VIGILUM OBSCUR - THE LION GUARD

DARK ANGEL SPECIAL UNITS

Vigilum Obscur - Lion Guard (0-1)

Point cost: 50 points Order of Battle: Headquarters Choice. A single unit of Lion Guard may be taken in any unforgiven army that is lead by a Grandmaster. The unit is an HQ unit for all intents and purposes but does not take up an HQ slot in the force organization chart. Unit Size: 2-10 watchers Creation: The watchers are psychically talented beings that are not under the control of the Dark Angels. Why they help the angels or when and where they appear is beyond any one's comprehension. Thus, to reflect this, when a squad of the Lion Guard is chosen and paid for, the Dark Angel player rolls 2D6. That is the number of watchers who mysteriously appear on the eve of the battle. A dice roll of 11 or 12, results in no watchers appearing. Then for each watcher roll a D6 and the number rolled is the number that determines the type of watchers. (Note that there are 6 types of watchers, numbered from 1-6) Deployment: Although taken as one unit the watchers are assigned to individual characters in the following manner. Up to two watchers may be assigned to each independent character in the army. A single watcher may be assigned to each non-independent character belonging to a command squad. Each Independent character must be assigned at least one watcher before you can assign them to non independent characters. If any non-independent characters are detached to other units, as described in the SM Command Squad Rules, then any watcher attached to those characters will accompany them, and any effects then transposed to the new squad. If a character is killed then the assigned watcher disappears along with any attribute he may have given the accompanying squad. Limitations: Watchers are not counted towards squad numbers when checking for losses or victory points. They cannot get involved in close or ranged combat. They cannot block line of sight nor can they block the charge of an enemy towards their character.

By Shadow Guard

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Watchers - Sub-types 1.Watcher Squire Assigned watcher may carry any one single or double handed weapon for his attached character. Thus, the three weapons carried by the character and the watcher may be used by the character in any combination. This combination may change between the shooting phase and the assault phase. The character has to pay the additional cost the for extra weapon. 2.Watcher Psychic The watchers innate and extremely psychic powers stabilize the warp near his presence. This allows any psychically attuned character to use his psychic talents better. Re-roll any failed psychic tests, once per turn. 3.Watcher Healer The watcher's innate powers are used to heal horrendous wounds that might kill or maim even a space marine. Once per game the watcher may perform his healing to his attached character, if the character is reduced to zero wounds, regardless of the type of weapon causing the wound (PW, S >double T) To do so roll a D6 and on a 4+ the character stands up again with one wound.  If the healer watcher is attached to the apothecary, then he enhances the apothecary and this effect may be used on any character in the command squad. 4.Watcher Protector The watcher uses his powers to alter the plane of reality and warp against an enemy assaulting his character. The character will always strike first in close combat, when defending against an enemy assault, regardless of the enemy's initiative and other factors. This effect is present only in the first round of close combat. This does not affect the initiative if the character initiates the charge. 5.Watcher of Vision This watcher focuses the psyche of the attached character providing accuracy for his weapons. Also removes the shadows and darkness from his visual fields. This allows the character a single re-roll for his to-hit rolls each turn. In addition it has the effect of having an auspex in detecting infiltrators. 6.Watcher of faith The watcher imbues a flood of faith amongst the strongly faithful space marines. Any squad to whom the attached character belongs, receives the stubborn attribute. If the watcher is attached to the standard bearer, the range of effect of the standard increases to 9". If the watcher is attached to an Interrogator- chaplain then any squad within 6" of the chaplain will behave as though they he were attached to them, ie become stubborn.

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Design Notes The idea of the Lion Guard was one that had been long dormant in my imagination as I had always wished to deploy the enigmatic watchers in the game. A recent burst of creativity within the Dark Angels forum of the B+C board brought our long suppressed memories and the Lion Guard in their current incarnation was born. Much credit muct go to the ever helpful frater domeii of the forum in particular, Master Toddius. What I have tried to do is to keep the enigmatic and mysterious nature of the watchers and bring home the fact that they are never under the control of the Dark Angels. I also wanted something that would enhance the game from a background point of view rather than creating additional powerful units. I've tried to add the special features which allow slight improvements to the squads and characters while preventing them from unbalancing game play. The initial cost of the unit may seem cheap at first glance but having to pay 50 points (that's 5 points per watcher at the cheapest), and then rolling to see how many appear, and then again to determine what types, provides the degree of unknown. This also further enhances the mysteriousness attached to these beings. They are not at the beck and call of the DA. They appear and disappear at will.