Thursday, August 29, 2013

Rogue Trader Crew Rules... Rough Draft



The Harcourt Dynasty is a relatively young one, having only been granted their warrant of trade in these waning years of the Imperium. House Harcourt has struggled in the face of receding profits and the unforeseeable disappearance of Captain Elaina Harcourt and her flagship the Arcadian.  This misfortune was met with resolve and stoicism by the remaining Harcourt’s, Including Elijah, Elaina’s Eldest grandson. Elijah did the only thing he could and called upon the houses contacts in the Imperial Navy eventually acquiring possession of a Battle Cruiser from the fleet yards near Port Wander at the Edge of the Koronus expanse and purging a nearby pirate base that had so plagued the sector. Despite these actions Elijah has gained no small amount of Infamy most notably when a flotilla of Ork Vessels invaded a number of systems with Requiems Edge at their head. Although this has never been confirmed by port authorities Elijah does seem a likely suspect as the worlds invaded were holdings of a rival rogue trader who lost a great deal of resource and profit from said attacks. Other whispers say that Harcourt negotiates openly with Eldar pirates and it is doubtful that the prying eyes of the Ordo Xenos can be far from the young Rogue Trader.   

The centuries old steel of the starship groaned audibly as the Requiems Edge re-entered real space. Leaning back in a throne, made of old Terran Oak and Ivory from a fiacla lion, sat Elijah Harcourt. The hint of a smile creased his lips as the Rogue Trader Captain laid eyes upon a new world to explore and plunder...



I have been invited by some friends in Sacramento to play in a narrative campaign. for this event I was asked to make rules for my character and decided to go for broke on a rogue trader crew. How might they operate on the tabletop?

well here is my rough draft. feedback and constructive criticism is welcome as I am striving to make this as balanced and fair a unit as possible. (whist still giving me an excuse to paint up a sweet rogue trader crew!)





Elijah Harcourt  and Retinue……………………………325?
WS:5 BS:5 S:3 T:3 W:3 I:3 A:3 Ld:10 Sv:5+/5++
Elijah Harcourt is an upgrade to an Imperial Guard Company Command Squad. He replaces the Commander.  
Unit Type: Infantry
Wargear: Flak Armour, 2 Hotshot Las Pistols, Dark eldar Djin blade, Frag Grenades, Refractor Field  
Special Rules:
Fellowship of the Void: Harcourts Command squad is drawn from his best officers and therefore uses different standards than imperial guard command squads. They are as follows

Arch-Militant: the arch militant carries a regimental standard, a power-fist a power sword and a las-pistol. He also carries a copy of the Imperial infantryman’s Uplifting Primer and once per game may read from it allowing all Imperial Guard units within 6” to gain Hatred.
 
Astropath: functions the same as advisor.

Explorator: the exploratory is armed with a laspistol, a power axe, power armor, servo arm and frag and krak grenades. He is accompanied by a single servitor to assist in moving valuable, albeit heavy, cargo. Otherwise fuctions as an attached tech priest.

Missionary: the missionary is armed with a close combat weapon, a plasma gun, frag grenades and a Rosarius. Otherwise functions as an attached priest.
Navigator: The navigator carries no additional gear and loses his flak armor. In close combat any model in base contact with the navigator must pass an initiative check to keep from meeting his gaze. If this test is failed than the model in question must then pass a leadership test or be removed from the game as the madness of looking into the warp unprotected devours their sanity. (Eldar and Dark Eldar take this test at a -2 due to their racial fear of she who thirsts. Chaos marines and Grey Knights will always test against Ld 10, regardless of their actual stat. this represents their training/familiarity with the warp and finally Chaos demons completely ignore this rule, but may briefly to say, “I can see my house!”)

Seneschal: functions the same as advisor officer of the fleet.
Void-master: functions the same as advisor master of ordinance, except he is armed with a shotgun instead of las-pistol and close combat weapon. (represents calling in support from the Rogue Traders Fleet)

In addition the Retinue may include one of the following models and further unlock the following units as a scoring elite choice.

none: may take two stormtrooper squads as scoring elites to represent the Harcourt house guard.
Ork Nob: unlocks a single boyz Squad from Codex Orks as an Elites slot.
Kroot Shaper: unlocks a single kroot squad from codex Tau as a scoring Elites slot.
The Unit may take a Chimera transport for 55pts

if you happen to try these rules out yourself please comment below.


Thursday, August 15, 2013

Viva Las Vegas Open

The tickets are payed for and the hotel is reserved!

The Praetorian 23rd are going to Vegas!

Now all I have to do is decide on my list. Since the Vegas Open allows Forgeworld units the temptation arises to go out and purchase a mess of thudd guns and sabre platforms. that said, 6 thudds and 4 sabres is a fair amount more than my hobby budget for this year...

I will be experimenting with manticore missiles and deathstrikes to see if they are viable..


At any rate drop me a line if any of you are heading to Vegas as well. would be awesome to meet up and get a drink.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Shameless plug #1

Ok people this is a shameless plug...

...but

Praetorian army for sale!!!
60 lasguns
6 flamers
4 melta guns
10 grenade launchers
6 heavy bolsters and crew
2 extra crewmen
6 auto cannons and crew
1 missile launcher team
9 las cannons and crew
2 banner bearers
14 officers
6 misc casualties/crew
5 ogryns
10 ratlings

My buddy is selling his guard and is asking $900 and he will ship it. 

That's 144 individual praetorians not including the rats or the ogryn.