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View Full Version : Apoc Datasheet idea - Land Raider Thunderhead v1.1



Culial
12-07-2009, 02:26 PM
Good day to you BoLS'ers,
I've looked around, and can't find a specific forum to post Apocalypse Formations in, so this seems to be the best fit (if least trafficked).

I've been toying with this idea for a while,
basically I love the idea of a LR Ares, but looking at the rules in 5th Edition I'm not sure it's going to be very effective. Heavy Flamers aren't defensive & are very short range, and the demolisher & assault cannon only have 24".
In summary; You have to move to use the weapons, but can only use one of them if you move, a 300pts tank that can fire one short range weapon per turn struck me as a bit odd...

...so I came up with my own variant!
The TL Lascannon on the Thunderhead is pretty much there to just be used by the Machine Spirit.
The basic idea I had was move 6", fire Thunderfire (any mode) while closing, use the Hurricanes and any storm bolter upgrade as defensive weapons when in range (firing the Thunderfire all the while), AND have the TL Lascannon to take shots at transports so the rest of the weapons can do their job on the squishy Infantry inside.

The idea of an AA-Mount for the TL Lascannon keeps coming to mind, not because of fluff but because of the model itself.
I've got some of the FW Whirlwind Hyperios pieces that use the same mounting system and there is a gear mechanism on the underside to allows it to angle upwards to about 75-80 degrees...strikes me as a pretty viable AA-Mount, especially since it can already swivel 360 around as well.

I picture the Thunderhead deploying opposite a Green Tide formation and ruining the Ork players day, while the Machine Spirit knocks out a Trukk or two along the way! :D
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ___________
http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2009/12/7/68276_md-Apocalypse%20Datasheet%2C%20Land%20Raider%2C%20Thu nderhead.jpg
LAND RAIDER THUNDERHEAD
350 POINTS
DESCRIPTION: Designed by Techmarine Indarnan, of the Red Scorpions Space Marine Chapter, to be the ultimate anti-Ork support vehicle. The Thunderhead is based on the Ares modification made to the Land Raider STC that was pioneered by the Dark Angels for undisclosed reasons. During his internship on Mars, Indarnan was included in the testing of the Ares, his front-line experience and outsider perspective securing him a position on the team. His vocal objections to the dismissal of the Ares inevitably fell of deaf ears, the design straying too far from Mechanicus stricture, but despite this Indarnan managed to ‘acquire’ himself a set of the Ares blueprints. Over a century after returning to his Chapter, during the final battle of the Crusade against the Warboss Urgok the Unstoppable, the Red Scorpions found themselves in an unusual strategic position, considering their foe. The cunning Warboss had withdrawn the bulk of his forces from the front lines and reinforced the Ork-occupied Hive city of Davios Primus. Faced with this Ork stronghold on the Hive sub-levels and unable to obliterate from orbit the billions of Imperial citizens still holding the higher tiers, Indarnan presented his designs for the Thunderhead to the ranking Commander and was granted permission to produce three of the Land Raider variants to lead the charge.
The Thunderheads Primary weapon, the Thunderfire Cannon, can wreak havoc amongst the large Ork mobs from a great distance, driving them from cover, disrupting their lines or simply tearing them asunder, while the Hurricane Bolter sponsons can chew through Greenskin bodies with increasing efficiency at decreasing range. The final enhancement is the Twin-Linked Lascannon Turret designed to be controlled by the Land Raiders Machine Spirit to take down incoming Ork transports and force their occupants to face the wrath of the other armaments.
The only factor limiting the number of Thunderheads to be taken to the field is that fact that it requires a Techmarine crew to calibrate the Thunderfire Cannon, this does however give the benefit of having experts on-board the Tank should the need arise for in-battle repairs, and also allows for a locational relay and terrain-mapping suite to be utilized alongside the normal targeting and communications packages.

UNIT: 1 Thunderhead pattern Land Raider.
TYPE: Tank.
SPECIAL RULES:
- Power of the Machine Spirit
- Techmarine Crew – Grants the ‘Blessing of the Omnissiah’ special rule (C:SM p71). Counts the Techmarine Crew as a single Servo-Harness-equipped Techmarine that is always in base-contact.
- Enhanced Sensors – The upgrades made by Indarnan to the Land Raiders Sensors and Communications Relay perform the same function as a Locator Beacon (C:SM p67)

TRANSPORT CAPACITY: 0

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT:
- Two Sponson-Mounted Hurricane Bolters
- One Hull-Mounted Thunderfire Cannon
- One Twin-Linked Lascannon on Anti-Aircraft Roof Mount
- Searchlight
- Smoke Launchers

OPTIONS:
- Pintle-Mounted Storm Bolter 10pts
- Hunter-killer Missile 10pts
- Extra Armour 15pts
- Dozer Blade 5pts
- Siege Shield 10pts
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ___________

So, key question is "Would you use one?"
i.e. Is it costed right? Balanced ok? Fluff agreeable? Worth the effort/cost of converting?

