The Tyranids and Slaugth are not the only beings who encroach upon the milky way from beyond it's farthest rim. A new, strange Empire of xenos has emerged in it's earnest after what is believed to be Millenia of operating in secret, and has started to spread across the galaxy, doling out "tests" to various species and worlds, enslaving those who fail and welcoming in those who succeed. Predating on all species just as much as humanity, they are an unknown enemy, new and frightening, bringing in strange powers that do not obey the rules of the warp, fantastic technology, and legions of terrible new sights for the galaxy. Their leaders call themselves the Ethereals, somewhat reminiscent of the Tau, especially as they are a conglomerate of multiple species bound into one empire, but whereas the Tau Empire themselves form the bulwark of their Empire, the Ethereals hang in the shadows, doling out psychic commands from afar and only rarely partaking in the field of battle. And while the Tau at least put on a show of having all member races be equal and valid members of their empire, the Ethereal Collective is very clear on who has ultimate power within their nation.
Tau septs, Imperial colonies, Eldar maiden worlds, Necron tombs, Hrud Clans, Rak'Gol Warbands, Dark Eldar Raiders, Tyranid splinter fleets, Chaos strongholds, and Ork Empires have all been acquainted with the Ethereal Empire's "tests" with the natives of many of these planets who had survived being deemed failures and enslaved into the Empire. Those deemed successes are drawn in for fates unknown, but the Ethereal Empire continues to grow, incorporating the defeated, twisting them into slaves or destroying them if they are not pliable, and though they have known some setbacks, their incursion continues to grow ever stronger, carving out their own formadible nation situated primarily in the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, although their excellent faster than light communication and travel systems allow them to operate nearly anywhere they choose.
The Ethereal Collective is noted for it's love of reverse engineering the technology of others. Examples of foreign technology are taken in great amounts by the Ethereal Collective to be studied for any useful traits for incorporation and adoption. Some technology apparently remains quite difficult for them to fully access. The Necrons and Slaugth, despite their similar lack of interaction with the warp in their sciences, have apparently managed to keep much of their technological secrets away from the Ethereals. The Eldar have also managed to hold firm with their technological progress, though the question is how long can the Eldar keep the interests of another highly psychic species at bay. The Orks are proving to be rather difficult to reverse engineer, but given the amount of leftovers they leave behind, the Ethereals have at least an understanding of the engineering behind their works, though the psychic gestalt field implanted into the Orks by the old Ones remains beyond their ability to crack. Humanity and the Tau and a whole host of minor xenos and what few truly independent human factions remain are however, not quite so fortunate.
The Ethereals seem to be most strongly interested in races that possess what they call "the Gift" which is known to be their term for psychic ability. Those who possess psychic ability or potential and are abducted are lucky in that the Ethereals will usually spare them dissection, but are unfortunate in that they are almost certainly doomed to a lifetime of servitude, breeding, and experimentation. They most strongly desire species that possess both good physical abilities and the gift, which most notably includes the Hrud, Humanity, the Tyranids, Eldar, and the Orks. Though they are perfectly willing to assimilate species that do not possess these traits, they have made it clear what they are interested in. But the more important question of why they are so interested in what they seek in the first place, remains mysterious. Only vague allusions that they have come to "reclaim what was lost long ago and prepare you for what lies ahead". Leading to fervent speculation of their possible meaning.
Even more baffling is their cryptic allusions to having been present long before and a deep interest in the factions that were either born out of, or were heavily involved in the war in heaven, as well as a seeming pre-existing familiarity with humanity. Some believe that they are not truly from outside the galaxy, but were instead lying in hiding for aeons. Others suspect that they are not invading, but are actually returning. Others still simply believe that they are lying and that they are either a newly risen power or another extra-galactic threat from beyond the most distant spirals of the Milky way or even denizens of another Universe attracted by the blinding light of the Astronomicon, the opening of the eye of terror, the onset of the Tyranids, the slow formation of Ynnead, or any other such phenomenon. All that is known is that they have never been so active in recorded history.
With mysterious motivations, a clouded past, and other wordly powers they are the enemy unknown.
------The Ethereal collective------
The Ethereal collective operates on a hybrid of fleet and orbital based and planetary based habitation that makes determining it's actual size and sphere of influence very difficult. Though the seeming core of their activities takes place in the North-eastern regions of the galaxy known as the Inciphis region; a hotbed for eternal, endless conflict by every faction that can reach it, they are quite capable of projecting power anywhere in the galaxy thanks to their highly effective wormhole based faster than light systems. The Collective (or Empire, depending on which scholar you ask) itself is based on a hierarchy determined by the Ethereals themselves. The Ethereals themselves are placed on top, acting as the robed overlords of all the species that submit to them.
The Snakemen and synthetic Cyberdiscs inhabit a relatively stable middling position, while the Mutons and Lobstermen are focused entirely on military affairs and have no place in the hierarchy outside of war. The Sectoid and Deep One's station in life varies depending on it's psychic abilities, which can range from cannon fodder to being only somewhat under the Ethereals. The Zudjari and Tasoth are only just below the Ethereals themselves, while the Gilmen are dumped on by virtually everyone. The likes of Chryssalids, Drones, Silacoids, Celatids, Floaters, Reapers, Tentaculats, Xarquids, and such are either animalistic (in terms of intelligence if not in behavior) or are entirely robotic, placing them outside of the hierarchy proper. Within each species exists their own hierarchies, with even the Ethereals themselves deferring to Uber Ethereals and Uber Ethereals to Masterminds and with even these delineations having their own ranks within themselves.
