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*cough*

How about a new xeno race or techno barbarian humans.
Warhammer 40k did really well releasing the tau, maybe do that again with another xeno race though maybe no so advance and shooty this time or maybe mercenaries both xeno and human/techno barbarian.

There are already so many cool factions in the fluff but not on the tabletop -- Arbites, Mechanicum (except in 30K, I guess), Hrud, to name my three favorites -- that I don't see much call for inventing a new race from scratch.

A mercenary codex that (almost) any army could take as Allies of Convenience would be interesting, though. Presumably a mix of Guard-equivalent humans without the heavy vehicles, Kroot, maybe renegade Space Marines as an elite choice.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh! And Ork mercs. Definitely Orks.

 SisterSydney wrote:
There are already so many cool factions in the fluff but not on the tabletop -- Arbites, Mechanicum (except in 30K, I guess), Hrud, to name my three favorites -- that I don't see much call for inventing a new race from scratch.

A mercenary codex that (almost) any army could take as Allies of Convenience would be interesting, though. Presumably a mix of Guard-equivalent humans without the heavy vehicles, Kroot, maybe renegade Space Marines as an elite choice.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh! And Ork mercs. Definitely Orks.

Heck yes. A Mercenaries or Space Pirates Codex like the old Dogs of War one in Fantasy would be awesome. There could be human pirates, Ork freebooterz, Eldar Corsairs, and Kroot. Some of the smaller alien races like Tarellian Dog Soldiers, Xenarchs with their lightning shooting Death-arcs, and the previously mentioned Hrud (who could deep strike into cover) could also get units.

Hrud deep striking into cover -- I like that. Combine with widespread Infiltrate and a Hrud army would really mess with the other player's head during deployment.

certainly like the idea of pirates and mercenaries. Also allow them to be allies for certain races too. Throw in a few Rogue Trader characters, gunslingers, very western themed. Could be fun. a few brute (Ogryn) bodyguards. Heck, even add outcasts such as beastmen, squats (one way to bring them back..maybe just a guild bike clan) etc. Hmm, this could be fun..

Pirates, Outcasts and Mercenaries. I could dig that.

so just like the Fantasy merc book...unique units rather than the same race throughout..

Eldar corsairs
Ork Freebooterz
Squat bike clan
etc
characters..
Rogue Trader
Gunslingers
Eldar Pirate
Ork Pirate
etc...

functionality I'd like to see a race that plays differently, like how Ogres play in Fantasy. Maybe just a handful of very big, very tough troops. I'd like to see a long lost human civilization that was never brought into compliance or a race that makes Chaos seem rational and civilized.

How about a faction of exile/rebels. Mixed race force besieged by their own on one side and Chaos, Tyranids and Necrons on the other so to speak.

Space Marines and Imperial guard disillusioned by the Imperium's incompetence and bureaucracy, but not giving into Chaos either. Feeling the Emperor's Legacy has been corrupted and betrayed by the High lords of Terra and The inquisition. The needless extermination of mutants and subraces that would make otherwise able bodies in the armies. The guy with the eyestalks could be really useful on an urban battlefield for looking around corners, just as the guy with the extra pair of arms could be made to carry an additional rifle.

Techpriests and apothecaries who invent and innovate their creations who see scientific and technological progress unhindered by sanction's and rituals as the only means to victory and enlightenment over Chaos, thus granting them the scorn of the Adaptus Mecanicus on Mars and being branded Heretics by the Inquisition.

Tau who escaped the passive oppression of the “greater good” and the Tau Empire and want to live on their own terms.

Eldar who see that working together closer with other races is as well as sharing motivations and secrets with them are more efficient than exploiting and manipulating them. That banding together with other races is the only way to create a force large and powerful enough to drive out the forces of Chaos, the Necrons, and the Tyranids and to destroy them utterly.

Alien races saved from extermination by other factions.

Some smart Ork’s seeking a change of pace?

And I just realised I typed the basic background story of my army!

How would this work in game?
Pick an army setup.
Than fit in the units point wise.
Exempt any rules and war gear that only apply to (pure) loyalist factions.

