The Dais of Destruction

We all know the Dais of Destruction, in its current form, is pretty much useless. It's overpriced, easy to kill and slow. A Ravager and a Raider would be a better buy, and wind up at 15 points cheaper.

So I did a little re-do of the Dais, basing it a bit on the old 3rd ed Dais (yes, I wasn't into 40k then, but I read the old 'dex). The rules might seem complicated, just ask queestions. Constructive criticism welcome.

The Dais of Destruction - 300 (?) points

WS8 BS8 S3 Fr13 Sd13 Rr13 I5 A5

Vehicle, fast, skimmer, open-topped

Transport Capacity 12 (excluding Vect, he can't dismount)

Wargear
As he is always an integral part of the Dais, Vect may use any of his weapons while on the Dais. Therefore, he may use his Obsidian Orbs or Splinter Pistol to fire from the Dais and while the Dais is in close combat he will attack with his Sceptre of the Dark City and Splinter Pistol. Note that it is he and his incubi bodyguards who are attacking in close combat, not the Dais itself.

The Dais itself is armed with a void lance and two void disintegrators, as well as Flickerfields and Night Shields.

Void Lance - 36" S9 AP2 Assault 1 Lance (same a voidraven)

Void Disintegrator - 36" S7 AP2 Heavy 1 Blast, Rending OR 24" S4 AP3 Heavy 3

Special Rules: Aerial Assault

Personal Transport: Vect cannot dismount from the Dais of Destruction. The Dais also carries Vect’s two Incubi bodyguards, who will defend their master in close combat with 2 WS5 S4 power weapon attacks. When the Dais is destroyed Vect is treated like an embarked passenger, however his Incubi bodyguards are killed along with the vehicle crew.

Close Combat: The Dais fights in close combat like a walker and can charge 12”, providing it did not move flat out in its last movement phase. Due to its size and bulk, it counts as being equipped with frag grenades.

Dark Scythe: Once per game, Vect may channel his energy into the Dais’ Dark Scythe. He may not take any other action on the turn he does this except moving in the movement phase, although the Dais may only move at combat speed (6”).
The Dark Scythe has the following profile: Apocalyptic Template, S10 AP1 Ordnance 1, Lance. The Dark Scythe causes D3 hits to any vehicle it touches.

Options
-Replace any void disintegrator with a void lance..............free
-Replace void lance with a void disintegrator.....................free

By the Sword of Khaine, it's glorious...

First, the props: I love this and all that it stands for. Combining three versions of the Dais into one is brilliant (don't think I don't know where Dark Scythe comes from!). The transport capacity, the nostalgic weaponry, the insane Vect/vehicle duality that lets you assault. That Dark Scythe! This is the Dais your Dais could smell like if he used Old Spice.

However, it could be better. Allow me to ponder.

For a vehicle that effectively costs 550 points, it is still marginally better protected from disruption than a typical Ravager; it won't explode, as it will be Glanced on rather than Penetrated more often than not, but one Stun result and a quarter of your army is missing for a turn. A competent opponent would disable it, then pick off your less numerous than typical force off piecemeal. Maybe we can prevent them from doing that, though, with a special rule...


Raise Morale: At the start of your Movement Phase, if the Dais is under a Crew Shaken result, you may remove one of the models embarked on the Dais to remove the status.You may remove two models to remove a Crew Stunned result. The Dais can then move and shoot as normal. Vect does not suffer the weak: cowards less so, and does not hesitate to execute a shaken crew member to replace them with one of the skilled warriors riding on his Dais, with assurances that they will surely do better than the last one.


This gives your opponent a difficult choice: Focus the Dais and give your Ravagersand Raiders infinite survivability, or ignore it entirely and watch it drop a massive template without fail, and be not a bit closer to being dead. I suppose they could also get lucky, but some things you can't plan for.

Otherwise, I will suggest that the Dais not be Open-Topped, due to advanced shields. Additionally, a Shock Prow would be hilarious, and either supplement a terrifying assault or replace the assault rules entirely if they get too clunky.

Another way of keeping it alive would be to give it an upgrade that makes any unit wanting to shoot it first make a successful night fighting spotting roll. Units within 12" won't need to make the roll as they can see the field hiding it.

CaptainBalroga wrote:

By the Sword of Khaine, it's glorious...

Can I put that quote in a frame and hang it on my wall?

This is the first rule set I've made that I haven't gotten flamed for

Yes, you can, though I am now considering naming a Corsair flagship Sword of Khaine. Or, it could be a carrier, filled with 100 little warships all named Sword of Vaul, and my massive trolling of Eldar fluff die-hards would be complete.

As for the lack of flaming, I'm shocked there aren't more replies in general for this, unless there's a huge pile of Dais threads lurking around that I don't know about.

I know in one of the non English translations, the dais is a ravager with transport capacity 10. As this gives it aerial assault, the dais is actually usable! In fact, I would go so far as to say that this minor change combined with options for vehicle upgrades would make the dais playable

I like all your ideas about Vect and his Dais --- my favorite is the part where he stays on unless the vehicle is destroyed, him and 2 personal bodyguards always stay on and fight with him if people try to attack the ship ---- I feel its a really cool and fluffy idea.


please refrain from bringing old topics to life. If the topic has not been posted in for over a month, it is probably dead and does not need any new posts. /mod

I definitely like where everything is headed with this. Even a pimp-mobile needs to be "re-pimped out" from time to time.

I would like to make a suggestion as to add a very interesting fun rule possibility to this already gloriousness filled endeavor.

I present...

"DON'T LET THEM NEAR ME": Once per game Vect may force the entirety of the squad that is on the Dais with him (except the two Incubi guards which always stay on board) to disembark from the Dais as a means to form a living shield from a close by enemy. During the opponent's assault phase, if any enemy units that have declared an assault on Vect and the Dais, the disembarkation can be forced by the player controlling Vect. The disembarking Dark Eldar unit follows the standard rules for disembarking, and may be placed in the path of the incoming assaulting enemy unit. If any of the models in the enemy unit would come into base contact with any of the newly disembarked Dark Eldar unit's models, the enemy unit will then commence the remainder of its charge moves as if it's initial intent was to charge that Dark Eldar unit, and is then locked in combat (which proceeds as a normal combat) with the unit instead of the Dais. If the enemy models would be able to make their charge moves such that they would also include assaulting the Dais, treat this as a normal Disorganized Charge and resolve combat normally with both the unit and Dais being in combat. The disembarked unit may not fire any Overwatch shots as the suddenness of the order to get off by Vect is too sudden; however, the Dais' weapons and Vects weapons may fire Overwatch as normal.



Now... I don't know if I worded it the best so someone could tweak it, but I think it would be hilarious to see on the battlefield. It's fluffy. And it isn't OP (at least as far as I see it).

So what do you all think of that little add?


please refrain from bringing old topics to life. If the topic has not been posted in for over a month, it is probably dead and does not need any new posts. /mod

Was looking up information on the Dais of Destruction and thought what I just recently found was cool and first time I saw it --- sorry if posting here offended