Eldar: Dire Avenger Armoury

[Calixtus]

Dire Armour ~ Auxiliary Drive

The Dire Armour is a highly advanced armour designed exclusively for the Dire Avengers and features advanced sensory systems with the primary objective of creating a tactically flexible armour able to attain and maintain the benefits that are normally exclusive to either range or assault troops only. In effect, the Dire Avenger becomes a range warrior with the capabilities of an assault specialist. Inset into each and every Aspect Armour is a complex system, varying in form and purpose from each Armour, that forms the core and fulfills the intent as required of the Armour. The Eldar refer to this system that is characteristic of the Armour itself as a Drive. In the case of the Drive of the Dire Armour, the Eldar incorporates the use of a technology that has become defined by the Eldar Mesh Armour, in fact it is a characteristic present in all versions of Aspect Armour. The surface of the Armour consists of thousands of tiny thermo-plastic cells that are highly psycho-responsive in nature. When blast pressure or gunshot is impressed upon it, the mesh of cells meld together into a rigid defence. This offers the Dire Avengers unrestricted mobility, yet the ability to attain the defensive capabilities of armour several times its weight in an instant. This in of itself becomes highly characteristic of Dire Avengers, with the aim of enabling them to better fulfill their niche as a fast response unit. However the true ability of the Dire Armour is revealed to be beneath the surface, an inlaied layer with the same characteristics as its exposed counterpart, in fact being of the same make with the little difference of it being psychically interwoven with the myriad of advance senses incorporated throughout the Armour. This is the Auxiliary Drive, a device that in conjunction with the advance senses scattered throughout, becomes a highly complex and responsive system that is tremendously effective for its intended purpose. Like its name suggest, its primary objective is to aid the movements of the wearer, to the extent of every nuance of gesture and intent, the Armour itself psychically responding to the wearer's thoughtforms. What happens is that this meshed layer that extends throughout the frame of the Armour acts like a muscle tissue within the body, its contractions and relaxations akin to the melding and loosening of the layer complex. Combined with the advance sensory systems emitted at strategic points of the Armour, every single nuance of motion and posture is augmented to its optimum form, the degrees of fulfillment fine-tuned by the perfect monitors of intent and thought. A fine example to illustrate the extent of the intuitive and objective interface of responses that constitute the Auxiliary Drive is the fact that in the enacting of a punch, the corresponding mesh layers of the upper arm and the joints of the shoulder in relation to the movements of a punch constrict, and upon the eventual release of the punch, the mesh layer disperses its rigidity, propelling the arm forward in much the same manner as a spring, and upon the punch reaching its extent and target, the entire mesh work from the shoulder joint onwards to the very limits of the fingers harden, stiffening the blow. What this means is that a myriad of actions that would not be possible within a certain frame of time becomes accessible, in essence allowing the wearer to multi-task. Actions that would normally be impossible due to the restrictions of impediments involved and simply by the sheer difficulty in actualising the process becomes inconsequential. On another note, the armour is especially revered by Exarches that prefer the dual Catapults weapon configuration, as by melding the cells within an entire flank, the arms of the Exarch becomes braced, completely eliminating any difficulty and differences that might be incurred from firing weapons that were designed to be used by both hands. In effect the Armour achieves increased dexterity and unhindered flow of movement, transforming the Dire Avenger into the definitive warrior in the truest sense.

Armour of the Eldar:
Dire Avengers count as having two close combat weapons despite being equipped with a Shuriken Catapult, and suffer no penalties on the Charge.

