INQ18 Inquisition Cohorts

[Cenobite451]

Problem: While I quite like Jacob Dryearth's =]17[= rules, I've noticed that it tends to result in Inquisitors that run to 500+ credits if you try to make them feel, well, Inquisitor-y, and the nature of the action economy in this game means that no fighter can possibly be worth that much (unless you cheese the absolute hell out of the system, and even then you're running uphill). This isn't particularly a problem if both players are running that sort of cohort, but if not then an Inquisition warband will tend to do very badly against a mob of cultists simply by virtue of being outnumbered 3:1 or more, which sort of implies that Inquisitors are terrible at their jobs.

Solution: Give Inquisition warbands their own rules! Well, mainly just Inquisitors really. Proceeding from the thesis that A) Inquisitors should feel like Inquisitors (tough, experienced, highly idiosyncratic in their approach, and the best mental stats in the game bar none), and B) there's a serious "diminishing returns" issue with highly expensive elite fighters, this is what I've come up with:

INQUISITOR
(COHORT LEADER) - 350 credits

M​ WS​ BS​ S​ T​ W​ I​ A​ 5"​ 3+​ 3+​ 3​ 3​ 3​ 3+​ 3​

Ld​ Cl​ WP​ Int​ 4+​ 4+​ 4+​ 4+​

EQUIPMENT

• The Inquisitor comes with up to 250 credits' worth of weapons and equipment from the Trading Post and/or Black Market, for free. This does not increase their value. If taking an Archaeotech Device, Malefic Artefact, or Xenoculum from this initial allowance, choose the result rather than rolling. (Try to be sensible and not abuse this.)
• The Inquisitor can use any weapon, though it's worth noting that few Inquisitors choose to arm themselves with anything larger than a sidearm under normal circumstances.

SKILLS

• The Inquisitor gains Iron Will and four other Primary skills at cohort creation, which cost no XP and do not increase their credit value. (Again, try to be sensible here.)
• The Inquisitor treats all skills except for wyrd powers as Primary skills, including skills which are normally restricted to a particular gang. (Not all skills will be appropriate to all Inquisitors, of course, but as with equipment the remedy is simple - don't take them!)
• The Inquisitor can be upgraded with the Sanctioned Psyker rule for +50 credits, in which case they also treat wyrd powers as Primary skills (and may therefore select them from their initial skill allowance).

SPECIAL RULES

• Above the Law: Inquisitors answer to no authority but their own. Inquisitor-led cohorts are neither Law-Abiding nor Outlaw, but decide their alignment on a case-by-case basis. (For example, they may freely visit both the Trading Post and the Black Market, and may effectively ignore any alignment-based hiring restrictions.) If a particular rule has differing effects based on alignment, they must still choose one or the other.
• Multifarious Origins: Amongst the teeming masses of humanity, Inquisitors are invariably exceptional individuals and no two are exactly alike. At cohort creation, choose WS, BS, S, T, or I, and Ld, Cl, WP, or Int. Improve both the chosen stats by 1. This is not an Advance and does not increase their credit value.
• Cohort Leader; Cohort Hierarchy (Leader); Tools of the Trade; Group Activation (2)
• Inured to Insanity: This fighter can never gain the Insanity condition.
• Old Dogs: By the time that their rosette is granted, Inquisitors invariably have decades if not centuries of experience under their belts, and more often than not have already come close to the peak of their abilities. Double the XP cost of any Advance.

So there you have it. (If it wasn't clear, this is meant to be used in conjunction with the aforementioned =]17[= rules, though I suppose it doesn't have to be.) Obviously, you can break the hell out of it if you really want to, but if that's the case then Inquisimunda probably isn't for you.

Any thoughts?

