Codex Icewalkers: Special Rules & Wargear and Weapons

[Icewalker]

This has been my latest undertaking and I, daemonhuntermoe (now Icewalker) have created a new 'dex. I get the feeling that the armylist is extremely overpowered but wanted to hear your opinions first before I confirmed anything.
Once you have finished reading the whole list, please rate it 1-10 (1 being dreadfully bad and 10 being beyond awesome) in the subject (the subject will be a number 1-10).So without further adue, the Icewalkers of the Icey Deathworlds.

Weapon Summery:
Range: Strength: AP: Type:
Satyr Pistol 12” 4 5 Pistol
Satyr Rifle 12” 4 5 Assault 2
Satyr Cannon 24” 6 3 Assault 3
Satyr Scream 36” 8 3 Assault 1; Causing pinning
Missile Launcher (plasma) 48” 4 4 Heavy 1; blast; causing pinning
Missile Launcher (krak) 48” 8 3 Heavy 1
Hellion Lance 6” 6 2 Pistol
Burning Lance 6” 6 1 Assault 1; Melta
Soul Stealer Rifle 18” X 1 Rapid Fire; causes pinning
Soul Stealer Cannon 36” X 1 Heavy 1; blast; causes pinning

SPECIAL RULES:
Soul Stealer Weapons: Soul Stealer weapons are deathly highly evolved weapons. They are capable of stealing the soul from those who are shot at. The Soul Stealer Weapons wound on 4+ and ignore armour saves (invulnerable saves may be taken). If any casualties are suffered from a Soul Stealer Cannon, they must take a pinning test or do nothing at all that turn. If they fail their pinning test AND are charged that turn, they will return attacks at -1 initiative. Note: pistols and rifles don’t cause an enemy unit taking casualties to test for pinning. If shot at a vehicle they count as strength 4 and AP 5.

Cold Hearted: The Icewalkers are cold hearted and brutal killers, showing almost no mercy for anything they’ve done. To represent this, they can still take a morale check if falling back and below 50% the units original size and may make one re-roll for failed morale checks (this doesn’t apply to pinning tests, but it does apply to leadership tests). In close-combat, if any model dies before it gets to retaliate, he gets one attack as the Icewalker attempts to drag the poor soul into hell with him.

Malign Intellect: The Icewalkers are amongst some of the most intelligent creatures in the galaxy, able to pinpoint the smallest thing in a huge warp storm. They can pinpoint when and where an enemy will strike. To represent this, in any special missions, they will always get 1+ when determining who goes first.

WEAPONS:
Single Handed Weapons:
Satyr Pistol (1)
Powerweapon (15/10)
Close-Combat Weapon (1)
Hellion Lance (20)
Two Handed Weapons:
Soul Stealer Rifle (25)
Satyr Rifle (15)
Great Weapon (10)
Burning Lance (15)

WARGEAR/UPGRADES:
Alükahn Shamshir (40)
Deathbane (20)
Hellion Blades (20)
Psychic field (25)
Lifebane (25)
Black Mind (40)
Spirit of Icehell (20)
Blade of Illusions (40)
Slaughter Weapons (30)
Doom Lash (35)
Armour of the Assimilated (40)

Burning Lance: The Burning Lance is a close combat weapon as well as a form of melta weapon. It counts as a power weapon or it can be used in the shooting phase (one or the other, not both) and shoots with the following profile.

Rng: 6” Str: 6 AP:1 Assault 1

Alükahn Shamshir: The Alükahn Shamshir is one of the oldest weapons in the Icewalkers array of weapons. Such is their rarity that only one may be included per army. The Alükahn Shamshir is a single handed power weapon that adds one attack to the bearer's profile. It also makes the wielder immune to minor psychic powers and all other psychic powers targeting the wielder will fail on a roll of 5+.

Deathbane: The Deathbane is a huge firearm, capable of unloading hundreds of rounds of razor sharp discs per minute. It is a two handed weapon with the following profile.

Rng: 24” Str: 6 AP: 3 Assault 4

Hellion Blades: The Hellion Blades carry the signs of the Ancient Ones. In close combat it counts as a pair of power weapons that re-roll one miss and add one to the strength of the user.

Psychic Field: Such is the presence of the warrior that they are gifted with a psychic shield from one of the Icewalker elders. The value of these instruments is beyond price and therefore can only have one per army. The psychic field bestows upon the bearer a 4+ invulnerable armour save.

