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I have spoken of this before, I want to run an all Rough Rider army. My local group is great on such things and we really look more for balance and fun then waac, so I am floating ideas. Looking for reasonable comments on the following suggested units. I have some points involved, but if you don't have the codex, sorry, as per the rules, not listing the costs from the codex itself. Anyway, let me know what you think on balance (please forget the basic balance of rough riders and no love, just looking here.)

Partial list of units:

Command units (Platoon or Command squad) may purchase mounts (the cavalry rule) for 20 points. This covers the officer and 4 guardsmen. Individual models (such as psychers, commissars, priests, advisors etc ) may purchase the rule for 5 points a model.

Hussars
Elite (one unit allowed is my theory) Cost is +2 point per model over base rough rider. They receive (+1 WS, +1 Init, +1 Ld and Stubborn). They may purchase any of the following: Carapace armor (2 points per model), counterattack (1 point per model), Expert rider (ignore dangerous terrain test, and a 6 Jink save) (1 point per model). They are armed in the normal manner, Lance, pistol, CC weapon. They may not purchase any special weapons. The sergeant may purchase the normal upgrades (power sword, power fist, plasma pistol). They may buy a Standard for 10 points. The standard gives the unit the Crusader ability.

Heavy Cavalry (mounts) This represents more ponderous, more powerful mounts such as cold ones, Clydesdales, or whatever.
Heavy: These are Roughriders as in the codex with the following changes; They cost +2 points. They come with Carapace armor and +1 Toughness. Their mounts lose fleet, but gain +1 strength on hammer of wrath hits.

Horse scouts
Fast: As per normal Rough Riders with the following changes: Unit size is 3-5 models (at normal cost). They gain the Scout and Hit and run ability. They can purchase camo cloaks at 1 point per model. They exchange their lances for lasguns or shotguns for free, and may take sniper rifles (2 points per model.)

First of all, I like the option to take lighter and heavier cavalry. Second, if you want this work as a mostly stand-alone type force, the key questions to ask are:

* How is this army meant to play overall?
* How will this army deal with X, Y, and Z?
* Why is this army fun to play?
* Why is this army fun to play against?

Answer those, and you'll have a solid idea of what you're building towards.

I'm not sure you'll get much bang out of your hussar bucks. The main problem with rough riders is that they're way more expensive than a guardsman while being equally fragile. A 6+ jink save won't do much to change that, though being able to hide in cover might. With the rules you've given them, I suspect people will view hussars as as more expensive normal rough riders, and I"m not sure they'll consider the extra cost to be worth it. These feel like they fill the same niche as normal rough riders. They are to rough riders what blood brides are to wyches: a more expensive version of a struggling unit. Maybe if you gave them access to discounted power weapons or something? Carapace armored cavalry with power lances and power mauls might be really cool.

Other things you might consider:

*Can command units take heavy/horse scout mounts, or just normal rough rider mounts?

* Consider making some custom orders that fit mounted guardsman. These could be really fun to design.

* How will you deal with a wide variety of targets? Can this army touch flyers? Will they be able to win a fight against a mob of orks? Will they be able to handle space marines or fast, shooty enemies like tau and eldar?

I like the idea of a mounted army, but I think to make it work, you will have to get away from the idea of mere horses (as Wyldhunt sort of insinuates)

Imagine

- Units on flying mounts (pegasi, pteractyls, ravens, wyverns, etc), that act like jump units

- fast predatory mounts (raptors, wolves, lions, panthers) who have natural attacks/abilities that augment the rider's abilities.

- heavy predatory mounts (t-Rexes, bears, elephants) that can mount heavy weapons to give punch to the force - essentially heavy support.

Heh, this is why Dakka is great. Different thought processes. I want to run this army because I love Rough Riders and want to give them some love. Some of the concerns here are completely valid but fortunately I can ignore because my table of friends. Very rare flyers at our table. I also would not build an actual codex unit with the idea this can beat this unit. I am adding units that fit roles such as scouts, anti-tank, etc. I also am building this for the models I have and will have available, (Guys on pterodactyls would be cool...)
I have always loved the mounted company for quick strikes, reaction forces, or deep raids behind lines etc. That is my concept (and the basis for my Sister's of Steel army. Anyway, a few more options I have set out tentatively.

The added options as I build this:
HQ options
Command:
Command and platoon command squads may purchase mounts (gaining the cavalry rules) for 20 points. This covers the Officer and 4 guardsmen.
Company Champion: One rough rider from the company command squad may be upgraded to be the company champion for +25 points. The honor of being a company champion cannot be expressed in mere words, but must be felt in the heart and soul. The company Champion is armed with a Hunting Lance, Las pistol, CC weapon, Carapace armor. They may purchase a power weapon for +15 points, which is Master Crafted. The company Champion has the following abilities: Rage, Counter-attack, Heroic Intervention, Eternal Warrior. The company champion has the following profile: WS: 4 BS:3 S: 4 T: 3 W: 2 I: 4 A: 2 LD 9

