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Each faction gets a small list of units that can be taken in other, whitelisted factions.
These allied units do not get any benefits from the Faction or Detachment rules, including Stratagems.
Allied Battleline units can be taken up to three times and lose the Battleline Keyword, for anything that requires it.
Allied Dedicated Transports can be taken up to three times.
Allied non-Battleline, non-DT units can only be taken once.
Maximum points spent on allies is one third of your points total, rounded down.
No allied unit can be your Warlord.

Some example lists:

Guard
Cadian Shock Troops
Catachan Jungle Fighters
Death Korps Of Krieg
Chimera
Attilan Rough Riders
Armoured Sentinels
Leman Russ (all variants, but only one of any Leman Russ may be taken)

Whitelisted factions are:
All Imperium
All Chaos armies except for Daemons (representing Traitor Guard-they lose the Imperium Keyword and replace it with Chaos)
Votann
Tau (lose Imperium Keyword, replace it with Tau and add Gue'vesa)
GSC

Orks
Big Mek (all variants, but only one Big Mek of any kind may be taken)
Painboss
Painboy
Beast Snagga Boyz
Boyz
Trukk
Flash Gitz
Killa Kans
Lootas
Nobz

Whitelisted factions are:
Every faction except Tyranids and Daemons

=========================

The purpose of these rules is NOT to be exceptionally powerful. Ideally, tournament winning lists would only ever rarely take allies, if at all.
The idea is to allow fluffy takes and easier branching out into other factions.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Critiques?

My friends and I have been playtesting a "universal detachment" concept to deal with alliances. Ultimately you've got to recognise widespread alliance mechanics will never be competitively balanced - either they're so permissive that they're broken, or so restricted/have so many downsides that they can't compete with a "normal" army. They're better viewed by making something thematic - that's what we've tried to do. It needs work, but this is what we've got at the moment:




EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE - DETACHMENT ABILITIES


STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

The chaos of a galaxy embroiled in perpetual war brings up many unforeseen circumstances. While loyalty and honour are distant memories, desperate times call for desperate measures, and even the most implacable foes can find themselves fighting side-by-side when facing a common enemy or working towards a common goal - for a short time, at least.

Regardless of your Army Faction, you can use this EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE Detachment ability. If you do so, you can include units in your army that do not share a Faction keyword with your chosen Army Faction. Each unit included in your army in this way must be a BATTLELINE or CHARACTER unit, and any CHARACTER unit included in your army in this way must be Attached to a BATTLELINE unit during the Declare Battle Formations step. You cannot include EPIC HERO units in your army unless they share a Faction keyword with your chosen Army Faction. Units included in your army in this way gain the ALLIES keyword.

The points value of all ALLIES included in your army cannot exceed a certain portion of your army's overall points value. The proportion is determined by the battle size, as follows:
- Incursion: The points value of all ALLIES in your army cannot exceed 250pts.
- Strike Force: The points value of all ALLIES in your army cannot exceed 500pts.
- Onslaught: The points value of all ALLIES in your army cannot exceed 750pts.

When an ALLY model is included in your army, that model reduces its OC by 1 for the duration of the battle, to a minimum of 0. ALLY models can never be selected as your WARLORD.


WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE...

While some forces are acquainted with the need to serve alongside others in times of great need, an alliance is always uneasy, and there are many commanders and creatures across the galaxy who delight in treachery and mischief. What is gained by working together with others may sometimes fail to make up for the cost of such machinations, and at the very least it makes co-ordinating a joint response a delicate balance of interests and politics.

If you are using the EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE Detachment, you must use this Detachment rule.

While you are using this Detachment rule, at the start of each Command phase, roll a D6; on a roll of 1, you do not automatically gain 1 CP this phase.

In addition, throughout the battle, each time you select a unit in your army to shoot or fight, if there is a friendly unit within range of its attacks that does not share a Faction keyword with that unit unit, until the end of the phase, attacks made by models in that unit gain the [HAZARDOUS] ability, unless all such units within range share the IMPERIUM, CHAOS, or YNNARI keyword with that unit.



EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE - ENHANCEMENTS

If you are using the EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE Detachment abilities, you can use these EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE Enhancements.

HONOURED WORD...15pts

This commander is a rare example of an honourable individual fighting their way through the battlefields of the 41st millennium. Taking each sworn oath in deadly earnest, they have a reputation for trustworthy dealings that make them a firm ally, if perhaps a naïve one.

CHARACTER model only. Each time the bearer's unit is selected to shoot or fight, their attacks do not gain the [HAZARDOUS] ability as a result of the With Friends Like These... rule while there are friendly units within the attacks' range with which they do not share a Faction keyword.