Lifebane: The Lifebane is an outrageously large sword able to slice a foe in half in one well aimed blow. The Lifebane counts as a powerfist in close combat.

Black Mind: The Black Mind is a device that is almost impossible to conceive of its functions. Few know what its true purpose is, save for its artificers. The Black Mind confers the following abilities on it’s wearer: he is fearless, re-rolls any failed to hit rolls in close combat OR in the shooting phase (only one may be chosen per turn), raises his initiative by 1+ and his toughness & strength raises by 1+. Due to the complexity of the strange device, only one may be present in the army at any time and may only be chosen by the Icewalker Lords.

Spirit of Icehell: The Spirit of Icehell is a powerful force field, which incinerates anything it touches. In close-combat, for every successful save made, the enemy model that damaged the wearer suffers a strength 4 AP- hit.

Blade of Illusions: This huge blade is said to hold a blade for every single emotion that can be felt by any and all humanoids. To wield it is to find ones self. The Blade of Illusions is a two handed power weapon that adds 2+ to the bearer’s strength and when charging, adds +D6 attacks instead of +1 attacks. This weapon may only be taken by models with a WS of 6 or better.

Hellion Lance: The hellion lance is a lethal close combat weapon. It is attached to the user’s forearm, enabling it to be used as a single handed weapon in close-combat and a lethal weapon when required to shoot. It can be used in the shooting phase with the following profile:

Rng: 6 Str: 6 AP: 2 Pistol

Slaughter Knives: Use exclusively by the Slaughter Masters of the Icewalkers, they are a huge arrangement of power weapons and scalpels. In close combat, it grants them 2 extra attacks and count as power weapons.

Doom Lash: The Doom Lash is a huge power sword (roughly 330 cm in length) and is extremely difficult to use because it's whip like movements. It counts as a two handed power weapon in all respects with the following exceptions. Do to it’s unnatural length and fluid motion, it can be used to attack any model in enemy squad that has been assaulted regardless of whether it is within 2” of the model armed with the Doom Lash or not. If any casualties are suffered and they end up fleeing, roll a D3. The number that shows up on the die are how many models are killed while fleeing as they are caught in the whip like construct that is the Doom Lash. The Lash may only be used on an Icewalker Hero/Heroine or Emperor Empress.
NOTE: The Doom Lash is actually 2 weapons in one. It's a whip while at the same time a nasty power sword. Until activated, it's wraped around the wearer's waist, rather than being held in both hands.


Armour of the Assimilated: The Armour of the Assimilated is an ancient artefact and as such, there can only be one per army. It collects the souls of the fallen so that they may be given to the proper burial rituals (granted that the wearer of the armour returns alive to their Lords or to their homes). It confers a 4+ invulnerable save on the wearer. Any friendly unit that loses a model that is within 12” of the wearer will not give any victory points for being destroyed. Instead 25 victory points are scored for the Icewalker player.

[Icewalker]

Here's the Armylist now.

HQ:
0-1 ICEWALKER LORD
ICEWALKER HERO/HEROINE
ICEWALKER SCION

0-1 ICEWALKER LORD
PTS WS BS S T W I A LD SV
ICEWALKER KING 200 8 5 5 5 4 6 5 10 3+
ICEWALKER CONSUL 150 6 4 5 4 3 6 4 10 3+
Weapons/Wargear: Power weapon.

Options: The Icewalker Lord may be accompanied by a retinue of 1-3 Royal Guardians. The Icewalker King may take 125 of wargear and a Consul may take 100 points of wargear.

SPECIAL RULES:
Independent Characters: The Icewalker Lords count as independent characters and follow all the rules for independent characters in the Warhammer rulebook.

Icewalker: The Icewalker Lords follow all rules for Icewalkers.

Emperor/Empress: The Icewalker Lords rule the certain clans of Icewalkers and some are even Emperors and Empresses. To represent this, all units within 12” of the Icewalker Lord are fearless in close-combat as they try to stall their enemies and buy their lords time to flee from the field of battle.

Fearless: Icewalker Lords know neither pain nor death and are fearless in all respects.

ICEWALKER ROYAL GUARDIANS
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
80 5 0 4 4 2 5 3 (4) 9 3+
Weapons: Pair of Hellion-blades.

SPECIAL RULES:
Fearless: Icewalker Royal Guardians are fearless and therefore never have to take morale or pinning tests.