Mix war gear for basic troops where applicable. Basic troop weapons would be inter changeable realistically. Guardsmen can’t carry heavy weapons single handedly like Space marine Devastators and the likes, but they could use pulse rifles, shuriken catapults or even captured Dark Eldar weapons.
A Space Marine Devastator could than also be armed with Eldar or Tau heavy weapons modified to be used by them.
Trooper armor weapons could be a technological mix or even reverse engineered and replicated. They could even come up with new unique weapons and vehicles born from hybrid technologies or rediscovering old ones.
Or go completely crazy. Have an Eldar seer undergo Space Marine treatment and become a super Librarian. Mass produced Volkite weapons, Fellblade hovertanks armed with hyper advanced weapons. Synthetic Wraithbone armor plating.
Off course all at an additional point cost. So you can end up with a small powerful force at a high point cost or a larger generic one.

 Kain wrote:
Preliminary ideas for minor xenos to turn into major armies:

Slaugth

Slann

Demiurge

Hrud & Umbra

Thyrrus

Rak'Gol.

Kroot.

Sarhuadin

Enslavers

Zoats

Q´Orl

Fra´al

Strixys

Grot Rebels

Thematically, any faction could represent any playstyle >.>

The best place to start on a faction would be their gameplay elements, IE basic guns and armor saves.

I would go with a 2+ armor save faction with Heavy Weaponry, slow, ponderous and durable would be the name of the game.

One thing that i've always loved about 40k is that the impirum fights countless thousands of different xeno races and empires daily, although few survive the empires touch.

ordos xenos classification "lupi immitoriorum" AKA warp wolves or more commonly Methis Metoiri after the solar group they were first identified in.
Origin; unclear
The Methis have no actual homeworld and operate in large fleets preying off settlements and infiltrating large commercial organizations. They bare almost a canine appearance with long snouts and complicated joints in their legs, they also posses deadly fangs and claws capable of tearing through most light body armor. the Methis possess a almost unique trait in that they're genome is so highly unstable as to allow adaptation of their form before ones very eyes, for most the affects are very limited allowing them to accentuate their more humanoid traits or canine attributes or two even heal grevious wounds at an astounding rate. Greater changes must be wrought by the a special cast of healers and scientists known "singers" who keep track of the genetic stock. However the most gifted of their species can change their form in a matter of seconds taking on almost full human form or growing in size to beasts that could rip a battle tank to shreds some report them becoming even invisible to human eye, however the process is excruciatingly painful and requires the utmost discipline to survive. Due to their unstable genome it seems that they are incapable of breeding, it is unclear whether they will die a slow death of attrition or have other means as to further their species. The basic social structure is divided into households lead by a Dux with the most successful retaining a retinue of warriors known as black pelts, who's abilities are often relegated to morphing or optimizing their own basic forms, singers and various other castes. The most feared however are the branch of Methis society known as the "ghost wolves" this is the intelligence branch of the Methis operations disguising themselves in human form to perform assassinations or gather intelligence, the mysterious group known as "white pelts" are even said to be able to turn invisible to the eye and move unseen.
The retinues differ in genetic tendencies the Dux gathering to him those wholes own genetic mutations resemble his own some more human preferring hand guns and advanced technology, on the other extreme some prefer to rely solely on tooth and claw tearing opponents limb from limb, most however prefer close combat weapons especially great two handed mono-blades often coated with poisons engineered with their unparalleled understanding of genetics.

troops
WS 4 BS 3 T4 S4 I5 W1 A1
Beserk charge
None may stand
A Methis unit coming out of combat may use 2d6 consolidation move to charge an enemy unit, the defending unit may fire overwatch normally and the combat is resolved in the next combat phase.

teeth and claws - Rending + 1A (may not take armor or special weapons)
monoblades - +1S ap 5
nail spitters - range 18 Assault 3 S3 ap -
hounding guns - R36 S5 Hvy1 ap-4 pinning

generally access to different stat upgrades and mutation options also monstrous creature style units and infiltration and outflank shenanigans, also access to orbital bombardments first turn from their fleet support (mainly to hurt the enemy enough to makes sure something gets across the table)

An army that can adapt rapidly and whose individual units can change form on the battlefield? Dammit, that's what Tyranids should do! Go write up a Tyranid fandex based on this idea, stat!

(But, um, they can't reproduce? Seriously?)

 Clefty wrote:
Thematically, any faction could represent any playstyle >.>

The best place to start on a faction would be their gameplay elements, IE basic guns and armor saves.

I would go with a 2+ armor save faction with Heavy Weaponry, slow, ponderous and durable would be the name of the game.

So, Dwarves?

But honestly any faction needs more than that as a core concept to go off. Even Fantasy Dwarves have "crazy war machines" and "naked berserkers" to go with their core of "slow, ponderous, and durable."

