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I don't think that anyone can argue that GW's codex for Storm Troopers was somewhat... underwhelming. With only 4 (or 5) units, its roster was sparsely populated and completely lacked certain unit classes (Elites and Heavy Support). All of which makes ST/MT somewhat hard to field as an army without taking allies. Which, I feel is a bad thing. Sure, you could argue the same about Inquisition but that was deliberately designed - and intended - to be latched onto another army. The same can't be said about MT, I feel. At least, not as a CAD. I think the main let down is that the codex doesn't really let you do anything that you couldn't already do or field with the regular Imperial Guard.

With that in mind, I thought I'd come up with an outline for a more "complete" MT lineup. The objective/challenge here is to not use anything that would require kitbashing or extensive modifying beyond a simple paint job:


HQ:

Militarum Tempestus Command Squad
- Identical to the normal codex with a few extra upgrades.
- The Tempestor Prime may be upgraded to a Commander (gaining Senior Officer ~ 2 orders per turn, plus the bonus orders conferred in the IG codex).*
- The Prime/Commander may be equipped with a Refractor field (gaining a 5+ Invulnerability save).*
- The unit may take a (regular) Taurox or MT Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport.
*These upgrades are intended to elevate the regular MT Command Squad to be more comparable against a "proper" HQ command squad (e.g. a CCS).

Commissar Lord
- Identical to the normal codex with no chages.

Commissar
- Identical to the normal codex with no changes.
- May take 1 Commissar for every HQ slot filled.

Primaris Psyker
- Identical to the normal codex with a few extra upgrades.
- The Primaris Psyker may take Carapace armour as priced on the "Special issue wargear" list.
- May take 2 Primaris Psykers for every HQ slot filled.
*I figured MT were in need of a source for psychic power. Fluff-wise, I can see them recognising the value of psychic warfare, but are wont to keep a close eye on them.


Troop:

Tempestus Strike Team
- Your usual Scions; identical to the normal codex with no changes.
- The unit may take a Taurox or MT Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport.

Tempestus Assault Team
- Close-combat Scions; with WS: 4, BS: 3.
- Composed of 1 Tempestor and 4-9 Scions. All are equipped with Hot-shot laspistols and CCW.
- Special rules: Infiltrate (instead of Deep strike), Move through cover, Grenadier**
- The Tempestor has his usual weapon upgrades.
- 1 Scion may take a "specialist grenade"***
- 1 Scion may take a Vox caster.
- Up to 2 Scions may each take a Power weapon or Power fist.
- The unit may take a Taurox or MT Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport.
*I figured that while still weak in close combat stats-wise, the extra Power weapons and specialist grenades should help even it out somewhat
**Grenadier special rule ~ When using a grenade during the Shooting phase, a model with this rule does so at +1 BS.
***Special grenade list ~ Flashbang (same as Defensive grenade), HE grenade (same as Plasma grenade), Rad-grenade (Enemy suffers -1 Toughness during assault), Stun grenade (Enemy reduced to Initiative 1 during assault on a roll of 5+)


Elite:

Bullgryn Squad
- Identical to the normal codex with no changes.
- The unit may take a Taurox or MT Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport.
*I added them in as I figured MT could do with some meat shields. Plus, they fit the colour scheme and frequently get pictured alongside MT


MT Special Weapons Squad
- SWS for MT
- Composed of 1 Tempestor and 2-5 Scions. All Scions MUST replace their Hot-shot lasgun with a Special weapon.
- The Tempestor has his usual weapon upgrades.
- The Tempestor may alternatively replace his Hot-shot laspistol and CCW with a Special weapon as well.
- 1 Scion may take a Vox-caster.
- The unit may take a Taurox or MT Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport.


Tech-priest
- Identical to the normal codex with no changes.
- May take 1 unit of Servitors for each Tech-priest as per normal codex.
- The unit may NOT take a Taurox or MT Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport.


Fast Attack:

Taurox Prime Squadron
- Identical to the normal codex.
- May now be squadroned, with 1-3 Taurox Primes per squadron.

Tempestus Sentinel Team
- Deep-striking Sentinels. Comes in Scout and Armoured variants. BS: 4. Costs approx 50 points for either.
- Composed of 1-4 Sentinel units that cannot be squadroned. Each is armed witha Multi-laser.
- Additional special rules: Deep strike, Independent vehicle**
- Each Sentinel may be upgraded with either Strike Protocol (+1 to BS) or Assault Protocol (+1 to WS and +1 to Attack).
- Each Sentinel may replace its Multi-laser for a Heavy flamer, Autocannon, Missile launcher (+/- Flakk missiles), Lascannon, Plasma cannon or Multi-melta.
- Each Sentinel may be equipped with a heavy chainsaw (counts as Power fist; S: X2, AP: 2, Type: Melee, Specialist weapon, Unwieldy), in addition to its main weapon.
- Up to 1 Sentinel may be upgraded to Team Leader; carrying a Team beacon (Homing beacon that may only be used by the Sentinel's own team).
*Pretty much your only source for Heavy weapons.
**Independent vehicle: Much like Independent character except in relation to vehicles and forming squadrons. Up to 3 Sentinels may join another squadron.


