The Armorium - expanded wargear rules for Codex:space Marines.

Hi folks,

This project has been at the back of my mind for a while now as I find the new style armouries and relics (and supplements) to be a great step in the right direction but still lacking somewhat when it comes to customising your army. Where things seem to be really let down is with the Sergeants, who these days seem to be little more than token additions to squads rather than mighty heroes of the chapter. In fact, more often than not these chaps don't even get upgraded to veteran sergeants any more, much less take upgrades. The Armorium project tries to address this and I would love any feedback on the rules / point costs below. Some of it is borrowed from 30K and other areas of 40K (including 2nd edition), but effectively what I've tried to do is come up with 30 new options for Sergeants: 6 ranged, 6 melee, 6 wargear, 6 traits and 6 whole squad specialties. The last two categories are the most interesting IMO and are based on addressing some shortcomings in armies such as Iron Hands, Salamanders and Imperial Fists. Other inspirations have come from models I have built and fan fiction I have written, as well as games such as Space Marine and Dawn of War. I am still lacking one ranged option, 1 melee, 1 relic and 1 squad option so please chip in with ideas and feedback on the rules / costs I have so far. Cheers.

ARMORIUM

The Armourium is designed to be used with a Codex: Space Marines army list. It is a means of further customising the heroes of the Chapter and is solely intended for use with veteran Sergeant within the army list. This includes the following models: Tactical squad veteran Sergeants, Scout squad veteran Sergeants, Crusader squad Sword Brothers, Vanguard squad veteran Sergeants, Sternguard squad veteran Sergeants, Terminator squad veteran Sergeants, Terminator assault squad veteran Sergeants, Assault squad veteran Sergeants, Centurion assault squad veteran Sergeants, Bike squad veteran Sergeants, Scout bike squad veteran Sergeants, Devastator squad veteran Sergeants, Centurion devastator squad veteran Sergeants and also includes both Company and Chapter champions (all such references to Sergeant below should be taken to apply to them also)  

Ranged weapons - any Sergeant may exchange his ranged weapon for one of the following. Only one may be taken per detachment and each Sergeant may not take more than one weapon.

Stalker pattern boltgun (5 points)

The model is armed with a stalker pattern boltgun which is identical to that carried by Sergeant Telion. As per entry in Codex: Space Marines

Auxillary grenade launcher (10 points)

Mounted beneath their boltgun, on their forearm or sometimes on the back of a suit of terminator armour, some Sergeant carry an auxillary grenade launcher. This weapon is taken in addition to the regular ranged weapon and can be fired as an alternative, in which case it fires as an assault 1 astartes grenade launcher.

Web-pistol (15 points)

An ancient and rare weapon, the web-pistol fires strands of a glue-like substance which, if it comes into contact with an enemy, will quickly solidify and serves to ensnare and incapacitate them. When firing a web pistol, use the blast template and roll to hit as normal. If the enemy is hit, it must take a strength test. If the test is passed, the unit takes no damage. If it is failed, the unit has -1 to its strength, initiative and attacks (to a minimum of 1) for the remainder of that player turn.

Vengeance pattern Heavy bolter (15 points)

Much the same as a standard heavy bolter except it incorporates both a suspensor web (granting the model the relentless universal special rule) and comes armed with hellfire shells.  

Wrath and fury (20 points)

Some Sergeants prefer to dispense with melee weapons altogether in favour of a pair of relic pistols in close combat. This entry replaces both the ranged and melee weapons carried by the Sergeant. One weapon can be either a plasma pistol or infernus pistol (6" range, S8, AP1, melta, pistol) and the other can be either a master crafted bolt pistol or hand flamer (template, S3, AP6, flamer). 

Melee weapons - any Sergeant may exchange his melee weapon for one of the following. Only one may be taken per detachment and each Sergeant may not take more than one weapon.

Chainaxe/heavy chainsword (5 points)

S user, melee, AP4

Charnabal sabre (10 points)

S user, AP-, melee, rending, +1I in challenges.

Justice and retribution (20 points)

Be they ulaks, falchions or any other matching pair of blades, some warriors prefer the dynamic of a pair of smaller weapons over that of a single larger one.  This entry replaces both the ranged and melee weapons wielded by the Sergeant.

2 specialist weapons, S user, AP3, melee, rending.

Relic blade (25 points)

As per entry in Codex: Space Marines

Paragon blade (30 points)

S+1, AP2, melee, specialist weapon, instant death on roll of 6 to wound.