The overall military and industrial power of the Collective/Empire is unknown. Their ability to quickly and easily shuffle around forces makes determining what they can actually commit to a fight even more difficult, and committing resources into putting the Collective to the test when the galaxy is already going to hell is something nobody can afford. What is known is that it seems to prefer highly air and space mobile forces to protracted ground campaigns, and is an especially infantry heavy military. Addittionally, Ethereal technology is incredibly sophisticated, with high powered and reliable plasma weapons being standard issue among them, while their Psionics are similarly some of the best and most casually used ever seen. The Ethereal's military in particular excels in small unit tactics, psychological warfare, and special forces actions, resulting in a force that can and will strike wherever it pleases, seeming to relish in terror operations made to break the will of an enemy by devastating their civilian population.
Utilizing their high speed, low drag and shock and awe tactics, they can overcome forces many times their own size, though they have trouble if they are pinned down by forces too heavy for them to contest directly or refused to be intimidated by their methods of warfare.
----End fluff piece-----
As I am something of an XCOM fan, I decided that the aliens shown in the various incarnations of the series could actually work in
40k without too much alteration. This army is primarily going to be based on mid-short ranged shooty infantry with some monstrous creatures and maybe one or two ground vehicles as well as potent fliers. The primary influences here will be from XCOM enemy unknown, with a smattering from the Old trilogy and the Bureau.
Psionics will also play a big part in the army, with Ethereals probably equaling or surpassing Farseers to make up for their utter lack of physical ability, while lower ranking Psions like Sectoid Commanders also play deadly mind games. And yes, I am going to say that man to man, Mutons not only surpass, but will pummel Space Marines into a pulp.
So without further ado. As a note, currently this codex can roll on any
BRB psyker table for it's psyker powers until I find a way to differentiate the XCOM psychic powers sufficiently.
HQ:
Sectoid Commander
1 unit. (May purchase up to four per slot)
WS: 3
BS 4 S 3 T 3 W 2 I 4 A 2
LD 10
SV 5++ invulnerable Cost 50 points per model
Unit type: Infantry
Slot:
HQ
Wargear: Heavy Elerium Plasma Pistol, Mind shields. May buy mind enhancements for 25 points, Shield enhancements (25 points)
Heavy Elerium plasma pistol
Rng 12 inches', S7, Ap2, Assault 1
Mind shields: Highly esoteric technology developed by the Ethereals, Mind Shields guard the many potent psykers of the Collective from the dangers of their own abilities. A unit with a mind shield may use it's deny the witch roll against perils of the warp wounds (treated as a ML1 witchfire attack), though it still loses the casting of that power. In addition, for the purposes of deny the witch, a unit with mind shield has a mastery level of one higher than it actually does.
Mind enhancements: Increase mastery level by one.
Shield enhancements: Improves invulnerable save by one.
Special Rules: Psyker (ML2) (Knows Puppet master and horrify by default, with Psychic scream added if mind enhancements are purchased), Greater Mind merge, Small bodies, Independent character.
* Small Bodies: Sectoids are much shorter and thinner than most creatures you see on the battlefield and as such are much harder targets to hit. Sectoids and Sectoid Commanders have +1 cover saves. If it does not already have a cover save, it gains a 6+ cover save.
* Greater Mind Merge: At the beginning of your turn, you may place or remove a Mind Merge token from any Sectoid or Mechtoid squad you control. Sectoid units with a Mind Merge token receive +2 Ballistic Skill and +1 Toughness. However, any Sectoid unit with a Mind Merge token which suffers a casualty must remove two Sectoids as casualties instead of just one with no saves of any kind allowed for the second casualty. The sectoid commander also allows it's own leadership,
WS, and
BS to be used in place of normal statistics unless the target sectoid unit's values in the listed attributes are already better, and is always the last model to be removed by the extra-wounds suffered during mind merging.
Fluff: The Sectoid occupies multiple places within the hierarchy of the Ethereal collective, from just about the bottom rung of any sapient species within the Ethereal Collective to a surprisingly high and honored place within this alien polity. The Sectoid commander occupies such a place, often seen leading armies when the Ethereals cannot be bothered to do the same. Despite their small stature, their dangerous psychic abilities and leadership abilities make them incredibly dangerous and valuable support units *more to come*.
Mechtoid Commander:
260ppm, Heavy Support
WS4 BS5 S6 T6 W4 I4 LD10 A3 SV2+ 5++
Unit Composition - 1
Unit type: Monstrous creature
Special Rules: Mind-merge, Stand and fire, Fleet, Independent character, Psyker (mastery level 2, knows Puppet Master and Horrify by default, gains Psychic scream as a default power if upgraded to mastery level 3), Independent character
Greater Mind-merge: As they are still sectoids at heart, Mechtoids can psychically link with other sectoids to create mind-merge links. Mechtoids that are mind-merged gain a 4++ save (Mechtoid commanders gain a 3++), but all Mechtoids in a unit suffer an additional wound if one unit is lost as a casualty. Both Lone and Grouped mechtoids can exchange tokens with Sectoid, other Mechtoid, or Sectoid Commander units with the associated benefits and penalties for all involved. The mechtoid commander also allows it's own leadership,
WS, and
BS to be used in place of normal statistics in a unit it joins unless the target sectoid unit's values in the listed attributes are already better, and is always the last model to suffer extra-wounds inflicted by mind-merging.
