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2012/07/22 04:41:41
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
After watching a bit of the military channel I saw some clips of an AC-130 kicking ass, and I was thinking. It would be cool if the Guard could get that. Then I realized why not. I am currently in the process of making one for my IG list.
Classification 1 Dragon Gunship takes up an Heavy support slot.
Type: Flyer
Hull Points: 4
Armor: Front:11 Side: 12 Rear: 11
Equipment[/]
Smoke Launchers, Search Light
[i]Weapons:
All the weapons for the Dragon Gunship are mounted on its left side. Like the AC-130.
BS:3
Battle Cannonpg. 53 of the IG codex 72" S:8 AP:3 Ordnance Barrage 1, Large Blast
Exterminator Autocannonpg 104 of the IG codex 48" S:7 AP:4 Heavy 4, Twin Linked
Punisher Gatling Cannonpg 104 of the IG codex 24" S:5 AP:- Heavy 20
Special Rules:
Strafing Run:
The Dragon Gunship must move constantly, and do to the nature of its design/use. It cannot stay still for long, that said it is a big and heavy beast. Which takes a lot of power to move, thus it is much slower than many other fliers.
The Dragon Gunship is not a bomber or interceptor, and the sheer weight of its on-board systems coupled with the precision required from its weaponry greatly limits its manoeuvrability. A Zooming Dragon Gunship has its Combat Speed lowered to 12" and its Cruising Speed lowered to 24". A Dragon Gunship that moves less than 12" for whatever reason is automatically glanced. When non-Skyfire weapons shoot at the Dragoon Gunship, they may hit on a 5 & 6 instead of the regular 6. Only applicable if the firing unit hasn't moved.
Enemy Coordinates?:
With the limited number of Dragon Gunships out there, 1 gunship can only do so much. Requests to fire at a target must be approved by the higher ups first. Who then convey the message to the gunship.
In order to shoot at a ground target. A ground unit with a vox caster musts identify it. For an enemy unit to identified it must be within LoS of an IG unit with a Vox caster, and Dragon Gunship.. Then that unit must pass a leadership test, for the Dragon Gunship to fire, and it can no fire again for the rest of the phase. If test is failed, the gunship may not act at that units request, but it may act on another units request.
Ground Support:
]The Dragon Gunship isn't a fighter or bomber. Its dedicated for ground support, as such it AA duties to other units.
he Dragon Gunship cannot fire at flyers.
Gun Platform:
Due to the size of the weapon system and equipment in the Dragon Gunship. The amount of ammo they have is limited. As such they the don't often go all out with their guns.[i]
A max of Two weapons can be fired during a shooting phase.
Death From Above:
[i]The Dragon Gunship can often be seen/heard from far off, and the enemy often knows when they are coming. That said, its hard to hide from shoots from from directly above
Only units in area terrain (such as buildings/forests/etc.) can claim cover saves against the Battle cannon, Exterminator Autocannon, or the Punisher Gatling cannon.
System Defenses:
Due to its slow moving nature the Dragon Gunship is an easy target. As such its often equipped with with a lot of defense systems.
The Dragon Gunship may use its Smoke Launcher as many times as activated. But, if it is activated it still cannot still cannot shoot.
This message was edited 21 times. Last update was at 2012/07/31 03:49:21
2012/07/22 04:54:32
Subject: Re:Close Airs Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
The largest IG flyer (the Marauder) is only AV10, and the vendetta/valk is purposefully engineered as a low ground attack vehicle with upgraded armour. This gun ship should be no more than AV12, and I think AV11 is very reasonable and balanced.
Remove the enemy coordinates rule and missile defense, then make it 220pts-ish. You don't even need to make it all side fire weapons, but meh, your call. Just make it AV11/11/10 and it should be fine.
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2012/07/22 05:07:20
Subject: Re:Close Airs Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
Blacksails wrote:While the idea is cool enough, its currently OP.
The largest IG flyer (the Marauder) is only AV10, and the vendetta/valk is purposefully engineered as a low ground attack vehicle with upgraded armour. This gun ship should be no more than AV12, and I think AV11 is very reasonable and balanced.
