Gladiator Variant Datasheet Changes - normanthesquid/wh40k-fundapocalypse GitHub Wiki

Gladiator Chassis

In general, the Impulsor datasheet was used as the basis for the Gladiator datasheets.

Differences:

Since the Gladiator has 1 more toughness than the Impulsor in 9e, the Apoc save was improved from 6+ to 5+. This matches the save of other T8 units, like the Stalker.

Notes:

Since the Impulsor has fly in Apocalypse, we also gave it to the Gladiators, even though neither has fly in 9e.

Gladiator Lancer

The Lancer is a relatively straightforward datasheet. It has the same sponson options as the Impulsor, so we reused the "Impulsor Defensive Weapons System" profile.

Aquilon Optics

The Aquilon Optics ability was copied over verbatim from 9e. Note that the Repulsor Executioner also has an ability named "Aquilon Optics" in Apocalypse, but these two abilities do different things. An argument could be made that the Lancer should also get the shoot twice version, but we are leaving it as is for now

Lancer Laser Destroyer

A quick search did not find any directly equivalent weapon to the Lancer Laser Destroyer as presented in 9e.

It is very close to a lascannon, but has more range, 2 attacks instead of 1, 1 more point of S, and more consistent damage.

The next closest weapon is the Vindicator Demolisher cannon, which has the same S and AP, but the Demolisher Cannon profile seems SIGNIFICANTLY improved in Apocalypse - Instead of wounding on 10+/5+, it wounds on 6+/6+, and has Destroyer. This may be due to it being a d6 shot weapon instead of 1 or 2, but more comparison is probably needed.

At this time, we decided to give the Lancer Laser Destroyer the same SAP and SAT as a Lascannon, with the improved range and number of shots.

Gladiator Reaper

The Gladiator Reaper chassis has no notable differences. It also cannot take the Impulsor sponsons, so it does not have the "Impulsor Defensive Weapons System" profile here.

Twin Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon

Easy conversion - copied the Onslaught Gatling Cannon profile, doubled the number of shots

Tempest Bolter

This was a difficult conversion, and highlighted some of the comparison differences for squad weapons and vehicle weapons in Apocalypse. Simply put, the Storm Bolter is two boltguns duct taped together, and the Tempest Bolter is two Storm Bolters duct taped together. Our first thought was to just double the number of shots, but there is a snag: In Apocalypse, a storm bolter with double the number of shots already has a name: Hurricane Bolter. This is suprising, since Hurricane Bolters should have triple the number of shots, not double.

We compared all four bolter weapons:

Weapon 9e Attacks A SAP SAT
Boltgun 1 User 7+ 9+
Storm Bolter 2 1 9+ 10+
Tempest Bolter 4 ?? ?? ??
Hurricane Bolter 6 2 7+ 9+

This shows a design philosophy for Apocalypse: sometimes more shots means more shots, sometimes more shots means more wounding. We decided to split the difference for the Tempest Bolter, give it 2 attacks and 9+/10+, and stop worrying about it.

Gladiator Valiant

The Gladiator Valiant was the simplest conversion of the three. Multi-meltas already have an Apocalypse Profile, and the Twin Las-talon profile was created by doubling the shots on the existing Las-talon profile

A Note on PL

These three units have different PLs in 9e: Gladiator Lancer - 11 PL Gladiator Reaper - 12 PL Gladiator Valiant - 13 PL

However, in Apocalypse, 13 PL is equivalent to a Land Raider. We decided to look at a range of PLs near the Gladiator PLs in 9e:

Predator - 8 PL
Redemptor Dreadnought - 9 PL
Gladiator Lancer - 11 PL
Gladiator Reaper - 12 PL
Gladiator Valiant - 13 PL
Land Raider - 15 PL

And compared them to Apocalypse:

Predator - 7 PL
Redemptor Dreadnought - 10 PL
Gladiator Lancer - ?? PL
Gladiator Reaper - ?? PL
Gladiator Valiant - ?? PL
Land Raider - 13 PL

In the end, we chose to give the Gladiators 9, 10, and 11 PL, respectively. The fact that the Redemptor went up in PL, when the predator and land raider went down, suggest that there is no way to make this a clean conversion - Remember rule 4 - "We are not trying to be perfect - we are just trying to allow everyone to play with their cool new models."