- Loremaster Journal
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As the defenders fell back from the walls to combat this threat, a group of strange, warpstone-powered aircraft made from crashed Dwarfen Gyrocopters raked the walls with Ratling Guns. Though all of these flying machines eventually crashed or were destroyed, the aerial assault planned by Verminous Fang certainly contributed to the castle’s fall.
VERSION 1.5
Ratlingcopter (cf Gyrocopter, Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs, p17)
100 Points. Rare Choice.
M-, WS-, BS-, S-, T4, W3, I-, A-, Ld5
Unit StrengthThe ratlingcopter is a flying monster with a US of 3. It is not a
large target. It does not have 360 degree line of sight.
Base size The ratlingcopter uses a 40 x 40 mm (ogre-class) base size.
Flying MachineThe ratlingcopter can fly, as described on p106 of the Warhammer Rules, modified by the
Warpsteam rules, below. Due to the requirement to husband the warpsteam pressure to power the ratling gun, the ratlingcopter always lands between each movement. The ratlingcopter cannot land in difficult terrain, onto obstacles, or anywhere else which consititutes any sort of movement penalty. If it cant fly for any reason, it cant move. If it has to flee for any reason when it cant fly then it counts as destroyed without crashing, and is removed from the table. Note that the ratlingcopter does not benefit from the skaven +1 to flee moves, and thus always flees 3D6.
Warpsteam Engine Warpsteam engines are erratic and difficult to control, just like all other warp-based devices. This particular engine was skavenged from the battlefield, and so is more erratic than most. The skaven player must nominate a direction to move the ratlingcopter and then roll 4D6 to determine the direction travelled. The ratlingcopter must move the distance indicated in the direction nominated, and then land. Should it encounter anything (terrain, units from either side etc) whilst landing then it suffers the consequences of landing in difficult terrain, as above. Determine the direction and distance of the crash from the landing point immediately. Should it fly off the table for any reason then it counts as having fled, and awards VP to the opponent, as normal.
Ratling Gun.The ratling gun works as described on p27 of Warhammer Armies: Skaven, except that it can move and shoot, only has a 90 degree fire arc, and uses the misfire table below:
Double 1’s or 2's: “Wrong Valve!” The pilot opened a control valve instead of gun valve, causing a burst of power to the unsteered machine. The ratlingcopter flies 4D6 inches in a random direction as determined by the scatter die, and ends the move facing in that direction. The ratlingcopter suffers the consequences of landing in occupied table space as specified above. The gun, of course, does not fire.
Double 3’s or 4’s: “
Too much pressure!” Excess warpsteam buildup causes the ratlingcopter to scatter, as described for a double 1’s or 2s, above, except it automatically crashes upon landing, as described below.
Double 5’s or 6’s: “Boom!!” The ratlingcopter explodes due to excessive pressure caused by a malfunction in the warpsteam vessel. The machine is destroyed in a cataclysmic explosion. Place the large (mortar) template over the centre of the base, and resolve a S5 (normal -2 armour save) D3 wound hit on all models under the template (models partially under hit on a 4+). This explosion counts as magical, and as such effects ethereals and negates daemonic saves. Any unit suffering casualties must take a panic test.
Agoraphobic: Skaven are unused to wide, open spaces and a distinct lack of solid earth beneath their feet (or indeed, above their heads). Unlike the insane bravery displayed by skaven engineers on other (ground-based) skryre war machines, this fear of open spaces makes the crew prone to take fright at the slightest threat. The ratlingcopter may not charge, even if frenzied or subject to any other movement beyond their control. The ratlingcopter must choose flee as a charge reaction. Furthermore, any ratlingcopter in base contact with any enemy models, for whatever reason (such as being pursued in to) will panic, and lose control of their machine causing it to crash. Resolve the crash immediately, as described below, when an enemy makes base contact. The distance and direction of the scatter is resolved from the current position of the ratlingcopter after the enemy is determined to have contacted them but before the enemy unit is moved.
Cannibalised from PartsRatlingcopters are not constructed by Clan Skryre in their laboratories or factories, but are created on the battlefield by individual engineers from crashed gyrocopters and all available ratling gun parts. A skaven army containing one or more ratlingcopters may not field any other ratling guns.
Damage to Ratlingcopters:Ratlingcopters are unlikely to suffer wounds in combat, as they are assumed to have fled or crashed before base contact has occurred. However, they are vulnerable to wounds from ranged attacks. It is an inherently unstable machine, which suffers consequences as it is damaged. Each wound it suffers adds one to the number on the misfire chart (until it sustains it’s third and final wound, at which point it immediately crashes). A ratlingcopter wounded by an attack of S7 or more will automatically crash.
Crashes:A ratlingcopter crashes when the machine is destroyed, circumstances dictate that it has engaged in base contact with the enemy, it inadvertently lands in difficult (or worse) terrain, or from a severe ratling gun misfire. Except where noted above, the ratlingcopter always scatters 4D6 in a random direction determined by the scatter die. A ratlingcopter which rolls a ‘hit’ on the scatter die does not move, and is simply exploded on the spot. Ratlingcopter explosions not only kill the crew and spread fragments of the machine and whirling rotors over a large portion of the landscape, but they are accompanied by a lethal cloud of escaping warpstone steam. The explosion is resolved using the large (5”, mortar) template, where all targets fully under the template suffer a S4 hit, with armour saves at -2, and models partially under the template are hit on a 4+. This explosion counts as magical, and as such effects ethereals and negates daemonic saves.