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SLY MARBO

I decided that Sly Marbo needed some new rules... to fit his Titan killing, army destroying ways... but without all those unnecessary Astra Militarum allies to slow him down.

In this version, you field Sly Marbo as the only unit in your army.

Keywords: INFANTRY, IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM, CHARACTER, GRENADES, EPIC HERO, SLY MARBO

Points: n/a


ABILITIES:

Deep Strike, Stealth, Lone Operative, Feel No Pain 2+, Fights First, Deadly Demise 25, Scouts 24"

Deft Parry: Every time a melee attack targets this unit, subtract 1 from the Hit roll.

I Work Alone: If you field Sly Marbo, he counts as your Warlord, but you may not field any additional models (including allies) in your army.

Movement: Sly Marbo is not bound by mundane physics. During the Movement phase, instead of moving the model, you simply declare where the unit is going, and place the model there.

Sly Marbo may Fall Back, Shoot, and Charge in the same turn.

Toughness: n/a. Marbo's toughness is not a number but an unbreakable concept. Any wound roll requires a natural roll of a six to wound.

Wounds: Add up the total wounds in your opponent’s army. Sly Marbo has that many wounds +10.

OC: 16

Leadership: 2+

Save: Armour Save 5+, Invulnerable 2+

He's Behind You!: Sly Marbo can teleport anywhere on the battlefield, including inside enemy fortifications or vehicles.

Did you hear that?: Enemies within 24" of Sly Marbo, must make a Battleshock Test at the beginning of their Command Phase.

Like a Shadow: While within cover, Sly Marbo is completely invisible to all enemy units, regardless of line of sight. Enemies cannot even target him with psychic powers.

The Only Mission that Matters: When Sly Marbo controls an objective, it stays under his control for the rest of the game, unless he is killed.

10,000 Yard Stare: Enemy Units count as having OC of 2 less within 12" of Sly Marbo.

Master of Ambush: At the start of the Fight Phase, if Sly Marbo and an enemy unit are in the same piece of terrain, fortification, or vehicle, Sly Marbo can select that unit as if he was in Engagement Range.

Tough as Nails: Reduce the amount of Damage inflicted on Sly Marbo to 1.

One Man Army: For every enemy model removed from the battlefield, Sly Marbo regains D3 wounds.

Detonate Concealed Explosives: Once per game, Sly Marbo can detonate hidden explosives targeting all enemy vehicles on the battlefield, and in Reserve, inflicting 6D6 mortal wounds on each of them.

No Retreat, No Surrender: If Sly Marbo is wounded, but not killed outright, he regains 2D6 Wounds at the end of the Phase.


Wargear

Ripper Pistol: A modified autopistol firing armor-piercing, venomous projectiles.


If the target is INFANTRY or a MONSTER, the Ripper Pistol's shots are not resolved against a unit's toughness; they automatically inflict 5 mortal wounds on the target.

Range: 24" A: 6 BS: 1+ S: 14 AP: -5 D: 5

Precision, Rapid Fire 12, Assault, Pistol, Ignores Cover, Lethal Hits, Sustained Hits 2, Devastating


Envenomed Blade: A Catachan knife coated in deadly toxins. If the target is INFANTRY or a MONSTER, any unsaved wound caused by the blade instantly kills the target at the end of the Fight Phase.

Range: Melee A: 10 WS: 1+ S: 16 AP: -5 D: 5

Precision, Devastating, Sustained Hits 2, Lethal Hits

Rule Exceptions:

Deep strike rules: He can appear anywhere, not just 9" away.

Line of sight rules: He can target anything, anywhere, regardless of terrain or intervening models or units.

Battleline feels like a REALLY weird inclusion.
His Leadership is terrible.
You could give his Pistol a 1+ BS. That effectively makes him immune to modifiers, since the most penalty you can have is -1, making it go from a 1+ (1s always fail) to a 2+.

Overall thoughts?
Is silly.

 JNAProductions wrote:
Battleline feels like a REALLY weird inclusion.
His Leadership is terrible.
You could give his Pistol a 1+ BS. That effectively makes him immune to modifiers, since the most penalty you can have is -1, making it go from a 1+ (1s always fail) to a 2+.

Overall thoughts?
Is silly.

Two points: I was unsure of how to give him sticky objectives without Battleline.

It's supposed to be Leadership 2...

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
I was unsure of how to give him sticky objectives without Battleline.

By... Giving him the Sticky Objective rule?
It's not a rule for Battleline units in general, it's just a rule commonly held by Battleline units.

Edit: Given that he instagibs Infantry and Monsters, and can deal 6d6 MW to Vehicles...

The way to beat him is Bikes, Beasts, and Swarms!

 JNAProductions wrote:

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
I was unsure of how to give him sticky objectives without Battleline.

By... Giving him the Sticky Objective rule?
It's not a rule for Battleline units in general, it's just a rule commonly held by Battleline units.

Edit: Given that he instagibs Infantry and Monsters, and can deal 6d6 MW to Vehicles...

The way to beat him is Bikes,
Beasts, and Swarms!

Good point.

I just watched a bunch of Rambo films and he doesn't do much fighting against those things, so he does have a weakness.

Edits are ongoing.

Those are very good rules for Marbo the One Man Army but some players may think they are not balanced.

There are many pros and cons to consider.

There should be a special rule called

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! which allows him to fire twice in the shooting phase but his gun gains the hazardous keyword to represent the collateral damage.

epronovost wrote:
There should be a special rule called

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! which allows him to fire twice in the shooting phase but his gun gains the hazardous keyword to represent the collateral damage.

