - however, only one model in the unit may use a cybertheurgy power each turn, but for each additional model in the unit the model attempting to use a power gains a +1 modifier to their Leadership value for the purpose of determining whether the power takes effect.

 

Bonded Tech-Priests:

An army may not contain more Lyssax Battle-Covenant units than it has units with the Cybernetica Cortex special rule.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Right, the next unit I'll be illustrating will be the WE's Subjugator Support Squads, so I've given them some points values & fluff below:

 

WORLD EATERS SUBJUGATOR DEATH SQUAD:

175 POINTS

 

A formation which gradually developed over time rather than being formally conceived, the specialist tactical support squads assigned the moniker of ‘Subjugators’ by the Iterators of the 203^rd Expedition evolved concurrently to the change in nature and battlefield conduct experienced by the XII^th Legion in light of its widespread adoption of the Butcher’s Nails.

Whilst the unified charges of the World Eaters still remained astonishingly effective in battle, their conduct became increasingly unpredictable and susceptible to the ebb and flow of combat as the Nails’ effect distorted the struggle between individual bloodlust and discipline within the XII^th Legion. Often leaving haphazard, isolated pockets of resistance in their wake as the warriors of the World Eaters rushed forward to engage the next available foe, the absolute destruction unleashed by their assaults faded, with unnecessary casualties suffered from surprise attacks and ambushes as the World Eater’s Captains failed to reign in the excesses of their Legionaries once loosed.    

 

To compensate for the piling casualties, a number of specialist divisions of the Legion which had become oft-overlooked as their heritage as the War Hounds was discarded were re-tasked as a rearguard force, utilized to ‘mop-up’ bands of survivors abandoned by the primary assault. From these forces the Subjugators slowly grew, groups of support marines wielding brutal arms best suited to the task of executing the bloodied remnants of the Legion’s legendary charge, and sadistically proficient at bringing death to those who had escaped its grasp.   

 

Subjugator:   WS: 4   BS: 4   S: 4   T: 4   W: 1   I: 4   A: 1   Ld: 8   Sv: 3+

Subjugator Champion:   WS: 4   BS: 4   S: 4   T: 4   W: 1   I: 4   A: 2   Ld: 9   Sv: 3+

 

Unit Composition:

* 4 Subjugators

* 1 Subjugator Champion

 

Unit Type:

* Subjugator: Infantry

* Subjugator Champion: Infantry (Character)

 

Wargear:

* Power armour

* Sarum-pattern rotor cannon

* Chainaxe

* Frag and krak grenades

 

Special Rules:

* Legiones Astartes (World Eaters)

* Support Squad

* Hardened Armour

* Red Harvest

 

Dedicated Transport:

* As long as it numbers no more than 10 models, the squad may choose a Rhino as a Dedicated Transport. Note that if the army contains a character that has one of the Rites of War special rules, other Dedicated Transport options may be available for the squad.

 

Options:

* The World Eaters Subjugator Death Squad may take:

            - Up to 5 additional Subjugators

+25 points each

* The Subjugator Champion may take any of the following options:

            - Exchange their Sarum-pattern rotor cannon for a nuncio-vox and bolt pistol

Free

  - Exchange their Sarum-pattern rotor cannon for a nuncio-vox and plasma pistol

+5 points

            - Exchange their Sarum-pattern rotor cannon for a nuncio-vox and caedere weapon

+10 points

            - Exchange their chainaxe for a power weapon

+5 points

            - Augary scanner

+5 points

            - Artificer armour

+10 points

 

Red Harvest:

When attacking Infantry units which have already suffered at least one casualty in a previous turn, all of the Subjugators’ ranged attack gain the Shred Special Rule.

 

Sarum-Pattern Rotor Cannon:

A shoulder mounted variant of the common rotor cannon, the Sarum-pattern exchanges durability for a high-powered motor and dedicated supply of depleted-isotope slugs.

 

Sarum-Pattern Rotor Cannon:   Range: 30”   Str: 3   AP: 6   Type: Salvo 3/4, Pinning, Rending

 

 

The main units I used for comparison were the standard tac support squad & the IW's Iron Havocs - my evaluation is that the Hand Flamers / Sarum Rotor Cannons / Red Harvest should come in slightly under the Havocs' Heavy Bolters / Tank Hunters / Deadly Aim cost-wise.

