Topic: Chaos Plasma - Gets Really Hot

[MagicJuggler]

Back in 2nd edition, Plasma weapons could fire only every other turn, as the Imperium used extra failsafes on their cooling mechanisms. Chaos Space Marines cared not for such things as safety in battle and went the opposite route, overcharging their plasma weapons. This meant they could fire plasma every turn, but they had Gets Hot! Quite literally, overheating plasma was a special rule for Chaos.

"Given the contempt held for life by Chaos Space Marines it's unlikely they would be willing to trade off less firepower for a safer weapon anyway."

The rule proposal I have is as follows:

Any plasma weapons (including Plasma Pistols, Plasma Cannons, Ectoplasma Cannons, and Combiplasma) fired by a unit from Codex: Chaos Space Marines (or any related faction) replace Gets Hot with Gets Really Hot. A weapon with Gets Really Hot fires an additional shot more than would normally be allowed, but each roll of 1 means two saves must be taken/two HP are potentially lost.

For Rapid-fire weapons, this means firing two shots at maximum range, three shots at half-range (like First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire for Guard/Lasguns).

For a Helbrute under the effects of Fire Frenzy, this means the Cannon fires four times (it fires an additional shot, twice).

Let the lackeys of the False Emperor have their coolant systems and emergency overrides. It's not like they work after all...

[Wyddr]

I remember those days!

Yeah, I like this idea. Chaos needs a boost anyway.

[Spectral Arbor]

Chaos does need a boost. Like relentless havocs moved to the Troops slot. And then put on Bikes. For little-to-no points increase. And let everyone take a Reaper Autocannon.

Failing that... The extra shot is a guaranteed bonus, while the odds of being removed as a casualty only increase by a marginal degree. Current survival per shot is 94.4%. The double-wound decreases survival per shot to 90.7%.

Long Range: 1 shot current survival is 94.4%, Extra-Hot would be 82.3%.

Short Range: 2 Shots current survival is 89.1%, 3 Shots, Extra-Hot survival is 74.6%.

So 200% firepower at long range, for a 12% decrease in survivability. 150% firepower at short range, for 15% decrease in survivability.

Not that "Balance" has any particular meaning anymore, buuuutttt that's a notable benefit for little increase in risk. Which Chaos could use, to be fair.

[PS: Chaos was my first 40k army. Khornate Teminators immune to S3, virtual immunity to S4. Silly times, and I don't miss them.]

[Grand Master Lomandalis]

What about taking a rule from a previous edition?  If you want to use the extra shot you can, but instead of over heating on a 1 you over heat on a 1 and 2 if you take the extra shot.

[MagicJuggler]

Chaos does need a boost. Like relentless havocs moved to the Troops slot. And then put on Bikes. For little-to-no points increase. And let everyone take a Reaper Autocannon.

Failing that... The extra shot is a guaranteed bonus, while the odds of being removed as a casualty only increase by a marginal degree. Current survival per shot is 94.4%. The double-wound decreases survival per shot to 90.7%.

Long Range: 1 shot current survival is 94.4%, Extra-Hot would be 82.3%.

Short Range: 2 Shots current survival is 89.1%, 3 Shots, Extra-Hot survival is 74.6%.

So 200% firepower at long range, for a 12% decrease in survivability. 150% firepower at short range, for 15% decrease in survivability.

Not that "Balance" has any particular meaning anymore, buuuutttt that's a notable benefit for little increase in risk. Which Chaos could use, to be fair.

[PS: Chaos was my first 40k army. Khornate Teminators immune to S3, virtual immunity to S4. Silly times, and I don't miss them.]

I like your humor, especially since Eldar are making the Internet explode

I actually did most the math around a hypothetical duel of Loyalist and Traitors, both with 4 teams of 5 Marines, Plasmagun, Rhino. Assuming a duel was going on between two such forces, the Marine player gets 4 shots at long range while the Chaos one gets 8. The odds of all 4 loyalist Marines surviving is about 79.9%, the odds of all 4 Chaos Marines surviving about 45.9%, and this is over the course of one turn alone.

At the 12" range bracket, the Loyalists have 2 shots each, the Traitors have 3 shots each. The Loyalists have a 63% chance of all their dudes surviving, the Traitors a 25%.

The real winners of Chaos would be Plague Marines, Termicide, Plasmabrutes, Obliterators, and Ectoplasma Fiends. To a lesser extent, Plasma Raptors become something resembling a Chaos equivalent of DE Scourges.

[Calamity]

What about taking a rule from a previous edition?  If you want to use the extra shot you can, but instead of over heating on a 1 you over heat on a 1 and 2 if you take the extra shot.

Just putting it out there, but firing more shots with plasma does increase the changes of it overheating.  That's why people where worried about the Leman Russ Executioner getting Gets Hot.  Is the 'power up' of Gets Hot necessary?