WH allies idea/rant/RAAAAAAAAANT

[incubus]

After the arrival of 5th ed. Codex IG, the idea of having inducted IG in a WH army requires a lot of models just in order to take stuff like a leman russ or sentinels; more precisely - at least 40 guardsmen and two command squads. Those of us lucky WH players, who have a printed version of the codex still have the good ol' "witch hunters as allies" rule which is more in favour of the idea (though no heavy choices from the WH codex unfortunately ).

So my thoughts were, how can I make a list containing both IG and WH without having to buy huge numbers of models and making the whole thing fluffy at the same? (Fluff is nice... it's so soft to the touch). The requirements of the rule says: Compulsory choices from the parent codex (IG in this case) and fill up with stuff from the WH dex. And so here it is - my first idea of how to pull this off:

HQ
- Primaris Psyker
Troops
- 2 Veteran Squads

Where's the fluff in that, you say? Well I was thinking along the line of the primaris psyker, being a very gifted individual, was sought after by a certain inquisitor lord from the ordo hereticus, who thought: "ZOMG! He can shoot frickin' lightning from his frickin' hands! And we're both psykers, and I've always fancied myself as a bit of maverick, what with my own psychic powers, so why not team up?" or something similar
Gamewise, he's got a force weapon and psychic shooting attack (assault 2D6), so would be a nice supplement to my CC-oriented inq. lord. (Now, don't come along and give me shit about S3 and I3... my entire retinue has that, so I don't care)

As for the veterans, well, ever heard of the Gudrunite 50th rifles? A bunch of veterans from that regiment helped mr. Eisenhorn in the ditto named book to destroy the Necroteuch (sp?). And if good old Gregor himself finds them useful, then why hell shouldn't the aforementioned inq. lord find them useful as well?

Now the question for you folks is, should I kit them for slaying and burning heretics like there's no tomorrow or give them some guns that can shoot longer than 24"?

Sorry for the rant. Would have posted it as a blog, but I wanted to make sure that I got some kind of response to it (says the fella who posts in the WH subforum).

[Cordova]

I like the idea. If you can justify an idea fluffwise to me, as you have, I'm all in favour

As for gaming wise, in my head the vets are all SWAT like, bursting in doors and shooting shit up. To that end, part of me feels that Plas/melta is good, as it fits the elite idea of the vets, and if you even wanted, you could crack in an autocannon or whatevs, as most elite squads have some bloke rocking a support weapon

[incubus]

I was thinking exactly the same... plasmaguns+autocannon. Perhaps upgrade them to grenadiers just in case the guns overheat

Edit: I suppose, asking whether to load them in a chimera or not is a redundant question. They'd get plasted to pieces if they were on foot, right?

[Cordova]

I'd say Grenadiers, just to make them more SWAT like...as I like the image of them kicking in doors....And yeah, take some Chimeras, cos they are great transports

[edmundblack]

Carapace Armour, double melta heavy flamer lasgun toting loons (dropping in from Valkyries because they would, lets be honest). Inky: if the Guard army is the "parent" army, then get a Psyker Battle Squad in there too. And then ally in lovely Culexus Assassin.

[Baragash]

Elysian D-99 Drop Veterans are (or "were", they got pwned by Nids) attached to the Ordo Xenos as well, so Eisenhorn isn't a lone example

Also, here are a couple of ways to represent an Inquisitor using the IG Codex:
1) Primaris Psyker as suggested
2) Lord Commissar for a non-Psyker Inquisitor (Commissars could be used to represent Interrogators, or whatever the trainee Inquisitor is called)
3) Use Inquisitor + Retinue models as the Company Command Squad, with the Inq as the officer obviously. The various advisors just become a bodyguard and different henchmen to those available in the WH book

[incubus]

Carapace Armour, double melta heavy flamer lasgun toting loons (dropping in from Valkyries because they would, lets be honest). Inky: if the Guard army is the "parent" army, then get a Psyker Battle Squad in there too. And then ally in lovely Culexus Assassin.

While the bonus to the assault value of the culexus' "gun" is nice, there is still the issue with the "Soulless" rule.

[edmundblack]

Yes, that is somewhat of a hindrance. But does it apply if they're in a Chimera? Their LD might be affected, but they're not running anywhere and by the time they use their psychic power, the assassin should be well away.

[incubus]

Strictly RAW, they shouldn't be affected by Soulless when in a chimera, since the wording is "a model within 12"". However, that would also imply that the Animus Speculum wouldn't work either since the bonus is conferred for every psyker within 12" - no psykers on the table, no bonus But fluffwise, I'm all for the idea!

[Baragash]

Embarking rules tell you to measure ranges to and from the hull. I don't see an issue with powering the Animus Speculum with an embarked squad, the main or Nid FAQ would suggest that the Psykers aren't affected by Soulless as Shadow in the Warp doesn't work on models in transports.