X-MEN 40K: LEADERSHIP:

In honor of my newly released superheroic short story I have decided to run a series of 40K X-Men posts, using Heroclix models as the inspiration for making 40K stats.  You may have seen my Avengers run in the same vein (and if not check 'em out under the AVENGERS label, though I may redo a few of those for 6^th ed just for fun too).  I haven’t come up with point values or anything for these guys, it’s just fun to imagine what the X-Mn and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants would be like in the 40k game system.  So here we go, episode one: Leadership.

Part One features the three leaders of the X-Men: Professor X, Cyclops, and Storm.  Each of these characters are elligible to be selected as a Warlord for the “army”, and at least one of them is required to lead the team (if more than one is taken, choose one as your Warlord).  The chosen character would then also get a Warlord Trait rolled at the beginning of the game.

But before I get into their stats, I am also going to invent a new rule.  I will invent a few more in the course of this superheroic trek, rules more befitting the comicbook characters we are trying to represent here.  The first is SuperHeroic Recovery, which pretty much all of them will have. 

SuperHeroic Recovery (SHR) – To represent the uncanny ability of superheroes to take an apocalyptic beating and get back up five minutes later to save the day, I have invented a new rule.  When a character with this rule is reduced to zero wounds, do not remove them from play.  Instead lay them on their side.  At the beginning of each of your turns, roll a die.  On a 6 the character gets back up with 1 wound remaining.  Treat as if they’d just regrouped and continue playing.  If they are again reduced to zero wounds, remove them from play: they are officially a casualty of war.

Super-Spandex – Most superheroes wear tights, though these are no ordinary leotards we are talking about.  Super-Spandex gives the wearer an Armor Save of 6+ (not great, but hey, it’s just spandex).

1. Professor X

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
2	2	2	3	3	1	1	10	6+

Rules:  SHR (as above), Independent Character, Psyker (mastery level 3), Warlord option

World’s Greatest Telepath:  The Professor knows all the Telepathic psychic powers in the 6^th Ed book and has Mastery Level 3.  Therefore he can use up to three powers per turn, though none twice in the same turn.

Wheelchair Bound:  Professor X gains a small measure of defense from the chair, resulting in a 6+ armor save.  He does, however, treat open ground as Difficult and all Difficult as Dangerous.  He also counts as Bulky.   

Dedicated Protectors:  Those at his side are so determined to protect him that Look Out, Sir rolls made on his behalf succeed on a 3+ instead of the normal 4+. 

The Ultimate Intelligence Collection:  Having a man who can read the enemy’s mind has its advantages.  Before the game begins but after Infiltrators are placed, your army can redeploy D3+1 units.  Prof X also Steals the Initiative on a 4+ instead of a 6.

Telepathic Link:  All friendly models within 18” of the Professor can reroll failed Leadership tests (including psychic tests as he guides their power use--except for Perils of the Warp on double-ones, as the extra telepathic help makes successful overload a bit more likely).

2. Cyclops

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	5	3	3	3	4	2	10	6+/--

Rules:  SHR, Independent Character, Warlord option

Super-Spandex

Ruby Visor:  The visor controls Cyclops’s mutant power.  With it he may vary the focus of his optic rays, allowing him to choose one of the following options in each of his shooting phases:

            * Optic Blast:        Template      S5        AP4     Assault 1

            * Optic Burn:         12”              S8        AP 1    Assault 1, Melta,

            * Optic Beam:       24”              S7        AP4     Assault 1, Beam

Natural Leader:  All X-men (and units they have joined) use Cyclops’s Ld for all Morale and Pinning tests while he is alive.

3.  Storm  

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	5	3	3	3	4	2	10	6+/--

Rules:  SHR (as above), Independent Character, Psyker (mastery level 2), Warlord option

Super-spandex

Flight:  Storm counts as Jump Infantry.

Mistress of the Elements:  Storm is a Mastery Level 2 psyker and may choose three of the following powers drawn from the rune priest lore found in the Space Wolves codex: Thunderclap, Living Lightning, Storm Caller, Tempest’s Wrath, and Murderous Hurricane.

Morlock Leader:  When Storm won command of the mutant Morlocks in single combat she proved her true grit and mettle as a leader.  Friendly units within 6” of her count as Stubborn.    

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Next round will include four more x-heroes...