What do you think?

Atrotos
12-07-2009, 02:47 PM
Brilliant.

350 seems a bit overpriced. When writing rules for vehicles I'm of the opinion that the higher the cost in points the less it should cost to add additional buffs and equipment. I understand that you're trying to include the cost of the techmarine crew and extra weapons but your 350 point tank dies just as easily as its 250 point counterpart. If it's in melta range it might as well be a 35 point rhino for all the protection it's getting. I would say 275 before playtesting.

Extra Armor should be standard I think and I believe you've forgotten to include Power of the Machine Spirit in its list of rules though it obvious you meant to.

I am in perfect agreement of the twin-linked cannons as an AA mount but I don't see any reason why this vehicle should be limited to Apocalypse games. It has no structure points so I'd let you field it anytime.

EDIT: is this your model or did you find this pic somewhere?

Lord Azaghul
12-07-2009, 02:55 PM
Brilliant.

350 seems a bit overpriced. . If it's in melta range it might as well be a 35 point rhino for all the protection it's getting.
?

A rhino? Hardly! Its still a LR, one of the toughest models in the game!

I like the set up! Look like a fun addition to an apoc game - good fluff too.

Culial
12-07-2009, 03:11 PM
@ Atrotos;
:o Fixed the PotMS


is this your model or did you find this pic somewhere?
Well, it's my concept sketch, lets call it.
It's a bodged together conglomeration of GW and FW model pics, with a 'black pencil' Photoshop filter added to it after grey-scaling the lot!
Not perfect, but gets my point across.
No model exists for this yet (wanted to pin down the rules before I fork out on Forge World bitz, not to mention get X-Mas out of the way!), but I would be honoured if someone beats me to the punch! :D

I've had suggestions elsewhere to lower the costing a bit, but that was before I changed the TL Lascannon to an AA-Mount...

Lets try to pin-down a cost for this fella then people:
What do you think your opponent should pay to field this against you?

I'll stick my neck out second and say 300pts!
What say you?



P.S.
good fluff too.
Why thank you! My first attempt at anything like this, and I really enjoyed trying to make all the pieces I wanted in there fit together.

Atrotos
12-07-2009, 03:27 PM
Well, it's my concept sketch, lets call it.
It's a bodged together conglomeration of GW and FW model pics, with a 'black pencil' Photoshop filter added to it after grey-scaling the lot!
Not perfect, but gets my point across.
No model exists for this yet (wanted to pin down the rules before I fork out on Forge World bitz, not to mention get X-Mas out of the way!), but I would be honoured if someone beats me to the punch! :D

I've had suggestions elsewhere to lower the costing a bit, but that was before I changed the TL Lascannon to an AA-Mount...

Lets try to pin-down a cost for this fella then people:
What do you think your opponent should pay to field this against you?

I'll stick my neck out first and say 300pts!
What say you?



Very well done with the picture - I couldn't tell it wasn't real.

Check my first post: I already proposed 275 points in regular 40k games

@Lord Azaghul: The meltagun is the great equalizer as far as armor goes because it penetrates even AV 14 pretty easily. Once penetrated the rhino and the Land Raider are exactly the same as far as the damage table is concerned.

Culial
12-07-2009, 03:35 PM
OK, so loses transport capability and +25pts is equivalent to the additional rules and a LR Mounted Thunderfire...

Hmmm, maybe I'm being too gracious to my opponent! :p

Anyone else care to weigh-in?


Originally Posted by Atrotos
Check my first post: I already proposed 275 points in regular 40k games

hehe, fixed! I'm second now! :)

DarkLink
12-07-2009, 04:20 PM
A rhino? Hardly! Its still a LR, one of the toughest models in the game!

I like the set up! Look like a fun addition to an apoc game - good fluff too.

A meltagun will, on average, penetrate a Land Raider. It's rare for meltas to fail on the penetration roll, though they seem to miss a lot (or roll 1's when I use them).

And I'd agree on the 275pt range.