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I wanted to get peoples opinion on something. I currently don't have access to almost any of my models of the four armies i'm building while at school so I've decided to take up a new project. Using mostly the current marine codexes and some adaptations from deathwatch fluff I've read online, I'm trying to build a 6th edition deathwatch codex. I know it would just be another marine codex but its a project i can actually do with what I have access to. I wanted to get peoples opinions on what to include, what not to include or anything they think should and/or shouldn't be part of the codex. Bromentheus sent me a few custom psychic powers for the Librarain which I'll definitely be using but apart from that not much has been done yet. Also please don't just post "don't do it, its a stupid idea", not what I'm looking for

The main defining factor that's noticeable on the battlefield is that the Deathwatch use unusual weaponry. So you want to include some more exotic choices, as well as making some of the more specialised "standard" equipment (ie combi-weapons) more readily available.
Special ammo is another way to go too. I'd suggest giving some of the more basic Tactical-like units options for taking Sternguard-type ammo - stuff that again only works with bolters, so you can choose between the ammo or a specialised weapon, but not both.

Lastly, the Deathwatch do work on behalf of the Inquisition so you might want to drag some of the Grey Knights Inquisitorial stuff over. Not everything, mind...!

I think you would be better off to make a death watch allied armybook to be taken as allies with other armies.

 Super Ready wrote:
The main defining factor that's noticeable on the battlefield is that the Deathwatch use unusual weaponry. So you want to include some more exotic choices, as well as making some of the more specialised "standard" equipment (ie combi-weapons) more readily available.
Special ammo is another way to go too. I'd suggest giving some of the more basic Tactical-like units options for taking Sternguard-type ammo - stuff that again only works with bolters, so you can choose between the ammo or a specialised weapon, but not both.

Lastly, the Deathwatch do work on behalf of the Inquisition so you might want to drag some of the Grey Knights Inquisitorial stuff over. Not everything, mind...!

I agree, special ammo would make your basic troops a little better then standard marines, after all deathwatch squads are supposed to be more hardcore because of the superior equipment they have access to. I think the HQ choices should have some killer special weapons.

Hmmm, would it be pure or more Ordo Xenos? You may have trouble doing a pure DW book and may instead want to make in Xenohunters. Stormtroopers and DW Kill Team would be your troops, with some sort of scout variant perhaps. And for an HQ you could just port Librarians and captain, as well as Ordo Xenos Inquisitor from C:GK. I really like this idea and wish you the best of luck... I'm now tempted to make a mini-dex of my own.

Take Pedro Kantor.
Take Sternguard Veterans.
Take Space marine Scouts.

Profit!

You could use the old Deathwatch article for them, it's not exactly legal anymore (I think) but it's effective.

But like Kanluwen said, Sternguard are pretty good analogues for them/

I really like all the ideas so far, keep them coming
I think the special ammo is a good idea for eveyone carrying a boltgun, make it a bit pricy but be able to choose one type of sternguard ammo for the entire squad
sternguard i was going to keep mostly the same, just as troops and coming standard with combi flamers
i was planning on using an Ordo Xenos iquisitor as an HQ and use the same bodyguard mixed units as the GK codex, the stormtroopers as troops are an interesting idea though
as an additional note, any thoughts on vehicles? I know drop pods are a must but any vehicles you think should/shouldn't be included?

OK, so asuming it is an allies only list. Meaning you can only team up with them not use them as a main force. Also I do not know mutch about the cannon, but aren't they small and few marines with a lott of equipment but little bodies and tanks?

Anyway, here are my sugestions:

HQ:
1: The Xenos Inquisitor from the GK codex.
2: A Space Marine veteran field leader, (I do not know what they are called in the death watch)

Elite:
1: A librarian Independent character.
2: A unit of regular space marines that you are forced to upgrade. You can upgrade them to one of 6 diferent models:
1 - A scout, that gives the unit infiltrate and scout and wear scout armour.
2 - A terminator space marine.
3 - An assault marine with jump pack and furius charge.
4 - A close combat weapon, a bolt pistol and a boltgun and counter attack.
5 - A marine with special amunition like the vanguard marines. (Note a small problem with the rules as having some of the USR would mean all of them have it. Not the intension with the exeption of the scout abilaty (leading the way.))
6: A apotecary

Troops:
This should be like a really good squad. As long as you pay for it you should be abel to get a lott. Only it should be less good then the elite. Perhaps two special weapons and an apotecary that gives them feel no pain - or a special heavy weapon.

Dedicated Transports:
1: Rhino
2: Drop pod

Fast Attack: I do not know what fluffvice they use, but I would sumerice a small unit, like landspeeder. I do not know if bikes should be here.

