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I think a few war machines need a little love. Here are some simple proposed changes.

Mortars

Strength
3(3)

Special Rules
Armor Piercing

reasoning: The current mortar is too weak at attacking troops other than skaven slaves or goblins. In any case, it won't make its points back. You could try to use it to hit something with the center, but you'd be far better off using a great cannon or steam tank. Empire mortars are true explosive shells with fuses. So its whole objective is to spread shrapnel. It will be far better anti-infantry now, and loses its ability to do multi-wound to monsters and such, giving a clear difference in uses for the machines.

Helstrom Rocket Battery

Text
When firing a helstorm Rocket Battery, first roll a D6 - This is the number of rockets fired in the salvo.

reasoning: The current weapon is so inaccurate and weak they just aren't used much. They go to great pains to say the enemy can be blown apart by devastating series of explosions, but you're just as likely to roll 1 as 3 in the current form. A D6 number of rockets would let the weapon truly live up to its fluff and 6 templates that go off course will make everyone nervous. The downside is it could take a lot of dice.

Well D6 is way too random. Wouldn't it be better something like 2D3 or D3+1?

I agree with the usual suspect. 2D3 or D3+1 will be more reliable but with the ability to not be over powered too much. Since it always scatters and it scatters up to 10" it misses its mark a lot or only clips 2 or 3 models per template. Right now with it just shooting 1-3 rockets while the model has 9? it just doesnt sound like a rocket battery to me.

Well, 2D3 is more OP than D6. Clearly the battery is supposed to be pretty random, what with its huge scatter. I think the D3+1 tries to make it "safer" and that is at odds with the overall fluff and unit. 2D3 and D6 are pretty damn close.

I'm not sure if anyone would buy it even with D6. Maybe in the larger games or allies matches.