Heavy Support:


Valkyrie Squadron
- Identical to the normal codex with extra upgrades.
- Each Valkyrie may be upgraded with Strike Protocol (+1 to BS).
- 1 Valkyrie in a squadron of three may be upgraded to Squadron Leader; gaining Split Fire, testing at Ld 8.

Vendetta Squadron
- Identical to the normal codex with extra upgrades.
- Each Vendetta may be upgraded with Strike Protocol (+1 to BS).
- 1 Vendetta in a squadron of three may be upgraded to Squadron Leader; gaining Split Fire, testing at Ld 8.


Dedicated Transport:

Taurox
- Identical to the normal codex with no changes.

MT Drop Pod
- Similar to the vanilla Space Marine version in stats and special rules with one major difference.
- Intended to use said model but with the appropriate colour scheme.
- Transport capacity: 12 units or 1 MT Sentinel.
- Additional rule: Mobile bunker ~ Unlike Space Marines, infantry arriving via an MT Drop Pod need not disembark at once from a Drop Pod and may reembark it at any point; using it as a defensive point.
- Likely to cost 1.5-2x a normal Drop Pod to compensate for the above extra rule.

I built a Stormtrooper Regiment sub-list for my homebrew Inquisition rules back in 6e (one can be found at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rxa1M5klrXdf3bSbUYiyq2TRBGNnXIRtl6eJxjJds_4/ if you're interested); I based them conceptually on the Elysians list with Chimeras, Valkyries, Vendettas, Tauroxes, and the Navy planes as their only vehicles, and gave them special mortar ammo and a unique light missile launcher as heavy weapons. I'm in the process of updating them to 7e after getting some actual feedback right now.

I'm okay with most of this but I'm skeptical about the Sentinels and the Drop Pod; by claiming to be a 3HP walker you've called your vehicle as sturdy as a Dreadnaught (but still presumably looking like a Sentinel) as opposed to every other 2HP light gun walker around; and the Adeptus Militarum uses Valkyries for rapid deployment as opposed to anything resembling drop pods.

As someone from MT, it's not that empty.

And it's not our fault the state is about the size of Germany. >>

Seriously though it looks okay, but I'm not really getting a Stormtrooper vibe from it. It feels more like Guard-lite. Maybe it's just me.

Yeah, to me the MT, like the Inquisition, were deliberately designed to be that way. They arent an army in and of themselves, their specialist forces designed to conduct a narrow spectrum of operations in support of other forces.

Thinking on it a bit, the thing I'd probably add to the MT would be some support aircraft into the FA and HS slots. Avengers, Lightings, Vulture, stuff that can't carry anything, but serves as air support for the main force.

 ClockworkZion wrote:
Thinking on it a bit, the thing I'd probably add to the MT would be some support aircraft into the FA and HS slots. Avengers, Lightings, Vulture, stuff that can't carry anything, but serves as air support for the main force.

True, an obvious approach would've been to attach some of those aircraft. However, they're Forge World units and I was trying to stick things to using purely GW material.

Overall, the idea I was going for is an army that strikes deep and fast; in contrast to regular IG; which is more to hang back and bombard the enemy from afar while slowing their approach with a mass of warm bodies. Hence, as sticking to GW's MT codex, why most of the units either bring the fight to the enemy at comparatively close range or are able to carry said units to the battle. It's also the reason for my suggestion of Drop Pods as Dedicated Transports. The reason regular Tauroxes are there is to provide the option of a more conventional form of transport.

chaos0xomega wrote:
Yeah, to me the MT, like the Inquisition, were deliberately designed to be that way. They arent an army in and of themselves, their specialist forces designed to conduct a narrow spectrum of operations in support of other forces.

Perhaps. However, the fluff does also feature them doing things solo as well.

mr. peasant wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:
Thinking on it a bit, the thing I'd probably add to the MT would be some support aircraft into the FA and HS slots. Avengers, Lightings, Vulture, stuff that can't carry anything, but serves as air support for the main force.

True, an obvious approach would've been to attach some of those aircraft. However, they're Forge World units and I was trying to stick things to using purely GW material.

Vendettas as a Heavy Support slot then.

 ClockworkZion wrote:

mr. peasant wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:
Thinking on it a bit, the thing I'd probably add to the MT would be some support aircraft into the FA and HS slots. Avengers, Lightings, Vulture, stuff that can't carry anything, but serves as air support for the main force.

