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Ive been knocking around a few ideas on IC.

Here are my thoughts and propositions.

First, there are a lot of rules in relation to both independent characters joining and leaving units and the interaction of their own and the units rules. It seems like a lot of complication simply so a IC can join and leave in the middle of a game, which seems to not happen very often. (Generally speaking, you deploy a IC with the unit you want them with and they only leave/join another unit in the most dire circumstances).

Second, I have never played a game where someone deployed a IC solo. If they can join a unit they do.

Finally, the most ridiculous combinations in the game generally come from stacking multiple IC onto a single unit.


So why not do this.

1) During set up/deployment you can choose to attach any IC you have to a unit you have. The IC is considered a part of that unit for all rules purposes for the entirety of the game. They cannot choose to leave the unit. The unit is not eliminated unless the IC and the unit are all killed/removed from play, and the unit is now worth 2 Victory Points when eliminated. A IC that does not join a unit at the start of the game is treated as a Character and may not join a unit for the remainder of the game.

2) Only 1 IC may join any given unit.

This would result in a large number of the rules in the BRB in relation to IC's and their interactions with units are just gone along with any odd complications that can result from them. Also, the limitation of 1 IC per unit would cut down on a lot of the BS combinations. People might need to make some hard choices on who goes where for what benefit.

Thoughts?

I like 2-3 IC in a single unit. Like warboss, painboy and/or big mek with boyz or warbikes. I also like 2-3 Space wolves ICs with bike or thunderwolf mount along with the TWC.

ICs don't start alone as they would be an easy target, not every IC has guilliman/celestine/cawl profile, but at some moment they often split from their unit for tactical purposes. It's something that I like actually and I don't think it should be changed.

It's a good way to remove the "Independent" from "Independent Characters".

Ask people who played Space Marines in 4th Edition how much they liked their HQs not being able to leave their Command Squads. I do believe that this was dropped for a good reason, but that's just me.

I, for one, detach my ICs very regularly, and almost never go a game without multiple HQs in a single unit.
As an Ork Player, for example, a Painboy is mandatory in the unit containing my Warboss, but my biker Warboss very often breaks off on his own to go kill tanks or vulnerable squads.