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So I was reading the Blood in the Badlands book, I saw Rezziqueak's Warp-Doom Magma-Cannon and I thought to myself that fig is awesome I need to build one... but if I do I should make a Rezziqueak's Ratapult of Warp-Doom-Magma... So I have been working on some rules... love to hear your thoughts on them. My goal was a Blood in the Badlands siege weapon that can fling a unit of rats over a wall, who cares about the landing right? Tuck and roll... The Great Horned One protects his chosen.

It would follow the Doomrocket for distance... 4 to 10 d6 with 3 6's having it roll on the misfire chart. It will turn to face direction desired for firing like a catapult. It would also only be able to fling up to 30 rats at a time (Rat Ogres take up 4 spots per Rat Ogre), when launched each rat upon landing will have to take a Initiative roll or die, no armor saves allowed.

If they land on another unit (friend or foe) Initiative checks must be made as normal for the falling rats and the unit/model they land on or suffer a hit based on the strength of the falling model, Rat Ogres hit harder when dropped than Clanrats. The falling unit also needs to be wounded by the unit they hit using the same method, strength of the unit on the ground used to wound the unit coming in. In case of mixed units use the strength of the most numerous model. (IE 6 Rat Ogres and 3 packmasters, use Rat Ogres strength) Place falling unit IN COMBAT, in any facing and/or direction to the unit landed on when you are done calculating hits per the large blast template for 20+ 20 mm, small blast for 8-19, and d6 for less than 8.

The unit can move into contact with the Ratapult and be fired in the same turn but the unit being fired cannot shoot at something themselves as they spend the time reforming and flying through the air. Only one unit a shooting phase can be fired, any amount of legal moves can be made to make the unit up to 30 20mm worth of models to be fired.

Hitting a building or another "unmoveable" object would be treated like a Doomwheel hitting a wall. D6 Strength 10 hits. *SPLAT* That would be for every model that lands on an object that is "unmoveable" (wall, tree, something with some structure) takes this hit.

It has the same profile as a catapult except it has 6 wounds just like it's cannon counterpart along with 2000 points out of your siege budget just like it's counterpart. Same restrictions as the ubber cannon, pre battle destruction on 4 6's, cannot fire pre-battle. The catapult is fired in the shooting phase, assuming the unit that is being fired is in base contact with the Ratapult. The whole unit must be able to go or none at all. Skaven are too cowardly to fly alone.

Misfire Chart:
1-2 : TWANG! The Ratapult collapses! Whole model is destroyed, remove it as a casualty. The unit inside must take a Initiative test to hop out before it falls on them.
3-5: Ratty TRICKERY! Someone has lodged a warpstone in the lever, the unit flies wildly off course! Opponent places unit anywhere within 3D6 inches of the Ratapult.
6: Rope SNAPS! Everyone looks around confused as rats are not flying through the air. Takes one turn to figure out who did not consult the Horned One on this trip.

I would love playtesting with this and feedback if you feel so inclined, or just general thoughts would be appreciated. Being a Blood in the Badlands item, it is not meant for tournament play and meant to be enjoyed reasonably. Wow I feel like I have to type stuff like "Caution: Coffee is HOT!!!" Enjoy fellow worshipers of the horned one and their foes (which is everyone even other Skaven players.)

Cool sounds like all of the skaven arty, good until a misfire then, hit the deck!!!!

I don't have battle in the bloodlands.

I get the idea is to move units essentially behind lines. Which is kinda cool.

I don't think it should be as good as a real stone thrower when actually hitting enemies. As the whole point is you're getting guys back there, not trying to land on them. You could conceivably do 30 wounds. They aren't rocks, or ballista bolts, they are unaerodynamic, screaming rats. I think the enemy has a better chance to get out of the way. I think it should just be a standard if <10 models thrown D6 wounds at D6 str distributed as shooting. >10 models 2D6 at D6 str +1.

Moreover, you can't enter combat directly. 1" rule. And can do a Remaining Moves. They pretty much did away with that in all new rules from ambushers to entombed beneath the sands. If you want to parachute in on them, okay, but they can't attack immediatly (other than landing on people).

Make initiative tests or take 1 wound on landing, no armor. So rat ogres will always live. I also say that if you land on a unit, you make the initiative test at -1, because of all the swords and armor and such you're hitting.

I also say that a full unit must move into catapult, where it is temporarily removed from play. Put a marker there. If the catapult is destroyed, return the unit, 1" from any enemies. They're then fired on shooting and can round out on any remaining moves.

But I think it's a fun rule.

The rules are great! Spread it to anyone planning on a skaveny siege!

Sounds more Orc and goblin than Skaven to me.
Skaven don't exactly have a fondness for flight. In fact, they are the only army that doesn't have a unit that can fly (even dwarves fly).

A super tunneling machine, or even a teleportation device seems more skaven-esk.

I'd go teleportation cannon myself.
Unit of up to 30 moves into the transportation chamber. The location of a teleport is processed exactly like a stone thrower shot (with scatter). If you scatter into an enemy unit, both units take 3D6 S10 hits. Surviving skaven rank up within 1" of the enemy, and may not move that turn.
If skaven land in terrain, they likewise take 3D6 S10 hits.
If skaven land in the open, they rank up and may move as normal in the remaining move phase.

Misfires as above.

-Matt

Haha, nice. Name reminds me of Ratapult from Majesty.
http://archive.kontek.net/majesty.strategyplanet.gamespy.com/nep_ss_014_b.jpg

I think there is a Skaven unit that's like Skaven Slave or something... Well I think it should only be able to launch them.. Not just for fluff... Just to keep it in good taste. Not make it such a huge part of the game for you and the enemy. Prevents too much weirdness.