My thought for Hrud would be
(1) every unit has Infiltrate, Shrouded, Night Vision, & Crusader (i.e. Run Really Fast);
(2) some units Deep Strike by tunneling or just showing up RIGHT BEHIND YOU;
(3) elite units have access to powerful if unreliable archeotech
(4) but they can't do standup fights, because statlines are low across the board and basic infantry are just godawful, starving tunnel dwellers surging to the surface in the hope there's actually something they can finally eat up there, e.g. babies: say WS:2 BS:3 S:2 T:2 W:1 I:4 Ld:6 Sv:6+

Then, for Adeptus Arbites, I'm inspired as much by the "leaked" fake Sororitas Codex with its WS:4 BS:3 Arbites as by Matthew Forish's great fandex(es) and, of course, Judge Dredd:
(1) they're as stubborn & brutal in close combat -- which includes pistols, remember -- as ordinary humans can get (whereas Sororitas and Stormtroopers/Scions are shooty gits): base statline is WS:4 BS:3 S:3 T:3 W:I I:3 Ld:8 Sv:4+ with carapace armour, Stubborn (because Dredd), and Precision Strikes as if they were characters, because they're good at going for the ringleaders or shooting the hostage-taker from around the hostage. Default wargear are bolt pistol, power mace, and storm shield, with shield swappable for shotgun or boltgun.
(2) Elites including infiltrating High Value Target Teams (i.e. "grab and bag men") and packs of freaking cyber-mastiffs that can take down monstrous creatures or independent characters, cutting them from their unit with Precision Strikes.
(3) Heavy Support: Sharpshooters get BS:4, Precision Shots, and Infiltrate (because sniper-ish), and work in two-man teams (multiple teams for one FOC slot), with access to various long-range nastiness from sniper rifles to heavy bolters to lascannon.
(4) template weapons are common, both man-portable and vehicular, BUT they're all poison gas, not flamers: you don't want to burn down the city, you just want to smoke out the suspect -- or, in a combat situation, swap the tear gas cannister out for something more lethal.
(5) vehicles are a mostly Rhino-based (e.g. Repressors) with no heavy tanks or artillery; they have Bikes for urban pursuit, Sentinels for rough terrain patrol, and Land Speeders for air patrol.

Neither of these is a full army list, by any means, but they're a significant start.

 SisterSydney wrote:
An army that can adapt rapidly and whose individual units can change form on the battlefield? Dammit, that's what Tyranids should do! Go write up a Tyranid fandex based on this idea, stat!

(But, um, they can't reproduce? Seriously?)

 Clefty wrote:
Thematically, any faction could represent any playstyle >.>

The best place to start on a faction would be their gameplay elements, IE basic guns and armor saves.

I would go with a 2+ armor save faction with Heavy Weaponry, slow, ponderous and durable would be the name of the game.

So, Dwarves?

But honestly any faction needs more than that as a core concept to go off. Even Fantasy Dwarves have "crazy war machines" and "naked berserkers" to go with their core of "slow, ponderous, and durable."

My thought for Hrud would be
(1) every unit has Infiltrate, Shrouded, Night Vision, & Crusader (i.e. Run Really Fast);
(2) some units Deep Strike by tunneling or just showing up RIGHT BEHIND YOU;
(3) elite units have access to powerful if unreliable archeotech
(4) but they can't do standup fights, because statlines are low across the board and basic infantry are just godawful, starving tunnel dwellers surging to the surface in the hope there's actually something they can finally eat up there, e.g. babies: say WS:2 BS:3 S:2 T:2 W:1 I:4 Ld:6 Sv:6+

Then, for Adeptus Arbites, I'm inspired as much by the "leaked" fake Sororitas Codex with its WS:4 BS:3 Arbites as by Matthew Forish's great fandex(es) and, of course, Judge Dredd:
(1) they're as stubborn & brutal in close combat -- which includes pistols, remember -- as ordinary humans can get (whereas Sororitas and Stormtroopers/Scions are shooty gits): base statline is WS:4 BS:3 S:3 T:3 W:I I:3 Ld:8 Sv:4+ with carapace armour, Stubborn (because Dredd), and Precision Strikes as if they were characters, because they're good at going for the ringleaders or shooting the hostage-taker from around the hostage. Default wargear are bolt pistol, power mace, and storm shield, with shield swappable for shotgun or boltgun.
(2) Elites including infiltrating High Value Target Teams (i.e. "grab and bag men") and packs of freaking cyber-mastiffs that can take down monstrous creatures or independent characters, cutting them from their unit with Precision Strikes.
(3) Heavy Support: Sharpshooters get BS:4, Precision Shots, and Infiltrate (because sniper-ish), and work in two-man teams (multiple teams for one FOC slot), with access to various long-range nastiness from sniper rifles to heavy bolters to lascannon.
(4) template weapons are common, both man-portable and vehicular, BUT they're all poison gas, not flamers: you don't want to burn down the city, you just want to smoke out the suspect -- or, in a combat situation, swap the tear gas cannister out for something more lethal.
(5) vehicles are a mostly Rhino-based (e.g. Repressors) with no heavy tanks or artillery; they have Bikes for urban pursuit, Sentinels for rough terrain patrol, and Land Speeders for air patrol.

Neither of these is a full army list, by any means, but they're a significant start.

It isn't even necessarily dwarves, the core idea can of course be expanded upon with diverse units. It just so happens that gak gets cluttered really fast, the best fanmade dexes and armies have really good feeling stats/rules. TEQ is good enough without having fifty thousand special rules.

Simpler is better in most cases. I kinda want to field a SMEQ army without the chapter tactics, or a Legion List without the Legion traits.

Hmm. There's only so many ways to differentiate units without special rules, because the range of stats is so narrow: most stats range 1-10, with most units in the 2-5 range; Ld ranges from 2-10; saves only range from 2+ to no save (six possible values); AV ranges from 10 to 14 (five possible values).

Well what do we know about the Hrud exactly?

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Hrud#.U2dgKv3sHFI

- They range between stooped ratlike creatures to hulking beasts
- They have advanced warp weaponry
- naturally produce strong neuro-toxins
- exude a mist of poison gas that obscures them from enemies
- They're focused around ancestry and family ties, meaning they're most likely organized into clans lead by their elders
- They take other species as pets
- dwell in the dark

USRs
night fighter
deepstrike
stealth
obscuring mist 5+ cover save
5+ poison in close combat

Troops: Hrud warrior clansmen
WS3 BS3 T4 S3 I4 A1 W1 SV6+
armed with lasgun type weapons with access to have a clan leader with access to power weapons
can be upgraded with 4+ saves

Hrud untouchables (the normal scavengers the imperium usually sees)
WS3 BS4 T3 S3 I5 A2 W1
infiltrate
Scout
pathfinders
Hrud untouchables are at the bottom of the clan order with no family ties or respected ancestry however every clan leader keeps a large retinue to supply him, in times of war they are sent to lead the troops to an advantageous position to launch the attack, a Squad may appoint a second unit to give the infiltrate rule however the unit must deploy 6" behind the untouchables.
Rending?

Elites: Hrud ancients
WS4 BS4 T7 S6 I4 A3 W3 SV 4+
terminator size bases
may take locator beacons
an upgrade for a 2+ save?

Hrud second sons
Those among the Hrud with noble heritage yet no claim to a clan and household of their own seek may choose to show themselves as leaders on the battlefield and so gain a following
WS4 BS4 T5 S4 I4 A2 W1 SV 4+
have access to Hrud Fusils, S6 Melta ap2 R18
have access to power weapons
May take a lorekeeper initiate as an upgrade (lvl 1 psycher)

Weepers
There is little place for the widows among the Hrud as a concubine's re-marriage is seen as an insult to the dead the polygamous nature of the Hrud means that as many fifty may become widows with the stroke of a foemen's blade. Some fall back into the untouchables scavenging to stay alive, others band together to form "weepers" who seek death in the arms of the enemy to join their lost spouse.
stats no fething idea…
feel no pain
rending
fleet
harrowing wail
furious charge
enemies they assault must take a leadership test.

lorekeepers.. psychers and special weapons

HQ: Hrud council of elders:
4 Elders plus advisors... second sons, lore keepers, may also take pets from different species which give the preferred enemy special rule against that race (why do you think they keep them? kindness?)

Ha! Some cool ideas here. I still say "infiltration for everyone" because that's just creepy.

Also, since they're supposed to have strange warp powers, maybe Warp Spider-like units that jump around the board.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
P.S.: I also want "starvelings" as cheap cannon fodder -- all the malnourished, stunted, most rat-like Hrud swarming to the surface because they're either driven into battle by their leaders or desperate to find food. WS:2 BS:2 S:2 T:2.

I don't like having infiltration for everybody as that takes away the hard choices as a commander, if you're forced to buy troops to make you're heavy hitters infiltrating it makes the troops relevant instead of just another force org slot to fill. Personally I like the idea of proud warlike Hrud being lead from their subterranean metropolis into position buy cowering scavengers, ready to show the imperium the sons of the ancient ones true form and with it the meaning of fear.

hmmm, well I like the idea too, I guess you could make the scavengers into that kind of troop…

How about...

