Sorrow (Tau Titan)

Last Edit: 10/5/08

Pics can be found here http://www.mudheadproductions.com/warpaint-scifi.php
Datasheet can also be found on the site. It is my hope that more of these types of Titan will be built and use of this datasheet become more common, especially in the O'Shova enclaves...


I'll post the new pics soon. Look at the last edit date above to see if anything has been updated.

I have started on the Power Shield Drones (based on spare 'head turrets) but those will take a while.

Changes:
v1 - initial setup
v1.1 - added more armor, reduced missile pod quantity, added wargear, included stats
v1.2 - added power shield drones and controller, modify points
v1.3 - added pics
v1.4 - made final version
v1.4 - fix points, add attributes for use with drones, remove decoy launchers
v1.4 - add datasheet to site

Let me know if you would like to see any changes. Those who participated: Thanks for the help! It was/is greatly appreciated.

I would change it to 4 twin linked missile pods on each side, it would be much more reasonable. 2 structure points are enough if you ask me. Otherwise, sounds good.

By the bye, I love the idea of the stealth fields. it is very tau-ish.

And as to the idea of other wargear to add, I would recommend not giving it access to the Tau armory. Instead, have it come with 2 Flechette dischargers, a black sun filter, and a targeting array. Giving it access to the armory makes it seem to much like a regular vehicle.

OK. I hadn't thought of twin linking half. That does sound better, 16 dice with a reroll... what about the AA ability? 2 structure points is what I had in mind. I guess playtesting will be in order to see if the structure points are right.



Yea, me too! Thanks.



How would 2 FD work? What about Decoy Launchers and Disruptor Pods? Fine with me if it doesn't have access but that would mean a set amount of points.

I mounted more armor plating on the legs last night and remounted one of the Railgun that I managed to break off during the mod...

Here is the stat line I had in mind:
BS 3(4 with TA)
WS 3
FA 13
SA 12
RA 12

S 7-9
I 2
A 2

I like your idea, and I am a HUGE fan of the Mad Cat. Great Mech that is. I like the stealth field Idea as it is Very Tau-ish.

But for the record the Tau do have limited Warp travel capabilities and thus would probably be able to modify a Holo-field. Anyway 2 SP seems good, at the most 3 SP. Will the Railguns basically be Railhead Railguns?

Anyone, once again i like your idea. If you could you might want to look into the forgeworld Hammerhead Missile Pod. that might give you some idea of what to do for the stats. Otherwise go Hurricane Bolter style with the missile pod. That would probably be a decent choice. Final call is up to you though. Good luck on the Titan.

Your model sounds pretty cool, but the armor seems lacking. If your gonna have such low armor then the thing is going to need a shield or holo field. Consider ramping the armor to, IMO, AV 14 on front, 13 on sides and 12 on rear. That seems more fair, and at least then basic infantry cant down you like a orc trukk.

The stealth field is a pretty good idea. After thinking about it, what if you took it to a new level? Have a "pulse field", in which the titan becomes totally immersed in the shield, making vision on it 1D6 x2. If it activates the "pulse shield" then it can not move or fire for a turn, but can repair a single structure point on a roll of 5+ on a D6. Eh?

Yep, just the regular railguns from the hammerhead. I looked up the stats on the other titans and the values there aren't anything the railguns cannot handle... It has been suggested (not here) that I mount two more on each arm so that the will be twin linked but that seems like too much.



Thanks. I am enjoying the model very much so far... I resist forgeworld. Their stuff is amazing don't get me wrong. But. They are just too expensive. Anyway, I'll look up your suggestion and check it out. I'm not familiar with the Hurricane Bolter... may work better than my clumsy missile pod conversion...

TL railguns too much? Your not really getting any more firepower than a pair of broadsides with that, not counting submunitions. Just take a look at a Vullcan Mega Blaster or the Super Flamer thingy they have. With your small amount of hardpoints, no shields and less than average armor(for a titan) you NEED to be able to dish out a little bit of "heavier than normal" firepower.

The only thing I can really think of, IF you choose to keep your current setup is making the thing agile. Perhaps letting it move double what a normal titan moves and give it a pretty mean attack in CC. Say 6 attacks with a melta rule /or as a monstrous creature? Just imagine the thing, ninja'ing a Warlord Imperial Titan or snacking on a BaneBlade squadron...

I'm pretty sure I will be upgrading the rear armor... I'm thinking 13,12,12. Basic hammerhead with re-enforced rear. I also think decoy/disruption launchers, giving me a cover save past 12 inches will be more fun than 14,13,12 armor.

