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Hey all, I've been reading up on Squats recently and I really love them. The fact that I love Dwarves adds to this as well, but I'm really thinking of doing a "Squat army" but I'm not sure what to base it on.

Model-wise I guess I could use GW Dwarfs with some weapon swaps and such. Rules-wise I was leaning more toward Space Marines as the Squats were known to use bolters and bikes. I know some have done them as IG before, but for a pseudo gag army the smaller model count appears more to me...

Thoughts? Advice? Pics of your own stuff?

People tend to use the Astra Militarum codex. This is the best fit I think. I don't see a major problem with using Space Marines though, as long as you're clear on what counts for what.

There are some pretty good third party models available. They'll cost a lot less than trying to get hold of old Squat models too.

Knock yourself out:
http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/warpath/forge-fathers.html
http://www.manticgames.com/search.html?SearchTerm=Forge+fathers

With these minis SM rules certainly work; they're heavily armoured, tough and have some great matches (Iron Ancestors as Dreads, Thoragrim as TH/SS Termies, Hailstorm Cannon as TFC).

 Paradigm wrote:
Knock yourself out:
http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/warpath/forge-fathers.html
http://www.manticgames.com/search.html?SearchTerm=Forge+fathers

With these minis SM rules certainly work; they're heavily armoured, tough and have some great matches (Iron Ancestors as Dreads, Thoragrim as TH/SS Termies, Hailstorm Cannon as TFC).

Bless you, laddie! Marines works for me as I can justify getting 20 or 30 infantry and some bikes and vehicles. 100+ infantry replete with tanks, artillery and the like is less of a good idea. Especially considering I already have an IG army on the go.

Imperial Guard / AM works perfectly fine for Squats.
The very early models standard weapons were lasguns.
They usually rode trikes which you could outfit with lances and use as cavalry.

Good threads for this:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/610017.pageCool for build.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/649022.page#7841273 Fandex
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/645927.page#7786235 Discussion on what codex to use.
http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/warpath/forge-fathers.htmlSome possibly easier models to find for your use.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/433105762/olleys-armies-presents-armies-of-the-scrunt-empire This KS put out some interesting stuff.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/586811.page This guy took it to the best look I have seen. Page 4 the transport is awesome. Using SM (SW?) codex in this case.
http://www.miniaturescenery.com/ProductPage.asp?Code=VH1MK2TRANS Strongly suggest using this for drop pods!
http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=211Or a proper dwarf would dig from underneath!
http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/BTW Ramshackle games in general has good stuff, look at the boxy tanks they would look neat.
http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=461The "better" chimera.
http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=497The "ultimate" in Squat: Land Train.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/357761.pageOlder but worth a look.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/357761.pageOld school painted up stuff.

http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/Squat_-_Collectors_Guide Gives you the list of what is out there.

I think I am done here.
Lots of options, the love for these guys is obviously being supported outside of GW.
Good luck, if I was starting out on these guys the stuff above would have been quite exciting: I had no idea all that was out there.

<edit> Now that I think of it, Space Wolves might be the "best" since almost every type of model of theirs can be used except possibly the "mole-mortar".

I'm finishing up a squat army I'll probably lend my FLGS as a demo army. I based them on Tau, as the squats were very technically advanced, adverse to psykers, and had no particular fondness for the Imperial cults. (Tau basically are anime space dwarves if you really think about it.)

Besides, they could easily be justified as being the demiurge. In fantasy, dwarves avoided magic, and those that didn't slowly turned to stone. In my 'head cannon' a prolonged mass warp exodus from the nid plagued squat homeworlds to the tau empire could easily explain their rocky appearance and prolonged absence.

(Hey Kirby, wanna hire me to clear up 40k's continuity issues?)

Hmmm...using the Marine codex for Squats? All of a sudden? Does this have anything to do with the fact that the Marines just got a super new codex?

Youch, Talizvar... You sure hit me hard there.

The Ironbreakers + Scout arms is a great option though expensive. It would theoretically allow me to play the army in GW stores and events. It would also allow me to utilize the extra arms I have lying about already, plus there would be little to no waste as I can use more Scouts in my Crimson Fists. Still though, $60 Cdn for some Ironbreakers...

I really do love the Mantic stuff, but there are too many special weapons in their sets. Even the 10-Dwarf squad has 4 Bolter equivalents, 2 plasma equivalents, 2 melta equivalents, a vet sergeant and a missile launcher.

A while ago I saw GW fantasy dwarves with Space marine scout arms holding space marine gear. It looked pretty nice.

Honestly, instead of a marine army, I think the necron rules might work a little better.

 JimOnMars wrote:
Hmmm...using the Marine codex for Squats? All of a sudden? Does this have anything to do with the fact that the Marines just got a super new codex?

Not really. I have the AM book but I haven't got the new SM one yet. Really, it was to avoid having another massive IG force. Plus, Dwarves (space or otherwise) should always be T4. ALWAYS.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 gwarsh41 wrote:
A while ago I saw GW fantasy dwarves with Space marine scout arms holding space marine gear. It looked pretty nice.

