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Just kicking around a couple of ideas and remembering that it' skind of sad that we never got to see the Abhumans expand a bit. As such...

TROOPS
Ratling Rifles

While Ratling Snipers are well-known throughout the Imperium of Man, in some small regions of Segmentum Pacifica there is a high enough concentration of the abhuman genome that full units are assembled and called to battle. These units might lack the improved weaponry of the sniper, or the hardiness of a Guardsman, but they stand up to defend their homeworld all the same. Kitted out with standard-issue Lasguns and flak armor, they almost seem to be children playing at war... until one takes down a foe a kilometer away with a dead-eyed shot.

Ratling Rifles (10 models, 50points)
WS 2, BS 4, S 2, T 2, W 1, I 4, A 1, LD 6, SV 5+ Type: Infantry

Wargear:
Lasgun
Flak armor

Special Rules:
Precision Shot
Stealth

*******************************************

ELITE
Tunnel Rats

Perhaps the single most underestimated unit in any Imperial force are the Tunnel Rats, Ratlings who volunteer for some of the dirtiest, most dangerous asignments for the Imperial Guard, using their small frames to access underground passageways that no one else can, breaking into secure compounds, and steathily dispatching enemy soldiers in their sleep. These cold-blooded killers can stare down an Ogryn and have been known to butcher whole outposts of Dark Eldar in the course of a single night's raid. While they typically assemble a small arsenal of weapons, depending on the mission, the one thing that they all carry are their unique Ratling trenchknives, called "Fangs", whose razor-sharp edges and small surface allow them to be pushed through the smallest opening in an unspsecting victim's armor.

Tunnel Rats (5 models, 30 points)
WS 4, BS 3, S 2, T 2, W 1, I 4, A 1, LD 8, SV -

Wargear:
Laspistol
Trenchknife
Frag Grenades
Krak Grenades

Special Rules:
Deep strike
Infiltrate
Move through cover
Shrouded
"Set the timer"

Options:
You may add up to 5 additional models at 6 pts each.
One member of the squad may exchange his laspistol and trenchknife for one of the following:
*Plasma pistol - 5 pts
*Flamer - 5 pts
*Meltabombs - 10 pts
If the squad numbers ten models, one additional model may also exchange as above.



Special
"Set the Timer" - Tunnel Rats are extremely adept at sabotage and long ago learned to take cover against vehicular explosions. When any Tunnel Rat's attack cause a vehicle to explode, they recieve a 2+ save against any wounds this causes only.

Trenchknife
* Melee Weapon
* S = User
* AP = 5
Rending

********************************************************************

This is the first draft, but I figured I'd see what people thought.

I like this type of rules. Interesting, fun, not gamebreaking.

Melta bommz - 5 pts and not replace anything - just upgrade.
Flamer - 5 pts as it is
Plazma pistol for tunnel rats seems somewhat misplaced.

Though, i think that Tunnel rats shouldn't have ws4. ws3 is more logical. However, it's up to you.
The other interesting option would be ws4 bs2. The opposite to snipers. Tunnel rats might spend too much time in dark tunnels and have probs with sight but better evolved/skilled to close quarter problems.

Plasma Pistols should always be 15 points. Why is the trench knife better than a chainsword? Should just be a CCW in my opinion.

Meltabombs are 5 points on any other unit, but then, they are limited to sergeants.

That said, ratlings are well known for being cowards and hating the idea that they might get into danger. While I like the idea of a ratling saboteur type unit, I think they should retain the ratlings' WS2/BS4 and poor close-combat ability, instead having something like Darkstrider's fighting retreat rule - perhaps overwatching at BS2, and then moving d6 inches backwards before the enemy rolls their charge distance.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Plasma Pistols should always be 15 points. Why is the trench knife better than a chainsword? Should just be a CCW in my opinion.

Meltabombs are 5 points on any other unit, but then, they are limited to sergeants.

That said, ratlings are well known for being cowards and hating the idea that they might get into danger. While I like the idea of a ratling saboteur type unit, I think they should retain the ratlings' WS2/BS4 and poor close-combat ability, instead having something like Darkstrider's fighting retreat rule - perhaps overwatching at BS2, and then moving d6 inches backwards before the enemy rolls their charge distance.

Note that ig CCS has a plazmapistol cost of 10 pts. And Stormtroopers sarge also.

I really like what you've got here. Very characterful and very well thought out. I LOVE the "Set the Timer" rule - very characterful and potentially life-saving, but without being even close to over-powered since it only affects damage that you yourself are responsible for, never what your enemy throws at you.


That said, a few thoughts.


The Plasma Pistol is too cheap - most everyone else pays 15 points for these.. Sure you are giving up your laspistol and trench knife, but it should still be at least 10 points.

The melta bombs are too expensive - most everyone else pays 5 points for these. Add on to that the fact that you are giving up your laspistol and trench knife, it should definitely not cost 10 points!

With the above in mind, I think that your special weapon options should replace EITHER laspistol or trench knife, and costs should be:

Plasma Pistol - 15 pts
Melta Bombs - 5 pts
Flamer - 5 pts


Also, Trench Knives should be AP-. Rending already covers their ability to slip between the joints in armour, and these tiny blades aren't going to be pushing through the actual armoured portions of flak armour or similar with the Ratlings' puny strength.

I would just change Tunnel Rats to 0-1 per platoon or CCS. Taking up an elites choice would make them a questionable choice in larger games.

Beyond that, love the idea.

A cool idea. I believe I agree with the thought that the Melta Bombs should be switched in points with the Plasma Pistol.

Yeah, point costs are always tweakable, so I'll go back in on them in a bit and strt adjusting. The trenchknives having a core AP as well as rending is based on the idea of the old days of heavily armored knights having a big weakness of being knocked over, then using a dagger to go after weakpoints where just hacking away with a sword wouldn't do very much good. These little murdermachines are all about sneaking up behind somebody, jumping up on their back, and slitting throats/kidney shanks to stop people from crying for help.

Kind of a blend of commandos and the tunnel rats of Vietnam.

I'll probably shift them to WS 3 instead of 4, since the attacking part is about the same even if the defending is worse (And they are so very, very squishy!), but I'm still torn on BS 3 or 4. I'll play arond with that a bit.

Oh! As for the selection of special weapons, I was looking at the usual arsenal of a veteran unit, for instance, and checking down the list. Meltaguns are just too heavy, as are plasma guns, but a plasma *pistol* would fit the same profile, if an odd selection. If we still had hand flamers, they'd be there instead of the normal flamer. Meltabombs for infiltration work.

Version 2 up in a bit.

Any comment on the Rifles? I'm guessing they're in the "Cute but boring" category.

Pretty much. Rifles are a nice alternative to Guardsmen, but a precision shot lasgun's not really scary.

I don't see why they couldn't have hand flamers. Might suit them a little better than the big flamers anyway, and just because it isn't standard kit for IG, it could be special issue. After all, very few units have access to the demolition charge, it is still there.

Wakshaani wrote:
Yeah, point costs are always tweakable, so I'll go back in on them in a bit and strt adjusting. The trenchknives having a core AP as well as rending is based on the idea of the old days of heavily armored knights having a big weakness of being knocked over, then using a dagger to go after weakpoints where just hacking away with a sword wouldn't do very much good. These little murdermachines are all about sneaking up behind somebody, jumping up on their back, and slitting throats/kidney shanks to stop people from crying for help.

I still say that is already handled by the Rending rule. Not like 5+ and 6+ saves are all that reliable anyway, but NOT negating them automatically represents the chance of the Tunnel Rats missing the weak points.

But they have to stay better than harlequins...