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g'day all.
This is my idea for a codex i thought up a couple weeks ago and decided to stat the other day. i will not at all be suprised if it is unbalenced, under/over costed or just plane wrong, but any and all feedback is welcome and useful. bear in mind this is just the first few units i have thought up and is not done yet, plus it would be good to see how balenced and good it is. so without further ado...





THE HARBINGERS
The harbingers are one of the may xenos forces the imperium faced during their early crusades, but unlike may others, the harbingers have survived and to this day still conduct the occasional large-scale engagement against the imperial forces. much of the harbinger's technology is scavenged or based on that of the imperium. the harbingers are similar in appearance to scaled, bulky humans, with their weakest troops on par with human infantry, and their elite easily a match for a geneticaly enhanced space marine. the harbingers area of skill is the breeding of large monstrous creatures such as their infamous torture barges, drifting lobotimised abominations used to devastate enemy infantry. harbingers are similar to orks in one way, as the older one gets, the stronger and more physicaly imposing it gets.

the harbingers are not well known to many other races but treat them equaly brutally, fighting them at every and all oppertunities. one of the largest slaughters caused by them was on one occasion when they were aproached by the tau empire in a distant sector, who were seeking to convert them to the greater good to make good use of their brute force and to civilise them, after the harbingers accidentaly saved them from a rogue tyranid splinter fleet. needless to say it was an enourmously one sided battle, with the welcoming tau system blindsided by the harbingers who were welcomed into their cities, as unknown saviours, their horrific horrors allowed to walk their streets. within one week the system was the harbinger's and only 19% of the tau survived the savage combat only to be enslaved and forced to work for the rest of their short lives.

there have been numerous other stories of the savageness of the harbingers but that is for another time. the harbinger command structure is based on their crude, brutal religion, their military leaders being their religious leaders. harbingers become fearless within the presence of these hallowed figures. the harbingers may not be the most well known or widely affecting force, but they are a savage, yet strangly organised race, definatly not to ever be underestimated.


ARMY SPECIAL RULES:
All HQ units in a harbinger army have the following special rule: INSPIRING PRESENCE: All allies within 12” gain the fearless special rule.

ARMOUR:
ROUGH HIDE: a model with rough hide gains 5+ armour save.
PLATE ARMOUR: a model with plate armour gains 4+ armour save.
SHARD ARMOUR: a model with shard armour gains 3+ armour save.

CLOSE COMBAT WEAPONS:
SHREDDERSWORD: shredderswords use a special energy field to home-in on heat sources, in other words, enemies. A shreddersword counts as a power weapon.
SICKLE FISTS: a model with sickle fists gains the rending special rule in close combat.
GRENADE FLAIL: a grenade flail gives its wielder frag and krag grenades. A grenade flail counts as a power fist.
WYRMBLADE: a Wyrmblade counts as a thunder hammer.
ARMOURED CLAWS armoured claws let the weilder reroll all failed to hit rolls in close combat.

GUNS:
FRAG PISTOL: frag pistols fire a hail of razor sharp, needle-like blades which can tear apart enemies at a long range for a pistol.
Range: 18” strength: 5 AP: 5 type: assault 4
HYDRA: hydras are a powerful variation of the frag pistol which employs explosive ammunition designed to tear apart infantry.
Range: 18” strength: 6 AP: 4 type: assault 4
GORGON: gorgons are very long ranged grenade launchers utilised by the harbingers to great effect against infantry.
Range: 36” strength: 4 AP: 4 type: assault 1, large blast, rending
SLEDGESHOT RIFLE: sledgeshot rifles are long range rifles first created by the harbingers after long ago skirmishes with the imperium, converting scavenged bolters into more close range weaponry.
Range: 24” strength: 5 AP: 6 type: assault 2
KRAKEN RIFLE: kraken rifles are the ubiquitous firearm of the harbingers.
Range: 12” strength: 4 AP: 5 type: assault 1
WYRMPISTOL:
Range: 18” strength: 6 AP: 3 type: pistol, gets hot, rending

WARGEAR:
ADRENAL INJECTORS: a unit with adrenal injectors gains the fleet and furious charge special rules.
BEAST LASH: a unit with the beast lash wargear gives one allied monstrous creature within 6” the feel no pain special rule until it moves out of range.
SHARDFIELD: a unit with a Shardfield gains a 4+ invulnerable save.
SERRATED GAUNTLETS: any to wound roll of a 6 rolled by a unit with serrated gauntlets causes instant death. Toughness is not a factor in instant death.