Remove the enemy coordinates rule and missile defense, then make it 220pts-ish. You don't even need to make it all side fire weapons, but meh, your call. Just make it AV11/11/10 and it should be fine.
I actually meant for the enemy coordinates rule to be a nerf. As in it can't shoot at target unless a ground team with a vox caster identifies it. I will make it clearer. Thanks for the advice.
2012/07/22 07:42:06
Subject: Close Airs Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
I like the idea, but an Earthshaker seems quite a bit too large, unless the flyer is Thunderhawk-sized (and even that one doesn't really look like it could handle such a large cannon mounted on the side). I'd rather make that a regular battle cannon.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/07/22 07:43:10
2012/07/23 02:05:50
Subject: Close Airs Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
I wouldn't say the enemy coordinates are a real nerf. In comparison the Tau marker light has to have range, roll to hit, then use a marker light token to roll to hit with a one shot missile.
This brings in an insane amount of firepower after passing a leadership check with no real range limitations.
I'm expecting an Imperial Knights supplement dedicated to GW's loyalist apologetics. Codex: White Knights "In the grim dark future, everything is fine."
"The argument is that we have to do this or we will, bit by bit,
lose everything that we hold dear, everything that keeps the business going. Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky."
-Tom Kirby
2012/07/23 02:22:54
Subject: Close Airs Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
Missiles are 10 points a piece. Admittedly, markerlights are overcosted by about 300% and Missiles could be better, but your comparison is pretty weak in this case.
The coordinates is definitely a nerf; it's not a large one, but there's an almost 1/5 chance of it not being able to fire during a turn - fairly substantial for something that costs as much as a landraider.
Pit your chainsword against my chainsw- wait that's Heresy.
2012/07/23 04:18:03
Subject: Close Airs Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
chrisrawr wrote:>except the AC-130 costs lots of points
Missiles are 10 points a piece. Admittedly, markerlights are overcosted by about 300% and Missiles could be better, but your comparison is pretty weak in this case.
The coordinates is definitely a nerf; it's not a large one, but there's an almost 1/5 chance of it not being able to fire during a turn - fairly substantial for something that costs as much as a landraider.
You're right, I'll swap it out for a Battle Cannon.
2012/07/24 05:21:52
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
Fliers have to zoom or hover. Considering that ac-130's still fly at at least a few thousand feet and at several hundred mph, it should be a zooming flyer.
2012/07/24 18:38:01
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
McNinja wrote:Fliers have to zoom or hover. Considering that ac-130's still fly at at least a few thousand feet and at several hundred mph, it should be a zooming flyer.
True, Hmmmm. Is there another way to limit the model's mobility? As to represent its slow speed compared to other fliers, and to give it a weakness.
2012/07/24 18:52:21
Subject: Re:Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
The Sky Hammer is a flying gun battery, loitering outside a combat zone until needed. When called upon the Sky Hammer leans to its port side and unleashes its array of weapons on the targets below. Infantry are evaporated by its punisher cannons with tracer fire akin to a lightning bolt from the sky, its unquie "Thumper Cannons" pound light armor or heavy troops to dust with a distinct thumping sound (hence its name) as they let off a 5 round burst from both guns. Heavy armor or structures, the Sky Hammer fires its dual Earth shaker cannons, the firing of which jolts the aircrafts tail about 5 feet to the right and the mighty BOOM of the earth shakers form above is akin to the wrath of the gods. Enemy aircraft are warded off by its tail guns and any survivors of the Sky Hammers wrath are picked off with the chin auto cannons, which the turret is slaved to the pilots head movment through a complicated control scheme attched to his helmet, in short whatever the pilot gazes upon and with the pull of the trigger dies to the merciless fire of the chin mounted auto cannon.
The only weakness of the Sky Hammer is all the main weapons point out of its port (left) side and the aircraft must do a counter clockwise circle above a target. It cannon retaliate against attacks to its starboard (right) side with its main guns, only the tail and chin gun can aim to the right to defend the aircraft. The guns can be swapped to the right side but then it only switches the side the aircraft is weak on. All beside the fact that a flying gun platform is a major target for the enemys aggresion due to the threat of its array of weapons. That and its immense size makes it a target alone.