True, an obvious approach would've been to attach some of those aircraft. However, they're Forge World units and I was trying to stick things to using purely GW material.

Vendettas as a Heavy Support slot then.

The thought did cross my mind. But then another voice pointed out it might be a tad cheesy to give the unit access to 6-18 Valkyries/Vendettas. Which is why I switched it to Taurox Primes instead.

mr. peasant wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:

mr. peasant wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:
Thinking on it a bit, the thing I'd probably add to the MT would be some support aircraft into the FA and HS slots. Avengers, Lightings, Vulture, stuff that can't carry anything, but serves as air support for the main force.

True, an obvious approach would've been to attach some of those aircraft. However, they're Forge World units and I was trying to stick things to using purely GW material.

Vendettas as a Heavy Support slot then.

The thought did cross my mind. But then another voice pointed out it might be a tad cheesy to give the unit access to 6-18 Valkyries/Vendettas. Which is why I switched it to Taurox Primes instead.

The army doesn't really have any good anti-armor to help crack Land Raiders and the like at a range that matters. Giving them access to 3-9 Vendettas (1-3 per HS slot) wouldn't be that cheesy and at least give them some tools to help with the heavier armor they can't deal with easily.

For funsies:

Militarum Tempestus Support Squadrons (0-3 per Command Squad)

Unit Size: 6 Militarum Tempestus Scions

Options: 3 Scions must take one of the following weapons

- Hot Shot Precision Rifle, R30" SX Ap3 Heavy 1, Sniper
- Flare Grenade Launcher, R24" S3 Ap6 Assault 1, Blast, Blind
- Hot Shot Volley Guns...
- Feros Pattern Stubber, R30" S4 Ap- Heavy 3, Rending

 ClockworkZion wrote:
The army doesn't really have any good anti-armor to help crack Land Raiders and the like at a range that matters. Giving them access to 3-9 Vendettas (1-3 per HS slot) wouldn't be that cheesy and at least give them some tools to help with the heavier armor they can't deal with easily.

The option is there - in the Fast Attack slots. It just has to compete with Valkyries; which I think is fair.

Alternatively, one could attempt assaulting the Land Raiders using Armoured Sentinels with Eviscerators; with their 2x S:10, AP:2 Armourbane attacks.

I disagree, I think that it really doesn't belong in the FA slots for the MT. I strong think it should be a HS support choice only.

EDIT: Also Sentinels can't get Evicerators. Like, ever. That's an Ecclesiarchy only weapon carried by Priests and Sisters.

They don't. They get chainsaws (which still comes with the Sentinel kit), which counts as.

P.S.: Also, note - the fluff simply states that the weapon is favoured by the Ecclesiarchy, and not that it is restricted solely to them. Incidentally, the MT are (unless I'm mistaken) recruited and/or trained by the Schola Progenium, who are part of the Ecclesiarchy.

mr. peasant wrote:
They don't. They get chainsaws (which still comes with the Sentinel kit), which counts as.

I don't think making them into Chainfists really fixes Sentinals. Maybe some kind of CCW, but not a full blown Chainfist.

My rules started from the Elysians list because that felt the most like a rapid-response special forces list. A brief summary of the unit choices for those that don't want to dig through a seventy-page undertested document:

HQ:
Stormtrooper Command Squad. Similar to the Tempestus Command Squad, but with the specialists from the Astra Militarum book (Astropath and Officer of the Fleet, with the Master of Ordnance replaced with the "Bomber Command Liason" whose attack is based on the Marauder instead of the Basilisk)
Techpriest Enginseer. Same principle as the Enginseers from the Astra Militarum book, minus the Servitors.

Troops:
Stormtrooper Squad. Functionally Tempestus Scions.

Elites:
Stormtrooper Veterans. WS4/A2/Ld9 Scions with two special/heavy weapons per five.
Drop Sentinels. BS4 Sentinels with Deep Strike and a limited wargear list.

Fast Attack:
Vulture Gunship. BS4 at +20pts.
Tauros Squadron. BS4 dune buggies with heavy weapons.

Heavy Support:
Stormtrooper Fire Support. Stormtroopers with two heavy weapons per five.

Dedicated Transport:
Chimera. The one you know and love, at BS4.
Valkyrie/Vendetta: Redesigned somewhat, Valkyries drop to 11-11-10 armour, Vendetta is 12-11-10 starting with a multi-laser and equipped with one twin-linked heavy weapon under the wings with 6-model transport capacity.

I additionally expanded on the Special Operations from the 5e book's Stormtroopers and gave them special ammunition to make mortars a viable heavy weapon option.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

mr. peasant wrote:
They don't. They get chainsaws (which still comes with the Sentinel kit), which counts as.

