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.

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.

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. 

Norcon or bust

Last weekend saw me place a respectable 6th overall out of 36 players and Great Escape Games Sacramento contest of champions.

I fought orks, space wolves and grey knights and won all my games tho some by greater margin than others.

so I figured that I would give it another go!
this Sunday I will be in redding for Norcon.

my list and maybe some battle reports will follow but for now if you find yourself in northern California, swing by and say hello to the man in the pith helmet!

My Death company chaplain challanges Mike O's Grand master at the CoC. 

Even tho I won the game, this fight I didn't do well in as the grand master broke the poor chaplain across his knee leaving him broken and filled with feelings of inadequacy. 

Well it's been a long damn time...

Gearing up for yet another tournament at great escape games in Sacramento! 

This time around I've opted to call upon the astartes for some support. 

I must thank my lovely wife for helping out with the paint!

Bring the thunder..

By bolt pistol and chainsword!

The bruise-iarch.

Angels Encarmine death company. 

Onward to Victory 23rd!

Just a few shots from my recent tournament.
3/3 wins and 20/20 on paint!

unfortunatly those wins were by too narrow a margin to net me any awards and my paint competitors were just fantastic so no prizes there but overall a great day and some great games.

apologies for the poor picture quality.

A squad of mortars shell the ork line in game 1!

my deployment. veteran squad, psykers platoon command and 20man blob outside the walls on my left flank with the manticores, 30man blob and company command inside the walls.
the lone sentinal was an important part of my strategy moving into position with a scout move and first turn. The mortar squad not pictured is a good 15" to my left flank.

The sentinal uses his search light to counter the night fighting on turn 1. this results in the smoke clouds seen in my opponents deployment as the manticores unhindered by the darkness rain death down upon the awaiting orks, killing a battle wagon, 4 or so lootas inside and a few boyz standing too close.

this cunning ploy proves deadly for the poor sentinal as he quickly finds that the enemy can see his oversized flashlight in the dark...

the enemy rides down to assault my mortars. this proves their undoing as they roll a 1" consolidation and are forced to remain clumped up from assault for my manticores to target them.

having been delayed till turn 4 by the officer of the fleet the enemies 2 dakka jets finally make their attack runs but it is too little too late. Victory to the 23rd Praetorian!

I forgot to get pictures of my game 2. This is unfortunate mostly because my opponent has a fantastically converted godzilla themed army...

my third game was against the Tau. Here you can see the company banner and the 20man blob holding the far left flank. The manticores fired their missiles dry during this game and barely seemed to scratch the enemy. I don't know if I've ever thrown so many 1's with these guys.

The Enemy's not so secret weapon drops in to say hello. In the background you can make out the source of the enemies power.... bottled water.

here is the final display board.

hope you enjoyed.

-J

Final preparations for battle

Apologies for the poor picture quality.

Front view of the board for tomorrows 1750.

The lone sentinal acts as a searchlight spotter for the manticores during night fighting.

First Rank Fire!

The battle psykers cast their minds about the battlefield while overseer Strapp ensures their "safety"

prepare for preliminary bombardment!

flight of valkyries inbound.

squads 4 and 5 man the skyeagle missile turret and hold the bunker on hill 17.

here a lowly orderly can be seen taking stock of ammo researves.

the Colonel pours over tactical maps with his advisors! "there right bloody there! look where I'm pointing damnit!"

the Company colors.

Blue Company; Black Platoon command!

Field justice, up against a wall.

and there you have it! hopefully will be getting some decent paint scores for these tomorrow and maybe even win? that may be asking too much. List and strategies to come.

-J

Current projects

It's been awhile since my last meaningful post. I've been too busy with life and school and being horribly lacking in hobby funds to name just a few activities. I have however managed time to start work on a proper display board for tournaments.


here you can see the base minus a few key personnel...

and here is a little higher view with the flight of valkaries providing support.

adding anothr platoon and some battle psykers!

this is a fun little idea I had to encourage a more orderly base camp.
anyone guess what it is?

That's right! it is a Lasgun rack!

and that's all for today! Cheers.

Blood and Sand!

