The Air Hog - Farrow Light Warbeast

[zionson]

The Air Hogs are an idea borne from a clash between the Farrow and the Legion of Everblight. After pulling a narrow victory over the dragon's abominable spawns in an encounter on the outer fringes of Scarsfell, Lord Carver was convinced that the Legion's air superiority were what made the battle more difficult than would have been otherwise. Carver demanded that Dr. Arkadius create a warbeast that could take to the skies, his visions filled with Farrow raining doom upon the cities of man like a dark cloud. He supervised its development closely, paying daily visits to Arkadius' laboratory with an obsessive intensity that unsettled the doctor. After repeated frustrations and failed experiments leading to the chagrin of the Farrow warlord, a breakthrough came when Arkadius discovered that the jowls of the beasts were perfect receptacles for a gaseous substance that allowed the otherwise earthbound Farrow to float. Carefully selected specimens underwent the procedure and were outfitted with experimental ornithopters and a crude handheld propeller that Lord Carver ordered to be converted into sharpened implements of war. The result is a collaborative masterpiece that combines the mad genius of Dr. Arkadius and the grand military visions of Lord Carver.

AIR HOG
Minion Farrow Light Warbeast

SPD 5
STR 8
MAT 5
RAT 5
DEF 15
ARM 14
CMD 6

Flight

PROPELLER NEEDLE P+S 14
Lance - This weapon can only be used to make charge attacks. When this model charges, this weapon gains until the charge is resolved.

PROPELLER BLADES x2 P+S 12

FURY 3, THRESHOLD 8

ANIMUS: When Pigs Fly - 2 Fury, Target model/unit gains Bounding Leap

POINT COST: 6
FA:U

[cannonball]

Fun if true!

[PG_Devilsquid]

Is it a cheaply made helecopter that has comercials on TV?

[Landero]

The picture looks very convincing (and awesome!)

Also, Arkadius with Bounding Leap. When Scientists Fly.

[diehard]

That is priceless. Very cool (and funny), thanks for sharing.

[cannonball]

Agree, fun even if not true.

Although....

[Dracon]

They should totally do something like this!!!!

[Bastille]

Thanks for sharing that Zionson. The unit entry preamble in particular greatly amused me.
Also, Porco Rosso is awesome.

[dboeren]

+1 for Porco Rosso. Tends to get overlooked for Miyazaki's better known works but it's a fine film. Gotta say though that Kiki is probably my favorite despite the lack of pork.

Anyway, back to the model... He's got two POW 12 Reach attacks and an extra POW 14 Reach on the charge. That's good for some infantry-killing but his MAT 5 isn't going to make it easy. He's also a bit fragile but with very good DEF for pigs. I'm not sure about 6 points, but I'd definitely pay 5. He seems like he's made to go with S&D so his MAT can be bumped to higher levels.

[Menite Ninja]

I have never thought that a home grown beast should be submitted more. Privateer needs to make this happen. The picture seals it and the fluff was A) funny as hell and B) I could see myself reading this in mark III.

[Hoyled]

Good fluff and the concept looks nicely balenced. Though Im wondering if the propeller blades should just be one weapon with sustained attack. I kinda just picture it hitting with one blade and letting the engine handle the rest. Id get this model, and the rest of the pigs to go with it.

[Dracon]

To make it even moonier, give it the ability to boost it's speed, which would happen when 'unused gases' come out the other end.

[PG_Rave0183]

Love love love it!
INstead of the pow 14 only on the charge. Could see that replaced with a 6" spray. The pig releases the gasses in his jowels. Loses flight for a round to unleash it. Maybe give assault to use it in melee...mmmm...so funny
I want one!
I want three!

[Benejeseret]

The name of the Animus alone is enough to cause a minions revolt. Let's rise up and demand they make such a hog!!

What I would love to see in terms of mechanics on a light.

-Extended Control Range
-Flight
-Ambush (this one is a reeeal stretch - but an ambushing beast would be worth higher point costs)
-I'd prefer some short ranged abilities over reach.
---OR, (since I love your picture) what if they had Thresher since this makes more sense for propellers

I think bounding leap should be a 1 fury cost taken off the president of minutemen light warjack that can Bounding Leap for 1 focus.


The idea is to have something similar to the Hunter/Minutemen light cygnar warjacks.


*Also, you'll need a great name as well to help sell the idea. So many of our units are named after famous historical references (slaughterhousers, Carver, Sturm und Drang) that keeping up this theme would be great. Some thing like "The Fokker Scourge" or Richthofen or somesuch - even better would be both historical and tongue in cheek as past farrow names have been both up-front descriptive and deeper-meaning historic.