Deflector Sleeve ~ Shimmershield

The Dire Armour is characterised by several outfittings that serve to augment the tactical options of the wearer, making the Armour a multi-purpose one. The Deflector Sleeve is one such outfitting that is common issue in every form of Dire Armour. It is by its appearance an unseeming protrusion to the form of the Armour that appears at the forearm, commonly decided to be in the left arm. The field it generates is known as the Shimmershield, which is activated by psychic means and through the simple gesture of the flick of the arm in the direction of the incoming projectile. A short range field is generated, by which appearance is onset by a dazzling display of shimmering lights that interlace and weave inextricably, yet maintaining the stance of seamless union, despite being separate strands. This field contains an immensely strong magnetic potential for its size, that pulses constantly with varying fluctuations in the intensity of the field in direct correspondence with the movements of the shifting waves of light. Any projectile, solid or energy, becomes inexorably repelled and vector off in relation to its point of incidence. Although it must be said that despite the inherent strength of the field, without the physical redirection present in the form of the purposeful flick set against the movements of the incoming projectile, the Shimmershield would not have the same decisive response in the business of deflection. That said, the Shimmershield suffers some what from shots fired at close proximity or at approximately half the intended range of the shot, with a greater propensity to fail in its function. In close combat, the device retains some of its use against energy weapons or high frequency blades meant to make paper out of armour. The Shimmershield dissipates the energy sheath of the weapon in the area of imposition, or in the case of high frequency blades provide a surface of an even higher frequency in contrast to that of the blade, effectively disrupting the purpose of the weapon. The Dire Avengers operate it in an intuitive manner with an almost supernatural predilection to perform with unequalled grace and ease.

Shield-Breaker:
Shots fired at the Dire Avenger squad have to roll greater or equal to their AP value after rolling to Hit, with a natural +1 modifier to the roll. Shots fired at half range or at 12" add +1 to their roll. This add-on step to the Shooting Phase is called a “to-Break Roll”. In Assault, Power Weapons and all weapons that ignore Armour gain no additional benefits, behaving like normal weapons or of the weapons of their type with their armour penetration stripped. Note that this does not affect Attacks made by Monstrous Creatures, or weapons that use Blast markers or Templates.

Deflector Storm:
Shots fired at the Exarch must re-roll successful rolls for the “to-Break” Tests if the Exarch manages to pass an Initiative Test prior to being fired at(remember a roll of 6 is always considered as a failed roll). This power can only be used against a single enemy squad's firing, and not from multiple squads firing at the Exarch.

Dire Catapult ~ Shuriken Storm

The standard firearm of the Craftworld Eldar is the Shuriken Catapult, a gun with modest range and a high rate of fire. Due to its highly advance firing mechanism which, unlike the bolt action counterparts of the Humans, have none of the needless recoil imparted from the transfer of kinetic energy to the projectile. It is a very clean and efficient system that allows fast firing while on the move, with little to any drawbacks. When the weapon is fired, high-energy impulses shear off a monomolecular layer from the ammunition core. The Shuriken Catapult is built around a gravitic accelerator similar to the gravitic motors which power vehicles like the Imperial land speeder. The accelerator causes a peristaltic shift from the front to the rear of the firing chamber, hurling the shuriken missiles forward at tremendous velocity. The Shuriken Catapult is dependent on a solid core of ammunition, which is normally cylindrical (although many variants do exist). Up to a hundred shurikens can be fired in a two-second burst, with a standard ammunition core sufficient to provide at least ten such bursts before depletion. However, the method of firing does not lend itself to long-range accuracy, leaving the standard Eldar weapon to be outreached by opponent's, due to a lack of conventional rifling. The nature of the ammunition, a monomolecular disc of metal, prevents any form of rifling and thus even though the firing mechanism permits firing in a long continuous stream, the lack of rifling results in a severe scattering of the projectiles, thus affecting the range and actual rate of fire of the weapon. This can be primarily solved by utilising controlled bursts, thus lowering the scattering of the shots, but this is normally impractical when firing on the move, preventing dedicated shots at a controlled pace. The method of firing favoured in such junctures is a short range spray, effectively a moving zone of monomolecular hail of discs, that shred through flesh and bone. Firing in this form, despite the apparent drawbacks, is efficient for its purposes, although somewhat deficient in range.