 

What do y'all think? 

 

(On a side note, the downloadable / printable version of Kaesoron's rules has been approved here for any of you interested)

Edited February 7, 2017 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Just a little experiment about the possibility of writing some fluffy rules for individual auxiliary units to go alongside the Legion Auxilia illustrations I'll be doing - the idea being they're all 'support' units, with pretty basic rules - maybe a single new special rule, but trying to reflect their nature via equipment / existing special rules. Thorakata seem to be one of the auxiliary formations we know the most about, so here goes:

 

IRON WARRIORS THORAKATA AUXILIA PLATOON [TROOPS]:

 

Thorakite Auxiliary:   WS: 3   BS: 3   S: 3   T: 3   W: 1   I: 3   A: 1   Ld: 7   Sv: 5+

Thorakite Prime:         WS: 3   BS: 3   S: 3   T: 3   W: 1   I: 4   A: 2   Ld: 8   Sv: 5+

 

Unit Composition:

* 1-3 squads, each consisting of 19 Thorakite Auxiliaries and 1 Thorakite Prime

 

Unit Type:

* Thorakite Auxiliary: Infantry

* Thorakite Prime: Infantry (Character)

 

Wargear:

* Flak armour

* Auxilia lacarbine

* Close combat weapon

* Frag and krak grenades

 

Special Rules:

* Instill Order (Thorakite Prime only)

* Disciplined Fire

* Support Squad

* Platoon

 

Options:

* Any model in the Platoon may exchange their auxilia lascarbine for an auxilia lasrifle

* A single Thorakite Auxiliary in each squad may take a Nuncio Vox

* A single Thorakite Auxiliary in each squad may take a Vexilla

* Any Thorakite Prime in the unit may take any of the following options:

            - Exchange their close combat weapon for a power weapon

            - One breaching charge

            - Melta bombs

* If the platoon contains three squads, then every model in a single squad may exchange their auxilia lascarbine for one of the following weapons:

            - Heavy chainsword

  - Shotgun

            - Rotor cannon

            - Flamer

            - Heavy stubber

            - Grenade launcher

            - Volkite caliver

 

 

Dedicated Transport:

* Each squad in the platoon may choose a Dracosan Armoured Transport as a Dedicated Transport. Alternatively, if it contains two squads, then the entire platoon may choose an Auxilia Gorgon Heavy Transporter as a Dedicated Transport.

 

Platoon:

All the squads comprising a platoon must be deployed simultaneously or, if held in Reserves, count as a single unit, with all of its squads required to enter play at the same time. After deployment however, each squad is considered a separate Troops choice for the purposes of scoring or denying objectives, and yields up Victory points if destroyed as per the Victory Conditions for the mission being played

Edited June 11, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Marshal Rohr]

My idea for Thorakata was a blending of the Solar/Imperial Auxiliary armies. The Primary Detachment would be drawn from the Imperial Auxilia List, with an allied Detachment from the Solar Auxilia List. Basically the Solar Auxilia are your hoplites, fighting with their close order drill bonus and extended range, while the militia act as hypaspists, screening the Solar Advance. Since I only ever dream big, I was imagining 80 Thorakata Hoplites in firing lines, backed by a trio of Leman Russ Incinerators and a hard flank of 20 Velatarii. Commanded by a Legate or TCS. The militia would use the Warrior elite provenance (since I want to avoid SoTDA because I dislike power armored militia) and maybe the one that boosts their WS. The militia sections would form the left and right flanks of the Solar Firing line. Backed by a trio of Medusas, and 6 quad mortars these fellas would be a tough nut to crack behind heavy fortifications.

 

Being IW of course, everybody is behind an aegis or wall of martyrs.

[sitnam]

My one thought for the Subjugators is too givw them CCW's in adition to hans flamers. Wven as warhounds it'd be fluffy for them to chargw a targ3t they just shot up, and it helps compensate all the S3 ranged.