Heavy Suport: Not so many tanks I supose? (I do not know)
1: Some sort of devestator squad.
2: A dreadnought

It really depends on what kind of Deathwatch you want to do. Right now, there is GW's version and FFG's. I'm not sure if other authors maybe created other deviating interpretations in some novel. So, take care which version of the Deathwatch the fluff you read online is actually meant for.

GW's variant does not offer much that might justify a "full" Codex - Kill Teams have a size of up to 10 Space Marines, including a Deathwatch Captain, a Librarian, or an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor as squad leader.

I'm sure you could toy around with some additional options concerning special wargear, or add an option for a transport or for drop pod deep strikes, but that's about it.
If you want Dreadnoughts and full-blown armoured formations and battle barges, you'd have to look at FFG's fluff. More options (obviously), but imho losing out on the uniqueness because it makes them come off like just another Marine Chapter rather than elite infantry strike teams on direct mandate of the Inquisition.

id suggest giving them access to some forms on xeno tec like tau hard wire systems can see them takeing those off the body's of dead tau well there commanders / characters any way. have a inquisitor character i think that might fit in but ill be honest my brothers the death watch fan .

Best Deathwatch ruleset I've ever seen literally took the vanilla C:SM, removed the Special Characters sections, tweaked the options and weapon selection a bit (Tactical Marines get two special weapons and one heavy weapon, but only get heavy bolters with a couple of alternate profiles for heavy and have to pay for all three) and gave every model an extra rule: Special Ammunition (may use the profile for one type of special ammunition from the Sternguard rule, selected at the beginning of the game for each squad with the rule). Simple, easy to explain, and relatively balanced. It was made for 5e, though, so they got some slightly esoteric rules about being taken as extra units for a related Inquisition list instead of built-in Inquisition units.

Special ammo for everyone and maybe Preferred Enemy (Eldar, Orks, or Tyranids, pick at the beginning of the game and cannot change) is a pretty good place to start; do a couple of tweaks, put M.40 Stalker bolters and Deathwatch heavy bolters in, but other than that the basic Space Marine Codex works fine.

Suspensor Unit upgrade for the Devastator squad. They can move 6" and shoot full weapon distance with their heavy weapons.

Have Librarian Ashok as a character. Gains bonuses against Tyranids, he's the only marine to face 3 Zoanthropes at once and survive. Include a roll to combat Black Rage.

Take Dreadnoughts as Heavy Option.

I don't think Terminator should be included at all. While there's probably fluff precedent I'm not aware of, I can't see any Chapter willingly assigning such a valuable relic to any outsiders.

 Super Ready wrote:
I don't think Terminator should be included at all. While there's probably fluff precedent I'm not aware of, I can't see any Chapter willingly assigning such a valuable relic to any outsiders.

The DeathWatch RPG has terminator armor. The chapter is giving up their space marine, but that doesn't mean that the Imperium isn't also issuing them additional equipment.

It should probably be rare, though. Like psycannon bolts for auto cannon dreadnoughts...

 Lynata wrote:
It really depends on what kind of Deathwatch you want to do. Right now, there is GW's version and FFG's. I'm not sure if other authors maybe created other deviating interpretations in some novel. So, take care which version of the Deathwatch the fluff you read online is actually meant for.

GW's variant does not offer much that might justify a "full" Codex - Kill Teams have a size of up to 10 Space Marines, including a Deathwatch Captain, a Librarian, or an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor as squad leader.

I'm sure you could toy around with some additional options concerning special wargear, or add an option for a transport or for drop pod deep strikes, but that's about it.
If you want Dreadnoughts and full-blown armoured formations and battle barges, you'd have to look at FFG's fluff. More options (obviously), but imho losing out on the uniqueness because it makes them come off like just another Marine Chapter rather than elite infantry strike teams on direct mandate of the Inquisition.

You realize that even FFG's "version" as you call it does not support a "full" Codex outside of extreme situations right?

I would put sternguard veterans as a standard troop choice.

Well I love this idea but, the main problem I see is specialised chapters...

Basicly since any chapter can join how would you interpet that? would you give the option in every slot to upgrade your Kill-team models with chapter upgrades such as, if you wanted a BA in a kill team would you make a point upgrade to give it its chapter specific rules?

Just my two cents, really enjoying this thread...

I don't know much about DW , but I would imagine the last thing you would want is a BA getting the red thirst and going mental!

 iainslomoscott wrote:
I don't know much about DW , but I would imagine the last thing you would want is a BA getting the red thirst and going mental!