Points: 450
Swap main guns to opposite side: free
All aircraft upgrades possible
Exchange both punisher cannons for Vulcan Mega Bolter: 40
Exchange Earth shakers for single Medusa Cannon: 20
Add bombs (4): 50
Add Hellstrike missles (4): 50
I always considered such a craft to much for standard battles (even when it was down graded with lesser weapons, armor, and so on)
Regiment: 91st Schrott Experimental Regiment
Regiment Planet: Schrott Specialization: Salvaged, Heavily Modified, and/or Experimental Mechanized Units. "SIR! Are you sure this will work!?"
"I HAVE NO IDEA, PULL THE TRIGGER!!!" 91st comms chatter.
2012/07/24 19:43:51
Subject: Re:Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
i like seeing the Punisher Gatling Cannon getting some love. would be awesome if we could take it on other things, like armoured sentinels or vendetta's. 3 Punisher Gatling Cannon's on a vendetta instead of lascannons? Twin link them? 60 rerollable shots? oh yeah, bring it hordes.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/07/24 19:45:42
2012/07/24 20:19:44
Subject: Re:Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
Funk3140 wrote:i like seeing the Punisher Gatling Cannon getting some love. would be awesome if we could take it on other things, like armoured sentinels or vendetta's. 3 Punisher Gatling Cannon's on a vendetta instead of lascannons? Twin link them? 60 rerollable shots? oh yeah, bring it hordes.
Punishers are so massive that the Vulture (the attack dedicated valkyrie) can only have 1 twin linked one
Btw I just noticed that you havent got any Hull Points on the dragon
2012/07/24 20:46:35
Subject: Re:Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
Funk3140 wrote:i like seeing the Punisher Gatling Cannon getting some love. would be awesome if we could take it on other things, like armoured sentinels or vendetta's. 3 Punisher Gatling Cannon's on a vendetta instead of lascannons? Twin link them? 60 rerollable shots? oh yeah, bring it hordes.
Punishers are so massive that the Vulture (the attack dedicated valkyrie) can only have 1 twin linked one
Btw I just noticed that you havent got any Hull Points on the dragon
Good point.
2012/07/25 17:07:47
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
On Nimbosa, cramming as many guardsmen into troop carriers as possible.
What if it was an ability rather than a model, maybe you could have an upgrade for the command squad that lets them call in a n airstrike once a turn or something?
McNinja wrote:Fliers have to zoom or hover. Considering that ac-130's still fly at at least a few thousand feet and at several hundred mph, it should be a zooming flyer.
True, Hmmmm. Is there another way to limit the model's mobility? As to represent its slow speed compared to other fliers, and to give it a weakness.
Strafing Run:
The Dragon Gunship is not a bomber or interceptor, and the sheer weight of its on-board systems coupled with the precision required from its weaponry greatly limits its manoeuvrability.
A Zooming Dragon Gunship has its Combat Speed lowered to 12" and its Cruising Speed lowered to 24". A Dragon Gunship that moves less than 12" for whatever reason is automatically wrecked. Additionally, Snap Fired shooting attacks hit the Dragon Gunship on rolls of a 5 or a 6 as opposed to the normal 6 for Snap Firing; the slow-moving Gunship is still swift compared to other targets, but is far easier to hit than supersonic fighters.
Mandorallen turned back toward the insolently sneering baron. 'My Lord,' The great knight said distantly, 'I find thy face apelike and thy form misshapen. Thy beard, moreover, is an offence against decency, resembling more closely the scabrous fur which doth decorate the hinder portion of a mongrel dog than a proper adornment for a human face. Is it possibly that thy mother, seized by some wild lechery, did dally at some time past with a randy goat?' - Mimbrate Knight Protector Mandorallen.
Excerpt from "Seeress of Kell", Book Five of The Malloreon series by David Eddings.
