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The Adepta Sororitas having a capability that the Shield of the Emperor doesn't? I the name of the Emperor, I one-up thee!

The Vanguard Missile Carrier is exactly what the name implies. It is a Valkyrie variant pattern that has been extensively rebuilt to carry a massive Vanguard Missile Array, a potent weapons system capable of being outfitted with a wide variety of weapons to suit any (if not every) situation. The Valkyrie chassis has been effectively rebuilt from the ground up to accommodate the Missile Array, which, combined with the arguable techno-heresy of this weapons system, makes these vehicles a rare sight on the battlefields of the 41st Millennium.

The Missile Array itself fires from either side of the cockpit of the craft, from a pair of raised tubes mounted down each side of the side of the vehicle, and launch with a high velocity. They can only fire straight forward, but the Valkyrie's considerable agility makes this less of a concern.

Vanguard Missile Carrier - 225(???) Points.

AV 12/12/12 - 3 HP.

Wargear: Vanguard Missile Array

Heavy 1d3+1(?). Due to the intricate nature of the loaders for the missile array, the gunner can never be sure how may missiles his weapons system will fire.

The Vanguard Missile Array may be outfitted with different types of ammunition, which change its profile as follows, and may never target other flyers with its weapons:

Thousand Cut Missiles: x3 to the rolled number of strikes on a account of the multiple warheads in each missile. S4 AP 6, Blast.

Coward's Bane Missiles: Large Blast, Ignores cover, S4 AP-

Traitor's Bane Missiles: S 5 AP 3 Blast

Melta Warhead Missiles: S 7 AP 2 Armorbane

You must pick the type of Ammuniton before the game begins, and it may not be changed.

Basically, I tried to bring the FUNreliability of the Manticore onto a flying platform without making it a 'Flying Manticore'. I probably failed miserably, but this is still a Work In Progress. We can fix this.

There is already a missile variant and formation in one of the Campaign books isn't there? Not near my books to check - its the one the whole Dark Angels Chapter and the Grey Knights turn up to fight Chaos

 Mr Morden wrote:
There is already a missile variant and formation in one of the Campaign books isn't there? Not near my books to check - its the one the whole Dark Angels Chapter and the Grey Knights turn up to fight Chaos

Not that I'm aware of...

Cool concept, but I'm skeptical about sticking it on a plane in the first place (you're trying to make ordnance to compete with the Manticore that's flying?) and if you're going to put it on a Valkyrie chassis 12 rear armour doesn't make sense to me.

Yeah, is better rear armor a typo or intentional? If the latter, it's probably a bad idea: RA 12 is rare on frickin' tanks, let alone fliers.

But I like the central idea of a Valkyrie filled with missiles. ([url=http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/626986.page]I homebrewed one[/url). The difference between your IG Vanguard and my SOB Virago is that the Guard don't have a ready-made missile launcher of the right size to strap on, so you have to invent something from scratch. That's verrrrry tricky.

It's probably easiest to start with ONE profile, figure out a balanced set of stats and a point cost for that, and THEN derive the rest of the ammo types from that baseline. (Which is what I did with alternative Exorcist ammo, except the baseline was already provided in the codex: 48" S:8 AP:1 Heavy D6). Probably best to start with a version without too many special rules, too.

So what's the default/most important kind of ammo you want this thing to be firing? Answer that and you have a good starting point.

Also, may I suggest that randomly rolling number of shots is pretty clunky. Exorcists do it to represent clunky mechanisms, Manticores to represent submunitions, but there's no reason you need to follow their lead. Might I suggest that the weapon really doesn't fit in a Valkyrie and is therefore prone to overheat, i.e. Gets Hot?

Without a transport capacity, this thing looks more like a Vulture variant (the Vulture can take four missile launchers on under-wing hardpoints anyway). Also, there's the Missile Pod option for Valkyries that might be a better starting point.

Ultimately, they Valkyrie has a huge troop bay and a massive lift capability that seems wasted, to me, on a design such as you've described.

It would make a lot more sense if the mechanism for the launcher was just something they could wheel into the troop bay, and then bolt on the launch racks (fed from an internal magazine) so they stick out through the side doors. As it is, you've basically made a Valkyrie-shaped aircraft that's its own flier entirely.

As far as the ammo types are concerned, why not have an option for a limited supply of each?

I think he's having the missile launcher take up the troop bay, as on my Virago. (Or as the lasgun power cells take up half the troop bay on the current-edition Vendetta).

That said, the Vulture is pretty awesome. I don't have access to a current-edition set of rules for it, though.

That's exactly what I'm having it do; the missile launcher fills the troop bay. Rear AV 12 was a typo.

I have the current edition rules for it; its a Valkyrie with Vector Dancer with no transport capacity and a twin-linked punisher cannon for 155 points. There, you're done. The punisher can deal with just about anything, including vehicles, as it can get at rear armor surprisingly easily with Vector Dancer and glance ~3 HP a turn off of AV 11.

Ah, Vulture, how I love thee. I think I specifically mention in the Sororitas Virago's fluff that it exist in part to compensate for the absence of a Sisters of Battle variant of the Vulture.

And doesn't the Vulture have a bunch of alternative weapon load outs or at least options for under-wing missiles and bombs and (this being 40K) chainsaws?

 SisterSydney wrote:
Ah, Vulture, how I love thee. I think I specifically mention in the Sororitas Virago's fluff that it exist in part to compensate for the absence of a Sisters of Battle variant of the Vulture.

And doesn't the Vulture have a bunch of alternative weapon load outs or at least options for under-wing missiles and bombs and (this being 40K) chainsaws?

It can take a pair of missiles, and multiple rocket pods if you so desire, but no option for chainsaws, though that would be awesome.

Fly me closer, I want to hit them with my sword!