P.S.: Also, note - the fluff simply states that the weapon is favoured by the Ecclesiarchy, and not that it is restricted solely to them. Incidentally, the MT are (unless I'm mistaken) recruited and/or trained by the Schola Progenium, who are part of the Ecclesiarchy.

The 3e Kroot Mercs White Dwarf Codex had the Eviscerator as an option for some Shapers.

mr. peasant wrote:
P.S.: Also, note - the fluff simply states that the weapon is favoured by the Ecclesiarchy, and not that it is restricted solely to them. Incidentally, the MT are (unless I'm mistaken) recruited and/or trained by the Schola Progenium, who are part of the Ecclesiarchy.

I play Sisters, I collect Sisters and I have most of the back fluff related to them. If you can show me a non-Ecclesiarchy related unit (in the Imperium because I'm betting the Kroot had those because they ate some Priests) you might have something, but they're pretty strictly church related in the game.

And the Schola is kind of it's own thing last as far as I remember. It's basically a government run orphanage for children of important Imperial Citizens who died that solely exists to train children to do different important tasks for the Imperium, and to never ever question their loyalty to the Emperor. Yes it has ties to the Ecclesiarchy (it's were Sisters come from after all), but it also has ties to the Astra Militarum (Storm Troopers and Commissars fall under that umbrella).

 ClockworkZion wrote:

mr. peasant wrote:
P.S.: Also, note - the fluff simply states that the weapon is favoured by the Ecclesiarchy, and not that it is restricted solely to them. Incidentally, the MT are (unless I'm mistaken) recruited and/or trained by the Schola Progenium, who are part of the Ecclesiarchy.

I play Sisters, I collect Sisters and I have most of the back fluff related to them. If you can show me a non-Ecclesiarchy related unit (in the Imperium because I'm betting the Kroot had those because they ate some Priests) you might have something, but they're pretty strictly church related in the game.

And the Schola is kind of it's own thing last as far as I remember. It's basically a government run orphanage for children of important Imperial Citizens who died that solely exists to train children to do different important tasks for the Imperium, and to never ever question their loyalty to the Emperor. Yes it has ties to the Ecclesiarchy (it's were Sisters come from after all), but it also has ties to the Astra Militarum (Storm Troopers and Commissars fall under that umbrella).

And the Inquisition, and the Administratum, and the Navy, and any number of other high-ranking positions within the Imperium. They're sort of like a combination of the Ivy League and the military academies with slightly harsher entry requirements.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
For some weird reason the Eviscerator in Dark Heresy (explicitly described as a giant chainsword geared with a crude power field) is easier to acquire than a plain ordinary chainsword.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
For some weird reason the Eviscerator in Dark Heresy (explicitly described as a giant chainsword geared with a crude power field) is easier to acquire than a plain ordinary chainsword.

Dark Heresy also gives Sisters stuff that leans more towards "space magic" than "blind zealotry allowing them to do seemingly miraculous things because they don't hold back on anything".

 ClockworkZion wrote:

 AnomanderRake wrote:
For some weird reason the Eviscerator in Dark Heresy (explicitly described as a giant chainsword geared with a crude power field) is easier to acquire than a plain ordinary chainsword.

Dark Heresy also gives Sisters stuff that leans more towards "space magic" than "blind zealotry allowing them to do seemingly miraculous things because they don't hold back on anything".

That's all I've got for you on the subject of the Evsicerator; it doesn't have a lot of lore.

Honestly, when given the option to run with chainfists (Terminators only) or Eviscerators (Ecclesiarchy-preferred) on Sentinels as my preferred anti-tank weapon I'm going to have to throw both of those out in favour of the multi-melta, which hits almost as effectively at range, has a preexisting model, and isn't about to be the subject of debate over whether it's supported by lore.

Switched Vendettas and Valkyries to "Heavy support" (with Taurox Primes and Sentinels in Fast attack instead) due to popular demand. In addition, gave them some extra upgrades to this end.

In addition, completely revamped how Tempestus Sentinels work mostly due to the overlooked increased cost of Drop Pods. Now simply have Deep strike instead. In addition, have more deployment options; with the idea of being more flexible in its role and capabilities. The new rule of "Independent vehicle" for instance, allows a full team to either squadron up or operate independently of one another. Alternatively, the Sentinels could instead serve as escorts for an arriving Drop pod or another vehicle. Meanwhile, the Team beacon would allow a player to first drop a Scout Leader (who can Deep strike safely thanks to "Moves through cover) before Deep striking the rest of its unit; which are composed of Armoured variants.

Also, due to the controversy around Eviscerators (even though I had explicitly stated they simply count as and aren't Eviscerators themselves), I've changed the chainsaw's stats to that of a Power fist.