"You need not fear us, unless you are a dark heart, a vile one who preys on the innocent; I promise, you can’t hide forever in the empty darkness, for we will hunt you down like the animals you are, and pull you into the very bowels of hell." Iron - Within Temptation
2012/07/25 20:17:29
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
McNinja wrote:Fliers have to zoom or hover. Considering that ac-130's still fly at at least a few thousand feet and at several hundred mph, it should be a zooming flyer.
True, Hmmmm. Is there another way to limit the model's mobility? As to represent its slow speed compared to other fliers, and to give it a weakness.
Strafing Run:
The Dragon Gunship is not a bomber or interceptor, and the sheer weight of its on-board systems coupled with the precision required from its weaponry greatly limits its manoeuvrability.
A Zooming Dragon Gunship has its Combat Speed lowered to 12" and its Cruising Speed lowered to 24". A Dragon Gunship that moves less than 12" for whatever reason is automatically wrecked. Additionally, Snap Fired shooting attacks hit the Dragon Gunship on rolls of a 5 or a 6 as opposed to the normal 6 for Snap Firing; the slow-moving Gunship is still swift compared to other targets, but is far easier to hit than supersonic fighters.
That's really good, I will add this to its stats. Thanks!
2012/07/25 22:36:10
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
You could also lower the range of it's battle cannon to help simulate that it's always used in direct fire rather then ballistic arcs (in the same way the spooky's 105mm never approaches the 11km range its ground based equivalent boasts).
Drop it to say 48in to match the autocannons.
Jack
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/07/25 22:36:38
The rules:
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2) Attitude is Everything.
3) Always take it to the Edge.
4) Break the Rules.
2012/07/26 17:08:07
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
I love this idea, it has a lot of potential and makes sense in the setting.
My only issue is the points cost and glass cannon effect makes it a huge risk/reward. It either goes down in flames, removing a painful 250 points from your army, or it tears through the enemy.
As for my two cents, I think that your "enemy coordinates?" rule seems a little skewed. As far as I understand it, any IG model can take a leadership test to allow the gunship to fire its payload at a target. There are two ways I would suggest bringing this a little more in line.
1) make it so that only one unit per turn can take the leadership test- It would make sense to me that the gunship's crew would get confused with so many different voxes tuning in at the same time, all trying to tell them different things (and at different success rates).
2) Make the Master of the Fleet adviser the only one that can take this leadership test/ provide coordinates for the gunship. It would essentially work that when you purchase an officer of the fleet (meaning on a model basis), you can give up his ability to mess with reserves in order to field one of these gunships on the battlefield. All coordinates must be given from either the officer's or the command squads LOS-
I feel that this method actually makes the most sense. I feel the vox-casters given to the rank and file troops aren't meant to be used to send a gunship coordinates/request airstrikes or raids. I feel that they are used simply for an officer to gather and convey infromation from the unit, and the the officer himself will call the airstrike. Also, the officer of the fleet controlling the gunship makes the most sense to me, and inadvertently gives you a bonus for taking more than one.
Hope this helps.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/07/26 17:38:55
2012/07/26 17:48:39
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
The average sergeant/squad with a vox-caster wouldn't have the authority to call down an air strike. (and, as mentioned, everyone would be clashing vox signals for a dozen targets at once)
That would be the purview of the higher-ups to decide what's a priority target, as the possessors of the proper authorization codes to call down a strike.
The average sergeant/squad with a vox-caster wouldn't have the authority to call down an air strike. (and, as mentioned, everyone would be clashing vox signals for a dozen targets at once)
That would be the purview of the higher-ups to decide what's a priority target, as the possessors of the proper authorization codes to call down a strike.
While I see your point, I could also argue that it the vox caster call represents, their fire mission request. To higher ups/other units, who then convey it to the gunship.
EDIT: I have updated the stats, and add some fluff for the special rules.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/07/27 21:47:46
2012/07/27 22:31:36
Subject: Close Air Support for Guardsmen (ie AC-130 for 40k)
Mordian Iron Guard - Major Overhaul in Progress 
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