[40k Chaos Marines] Stormfiend Anti Air Daemon Engine

[Fhanados]

So after seeing all the new anti-air capacity of more recent codices (Eldar, Tau and now Space Marines) I feel a bit jealous. I'm stuck using the Defense Line with Quadgun, Havocs (either with sub-par and expensive Flakk missiles, or snap-shotting Autocannons) or Heldrakes. Space Marines COULD have just got some AA missiles on Whirlwinds, but they got a whole new unit, so I've applied the same kind of principle to my favourite light-medium vehicles in the CSM book - Daemon Engines.

Note: This is untested, and I haven't got any other codex to compare how powerful or appropriately costed this is, so please feel free to point out any costing errors, or overpowered/underpoweredness.

Another Note: It might be easier just to add Stormblaster and/or Skyseeker Missile Battery as options for the Forgefiend


The Stormfiend is a modification of the Daemon Engine "Fiend" chassis following the success of the existing Forgefiend and Maulerfiend variants. Where the Maulerfiend is built for speed and breaching fortifications, and the Forgefiend for laying down a hail of punishing heavy fire, the Stormfiend's weapon configuration is tailored to combat the Imperial and Eldar air superiority encountered during the Black Crusade. Stormblaster weapons utilise the same Sonic weapons technology often used by Noise Marines to project a crushing thunderclap into the sky, shattering canopies, cracking hulls, stalling engines and pulping pilots and crew. Some Stormfiends also sport Skyseeker Missile Batteries. These seemingly conventional missiles are marked with sorcerous runes, binding them to the Daemon within the Stormfiend to guide the projectiles to strike its prey with unnerving accuracy.

160pts	Ws	Bs	S	A	I	Front	Side	Rear	Hullpoints
StormFiend	3	3	6	2	3	12	12	10	3

Unit Size: 1
Unit Type: Walker
Equipment: Two Stormblasters (arm mounted)	Options: May purchase an additional Stormblaster for 20pts (head mounted) May purchase a Skyseeker Missile Battery for 20pts (back mounted)
Special Rules: Daemon It Will Not Die Daemonforge	Transport: None.

Weapons

	Range	S	AP	Type
Stormblaster	36"	8	6	Heavy 2, Ignore Cover, Skyfire
Skyseeker Missile Battery	48"	7	2	Heavy 3, Twinlinked, Skyfire

Amateur concept sketch for Stormfiend with Stormblaster Cannon



EDIT: Added sketch and another note
EDIT: Changed stats on Missle Battery and Stormblaster. Made Missile Battery an additional weapon rather than a weapon swap. Added hullpoints. Adjusted points cost MASSIVELY!

[Rarity Declis]

Well, you could simply take one of the new Space Marine tanks, cover it in daemon and spikes, and claim you're a renegade chapter who took it? Or just use those rules but a different model?

Or ally in some Tau or some Imperial Guard?

Or you could use some Forgeworld stuff- nearly all the Space Marine Forgeworld stuff is legally able to be converted into Chaos stuff.

Just some thoughts.

[Fhanados]

I haven't seen the rules for the new SM anti-air tank, I've just seen the models. As I run an SM army (very rarely) as well I'll probably invest in one at some stage but it's not a priority right now. Likewise with allies I'm not likely to invest in an IG or Tau detachment since I'm working on a Tzeentch Daemon allied force. Honestly I don't even know why Chaos CAN ally with Tau, it seems so... odd.

What I'd really like is some proper Codex native anti-air. It was one of the things I was most disappointed in with the new CSM codex given the aerial dominance of IG and Necron at the time it was released.

I'll probably convert one of these things up from a plasma fiend and field it as a Stormfiend in friendlies and Forgefiend in serious games.

If you have any recommendations for the weapons (too strong/too weak/over or undercosted) that would be really helpful, since the only anti-air I've used is a Quadgun and I don't field fliers myself so my experience with Skyfire weapons is minimal.

[Rarity Declis]

Firstly, all your weapons are clearly projectiles... but you seem to have drawn sonic weapons on your concept art? Or maybe some kind of Chaos weapon which literally shakes the thing out of the air, or maybe blows up it's engines, or something... Much more interesting than a simple "I shoot big missile at you"... you even write about it in the fluff of your unit...

Maybe take the Ignores Cover save rule? You can't jink around AIR...

So, more accurate (from 50% to 75%), one less shot, higher strength and higher AP, and no flyer needs more than a 6 to penetrate, so Rending on the other gun means effectively nothing... It's decently priced as an upgrade, when I think about it.

Where are the Hull Points? Too many (4) makes this overpriced. Too few (2) makes this too fragile for the points. 3 should do it.

Is a Sky Seeker Missile Battery the same as Skyseeker Missiles? Sounds more powerful.

You know, it's a 250pt unit. Which, upgraded, is a 290pt unit. Would you pay 290pts for 9 Str 7 shots? Or would you take more Flakk Guns, which give cover AND have Interceptor AND Skyfire AND if you need to, Lascannons AND doesn't take up a Heavy slot?

But right, stay on topic, this unit. I think it is too expensive. I just wouldn't take it. Maybe knocked down to 220pts, I'd consider it, but at 250pts, there are other, more versatile, tougher, better options.



Also...

Consider the Heldrake. Vector Strike and good shooting, plus can destroy a lot on the ground too. Alternatively, have a Daemon Prince with Wings literally pull it out of the air.

So, we have Heldrakes, Winged Daemon Princes and Aegis Defence Line, before we start going into Imperial Guard allies and such. And these are legal options you can take; Chaos Marines have ways of dealing with planes; in fact, the Heldrake has become a bit notorious for their ability to deal with anything.

[Fhanados]

Thanks for the responses!

The Stormslayer Cannon is supposed to be the "Sonic" type weapon. To quote myself:

Stormslayer cannons utilise the same Sonic weapons technology often used by Noise Marines to project a crushing thunderclap into the sky, shattering canopies, cracking hulls, stalling engines and pulping pilots and crew.

I think a name change may be in order.

I also like the idea of Ignore Cover as opposed to Rending. For some reason I was under the impression that jink saves were invulnerable, not cover saves. This makes a lot more sense to me now.

I forgot about hullpoints. It will be 3, like the other 'fiends

Consider the Heldrake. Vector Strike and good shooting, plus can destroy a lot on the ground too.

As a Chaos Space Marine player I can't NOT consider the Heldrake. In fact, that's part of my motivation for creating the Stormfiend. I'm sick of the solution to everything being "More Heldrakes"

Alternatively, have a Daemon Prince with Wings literally pull it out of the air.

One of my primary opponents is GK/IG. Depending on his list he can put enough flyers or mass S7-8 twinlinked on the field to down my prince before it gets close enough to vector strike anything. Even against opponents that don't bring the Prince down quickly I haven't had much luck in flyer hunting with it.

Anyway there will be a few edits to come shortly.

EDIT: Wow I really messed up the points! I have no idea why I originally made this thing more expensive than a Landraider. It's meant to be a Forgefiend equivalent, so I've brought it more in line with that with a small decrease due to lack of Interceptor to take care of ground.