As a testament to the advancements in Eldar technology and indicative of the future, in contrast to another weapon of the Dire Avenger, the Dire Blade, a symbolic relic of the past, the Shuriken Catapult incorporates an advance mode of firing, that when triggered, turns the hail of monomolecular discs into an unrelenting storm. This version of the Shuriken Catapult which inherits this advance mechanism is called the Dire Catapult. Upon achieving this mode, the Dire Catapult shoots with such fierce devotion that most conventional armour is rendered useless in the face of this overwhelming firepower. The sheer weight from the volume of shots fired bears down on the foes, literally tearing them to shreds. Only armour of a high calibre can withstand such a devastating salvo. The shots are made especially deadly when fired at point-blank, chewing through all resistance with little distinguishing between flesh and armour. As such this firing mode is amply named the Shuriken Storm. The Dire Avenger activates the Shuriken Storm with but a simple gesture, jerking the gun forcefully in a horizontal fashion. When this is done, the entire rifling barrel detaches and slides upwards as the grooves where the firing barrel splits off and detaches will force it so. The entire motion is fluid and natural, with the same simple action required to deactivate the mode, resulting in translation between modes to be extremely fluent on the fly. As the rifling barrel is guided up the grooves and before it finally locks firmly into its new position above the primary firing chamber, the firing ports realign themselves, integrating a unique micro-device, which is essentially a very powerful mini-generator psychically augmented by the use of memory spirit stones that operates in a fashion that deceptively, and amazingly, gives one the impression the device has become semi-sentient, due to it behaving with such precision and detail. This gives it an extremely high energy upkeep, thus its reason for the accessing mechanism and separation above the primary firing chamber. The sheer power of the firing mechanism as it breaks the sound barrier many times over with each shot, means that the full potential range of the weapon is not being used when shot conventionally, due to the design of a purposely short rifling barrel as the overall physical aspects were implemented with intentions for ease of movement and for it to restrict movements to a minimal, a philosophy always inherent in Eldar doctrines what with an emphasis on speed and flexibility. The nature of the ammunition in the first place, a monomolecular disc, means that it is impossible for it to fit in a manner such as a slug would fit in an Imperial Boltgun, due to a need for small spaces between the sides of the rifling barrel and the sharp edges of the disc. The disc is unable to “hug” the dimensions of the barrel, and the spaces themselves, although small and seemingly redundant of any attention, as the shot is exposed upon leaving the barrel to further external forces such as wind friction, the linear would-be path of the disc becomes greatly affected and any deviations in direction is further amplified because the disc itself is not forced to travel in straight path even in the already short rifling barrel. In response, the Eldar has created a device to compensate for this seemingly inherent and unavoidable flaw. This is where our mysterious generator makes its appearance. It is essentially a generator that emits specially placed rays of very strong magnetic potential at strategic points meant to precisely control the movements of the disc in the firing chamber through intensifying the rays at the required points, while lowering the rest. The device itself is situated directly over the firing chamber and it uses a positive potential from the nodes situated both on the ceiling and floor of the chamber, and by manipulating the intensities at the nodes as required, control the suspension heights of the disc. The nodes are placed at points that were designed to conform to the dimensions of the disc, which is precisely the same in all discs due again to the same delicate precision in the mechanism that shears off each slice from the ammunition core. Thus for example, by adjusting the magnetic potential to be the same at all nodes, the disc is forced to form directly onto the template disc the nodes are meant to fit and represent, thus being in the optimal and desired position. The disc is forced to hover precisely at the mid point in both horizontal and vertical dimensions a sheer contrast to how it would otherwise be without the augmentation of the generator device. What this essentially does is grant increased stability and reduced scattering of the shots fired through means of bracing the paths travelled by the shuriken discs. The Dire Avenger then proceeds to empty out their weapons in a devastating hurricane of bladed discs, the micro-magneto-generator compensating for the unavoidable scattering incurred when firing so many discs in one continuous stream in a short frame of time. The sheer drain on the ammunition requirements of the weapon means that time must be wasted in replacing the ammunition core, delaying any subsequent firing from the squad. The time spent reloading is a welcome relief to the weapon itself, as such delicate and precise manipulation takes an extremely high energy toll, and is a further reason why the Dire Avengers do not further tax their weapons with subsequent shots by not firing them for several minutes. Recent implementations of the device has a short beep emitted when the device has cooled down sufficiently from overheating. Although there appears to be a tremendous effective gradient between firing with the magneto-generator and without, the latter is always considered the default firing mode and the device is not implemented in Shuriken Catapults used outside the Dire Avenger faction. This is because the “flaw” is partially intended, as although it reduces the range, the scattering shots give rise to a greater area of lethality, and as such, a greater damage potential, perfect for a gun designed to be shot on the fly and to be used by the less accurate citizen militia, Guardian Defenders. It has even been propose that the advance firing mode be intended as a sniping one, to make full use of the increase in bracing and range, but it is as yet to be implemented as such. Although the disc is noted for being sheared into the sharpest possible degree, the Eldar understands the limitations in its killing potential, as the shots although possessing of tremendous penetrating power, are only ever able to slice through specific points, inflicting flesh wounds roughly the size of the disc itself, so it is a welcome fact that the discs scatter, increasing the area of impact. Another flaw incurred as such is the penetrating power being not utilised to the fullness of its potential due to the deviations in the course of the discs. Studies have been held on the matter and dissections of enemy bodies always show the trajectory path and point of incidence of the disc in a manner that gives more evidence for the oblique movements of the disc. However the path of trajectory is often a down-spiralling one as the disc contacts the flesh at an angle, which is evidence enough to the Eldar engineers for pride, and a side node for humour, as the “flaw” ironically improves the lethality of each hit from the Shuriken Catapult, compared if it was otherwise a straight, undeviating path.

