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Rogue Traders for the Imperial Guard

Rogue Traders are a key part of 40k mythology, they're the ones who go outside Imperial Space to take on Xenos threats and return lost tribes of humanity to the fold. Heck, the original 40k book was called Rogue Trader.

Yet there really haven't been rules for them since, well, Rogue Trader days. In the mid 90s there were some rules for 2nd Edition in the old Citadel Journal (basically human champions who could take 1 xenos wargear card) but that's about it. But now with the Rogue Trader RPG doing gangbusters it seems time for a comeback.

So here's my take on them as an HQ for the IG. This is the first draft so I'm still in 'kitchen sink' mode so let me know what you think. Of course what I'd really like to do is write Codex-Rogue Traders with tons of funky xenos units, pirates, landers, mercenaries and whatever but I think something like this might actually fly.

I tried to make them a bit more combat effective than IG officers but not as good as support. I think most of the appeal for them will be the funky xenos and lost tech wargear so I went a bit nuts with that stuff.

When adding a unit to an existing codex I try to take something away so I decided that an RT stops you from taking a Company Command Squad. My idea is most RTs don't have the kind of military precision an IG army would have and no RT is going to have his authority challenged by a Major or Colonel. If you want a CCS then don't use an RT is the basic idea. But hey if someone has a better idea…

Also when RTs bring in Xenos units they know no to let some of the more zealous Imperial units take the field so if you use Xenos mercenaries you can't use Commissars and Priests.


Rogue Trader (Imperial Guard HQ choice) – 40 Points
WS4, BS4, S3, T3, W3, I4, A3, Ld9, Sv4+/5++

(basic human hero stats but with I4 where most IG officers are at I3)

Master and Commander – An IG army with a Rogue Trader may not include a Company Commander.
Imperial Warrant – A Rogue Trader has an Imperial Warrant to travel outside the bounds of Imperial space and trade or negotiate with Xenos and other outsiders. A Rogue Trader may include Xenos Mercenaries as elite choices in his army. If he includes Xenos he may not include Commissars or Priests.
Retinue – A Rogue Trader must have a retinue chosen from the list below. If the retinue is lost he becomes an independent character.
Self-Serving – At the beginning of any assault phase where the Rogue Trader is already in assault he may withdraw 2d6 inches and become an independent character. All other models must remain in assault.
Wargear – Master Crafted Power Weapon and Master Crafted Bolt Pistol

(GW really cut back on the MC stuff in 5th edition, even Chapter Masters can't buy it, but I figure a RT is going to have the best)

The RT may replace his MC power weapon with one of the following:
• Powerfist for 10 points
• Venomed Blade for 0 points (wounds on 2+, not a power weapon)
• Suspensor greatsword for 0 points (massive sword/axe/hammer held up by a suspensor field, +2 strength, not a power weapon)
• Perfect Blade (sword crafted specifically for the RT, +1 Int, +1 WS, not a power weapon) for 0 points
• Twin Blades (matched set of diamond hard monofilament blades, +2A, rending, not a power weapon) for 0 points

The RT may replace his MC bolt pistol with one of the following:
• MC Bolter for 0 points
• Storm Bolter for 0 points
• Combi flamer for 5, Combi Grendade for 0, Combi Melta for 10, Combi plasma for 10
• Plasma pistol for 5
• Xenotech pistol (S5, AP d6 (roll for each shot) for 5 points
• Needle pistol (wounds on 4+, AP-) for 0 points
• Hotshot Laspistol (S3, AP3) for 0 points
• Inferno Pistol for 10 points
• Hand Flamer (works as a flamer once per game, then acts as a CC weapon) for 5 points
• Metal Storm Pistol (S4, 12", Assault 6, one use then counts as a CC weapon) for 5 points

The RT may purchase the following wargear:
• Power armor (3+ save) for 5 points
• Frag and Krak grenades for 2 points
• Conversion field (raises invulnerable save to 4+) for 10 points
• Wardrugs (feel no pain) for 10 points
• Jokero Digital Weapons (+1 attack) for 10 points
• Bionic reconstruction (+1 Toughness, -1 initiative, WS and BS) for 5 points.

