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Tau Idea - Elite Kroot

Started by Narric, July 15, 2012, 09:58:31 AM

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Narric

This idea came to me last night, while I was thinking about my current army project.

The idea was that a Kindred (or posibly larger formation) had decided to near-completely allow themselves to be introduced to Tau ways, but they had a small price for this. The requested the ability to examine and hunt the various beasts and Creatures that the Tau themselves had to survive against. This was intended by the Shaper(s), to make the kroot more like their Tau allies, to a degree.

After a few generations, and caused by both a change in diet and the practices of the Tau themselves,the Kroot of these Kindred(s) showed a lower lieklyhood of turning to Cannibalism on the battlefield, and many other changes that made them more acceptable to the general Tau populace.

Once a suitable level of Kroot showed these atributes, they were introduced into Tau military, from the stand-point of a Tau Fire Warrior. The Kroot Warrior excelled in many areas, predominantly speed, and the use of more heavier weapons then the Kroot Rifle. In time, this kroot had become a proficient sect of Warrior Breed for the Kroot, and a superb choice for Tau Commanders. They were armour and armed, and then sent into the Wars that followed.

Its a very rough idea, and probably very poor fluff writing as well. but here is what I came up with in my head for them in game:

Kroot Warriors                               15Points/Model
Kroot Warriors are an Elites choice in a Tau Empire army, that does not include Commander Farsight.

   PointsWSBSSTWIALdSv
Warrior Shaper444435294+
Kroot Warrior434425184+




Unit Composition:

  • 3 Kroot Warriors

Unit Type:

  • Infantry
Wargear:

  • Pulse Rifle (have equivalent wargear in mind, but nac't think of a new name)
  • Kroot Warrior Armour
    Confers 4+ Armour Save. A model equiped with this armour is always treated to have two close combat weapons
  • Krak Grenades
  • Frag Grenades

Special Rules:

  • Fearless
  • Night Vision
  • Scout
Options:

  • One Kroot Warrior may be Upgrade to a Warrior Shaper for 10pts
  • Up to nine additional Kroot Warrios may be added to the unit for 15pts per model
  • For every six models in the unit, one (excluding the Shaper), one may replace their Pulse Rifle with a Kroot Gun for 10pts

Mabbz

So, these are Kroot that have gone through the full fire warrior training, as well as trying to mimic Tau eating habits and culture? Nice concept, but I have a few thoughts.

1) Fire Caste training prohibits special weapons in infantry squads, and even if they didn't I'm not sure that a kroot could carry a kroot gun.

2) Why fearless?

3) I'd suggest removing krak grenades (Tau have never had them before) and give them EMPs, either as standard or an option. Leave the frags though, since they are practically a requirement for combat troops.

Wargamer

I'd personally prefer 'Elite' Kroot to draw from the Kroot Merc list and have evolutionary traits. For example, "Ork Hunter" Kroot get +1 Toughness. "Vulture Kindred" become Jump Infantry, etc.

Give them all a 5+ armour save minimum to represent their superior wargear, and allow access to Pulse Rifles / carbines. In fact, it might be interesting to let them... okay, I need to actually post stats now!

Kroot War-kindred
Kroot War-kindred are an Elites choice in a Tau Empire army.

   CostWSBSSTWIALdSv
Shaper
??
4
34333395+
Kroot Warrior
??
4
34313285+
Kroot Hound
7
4
04315275+




Unit Composition:

  • 1 Shaper
    4-11 Kroot Warriors
    0-3 Kroot Hounds

Unit Type:

  • Infantry
Wargear:
Shaper & Kroot warriors:

  • Two close combat weapons
  • Trophy guns.
  • Frag Grenades.
Kroot Hounds:

  • Teeth and claws
    (close combat weapon)

Special Rules:

  • Infiltrate
  • Fieldcraft (+1 cover in woods and forests,
    ignore Difficult Terrain caused by the same)
  • Evolved for Battle
Options:

  • The Shaper may exchange any combat weapon for the following:
    Power Sword / Axe at +10pts; Eviscerator at +25pts.
  • The entire unit may swap their Trophy Guns for Pulse Rifles at no cost.
  • The entire unit may be given EMP grenades at +3pts per model.

