Topic: I want to play Squats!

[MagicJuggler]

Hello. I'm insane, and have an urge to play as Squats. Sadly, they're dead. I want rules that could proxy them properly. What army should I use? I'm currently tossed up between having them "count-as" Space-marines (attack-bikes and landraiders), or having them "count as" Orks. I'm leaning towards the second option so far, with Squat Gyrocopters, attack bikes, and Exo-armor providing much ranged destruction. That and their higher toughness relative to strength, and their low initiative, fit the Dwarf profile more than the Marines do.

What would you advise ruleswise to properly represent these beardy gits?

[Rasmus]

1. I saw a guy use Marine Scouts as the trooper squats, adding bikes, attackbikes and thundercannons as most everything else. It worked well for him.
2. Orks have more character to them, but it takes bit more work.
3. Use the Squat codex in the thread on this very forum.

[MagicJuggler]

I would probably write an army and make it a hybrid of the original Squat army composition (Warlord+Hearthguard for one HQ, Engineering Guildmaster [Counts as Wazzdakka Gutsmek] for another), and perhaps adapt a few elements from Fantasy Dwarfs (lots of Big Gunz/artillery emplacements/etc). Battlewagons would form a Land Train, used for transporting Squat Thunderers (Shoota Boyz) into battle, while bikers and attack trikes (as well as Gyrocopters) would provide mobile fire-support. It would be a fun army, designed for mechanized combat at range.

[Lucky_Jackal]

The thing is. Squats aren't realy a hord army. There not running into combat with assault weapons, there should be more like the IG sept with better gear.

I got to say thow, the idea of Marine Scouts as the trooper squats, adding bikes, attackbikes and thundercannons sounds not half bad.

[MagicJuggler]

Yet at the same time, the idea of Initiative 4 Ninja-Squats seems a bit...off if you ask me. I like the T4 S3 I2 of Orks as it's fittingly Dwarf-like. I would lean more towards Deffwing-styled composition due to the old fluff that a Squat Warlord would have to equip his Hearthguard for war as the first troops sent in before he could properly conscript other Squats into service, as to prevent overambition for war. So the first troops choice would be functionally Meganobz. The second troops choice would probably be Ard-boy shootaz with big-shootas thrown in the mix. I also like Ork Bikers because their guns have a LOT of dakka for such a cheap profile, and I would use lots of Battlewagon type vehicles for heavy support, to represent a Land Train.

[Rasmus]

The thing is. Squats aren't realy a hord army. There not running into combat with assault weapons, there should be more like the IG sept with better gear.

Although parts of the Squat army DO charge into battle with assault weapons blazing, it is not the favoured course of the army in total, that's true.

Yet at the same time, the idea of Initiative 4 Ninja-Squats seems a bit...off if you ask me. I like the T4 S3 I2 of Orks as it's fittingly Dwarf-like.

   So you have a problem with having decent mediocre stats but not with the Waagh!-rule representing the Squats? Ok. Best of luck in your project. Let us know how it goes.

[MagicJuggler]

Is that sarcasm I hear?   

The reason I have issue with initiative four is it feels so...Elf-like you know? Squats are slow-but-tough gits that take a beating and dish one out in return...

[Sergeant Olezka]

With the ork list you can incorporate some wacky miniatures.

Like this:

http://olleysarmies.co.uk/psychicscrunts.html

When I saw that I thought to myself, "what a perfect shokk attak gun".

Sorry for the plug but I am an unashamed Bob Olley fanboy.