Stand and fire: If a Mechtoid has not moved during it's turn, it can elect to fire it's weapons twice to bombard the area in a storm of firepower. It may also choose to fire two overwatch shots.
Wargear: Mind shield, Twinlinked Plasma mini-cannons, may trade both for Particle Cannons for +25 points, May swap out one or both guns for Kinetic Impact Modules, Flamethrowers, Elerium plasma Grenade launchers, Restorative mists, Electro pulse, or Proximity launchers for free, May purchase mind enhancements for +25 points, Shield Enhancements +25 points.
Plasma mini-cannons: Highly effective and deadly weapons surpassing even Heavy-plasmas in sheer amount of death spewed, Plasma mini-cannons can gut whole Astartes squads and put most comparable weapons to shame and disgrace in comparison.
Plasma Mini-cannons:
RNG 24'', S7 AP2 Heavy 6
Particle cannons: Meant to aid the forces of the Ethereals in destroying the precious tanks of the humans, the Particle Cannon
Kinetic impact modules: Comparable to power fists, these add much needed melee capacity to the Mechtoid, allowing it to brawl with even Tyranid Monstrous creatures or Dreadnoughts with efficiency and power. Perhaps it's most distinctive feature is the addition of hugely powerful rockets for even more momentum with each blow, allowing it to strike quite quickly. One kinetic impact module increases the strength of a Mechtoid by 2, it's attacks by one, and it's weapon skill by one. Adding two grants it another attack, improves it's initiative by one, and allows it to count as having assault grenades.
Flamethrower: Firing out jellied Elerium, Mechtoid flamethrowers are obscenely hot, easily capable of melting through most forms of armor and flesh and have the following profile.
Flamethrower:
RNG Template, S6 AP3 Heavy 1
Elerium Plasma Grenade launcher: Launching plasma grenades at a distance to hit distant foes and force opponents out of cover, this weapon is highly lethal against fools who believed themselves safe behind their fortifications.
It has the following profile: 48" range S5 AP5 ignore cover, heavy 2, blast, or it can use armor penetrating warheads for the following profile: 48'' range, S7 AP3 ignore cover, heavy 2.
Restorative mists: Grants
FNP in a 6'' bubble around itself, two expand the bubble to 12''
Electro-pulse: A mechtoid with an Electro-pulse can center a large blast around itself dealing an automatic S4 AP5 haywire hit to any non-friendly unit caught by it. Two increase the damage to S6 AP4 with two chances for Haywire.
Proximity mine launcher: A mechtoid with this weapon can use a weapon that turns an area within 48'' inside of a small blast marker into dangerous terrain for the rest of the game. Two proximity mine launchers allow for two small blast marker placements.
Mind shields: Highly esoteric technology developed by the Ethereals, Mind Shields guard the many potent psykers of the Collective from the dangers of their own abilities. A unit with a mind shield may use it's deny the witch roll against perils of the warp wounds (treated as a ML1 witchfire attack), though it still loses the casting of that power. In addition, for the purposes of deny the witch, a unit with mind shield has a mastery level of one higher than it actually does.
Mind enhancements: Increase mastery level by one.
Shield enhancements; Improves invulnerable save by one.
Fluff: To be done
Ethereal:
WS3 BS5 S3 T4 W4 I4 LD10 A2
SV 3++
300 points
Unit Composition - 1
Unit type: Infantry
Special rules: Adamantium will, Stubborn, Deflection, Above melee, Commanding presence, Psyker (Mastery level 4, knows Warp blast (see codex tyranids), Puppet master, horrify, psychic shriek, leech essence, and if upgraded by mind-enhancements, Vortex of Doom (or whatever you call the sixth power on the telekinesis table), Split fire, will to survive, Omnidisciplinarian.
Deflection: Any shooting attack that is sucessfully saved by an Ethereal's invulnerable save is deflected back at the targeting unit, gaining an automatic hit with the same strength,
AP, and special rules as the offending hit.
Above melee: An Ethereal may still make usage of all psychic powers even if caught in assault
Commanding presence: All friendly models within 12'' may use the Ethereal's leadership, ballistics skill, and weapons skill for all intents and purposes.
Will to survive: If met with instant death attacks, an Ethereal may make a deny the witch roll (treating instant death as a mastery level 1 witchfire attack) to survive and only take one wound in the process.
Omnidisciplinarian: If an Ethereal decides to change any number of it's default powers, it may reroll any roll it makes on the tables of the relevant discipline and choose which of the two powers it desires and can ignore any rolls of powers it already has by default.
War gear: Mind shield, may take Mind enhancements for 25 points, shield enhancements 25 points, may take gift recollectors for 25 points.
Mind shields: Highly esoteric technology developed by the Ethereals, Mind Shields guard the many potent psykers of the Collective from the dangers of their own abilities. A unit with a mind shield may use it's deny the witch roll against perils of the warp wounds (treated as a ML1 witchfire attack), though it still loses the casting of that power. In addition, for the purposes of deny the witch, a unit with mind shield has a mastery level of one higher than it actually does.
Mind enhancements: Increase mastery level by one.
Shield enhancements: Improves invulnerable save by 1.
