CODEX: Habal - Fake race - Early Draft PDF

[Blackgaze]

INTRODUCING CODEX HABAL

Hi, my name is Paul Bates, and this is the fourth draft of Codex Habal, a fake Warhammer 40'000 race & Codex. This is being developed over time as a creative way to create an original race in the universe rather than basing on someone else. The fluff is incomplete, as this is conceptual first and it's unlikely it ever see the light of day, besides it just get everyone moaning. It's presented as an ready PDF for playtesting and easier reading. Would you prefer a wall of text?
There will be unbalancing, typos, grammar mistakes and so forth, but with your comments maybe you could help me one step at a time. The codex formation is based on Codex: Necrons with traces from other codexes, including Warhammer 40'000's 6th edition changes.

What is Habal?

The idea of the race came around an discussion of what stereotype Warhammer 40'000 hasn't done yet. We have the might warriors (Space Marines), the basic man (Imperial Guard), the mass barbarians (Orks), the alien swarms (Tyranids) and so forth.
Hable was the idea of a race that's low-tech on purpose, that uses natural powers against the mechanical threats. Habal is a mixture of Native Tribes,Ghost/Shadow forms and Natural technology, that uses the environment to it's advantage over it's lack of defense

You can either read the PDF online here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/99626625/6...t-4-Paul-Bates

Or download the PDF directly to your computer using one of these two links.
If the links don't work, let me know... It seems to go 50/50 these sites.
http://www.mediafire.com/view/?0nesw70uq1s835j
or
http://www.sendspace.com/file/m6mgm7

Thanks for reading, enjoy the codex.
I will listen to feedback and change any serious problems. If things go well, I will continue the project.

The codex is currently 51 pages long,

-Please Note-

I was going to update my pictures, but apparently it won't let me delete him form my uploads.
If anyone can tell me how to delete attachments (not a single delete button anywhere), let me know and I can return the pictures.

[Blackgaze]

Shame there's no reply yet.
I've uploaded the second draft with some fixes, including the special rules for the army.

-edit-

Now third draft, most playable yet.

[Emerett]

Scribd is a better place to upload, can look at the pdf without having to fuss with downloading.

[Blackgaze]

Ok thanks, will do.
By the way as a first comment, do you know how to fix the 10 upload limit for my original post? I need to delete my older pictures for newer

[de Selby]

I appreciate the effort you have gone to to format everything and add illustrations etc. so I downloaded it and had a quick look. There is quite a lot to process; some early thoughts:

I think a summary text at the beginning describing how the race operates in battle would help with getting to grips with all the troop types. You've followed the current codex structure of unit descriptions, wargear and stats/points costs in seperate sections, which I actually hate but I can't blame you for!

Fluffwise, 'spirits' makes me think of warp-related phenomena whereas 'energy beings' makes me think of C'tan. These things are generally antithetical in 40k. Your Habal have psychic powers so you need to think about whether they are warp based or not.

Rules wise, I feel like there may be a few too many special rules. I haven't math-hamered everything and I don't know if any of the abilities are broken, but I would suggest you stay away from WS and BS 5 on basic troops. Consider that eldar aspect warriors are similarly specialised and only the characters go above 4. WS10 and BS10 is... exceptional... so exceptional it sounds like the sort of thing that should be apocalypse (opponent's consent) only.

Some of your unit types are 'based on' other creatures/vehicles. Orks had a similar thing but the design team simplified and standardised it. I'd suggest maybe a bit of random profile generation might be a more usual way to represent these types of things

Ok thanks, will do.
By the way as a first comment, do you know how to fix the 10 upload limit for my original post? I need to delete my older pictures for newer

Can't help with this. You could PM a mod. I am still getting used to new form software.

[Blackgaze]

I appreciate the effort you have gone to to format everything and add illustrations etc. so I downloaded it and had a quick look. There is quite a lot to process; some early thoughts:

I think a summary text at the beginning describing how the race operates in battle would help with getting to grips with all the troop types. You've followed the current codex structure of unit descriptions, wargear and stats/points costs in seperate sections, which I actually hate but I can't blame you for!

Fluffwise, 'spirits' makes me think of warp-related phenomena whereas 'energy beings' makes me think of C'tan. These things are generally antithetical in 40k. Your Habal have psychic powers so you need to think about whether they are warp based or not.