Scavengers are the ones I already described but untouchables have no clan and are forced to perform all grueling manual labor like carving out the tunnels and cities that the Hrud call home, when the Hrud go to war it is often the untouchables that lead the first charge, exploding from the earth in a shower of earth and crazed flesh, hungering for the living flesh they smell so near, their masters following from out of the newly created tunnel

Fast attack WS2 BS2 T2 S2 I3 A4 W3 (beasts)
berserk charge
deep strike same rules as tervigons
based on terminator size bases each with three or four models on them to save having to buy and move a gak ton of models around the board, or you could go with the traditional hormagaunt style swarm of 10-30

Rag-lord although the untouchables have no clan structure and are repressed to the point that organization is nigh impossible leaders known as rag-lords often appear sometimes from the sons or retinues of minor nobility sometimes even from the masses of the untouchables themselves and try to form those he can into new lands to form a clan of his own, few succeed however.
With a rag-lord HQ untouchables become a troop choice, an army that has a rag-lord HQ cannot take a Hrud council as they would never deign to grace such a rabble rouser with their presence.

An army that can adapt rapidly and whose individual units can change form on the battlefield? Dammit, that's what Tyranids should do! Go write up a Tyranid fandex based on this idea, stat!

I might just do that , however tyrannides generally adapt after the battle as biomass has to be broken and then formed new, but it's an idea for a new mutation.

(But, um, they can't reproduce? Seriously?)

You try getting the genetics to match up when your genetic structure is always changing real time.
The Methis are a genetic experiment gone out of hand, it's almost impossible for them to die as they are immune to aging, heal quickly and if needed can grow a second heart or basic brain until the main one has healed again, but they can't reproduce normally so are doomed to someday die out through attrition.

 MWHistorian wrote:
functionality I'd like to see a race that plays differently, like how Ogres play in Fantasy. Maybe just a handful of very big, very tough troops. I'd like to see a long lost human civilization that was never brought into compliance or a race that makes Chaos seem rational and civilized.

I would like to see something like this or a fully psychic race. Not like Eldar or Grey Knights, but every unit has psychic powers (like mastery level 2 at the lowest) but practically no weapons or armour relying almost completely on their powers to fight the enemy. Perhaps they could only get a single chart but instead of rolling powers they simply pick them so you won't have so much trouble keeping track of what units have what powers.

Also it would be cool to see one of the Tau subject races like Kroot or Vespids gain more notice, perhaps a Kroot codex where their evolution through eating ability can be illustrated in rules to give them upgrades from simple stat boosts (+1 Strength, Toughness, Initiative), to gaining special rules (Fleet, Feel No Pain), to changing their unit type (become jump infantry).

Ulfrik Snowfang wrote:
Well what do we know about the Hrud exactly?

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Hrud#.U2dgKv3sHFI

- They range between stooped ratlike creatures to hulking beasts
- They have advanced warp weaponry
- naturally produce strong neuro-toxins
- exude a mist of poison gas that obscures them from enemies
- They're focused around ancestry and family ties, meaning they're most likely organized into clans lead by their elders
- They take other species as pets
- dwell in the dark

USRs
night fighter
deepstrike
stealth
obscuring mist 5+ cover save
5+ poison in close combat

Troops: Hrud warrior clansmen
WS3 BS3 T4 S3 I4 A1 W1 SV6+
armed with lasgun type weapons with access to have a clan leader with access to power weapons
can be upgraded with 4+ saves

Hrud untouchables (the normal scavengers the imperium usually sees)
WS3 BS4 T3 S3 I5 A2 W1
infiltrate
Scout
pathfinders
Hrud untouchables are at the bottom of the clan order with no family ties or respected ancestry however every clan leader keeps a large retinue to supply him, in times of war they are sent to lead the troops to an advantageous position to launch the attack, a Squad may appoint a second unit to give the infiltrate rule however the unit must deploy 6" behind the untouchables.
Rending?

Elites: Hrud ancients
WS4 BS4 T7 S6 I4 A3 W3 SV 4+
terminator size bases
may take locator beacons
an upgrade for a 2+ save?