Gift recollectors: Each time a model with this special rule expends a warp charge, roll a
d6, on a 5+ it regains another warp charge that it may use for any purpose. The gift recollector also allows the same power to be cast multiple times per turn so long as the user has enough warp charges.
Fluff: The Ethereals are a species of monstrously powerful psychics who dwarf the talents of the likes of Hive Tyrants, Chaos Sorcerers, Farseers, and Librarians by tremendous margins. To See into the mind of an Ethereal is to encounter an intelligence vastly superior to that of men. It is a gate way into a mind that is ancient even by the standards of the Eldar, a passage into a mental ocean of experiences and thoughts that drives most who make this contact into madness, catatonic states, or servitude.
Though some take relief in that they have no combat ability worthy of note outside of the power of their mind, the power they do have is terrible to behold indeed. Disciplined soldiers reduced to shuddering, whimpering wrecks, tanks being turned inside out, the minds of whole squads being made into little more than recepticles for the will of the Ethereal. Lesser psykers can do little but feebly pound away at psychic shields beyond what they can craft and lesser weapons can barely even touch an Ethereal.
Obsessed with pursuing those with "the gift" or with unique biological or technological skills, the Ethereals guide their collective to war with other species and factions, seeking to add more servant races to the fold and collect that which intrigues them. (To be done)
Troops:
Sectoid
5-20 units.
WS: 2
BS 3 S 2 T 3 W 1 I 4 A 1
LD 5
SV - Cost 7 points per model
Unit type: Infantry
Slot: Troops
Wargear: Elerium Plasma Pistol
Elerium plasma pistol
Rng 12 inches', S5, Ap4, Assault 1
Special Rules: Brotherhood of Psykers, Mind merge, Small bodies.
* Small Bodies: Sectoids are much shorter and thinner than most creatures you see on the battlefield and as such are much harder targets to hit. Sectoids and Sectoid Commanders have +1 cover saves. If it does not already have a cover save, it gains a 6+ cover save.
* Mind Merge: At the beginning of your turn, you may place or remove a Mind Merge token from any Sectoid squads you control. Sectoid units with a Mind Merge token receive +2 Ballistic Skill and +1 Toughness. However, any Sectoid unit with a Mind Merge token which suffers a casualty must remove two Sectoids as casualties instead of just one with no saves of any kind allowed for the second casualty.
Fluff: The basic soldier of the Ethereal Empire, the Sectoid would be almost pathetic were it not for their weaponry, surprising intelligence, and psychic ability. Though short ranged, once Sectoids get in firing range, they prove surprisingly deadly their Elerium powered plasma pistols blowing clean through many forms of armor as they get closer and closer to their enemies. The torrent of fire shot out from a paired unit of sectoids has been known to destroy even Space Marine tactical squads, while the aliens seem to have a strong understanding of warfare, heading for cover wherever possible and setting up flanking attacks.
Though weak and meager in close combat, Sectoids are not expected to function in melee or indeed, expected to remain alive for very long. They do not need to, each Sectoid is an utterly expendable genetic clone of the other, making the diminuitive aliens' lives easily spent. During the eradication of an Eldar warhost from Alaitoc, ten thousand sectoids were sent to Ambush the Eldar's commanders after an Ethereal ripped their location out of the mind of a captured Farseer, gunning down the Seer council without mercy even as they were burnt from the inside out by psychic fire. But even such mighty Eldar warriors could not stand against the tide of sectoids, and one by one, the Eldar perished. Many Eldar were taken prisoner that day for who knows what purpose.
*Credit to Marik for giving me ideas to smooth over the Sectoids.
And with credit to CthulhuIsSpy I give you the Muton
40
ppm, troop choice
WS4 BS4 S4 T4 W2 I4 LD5 A2 SV3+
Unit Composition - 2 mutons
May choose to add up to another 7 mutons at 40
ppm
Special Rules : And they shall know no fear, Stubborn, Fear, Blood Call, Suppression, Intimidate
Blood Call : Once per game, a unit of mutons may make a blood curdling roar. All mutons in the squad gain fleet, furious charge, and may rerolls all failed rolls to hit.
Suppression : A squad with this special rule may make overwatch against a squad that has shot against them that turn.
Intimidate: If a muton unit is hit but is not killed for whatever reason, it may force a fear check on the unit that fired on it. This is on a per unit, not per model basis for the sake of simplicity.
Wargear: Elerium Plasma Rifle, Elerium Plasma Grenade, Close Combat weapon
Elerium Plasma Rifle: 18" range S7 AP2 Assault 2
Elerium Plasma Grenade: Assault grenade, 8" range S5 AP5 ignore cover, blast or 8'' range S7 AP3 ignore cover (may be used as krak grenades).
The whole squad may choose to swap their Elerium Plasma Rifles with Light Elerium Plasma rifles for a five point discount
Light Elerium Plasma rifles for -5 points: 24" Range S5 AP4 Assault 2 Accurate*
*Rerolls ones to hit
The whole squad may choose to purchase Elerium plasma pistols for one point each.
Two Mutons out of every squad may take heavy plasmas (20 points), Plasma snipers (15 points), Blaster launchers 25 points) or Alloy cannons (15 points)
Heavy Plasmas: The equivalent of a light machine gun, the heavy plasma has a high rate of fire, making it perfect for suppression; as well as superior range to it's plasma rifle counterpart. To be in range of the Heavy Plasma is to be met with a green storm of death that makes a mockery out of terminator armor and can even bring down Carnifexes in short order from the fire of just two Muton weapon specialists.
