Icelus Pattern Tactical Dreadnought

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File:Icelusassault.jpg
An Icelus tactical dreadnought suddenly leaps from cover to assault an enemy position.

Icelus pattern Tactical Dreadnoughts are a specialized covert operations dreadnought designed and fielded by the /tg/-developed Emperor's Nightmare chapter. They are mainly deployed with Battle Group Secundus, as they are well adapted to covert infiltration, sabotage and surveillance operations, but they are equally at home in any of the Nightmares' marine companies in Tactical and Assault variants.

As of 993.M41 there are 24 chassis fully constructed and deployed. Being technological works of art built within the marines' lifetimes the Icelus Marks are not regarded among the chapter's dreadnoughts and other ancient relics. Rather, they are organized separately in the chapter armoury as an intermediate stage between the chapter's 45 suits of terminator armour and 42 dreadnoughts.

The Master of the Forge and senior techmarines do not have the time to create these highly intricate suits of tactical dreadnought armor for other chapters, despite requests to do so, but they do make the blueprints for master-crafting freely available to both Mars and their fellow Astartes. As the master-crafting of a previous mark of tactical dreadnought armor, it was quick to be sanctioned by the Adeptus Mechanicus though slow to be reproduced.

Fluffy bits[edit]

Stealthy and lightweight, the Icelus pattern tactical dreadnoughts are based on the STCs for the smaller, more nimble and less heavily armoured pre-Heresy tactical dreadnought marks. The Master of the Forge and the chapter's most senior techmarines personally master-craft the hydraulics, joints, limbs and so forth, allowing for very high precision locomotion and great flexibility. This allows the tactical dreadnought to quickly contort into odd shapes to more closely hug terrain, and leap and bound as quickly as possible when no enemy eyes are upon it.

In order to provide the Icelus pattern's improved surveillance capabilities, many long sensor spines and optical mechadendrites protrude from the armor's back like a layer of porcupine quills. These can be deployed upwards while the the tactical dreadnought is in a hull-down position in order to gather observation data without revealing the tactical dreadnought's characteristic silhouette.

The built in stummers project a small cone of deeply unnerving silence around the machine and multiple redundancies ensure at least one will always be running. In addition to this the armour itself is plated with active camouflage. Deployed alongside all companies, Icelus Tactical Dreadnoughts excel at hiding from enemies' sight, using their incredible perception to work out where the opponent is not looking and simply stand there.

Icelus tactical dreadnoughts have three hard points on which weaponry can be secured. Each arm may accommodate one of any of the weapons available to terminators: Lightning claws, powerfists, chainfists, thunder hammers, storm shields, combi-weapons and storm bolters. In addition to the two arm-mounted hardpoints, a Mind Impulse Unit controls a ranged weapon mounted on the shoulder. In tactical variants the Astartes sniper rifle is standard issue, but this may be replaced with a grenade launcher or plasma gun or with an Astartes shotgun, flamer or meltagun for close assault. Heavy weapons may be mounted but greatly impede the suit's locomotion.

Crunchy bits[edit]

Note that we are currently calling for playtesting of all rules pending the creation of a full scale codex and pdf. The exact points value of the tabletop version in particular needs to be refined. Focus on how they interact with the Blood Angels rules is preferred, but input from players of any codex is important. If you are looking for a tournament legal counts-as, techmarines and other characters on bikes make a surprisingly functional if somewhat imperfect stand in.

Tabletop[edit]

1-3 may be purchased as a single Fast Attack choice. They deploy as separate units.

WS5 BS5 S5 T 4(6) W4 I5 A4 Ld10 Sv2+
Unit Type: Monstrous Creature
Wargear
Pair of Lightning Claws, Astartes Sniper Rifle, Frag Grenades
Options
Can replace either Lightning Claw with:
Combi Melta/Plasma/flamer - Free
Storm Bolter - Free
Power Fist - 10 points
Chainfist - 15 points
Thunder Hammer - 15 points
Storm Shield (One) - 30 points
Can replace Astartes Sniper Rifle with:
Astartes Shotgun - Free
Astartes Grenade Launcher - 5 points
Meltagun - 10 points
Plasma Gun - 15 points
Heavy Bolter - 15 points
Multi-Melta or Missile Launcher - 20 points
Lascannon or Plasma Cannon - 35 points
Assault Cannon - 40 points

(Note that if a Heavy Bolter, Multi-Melta, Missile Launcher, Lascannon, Plasma Cannon, or Assault Cannon is selected the Icelus Tactical Dreadnaught loses the Nimble and Infiltrate special rules)

Special Rules
Acute Senses, Stealth, Move Through Cover, Infiltrate, And They Shall Know No Fear, Combat Tactics, Hit And Run, Quiet As The Grave, Nimble
Quiet as the Grave
All enemies suffer -1 Ld within 6" of the Icelus, or -2 if in base contact with the Icelus.
Nimble
Icelus pattern tactical dreadnoughts are designed to have an almost freakish mobility. As such, they have the Furious Charge and Fleet of Foot Universal Special Rules and may roll two dice and pick the highest when running.

Deathwatch[edit]

22 AP all around 30 Structural Integrity 50 Strength (10) 55 Agility

Three Hard points for weapons: Each arm may mount one of the following weapons: Lightning claw, thunder hammer, power fist, chain fist, storm shield, combi-bolter, storm bolter.

Additionally, the chassis incorporates optical mechadendrites, Chameleoline Coating (Counts as Chameleoline Cloak, +20 to Concealment tests and shadowing. The wearer counts as one range bracket further if standing still), multiple redundant Stummers (+30 to Silent Move), Preysense Mask, Cooling Capillaries (covering joints and armor to keep them from coming up on IR sensors). Radar jamming equipment, a back full of sensor spines, and a warp beacon.

It has Sprint, Sonar Sense, and Fear (1) from a distance, Fear (2) when within 5 meters.

The Shoulder-mounted Astartes sniper rifle may be replaced with a grenade launcher, plasma gun, a meltagun, a flamer or an Astartes combat shotgun for close assaults. Heavy weapons may be mounted to this hard point instead but the Icelus will no longer be able to Sprint and will count as Agility 20.

Unlike other Dreadnoughts, the Icelus can Jump, Leap, and Run. They have a total +25 bonus to perception rolls, and due to its lights frame does not have the Auto-Stabilized trait. They also have a Tactical speed of 8 and Cruising speed of 13 kph. They can use the skills Acrobatics, Contortionist, Climb(if neither hand contains a gun), Silent Move, Concealment, Silent Move, Dodge, and Scrutiny without penalty.

Due to the frames rarity and difficulty being maintained, one must have a renown of at least 80 to wear Icelus pattern Tactical Dreadnought armor, and this advances costs 6000 xp.

Writefaggotry[edit]

Several fa/tg/uys have written stories about Icelus tactical dreadnoughts: