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I've been thinking about this and everyone seems to want a full blown Codex: Deathwatch. I think this would be cool, but I really don't think it's necessary. In fact, I don't even think we really need any new units/rules at all.

At their core, the Deathwatch are essentially units of Sternguard led by Captains, Librarians and Techmarines.

Why not do something like this? GW could implement this as a $5-$20 Dataslate tomorrow based on the amount of included fluff.

Formation: Deathwatch Kill Team

Required Units:
1 Captain, Librarian or Master of the Forge
1-2 Unit of Sternguard Veterans
0-1 Dreadnought

Restrictions:
All models chosen must be chosen from Codex: Space Marines and have Faction Space Marines.
You may not choose to include any Command Squads with a Captain or Librarian.
All Models must choose Chapter Tactics (Deathwatch)

Special Rules:
Chapter Tactics (Deathwatch) - All models chosen as a part of this Formation gain the Crusader, Hatred(Xenos Races) and Preferred Enemy(Xenos Races) special rules.

Doesn't PE overrule Hatred?

 TranSpyre wrote:
Doesn't PE overrule Hatred?

Hatred lets you reroll all misses in the first round of combat.

Preferred Enemy lets you reroll fail To Hit and To Wound rolls of 1 in both shooting and close combat.

So... Hatred isn't really doing a whole lot here, but it is making your first round of combat better than if you just had PE.

PE is for rerolls of 1s to wound and hit apparently (edit)
Hatred is rerolls to hit in first CC.

i like it

i feel like with the advent of the BA formations i think they could possibily come with freebee combi weapons.

Are there Deathwatch dreads?

There are Deathwatch Dreads. It's rare, but they exist.

I didn't want to include combi-weapons because I think you would then give up the specialty ammo?

I would probably add that the HQ person gets the same Specialty Ammo as the Sternguard models. That seems fluffy and makes a Vanilla Captain a little more useful.

Hopefully this isn't against the rules posting it, but there is an Apocalypse Formation for Deathwatch in Damnos. It's very simple and I bet most players would be fine playing against it even though it's an Apocalypse Formation. It's very fluffy.



1 Watch Captain (Space Marine Captain)

2+ Deathwatch Killteams (Sternguard Veterans or Vanguard Veterans in any combination)

Formation Restrictions: none



SPECIAL RULES:

Antiphasic Bolts: In addition to their other ammunition, bolter or combi-bolter armed models from this formation have antiphasic bolts with the following profile: 24" S4 AP4 Rapid fire, Antiphasic

Antiphasic: Keep track of Wounds caused on Necron units by antiphasic bolts. Successful Reanimation Protocols and Ever-living rolls caused by antiphasic bolts must be re-rolled.

Forewarned is Forearmed: When determining Warlord Traits, choose a codex from the following list: Dark Eldar, Eldar, Necrons, Orks, Tau Empire or Tyranids. All units in the formation have the Preferred Enemy special rule against all units from the chosen codex.

Scour the Xenos: Every time an enemy Warlord from one of the Codexes listed above is removed as a casualty as the result of a Wound caused by a model from this formation, you immediately score an extra Strategic Victory Point

Any Bolter used by Sternguard get to use their ammo, that includes combi-bolters.

That's why their nice to take in almost any list.

Yeah, I did consider that. You'd have to get rid of the extra victory point thing and add in the option for Librarians and Techmarines. Otherwise, I like it.

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
Hopefully this isn't against the rules posting it, but there is an Apocalypse Formation for Deathwatch in Damnos. It's very simple and I bet most players would be fine playing against it even though it's an Apocalypse Formation. It's very fluffy.



1 Watch Captain (Space Marine Captain)

2+ Deathwatch Killteams (Sternguard Veterans or Vanguard Veterans in any combination)

Formation Restrictions: none



SPECIAL RULES:

Antiphasic Bolts: In addition to their other ammunition, bolter or combi-bolter armed models from this formation have antiphasic bolts with the following profile: 24" S4 AP4 Rapid fire, Antiphasic

Antiphasic: Keep track of Wounds caused on Necron units by antiphasic bolts. Successful Reanimation Protocols and Ever-living rolls caused by antiphasic bolts must be re-rolled.