Heavy Plasma: 36'' Range, S7 AP2 Assault 4
Plasma Snipers: Though you would never figure the huge, brightly coloured brutes as being skilled marksmen, Mutons are combat savants to a degree similar to that of Space Marines or Orks; instinctually knowing the ups and downs of battle. This includes impeccable accuracy substantially in access of what Humans can accomplish. A single shot from a Muton's plasma sniper is capable of ending battles or toppling regimes, and there are precious few forms of defense that can block a plasma sniper's green stream of death.
Plasma Sniper: 48'' range, S7 AP2, heavy 1, Sniper, accurate.
Blaster launcher: The Ethereal's dire techno-sorcery extends even to technology well understood by all factions, such as the missile. With incredibly sophisticated guidance systems, the Blaster launcher is made even deadlier by it's Elerium boosted Fusion core that shows remarkable advantages over their Imperial or Eldar counterparts in terms of Firepower, armor penetration, and accuracy.
The blaster-launcher has three warheads for it's purposes, all of which have a range of 48'' and have the missile lock and accurate special rules.. They are as follows.
Armor penetrator: S9 AP2, blast, heavy 1
Wide-area blast: S5 AP5, large blast, heavy 1
Air-hunter: S8 AP3, skyfire, heavy 1
Alloy Cannon: Using the same principles that power Ethereal plasma weaponry to propel a spray of Alien Alloy shards, the Alloy Cannon is excellent for close quarters assaults as clears out anything put in front of it with incredible efficiency. Though short ranged, the Alloy Cannon has incredible power capable of instantly reducing a Space marine or a tyranid warrior into a pulp and being so good at penetrating armor that the Adeptus Mechanicus needs to bring what few captured examples they have to facilities usually reserved for the quality assurance of tank killers to get meaningful results, as the shards penetrate any realistic amount of ballistics gel they can put in front of it..
Alloy cannon:
Rng' 12 S8 Ap2, shred, assault 2
Fluff: The most fearsome of the Ethereal's basic soldiers, Mutons were born, bred, and altered for war, making them in a way, like twisted alien reflections of the Imperium's own space marines. But Mutons are much greater and stronger than Space marines physically, weighing in at over five hundred (two hundred seventy five seemed a bit low) kilograms when unarmored. This solid half ton of muscle is armored in thick armor and has a seemingly innate understanding of combat tactics to rival even a space marine. Using weapons that can blow apart tanks and Terminator Armor, Mutons have proven to be a terror on the battlefield, with their might first being proven when the Ethereals sought to test the Tyranids.
Using Psionic wormholes that bypassed the shadow in the warp, the Ethereal fleet dropped out before a world being devoured by a tendril of hive fleet leviathan. Seeming to disregard any possible danger, the Ethereal fleet descended upon the Tyranids, boarding them and forcing their way inside. The mutons proved to be very worthy foes for the Tyranids, getting in deeper and deeper into the ships as they spearheaded the deadly assaults of the aliens, helping to steal away Tyranids for abduction and experimentation, and slaughtering Xenos warrior beasts. Though telepathic Tyranids proved to be an immense problem, the Mutons in the end prevailed.
The Tyranid Tendril was destroyed when a psionic black hole was delivered into it's hive ship once the Ethereals had taken everything they wanted from the Tendril Fleet, including a live Norn-queen. At the climax of the battle, a unique, powerful Carnifex was sent forth, it's single eyed form regenerating nearly all damage, tearing through many of the aliens, but an Elite Muton team descended upon the creature and blasted it with plasma until a lucky shot eventually struck it's empty eye socket, sending it into convulsive spasms and seemingly killing it, allowing the creature to be dragged away to be autopsied.
Elites:
.
WS 3
BS 4 S 3 T 3 W 1 I 5 A 1
Ld 7
Sv:- PPM: 12
Special rules: Infiltrate, suppression, fleet, stealth, acute senses, leap.
Leap: A Thin Man may ascend vertical obstacles as if it were a jump trooper, and may also jump on top of buildings to attain a vantage point
Wargear: Light Elerium Plasma Rifle
24" Range S5 AP4 Assault 2 Accurate*
*Rerolls ones to hit
Up to four thin men may switch their light Elerium Plasma rifles for Plasma Snipers for 12 points each.
Plasma Snipers: Thin men are infiltrators, scouts, and stealth units, and unsurprisingly; snipers as well. Working with great accuracy, Thin men are more easily concealed than Muton snipers, and have an easier time getting into position to make that kill shot. A single shot from a Thin man's plasma sniper is capable of ending battles or toppling regimes, and there are precious few forms of defense that can block a plasma sniper's green stream of death.
Plasma Sniper: 48'' range, S7 AP2, heavy 1, Sniper, accurate.
Slot: Elites
Thin men may be upgraded to have scouts for two points per model and outflanking for three points per model.
One thin man per squad may be upgraded into a leader for an additional eight points.
Leader thin men have the following statline
WS 3
BS 4 S 3 T 3 W 1 I 5 A 1
Ld 9
Sv:-
Special rules: Infiltrate, suppression, fleet, stealth, acute senses, leadership, Leap Poison cloud
Leadership: A thin man squad may use it's Leader's Leadership score for all purposes.