But it would be fluffy and cinematic (for those players who like fluff... like me ).

again a lot of great ideas, also wanted to post where i've been getting most of my info on deathwatch from
http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Deathwatch
not sure if a lot of people consider the site to be very close to fluff or not
what I've come up with so far, sternguard are troops choices, also I too super ready's suggestion and gave them all combiflamers standard
I also want to do something similar to the new csm codex with the variety of named special weapons that can be taken
there are probably going to be about 6-7 IC. If you take them, they would grant preferred enemy to the entire army for one specific xenos
I'm trying to limit tanks and the like, at the moment sticking with just drop pods of various types, stormravens and chimeras for inquisitors and henchmen
There is one dreadnought IC again, going by the wiki page, they are extremely rare in DW, so I'm probably not going to include them
Niial suggested do DW only as an allies detachment which is an interesting idea but i'm trying to make a full codex. However i will put together a quick allies matrix for it. Also its currently very HQ heavy, so picking an allied detachment could work
Lynata, I like the idea of more specialization, things like terminators I'm planning on limiting to a 5 man squad max (buy each one individually) but letting them mix and match all weapon choices within the squad
Xenos tech is an interesting idea, I will tyr and work it in at least a little bit kwah
Happygolucky, I currently hate you for making me realize I what i forgot, giving squad characteristics of existing chapters is almost a must, but how to work it in i haven;t a clue, if anyone has any idea please let me know
Agin thanks for all the advice and keep it coming. About 50% of the codex will most likely come from this thread, the rest a mix of existing codexes and the wiki page

 Hive Fleet Lazarus wrote:
there are probably going to be about 6-7 IC. If you take them, they would grant preferred enemy to the entire army for one specific xenos

Or, if you want to consolidate them down, you can have something like and Inquisitor Lord that has Preferred Enemy (Xenos) and then just have a normal Ordo Xenos Inquisitor that has to be upgraded to a specific xenos species, similar to the Daemon Prince in C:CSM. Or you could roll off at the start of the game to see what your Preferred Enemy is, I dunno.

Also, just an idea, you could make a new special weapon (1 per 10 man squad) variant called "Salvaged X", that lets you use a retrofitted Xenos weapon (Tau Pulse rifle, Necron Gauss Flayer, etc) but they all have a similar special rule to Gets Hot! to represent that they don't know how it really works.

Edit: Just thought of something. To represent the Deathwatch being specialized in hunting xenos creatures, you could make it similar to Imotek's special ability that lets him steal the initiative on a 4+, but only against armies that you have Preferred Enemy for. If you don't have Preferred Enemy on a Xenos army, it's a normal 6+. If it's not a Xenos species, you can never steal the initiative.

Kanluwen wrote:You realize that even FFG's "version" as you call it does not support a "full" Codex outside of extreme situations right?

You addressed your own point already.

"In extreme situations", GW's Deathwatch would simply requisition outside help, as is pointed out in the Index Astartes. FFG's version, on the other hand, obviously supports way more options by itself, right up to the aforementioned battle barges.
Also, there are some notable differences in terms of organisation where someone writing a Codex would have to choose between either variant. FFG's Deathwatch, for example, has its Captains be "station commanders" that rarely leave their post on the base, whilst squad leadership shifts from Marine to Marine within the team. By GW's descriptions, however, the Captain would be a regular squad leader and there is no such thing as the "shifting" sergeantship.

so, I've started typing up all the important info since i finished handwriting almost all character and model rules, consisting of


Deathwatch Keeper
Deathwatch Commander
Deathwatch Captain
Deathwatch Master of the Hunt
Ordo Xenos Inquisitor
Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband
Deathwatch Forge Master
Deathwatch Apothecary
Deathwatch Chaplain
Tu’Mahkran
Rauth Khatir
Questor Rhodes

Deathwatch Librarian
Deathwatch Blackshield
Deathwatch Terminator
Deathwatch Kill Marine
Deathwatch 1st Company Veteran
Deathwatch Techmarine
Seiger Gelb

Deathwatch Sternguard Veterans
Deathwatch Vanguard Veterans
Deathwatch Tactical Marines

Deathwatch Assault Marines
Deathwatch Stormraven Gunship
Kaas Volardium

Deathwatch Devestators
Deathwatch Deathstorm Drop Pod
Caradoc the Slayer

Deathwatch Drop Pod
Deathwatch Inquisitorial Chimera


some units will be identical to other codexes, some will be unique. I could still use the help however on two things. First is, I'm adding in a deathwatch artifacts armory, similar to the chaos one, to pick unique weapons from. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. The general into on the weapons is here
http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Deathwatch
Artifacts
Cruciform of the Crusade
The Glorious Standard
The Righteous Fist
Shard of Bekrin
Skapulan Bolter