That's in one of the links that Talizvar shared. I love the aesthetic, personally.

gwarsh41 wrote:Honestly, instead of a marine army, I think the necron rules might work a little better.

Any reason as to why? I've seen Tau bandied about as a technologically advanced alternative, but never 'Crons. I'm intrigued.

Lord Corellia wrote:
Youch, Talizvar... You sure hit me hard there.

I think it gave a good cross-section of the various possibilities.
I am unsure about "hitting you hard" I will assume that is a good thing.
Try looking at the Mantic "kings of war" Ironclad models at about 1/2 the GW price and see if those work.
Worse comes to worse, you could make a "press mold" and fabricate a bunch of your own shoulder pads for the squats.

Hit me hard is good and bad, I think.

I'm inspired by a lot of the stuff there, but my wallet is going to take it hard.

When I started in second edition, I read about the Squats in the old Codex Imperialis book, and I thought they sounded totally awesome. Dwarves were my favourite fantasy race and now there were DWARVES IN SPAAAAACE?!?

Amazeballs.

So I mail ordered three squat bikers, and asked if I could order the codex. The guy on the phone rather sheepishly told me that the codex was not coming out. I used the black and white army lists that came with the box and some "converted" slayers and thunderers to run a pretty small Squat force for a while and then sort of gave up.

Every now and then I look at Mantic's offerings with a twinge of nostalgia, but I think I will wait to see how Warpath pans out before I go for it. Nowadays I'd prefer something a bit more alien looking than just plain old dorfs in space, I was thinking grey skin with firey orange beards could look okay with black and yellow armour maybe.

Pipe dreams! I love those ramshackle drills though, that's definitely the idea I had- I was going to do a drop podding marine list using those as the "pods".

Lord Corellia wrote:
Hey all, I've been reading up on Squats recently and I really love them. The fact that I love Dwarves adds to this as well, but I'm really thinking of doing a "Squat army" but I'm not sure what to base it on.

Model-wise I guess I could use GW Dwarfs with some weapon swaps and such. Rules-wise I was leaning more toward Space Marines as the Squats were known to use bolters and bikes. I know some have done them as IG before, but for a pseudo gag army the smaller model count appears more to me...

Thoughts? Advice? Pics of your own stuff?

Multiple ways you can approach, but the one closest to the original army would be Astra Militarum (that is still so unwieldy compared to IG ) as your primary detachment and then have an allied detachment of space marines to include Exo-Armor squats, some bikes and attack bikes. This would make a squat army closest to what it used to be. Squats primary weaponry was always lasguns, though upgraded characters could take bolters. Their attack bikes looks more like choppers and their attack bikes were more like trikes. If you could scare up some of the originals that would be cool to see on the table again, but if not you could easily convert existing marine bikes and attack bikes to have squat riders instead. Exo--armor squats you can set up as just normal power armored marine types. Again if you can find some original figs more power to you, though I always felt the exo-armor squats looked too much like armored beach balls to take seriously.

A friend has a number of units in his regular guard army made up of the old original squat plastics from back in the late 80s/early 90s. They are a nice addition to his army and add some needed variation.

Good luck with the project!

Skriker

Lord Corellia wrote:
I'm inspired by a lot of the stuff there, but my wallet is going to take it hard.

It all boils down to time or money.
If you got the time to convert / sculpt stuff or you got the money to get the sculpted stuff you want.
The classic squats should still be cheap and can look pretty good when painted.

Not my best work but marine arms with dwarves works well:

 JimOnMars wrote:
Hmmm...using the Marine codex for Squats? All of a sudden? Does this have anything to do with the fact that the Marines just got a super new codex?

Since people have been using the Marine codex for Squats since 3rd edition, probably not.

 insaniak wrote:
Since people have been using the Marine codex for Squats since 3rd edition, probably not.

Lol, alright then. Good to know there's some precedent at least!

Another idea struck me as a suggestion. A person could use forms as a base for Squats. Things in common, higher Toughness, lower initiative. By kit bashing you can make your Squats in any number of ways.

Or you could run a space marine main and imperial guard allies for the best of both worlds

If you want a current Squat army, look at Book 5: Tempest for the Horus Heresy rules set.

Supposedly the Tyranids ate the squats - a throwaway comment by GW - but in the less grim twilight of the 31st millenium, they're still around (sort of).

The Imperialis Militia army list includes 'provenances', which are kind of like imperial guard doctrines - buy 'em for your commander and they apply bonuses (or at least changes) to the rest of your army.

'Abhuman Helots' is one option which gives your regular infantry +1 T and -1 I.

T4, I2 guard veterans with the option to swap their las weapons for bolters? This sounds suspiciously familiar....

With 'Survivors of the Dark Age' you can also give them access to rhinos as a dedicated transport option and can (actually have to) take 'grenadier' units with a 3+ save

The only thing really missing from the old squat army is trike units.