jimmyzimms wrote:
I think the lack of someone to actually Sheppard it has much to do with it languishing in relative obscurity. Perhaps I'm simply deluded
Someone go poke GlynG
Heh, thanks for the suggestion.
I'm just catching up properly after being away for a while (went on a 750km bicycle around New Zealand). Good to see so much interest in the Vraksians
I'm keen on them (I reckon the FW Vraks books are perhaps the best things GW have put out) and I have an army of Malcadors and Vraksian infantry sculpts to use for them. I've considered offering to take over the list for some time, but there didn't seem much interest in them and I hadn't got round to it. I've just dropped Steve54 a PM and suggested it.
On the topic of Malcadors they are renowned for having underpowered engines that make them less effective in combat and have led to them being relegated to low priority duties like serving with PDF forces or being mothballed entirely. An epic Malcador is very similar to a Leman Russ and costs the same, having a slightly better armament (2 Lascanons and a Heavy Bolter as secondary) at the cost of a slower 15cm speed.
Yet with the epic rules the 15cm Malcadors are able to garrison far forward, counteracting the low movement, plus they can then start on overwatch. 15cm move for them in Epic is overall better than 20cm so they end up superior to Leman Russes rather than worse. 15cm move is appropriate for them, garrisoning isn't particularly. It's also entirely feasible to field entire armies of garrisoning 4+ Reinforced tanks and I question whether this is wise from a balance or background perspective. Preventing garrisoning would make them worse, but they'd still be good choices (particularly the Defender, Valdor and Minotaur).
There are various new units to test and balance correctly but I don't see why the list can't be balanced for tournament play and potentially eventually make it into the tournament pack if people get behind it. It has less unit types available than existing approved lists and with a bit of toning down and limiting it should be fine, while still characterful.
If I were to take over the list I would change:
* Add siege fortifications – trenches, bunkers, razorwire and minefields. Vraks are a defensive siege army known to use these very extensively and the lack of these in the current list is a bizarre mistake.
* Add a 'Workers Rabble' unit like there is in the 40k list (mass unit of cheap canon fodder, FF/CC 6+ no ranged weapons).
* Have a 'May Not Garrison' note barring dedicated Malcador, Minotaur and Valdor formations from garrisoning (allow infantry formations with attached Malcadors to garrison as normal).
* Probably remove Warlord Titans, Harbringers and Deathstrikes (not known to be used by the Vraksians and helps add disadvantages).
* Keep Malcadors a core formation as a focus for the list, have Leman Russes only as a smaller support formation.
* Possibly make the Alpha Legion 0-1? Possibly 6 strong rather than 8 too.?They're meant to be rare and a 40k Vraks army can only take 0-1 squad of 5-10.