X-MEN 40K, 6TH ED: TACTICAL:

These four X-fighters bring special abilities to the table that can be used in more creative ways and to strategic benefit. 

Last X-entry (leadership) I introduced a new special rule, SuperHeroic Recovery.  This time I have another special rule:

Aggressive Flyer:  The hero can not only fly, but can streak through the sky like a thunder bolt.  An aggressive flyer can operate in two modes, similar to a flying vehicle.  The model must decide at the beginning of their turn what mode they will operate in:

    * Jump Mode – the model acts just like Jump Infantry, except they aren’t Bulky.

    * Meteoric Mode – the model boosts to greater speeds to cover more ground (or sky) or attack Flyer vehicles or other Aggressive Flyers in Meteoric mode.  They must move at least 12” and up to 24” in the movement phase.  In the shooting phase they can make a shooting attack with the Relentless rule: fire normally against flyers, snap shots only against ground targets; or they can turbo-boost in the shooting phase, up to 24” more.  If they turbo-boost they cannot assault or shoot that turn.  In the assault phase they can charge flyers at 2D6” and may reroll for distance, inflicting a Hammer of Wrath hit on impact and successfully hitting another flyer/vehicle on attack rolls of 4+.  (Imagine a superhero streaking right into an enemy jet and bursting out the other side of the fiery wreckage—that’s where we’re going with this.)  While in Meteoric mode they can only be hit by Snap Shots from the ground and have a 4+ Jink cover save.

     Among the X-men in this series, Sunfire and Rogue are aggressive flyers.  (See Rogue in the next installment.)

1.  Jean Grey  

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

SuperHeroic Recovery(SHR), Independent Character, Psyker (Mastery 2)

Super-spandex: Armor save of 6+

Telekinetic Shield:  All units within 6” of Jean (including her) always count as having a 5+ Cover Save.

Psychic Gifts:  Jean is a psyker of Mastery Level 2 and knows three powers taken from Telekinesis and/or Telepathy.  Treat all TK powers as having a more psychic flavor to them—for example, Gate of Infinity isn’t so much a “teleport thru the Warp” power but more like Jean projecting a force bubble around her unit and hurling them into the sky. 

2.  Sunfire  

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	4	3	3	2	4	2	8	6+/--

SHR, Independent Character, Psyker (Mastery 1)

Super-spandex: Armor save of 6+

Aggressive Flyer (as above)

Flame Projection:  Treat Sunfire as a psyker of Mastery level 1.  He knows 2 powers from the Pyromancy discipline.

Hot to the Touch:  Against vehicles Sunfire may treat his melee attacks as a MeltaBomb, but as with grenades, he makes only one attack if he does so.

3.  Shadowcat  

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
3	3	3	3	2	4	2	8	--/3+

SHR, Independent Character

Spy:  Kitty literally moves ahead and through the enemies’ facilities.  She has the Infiltrate and Scout special rules, as do any unit she joins.

Incorporeal:  Her phasing powers allows her to ignore Difficult, Dangerous, and Impassable terrain and even allow her to move through models, though she must end up at least 1” away.  She also benefits from a 3+ Invuln Save. 

Electronic Disruption:  When she moves through or assaults vehicles and walkers, Shadowcat’s out-of-phase body wreaks havoc on their systems.  Her melee attacks have the Haywire special rule.  If Shadowcat moves through a vehicle in the Movement phase she immediately deals D3 automatic Haywire hits as well. 

**Notice this model is not of Shadowcat or Kitty Pride.  I got it in a box of heroclix and just figured it's a "counts as".

4.  Iceman  

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	4	3	4	2	4	2	8	4+/--

SHR, Independent Character, Psyker (Mastery 1)

Ice Armor:  Coating himself in ice, he has a 4+ armor save and Toughness +1 (making it T4).  

Vulnerable to Fire:  Against flame-based and melta attacks he gets no Armor save.

Ice Slides:  Iceman moves as Jump Infantry but doesn’t have to take Dangerous Terrain tests for starting or ending in Difficult Terrain, as he’s stabilized by his constructs.

Cold Blast:  This is a ranged shooting attack he can make at will (no psychic test needed, this is his standard shooting attack):

     * Template       S4        AP5     Assault 1

Winter Wonderland:  Iceman can create barriers as a psychic conjuring-type effect.  With a successful Psychic Test, he creates a D3”-wide icy barricade and can place it anywhere within 12” and LOS (use suitable terrain or markers).  This can be used to provide troops with cover, place an obstacle in the path on the enemy, or slow entry into a doorway.  These barricades are treated as Difficult Terrain to cross and provide a 5+ cover save to those behind them (the usual rules for assaulting thru cover apply).  If a flame or melta attack is used to shoot at someone hiding behind them, take the cover save as normal and then remove the barricade, as it has now melted.

Flash Frozen:  Iceman may attempt to freeze a unit in place as a malediction.  He chooses a target unit within 12” and makes a Psychic test.  If successful the target then makes a Strength test with 6s always failing and 1s always passing.  Monstrous creatures and Vehicles fail only on a 6.  If frozen the unit cannot move, use psychic powers, shoot, or assault, nor be assaulted or shot at: for all intents and purposes it is locked in ice and ignored for one full turn.  At the beginning of the target’s subsequent turns (after they have been frozen for one turn), the unit makes strength tests with S+1 for each turn spent frozen, representing the thaw over time.  Once it breaks free it acts as normal.  As no wounds are caused no saves apply.  

     For example, a Dark Eldar Wych unit is targeted.  On the turn they are hit, they need to roll a 3 or less to avoid being frozen.  After being frozen for one full turn, they make another S-check for a 4 or less.  Next turn they break free on a 5 or less.  If still frozen at the beginning of their next turn they thaw automatically (6 or less).  

    You might also consider marking the affected unit with a gently placed layer of cellophane.