 

On Thorakata do you basically get 3 special weapons per platoon or can everyone get sn upgrade as long as you have 3 squads?

[Hesh Kadesh]

Being fair, Subjugators have S3 Shred for the most part, equivalent to better than S4, and with Rending and Pinning can rip through enemy light infantry and 40 Rending Shots is a lot vs MEQ's on a full squad too (34ish hits, 5 ish rends 15ish wounds is 10 dead MEQs

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

My idea for Thorakata was a blending of the Solar/Imperial Auxiliary armies. The Primary Detachment would be drawn from the Imperial Auxilia List, with an allied Detachment from the Solar Auxilia List. Basically the Solar Auxilia are your hoplites, fighting with their close order drill bonus and extended range, while the militia act as hypaspists, screening the Solar Advance. Since I only ever dream big, I was imagining 80 Thorakata Hoplites in firing lines, backed by a trio of Leman Russ Incinerators and a hard flank of 20 Velatarii. Commanded by a Legate or TCS. The militia would use the Warrior elite provenance (since I want to avoid SoTDA because I dislike power armored militia) and maybe the one that boosts their WS. The militia sections would form the left and right flanks of the Solar Firing line. Backed by a trio of Medusas, and 6 quad mortars these fellas would be a tough nut to crack behind heavy fortifications.

 

Being IW of course, everybody is behind an aegis or wall of martyrs.

 

Sounds really cool - I like the idea of using Solar Auxlia to provide the tanks & heavy hitters, while you pack the Militia list with infantry, artillery emplacements & rapiers - the strength of the Militia list really is in its flexibility

 

My one thought for the Subjugators is too givw them CCW's in adition to hans flamers. Wven as warhounds it'd be fluffy for them to chargw a targ3t they just shot up, and it helps compensate all the S3 ranged.

 

On Thorakata do you basically get 3 special weapons per platoon or can everyone get sn upgrade as long as you have 3 squads?

 

The original build had the Subjugators with chainaxes too, but I removed them partially to bring them in line with other support squads, which have pistols, but can't get CCWs, and partially because I wanted their purpose to remain focused as ranged support troops. Their rotor cannons are their main weapons - the hand flamers are there to give them the competence to deal with smaller units in assault if there are 5 man units which can be 'mopped up'.

 

Basically - the Subjugators are a ranged WE unit - I wanted to make that clearer - plus, like Hesh said, "all the S3 ranged" becomes pretty nasty when it's 40 shots which have rending, pinning & shred.

 

I've cleared up the wording on the Thorakata to 'every model in a single squad' - so long as the platoon is at max size, you get 20 auxiliaries with special weapons. I've also dropped the standard weapons to auxilia lascarbines, which can be swapped out to lasrifles - this is essentially because when I do the drawing, I wanna give them las-sten guns

Edited June 11, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

'Noticed' that its all been pretty wordy recently, so here's a really ugly mock-up of the Subjugator illustration:

aren't I good to you?

[Hyaenidae]

Wuh...

 

I....

 

...am going to be broke, trying out all your conversions. Damn you, IHF, for being so awesome. 

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Ha, apologies Hyenidae - unfortunately the incessant stream of ideas doesn't seem to show any promise of stopping anytime soon :P

 

If it's any consolation, the sarum pattern rotor cannons should be relatively easy to convert if you can get your hands on some 30k lascannons - all you need to do is remove the laser's barrel at the 'coil' section (leaving the lower support), and swap it out for the rotor cannon's barrel (then again, that of any appropriately sized chain weapon would do). Just say the battery box on the back is an ammo drum and you're in murderous, high-velocity business

[GhostMalone]

I will build these for my ZM world eaters

[Raktra]

 I wouldn't be surprised if the Iron Hands molds didn't get a little more use at FW from the inspiration you brought to a Legion that is often overlooked and has far too little presence on these boards. 

It's IHF's threads that both got me to join the forum and start doing 30k. My entire army's appearance is based around that image of a red-armed Iron Hand he did awhile back. If no-one else then I'm a testament to the truth of this.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

I will build these for my ZM world eaters

 

Man, that's too cool - hope they're not too much of a PITA to make :P

 

 

 I wouldn't be surprised if the Iron Hands molds didn't get a little more use at FW from the inspiration you brought to a Legion that is often overlooked and has far too little presence on these boards. 