Sacred Duty: As Royal Guardians, it is their duty to protect their lords as letting their lords die or become captured is a sign of treason and weakness. If the Icewalker Lord in the squad is killed and there are any remaining Royal Guardians in the squad, they must immediately take a leadership test even though Fearless. If they pass, nothing happens and they continue to fight. If the Leadership test is failed, they will immediately kill themselves. They will count as destroyed for victory point purposes and will be removed as casualties. Even if they passed the Leadership test, they will still end up killing them selves and therefore will count as destroyed for victory point purposes.


ICEWALKER SCION
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
95 5 3 4 4 2 5 3 9 4+
Weapons: Hellion Lance and Power Weapon.

SPECIAL RULES:
Icewalker: A scion follows all the rules on Icewalkers on the special rules section.

Independent Character: Scions are independent characters and follow all the rules for Independent Characters in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.

Guidance: Being Scions, they have visions of their gods and guide their people. Any squad within 12” may re-roll failed missed “to hits” or “to wounds” in close combat (only to wound or to hit only).

ELITES:
0-1 SLAUGHTER MASTERS
ICEWALKER GUARDIANS

0-1 SLAUGHTER MASTERS
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
85 5 0 4 4 3 4 2(4) 9 4+
Squad: A Slaughter Master squad consists of 1-3 Slaughter Masters. They are set up independently, however.

Weapons: Slaughter Knives (additional attacks included in profile).

SPECIAL RULES:
Fearless: Slaughter Masters know no fear and can’t be pinned or fail morale checks.

Slaughterers: Slaughter Masters are experts at their job of brutal killings and dismemberment. Not only are they noted as brutal killers, but also as cannibals. If they win in close combat, they must take a special Leadership test. If they pass, then they may sweeping advance and such as normal. If they fail, they will spend the rest of the turn gorging themselves on the dead bodies there.

ICEWALKER GUARDIANS
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
50 5 0 4 4 1 5 2 9 4+
Squad: 3-5

Weapons: Power Weapons and Satyr Pistols.

SPECIAL RULE:
Icewalkers: The Guardians follow all the rules for Icewalkers.

TROOPS:
ICEWALKER ZEALOTS

ICEWALKER ZEALOTS
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
30 4 3 4 4 1 4 1(2) 9 4+
Squad: 5-10

Weapons: Satyr Pistol and Close-Combat Weapon. Up to 2 members of the squad may be upgraded to have Soul Stealer Pistols at 15+ or Power Weapons at 15+.

SPECIAL RULE:
Icewalkers: Zealots are subject to the special rules that apply to Icewalkers.

FAST ATTACK:
SATYRS
0-1 SCORPIONS

SATYRS
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
20 4 3 4 4 1 3 1 8 4+
Squads: 5-15

Weapons: Soul Stealer Rifles.

Options: Up to 1 model may be armed with one of the following weapons: Satyr Scream (30). The squad may replace its Soul Stealer Rifles for Satyr Rifles at no additional points.

SPECIAL RULES:
Icewalkers: The Satyrs are Icewalkers and follow all the rules specified to them.

Fleet of “Hoof”: The Satyrs are gifted with long stallion like legs enabling them to move at lightning fast speeds. They follow the rules for Fleet of Foot in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.

0-1 SCORPIONS
Pts Front Side Rear BS
65 10 10 10 3
Type: Fast, Skimmer, Open Topped.

Squadron: 1-3.

Weapons: Soul Stealer Cannon and a nose mounted twin-linked Satyr Rifle.

HEAVY SUPPORT:
0-1 DRAGOONS
WEAPON BATTERIES
ARBITER

0-1 DRAGOONS
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
80 4 4 5 5 2 3 1 9 2/5
Squad: 1-3.

Weapons: Satyr Cannon.

SPECIAL RULES:
Icewalkers: Dragoons are Icewalkers.

Dragoon Warrior Suit: The Dragoon Battlesuit contains certain modifications to the wearer (1 to strength, 1 to toughness, 1 to wound and a 2/5 armour save). If any unit wishes to shoot at them, they must test to see if they can see them as if they were fighting in a Night Fight scenario. If they do not roll high enough, they may choose another target to shoot at.

WEAPON BATTERY:
Pts WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
30 4 3 4 4 1 4 1 9 4+
Squad: 1-3 Weapon Platforms.

