Land Raider Phaeton

[Shotgun Justice]

wotcher

I love Land Raiders, especially my Rogue Trader Godhammer pattern, when it's allowed out. They are however a frustrating beast, their designation as an assault delivery vehicle precludes the use of particularly destructive weapon systems which ignores their potential as a main battle tank. Knowing full well that Space Marines do not use main battle tank tactics as the IG do I've tried to come up with something that creates opportunities for original Land Raider use. This has led me to postulate several variants, this is my latest:

Land Raider Phaeton

During a rare collaborative action between the Red Scorpions and the Aurora Chapter in 912.M38 against Eldar forces on the moons of Escalax the recently introduced Land Raider Helios saw service against the fast moving Eldar forces in frequent armoured actions. Lacking artillery or air support Captain Region of the Aurora Chapter tasked his Master of the Forge, Phrineus with devising a mobile method of pinning the Eldar down long enough for the armoured columns to deliver Marines and Terminators into the alien positions, suggesting that the Auroras copy the new Helios pattern. Frustrated by the lack of synergy of the Helios' weapon load-out Phrineus replaced the Godhammer pattern lascannon sponsons with modified Typhoon missile launchers, able to fire indirectly along with the top mounted Whirlwind launcher.
The success of these new Land Raider formations led to their increased targeting by Vampire raiders. With the destruction of the few Whirwind Hyperios' brought by the Red Scorpions a new mobile AA defence was required. Phrineus adjusted the mounting of both the Whirlwind launcher and the Typhoon launchers on some of his new creations to provide AA cover, resulting in the destruction of several alien craft and a damage reduction of 64%.
Despite the success of the new pattern Land Raider the Red Scorpions could not stomach the modification of such a new and unsantified vehicle pattern and laid charges of Techno-Corruption against the Aurora Chapter - adding yet more division to a difficult alliance. Despite this Phrineus maintained his new charges, naming them after an ancient Terran legend, the progeny of Helios. Noting the Aurora's vehicular expertise several codex Chapters have been seen to utilise the new Phaeton pattern, most notably the Mentors, whose close links to the Mechanicum may have stayed the charge of Heresy against the new vehicle.

Land Raider Phaeton

270 pts

<table border="1"><tr><td>BS</td><td>Front</td><td>Side</td><td>Rear</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>14</td><td>14</td><td>14</td></tr></table>

Unit Type Vehicle (Tank)

Transport Capacity Six Models

Wargear
Two sponsons each with twin-linked Typhoon Missile Launchers
Whirlwind Missile Launcher
Smoke Launchers
Searchlight

Special Rules
Power of the Machine Spirit
Assault Vehicle
Missile Barrage

Options
May take any of the following:
a storm bolter +10pts
a hunter-killer missile +10pts
extra armour +10pts

May upgrade:
the Whirlwind missile launcher to a twin-linked Whirlwind Hyperios AA missile launcher +30pts
both Typhoon sponsons to AA mounts +20pts


Special Rules:

Missile Barrage
The Phaeton can opt to fire its sponsons as barrage weapons. If fired in this manner they are treated as a single weapons system fired using one of the profiles below, the player may choose which profile to use each time the weapon is fired. This means that if the Phaeton remains stationary it can fire both its Missile Barrage and it's Whirlwind missile launcher, at different targets, if the player wishes.

<table border="1"><tr><td>Weapon</td><td>Range</td><td>Str.</td><td>AP</td><td>Type</td></tr><tr><td>(Frag Missile Barage)</td><td>6-48"</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>Heavy 4, Blast, Barrage, Twin-linked</td></tr></table>
<table border="1"><tr><td>Weapon</td><td>Range</td><td>Str.</td><td>AP</td><td>Type</td></tr><tr><td>(Krak Missile Barage)</td><td>6-48"</td><td>8</td><td>3</td><td>Heavy 4, Barrage *, Twin-linked</td></tr></table>

*To fire a Krak Missile Barrage follow the multiple barrage rules as normal, with the exception that only models that are fully or partially covered by the the centre hole in the blast template are hit.


So guys and gals, hit with me your comments stick.
I know the Krak Missile Barrage rule is a little ugly but I think it just about works.

[Porty1119]

Hmm...the Whirlwind makes it seem kinda like the LR Helios.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Space_Marines/Space-Marine-Tanks/LAND-RAIDER-HELIOS-COMPLETE-KIT.html

[Shotgun Justice]

that was my starting point, if you read the fluff I've written you'll see that the Phaeton is a successor to the Helios, with the Godhammers replaced by Typhoon launchers. I didn't want to create something too divergent or unusual since pointing it and balancing it would become complicated.

The other influence was the Missile Launcher on the Support Sentinel from IA:3

What do you think of the barrage capability and points cost?

[Nabterayl]

For the krak missile barrage, I would just make it a heavy 4 weapon that ignores line of sight and intervening cover. Otherwise I actually think this is looking pretty good points- and rules-wise.

[Shotgun Justice]

Thanks Nabterayl, sorry about the wait for a response - alot of family stuff has been going on recently.


For the krak missile barrage, I would just make it a heavy 4 weapon that ignores line of sight and intervening cover.

If I were to do as you suggest then there would be no disadvantage to firing the krak missile barrage and I want to be consistent with the norm that firing barrage weapons should incur a reduction in accuracy - it is just tricky to do with a non-blast weapon.

However if I tweak your suggestion to make it a heavy 4 weapon that ignores line of sight and intervening cover, that fires at BS2 then it is as accurate as the hits available on a scatter dice. This is neater but removes the random chance of the barrage scatter - which appeals to me.

[Nabterayl]

If I were to do as you suggest then there would be no disadvantage to firing the krak missile barrage and I want to be consistent with the norm that firing barrage weapons should incur a reduction in accuracy - it is just tricky to do with a non-blast weapon.

However if I tweak your suggestion to make it a heavy 4 weapon that ignores line of sight and intervening cover, that fires at BS2 then it is as accurate as the hits available on a scatter dice. This is neater but removes the random chance of the barrage scatter - which appeals to me.
Ah, I see. My suggestion was inspired by the fact that krak missiles are bizarrely more accurate than frag missiles in 5th edition even when fired directly - my thought was that shouldn't change just because they're being fired indirectly. But if you want the krak missile barrage to be less accurate than direct fire, I like your solution.

[Shotgun Justice]

cheers for the feedback,

it is bizarre that a Space Marine, for example, is 50% less likely to hit his target square on with a frag missile rather than a krak. I think you have to rationalise that discrepancy with the blast rules and not that the frag itself is less accurate, no room for fluff on that one.
I'd like to keep random chance of hits and scatter with the rule and so will playtest it both ways.

I also plan to play-test the typhoon launchers as straight weapon swaps for Godhammer and Crusader patterns, retaining the larger transport capacity. Although to be honest I really like the idea of a Land Raider missile boat. Was also pondering the use of some different missile types in the whirlwind launcher - a bit more 'boom' for my bucks so to speak.

Has anyone else got any critiques of the unit btb?