Goals for my Red Scorpions

While my Red Scorpions are a part of the Crusade project, they are also a project in and of themselves. For the Crusade as a whole, I dont have many goals, aside from painting what I have, and fleshing out some of the smaller forces.

The Red Scorpions, however, have some specific goals.

Short term: I want to keep the RS as a battle worthy force, from 1k, to 1500, to 1750, to 2k.

Mid term: I want to make the full 5th battle company of the Red Scorpions, complete with dreadnauts and transports.

Long term: I would like to have at least one unit from every entry in Codex: Space Marines, painted in Red Scorpion colors.

Side goals are to create at least three personalized special characters: The Chapter Master, the Chief Apothecary, and one other, possibly a veteran sergeant.

Im thinking about using the rules for Pedro Cantor for the Master, and Ive got my eye on a model Id convert for that role.

The Chief Apothecary is going to be more difficult, because the only base for rules for him is the medic in the command squad. He is going to be hard core home brewed, and knowing the way I like things, totally underpowered.

Of Forge World and fearing for my life.

So, if I suddenly stop posting in the next few days, its probably because my wife discovered I made an order from Forge World, killed me, and stuffed my body in the dumpster. I mentioned I wanted to make this order before the weekend, and she asked me to wait a bit first... Well, I waited, but somehow Im betting not long enough.

So, what did I order that has me fearing for my life? Not all that much actually. Just this, this, and this. I plan to bits out the Vanguard vets among the two assault squads, to spread around the Red Scorpion flavor, the veterans bits will be spread to the next 2-3 tactical or devastator squads I work on, the VSgt Haas bits Im not too sure on, but Im considering using them to make another captain or the chapter master, or maybe Ill just spread them to a few other models as well. The brass etche sheet is going to be used for dreadnauts and drop pods and whatever else I use them on.

So, why am I not using the Vanguard Vets as that? simple, the metal ones are too pretty to pass up, so Ill get both! :D

Experimental Rules: First Sergeants

In the modern military, the First Sergeant (the Shirt) is a very important person to nearly all enlisted folk. A good Shirt can and will bend over backwards to ensure that each and every one of their troops are being taken care of properly. A bad Shirt can totally destroy moral with neglect of the troops, trying to run the unit from behind the commander, or just plain being incompetent. Ive had both types during my time in, and at one point the Shirt was both cases at the same time. So, what is a First Sergeant supposed to be doing? They are the voice of the enlisted to the commander.

But what about in 40k, where Imperial Guardsmen are tossed into the maw of war in their millions? I think there is still a role for the Shirt, though not exactly the same as modern times.

The First Sergeant is the most senior sergeant in an IG company, and its his job to ensure that every soldier understands their role in a mission. The Captain will usually give the company a rough overview of the plan, but it falls to the First Sergeant to explain the specifics to the assembled squad leaders and specialists.

Up to one Infantry or Command Squad veteran sergeant in an IG army may be upgraded to the First Sergeant for +20pts. The army MUST be lead by a Senior Officer (the junior officers are not experianced enough to work well with a First Sergeant, and Heroic Senior Officers are too busy to keep an enlisted person informed). The Senior Officer grants an additional +1LD up to a max of LD10 when other units use his LD with a vox-caster, as long as the First Sergeant is alive.

For the Adeptus Astartes, the First Sergeant is usually the "heir apparent" in a company, the Space Marine that everyone expects to take over when the current captain falls in battle. Typically this is the Sergeant of the first Tactical squad, but it is not unknown for it to be a different squad, or even from the Assault or Devastator squads.

Up to one Command Squad, Tactical Squad, Assault Squad, or Devastator Squad Sergeant in a Space Marine force may be upgraded to the First Sergeant for +10pts. The army must have a Captain in it, though this may be one of the special character Captains. The First Sergeant may use the Captains LD from anywhere on the table, as long as he is alive.

What do you all think?

*EDIT* Tightened up the restrictions of choice for the Space Marines, and lowered the cost.

Ahh, there it is....

The thing I was waiting about talking about? Yeah, I applied and (apparently, from this blog being listed on the website) was accepted to the From the Warp bloggers group, as you can probably tell by what I added just a minute ago. Guess I better behave myself now! ;)

Also, (and slightly more importantly) I finished up those assault marines, gonna try to get a pic up tonight.

More, tonight I am planning on tossing out experimental rules for First Sergeants (at the very least for Space Marines).