Weapons: Soul Stealer Rifle. The batteries compose of 2 gunners per gun platform. One Icewalker fires, where the other is ready to take his place should the other fall. If both are killed, the platform is useless (in the same manner as the Eldar Weapon Platforms). The platforms may take one of the following weapon (the whole squad must take the same weapon chosen): Soul Stealer Cannon (40), Satyr Scream (30) or Missile Launcher (25).


ARBITER:
Pts Front Side Rear BS
200 13 12 11 5
Crew: Icewalkers.

Type: Skimmer, Tank.

Weapons: 3 Soul Stealer Cannons.

[Cloudscape_online]

4 of 10. Just less than average. Why? Not balanced enough with too many different weaopns that pin and wound on 4+. Seems like a not-so-subtle sniper style army. Multiple pinning tests per turn, is not balanced either.

The costs and descriptions of the weapons are good, though seem too 'Dark Eldar' in nature. Most of the units are good, though don't feel anchored by any underlying theme, and many have inconsistencies like the Scion wth Bs 6 AND sharpshooters. or the royal guard having Bs 0, even though the minimum that a sentient being usually has is 2. (I assume they can catch a ball and throw it back again?)

Alükahn Shamshir: The Alükahn Shamshir is one of the oldest weapons in the Icewalkers array of weapons. Such is their rarity that only one may be included per army. The Alükahn Shamshir can be used as either a single handed or a two handed weapon. As a single handed weapon, it adds 1+ to the user’s strength and counts as a power weapon. When used as a two handed weapon, it adds 3+ to the user’s strength and ignores armour saves. Either way (single or two handed) it makes the wielder immune to minor psychic powers and all other psychic powers targeting the wielder will fail on a roll of 4+.

In either form it is a power weapon and I would choose for it to be a two handed +3 S pair of power weapons any day. 40pts for +3S, +1A powerweapons that nullify on a 4+. Either overpowered or undercosted.

[lord_blackfang]

Too long, didn't read.

How is the army supposed to play? Tactics-wise I mean? looks like a very random collection of shooty and assaulty units.

[Icewalker]

4 of 10. Just less than average. Why? Not balanced enough with too many different weaopns that pin and wound on 4+. Seems like a not-so-subtle sniper style army. Multiple pinning tests per turn, is not balanced either.

The costs and descriptions of the weapons are good, though seem too 'Dark Eldar' in nature. Most of the units are good, though don't feel anchored by any underlying theme, and many have inconsistencies like the Scion wth Bs 6 AND sharpshooters. or the royal guard having Bs 0, even though the minimum that a sentient being usually has is 2. (I assume they can catch a ball and throw it back again?)

In either form it is a power weapon and I would choose for it to be a two handed +3 S pair of power weapons any day. 40pts for +3S, +1A powerweapons that nullify on a 4+. Either overpowered or undercosted.

I thought that something like this might happen. Glad it did and now I can start editting. Alukahn Shamshir does need to be revamped. Let's see, power weapon (single handed) which nulifies psychich powers on a roll of 4+ and ignores minors.

On the Scion, the reason he's a 'sharpshooter' is cause he's guided by the gods, but I guess there are enough of those stupid profits anyway. I guess I'll take that out, but leave it hanging around just so people can see it.

On the Satyr Weapons & Soul Stealer Weapons, I guess I should tone that down too. Thanks. This gives me a better idea of what I screwed up on.

++UPDATE++
I just got rid of the Scion's cheesy shooting. He still has B5, but no more sharp shooter junk. I raised the price on the Emperor/Empress, Guardians, some of the wargear (the Alukahn Shamshir is a single handed power weapon that nulifies psychic powers on a roll of I think 5+ now and is immune to minors).

[nurgle_boy]

hmm... interesting. too much text so i diddnt read it all, but overall it looked nice.

someof the stats seem a little high, maybe drop them slightly...


also, what do they look like? some fluff? (splat)

[Icewalker]

hmm... interesting. too much text so i diddnt read it all, but overall it looked nice.

someof the stats seem a little high, maybe drop them slightly...


also, what do they look like? some fluff? (splat)

I was gonna post fluff after I finished the rules, but okay. Here it is, but it's radically underdeveloped.

FLUFF:
The Icewalkers are an extremely powerful race. Although few and their empire small, they are a formidable force on the battlefield. Much speculation revolves upon their origins. Many theorize they were spawned from the icehells of Nyrganov IV. Others speculate that they were Eldar who went into hiding after the fall and came to the an Iceworld where the flesh and bodies and their minds warped into icecold, hellishly strong misanthropic warriors.