**Ha, what about: Farrow Adynaton, light warbeast

[SageofLodoss]

Note that Bounding Leap requires that you be forced, so the animus being "model/unit" won't work. The non-forced variation found on infantry and solos is Jump.

[Pirrekurr]

I love it. I have been lobbying for flying pigs for a long time. The only thing I have to criticise is that it would have to be an Air Boar since Hogs are heavy beasts and Boars seems to be light warbeasts.

[PG_Rave0183]

Second name change from air hog...copyright infrigment pending from radio controlled helicopters =P

[Azahul]

I want this to be real so, so much. It's everything I want in a new Warbeast. Although, as someone mentioned, Sustained Attack might be a better way to represent the propeller weapon.

I will add that the artwork is amazing. Comparing it to one of my War Hog models, I'm impressed at how closely you've managed to mimic the aesthetics the War Hog sports.

[zionson]

SKY BOAR (aka AIR HOG v2.0)

- Added bone charms around the model to signify some magic-assisted flight. Possibly stolen animi from slain enemy beasts.
- Added fur around the boar. It must be mighty cold up in the skies.
- Reduced the size of the wings for more giggles. Made the appearance more tattered to better fit the resourceful Farrow.
- Added inflation tube and scars on the double chin. Seems more like Arkadius' style.
- Made the propeller needle square-ish to better fit the Farrow aesthetic
- Made the propeller blades more like butcher's cleavers. Feels more bacon-y.

Minion Farrow Light Warbeast

SPD 5
STR 8
MAT 6
RAT 4
DEF 15
ARM 14
CMD 6

Flight

PROPELLER NEEDLE P+S 14
Lance - This weapon can only be used to make charge attacks. When this model charges, this weapon gains until the charge is resolved.

PROPELLER BLADES P+S 14
Sustained Attack

FURY 3, THRESHOLD 8

ANIMUS: When Pigs Fly - 2 Fury, Target friendly faction model gains Jump

POINT COST: 6
FA:U

- Incorporated excellent suggestions from other folks: Changed name to Sky Boar (although I still like Air Hog precisely because of the play on the existing toys); Increased MAT to 6, lowered RAT to 4; Increased Propeller Blades P+S to 14, reduced number to 1, changed to Sustained Attack; Changed Animus to Jump instead of Bounding Leap, so it can be applied to other models as opposed to Bounding Leap, which only applies to beasts or jacks. Changed to apply only to friendly faction models.

New Art:

[zionson]

The idea behind this light warbeast is to fill some holes in the current Farrow army model selection. Another warbeast is good because we need more animi. The animus chosen is Jump, which should extend the viability of current units, especially Slaughterhousers. It also gives the Farrow army more movement shenanigan options, which seems to be a trend among most of the models in the army (Massacre, Mobility, Goad, Telekinesis, Sprint, etc., etc.). This gives a Farrow army some unpredictable threat ranges, which should add to the versatility of any Farrow model. It also gives the Farrow a light warbeast with Reach, as we currently don't have any beasts with Reach. Flight allows it to get to where it needs to go. There's a melee heavy (War Hog) and a ranged heavy (Road Hog), so the melee-oriented Sky Boar complements the ranged Gun Boar. Nothing fancy here, just looking at a solid model that could fill a hole in an army with a limited model selection.

[Decade]

I like this idea a lot, both for the sheer camp of it, and that this thing could definitely be a viable beast if PP made it. I love the second concept art much more than the first. The 1st draft looked too cartoonish, while the new one looks much more menacing, even though we're still talking about a flying pig with a propeller.

Something silly that I wouldn't recommend adding but would be funny is some sort of ability that relates to the idea of a flying pig being really improbable, like:
Walking improbability: This model automatically hits on attacks that would automatically miss.

[deadboytat2]

I want this now right now. Make it so Privateer Press Make it so!!

[Azahul]

Aw man, that thing looks amazing. When/if we get a melee light, I'm going to be comparing it to this chap, and it's going to have to be damned brilliant to measure up...

[nightman]

Looks like an awesome idea, but now I can't get Pink Floyd out of my head

[cannonball]

Great work but compared to a Gun Boar at 1pt more there is a large gap. As much as I don't won't to I think the damage grid on this beast wouod need to be pretty woeful.

Also Dr. Ark can get this this light to POW 16 attacks with DEF 17! I' feeling almost like LoE...

[mcdermott]

I'm not sure I recall ever seeing an animus that targets a unit. I assumed the versatility of getting a new spell when you got a beast pretty much restricted animii to a model basis.

[PG_Tentunf]

That is some fine work. I love the fluff. The second drawing is 51 flavours of awesome. It even has pig puns!

Hats off to you.