The RT may purchase ONE of the following artifacts at the points listed
• Lightning gun (S5, Assault 24", Ap4, if it kills a target roll again to hit another model in the same unit, keep going as long as you kill a model with each shot) for 15 points
• Neutron blaster (S4, AP3, flamer template) for 20 points
• C'tan Phase Sword for 15 points (allows no armor or invulnerable saves, destroyed if used on a C'Tan)
• Displacer Field (increases invulnerable save to 3+) for 20 points
• Vortex Grenade (6" range, small blast, instant death to any model touched on 2+, penetrating hit on any vehicle, one use) – 25 points

I'll post rules for his retinue and Xenos mercs soon but how does this look so far?

I really like it! I've always wanted a little more of a 'non disciplined' IG force but didn't want to go the Chaos route.

Would it be more logical for the Lightning Gun to get an additional roll to hit if it causes a wound, rather than kills a model? Or is that part of the appeal that the extra wounds will be outside of the first would allocation step?

Any ideas for calling in support from his vessel in orbit? I am a big fan of the Las-strike strategy in Planetstrike. Otherwise maybe just a bonus to deepstrikers or something that acts as the OotF/Astropath?

Also thinking there would be some interesting options for an allied Inquisitor (a la Eisenhorn) but that might be pushing it.

Looking forward to seeing the retinues!

DoW

Yay someone read it!

For artillery strikes and astropaths I just added the normal advisers as an option. They make sense for RTs and don't require writing new rules.

I'll post the retinue tomorrow.

AWESOMENESS!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/46007667/Rogue-Trader-chan

http://www.thecodexproject.com/

Retinue
5-10 models chosen from the list below:

Armsmen-7 points
(Vet IG stats, equipped with lasgun, pistol/cc or shotgun, frag and krak)
All Armsmen in the retinue may get the following upgades
• Carapace armor (4+ save) for 3 points a model
• Meltabombs for 5 points a model
• 'Slaught Drugs (Furious charge) for 3 points a model
• Bolters for 2 points a model
• Hot shot lasers for 2 points a model
Up to 3 may take special weapons
• Grenade Launcher, sniper rifle or flamer for 5 points
• Meltagun or power weapon for 10 points
• Plasma gun for 15 points
(Note that power weapons are an option so you can make a unit of 10 furious charging Armsmen with 3 powerweapons+the RT himself not a bad little counter charge unit)

Xenos Beasts – 10 Points
(IG stats, 2 CC weapons, rending, furious charge)
Beasts or savage warriors drawn from dangerous Death Worlds.
These do NOT count as Xenos Mercenaries (so you can take these dudes and still take Commissars and Priests).
(Note – this is for flavor, somewhere to put your raptors, cyber mastiffs, Catachan Devils etc. With 3 power weapon armsmen and the RT you get a really nice counter charge unit)

0-1 Xenos Bodyguard - 10 points
Choose 1 from the appropriate codex, no upgrades
Ork Shoota/Slugga Boy
Tau Firewarrior
Eldar Guardian
Dark Eldar Warrior
These do NOT count as Xenos Mercenaries (so you can take these dudes and still take Commissars and Priests).
(Note – Here for fun really, I might flesh them out more)

Servants/Aides/Functionaries - 4 pts
Food tasters, butlers, runners, flying skull things, naked flying babies, ladies of the night, etc
IG conscript stats, armed with 1 CC weapon
(Note – There to soak up wounds)

Seneschals – 20 Points
(Vet IG stats, pistol/CC)
Seneschals are the paymasters of the RT's fleet and can offer immediate rewards for troops.
For each Seneschal you may make one unit (including the retinue) within 12" Stubborn. Designate at the start of your turn.

