The Apocalypse datasheet for chaos space marine's Doomsday Device (PDF here) was a real treat, and totally unexpected when it appeared next to the Stompas and Shadowsword variants in the recent release of new datasheets.
It brings back a little theatrical flavour with a touch of roleplaying to the game -- somewhat reminiscent of the Rogue Trader days. The Chaos player must make an outrageous demand (world domination; Fifty trillion gigagrams of ice-cream and apple pie; etc.) to their opponents ... or threaten to activate the device. Naturally, the opponent gets a right of reply to this threat. The chaos player then goes right ahead and ignores the response and tries to activate the device.
In game terms, the device is only likely to activate toward the end turns of the game. But if (by chance) it can go off earlier, it might just be a game changing device. Short of a vortex grenade, of course. On the other hand, the device might turn out to be a complete dud! The random nature of the device is part of the appeal -- an unknown piece of alien design means that it can never be wholly trusted.
Feeling inspired by this datasheet, the only thing left to do is think about how to represent it on the gaming table! I'm thinking all those square bases that have been accumulating from daemons boxed sets are becoming appealing! I wonder how Games Workshop constructed the coffin-looking device that they have pictured on their datasheet...?
It brings back a little theatrical flavour with a touch of roleplaying to the game -- somewhat reminiscent of the Rogue Trader days. The Chaos player must make an outrageous demand (world domination; Fifty trillion gigagrams of ice-cream and apple pie; etc.) to their opponents ... or threaten to activate the device. Naturally, the opponent gets a right of reply to this threat. The chaos player then goes right ahead and ignores the response and tries to activate the device.
In game terms, the device is only likely to activate toward the end turns of the game. But if (by chance) it can go off earlier, it might just be a game changing device. Short of a vortex grenade, of course. On the other hand, the device might turn out to be a complete dud! The random nature of the device is part of the appeal -- an unknown piece of alien design means that it can never be wholly trusted.
Feeling inspired by this datasheet, the only thing left to do is think about how to represent it on the gaming table! I'm thinking all those square bases that have been accumulating from daemons boxed sets are becoming appealing! I wonder how Games Workshop constructed the coffin-looking device that they have pictured on their datasheet...?
10 comments:
I made extensive use of sheet styrene and other things like I-beams made of styrene, along with my trusty bitz box. I based it all around a triangular cardboard box about 2.5" on a side and about 4.5" tall. I decided to not even try for the "official" pic because I disliked the way it looked. :P
GW's has a rhino door, hellhound fuel tank halves and a tank hatch or two. Other than that it looks like plasticard? Sounds like an injection of humourous fun to deploy in an apoc battle!
I love the Doomsday Device. It's proper Rogue Trader bolsh and bravado.
No Apoc Chao General should leave home without it. Great stuff!
Thanks to the Imperial Guard Tanks sprue I have a plethora of flamer and heavy flamer tanks lying around. I'd always errr towards the homemade homicial vaguely terroristic doomsday device.
I'd also take the 'grot' approach. What's more amusing than a lethal device, a lethal device covered in snotlings/gretchin...
... or nurglings?!?
So I'd build a giant gas attack weapon (scratch building giant bottles of oooze ain't no thing) with many many many explosives attached, commanded by nurglings - rock and roll.
Sort of like Die Hard with a Vengeance bombs nurgle style?!?
Rhino doors, nurglings and plasticard ... I feel an idea brewing ... :)
Haha! Awesome. I hadn't even noticed that sheet! I love the ideas here...knowing my boring self, I'd probably just make a giant laser. :)
Small fish tank with sharks equipped with laser beams.
Looks like a cool sheet, not a stragety for victory but could have assume explosions which is what Apoc is about.
I would place it as close to no mans land as possible near the center of the board and then place my no mans land objective right next to it.
A great find that I had not seen at first. Slipped right by me. Thanks for the heads up.
I'd be hard-pressed to leave it at home. I mean, the enemy might ignore it, or shoot it first.
Or I bring several, and let them deal with it. Come on, you KNOW one's going to do something....
I think I'd look at the thing foam-board for most of the work, then glue bit details in.
It's proper sticky back plastic stuff that GW can't sell you a model for - what's not to like - a weapon that could go dreadfully wrong and blow up in your face on fizzle out like a wet-banana (that's some serious fizzle!)
Brilliant!
am reading the sheet over and over again .. where dose it say you carnt activate it again after it gose off !?
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