The "Pulse Field/Shield" idea rocks... Love the 1d6x2... but seems like overkill for opponents... anyway, I don't intend on letting them get that close. I'm going to be pounding on things at range... with stealth, they won't even be able to shoot back. I want to use it as a lure, making enemy move closer due to the stealth and into my fire lanes where the broadside teams and other heavies can lay waste... if I make it too strong, then it won't be as good a lure and all that fire will shift to my poor fire warriors which I don't want. I'm aiming (pardon pun) for more dice rolling... I need as low points as I can, cause I want to use it in regular games too.

These are all great suggestions, guys/gals. Thanks. With all this help, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Another question, where in the force org chart will it fall if I can use it in regular games, Heavy?

Seeing as the Titan will pretty much only be used in Apoc games, it doesn't really matter where it falls. In a normal game, of course, the only logical place to put it is in the "Heavy" slot... Possibly you could get away with making it an HQ, but I don't see why you would or who would let you.

Im glad you liked the idea of the Pulse shield. I don't agree that is overpowered, since 1) you only have two structure points and 2) you lose all shooting for a turn, which is what titans are all about. Maybe add that if it is assaulted it may not strike back?

Maybe it should be 2 heavy slots.
Do you think is is the equivalent of, say 2 necron monoliths or slightly more than a c'tan or a couple of land raiders? Would the points be roughly equivalent?

SNIP

EDIT: On second thought, new rules can be sticky in the middle of a game, I can only think of one guy that wouldn't mind new rules popping up in a game here in this corner of the world. I think it will be better to just re-use old ones... so no Pulse Shield.

I really like the idea of the stealth field, but for the record shield drones do have energy shields, so I see no reason the Fio couldn't upscale them and have them work like regular void shields or power fields... or even just actually have a cloud of shield drones around it programmed to dart in front of any incoming shots and take the hit...

Isn't that what a decoy launcher does.... emit a cloud of tiny emitter drones...?

My understanding is that the stealth field will interfere with any other type of shield. That is what the fio tell me....

At any rate, it seems to be the consensus that additional shielding of some kind is needed, so I will give the order to build something... it will take a while as my workers are still fitting in the armor for the railgun mounts and the missile pods are still being fabricated.

EDIT: Perhaps scratch build a couple of huge shield drones and build a unit instead of just one model, Monat style? I just need to modify a drone controller... That would also solve the multiple shield problem. I like that idea, what does everyone think?

With the pods mounted and everything primed, the painting is going as well as can be expected. I'll have more pics soon. Here is the link again.

http://www.mudheadproductions.com/warpaint-scifi.php


EDIT: A datasheet is now available.

I've added a couple of pics of the nearly finished model.
Here is the link

http://www.mudheadproductions.com/warpaint-scifi.php

As always, comments are welcome. Thanks.

The arms are soooo skinny... They look like a marine's bolter could shoot them off. Please tell me you're planning on building something around them.

Nope, not planning on it... side armour of 12... so no bolter but anything with strength 6 can do it with a roll of 6 (after rolling for range) and then the 3 for weapon destroyed result... anything bigger and there will be arguments about it being part of the hull and not an arm.

Fluff wise, infantry isn't strong enough to knock it off and anything strong enough shouldn't be shooting at the arm... It is a calculated risk to minimize cost of resources while still fielding two 'arms' in this way. Iridium armor can do some amazing stuff and still be strong enough for many differing applications... such as 'amament' mounts, get it, arms... get it...

It would do the same thing as a single flechette discharger but hit each model twice.



I have to agree with this. I you got rid of (or just shortened) the cylindrical part so the railgun is connected (or near) to the armor plating, it would seem much more sturdy. Or an even better idea, I'm not quite sure how you could do this but switch the burst cannons and the rail guns. The Raiguns are just too big to be put on such skinny arms. With the burst cannons, it might just work.

the overall look is very "American Mech" looking, kinda, chicken walker-ish. I don't know, it just doesn't feel like Tau to me. Now, that out of the way, it looks good, but the Tank body looks a little out of place, I know it's a late for suggestions on the build. I think that I would have cut the bottom panel of the tank so that it can cover just the top of the thrusters, then make the seam look smooth with rolled green stuff.

At first glance it looks awkward but after a little while it grows on you and now I would have to say you did a great job. It does look a little chicken walkerish but that dosen't bother me to much, Great job other wise!!