Sages - 10 pts
IG stats, armed with las pistol and CC weapon
Each one allows this unit or a unit within 12" to re-roll one shooting attack

Void Master - 10 pts
IG stats, armed with las pistol and CC weapon
Each one allows a unit to reroll the scatter when deep striking

Bodyguards – 15 points
As advisor

0-1 Astropath – 30 points
As the advisor

0-1 Officer of the Fleet – 30 Points
As advisor

0-1 Artillery Officer – 30 Points
As advisor

Transport
The RT and Retinue may take a Valkyrie as a dedicated transport.

Xenos Mercenaries

A Rogue Trader may include Xenos Mercenaries as elite choices in his army. If he includes Xenos he may not include Commissars or Priests. Units are bought from their codex at the appropriate prices and may buy their normal upgrades.

Ork Shoota/Slugga Boyz
Tau Firewarriors
Eldar Guardians
Dark Eldar Warriors

Take the chance to bring back some of the other weird RT weaponry, such as webbers and graviton guns, perhaps?

So far I've only looked at the Rogue Trader (rather than retinue) section, but I must say, it looks really good. I think there are still some rough edges, but the idea and execution are both really good and it's quite possibly the best formatted rules I've seen on the proposed rules section for a long time.
If you don't mind, I'll go through it and add in any suggestions/comments in green...

Kid_Kyoto wrote:Rogue Traders for the Imperial Guard



Rogue Trader (Imperial Guard HQ choice) – 40 Points
WS4, BS4, S3, T3, W3, I4, A3, Ld9, Sv4+/5++

(basic human hero stats but with I4 where most IG officers are at I3)

Master and Commander – An IG army with a Rogue Trader may not include a Company Commander.
Imperial Warrant – A Rogue Trader has an Imperial Warrant to travel outside the bounds of Imperial space and trade or negotiate with Xenos and other outsiders. A Rogue Trader may include Xenos Mercenaries as elite choices in his army. If he includes Xenos he may not include Commissars or Priests.
Retinue – A Rogue Trader must have a retinue chosen from the list below. If the retinue is lost he becomes an independent character.
Self-Serving – At the beginning of any assault phase where the Rogue Trader is already in assault he may withdraw 2d6 inches and become an independent character. All other models must remain in assault.
Wargear – Master Crafted Power Weapon and Master Crafted Bolt Pistol

Seems like pretty good/realistic stats and rules. I'm not sure the stats are good enough to make full use of some of the more... 'exotic' weaponry as it were, as ultimately, he's only WS4/Str3/I4.
Then again, if he cannot be targetted as an IC character in CC then he suddenly becomes a WHOLE lot better, then again something like the 3++ option becomes a bit worse IMHO. Clarification on that may be needed IMHO.
I think the rules themselves seem really good and balanced - the names are really good too.
I wonder - bear in mind I don't have the guard codex, so I'm from more an (expensive pts) MeQ viewpoint - if 40pts is a bit low base cost, considering he has a MC Power weapon too? I'm not suggesting you ditch the PW weapon though; it's a good addition.

(GW really cut back on the MC stuff in 5th edition, even Chapter Masters can't buy it, but I figure a RT is going to have the best)

The RT may replace his MC power weapon with one of the following:
• Powerfist for 10 points
• Venomed Blade for 0 points (wounds on 2+, not a power weapon)
• Suspensor greatsword for 0 points (massive sword/axe/hammer held up by a suspensor field, +2 strength, not a power weapon)
• Perfect Blade (sword crafted specifically for the RT, +1 Int, +1 WS, not a power weapon) for 0 points
• Twin Blades (matched set of diamond hard monofilament blades, +2A, rending, not a power weapon) for 0 points

