Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I was looking at both Striking Scorpions and Mandrakes and felt that Mandrakes where seriously lacking. They have very similar rules, both have the exact same statline (Scorpions are deceptively strength 4) and mostly the same core rules, but the Scorpions really win out on Wargear with a great pistol, Mandiblasters as well as Grenades. 3+ Armour is superior to a 5++ against most infantry, especially one that usually has cover, so I though I would try bring Mandrakes up the same Standard. I didn't want to buff there stat line much, just to make them more flavourful. So I thought that the main theme of Mandrakes as arriving through someones Shadow and made rules according. What do you think?

85pts for 5 Mandrakes.
Mandrake Ws 4 Bs 4 S 4 T 3 W 1 I 5 A 2 Ld 8 Sv 5++ Infantry
Nightfiend Ws 5 Bs 5 S 4 T 3 W 1 I 6 A 3 Ld 9 Sv 4++ Infantry (Character)

Wargear: Evil looking blade (Close Combat Weapons)

Special rules: Fleet, Night vision, Power from Pain, Move through cover, Stealth, Baleblast, Fear, Shadowborn*, From the Dark*

Baleblast: Whenever a unit with this rule has at least one pain token, each model has he following shooting attack.
Range 12'' Strength 4 Ap 4 Assault 2, Pinning.

From the Dark: Mandrakes may not deploy normally, but instead are deployed after both players have deployed but before the first turn. The Mandrakes an then be deployed anywhere on the table with no restrictions as long as no enemy unit has line of sight to any model in the unit and is more then 6'' away from an enemy model.

Shadowborn: Mandrakes benefit from a 5+ invulnerable save. Mandrakes do not need line of sight to make a charge but instead if an enemy unit is within 12 inches during the assault phase but not within line of sight the Mandrakes my still attempt a charge. Extend a 1mm line between the closest Mandrake and the closest model in the enemy unit, disregarding all intervening terrain, and then roll a 2d6. If this roll is high enough to get into base contact with the closest model then the charge is considered successful, complete the charge as if there was no LOS blocking terrain. This is considered a disorganised charge but if the Mandrakes are not within LOS when the charge roll is made, the unit charged may not overwatch.

Options

May add up to 5 more Mandrakes for 17pts each.
May upgrade 1 Mandrake into a Nightfiend for 10pts
The Nightfiend may replace his Evil Looking Blade with a Venom Blade for 5pts.