Some info on Rough Rider units

[commisarblur]

So i've taken a look into rough riders from my codex and from around the web. They sound like the right kind of assault unit for the guard but the only drawback is that they can't use their laces after that first charge. So i've come up with a couple of questions concerning this matter.

Question A: Does the laces work like laces in Fantasy where they can be used again after an assault is finished?

Question B: Can Rough rider units outflank?

Question C: Is it against the rules to field a Commissar(who's on his own mount) with a unit of Rough Riders?

[Sgt. Rock]

Quick answers: A) No, B) No, and C), Probably, because commissars can't buy mounts (LC's Chimeras don't count, I'd think.)

Rough Riders are kind of a single-shot unit for assault; honestly, if you're going to run them, keep 'em cheap; a basic 5 man unit with 2 Meltaguns to harass armor. Don't expect great things from them, because while they're fast and they get those nifty lances the first time around, they die just as easily as any other guardsmen.

[Rook]

^^^^This is truth.

[Julian Sharps]

I do, however, think it would be fun to field a Rough Rider Company in an Apocalypse game, if not for the look on an opposing MEQ player's face when he sees over a hundred cavalry models packing hunting lances barreling down toward his position...

[commisarblur]

Yeah a hundred rough riders would turn any man's milk sour.

However most games I play couldn't afford the points to field that many.

In some ways this unit could use some reworkings so that players would have a good reason to fielding them more often. Something to make them a little better then just an expensive suicide squad.

I threw the whole idea of a Commissar on horseback because im currently working an idea of this commissar assigned to discipline this rowdy, Space Cowboy-esqe guard regiment of rough riders as they hunt down orks.

[Adkenpachi]

Dont they have better CC than standard guard? If not then they really should... Using sabres instead of knives and bayonettes

[Sgt. Rock]

Aside from the hunting lances and Hammer of Wrath, their CC sucks. They get to choose between a laspistol OR a CCW. The sergeant can only choose between a power weapon or a plasma pistol. They're pretty crappy.

Death Korps riders get a pistol AND CCW, and of course, they're all WS4. But then, they don't get to take special weapons like meltaguns, so I guess each of them has their own craptacularities. Frankly, I think they should get pistols and CCWs, and Scout. That'd make them useful. Adjust the points if necessary, but give them a reason to exist.

[commisarblur]

Agreed. These guys outflanking on a turn four with meltas in hand would serious cause some panic.

The point cost though would make them a little more expensive then a squad of ogryns but it would be worth it as they could make charges against small packs of troops and then go for hit and runs behind enemy lines.

[daveclark890]

I have often thought about stripping down marine scout bikes to make into cadian rough riders and then I look at the codex and a little piece of me dies. They could be an amazing unit but are sadly lacking so are 1 of those units that are a waste of points in anything but Apoc or fun/themed lists.

[Julian Sharps]

Thing is, even Creed can't give 'em Scout, since they're neither infantry nor vehicles...

[commisarblur]

A sad truth of our day.

Still, there is the future. I have my doubts we'll get anything like what the tau are getting treated. (Giant arse sized suits and more flyers).

We are still the largest troop army with the most heavy choices.

[Julian Sharps]

Not to mention the best main battle tank in the game, but that's really only because the Falcon got nerfed with the new vehicle damage rules, and our only other real competition for the position is the Hammerhead.

For the record, my definition of "Main Battle Tank" is a tank that has either front AV 14, or AV 12+ with some permanent form of passive defense (eliminating all models based on the Rhino hull, Chimera hull, Land Speeders, Drop Pods, all Dark Eldar vehicles, all Ork vehicles except for the Battlewagon, all Eldar vehicles except for the Wave Serpent, Falcon and Fire Prism, all Necron vehicles, all flyers, all walkers, and the Tau Devilfish and Piranha), it has a turret-mounted main gun that does not have a limited number of shots available (eliminating the Tau Sky Ray and all Land Raiders), and is not primarily a transport (eliminating the Ork Battlewagon, the Eldar Wave Serpent, and for the sake of redundancy, all Land Raiders). This leaves the Imperial Guard Leman Russ, the Eldar Falcon and Fire Prism, and the Tau Hammerhead. Since there's no point in giving either the Falcon or Fire Prism holofields anymore (+XXX points to protect your tank from possibly being completely destroyed by a single Penetrating Hit? Not the bargain it was in previous editions), this leaves the Hammerhead with its Disruption Pods being the only competition the Leman Russ has in this regard.

Even with a more liberal definition that only limits it to AV 13+ tanks, the Russ is still one of the best tanks in the game for its points.

[WestRider]

More Weapons is what I think Rough Riders really need. At the very least, give them Laspistol/CCW on top of the Lance, so they've still got a decent number of Attacks after the Charge. Bringing back the option for Shotguns would be nice too. All of the above would be totally awesome, but seems somewhat unwieldy.

Scout could really help, too, both for repositioning pre-game and for Outflanking. Especially with improved Weapons Options. If they could come in 12" from the Board Edge and then open up with a couple of Meltas and maybe some Shotguns, they'd be a serious threat even without the ability to Charge on the turn they come in.