Leap: A Thin Man may ascend vertical obstacles as if it were a jump trooper, and may also jump on top of buildings to attain a vantage point
Poison cloud: Being of reptilian origin, quite likely of an ophidian nature, Thin men are capable of spewing forth large clouds of lethal toxins that slowly sap away an enemy's strength, making them weaker and easier to kill. Once per turn, in addition to shooting, a Leader Thin mper squad may shoot a weapon with the following profile
Rng 24 (they seem to be able to fire as long as they have line of sight) S-
AP- Ignores Cover, Weakening
*Weakening, a victim of a poison cloud has a poisoned token placed on them, when a poisoned token is placed, treat as if hit by a rad grenade, with the exception of not counting for instant death
(Alternatively
Rng' 24, SX (4+ poison) AP4 Ignores Cover, Blast.)
Fluff: Dastardly infiltrators, the Thin Men once served the Ethereal Empire in their natural shape as the Snake Men, but it was found that there was a better use for them after finding that their bodies were highly pliable to extremely radical genetic alteration. This lead to twisting them into infiltrators and giving them extensive education on the ways of their enemies, sneaking into enemy societies and engaging in acts of sabotage, intelligence gathering, and infiltration. Though some may believe a Thin Man should stick out like a sore thumb, the Ethereals are masters of their craft, and the Thin Men dress in distinctly unmemorable fashions, usually masquerading as respectable but not noteworthy members of society such as middle ranking men of commerce or local politics. Sometimes, some have even been found to infiltrate the military.
Thin men are hard to focus on due to a memetic low grade psychic effect that helps them slip from one's memory more easily and generally makes them uninteresting to the eye. They tend to be unassuming and garner little attention to themselves and as such make excellent spies. However, the eyes of a thin man have always been a problem to engineer to resemble the target's people, requiring them to conceal or explain them away. On the battlefield, Thin men work as reconnaissance and advanced striking units, coming in from angles the enemy did not expect while flight capable units descend from on high.
This proved crucial for defeating the Bloody harvest Dark Eldar kabal, which proved easy to infiltrate as the Dark Eldar's love of body modification and lack of oversight for the movements of individuals within their society made it a simple matter for the Thin men to hide away in their civilization, gathering intelligence on these new foes and damaging their workings from within. The Bloody harvest Kabal, having attacked the Ethereal Empire in search of new and interesting slaves to take, was very surprised to find that over the years, a substnatial fraction of the Kabal had slowly been replaced by Thin men, the Archon simply assuming that being even taller and lither than usual was just a new bodily fashion trend.
But during what was supposed to be a routine raid against the newcomers, the Thin men sprung a trap, releasing his prisoners and giving them back their weapons and opening up a second front as another force of aliens came in to cut off his Kabal's retreat. In the end, it was for once, the Dark Eldar who were abducted and tortured by mysterious raiders. The Archon would eventually find himself in a large, clear container with two metallic arms, facing a large number of onlooking aliens and beating futilely on the glass, screaming and begging for release before seeing some of the Thin Men who brought about his downfall staring coldly at him, smiling venemously before the arms came upon him and his entire world was
pain.
Berserker:
WS5 BS5 S6 T5 W3 I4 LD10 A4 SV3+ 90ppm
Unit composition: 1-5
Special rules: Fearless, Fear, Blood Call, Intimidate, Smash, Fleet, Bloodlust, Hammer of wrath, Feel no pain, Oh yeah!
Blood Call : Once per game, a unit of Berserkers may make a blood curdling roar. All Berserkers in the squad gain furious charge, rage, and hatred (EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME)
Intimidate: If a muton or Berserker unit is hit but is not killed for whatever reason, it may force a fear check on the unit that fired on it. This is on a per unit, not per model basis for the sake of simplicity.
Bloodlust: Shooting at a Berserker only makes it angrier and more determined to smash something. Each time a Berserker unit takes a hit, whether or not it wounds or if the wound is saved, it must move
D6'' closer to the firer independent of it's normal movements. If this brings it into contact, that unit is now treated as charged. This only applies once per unit each turn, though if a unit has a special ability to fire twice, or uses overwatch on it, the berserker also roll an additional
D6.
Oh yeah!: Berserkers don't let cover get in their way, simply smashing through walls and charging into trench lines swinging away until everything has been reduced to a bloody puddle. Berserkers are treated as having move through cover and assault grenades.
Slot: Elite
Unit type: Infantry
Wargear: Clawed gauntlets, heavy armor
Clawed gauntlets: Counts as two close combat weapons.
Fluff: Mutons specially modified to harness their rage into a potent weapon, Berserkers are well known for their ability to completely liquefy someone beneath their fists, the often counter-productive results of firing on them, and their tendency to smash through walls that get in their way. Berserkers have a sort of anger pent up in them that is usually only seen in Khornate champions in humans or Exarchs in Eldar, where their anger is so all consuming that it's all that occupies their minds. Those who make psychic contact with Berserkers report a mind that is all but literally aflame with frothing at the mouth hatred of everything that would get in the way of the Ethereals that is focused in an all consuming desire to crush and kill everything that fits the aforementioned description. .
Eschewing weapons in favor of clawed gauntlets, Berserkers pummel, grapple, and dismember everything they can to death; desiring to leave no foe alive or even recognizable. They don't seem inclined to Khornate worship however, and have met with every offer of defecting to Chaos by pummeling the proselyte into a gory mash, frequently with his own limbs. This anger has also lead to them being entirely fearless and only dully aware of pain save for that it makes them even
angrier than before. A fact that lead to a very surprised Tau gunline to it's sudden and violent demise in the streets of Ara'kesh, with Tau and Kroot soldiers firing into the Berserkers only to find that each impact registered simply gave them that much more motivation to come to grips with the enemy.
