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Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

What would it look like?
I'm talking a dedicated assault unit. Not a shooty one (like Heavy Intercessors, Inceptors, or Eradicators), not hybrid (Aggressors), but just a straight-up melee-crumping hard-hitting tough-as-nails unit.

General thoughts from me...

-Standard Gravis statline of T6 3+ W3, with a 5" move on foot and 10" on Jump Packs.
-No pistol, but maybe a shoulder-mounted weapon? Like the Fragstorm.
-Don't want Fists to be the weapons, since that's pretty similar to Aggressors. Maybe big two-handed swords or polearms? I like halberds.
-Special rule could provide extra mobility (to make up for being a slow melee unit).

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in dk
Loyal Necron Lychguard






Undertakers are equipped with jump packs and carry lances and storm shields. One model may carry a relic blade instead of a lance and storm shield.

Heavy Assault Intercessors carry heavy thunder hammers.

Neither gets shoulder-mounted weaponry, although the Undertakers are armed with grenades. Heavy Assault Intercessors lack the firepower of Aggressors and the invulnerable saves of Bladeguard Veterans, they are useful for demolition, fortifications cannot run away from them or hurt them back. Undertakers are mobile and tanky and strong on the charge, perfect for the spearhead of a force taking an objective.
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





If I were in Cawl's shoes, I'm not sure I'd really be eager to create a melee gravis unit. Their armor is so bulky, I sort of struggle to picture them swinging weapons around very quickly. Their greatest strength would presumably be their literal strength/ability to wield a big, unwieldy weapon while being durable to tank some shots while you attack with it. But at that point, it seems like you're probably better off just mounting some giant gun on them instead.

And then you've got assault centurions (those still exist, right?) and terminators already competing for the role of heavily-armored melee specialists. Plus, marines were so clogged up with deepstriking melee units that GW ended up dropping assault marines, so adding more jump packer melee marines to the roster might not be ideal.

Marines with enormous melee weapons are a cool concept, but I feel like you have to let a less chonky marine swing said weapon around.

But if I were really committed to making it work? Maybe use all that extra bulk to suped up forcefield generators on their backs and use them as a mobile wall for other, less durable marines? Give them an aura that imposes a to-wound or AP penalty on incoming attacks targeting friendly units. Give them breacher-esque weapons. Like a storm shield and a shotgun or auto-loading wrist-mounted twin-linked pistol or something.


ATTENTION
. Psychic tests are unfluffy. Your longing for AV is understandable but misguided. Your chapter doesn't need a separate codex. Doctrines should go away. Being a "troop" means nothing. This has been a cranky service announcement. You may now resume your regularly scheduled arguing.
 
   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

 Wyldhunt wrote:
If I were in Cawl's shoes, I'm not sure I'd really be eager to create a melee gravis unit. Their armor is so bulky, I sort of struggle to picture them swinging weapons around very quickly. Their greatest strength would presumably be their literal strength/ability to wield a big, unwieldy weapon while being durable to tank some shots while you attack with it. But at that point, it seems like you're probably better off just mounting some giant gun on them instead.

And then you've got assault centurions (those still exist, right?) and terminators already competing for the role of heavily-armored melee specialists. Plus, marines were so clogged up with deepstriking melee units that GW ended up dropping assault marines, so adding more jump packer melee marines to the roster might not be ideal.

Marines with enormous melee weapons are a cool concept, but I feel like you have to let a less chonky marine swing said weapon around.

But if I were really committed to making it work? Maybe use all that extra bulk to souped up forcefield generators on their backs and use them as a mobile wall for other, less durable marines? Give them an aura that imposes a to-wound or AP penalty on incoming attacks targeting friendly units. Give them breacher-esque weapons. Like a storm shield and a shotgun or auto-loading wrist-mounted twin-linked pistol or something.
That… is a flipping awesome idea.
I love it.

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

There is the boltstorm gauntlet from the gravis captain. Powrfist + pistol. I think pairing that with a stormshield would make a good anchor unit.

But gravis armor really says “squad of heavy thunderhammers” to me.