Equipment - any Sergeant may take one of the following items of equipment. Only one of each may be taken per detachment and each Sergeant may not take more than one.

Signum (3 points)

As per entry in Codex: Space Marines

Auspex (5 points)

As per entry in Codex: Space Marines

Digital weapons (10 points)

As per entry in Codex: Space Marines

Artificer armour (15 points)

As per entry in Codex: Space Marines

Refractor field (15 points)

Grants a 5+ invulnerable save to the bearer

Squads of renown - One squad per detachment may be upgraded to a squad of renown using the rules below. Only one of each may be taken per army.

Incinerators (1 pt per model)

Some Chapters make extensive use of flame weapons as part of their doctrine, where others have simply adopted use of such weapons for pragmatic reasons. A single devastator squad may gain access to the heavy flamer entry of the heavy weapons section of the wargear list.

Catephractii (3 points per model)

Revered relics of the great crusade, suits of catephractii armour are few and far between. Those Chapters fortunate enough to have them usually field them all together  as a squad for the greatest synergy. A single unit of terminators or assault terminators may upgrade to Catephractii armour, exchanging relentless for slow and purposeful and increasing their invulnerable save to 4+.

Scout special ops (3 points per model)

The scouts in question are the best and brightest in the chapter and are but a stones throw away from becoming fully fledged battle brothers. Every member of the squad may increase their weapon and ballistic skill to 4. In addition, instead of taking a heavy weapon, the squad may instead be equipped with up to 2 weapons from the special weapons list in codex: space marines.

Deathwatch kill team (5 points per model)

In desperate times a squad of the deathwatch may be called in to aid their brother marines. A tactical squad may be upgraded to a deathwatch kill-team. The squad composition is derived from the tactical squad entry except that every model gains special issue ammunition and may select its wargear from the sternguard entry. In addition, the squad gains the Chapter tactics: deathwatch rule. All models in the unit gain the preferred enemy: xenos universal special rule.

Siege specialists (Assault squads 7 points per model, tactical squads 4 points per model)

Some Space Marine Chapters train specialist squads for breaking through sieges. These squads can either be outfitted for close combat assaults or for slow, purposeful advances. A single assault or tactical squad can be outfitted for siege duties. If an assault squad is chosen they all gain combat shields and melta bombs as well as their normal options. If a tactical squad is chosen then they gain siege mantlets, which allow all armour saves to be rerolled against shooting attacks only,  although they gain the bulky special rule, may not take dedicated transports and cannot run or make sweeping advances. Independent characters who join the squad are bound by these benefits and restrictions.  

Specialist role - the Sergeant in question has received augmentation or training to make him particularly adept within a certain battlefield role. Only one of each specialist may be taken per army.

Tech-adept (10 points)

The sergeant has trained to the level of tech-adept and has a particular affinity with the machine spirits of the Adeptus Astartes vehicles. The sergeant has the blessing of the Omnissiah special rule.

Med-adept (10 points)

The Sergeant has received additional training from the Chapters apothecarion and carries a medkit with him. The Sergeants entire squad has the feel no pain (6+) universal special rule as long as the Sergeant is alive.  

Extensive bionics (15 points)

The Sergeant in question has an extensive amount of bionics throughout and is more machine than man. The Sergeant has strength and toughness 5 and adds +1 to any feel no pain roll he is required to make. (note, this means that under normal circumstances he will have feel no pain (6+) but, for example, if he has chapter tactics: Iron Hands, he will have feel no pain (5+).

Tactical Dreadnought (20 points)

A few notable Chapters make use of suits of Terminator armour for the Sergeants leading the squads. The Sergeant in question exchanges all equipment for Terminator armour, a storm bolter and a power sword and may select further items of wargear from the terminator weapons lists. Note that by wearing terminator armour the transport options available to the Squad and the ability to make sweeping advances will be limited.

Sharpshooter (20 points)

The sergeant has a particular skill with ranged weaponry for which he has won renown throughout the Chapter. He has a targetter hardwired into his occipital lobe, making every ranged attack made by the Sergeant has the twin-linked universal special rule. In addition, the Sergeant has access to both the special and heavy weapon lists from which he may swap out his boltgun for a single weapon.  

Lieutenant (25 points)

The Sergeant is second in Command only to the Company Captain and often acts in his stead. The Sergeant has +1 attacks (max 3 base), +1 Ld (10 max), +1 WS and +1 W but otherwise remains the same.