I think many of these won't really be worth taking without ignoring saves tbh. I think the idea behind them is really good, but I can only imagine using the Twin Blades or Powerfist. Also, I'd try to specify whether they count as CCW's for attack purposes
The PF may be a bit over-costed considering it's not MC and it still means he'll be Str6, In1? Then again, 5pts seems a bit of a 'must-have'. Maybe give it MC?
As I said, the Venomed Blade doesn't seem worth taking without ignoring saves. 2+ and ignoring saves is too much, but even with 3/4 attacks, thats what? 1 MeQ wound? I'd wonder about a 5+ wound and power weapon for say... 10pts? Makes him eligible against larger creatures, re-rolls the wound against MeQ's and is power weapon?
The Suspensor Greatsword (rename Greatweapon or something? Axes/Hammers?) and Perfect Blade are also both nice ideas, but don't really add much without ignoring saves. I think 10-15pts with Power Weapon on the perfect blade would be reasonable whilst +3/4 strength with saves or +1 strength without saves would probably work better on the Greatsword.
As I said, the twin-blades is probably the only one (except the PF) I'd consider taking instead. +2 attacks and rending is nice, but maybe 5pts or something?
As I said though, the ideas and themes are really good, but I can't imagine them getting much use without some kind of ignoring armour ability or similar?

The RT may replace his MC bolt pistol with one of the following:
• MC Bolter for 0 points
• Storm Bolter for 0 points
• Combi flamer for 5, Combi Grenade for 0, Combi Melta for 10, Combi plasma for 10
• Plasma pistol for 5
• Xenotech pistol (S5, AP d6 (roll for each shot) for 5 points
• Needle pistol (wounds on 4+, AP-) for 0 points
• Hotshot Laspistol (S3, AP3) for 0 points
• Inferno Pistol for 10 points
• Hand Flamer (works as a flamer once per game, then acts as a CC weapon) for 5 points
• Metal Storm Pistol (S4, 12", Assault 6, one use then counts as a CC weapon) for 5 points

One again, nice ideas here and largely well executed. My suggestions?
- I'd suggest making the Plasma Pistol 10pts? It's a bit must-take for 5pts IMHO.
- The xenotech pistol is a really nice one. I can't decide whether I think it should cost more or keep it the same. I'd probably suggest keep it as is...
- I'd give the needle pistol wound on 3+. It won't get many shots and enemies will still get armour. I can't imagine using it over a MC Bolt Pistol personally. It'd be worse against Eldar/Guardsmen etc and no difference against MeQ's. It may get lucky against MC's or Plague Marines I guess, but that's fairly limited IMHO.
- I'm unsure what an inferno pistol does? Same as BA or is it a IG weapon?
- The hand flamer I'm also unsure as to whether it should be free, or stay as is. Once again, I'd probably say the latter.
- I really like the metal storm pistol. Whats the AP? It's a really nice concept. I'm unsure about the name, but I think it's the only name out of everything I'm a bit... 'meh' about.
- I'd also wonder whether a Pulse Pistol (Tau) would be a good addition?

The RT may purchase the following wargear:
• Power armor (3+ save) for 5 points
• Frag and Krak grenades for 2 points
• Conversion field (raises invulnerable save to 4+) for 10 points
• Wardrugs (feel no pain) for 10 points
• Jokero Digital Weapons (+1 attack) for 10 points
• Bionic reconstruction (+1 Toughness, -1 initiative, WS and BS) for 5 points.

Once again, some really nice options here but I think some of them are a bit iffy IMHO.
- I'd wonder if the PA should cost a bit more? For 5pts I'd definitely take it, but for 10 I'm not so sure? Maybe cost it akin to the guys in rumoured GK? But we don't know that yet!
- Frag and Krak should maybe be standard on a RT?
- Meltabombs would be a viable option too?
- I wonder if the conversion field is a 'given' or whether it'd be too expensive if it costed more?
- Wardrugs is good. I'd wonder about potentially giving him something akin to the DE's too?
- Digital Weapons (Jokaero I'm unsure about, but maybe that's just me) is good. 10pts may be too much? Then again, 5pts would be too little!
- Bionic Reconstruction I would never consider personally. +1 toughness is good, but for the effects it has?! I'd wonder about +1 Toughness -1 initiative for 10-15pts? Or give him FNP through this instead? I dunno, but I don't think it's at all worth it in it's current incarnation IMHO.