Other individual models (such as advisors, priests, psychers, etc) for 5 points.
Advisors for a mounted company:
Advisors are purchased as independent characters. Each must be assigned to a unit at the beginning of the battle, and two cannot be assigned to the same unit. Only one of each advisor may be purchased. The cost of an advisor includes his mount.
• Master of the Baggage Train: (25 points) Normal profile, laspistol and CC. This is an expert in the chain of supply. An army that includes a Master of the Baggage Train rarely has issues with ammo supply, horseshoes, saddles, etc. Each turn the Master of Baggage can make a Leadership test. If successful they may enact one of the following powers;
o Ammo re-supply: The unit may choose to re-roll their rolls to hit in their shooting phase.
o Well-fed mounts: The unit may roll 3 dice and take the highest two for its charge distance.
• Master of the Armory: (25 points) This represents one of the expert blacksmiths and armorers who maintain the regiments equipment. A Master of the Armory can make a leadership roll at the beginning of each turn. If successful, he can enact one of the following powers;
o Honed blades: The Master of the Armory has taken the time to hone the unit’s blades to a razor’s edge. They may re-roll failed to wound rolls in the assault phase this turn.
o Buckles and plates: The Master of the Armory has gone over the unit’s armor with a fine-toothed comb and put it in perfect condition. They may re-roll failed armor saves during the assault phase of this turn.
• Master of Mounts: (30 points) This represents an expert in the care and training of mounts. The Master of Mounts adds the Feel no Pain (5+) ability to the unit he joins.
• Master of the Spirit: (30 points) The Master of the Spirit sees to the regiments faith and spiritual needs. He is a chaplain, shaman, witchdoctor, psychologist, whatever fits. He is a level 1 Psycher who must choose his power from the Divination List.

Mounted infantry Troopers: Cost 9 points. Must exchange lance and CC weapon for Lasguns. Keep special weapon options

Heavy Cavalry (mounts) This represents more ponderous, more powerful mounts such as cold ones, Clydesdales, or whatever.
Heavy: These are Roughriders as in the codex with the following changes; They cost +4 points. They come with Carapace armor and +1 Toughness. Their mounts lose fleet, but gain +1 strength on hammer of wrath hits.

Heavy: Tank-hunters. Unit size 3-5. Cost per model 13. They carry shaped charge Hunting lances. Work as a normal lance, but gain the Armorbane rule. May carry a demo charge. Up to three models get a special weapon?

Heavy: Support wagon. Works like an attack bike model (so is a rough rider profile with +1 Toughness, 2 wounds). Cost 18 points. Unit of one (may buy 2 more) each wagon a heavy weapons team, may buy a single weapon from the heavy weapons list. Gain Relentless.
May purchase a Master of Arms for 15 points (BS 4). If so One wagon fires with his Ballistic skill, and may choose a separate target as per the splitfire rules.

Horse scouts
Fast: As per normal Rough Riders with the following changes: Unit size is 3-5 models (at normal cost). They gain the Scout and Hit and run ability. They can purchase camo cloaks at 1 point per model. They exchange their lances for lasguns or shotguns for free, and may take sniper rifles (2 points per model.)

I hope to add Ogrynn riders.

If you end up unable to play with that group but still want to run some sort of decent horse heavy army, look up the Krieg Death Riders formation.

Ogryn rough riders seem a bit odd to me at least. Horses large enough to carry Ogryn are going to have to be either a new species and/or genetically modded, and maybe a pain to model too (has anyone modeled scaled-up horses before?). Besides, what benefit is there to giving an ogryn a horse? Not trying to shoot down your idea, just wondering about it.

I hope to put my Ogrynn rough riders on rhinos, mammoths, or triceratops...look into the old fantasy battle Ogre kingdoms or Lizardman. They had similar mounts etc. If the 40k rules for chariots weren't so labyrinthine, I would use those for my heavy weapon wagons or even the massive Ogrynns on mammoths or whatever. But sheesh, I really cannot stand those rules.
Anyway, I know these things are really subjective, but any comments on my points costs? Too low? Too high? The company champion costs are a serious guesstimate. The rest are based on existing costs from the codex.

edwardmyst wrote:
Heavy: Support wagon. Works like an attack bike model (so is a rough rider profile with +1 Toughness, 2 wounds). Cost 18 points. Unit of one (may buy 2 more) each wagon a heavy weapons team, may buy a single weapon from the heavy weapons list. Gain Relentless.
May purchase a Master of Arms for 15 points (BS 4). If so One wagon fires with his Ballistic skill, and may choose a separate target as per the splitfire rules.

edwardmyst wrote:
If the 40k rules for chariots weren't so labyrinthine, I would use those for my heavy weapon wagons or even the massive Ogrynns on mammoths or whatever. But sheesh, I really cannot stand those rules.

Instead of weapon wagons, have you considered using horse artillery for your heavy support? Essentially, each heavy weapon would be an artillery piece (perhaps with a profile of T: 6, W: 2, Sv: 4+) that can be crewed and moved by 1 or more Rough Rider Artillerist, who have the "Shoot sharp and scarper" special rule to represent their "shoot and scoot" tactics.

2 MR. PEASANT: I really like that horse artillery idea. Going to work that with my wagon idea (which was a wagon pulled by horses with a weapon in it). Thanks!

I have completed my little Roughrider Codex. You can find it for download here!
http://edwardmystcreations.weebly.com/l-roughriders-codex.html