Hrud second sons
Those among the Hrud with noble heritage yet no claim to a clan and household of their own seek may choose to show themselves as leaders on the battlefield and so gain a following
WS4 BS4 T5 S4 I4 A2 W1 SV 4+
have access to Hrud Fusils, S6 Melta ap2 R18
have access to power weapons
May take a lorekeeper initiate as an upgrade (lvl 1 psycher)

Weepers
There is little place for the widows among the Hrud as a concubine's re-marriage is seen as an insult to the dead the polygamous nature of the Hrud means that as many fifty may become widows with the stroke of a foemen's blade. Some fall back into the untouchables scavenging to stay alive, others band together to form "weepers" who seek death in the arms of the enemy to join their lost spouse.
stats no fething idea…
feel no pain
rending
fleet
harrowing wail
furious charge
enemies they assault must take a leadership test.

lorekeepers.. psychers and special weapons

HQ: Hrud council of elders:
4 Elders plus advisors... second sons, lore keepers, may also take pets from different species which give the preferred enemy special rule against that race (why do you think they keep them? kindness?)

You're forgetting the most important part: In large numbers they distort time and space so strongly that Guardsmen can age to dust in the face of their migrations and reality starts breaking apart.

 Maniac_nmt wrote:
A non Imperial human faction based around Starship Troopers meets Starsiege Tribes.

Highly mobile, high firepower soldiers that are few in number. On the far edge of the galaxy, beyond Imperial space is a gateway in space. A large ring object that opens a rift between galaxies. These humans have been on the other side of the ring and are just jumping back into the galaxy. A few of these rings are along the outskirts, while others have been destroyed over time (not Halo, more Wing Commander: Prophecy/Descent: Freespace).

They lack the numbers of the Imperium by far, but have the destructive potential that enables them to match the Imperials packed into smaller packages.

Technology the Imperials don't understand, with lightning attacks, not in tune with most of the races. No psychics intrinsically in themselves, but would they start to redevelop the genes once here or not?

This is almost exactly what I was imagining. An armada from the Dark Age of Technology that's been lost in the warp for thousands of years. They emerge 20,000 years later (mere moments to them) and find themselves attacked on all sides. I imagine them like the Mass Effect Quarians, nomadic in nature, relying on superior technology and lots of drones to protect their small numbers. I imagine an army of engineers, technicians, psykers, and commandos, striking faster than the Dark Eldar, and deploying mobile force fields and high volume drone fire to cover their retreat as they escape with the objective.

 Kain wrote:

Ulfrik Snowfang wrote:
Well what do we know about the Hrud exactly?

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Hrud#.U2dgKv3sHFI

- They range between stooped ratlike creatures to hulking beasts
- They have advanced warp weaponry
- naturally produce strong neuro-toxins
- exude a mist of poison gas that obscures them from enemies
- They're focused around ancestry and family ties, meaning they're most likely organized into clans lead by their elders
- They take other species as pets
- dwell in the dark

USRs
night fighter
deepstrike
stealth
obscuring mist 5+ cover save
5+ poison in close combat

Troops: Hrud warrior clansmen
WS3 BS3 T4 S3 I4 A1 W1 SV6+
armed with lasgun type weapons with access to have a clan leader with access to power weapons
can be upgraded with 4+ saves

Hrud untouchables (the normal scavengers the imperium usually sees)
WS3 BS4 T3 S3 I5 A2 W1
infiltrate
Scout
pathfinders
Hrud untouchables are at the bottom of the clan order with no family ties or respected ancestry however every clan leader keeps a large retinue to supply him, in times of war they are sent to lead the troops to an advantageous position to launch the attack, a Squad may appoint a second unit to give the infiltrate rule however the unit must deploy 6" behind the untouchables.
Rending?

Elites: Hrud ancients
WS4 BS4 T7 S6 I4 A3 W3 SV 4+
terminator size bases
may take locator beacons
an upgrade for a 2+ save?

Hrud second sons
Those among the Hrud with noble heritage yet no claim to a clan and household of their own seek may choose to show themselves as leaders on the battlefield and so gain a following
WS4 BS4 T5 S4 I4 A2 W1 SV 4+
have access to Hrud Fusils, S6 Melta ap2 R18
have access to power weapons
May take a lorekeeper initiate as an upgrade (lvl 1 psycher)

Weepers
There is little place for the widows among the Hrud as a concubine's re-marriage is seen as an insult to the dead the polygamous nature of the Hrud means that as many fifty may become widows with the stroke of a foemen's blade. Some fall back into the untouchables scavenging to stay alive, others band together to form "weepers" who seek death in the arms of the enemy to join their lost spouse.
stats no fething idea…
feel no pain
rending
fleet
harrowing wail
furious charge
enemies they assault must take a leadership test.

lorekeepers.. psychers and special weapons

HQ: Hrud council of elders:
4 Elders plus advisors... second sons, lore keepers, may also take pets from different species which give the preferred enemy special rule against that race (why do you think they keep them? kindness?)