[zionson]

I'm not sure I recall ever seeing an animus that targets a unit. I assumed the versatility of getting a new spell when you got a beast pretty much restricted animii to a model basis.

You are correct! Just reviewed all animi in the books. I changed wording on the Animus.

[Bob of Doom]

Great work but compared to a Gun Boar at 1pt more there is a large gap. As much as I don't won't to I think the damage grid on this beast wouod need to be pretty woeful.

I don't know, I still think that the gun boar deserves some love even if this guy appears. Gun boar still serves as a good beast and its the only real way we can control the board through throws. Also its a great transfer target that I don't care about where as this guy I want alive.

Also Dr. Ark can get this this light to POW 16 attacks with DEF 17! I' feeling almost like LoE...

Just you wait, soon we'll have a furry mechanical tower that eats our enemies

[Hoyled]

Thats some nifty concept art. Plus you took my suggestion.

Rorsh might like this guy as a way to boost Brines movement tricks to the next level

[Pirrekurr]

I love the concept, the art and the rules. For the first time I actually want PP to make a model based on fanmade art/rules. But there are a few things I feel are improbable. I don't believe that farrow ever will get a beast with reach. Of course I hope they will but I have kind of given up on it. Therefore I belive that at least the Propeller blades would not be reach. Maybe making them smaller and fatter instead but keeping Thresher or giving it Sustained Attack instead. Maybe Critical Sustained Attack on the Lance. So if you charged something and the Lance embedds itself in the torso of a big warbeast the whole model would dig itself right through the torso. It would also keep down the price of the beast since it would become less effective.

It would also be cool if the gas or whatever that makes them lighter than air was explosive. Center an AOE on the model when it dies that makes normal or fire damage. Another option would be that it does 1d3 damage to models b2b with it when i dies, like an inverted Bacon. The anti-Bacon so to speak.

If one would make them explosive, maybe make an alternate version for ranged support, or make the model more combined arms by adding a range weapon. I guess it would be to much comic relief if it did a POW 10-12 with corrosion or critical corrosion to models it passes over (yes, we are talking farting here) but that combined with immunity to corrosion would be cool. Another way to show how foul they smell because if the gas would be if they had Abomination...

Also, I don't know about def 15 since thay are essentially ballons with a motor. It is fairly easy to hit that with a rifle. Maybe lower DEF but something that adds to the DEF in melee since thay just float up and the people on the ground has to jump up to hit them. Maybe enemies with Flight and Jump would still hit them quite easily.

When I started to write this I thought I would just give praise, and it really is an awesome model, but here I have thrown some ideas out there to use or throw away. Do with them as you wish.

[RevolverAdamska]

Ok now i want it! Now ... Now... Nooooooow! Outstanding!
Imho :
mat 5 rat 5
Lance rng 8 pow 13 Drag.
PROPELLER BLADES P+S 14, Sustained Attack

Now worth 6 point =)

[Rotfell]

I'm a real fan of your fan arts!

For the model-idea itself: Shouldn't have many life, if it would be still 6 points and I don't think, the normal melee need reach.

But I'd find it really cool, if the Sky Boar would explode, when killed (explosive gases, nay?), in a AoE4 and a POW 12. Gun Boars gives Bacon, Sky Boars gives damage.

[Dracon]

Why wouldn't we ever get a beast with reach? We only have three at the moment and two are ranged. And we do have infantry with reach.

[Waaargh]

Strong work there Zionson

[FeignLife]

This is the most amazing homebrew I have ever seen, and the art is amazing. This as a model would make me legitimately consider starting Farrow. One thousand internets to you, good sir.

[Pirrekurr]

Why wouldn't we ever get a beast with reach? We only have three at the moment and two are ranged. And we do have infantry with reach.

I just have a feeling that reach will be for the "real" factions. I am just accepting my place as a scavanger on the outskirts of society. Much like that outcast farrow we all love so much. I hope we will get both reach beasts and arc nodes. But belive in neither. But no one would be more happy than me if I am wrong.

[Bob of Doom]

I am just accepting my place as a scavanger on the outskirts of society.

I think since we are scavengers its more likely we'll get reach weapons. We'll have more guns and easy to build things like lances. I don't for see a heavy with reach, but a light sure.

[zionson]

Nooooo! Banished (rightly, alas) to the Fan Creations forum where it will fade quicker into obscurity! Oh Air Hog (aka Sky Boar), we hardly knew ye ...

[Azahul]

I still found ye!

I find this an interesting example of a really expensive Light that you'd still want to use with Arkadius. Since every Warbeast with Arkadius is competing with 7 point War Hogs, it takes something special to squeeze in. Still, I figure a Defence 17 Light could do it (as someone else suggested, add Forced Evolution for fun and profit ).