Deathwatch Armory
Ultra Pattern Mark IX Sniper Rifle
Hesh Pattern Bolter
Hellfire Flamer
Barrage Plasma Pistol/Cannon
Balefire Gun
Armorbane Missile launcher
Artificer Omnissan Axe
Astartes Power Spear
Astartes Executioner Axe
Astartes Omni-Tool
Astartes Power Falchion
Power Glaives
Two Handed Chainblade
Las-Lance

Also is anyone has any ideas at all for fitting in unique chapter caracteristics to deathwatch marines, please let me know. Happygolucky brought up the idea and it's a good idea, i just have no idea how to implement it

Look forward to reading more

Any chance of some more SC Ordo Xenos Inquisitors - like Amberely

I think that a Deathwatch Codex will be all about individuals rather more than an standard Astartes one - could even argue that they would all be veterans with appropriate stats - points cost.

Perhaps give perfered Enemies as standard character/unit options representing the superior knowledge at fighting Xenos.

If its any use I did make up a more extended Inquisitor selection for my Sororitas Codex:

Inquisitor 25pts
The Adepta Sororitas is often called upon by the Inquisition to provide unyielding and unflinching soldiers in their war against the enemies of the Imperium. The Ordo Hereticus are the most prominent, but all Ordo utilise their talents and it is even said that a few rare individuals moved from the Adepta into the ranks of the Inquisition itself.

WS BS S T W I A LD Save
Inquisitor 4 4 3 3 3 4 3 10 4+

Composition: 1 Inquisitor Unit Type: Infantry (character)
Wargear: Special Rules:
Bolt Pistol Independent Character
Carapace armour Stubborn
Chainsword
Frag and Krak Grenades

Options:
May replace bolt pistol and /or chainsword with:
Power axe, Power sword, Power maul, Combi-flamer, melta, or plasma 10pts
Condemnor Boltgun 15pts
Thunder Hammer 20pts
Null Rod 25pts
May replace carapace armour with power armour 8pts
May replace carapace armour with artificer armour 15pts
May take a refractor field 10pts
May take up to three servo-skulls 3pts
May take psyocculum 25pts
May be a Close Combat Specialist add +1 WS 5pts
May be a Marksman add +1 BS 5pts

Inquisitorial Retinue Varies
You can take one Inquisitorial Retinue for every Inquisitor you have included in your army. Units of Inquisitorial Retinues do not themselves take up an Elite choice. An Inquisitorial Retinue comprises a unit of 3-12 chosen in any combination from those shown below:

WS BS S T W I A LD Save Points
Banisher 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 8 5+ 15pts
Servitor 3 3 3 3 1 3 2 8 4+ 10pts
Warrior Acolyte 3 3 3 3 1 3 2 8 4+ 4pts

Banisher, Infantry,
Wargear: Chainsword, Flak Armour, Laspistol, Special rules: Act of Faith, Aura of Faith, Shield of Faith,
Servitor, Infantry
Wargear: Carpace armour, Heavy Bolter or Multi-melta Special rules: Mindlock
Warrior Acolyte, Infantry
Wargear: Chainsword, Flak armour, Laspistol,

Any Warrior Acolyte may replace his laspistol and/or chainsword with:
Boltgun 1pt
Storm bolter 3pts
Combi-flamer, combi-melta, combi-plasma, flamer 10pts
Power sword or Plasma pistol 15pts
Any Warrior Acolyte may replace his flak armour with:
Carapace armour 4pts
Power armour 10pts
Any Warrior Acolyte may be a Close Combat Specialist add +1 WS 5pts
Any Warrior Acolyte may be a Marksman add +1 BS 5pts

Aura of Faith: Units of Daemons within 6” of one or models with this special rule must re-roll successful invulnerable saves.

Mindlock: If a unit containing Servitors does not also contain an Inquisitor, Tech Marine or Enginseer it must roll a D6 at the start of each friendly turn. On a 1,2.3, the unit (and any characters may not move, shoot or assault that turn but will fight normally in close combat if already engaged.

Dedicated Transport: The squad can select any dedicated transport

I've typed up all the HQ units for the codex. I'll be posting them in the proposed rules, link below, as i finish each section. Again any advice, please let me know i'll ill work on fixing or adapting it.
I kmow there are some rules missing, i'll be posting them later one, once i finish designing them

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/492131.page#5033761

enjoy

I'dd add more options for the Inquisitor - maybe including Psychic abilities etc Certainaly better armour options if they arre goiung into the field?

Is there a reference for the DW SC -are they FFG or GW?