   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

Gravis Defender Squad
Move....5"
T...........6
Sv........3+/4++
W.........3
Ld........6+
OC.......1

Ranged Weapon
Boltstorm Gauntlet
Range....18"
A.............3
BS..........3+
S............4
AP..........0
D............1

Melee Weapons
Power Fist
Range....Melee
A.............2
WS..........3+
S............8
AP..........-2
D............2

Faction Ability
Oath Of Moment

Core Rule
Feel No Pain (6+)

Wargear Rule
Force Pavane: When an enemy unit makes a ranged attack targeting a friendly unit, if this unit is in between the attacker and their target or this unit is being targeted, that unit has the Benefit Of Cover against those attacks. Furthermore, apply a -1 penalty to the wound rolls of those attacks.

Unit Composition
1 Defender Sergeant
2-5 Defenders
Every model is equipped with a Boltstorm Gauntlet, a Power Fist, and a Force Pavane.

3 Models: X Points
6 Models: 2X Points

Led By
Any model that can lead an Aggressor Squad.

Keywords
Infantry, Imperium, Gravis, Defender Squad

Faction Keyword
Adeptus Astartes
----------------------------
Wording could probably be cleaned up, but I think the bones are there. Maybe add some sarge options?

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2024/12/20 00:57:20


Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

Heavy intercessors and agressors have 3 swings each, you should bump them up to that many attacks.

   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

 Nevelon wrote:
Heavy intercessors and agressors have 3 swings each, you should bump them up to that many attacks.
Heavy Intercessors have a CCW, not a Powerfist.
And Aggressors have Twin Fists, with no bulky shield projectors.

The 2 attacks was intentional.

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

 JNAProductions wrote:
 Nevelon wrote:
Heavy intercessors and agressors have 3 swings each, you should bump them up to that many attacks.
Heavy Intercessors have a CCW, not a Powerfist.
And Aggressors have Twin Fists, with no bulky shield projectors.

The 2 attacks was intentional.


Aggressors get twin linked to represent paired fists.

At 2 swings a pop in a 3 man squad what are they going to get done? Maybe 4-6 wounds average, depending on target for the whole squad? Sure, the mobile cover thing is nice, but they are going to have to be aggressively priced to see the table. Agressors are going to punch way harder, plus have all their shooting. These guys are mostly going to take up space on the table. In a good way, mind you. But not get a whole lot done.

If you want to keep them hitting like that, I might want to see them in 5/10 man squads.

   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

 Nevelon wrote:
 JNAProductions wrote:
 Nevelon wrote:
Heavy intercessors and agressors have 3 swings each, you should bump them up to that many attacks.
Heavy Intercessors have a CCW, not a Powerfist.
And Aggressors have Twin Fists, with no bulky shield projectors.

The 2 attacks was intentional.


Aggressors get twin linked to represent paired fists.

At 2 swings a pop in a 3 man squad what are they going to get done? Maybe 4-6 wounds average, depending on target for the whole squad? Sure, the mobile cover thing is nice, but they are going to have to be aggressively priced to see the table. Agressors are going to punch way harder, plus have all their shooting. These guys are mostly going to take up space on the table. In a good way, mind you. But not get a whole lot done.

If you want to keep them hitting like that, I might want to see them in 5/10 man squads.
That's fair. They are intended as a more utility/defensive unit than an offensive unit, but three attacks isn't crazy.

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





I feel like 2 Attacks and keeping their cost a bit lower might be good for the unit overall, actually. If you're paying the points to match other heavy hitters in offense and are a tanky defensive buff generator on top of that, you're going to be expensive. If you make them kind of meh on offense, you give them clear strengths and weaknesses and can keep their cost low. Which in turn makes it easier to justify splashing one or two units of them into your list.

if this unit is in between the attacker and their target or this unit is being targeted,

I'd probably play with the wording a little bit. Specifically to clarify what "between" means. I know what you're going for, but someone else might not.


ATTENTION
. Psychic tests are unfluffy. Your longing for AV is understandable but misguided. Your chapter doesn't need a separate codex. Doctrines should go away. Being a "troop" means nothing. This has been a cranky service announcement. You may now resume your regularly scheduled arguing.
 
   
Made in au
Longtime Dakkanaut





In the manner of current GW legalese rules speak, it would probably look something like this:

If this unit is the target of a ranged attack, or is within 3" of a friendly unit that is the target of a ranged attack and is closer to the attacker than their target, do X.

   
 
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