It's IHF's threads that both got me to join the forum and start doing 30k. My entire army's appearance is based around that image of a red-armed Iron Hand he did awhile back. If no-one else then I'm a testament to the truth of this.

 

 

Seriously dude, that's massive - I'm a huge fan of your stuff, and I knew that the red-armed IH was the inspiration for your colour scheme, but to hear that it's the reason you joined the forum is crazy. Gives me a real boost in terms of acknowledging there's an audience for this continuous stream of madness :P

 

Who knows, maybe I will look into getting in touch with FW as so many people have suggested - although after I have a larger portfolio under my belt

 

Thanks Raktra   

[GhostMalone]

They will be easy just wondering how they will be fed? Once the concept arts finished I'll start working on them

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Like I said in the lascannon conversion suggestion, I think the easiest option is a box-mag mounted at the back of the cannon to counter-balance the barrels, but with the rate of fire of chain weapons, a belt-fed variant linked to the backpack would be pretty easy to justify, albeit tricky to model.

 

Basically, whatever's easiest

Edited June 14, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Okay - what with E3, the Witcher 3 and reading through Tempest (as well as re-reading Betrayer to re-vitalize my image of the WE), I'll admit that I haven't done any more work on the Subjugators illustration

 

However, I haven't been completely idle, as I've been thumbing through my copy of Collected Visions for some inspiration, and I've come up with a few ideas - the first of which is related to my Legion-specific Consul concepts. I've decided that in the same vein as FW's Narik Dreygur & Autilon Skorr, I'm gonna use the opportunity of the new Consul rules to make some homebrew characters as examples of the specialist Consuls, using names, visual inspiration & a couple of rules pointers from the cards' artwork in Collected Visions.

 

In addition, I've also been having a look at some of Visions' artwork as inspiration to further create some new units, such as:

 

*Harbingers of Death - Erebus' bodyguard, gonna have some relatively mild sorcerous abilities, as well as being decent all rounders

*Dark Heart Disciples - similar to above, but these guys are Kor Phaeron's own brand of frothing zealots, who'll have a buffed form of Dark Channeling, and a hefty CC bonus, albeit with a slightly suicidal bent

*Scrodha 'Immolator' Destroyers - Sons of Horus specialist Destroyers, the idea being that those who fell most rapidly to the malign influence of Chaos were channeled into the Legion's Destroyer cadres, so they'll get some cool destroyer-style chaotic weapons/abilites

*Imaldgorn 'Dementor' Possessed - more SoH, this time infiltrating / scouting possessed, with a focus on fear-based abilities & reducing enemy Ld     

*Arendi Honour Guard - RG elite command squad - less stealthy than some RG stuff, but fast and ferocious in CC

*Hydra's Eyes Possessed - AL possessed marines - with the XXth Legion's tendency towards exploring all tactical possibilities, I'd imagine that after Isstvan V, the AL would have experimented with producing their own version of the Gal Vorbak - rules wise, they'll be less powerful and less aggressive, with plenty of chaos-based bonuses, but a more 'clinical' approach

*'Punisher' discipline squads - basically they're Maloghurst's enforcers within the SoH, and will work like a command squad, with Ld boosting abilities, but a chance that non-IC characters in nearby squads will be executed if they fail morale checks

*Wardens of the Gate - Ultramar border guard, get lots of bonuses when they're within their deployment zone, give movement buffs to nearby allies

[Marshal Loss]

Eagerly await the Sons of Horus units!

[TDF]

*Hydra's Eyes Possessed - AL possessed marines - with the XXth Legion's tendency towards exploring all tactical possibilities, I'd imagine that after Isstvan V, the AL would have experimented with producing their own version of the Gal Vorbak - rules wise, they'll be less powerful and less aggressive, with plenty of chaos-based bonuses, but a more 'clinical' approach

I can imagine some Alpha Legionaries being very irritated by the nature of chaos producing very inconsistent, unpredictable results and others embracing the randomness and wide variety of tactical applications.