Changes to raiders and wyches. Jumping free of explosions and primus drugs!

Raider: The raider gains the special rule open deck.
Open Deck: because of the wide open nature of the raiders deck whenever calamity befalls their vessel the embarked passengers may immediately make an emergency "leap" disembark move.
Whenever a raider suffers an explodes result on the vehicle damage chart the player may elect to make a special leap move before an explosion damage is resolved. The player immediately rolls 1D6 adding the highest initiative of the embarked squad and subtracting one if the raider moved at combat speed in the player's last movement phase, subtract 2 if it moved at cruising speed and subtract 3 if it moved flat-out. After the results have been determined (1D6+IN-any movement modifiers) Immediately move the embarked squad that many inches from the raider then roll for explosion range and resolve normally. (note that if the "leap" results are 0 or less the squad fails to disembark before the explosion and suffer explosion hits as normal.) A squad making an emergency leap move treats any area terrain it moves into as dangerous terrain.

I know that sounds long winded but its pretty simple.> raider explodes, roll 1D6+IN-movement penalty which is either 0,1,2,3 depending on how the raider moved that turn, place the unit that many inches away from the raider before it explodes then resolve the explosion distance as normal.

I think its a fun cinematic way to make wyches in raider usable again. (Just picture tau blowing up a raider and the wyches jumping free and into their faces! With the chance of breaking their own face against a tree if they jump into a forest or getting caught by the explosion if they don't jump far enough!)

As for wyches a couple of changes would make them much better. Change the wyches so they have a 4++ save in the assault phase not just in close combat (thus they would have it against over watch fire but still be vulnerable in the shooting phase.) Increase the number of wych weapon that they can have, say one for every three like with bloodbrides (but increasing the number that bloodbrides can have to make up for it) and reducing the weapon's cost to 5 points each (so it's no longer a case of more wyches can do the same thing for basically the same points over the weapons.) I think that haywire grenades should probably be more expensive, say three or four points each?
As for wych drugs, can anyone think of another table that you roll on with a d6 at the beginning of the game that gives your unit special powers? That's right, drugs are the dark elder equivalent of psychic powers!  as such I feel that there should be a primus drug just like there is a primus power. Maybe a warlord trait or a special character with a rule that effects which drug become the primus?

Any thoughts on this? is it overpowered? Just crazy in general?

1. I think our equivalent of primus drugs is Sliscus's roll twice rule.
2. Ack, this is such a lovely fluff idea-- wyches are stimmed up, trimmed down, agile arena fighters.
3. I believe this happens, but is represented by explosion hits/wounds.
4. I just wish we had dodge saves against those explosions.

Like this?

You roll d3s.

Coven drugs
1: Mindnumber, +1 Ld
2: Painkillers, +1 Toughness
3: Splintermind, free pain token
Or default to option 1.

Kabal Drugs
1: Rushtonic, + 2 Initative
2: Adrenallight, + 1 attack
3: Painbringer, re-roll to wound
Or default to option 1.

Cult Drugs
1: Hypex, when run roll 3 dice pick highest
2: Serpentin, +1WS
3: Grave Lotus, +1 str
Or default to option 1.

Something like that faceless, but the primus would be a 0 not the one (there are three roll results and an additional one you can default to). I like the idea of only rolling a d3 though! Cuts out some of the less desirable rolls.

I think that the leap move is a little too much, since you could potentially abuse it with big I ICs.
But the dodge save in assault phase sounds good, and against explosions as well. That would represent the 'leaping' a lot already!

Primus drugs sound great too, a larger variety to choose of, but they should all be very balanced.
If each unit would choose their own combat drugs (coven, kabal, cult), it could get a little annoying to keep track in who has what if you have to remember three rolls. Otherwise good.

Now I just wish that Phil Kelly is watching over us, and listening.

Maybe have different drug tables to roll on and then roll for each individually? You used to each units drugs individually in the last codex so its not a stretch to go back to it.
Maybe change the leap move to majority IN instead of highest? That would prevent ICs from taking advantage of it too much

Huh, 3 rolls? I thought we were only rolling once. And you get to choose which table to roll for, only. So you just keep track of 1 drug.

But yeah, primaris should be 0, you notice I rarely touch psykers and psychic abilities...


You roll one d3 on one of the following table:

Coven drugs
1: Goldblood, gives FNP(6+), or improves FNP by 1
2: Painkillers, +1 Toughness
3: Splintermind, free pain token
Or default to : Mindnumber, +2 Ld.

Kabal Drugs
1: Burningeye, +1 BS
2: Adrenallight, + 1 attack
3: Painbringer, re-roll to wound
Or default to: Rushtonic, + 2 Initative.

Cult Drugs
1: Serpentin, +1WS
2: Muscleburst, +2' when assaulting (not for jetbikes)
3: Grave Lotus, +1 str
Or default to: Hypex, when run roll 3 dice pick highest.


Meh, got tired of balancing etc so I'll just let it be :p

facelessabsalom wrote:

Huh, 3 rolls? I thought we were only rolling once. And you get to choose which table to roll for, only. So you just keep track of 1 drug.

But yeah, primaris should be 0, you notice I rarely touch psykers and psychic abilities...


You roll one d3 on one of the following table:

Coven drugs
1: Goldblood, gives FNP(6+), or improves FNP by 1
2: Painkillers, +1 Toughness
3: Splintermind, free pain token
Or default to : Mindnumber, +2 Ld.

Kabal Drugs
1: Burningeye, +1 BS
2: Adrenallight, + 1 attack
3: Painbringer, re-roll to wound
Or default to: Rushtonic, + 2 Initative.

Cult Drugs
1: Serpentin, +1WS
2: Muscleburst, +2' when assaulting (not for jetbikes)
3: Grave Lotus, +1 str
Or default to: Hypex, when run roll 3 dice pick highest.


Meh, got tired of balancing etc so I'll just let it be :p

I meant only once per unit. Keeping track of different effects isn't to hard and it allows you to be more tactical. If you have a wych squad with +1S you would send it against space marines for instance while you might send another against something else depending on the drug. but I can see your point! simplicity has a lot going for it.

I'm loving your drug chart faceless! great work!