Forewarned is Forearmed: When determining Warlord Traits, choose a codex from the following list: Dark Eldar, Eldar, Necrons, Orks, Tau Empire or Tyranids. All units in the formation have the Preferred Enemy special rule against all units from the chosen codex.

Scour the Xenos: Every time an enemy Warlord from one of the Codexes listed above is removed as a casualty as the result of a Wound caused by a model from this formation, you immediately score an extra Strategic Victory Point

Its toooooo necron specific i feel

How about giving the wargear from codex inquisition where if you are playing against a specific xeno you get some freebees. like if you play against tau, they get furious charge, dark eldar > night fighting, eldar > fleet and so forth. it was some relic book.

Will also say the Blood Angels Archangel's Detachment, 1HQ and an assorted set of 1st Company and Dreadnaught choices with no required troops makes for a good Deathwatch set. The added weapon options on Vanguard Vets makes it worth it.

I personally planned to use Pedro Kantor as a Watch Captain, a Scout Squad in Speeder as 'elite inquisition troopers', Sternguard and Devestators all with Imperial Fist tactics for my Deathwatch. Gives Tank Hunters and good Boltgun buffs for non-Sterguard. Blood Angels might change that. They also have a very kitted out Formation either incoming or already released with a lot of free weapons on the Vets. Add that Formation to an Inquisition army and you're set.

In my experience, people are more willing to agree to an official GW formation from Apocalypse than a Homebrew set of rules...

The Archangel detachment is a good idea. How many Elites are you required to take? I don't have the book on me right now.

2+ from a set list. Captain, Chaplain, Librarian must be in Terminator Armor. Sucks but not the worst thing in the world. 10 max of Sternguard, Vanguard and Terminator choices only and 6 max Furioso Dreads only. Dedicated Transports are allowed. And Reserve manipulations and reduced Scatter. It's not the MOST ideal, but it does work. And since they're Blood Angels, they get the Furious Charge. Still no preferred enemy, or the Initiative buff normal BA detachment gets, but no troop tax.

I made a data slate similar to this. Do you plan to have this as a troos choice in a specialised Deathwatch codex or as a formation in the Soace Marine codex? If it's a troops choice in a Deathwatch codex, then taking a dreadnought is WAY overpowered (fair enought if it's a specialised formation in the SM codex). However, I seriously think that the Deathwatch need their own codex. We already have Ordo Malleus (Grey Knights) and Ordo Hereticus (Sisters Of Battle) codices. We need an Ordo Xenos codex. Maybe replace the forge master with an apothecary or a techmarine? You also need some restrictions on the librarian. While there are deathwatch epistolaries (full time Deathwatch Librarians), most Psykers serving on the Deathwatch are Lexicanums. If a librarian remains as a lexicanum for too long and cannot unlock his full psychic potential, he will be transferred to the Deathwatch in an attempt to unlock it. There should therefore be restrictions of the librarian. He should be fixed at Lvl1, he shouldn't have a psychic hood and he should roll on a more limited table than a standard librarian. I like the idea of Deathwatch chapter tactics, but shouldn't it make more of a fluff sense to roll on a table and have the units receive certain chapter tactics. For example:

Ultramarines: Re-roll 1s to hit in the shooting phase
Raven Guard: Scout USR for non-bulky units + stealth
Blood Angels: Furious Charge + Fearless
Black Templars: Crusader + Hatred
White Scars: Skilled Riders
Dark Angels: Grim Resolve + Stubborn
etc.

Overall, a reasonable formation for the SM codex (although it needs some fine-tuning). However I would drop the ability to include dreadnoughts if this was a troops choice in a Deathwatch codex.

This was intended to be a Formation, seperate from any other Codexes. The idea was to allow you to take a small Deathwatch force and ally it into whatever your existing army is.