Trophy Guns: Veterans of countless wars both as mercenaries and in service to the Empire, the War-kindred have amassed an impressive collection of truly devastating weapons.
A model with a Trophy Gun counts as being armed with a twin-linked kroot rifle, regardless of what the model is physically armed with (players are encouraged to equip their Kroot War-kindred with bolters, shuriken catapults, Ork shootas or whatever else you feel would make an impressive trophy!).

Evolved for Battle: At the start of the game, before the first player begins setting up models, the Tau player should choose one of the following evolutionary traits for each War-kindred squad in the army. Each squad may have a different evolution if you so wish. Unless stated otherwise, these evolutions apply to any Kroot Hounds in the unit as well.

  • Ork Hunters: +1 Toughness.
  • Vulture Kindred: Change unit type to 'Jump Infantry'. May not be given to a unit containing Kroot Hounds.
  • Nightskinned: Unit gains the Stealth special rule. This stacks with Fieldcraft, giving +2 Cover when in woods or forests.
  • Long-Hunters: +1 Bs.
I wrote a novel - Dreamscape: The Wanderer.. Available in paperback and pdf.

Quote from: Liberate the Warhammers
People who have no sense of Sportsmanship have NO PLACE designing any Gaming system

Narric

Hehe, thats a much better looking version of the rules I made up.

For costs, would somewhere between 15-20pts per Kroot Warrior be suitable, and upto 30pts for the Shaper?

I like the idea of the Trophy Guns :D

Completely forgot to include fieldcraft into my rules.

Quote from: Mabbz on July 15, 2012, 10:44:30 AM
So, these are Kroot that have gone through the full fire warrior training, as well as trying to mimic Tau eating habits and culture? Nice concept, but I have a few thoughts.

1) Fire Caste training prohibits special weapons in infantry squads, and even if they didn't I'm not sure that a kroot could carry a kroot gun.

2) Why fearless?

3) I'd suggest removing krak grenades (Tau have never had them before) and give them EMPs, either as standard or an option. Leave the frags though, since they are practically a requirement for combat troops.
1. The kroot gun isn't a Heavy weapon, in the sense a Missile Launcher is a Heavy Weapon for Space Marines. Its just a larger caliber gun that a normal kroot would have difficulty using under normal cercumstances.
The Kroot Warriors ability to carry a Kroot Gun un-heeded, in my mind, would have stemed from servos and strength augments built into their armour.

2. I'll trow my hands up and say I slipped into thinking of Space Marines whilst writing the rules.

3. If we kept my rules, I would swap Krak for EMP. Don't know why I didn't think of it myself.

Unusual Suspect

I also prefer Wargamer's stats, particularly his choice to drop the second wound off of the Warrior.  Going through Fire Warrior training doesn't seem like it'd be enough to allow a kroot to shrug off wounds that even a line Space Marine could not.

Unless those Kroot ate a lot of Ogryns, maybe... Kroot Smash!  ;)
I you private dancer.

Narric

Krogryns? Now I can't help but imagine Krogans fighting for the Tau XD (I've been playing too much mass effect)

"Krogryns" could be another unit. Heck, we could think of some other specialised Kroot units, discuss what FOC they'd be best suited for, and make a 2S'Dex for Kroot Mercenaries.

I'd best stop that train of thought now before I start something else :facepalm001:

Wargamer

Hey, if you guys want to make a 2S Kroot Mercs list, I'm for hire game. :P
I wrote a novel - Dreamscape: The Wanderer.. Available in paperback and pdf.

Quote from: Liberate the Warhammers
People who have no sense of Sportsmanship have NO PLACE designing any Gaming system

InsaneTD

I'd love a new version of the Kroot Merc list.