Their lords, possessing all the abilities in their underlings, have even more powers. Many speculate that their lords' psychic powers were destroyed uterly in exchange for ultimate power and even more powerful physical strength. In battle, they believe in tactical flexibility. Depending on their surroundings, they will immediatly adapt to their surroundings. How have they done this? It is unsure. Theory revolve around on physiology that enables them to change instantaniously to adapt to their environments and have malign intellect able to pinpoint their enemies with precise speed and relatively high acuracy.

On several occasions, the 'non-imperialistic' empire tore half of an imperial fleet to shreds. When it followed them into a Warp Storm, it had no presence in the Warp and annhilated the Imperial ships. They seem to have a perticulary strong grudge against allies. So often they will "ally" to Eldar fleets going against Necron forces, only to turn on their "allies" and rip them apart. They hate Necrons and dispise Eldar and love to torment them by tricking them into following them.

Their tongue is a strange, low maniacal sounding language. Each word uttered could mean several things depending on the context. Their appearence is very tall (average height is 8-10 feet) and masculine (even the females). Their flesh is more like ice than a biological component. They have strange faces, which hold no nose or ears. In replacement of their ears, they have holes to hear as if reptilian.

Their phsyiology is even stranger. While possessing 2 hearts, white and black blood cells (white blood cells take place of both red and white blood cells jobs; black blood cells purpose is unknown), 3 lungs, a considerably large brain, a heavy and powerful exoskeleton and also an internal skeletal structure, 2 layers of flesh (both inbetween the exo and internal skeleton) and a fluid skeletal system (the skeletal system's bones -inside and out- are made of liquid metals rather than bone). In effect, their fluid spinal cords essentialy mean that one can't kill them by breaking their bones.

(that's all I'm up to; they look like protoss from starcraft, but their skin is essentially ice and they have exoskeletons instead of armour and wear robes over them)

[Icewalker]

I've done it! Here's a link for the Icewalkers (aka Iisvhaj) and their fluff and complete rules. It took me about 6 hours. Enjoy!

CODEX: ICEWALKERS

[Dranthar]

I took a read of the fluff. To be honest I'm not that impressed. The race comes across as too uber - able to survive anywhere and defeat any foe, superior technology, the most warlike in the galaxy, it goes on.
I much prefer to see races with some degree of weakness in them at least. I don't mind physically strong, technologically advanced races, but turning them into an unstoppable force superior top most other races at just about everything is too much IMO.

Generally, I think if you have no presence in the warp, then you aren't actually able to manipulate the warp, ie. become psykers. If they are supposedly decended from Eldar, then I should point out that the soul of an Eldar shines in the warp like a star compared to the dim lights you would "see" emanating from a human or ork. Therefore, psykers without a presence in the warp is something of a contradiction.

If you want to say that they are/might be decended from the Eldar, then you should probably give them a similar physiology to the Eldar. As it is, I believe it's impossible from an evolutionary perspective for the Eldar to evolve into your Icewalkers.
The main reason for this is the body temperature. For an organism to thrive with a body temperature below zero, you need to make some very fundamental changes to the organism's chemical structure. Water (which is essential for life as we know it) freezes below 0 degrees celcius, so an organism would either have to find some way of lowering the waters freezing temperature (eg. increasing pressure), or have some completely different physiology, possibly not even carbon-based. In both cases, the changes you would need to make is beyond the scope of simple evolution. An organism would need to start from scratch for that sort of thing.

Remembering back to Chemistry, the lowest temperature you can theoretically reach is -273 degrees celcius (absolute zero), which is the point where the atoms actually stop moving. A body temperature below freezing is believable in a sci-fi universe, but to have them below absolute zero is not.

One final thing - having talons isn't very receptive to a technologically advanced race. While it makes ripping open rib cages a breeze, building and manipulating simple objects like microscopes and computers is almost impossible.

[warlordgrubnatz]

id go with a 6-7, some of the stats are a little high (ice walker lord)
also they do seem to uber, making your own race means they should be low-key and not realy important in the universe.

[Icewalker]

id go with a 6-7, some of the stats are a little high (ice walker lord)
also they do seem to uber, making your own race means they should be low-key and not realy important in the universe.

Yeah, I know that they are quite uber. The race is still radically underveloped because I've been working on my SM. I realize that the race is unoriginal and such and the look is even more so unoriginal.

They look similar to Protoss except that they have monstrous exoskeletons instead of armour on them and Kroot like hair.