You're forgetting the most important part: In large numbers they distort time and space so strongly that Guardsmen can age to dust in the face of their migrations and reality starts breaking apart.

Yep. It is their most important power: "Though little was known about this reclusive and dangerous species, it was known that they dwelled only in darkness and possessed strange, warp-based technology that allowed them to walk between worlds. This even allowed them to corrupt the flow of time with their simple presence. " The effects are devastating: people or even marines are reduced to ashes and machines break apart.

I am also missing plasma weaponary, the Hrud Fusil is more plasma than melta

They are also supposed to be really good as scavenging other factions´ weaponary. Quite similar to the Orks in that regard. They have also been seen working for the Tau.

Another thing is their relation with the Umbra: http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Umbra#.U2f4vfl_vTo

TL;DR: the god of the Hrud got broken in shards by the birth of Slaanesh and became the Umbra.

Another quote, from their battle with the Star Phantoms chapter: "Despite putting up a valiant defence, the Star Phantoms ended fighting a lost cause as every Hrud-thing that coalesced from the shadows which was struck down was replaced by another dozen misshapen forms that distorted space with their very presence. The presence of the Hrud had notable impacts on Haakonath that forced the Astartes to evacuvate their homeworld and they remain one of only a handful of Chapters who survived a full-scale Hrud migration alone." Sound to me as warp-power or perhaps Umbra?

 TheSilo wrote:

 Maniac_nmt wrote:
A non Imperial human faction based around Starship Troopers meets Starsiege Tribes.

Highly mobile, high firepower soldiers that are few in number. On the far edge of the galaxy, beyond Imperial space is a gateway in space. A large ring object that opens a rift between galaxies. These humans have been on the other side of the ring and are just jumping back into the galaxy. A few of these rings are along the outskirts, while others have been destroyed over time (not Halo, more Wing Commander: Prophecy/Descent: Freespace).

They lack the numbers of the Imperium by far, but have the destructive potential that enables them to match the Imperials packed into smaller packages.

Technology the Imperials don't understand, with lightning attacks, not in tune with most of the races. No psychics intrinsically in themselves, but would they start to redevelop the genes once here or not?

This is almost exactly what I was imagining. An armada from the Dark Age of Technology that's been lost in the warp for thousands of years. They emerge 20,000 years later (mere moments to them) and find themselves attacked on all sides. I imagine them like the Mass Effect Quarians, nomadic in nature, relying on superior technology and lots of drones to protect their small numbers. I imagine an army of engineers, technicians, psykers, and commandos, striking faster than the Dark Eldar, and deploying mobile force fields and high volume drone fire to cover their retreat as they escape with the objective.

This would be too awesome. Guardsmen statlines, jump infantry with 4+ armor saves and have them all be armed with small blast weaponry.

Gotta be careful to keep the grimdark and not have a Mary Sue faction. If they're lost remnants from the glory days of human civilization, let them be feared, misunderstood, and terribly alone, in severe culture shock from encountering the degraded wreckage of what humanity may become, their technology irreplaceable for lack of an industrial base, maybe some of their personnel starting to crack up.

 SisterSydney wrote:
Gotta be careful to keep the grimdark and not have a Mary Sue faction. If they're lost remnants from the glory days of human civilization, let them be feared, misunderstood, and terribly alone, in severe culture shock from encountering the degraded wreckage of what humanity may become, their technology irreplaceable for lack of an industrial base, maybe some of their personnel starting to crack up.

It would be important for them to retain some of the characteristics that make the Imperium so afraid of the Dark Age of Technology. I imagine them being heavily bionically modified, perhaps also using combat stimulants. They share consciousness with their bionics and their drones, being highly integrated with their technology (unlike the Imperial use of machine spirits and tech priests).

They're ruthless renegades, who execute all prisoners to prevent other races from gaining more information about them. Think like Cerberus from Mass Effect, collecting information and technology to gain every conceivable advantage on the battlefield.

I imagine a stat line like this:

WS4 BS4 S3 T3 W1 I4 A1 LD8 Sv4+

They would use cloaking tech, and deploy in small teams 3-6 to operate nearby drones and shield arrays. They'd be highly mobile, and difficult to hit, but very fragile, especially if you're able to get them in close combat where their numbers are a weakness.