Rules wise, I feel like there may be a few too many special rules. I haven't math-hamered everything and I don't know if any of the abilities are broken, but I would suggest you stay away from WS and BS 5 on basic troops. Consider that eldar aspect warriors are similarly specialised and only the characters go above 4. WS10 and BS10 is... exceptional... so exceptional it sounds like the sort of thing that should be apocalypse (opponent's consent) only.

Some of your unit types are 'based on' other creatures/vehicles. Orks had a similar thing but the design team simplified and standardised it. I'd suggest maybe a bit of random profile generation might be a more usual way to represent these types of things

Sorry for the delay, been busy for a while.

The race is conceptual first as Its not fit for the 40k universe yet, I dropped the brief description I had for the whole race and units short before the first draft. I might come back to it one day, but there doesn't seem much point right now. Also I fear saying the wrong things would offend folks, so maybe being quiet helps right now.

For rules wise, the powers needed to have tests rather than no casting tests. I had to decide if they were warp based or not, and at the end it's a race that isn't warp but has traits similar to it, most Psykers have "warpweaver" to reroll psyker tests to assist this.

The stats of this race was play into areas which other races do not, since they were not based on anything currently I could design the race to the stats liking. WS5/BS5 is high as I wanted to have a basic troop that stood out, though it could be reduced to a minimum of WS4/BS4, the idea of this was they are already fully growned and trained upon creation as the race are linked together and merge knowledge, however further training takes longer than any other race so most Habal cannot exceed their limits, as figures like Mandeston are beyond rare.
Mandeston is actually WS9/BS9, just with Habal War Paint. But even so, it's amazingly high. The story behind Mandeston is once in a century a chosen Habal that could break the skill limits of his race and go beyond that Habal can normally achieve (aka MiniNeo), though most don't survive through battle to reach their maximum, except Mandeston. The Habal Core (heart of the Habal tribes) almost collasped between supporting and fearing him, which resulted in Mandeston's banishment from The Habal Race. He does appear to help his race in battles when the battle is unbalanced to them, even if he is unwanted.

Which based on units do you mean? Do you mean the Hybrix with it's "looted" style system? Or just similar units in general (Sky Cage = Vendetta/Valkyrie etc)

Thanks for commenting, though a lot of your fluff questions can't be answered as I honesty don't have the final outputs to the race (concept first)

[de Selby]

Sorry for the delay, been busy for a while.

The race is conceptual first as Its not fit for the 40k universe yet, I dropped the brief description I had for the whole race and units short before the first draft. I might come back to it one day, but there doesn't seem much point right now. Also I fear saying the wrong things would offend folks, so maybe being quiet helps right now.

For rules wise, the powers needed to have tests rather than no casting tests. I had to decide if they were warp based or not, and at the end it's a race that isn't warp but has traits similar to it, most Psykers have "warpweaver" to reroll psyker tests to assist this.

I would suggets making the division explicit (ie. they are not warp beings=daemons) and making the powers dependent on some other characteristic test. Bear in mind that psychic powers in game will be subject to things like psychic hoods, which is wrong if they're not really warp based (we had a big warseer bunfight about this back when it was rumoured Necrons would have counts-as-psychic powers).

The stats of this race was play into areas which other races do not, since they were not based on anything currently I could design the race to the stats liking. WS5/BS5 is high as I wanted to have a basic troop that stood out, though it could be reduced to a minimum of WS4/BS4, the idea of this was they are already fully growned and trained upon creation as the race are linked together and merge knowledge, however further training takes longer than any other race so most Habal cannot exceed their limits, as figures like Mandeston are beyond rare.

WS4/BS4 is fine. You already have T2 which is pretty unique!

Mandeston is actually WS9/BS9, just with Habal War Paint. But even so, it's amazingly high. The story behind Mandeston is once in a century a chosen Habal that could break the skill limits of his race and go beyond that Habal can normally achieve (aka MiniNeo), though most don't survive through battle to reach their maximum, except Mandeston. The Habal Core (heart of the Habal tribes) almost collasped between supporting and fearing him, which resulted in Mandeston's banishment from The Habal Race. He does appear to help his race in battles when the battle is unbalanced to them, even if he is unwanted.

Still sounds like he's teetering on the edge of suitability for inclusion in normal games, like a greater daemon or a C'tan. A figure like this can make a good fluff-figure without needing to turn up on the tabletop where he can unbalance games and do strange uncharacterful things like losing...