Hallo everyone, I know it's been awhile and I never call anymore but I really must ask a favor. I have entered into the Arena Rex contest to see who has the best "gladiator Face" the winner will have their likeness sculpted as a game piece and win a complete set of all the figure released for the system in its first year of production. my humble request to you is to follow this link and vote for my picture.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=620452044648307&set=pb.591959317497580.-2207520000.1364916454&type=3&theater

And if you have not yet taken a look at the game itself you should glance at the kickstarter

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1596689756/arena-rex-gladiator-combat-in-a-mythic-age-0?ref=live

I also have new guard things to post as well. just as soon as I get the pictures taken so stay tuned for the revival of the 23rd Praetorian!

Rogue Trader: The Arcadian

Our last game of Rogue trader saw our crew face off againts a rival dynasty both in space and upon the wrecked bridge of a treasure ship! The crew managed to best their foes in every way possible and negotiated the surrender of the enemy captain. they now have managed to gain "exclusive" rights to exploit the system they fought over. to round it off we have a picture of the Dynasties flagship... 

Once a ship of the Imperial Navy, S-37 was decommissioned and sold to the Harcourt Dynasty of Rogue Traders. Recommissioned after extensive refits as the Arcadian, the Vessel now serves and the flagship of Trader Elaina Harcourt.

we have been playing out the fleet battles a bit more and I'm starting to get the hang of it. It feels almost like a very much more involved version of battlefleet gothic which is and always will be the game that got away... ah well, here's to a good weekend all.

1250pt CoC 2013! First Tournament of the year.

The beginnings of the 23rds new commanding officer! After the dramatic downfall and subsequent purge by the inquisition the 23rd Praetorian Guard was qued up to be raised as a new regiment. Chosen to lead this newly reformed regiment is this blurry officer! who hopefully will have a full paintjob and sculpted eppaulettes by next week. Just in time to lead me to victory at the Contest of Champions 1250 point tournament!

The full army consists of the following:

HQ: Company Command Squad with Regimental standard, Vox caster, Las-cannon, and Chimera.

Troop: Infantry Platoon consisting of three squads with auto-cannons, 1 vox caster and 1 commissar and a special weapons squad with 2 flamers and a demo charge.

Troop: Veteran Troopers with 3 melta-guns

Fast: Vendetta

Fast: Vendetta

Heavy: Manticore

Heavy: Manticore

Fortification: Aegis defence Line with Icarus Las-Cannon(sky eagle missile launcher)

the vets and sws go into the vendettas and go hunting while the platoon holds objectives or mans the wall. All this under the careful precision (couldn't type that without laughing) of the artillary companies support!

ah yes and of course a theme song....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iRTB-FTMdk

ah yeah, thats right.

Apocalypse Then

The Inquisitor tapped out a beat with his finger tips. A steady rythm that set his guest on edge. His voice cold as  knife cut the air between the two men. "Let us start from the beginning trooper, Tell me about Rourkses Prime." The trooper sat unflinching his uniform pressed and his beard well trimmed. "My lord, it all began the night Col. Soulban came back from the temple we found in the jungle."

The troopers eyes dropped. "the Colonel started by force marching the regiment halfway across the bloody planet, or so it seemed. We lost a lot of good men to the jungle in between. He had us dig in around an old statue. Nine days later the Astartes arrived."  The Inquisitor lifted his dataslate to read the file. "Your report states that these marines did not make contact with your platoon." "No Sir." The trooper intoned. "The Company Commissars would not let us anywhere near their camp."  The Inquisitor eyed the trooper, scrutinizing his every breath. "You state also in your report that you position came under assault by astartes of the Ultramarines and Salamanders chapter?"

The trooper paused for a moment "My lord, had we but known the Colonel had fallen to chaos we would have relieved him and..." the Inquisitor's voice cut sharply into the troopers words. "irrellevant, what actions you might have take do not alleviate you or your regiment from the damage you have caused." The trooper bowed his head. "we accept that shame. but let it be on us and not the regiment, the Imperium doesn't need to know our shame." the Inquisitor eyed the trooper. "your colors have already been returned to your world. the taint lies with the flesh not the flags." The troopers eyes misted at the thought of the 23rd being restored to honour but his expression soon changed as the Inquisitor spoke again. "As for you trooper, you will accompany me to the Gothic sector. I have use of you there."

 The Praetorian position. before the battle

The final shot of the Game. The objective had been for the marines to secure their statue. Unfortunately for them my titan held them off where lesser warriors fell.