Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

When the preview for the chainsword came out, I was excited because it seemed they were finally distinguishing between types of melee weapons. +1 attack seemed a pretty fluffy way to represent a chainblade hewing through something. Hopefully with the standard "close combat weapon" now representing only hands or backup weapons, different types of melee weapon would have interesting rules.

Unfortunately, it looks like the +1 attack has just been a blanket replacement for the old close combat weapon bonus. For the Imperial Guard, this left you at a choice between the chainsword or a power weapon. Most of my Guard sergeants are armed with non-chainsword weapons, but for fluff, point, or WYSIWYG reasons I don't want to represent them as power weapons, and I figured there'd be others out there who felt the same way.

Thus, some new optional profiles. These are free replacements for a chainsword. You lose the extra attack but gain the profile of the corresponding power weapon on a 6+, representing an exceptionally skillful strike.


Sword
Type: Melee
Range: Melee
Strength: User
AP: 0
Abilities: On a hit roll of 6+, resolve this weapon's attack with AP -3.

Axe
Type: Melee
Range: Melee
Strength: User
AP: 0
Abilities: On a hit roll of 6+, resolve this weapon's attack with +1 Strength and -2 AP.

Maul
Type: Melee
Range: Melee
Strength: User
AP: 0
Abilities: On a hit roll of 6+, resolve this weapon's attack with +2 Strength and -1 AP.

That might be a hair on the too-good side for free, but I like the idea in principle, and it's probably not especially OP on armies like Guard that aren't especially skilled in melee in the first place.

Why is a sword armour penetrating? Cutting with a sword is a futile endeavour against someone in medieval plate, let alone power armour.

 Ashiraya wrote:
Why is a sword armour penetrating? Cutting with a sword is a futile endeavour against someone in medieval plate, let alone power armour.

Agreed.

If anything, the maul is the best weapon against armoured targets.

I understand that you're trying to create a class of CCW that actually has some unique feel to it, but being a power weapon on a six feels a little too strong.
How about a character wielding a boxing glove? Do they get the profile of a power fist on a six to hit?

It just feels a little too much like "I don't want to use this as a count-as power weapon or chainsword, but still want an advantage".

What of a regular sword gained a -1 modifier to save on a 6. ?

A maul.yes, is the better concussive weapon vs armour representing a heavy weapon or a warhammer that was designed to kill a armoured man. , same with the Axe in middle.

Like a lucky strike but not a power weapon that might have -2 to -4, and fists -3.

Your np a power weapon, slightly better than a riflebutt.



...

That's pr slightly radicaly different you re roll ones at a certain stage if have a cc weapon of above class.
Not op for guard..

Except you're better off with the extra attack every time. For every 6 attacks with these weapons, which is around the point you get your bonus, you'd have 12 attacks with the Chainsword instead.

Why would I ever want to switch?

 jhe90 wrote:
What of a regular sword gained a -1 modifier to save on a 6. ?

Because as Slayer-Fan points out, that's hardly a bonus at all compared to what you're losing (+1 A). Since the Guard don't have any really scary close combat units that can take chainswords, and power weapons are only 4 points more if that's what you want, this would be for flavor only.

Except you're better off with the extra attack every time. For every 6 attacks with these weapons, which is around the point you get your bonus, you'd have 12 attacks with the Chainsword instead.

Why would I ever want to switch?

Since the chainsword is supposed to be the more fearsome weapon, I don't have a problem with that.