Although GW seems mad keen on SC's at the moment so what do I know?

Which based on units do you mean? Do you mean the Hybrix with it's "looted" style system? Or just similar units in general (Sky Cage = Vendetta/Valkyrie etc)

Thanks for commenting, though a lot of your fluff questions can't be answered as I honesty don't have the final outputs to the race (concept first)

Yeah I had in mind the hybrix stuff. It seems difficult to balance and doesn't fit the current 40k design approach.

[Blackgaze]

I would suggets making the division explicit (ie. they are not warp beings=daemons) and making the powers dependent on some other characteristic test. Bear in mind that psychic powers in game will be subject to things like psychic hoods, which is wrong if they're not really warp based (we had a big warseer bunfight about this back when it was rumoured Necrons would have counts-as-psychic powers).


WS4/BS4 is fine. You already have T2 which is pretty unique!


Still sounds like he's teetering on the edge of suitability for inclusion in normal games, like a greater daemon or a C'tan. A figure like this can make a good fluff-figure without needing to turn up on the tabletop where he can unbalance games and do strange uncharacterful things like losing...

Although GW seems mad keen on SC's at the moment so what do I know?



Yeah I had in mind the hybrix stuff. It seems difficult to balance and doesn't fit the current 40k design approach.

Yeah, like a short paragraph explainining it uses the Psyker tests but isn't warp (like Tyranid's Shadow of the Warp perils)

The WS/BS will be 4k but I have the Habal War Paint upgrade for 2/3 points per model to increase their WS/BS by 1. Prancers will have a close combat weapon in their profile and Halspear will be a two handed weapon. The reason for this is because you can trade in the Halspear (rending) for another close combat weapon (+1 attack) and a Hawood Plack (5+ Invunerable) for free.

Mandeston really was just the excuse to finally have a WS10 or BS 10 (both in this case) model, since no base rules has one yet. Maybe this is best left to apocalypse units.

While I do like a variety of different race features for the Hybrix, it's wargear weapon choices is a bit of mess right now

[Blackgaze]

Ok 6th edition Codex Habel is here, 4th draft.
This draft is heavily worked upon and while previous drafts have involved correcting minor things, this one has some very big changes on units. In a way it's two drafts, 6th edition changes and what I planned to update beforehand.


I would appreciate people giving this codex a second chance with this draft, as I've spent a long time trying to put everything into place. If you still feel the same way I won't hold it against you. Again I love to hear any comments or playtesting with this. Lord of the Rings Goblins make good proxies for Prancers/Maimers with similar weapons (Hawood, Halspear, Hawood Barrier / Close Combat Weapon etc)


There might some things in the codex I overlooked, either a balancing problem or loophole. Good thing it's a draft, eh? (phew)


You can now view the PDF online here:


http://www.scribd.com/doc/99626625/6...t-4-Paul-Bates



Or download it as usual:


http://www.mediafire.com/view/?0nesw70uq1s835j

or
http://www.sendspace.com/file/m6mgm7




I would upload the Change Notes... if I knew how.
Thanks for the support on this site, I've used a few recommended changes from here. I doubt there be fluff in the future though, I like making the units, not writing about them.

[Blackgaze]

After studying for weeks of the 40k fluff, I might be ready to make The Habal complete with their backstory and unit explanations.


Would anyone be interested if this project was continued (with updated rules)


Shame to let it to waste

[de Selby]

I think you'd get a bigger response if you made some models. This is a very visual hobby and if you made at least a squad of Habal (possibly start a project log or something) as conversions or a kitbash or scratchbuilt or whatever, then I think people would be more interested in the background and more willing to critique the rules.

[steeledcascade]

Love the concept but think it will pique more peoples interest if you make a few models as said above. People are to lazy so draw them in with a few nice models and interest will soar.

[Blackgaze]

Well I'm not a company, nor would I have the skills for a few. I can't do the models. I was thinking of playing around with a single model, but it's merely for proxies. Lord of the Ring Goblins are quite good for the basic troops.
I did jokingly create what Games Workshop would price and box them, stupidly. But I didn't have any intentions to expand the race beyond the codex, since it's still just a fandex. I was just curious to see how the rules match up for general gameplay, there's a few mistakes like Voomakers having brotherhood of psykers which was the Grey Knights rule and they are not meant to be played as one attack.