If allies were covered in Codecies...

[Mr Mystery]

Evening! Little creative aside for us tonight.

If GW were to release allies in books of their own, how would you like to see it done, and what races or species would you add?

Personally, I'd like to see full size Codecies added, one for good, one 'neutral' and one for evil.

'Good' allies would be for Imperial and Eldar, and some Tau. Sort of Imperial agenty.

Neutral? Think xenos mercenaries and species mentioned in the background.

'Evil' would be stuff like Beastmen, Chaos Cults and that.

You wouldn't be able to field them as a conventional army (barring of course opponents permission!) but they would be themed to make allies a fun, balanced addition, and each book would have it's own allies matrix to show who could take what.

Your turn dudes and dudettes!

[Digitarii]

I could see this in a single Codex with a listing of who can use which unit as an ally, but not 3 separate Codecies. GW is too far behind in getting the codexes out for existing armies (Sisters of Battle, Black Templars) to be making separate codecies for "ally" forces.

[Mr Mystery]

But what sort of units would you like to see!

[DWest]

Genestealer cult!

No, seriously, Genestealer cult, they could definitely be good for more than finally letting those of us who play with bugs have a use for the Allies rules. Call them Allies of Convenience or more likely Desperate Allies for IG and Tau, for example ("hey, those creepy guys in the sewers just popped up and are tearing the faces off our enemies! What do we do now?" "Shoot them last, Guardsman!/Embrace them for the Greater Good, Warrior! And then shoot them last!"). They could also work as either Convenience or Desperate for Dark Eldar, but that would be more along the lines of some Haemonculus deliberately infecting some poor saps with the facehuggers to see what happens.

As for what would go in the cult, you'd have the Patriarch for HQ (psyker, probably similar to a Tyranid Warrior statline to represent how enhanced he is), Cultists and Hybrids for Troops (one is like Chaos Cultists, other is like Ork Boyz in terms of build and stats), handful of Magi and/or beefier Hybrids for Elites, possibly a Lictor depending on how they want to play the fluff. Genestealers for Fast Attack (probably no Broodlord though, don't imagine the Patriarch wants competition). Not sure what would go in Heavy Support- probably some nicked artillery, possibly a spore-dropped Carnifex?

[imperialpower]

To make it simple I would just stick all the merc's in one codex instead of having multipull codecies and just have a matrix system for your so called good and evil armies, I would like to see an expansion on some of the sub species already serving in the imperium like Ogryns and ratlings, it would also be nice to see Exodite Eldar models but I would mostly just like it to be a book with guidelines on races/units you could make yourself. A book of rules for those projects that I do not to win games but because they look good and allow you to make up a background, so some kind of points system or a large detailed armoury to allow you to tailor your models with the weapons you want.

[Daemonette666]

Genestealer Cults +1 to that. It would give Nids the abililty to take a limited amount of units to pick up their codexes weaknesses i.e AA, Fliers, artillery, fast open topped transports.

Also Mechanicus/ Dark Mechanicus but I do not know what to take for these allies as I have not really seen anything specific on what cult mechanicus/ dark mechanicus can take that would be useful enough to pick up the gaps/weaknesses in other codexes.

In any case I would use the DM/ mechanicus as allies of convenience and the Genestealer cults as either battle brothers or allies of convenience.

Rogue Traders could be another interesting allied force, but not much has been written on them. I would guess that you could get a lot of their equipment and units from other codexes anyway.

[heretic marine]

Adeptus Arbites!!! Mechanicus! but I kinda want to see those to get their own real codex's. I am nether against nor for Allies Codex's

[OrksOrksOrks]

Wierd old alien races would be great, even just in a WD article, Zoat, Slann, Barghesi, Enoulians, the enslavers

[LordGrise]

I don't play Bugs, but I'd be completely behind Genestealer cults as an ally for 'Nids. Very fluffy, which is what I am all about. Going back thru all the WDs and digging out all the minor races would be very appropriate, and open up new areas for merch down the line. I think one book would be the way to go, but it might be a fat one.