 

[NoHiveForOldMen]

Statline is pretty standard for a gang boss but better, maybe 3W and 3A a little too much?
How about a unique Injury mechanism/rule where the Inquisitor has access to the best Bionics available so actually gets better each time he's hurt?
Bulk out the squad with a 'Press gang' - hive scum, bounty hunter, dome runners etc added randomly to gang for each battle. Not permanent members of the team but can be recruited on occasion if you like the randomised loadout on a particular fighter. This would add some meat shields and also be fun to randomly pick from whatever spare mini's you've got lying around. Give him a whole squad of tempestus scions/catachans/valhallans or whatever you've got lying around for the odd one-off big scenario if the narrative fits?

 

[Cenobite451]

3W and 3A feels about right to me. It's true that none of the standard House gang leaders get that (though Road Captains are 3/2 and Gang Queens are 2/3), but that's sort of the point. Inquisitors are a cut above, and not just mentally - they have to be hard as nails and deadly in a fight if they've lived long enough to earn the rosette.

The bionics thing is interesting, though perhaps better suited to an Explorator or something - not that there aren't plenty of Darth Vader-esque Inquisitors running around, but I don't think it's exactly the default either. The press gang thing is a neat idea too. They sort of run contrary to what I'm aiming to accomplish, though, which is to create a sort of "generic" Inquisitor (inasmuch as there is such a thing) - something broadly representative that can be taken in whatever direction you see fit. Some Inquisitors would certainly go in for the cannon-fodder approach, but others prefer the small, trusted coterie of companions, so any rule that pushes things in one direction or the other would be counterproductive. Plus, truly random loadouts could require a LOT of spare models if you like to keep things WYSIWYG.

That said, I do love me some random encounters. Could be great for baddies in solo play, or throwing a wrench in the works if you're arbitrating a narrative game between other players. You may have just inspired me to make up a stack of spare Hive Scum fighter cards.

 

[Cenobite451]

ROGUE TRADER
(COHORT LEADER) - 300 credits

M​ WS​ BS​ S​ T​ W​ I​ A​ 5"​ 3+​ 3+​ 3​ 3​ 2​ 3+​ 2​

Ld​ Cl​ WP​ Int​ 4+​ 5+​ 5+​ 5+​

EQUIPMENT

• The Rogue Trader comes with up to 250 credits' worth of weapons and equipment from the Trading Post and/or Black Market, for free. This does not increase their value. If taking an Archaeotech Device or Xenoculum from this initial allowance, choose the result rather than rolling. (Making all the Rogue Trader's weapons Master-Crafted is not obligatory, but highly encouraged!)
• The Rogue Trader can use any weapon except for Heavy weapons - no Rogue Trader worth their warrant would be caught dead lugging around something so inelegant.

SKILLS

• The Rogue Trader gains Savvy Trader and three other Primary skills at cohort creation, which cost no XP and do not increase their credit value.
• The Rogue Trader treats Leadership and any two other skill lists as Primary, and a further two as Secondary. (At the Arbitrator's discretion, this may or may not include gang-specific skill lists.)

SPECIAL RULES

• A Law Unto Themselves: The Warrant of Trade grants broad remit to engage in activities that would be considered illegal if not outright heretical for most Imperial citizens. Regardless of whether it is Law-Abiding or Outlaw, a Rogue Trader's cohort has full access to both the Trading Post and the Black Market. Furthermore, a Law-Abiding Rogue Trader cohort may recruit fighters that are normally Outlaw-only, with the exception of those that are Chaos-affiliated. (If in doubt, as always, the Arbitrator has final say.)
• Cohort Leader; Cohort Hierarchy (Leader); Tools of the Trade; Group Activation (2)
• Wealth Beyond Measure: Even the poorest Rogue Trader's personal resources are such that "currency" is little more than an abstract concept. When creating cohorts on a fixed credit allowance, a Rogue Trader's cohort has its initial allowance increased by 200 credits.

Because why not. Might do an Explorator equivalent at some point as well, if I can think of a good (and reasonably straightforward) "More Machine Than Man" rule - per NoHiveForOldMen's idea, probably something to do with handling injuries. Any suggestions?