I could see skaven using this on slaves while it does come across as more of a goblin tactic lol, that said Clan Eshin cooould potentially refine and make better use of this in a ninjery form,

In terms of lore, skaven firing lesser skaven out of a catapult at castle walls either to get inside - shower the people inside cluster style or just to see if rats can break solid walls would be logical I'm not sure you could persuade me to fire units of my troops in an actual game unless I was on the alchahol or it were something in the scenario that didn't take from my points list and I was desperate.

That might just be because I'd rather use a catapult on the wall xD

I like the -1 to init for coming down on sharp/hard things, you really cannot control how you land when you are tossed through the air.

I guess I assumed the 1 wound thing, which is at my folly as very few models in the over all scheme have more than 1. I would incorporate both of these.

As far as not rat like, I think flinging slaves is a Skaven Olympic sport. Skaven are all about better you than me. So would a unit of Clanrats jump in this thing? Well if the Warlord and his Stormvermin say so, well umm yeah. Is it a bit Goblinish sure, but no more than alot of things. Hell now I wanna model a bunch of Rat Ogres throwing Skaven at people... call it a war machine and use Empire stats... there is no limit to the ratty mind.

Thank you to everyone who gave me push back it was all appreciated, if you like my rules feel free to use them and test them as you like. If you happen to use it in a game throw up the results!

Ya' know, when I read this, I was thinking "how on earth does an Initiative test signify managing not to die after a fall at terminal velocity? This doesn't add up for me. Now, a Warp-teleporter..." And then I saw Matt's post.

It's an interesting idea and a funny name, but I'd just ask my opponent if I can use the Doomdiver. Which he should probably say "yes" to, since that's points away from Warp Lightning Cannons...

Beyond that, I was going to suggest something almost exactly like Matt did.

Take a scraplauncher. Replace the rhinox with rat ogres. Replace gnoblars with skaven. Put a skaven in the bucket. Add warpstone. Conversion done.

Surtur wrote:Take a scraplauncher. Replace the rhinox with rat ogres. Replace gnoblars with skaven. Put a skaven in the bucket. Add warpstone. Conversion done.

I'd say a trebuchet converted frome the Plagueclaw, myself...

I am building the cannon+screaming bell thing they did for Blood in the Badlands... and I am just using the same kits and a kitchen item. It's funny how Bed, Bath and Beyond is cheaper than GW :p I like the fig is all I was doing and wanted to make rules for it regardless if there is a better idea. As a rat you cannot build the war machines big enough.

HawaiiMatt wrote:Sounds more Orc and goblin than Skaven to me.
Skaven don't exactly have a fondness for flight. In fact, they are the only army that doesn't have a unit that can fly (even dwarves fly).

A super tunneling machine, or even a teleportation device seems more skaven-esk.

I'd go teleportation cannon myself.
Unit of up to 30 moves into the transportation chamber. The location of a teleport is processed exactly like a stone thrower shot (with scatter). If you scatter into an enemy unit, both units take 3D6 S10 hits. Surviving skaven rank up within 1" of the enemy, and may not move that turn.
If skaven land in terrain, they likewise take 3D6 S10 hits.
If skaven land in the open, they rank up and may move as normal in the remaining move phase.

Misfires as above.

-Matt

I agree with this.
While it's a cool idea, sending rats behind their lines, Skaven are very much (in my opinion) subterranean creatures. Also, some sort of warpstone teleporter fits in better with their 'mad science' theme.

Maybe you could go a slightly different direction. If you go with a teleporter thing instead of a rat flinger, this might work: Have a sender and a receiver. Pair the machines. Have one deploy normally, and one scout and then scatter. It is pushed up from beneath the ground by its crew and then scores of rats can be transported through the warp to the desired location. Sending rats anywhere on the board, even with a scatter, seems a bit overpowered. Other systems for abnormal deployment either have you choose the location your unit will appear beforehand, or has the unit come in from a table edge. The whole, 'POOF! I'm behind you!' thing... I just dont know. If, on the other hand, all your troops were teleporting to one specific location on the board, it would still be very useful, but would lessen Night crawler-like shenanigans.

-Jim

I don't think it's that easy to abuse. To "load" a unit inside, they need to be nearby. You're teleporting 2-3 units in, max, before the enemy hits your main line (which is 2-3 units short now). Space would be the biggest issue. You're either sending in small units, or your units displace each other to the point that they can't get in next turn (I assume it'd be like entering a building). And units of 30 wouldn't be that hard to deal with, behind your lines or no.

In a regular pitched battle, I doubt I'd field such a thing. This concept is made for siege-type scenarios.

HawaiiMatt wrote:Sounds more Orc and goblin than Skaven to me.
Skaven don't exactly have a fondness for flight. In fact, they are the only army that doesn't have a unit that can fly (even dwarves fly).

A super tunneling machine, or even a teleportation device seems more skaven-esk.

I'd go teleportation cannon myself.
Unit of up to 30 moves into the transportation chamber. The location of a teleport is processed exactly like a stone thrower shot (with scatter). If you scatter into an enemy unit, both units take 3D6 S10 hits. Surviving skaven rank up within 1" of the enemy, and may not move that turn.
If skaven land in terrain, they likewise take 3D6 S10 hits.
If skaven land in the open, they rank up and may move as normal in the remaining move phase.

Misfires as above.

-Matt

"Teleportation cannon"? Isn't that basically a big Shokk Attack Gun?

Which Orks use?

That actually puts the snotlings INSIDE the target, so they can rip him inside out.