HQ:

ARMOURED PRIEST 110 pts
Ws: 6 BS: 5 s: 4 t: 5 w: 3 i: 5 a: 3 LD: 10 sv: 3+
Unit type: infantry.
Weapons and wargear: frag pistol, shard armour, shreddersword, Shardfield.
SPECIAL RULES: independent character, fearless, independent character.
OPTIONS:
The armoured priest may exchange its frag pistol with one of the following:
- Hydra for 5 pts
- Gorgon for 10 pts
- Wyrmpistol for 15 pts
The priest may exchange its shreddersword with one of the following:
- Grenade flail for 25 pts
- Wyrmblade for 30 pts
The armoured priest may take any of the following:
- Adrenal injectors for 15 pts
- Beast lash for 15 pts
- Serrated gauntlets for 15 pts




HUNTER UMBRA 70 pts per model
Ws: 6 BS: 3 s: 4 t: 4 w: 2 i: 5 a: 3 LD: 10 sv: 4+
Composition: 1-2 hunter umbras’.
Unit type: infantry.
Weapons and wargear: shreddersword, Shardfield.
SPECIAL RULES: furious charge, fearless, independent character, fleet.

OPTIONS:
May have any of the following:
- Implosion bombs for +15 pts
- Robotic limbs for +15 pts
- Shard armour for +15 pts
- Fléchette storm for +15 pts

IMPLOSION BOMBS: implosion bombs are ranged shooting weapons with the following profile:
Range: 12” strength: 7 AP: 2 type: assault 1

ROBOTIC LIMBS: a hunter umbra with robotic limbs gains +1 strength on its profile.

FLECHETTE STORM: Fléchette storm is a ranged weapon, but the umbra may be in close combat while using it, as may the targets. When used, all enemy models within 6” of the umbra automatically take a strength 2, AP- attack the attack still rolls to wound as normal.








ELITE:

WYRMMAW
130 pts
Ws: 4 BS: 0 s: 6 t: 6 w: 4 i: 3 a: D6 LD: 10 sv: 3+
Composition: 1 wyrmmaw.
Unit type: monstrous creature.

Weapons and wargear: slashing claws, barbed hooks, etc. shard armour

SPECIAL RULES: fearless, feel no pain, fleet.
RANDOM ATTACKS: the amount of attacks a wyrmmaw has is determined at the start of each assault phase while fighting.








TROOPS:

BASILISK SQUAD: 13 pts per model
Ws: 3 BS: 4 s: 4 t: 4 w: 1 i: 4 a: 1 LD: 8 sv: 3+
Composition: 5-15 basilisks.
Unit type: infantry.
Weapons and wargear: sledgeshot rifle, shard armour.
SPECIAL RULES: move through cover.
OPTIONS:
The entire squad may replace their sledgeshot rifles with the following:
- Frag pistol for 5 pts per model
For every 5 basilisks in the unit, 1 may be equipped with the following:
- Gorgon for 10 pts
the whole squad may take the following:
- adrenal injectors for 3 pts per model





CYCLOPS SQUAD Ws: 3 BS: 3 s: 3 t: 3 w: 1 i: 3 a: 1 LD: 8 sv: 4+ 5pts per model

Render Ws: 7 Bs: 0 s: 5 t: 5 w: 3 i: 7 a: 4 LD: 8 sv: 4+

Mauler Ws: 7 BS: 0 s: 5 t: 5 w: 3 i: 7 a: 4 LD: 8 sv: 4+

Unit type: infantry.
Composition: 10-20 Cyclopes.
Weapons and wargear: kraken rifle, rough hide. Plate armour, sickle fists (render and mauler).
Special rules: move through cover.
OPTIONS:
Upgrade one Cyclops to one of the following:
- render for 30 pts
- Mauler for 30 pts
the whole squad can take the following:
- adrenal injectors for 2 pts per model
HOARD DRIVER: a Cyclops squad with a render gains the feel no pain and fleet special rules. These effects immediately end if the render dies.
HOARD ENRAGER: a Cyclops squad with a mauler gains the furious charge and fearless special rules. These effects immediately end if the mauler dies.





HUNTER SQUAD:
ws: 5 bs: 0 s: 4 t: 4 w: 1 i: 4 a: 2 ld: 10 sv: 5+
composition: 5-20 hunters.
unit type: infantry.
weapons and wargear: rough hide, shreddersword, shardfield.

SPECIAL RULES: fearless, furious charge, fleet
OPTIONS:
one model may take the following:
- battle rage for 5 pts

BATTLE RAGE: if a hunter with battle rage is involved in a fight which results in a draw, the hunter's side counts as winning by one wound.