How about?

AAAAAAAGGGGGHHH!
• As long as the player controlling Sly Marbo shouts at the top of their lungs when rolling for Ranged Attacks, all hits are Critical Hits.

You guys are making this too difficult. Just give him the same profile as the most powerful titan currently produced by Games Workshop.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
Detonate Concealed Explosives: Once per game, Sly Marbo can detonate hidden explosives targeting all enemy vehicles on the battlefield, and in Reserve, inflicting 6D6 mortal wounds on each of them.

Seems overly wordy. Remember, this is 10th edition 40k. The game is all about simplification and approachability.

For the sake of streamlining, I suggest changing the text of this ability to the following:

At the start of the battle, destroy all enemy models. Then you may additionally destroy the opponent.

There. Simplified, not simple, remember!

Sly Marbo Combat Patrol (Balanced for Actual Play! )

Okay, here's a profile and a mission built for Sly Marbo to solo an enemy Combat Patrol.

What do you think?


SLY MARBO – ONE MAN ARMY (COMBAT PATROL)

Keywords: INFANTRY, CHARACTER, IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM, EPIC HERO, GRENADES, SLY MARBO

Army Restriction: Must be your Warlord. No other units allowed.

CORE STATS

MTWOCLdSv
6"51845+5+

Invulnerable Save: 4+
Feel No Pain: 4+

ABILITIES
Predator Emerges: Deploy after enemy deployment (including Infiltrate units), more than 9" from enemy models. Can move, shoot, and charge normally on arrival.

Vanish into the Jungle: At the end of enemy turn, if not in Engagement Range, remove from battlefield. Deploy next Reinforcements phase >7" from enemies.


Deep Strike

Lone Operative

Scouts 6"

Stealth

From the Shadows: Cannot be targeted by Fire Overwatch or abilities triggered by Deep Strike setup.

Unnatural Resilience: -1 to wound rolls against him (ranged only).

Tough as Nails: Reduce Damage from all attacks by 1 (min 1).

Unseen Survivor: First failed save per phase reduces Damage to 0.

One Man Army: Destroyed enemy units restore D3 wounds (once per turn).

Did You Hear That?: Enemy units within 12" must take a Battleshock test at start of their Command phase.

Master of Ambush: Enemy units within 3" of terrain he occupies may be treated as within Engagement Range for Fight phase.

Final Showdown: Cannot target Warlord unless: Battle Round 4+, Lieutenants destroyed, or Warlord is closest eligible target.


WARGEAR

Ripper Pistol: 12" | 6A | BS2+ | S5 | AP-2 | D2 | Assault, Pistol, Precision, Devastating Wounds

Envenomed Blade: Melee | 8A | WS2+ | S6 | AP-2 | D2 | Precision, Lethal Hits, Anti-Warlord 4+, Toxic Strike: CHARACTERS take D3 mortal wounds at the end of the Fight phase if in Engagement Range of Sly Marbo.

Melta Bomb : Once per battle, at the end of your Movement phase, if this model did not Advance this phase, you can plant a Melta Bomb. Select one enemy VEHICLE or MONSTER unit within 12" of this model (if no such unit is within range, you can instead select any one enemy unit within 12". That unit suffers D6+4 mortal wounds. If the selected unit is within 6" of this model when the bomb is planted, add +4 to the Damage roll (making it D6+10 mortal wounds).

If the selected unit is destroyed as a result of this ability, this model regains D3 lost wounds.


THE JUNGLE HAS EYES
Combat Patrol Mission

Background:
Your patrol pushed too far, crushing resistance and making an example. One survivor remains. The jungle falls quiet. Predators hide. Something moves in the canopy—and it isn’t bound by ordinary rules. Your Lieutenants are not safe. You are being hunted.

Setup:

• Combat Patrol board, dense terrain.
• Enemy deploys all units first (Infiltrate included).
• Sly Marbo deploys afterward >7" from enemy units.

Armies:
• Marbo Player: Sly Marbo only.
• Enemy Player: Combat Patrol. Choose one CHARACTER Warlord + 2 Lieutenants.

Special Rules
Meat Shield: Sly Marbo cannot target/charge Warlord while Lieutenants live (unless Warlord is moved into Engagement Range).

The Hunt: Lieutenant destroyed → Sly Marbo regains D3+2 wounds and may Consolidate 6".

Catachan Traps: Enemy Advance/Fall Back → roll 1D6, 4+ = D3 mortal wounds.

Next Wave (Enemy, Once): End Movement → return one destroyed non-Character unit at half strength >9" from Marbo.


Victory Conditions

Marbo wins: Enemy Warlord destroyed

Enemy wins: Warlord survives 5 Rounds OR Sly Marbo destroyed

Flavor Text – Vengeance Accomplished
THE GHOST VANISHES
Lieutenants dead. Reinforcements scatter. The Warlord never sees the blade. No tracks. No struggle. Just an empty ration tin where the command post once stood. The jungle has claimed its debt. Sly Marbo is gone, hunting elsewhere.

[Remove Sly Marbo from the battlefield without a word.]

I can't tell if he he's supposed to have 1 wound or 18. Hm...

 Lathe Biosas wrote:

epronovost wrote:
There should be a special rule called

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! which allows him to fire twice in the shooting phase but his gun gains the hazardous keyword to represent the collateral damage.

How about?

AAAAAAAGGGGGHHH!
• As long as the player controlling Sly Marbo shouts at the top of their lungs when rolling for Ranged Attacks, all hits are Critical Hits.

Nice shades of Age of Sigmar first edition in there; I like it.