When in contact with the Tau, they sent limbs and organs flying in all directions, angry roars coming from the implacable super soldiers as they sought out the bloody deaths of everything they could get their hands on. They weren't stopped until finally a strategem of kiting them from one squad to another was devised, having another supporting Tau fire team open fire on Berserkers charging at one squad to exploit their insane desire to retaliate against the last person who shot them at any cost while Kroot warriors ran constant harrying attacks to whittle the Berserkers down for a hearty feast, creating a new line of Kroot with tremendous musculature.
Fast attack:
Floater
5-10 units.
WS: 3
BS 4 S4 T4 W1 I 4 A1 LD2
SV 4+
Unit Composition - 3 Floaters
May choose to add up to another 7 Floaters at 15
ppm
Unit type: Jetpack Jump Infantry
Slot: Fast attack
Wargear: Elerium Light plasma rifle
Elerium light plasma rifle
Rng 24 inches', S5, Ap4, Assault 2 Accurate*
*Rerolls ones to hit.
Special rules: Evasion. Fearless, Hit and run, Launch
Evasion: Floaters are such expert users of their jetpacks that they can dodge incoming attacks with almost peternatural agility and reaction times, confounding incoming attacks with weapons that could bypass their armor. As such, Floaters may take jink saves at the price of requiring snap shots the following shooting phase.
Launch: With seemingly unlimited energy for their jetpacks Floaters can at any time go flying far beyond the battlefield to come crashing down where they are least expected. Floaters may re-enter ongoing reserves during any turn where they have not moved and re-enter via deep striking by the next turn.
Fluff: Rapidly moving airborne troopers, Floaters are the skyborne terrors of an Ethereal army, going in ahead of the army to rain down fear on the foes of the Collective. Seeming to be horrifically altered Mutons who have had their wits dulled to the point of just barely being sapient, Floaters have few concerns other than fighting, seeming to have little understanding of tactics or their own technology when not closely guided. However, when used properly, Floaters are devastating soldiers, as their role in the downfall of the Iron Sentinels Space Marines chapter demonstrated.
Acting in concert with other collective airborne elements, the Floaters helped to outmaneuver the Space marines constantly as they funneled them into traps and ambushes, whittling down the marines in turn. Always proving themselves to be a bit out of reach, the Floaters helped to weaken the Marines until the Ethereals could unveil their master plan. The marines were not to be slaughtered wholesale, but to be abducted for having passed "a test of worthiness". The remaining Iron Sentinels were stunned and stolen away, never to be heard from again, resulting in the permanent loss of their geneseed as the aliens stole them to fates unknown.
The last recordings from surviving records of their now despoiled fortress monastery show the Floaters coming down from breaches in the ceiling, disabling the marines in turn before taking off with them into Abductor class vessels above to be brought to insidious bases, all very much alive. Chief Librarian Korvul Hordenstag was the last such marine of the Iron Sentinels to be abducted. He was still screaming litanies and chants of power before electrical stun weapons sent him into spastic convulsions and unconsciousness as the Floaters came down and jetted away with him.
Heavy Support:
Cyberdisc:
WS 3
BS 4 S 5 T 5 W 3 I 3 A 2
Ld 10
Sv:3+ PPM: 90
Unit composition: 1-5
Special rules: Fold up, Death blossom, Fearless
Fold up: A Cyberdisc may be declared as "folded up" where it benefits from Feel no pain (3+) in exchange for not being able to fire or assault that turn.
Death blossom: Once per game, a Cyberdisc may place a large blast marker over itself, hitting all enemies caught with an S6 AP3 attack
Slot: Heavy Support
Unit type: Jetpack Jump Monstrous creature
Wargear: Energy Repeater Blaster, Elerium Plasma grenade launcher
Energy Repeater Blaster: An awe inspiringly deadly long ranged killer, this weapon has been known to instantly kill great heroes and seriously injure monstrous creatures and do terrible things to vehicles. It uses the following profile
RNG 48'', S7, AP2, Heavy 2, Lance, Tank Hunter, Twinlinked
Elerium Plasma Grenade launcher: Launching plasma grenades at a distance to hit distant foes and force opponents out of cover, this weapon is highly lethal against fools who believed themselves safe behind their fortifications.
It has the following profile: 48" range S5 AP5 ignore cover, heavy 2, blast, twinlinked or can use armor penetrating warheads for the following profile: 48'' range, S7 AP3 ignore cover, heavy 2, twinlinked. Or it may use
Fluff: A deadly mechanical contraption designed by the Sectoids for usage in the Ethereal Army, the Cyberdisc has proven to be a formidable foe. Gunning down opponents with single, powerful shots and moving with speed and grace that belies it's status as a machine the size of a small car with an odd aesthetic. Seeming to lull enemies in with an apparently innocuous flying disc shape, the Cyberdisc reveals it's true colors by unmorphing to unleash devastating firepower upon it's foes. While it is admittedly somewhat lacking in melee capacity for something so fearsome in appearance, the Cyberdisc can unveil a deadly trick in the form of the death blossom, which fires literally every last bit of firepower it has to destroy everything it can.