FAST ATTACK:

bloodmaw
ws: 4 bs: 4 s: 4 t: 5 w: 3 i: 5 a: 4 ld: 8 sv: 4+
unit type: beasts.
weapons and wargear: armoured claws, plate armour.

SPECIAL RULES: move through cover, fearless, deep strike.

OPTIONS:

the entire unit may take the following:
- shoulder mounted frag pistols for 10 pts per model.

one bloodmaw in the unit may take the following:
- gorgon for 15 pts.








HEAVY SUPPORT:

Torture barge
Ws: 5 BS: 3 s: 7 t: 7 w: 3 i: 4 a: D6 sv: 3+
Unit type: monstrous creature.
Weapons and wargear: shard armour, barbed talons (counts as close combat weapon), necrotic barrage.

Necrotic barrage: torture barges often carry large banks of venomous barbs in their sides, used to bombard enemies in a venomous storm.
Range: 36” strength: X AP: 6 type: assault 6, poisoned (4+)

SHREDDING LIMBS: a torture barge rolls 2D6 when determining how many attacks it makes and uses the highest.

SPECIAL RULES: fearless, move through cover.
MINDLESS ATTACKS: a barge has D6 attacks (plus the bonuses for assaulting, etc.). Roll separately to find out how many attacks it makes each round of combat.
OPTIONS:
Replace the barge’s necrotic barrage with one of the following:
- Sledgeburst banks for 5 pts
Replace one of the barge’s close combat weapons with one of the following:
- Pyrewave gun for 5 pts

PYREWAVE GUN: some barges carry strange, flamer-like weapons which fire incredibly hot waves of air, capable of boiling enemies within their armour.
Range: template strength: 4 AP: 3 type: assault 1, twin-linked
SLEDGEBURST BANKS: some barges employ sledgebursts, an explosive variant on the sledgeshot rifle, to mow down enemy infantry at fairly long range.
Range: 24” strength: 5 AP: 5 type: assault 2, blast




shredders 50 pts per model
Ws: 4 BS: 4 s: 5 t: 5 w: 3 i: 3 a: 2 LD: 8 sv: 3+
Composition: 1-3 shredders.
Unit type: infantry.
Weapons and wargear: bloodhound, shard armour.

BLOODHOUND: a bloodhound is a medium range, rapid fire cannon utilised by the harbingers only in recent years. It has proved to be effective against different enemy types.
Range: 24” strength: 6 AP: 4 type: heavy 4, rending

SPECIAL RULES: move through cover, fearless.

OPTIONS:
The shredder may replace its bloodhound with one of the following:
- Wyrmcannon for free
- Reaver for 20 pts

WYRMCANNON:
Range: 36” strength: 7 AP: 2 type: heavy 1, gets hot, blast

REAVER:
Range: 48” strength: 9 AP: 2 type: heavy 1


So, what do you think? comments are most appreciated!

I'll just point out that I'm really, really glad you didn't spell it "Harbringers". I gakkin hate that.

So does it look good?

Hmmmm... It's interesting but as a foot slogging army with extremely limited ranged weapons, I see it getting destroyed fairly quickly even with the number of monstrous creatures you have. It's sorta a tyranid army without the fleet or high iniative. If you don't want fleet or higher iniative, I'd recommend better armor saves generally. I mean sure the strength of the guns are great and they're mostly assault, and that somewhat balances the overall short range of the army, but that doesn't change the fact that a few well placed templates will probably kill most of your troops before they even get close enough to shoot. And then having power weapons/special weapons for almost everyone? I don't care that they're mostly low iniative or that as a whole this army is pretty slow and looks at getting templated to death before reaching their opponent, that's just OTT.

I agree with the King. Give your army some more mobility. For instance, you could add in a rule or wargear that allows for faster movement.

Yep, i have given several units the option to have fleet and furious charge , as well as increasing the armour of several units. Any more inprovements needed?

If their stuff is mostly scavenged imperial tech, why so much special gear and weaponry? This is like reading a fricken xenos codex, hurts your brain.

No, scavenged, THEN modified. Good list? No?

*UPDATED*

I have actually playtested it with some friends and they say its quite good. quite balanced. not really overpowered. quite good. what doyou think?

If you've got vassal, id love to play it or against it sometime if you'd like

No, sorry, aint got it

It's a free download fyi

Chris I will play against you using this dex on vassal some time, pm me and we will see about when.

Hmmm. Ok. probably be a while though. Look foward to it.