The RT may purchase ONE of the following artifacts at the points listed
• Lightning gun (S5, Assault 24", Ap4, if it kills a target roll again to hit another model in the same unit, keep going as long as you kill a model with each shot) for 15 points
• Neutron blaster (S4, AP3, flamer template) for 20 points
• C'tan Phase Sword for 15 points (allows no armor or invulnerable saves, destroyed if used on a C'Tan)
• Displacer Field (increases invulnerable save to 3+) for 20 points
• Vortex Grenade (6" range, small blast, instant death to any model touched on 2+, penetrating hit on any vehicle, one use) – 25 points

I really like some of these, very cool.
- I'd suggest re-phrasing the Lightning gun to Assault 1* Range 24"? It seems good against GeQ's but weak against MeQ's IMHO. Whether that is a flaw or not I'm unsure, but you may consider that for each wound or hit, you can fire again but give it a price increase in this state? As it is though, it's nice. Doubt I'd use it over the other options though...
- Neuron Blaster's good; actually, that outclasses the Lightning gun quite substantially IMHO.
- Phase Sword is also really nice. Maybe should cost more? Does it work with say... The Displacer Greatweapon? If so then it's undercosted IMHO.
- The Displacer fields a good option.
- The Vortex grenade is also very nice and seemingly balanced. I'd currently consider all of the options except the Lightning Gun personally.
- I'd consider adding a couple of other nice goodies. Holo-field or something that grants stealth (therefore to unit too?), some stuff from the Tau Codex? Something to add say... Hit and Run?

I'll post rules for his retinue and Xenos mercs soon but how does this look so far?

I apologise if my comments make it seem like I'm being overly critical, I really like the vast majority of it and I'd love to see something like that as a WD article, like the Old days! As I said, I think there's some rough edges, however, as it is it seems really good. I'll have a look at the Retinues later if you want.

Really liking this KK, great work man. Hope I could help!

Yeah, I have no idea why they cut back on the MC stuff. It was a nice modelling opportunity, if nothing else. I enjoyed it (especially MC powerfists )

Anyway, looks good. I wouldn't limit him to just the IG codex. He could be a WD thing for all imperial armies.

DERP. You already included what I was thinking off

So far I've only looked at the Rogue Trader (rather than retinue) section, but I must say, it looks really good. I think there are still some rough edges, but the idea and execution are both really good and it's quite possibly the best formatted rules I've seen on the proposed rules section for a long time.
If you don't mind, I'll go through it and add in any suggestions/comments in green...

Thanks.

WRT the melee weapons I was trying to see if I could make attractive, non-power weapons with each one enhancing a different close combat stat. The problem of course is MEQ dominance so power weapons are almost always more useful than going faster or getting more attacks.

I'll give them another thought.

Please do take a look at the retinue, also I'd like to know if the Xenos option is overpowered. It's sort of at the core of the concept but I don't play any of the xenos armies so I don't know how well these units would work with the IG.

It'd be cool to see the following options for the Rogue Trader. Mostly expanding the Bionics.

Bionic Legs: Become Fleet of Foot
Bionic Arm: Instead of its normal complement of attacks, may make 1 attack that is Str6 and ignores saves.
Bionic Eye: Enemies hit by this model must reroll successful cover saves.
Bionic Body: -1 WS and BS, +1 T (this is to the model's base stats)

Just a thought.

Otherwise, I love it.
I'd also give Rogue Traders the option to take 0-1 squads of Imperial Space Marines as Elites or Heavy Support. Just a tactical squad with basic upgrades.

Yeah, bionics would be a nice touch.