These deceptively agile craft proved useful in destroying a Chaos Space marine warband, going from hot zone to hot zone, killing the Chaos Lord's lieutenants one by one as they presented themselves while flying across the battlefield, firing into the vulnerable side and rear armor of enemies, destroying anything they came into contact with. An entire host of Bezerkers was wiped out when they sought to engage the Cyberdiscs in melee, only to be met with a mass death blossom that shredded the followers of Khorne and their accompanying cultists before the Cyberdisc floatilla finally cornered the Chaos Lord.
Without options, the Chaos Lord was backed into a corner, watching his defensive line of Daemon Engines be wiped out, his tanks smashed into ruin, his obliterators and mutilators left dead and the enemy coming for him. He sought to find something, anything he could challenge in melee, but was simply met with a wing of Cyberdiscs that callously fired into his unit and left nothing but smoking ruin and death. But he was cruelly left alive with a few of his posthuman warriors, who would soon be brought into the same interrogation chamber where so many had met an unspeakably painful end as their very thoughts were torn out of their heads and laid bare for the Ethereals.
Mechtoids (Under construction):
160
ppm, Heavy Support
WS3 BS4 S5 T5 W3 I3 LD7 A2 SV2+
Unit Composition - 1-3 Mechtoids
Unit type: Monstrous creature
Special Rules: Mind-merge, Stand and fire, Fleet
Mind-merge: As they are still sectoids at heart, Mechtoids can psychically link with other sectoids to create mind-merge links. Mechtoids that are mind-merged gain a 4++ save, but all Mechtoids in a unit suffer an additional wound if one unit is lost as a casualty. Both Lone and Grouped mechtoids can exchange tokens with Sectoid, other Mechtoid, or Sectoid Commander units with the associated benefits and penalties for all involved.
Stand and fire: If a Mechtoid has not moved during it's turn, it can elect to fire it's weapons twice to bombard the area in a storm of firepower. It may also choose to fire two overwatch shots.
Wargear: Twinlinked Plasma mini-cannons, may trade both for Particle Cannons for +25 points, May swap out one or both guns for Kinetic Impact Modules, Flamethrowers, Elerium plasma Grenade launchers, Restorative mists, Electro pulse, or Proximity launchers for free.
Plasma mini-cannons: Highly effective and deadly weapons surpassing even Heavy-plasmas in sheer amount of death spewed, Plasma mini-cannons can gut whole Astartes squads and put most comparable weapons to shame and disgrace in comparison.
Plasma Mini-cannons:
RNG 24'', S7 AP2 Heavy 6
Particle cannons: Meant to aid the forces of the Ethereals in destroying the precious tanks of the humans, the Particle Cannon
Kinetic impact modules: Comparable to power fists, these add much needed melee capacity to the Mechtoid, allowing it to brawl with even Tyranid Monstrous creatures or Dreadnoughts with efficiency and power. Perhaps it's most distinctive feature is the addition of hugely powerful rockets for even more momentum with each blow, allowing it to strike quite quickly. One kinetic impact module increases the strength of a Mechtoid by 2, it's attacks by one, and it's weapon skill by one. Adding two grants it another attack, improves it's initiative by one, and allows it to count as having assault grenades.
Flamethrower: Firing out jellied Elerium, Mechtoid flamethrowers are obscenely hot, easily capable of melting through most forms of armor and flesh and have the following profile.
Flamethrower:
RNG Template, S6 AP3 Heavy 1
Elerium Plasma Grenade launcher: Launching plasma grenades at a distance to hit distant foes and force opponents out of cover, this weapon is highly lethal against fools who believed themselves safe behind their fortifications.
It has the following profile: 48" range S5 AP5 ignore cover, heavy 2, blast, or it can use armor penetrating warheads for the following profile: 48'' range, S7 AP3 ignore cover, heavy 2.
Restorative mists: Grants
FNP in a 6'' bubble around itself, two expand the bubble to 12''
Electro-pulse: A mechtoid with an Electro-pulse can center a large blast around itself dealing an automatic S4 AP5 haywire hit to any non-friendly unit caught by it. Two increase the damage to S6 AP4 with two chances for Haywire.
Proximity mine launcher: A mechtoid with this weapon can use a weapon that turns an area within 48'' inside of a small blast marker into dangerous terrain for the rest of the game. Two proximity mine launchers allow for two small blast marker placements.
Fluff: The sectoid has a peculiar place in the Ethereal Collective. On one hand, basic sectoids are cannon fodder and are sent into battle with almost comically little equipment or regard for their safety. On the other hand, those with more developed psychic powers are capable of ordering most anything below the Ethereals themselves around as the much more fearsome sectoid commanders. With the standard sectoid's low lot in life, it comes as little surprise that they quite eagerly submit themselves to a process comparable to the creation of a dreadnought, implanting the Sectoid in a huge, cybernetic suit, giving them the physical power they seek and more respect from their comrades in arms.
Mechtoids are far bolder, more aggressive, and dangerous than their ordinary counterparts. They are all too eager to display their newfound prowess on the field of battle, gladly engaging enemies they never would have dreamed of facing before. Their more impressive and powerful figures also make them valuable as distractions, attracting fire away from a commander's perhaps more truly threatening assets.
~4100
~1660
Tyranids - Main Army about 2000 pts 
Draconians, a BA successor chapter - around 1000 pts still calculating Other armies: 