SMOOTH DIPLOMAT...15pts

Gifted with a silver tongue, this commander knows how to negotiate a good deal that will keep their friends on side and their enemies guessing. These traits allow for well-oiled joint command structures unplagued by the petty politics that bring down most similarly-tenuous coalitions.

WARLORD model only. While the bearer is alive on the battlefield, you do not need to roll in order to automatically gain 1 CP during each Command phase as a result of the With Friends Like These... rule.


STUNNING DEFECTION...15pts

Whether convinced by some matter of deep principle or looking for a quick shortcut to easy power, this commander's former loyalties have been cast away in favour of a new allegiance. Where once there was a watchful ceasefire between them and their allies, now both fight with full commitment for a joint cause, until some new fickle fancy arises.

ALLY CHARACTER only. The bearer, and its unit, gain the Faction keyword of your chosen Army Faction for the duration of the battle.


REINFORCING THE LINE...15pts

Alliances are formed only out of dire need, when the strength to resist a common foe is lacking in any one force. This commander has been called upon to support their allies with extra supplies and more soldiers, reinforcing them at their weakest point in return for some promised, if dubious, reward.

ALLY CHARACTER model only. During the Declare Battle Formations step, the bearer and its unit can be placed in Strategic Reserves, even if that would result in the total points value of units you have placed in Strategic Reserves exceeding the usual maximum permitted.



EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE - STRATAGEMS

If you are using the EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE Detachment abilities, you can use these EMERGENCY COALITION FORCE Stratagems.


DESPERATE MEASURES - 1 CP
Battle Tactic

The heat of battle calls for many difficult decisions and many sacrifices. The decision is at least made a little easier when those who bare the costs are likely to be the intended enemy in the near future.

When: Your Shooting phase, when selecting a unit in your army to shoot.
Target: The unit you have selected to shoot.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, when selecting targets of their shooting attacks, models in the unit can select enemy units that are within Engagement Range of one or more friendly units, provided none of those friendly units share a Faction keyword with the attacking unit. However, each time a model in the attacking unit makes a failed hit roll of 1, your opponent selects a friendly unit within Engagement Range of the target unit of that attack - the unit your opponent selects immediately suffers a Mortal Wound.


HELP UNLOOKED FOR - 2 CP
Strategic Ploy

Believing themselves alone and abandoned in the galaxy as defeat sets in, many begin to despair. It is a strange mix of emotions they feel as another army, thought to be their second doom, rushes to their rescue against a shared foe.

When: The start of your opponent's turn, while you control fewer objective markers than your opponent.
Target: An ALLIES unit in your army that is within Strategic Reserves.
Effect: The unit can immediately arrive on the battlefield as though it were the Reinforcements step of your Movement phase. After the unit has been set up, until the end of the phase, friendly units in your army that are within 6" of the unit automatically pass Battle-shock tests.


A HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY - 1 CP
Battle Tactic

Left without a proper means to cross the wartorn battlefield, these soldiers look to their allies for assistance. Reluctantly obliging, the supporting forces offer up their transport vehicles for a short time, ensuring swift delivery at the risk of outright theft


When: Your Movement phase.
Target: An INFANTRY unit in your army which includes 5 models or less.
Effect: The unit can Embark within any friendly TRANSPORT model this phase, even if that model does not share a Faction keyword with the unit, and the unit is not listed as a unit within that model's transport capacity description.


BACK TO BACK - 1 CP
Epic Deed

While all the races of the galaxy claim their own heroes to be the greatest warriors, in truth they each are home to true legends of war. When two such titans fight side-by-side, nothing can touch them.

When: The start of the Fight phase.
Target: A CHARACTER model in your army that is within 1" of another CHARACTER model in your army with which it does not share a Faction keyword.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, both CHARACTER models gain +1 to the results of all saving throws.


FOUL TREACHERY - 1 CP
Epic Deed

The cost of unquestioning trust is a knife between the ribs or a bullet to the back of the skull. Commanders of the 41st millennium break any promise if it is to their own gain.

When: The start of your Shooting phase or Fight phase.
Target: An ALLY CHARACTER model in your army with a weapon that is within range of your WARLORD.
Effect: Your WARLORD is immediately destroyed. Roll a D6 for each wound your WARLORD had remaining before it was destroyed; for each result of a 4+, gain 1 CP, ignoring the rule that usually restricts the number of CP you can gain in a single turn. You cannot gain more than 3 CP as a result of this effect.


CO-ORDINATED FOCUS - 2 CP
Battle Tactic

Feeling secure in their temporary peace, allied soldiers are able to focus on battlefield goals without constantly watching their flanks. The rewards of trust are well-paid as objectives are taken and positions are won.

When: The start of the Command phase.
Target: An ALLY BATTLELINE unit in your army.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, models in that unit gain +1 OC.



I hope this helps and people find it interesting! I'd love to hear any feedback or ideas!