I'd also like to nominate the Gue'vasa (human troops loyal to the Greater Good; they are descendants of the IG that were abandoned in the Damocles Crusade pullout) for coverage in this tome.

[Mr Mystery]

I see the arguement for the single book :)

Perhaps something along the lines of Storm of Magic for Fantasy, which introduced snacky toys, and monsters, including lots of old stuff that had fallen by the way side (Fimir, Zoats and that).

Wrap it up into a small list, and boof.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

Would love to see Genestealer Cults - release a Patriach model, a Hybrid conversion kit, then have rules for the Patriarch which can be added to Imp Guard, Tau or Orks, and an option to "upgrade" units to Hybrids (-1BS, +1WS, +1S, Fearless?). Throw in some fluff about how the Hivemind now sees fit to devour the Genestealer Cult after it devours everyone else.

[gwensdad]

Genestealer Cults, Arbites, Mechanicus/Skitarri, Deathwatch (as allies w/ non-Grey Knight Inquisition), Kroot, Freebooterz.

Just my .02

[Kawauso]

Genestealer Cults, Arbites, Mechanicus/Skitarri, Deathwatch (as allies w/ non-Grey Knight Inquisition), Kroot, Freebooterz.

Just my .02

Y'know, I was really disappointed when Deathwatch weren't included in the GK book when they became the 'Inquisition' codex.

I have a converted squad for counts-as Sternguard...it'd be fun to be able to use them as the real deal, even if they would function similarly.

[The Sovereign]

Definitely Kroot, with a cool, super customizable shaper HQ unit and some crazy Avatar-esque jungle beasties for support.

I'd also like to see Grey Knights go away (enough power armor), but keep the inquisitors, assassins, and henchmen as an ally option.

[Adra]

Kroot Mercs would be great to see again, with a few extra model kits.

Also some wild and wacky aliens and ad-mech as said earlier

Nothing in power armor please...

[Gotthammer]

If only GW had some pre-existing publication that was both available online and in their stores in which they could print rules and army lists, releasing it at the start of the month along with the relevant miniatures before collecting them all in some sort of journal like book at the end of the year (a compendium, or compilation if you will)...



But, yeah, Genestealer cult, Exodites, Kroot Mercs, Grot Rebels, Imperial PDF and so on would be welcome.

[BrotherAlpharius]

If only GW had some pre-existing publication that was both available online and in their stores in which they could print rules and army lists, releasing it at the start of the month along with the relevant miniatures before collecting them all in some sort of journal like book at the end of the year (a compendium, or compilation if you will)...



But, yeah, Genestealer cult, Exodites, Kroot Mercs, Grot Rebels, Imperial PDF and so on would be welcome.

:-D

When I first read the Allies matrix I thought it was wrong that Nids couldn't ally with Guard. I don't play Nids but given some of the Desperate Alliances that are allowed (Space Wolves and Orks?!) I thought Guard to represent genestealer cults would be the one change I would make to that table if I could. Actually, if I had a second change I'd make Imperial Guard battle brothers with Chaos Marines. Books like Gaunts Ghosts and games like Battlefleet Gothic make it clear that there are plenty of non-power-armoured chaos forces and if Marines Malevolent can be battle brothers with Armageddon Steel Legion then Alpha Legion ought to be able to be BBs with Blood Pact.

Rather than an allies only codex I'd rather see effort put into more competitive Xenos factions. Update Eldar, Tau and Orks and maybe add a totally new race and then it won't feel like the Horus Heresy is still going on thanks to all these marine on marine battles.

[MajorWesJanson]

I could see this in a single Codex with a listing of who can use which unit as an ally, but not 3 separate Codecies. GW is too far behind in getting the codexes out for existing armies (Sisters of Battle, Black Templars) to be making separate codecies for "ally" forces.

Given the current size of the sisters range, just put them in the Ally dex and call it good :p