Or they could be Men of Iron. Robots, but not like the Necrons: instead agile, nimble, smart as hell, and with a strong love/hate relationship with humans....

 SisterSydney wrote:
Or they could be Men of Iron. Robots, but not like the Necrons: instead agile, nimble, smart as hell, and with a strong love/hate relationship with humans....

^This.

Some old-style human-made killing machines gone wrong, with lots of stuff in books & movies to get inspiration from.

Men of Iron don't have to be bad guys, though. Remember we only have one side's version of their role in the fall of humankind, and it's fairly vague. We don't even know for sure they were all robots: the term could've included cyborgs and human minds uploaded to robotic bodies. Maybe not all of them were opposed to normal humanity. Maybe the normal humans started the war.

My alternative take on the Age of Strife is that the Singularity happened, messily, with both artificial intelligence and psykers involved, and the only people left are the ones who refused to transcend to something post-human. 40K is grimdark because the best part of the human race left.

Just off the top of my head:
maybe a race that are like Pirate kingdoms, not de but like a mixture of differing races into one that have a sprawling and isolated kingdom, but arent the Tau either.
just pirates amd renegades of the races

 SisterSydney wrote:
Gotta be careful to keep the grimdark and not have a Mary Sue faction. If they're lost remnants from the glory days of human civilization, let them be feared, misunderstood, and terribly alone, in severe culture shock from encountering the degraded wreckage of what humanity may become, their technology irreplaceable for lack of an industrial base, maybe some of their personnel starting to crack up.

I would hardly call Starsiege Tribes, Freespace, or Starship Troopers 'non grimdark'. Tribes features a humanity that is heavily fractured with intercene fighting. Blood Eagles are remnants of Starsiege's Imperial Knights sent out to Tribe territory who have devolved into some potentially blood thirsty foes, Diamond Sword are zen like mystics who look down on everyone, Starwolf are barbarians in space with guns, Children of the Phoenix are religious nutters believing in a 'man/god'. Freespace deals with loosing Earth, a genocidal war of annihilation against a hopelessly superior foe, again split humanity in a civil war, and the long cold dark of space against inane odds. SST is a facist society in which you must serve to vote or have full rights. Service is for as long as they want, war of annihilation, aliens that can shoot you with meteors with pin point precision from half a galaxy away...

Those elements could be easily incorporated. Bionically modified troopers, genetically altered people (not like Space Marines, think more long term selective breeding mixed with genetic modification), other. Come back to find humanity and it's cradle world to find it all fubar. It could even be Men of Iron, but in a fashion unlike Necrons as you say (humans uploaded to android bodies, or androids that no longer realize they aren't human, think Replicants from Blade Runner as an example). Humanity running from another big bad desperate to carve out space to care for their people and willing to annihilate everything in their path to achieve it.

I agree with something like:

WS 4 BS 4 S3 T3 W1 I3 or 4 A1 LD8

Then depending on the unit/armor/kit you upgrade that stat line.

Light armor - faster, more stealthy, packs 'precision' weapons in general, upgrades strength/initiative but not toughness
Medium armor - standard mobility (which should be more analogous to most races fast attack), upped strength and toughness, general purpose weapons
Heavy armor - slower mobility (so akin to say a Tau Crisis Suit), say T6/S6, heavy weapons

sub kit that could modify that (so borrowing ideas, a shielding pack that would up toughness or add an invulnerable save, a mobility pack to upgrade speed at the cost of reduced weapon payload). Particle Beam weapons, lightning guns, death Frisbees (think Tron or Tribes 'spin fusor')...

10-15 models tops at 1500points (and I could even go for less). No real tanks or walkers per say (meaning no armor to hide behind or shore up the line). All about speed, area denial, firepower. They can take some hits, but cannot withstand lots of firepower due to insufficient model count. It's more pinning them down is a pain.

I like the drones, and was thinking of things like a force field that could deny areas of the board or make them treacherous to move through (such as a riff on the SST Pee-wee atomics, large blast item that is highly destructive, but then lasts for a set duration of turns causing hits to models which enter it, or something similar).

Well I'm not inventing anything...

But I do think Hrud, Rak'Ghoul(SP), and my favorite the interex would be fun.

Hrud maybe being swarm like and almost harming entire armies round by round (to represent entropic decay).

Rak'Ghoul - Just...nasty. Lots of rad, generally high attacks, maybe balance with low strength/high AP/No AP to balance and to represent their tech.

Interex - Human Tau + Space Monkies. High cost/High power units. Air superiority. Centaurs.