“The Storm that Breaks Forth Unintermittently”:
The Dire Catapult has the following profile: Range18" Strength4 AP5 Assault2
The Shuriken Storm technology grants one additional Shot per Dire Catapult. If fired at 12", Shots receive +1 bonus AP. During the next Shooting Phase, the Dire Avengers may not fire their Dire Catapults.


Dire Blade ~ Blood Awakening

Just as the Shuriken Catapult has evolved its killing potential successively over generations, staying at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, the Dire Blade has remained stagnant in its form since the formation of the Dire Avengers. It is their close combat weapon of choice but it is selected as such more for the symbolism attached to it than for its fighting capabilities. This unseeming slab of spirit stone sheared into the sharpness of a blade has its origins at the very founding of the Dire Avengers. It is the very spirit stone weaved into the chestpiece of an Eldar's armour, the same psychically-attuned gem that absorbs an Eldar's essence upon his passing. In keeping with the lack of standardisation of the Blade, the Dire Blade is a highly personal item of issue shaped into varying degrees of size and sharpness conforming to the personal likings of the bearer, most commonly taking the dimensions of a sword. Further adornments that serve to distinguish their Blades are not unusual, varying with the levels of vanity of the bearer. As such, there is a great degree of randomness present in the appearance of the Blade, which throws further mystery as to their importance to the Dire Avengers. To the Dire Avengers many millennia since their founding, this unseeming article of war is their greatest relic of times long gone and ages past, a firm reminder of a pact long made, and since then forged repeatedly in the furnace of war, unshakeably lodged into the psyche of the Dire Avengers.

It seems that Asurmen was faced with an impossible task, to rally a disciplined and dedicated fighting force, during dark times when their very survival was at stake from the ravages of the Fall, from a destitute and beaten people with no skill or experience to the ways of war. His first line of strategy was to instill a fighting fervour, and through it create discipline. With the two guiding forces of discipline and purpose, he would fashion a force that ultimately was to attain the characteristics that would respond best to the natures of the dangers and situations faced in those times, which in most cases were against a numerically superior foe. As such, Asurmen's underlying philosophy was a defensive one, of which the "modern" Eldar army drew its origins from. Asurmen's ideal of a warrior was to be set forever into the battle doctrines of the Dire Avengers. "Ideally, a warrior must be intuitive in response, his very nature versatile and conforming, to mete with the ever-changing landscape that is the battleground, at once able to come to grasp with the enemy up close and able to engage them at a distance, fulfilling both within the space of a flicker of light." Each of the first warriors were trained directly upon the battlefield, and as such had to adapt and be flexible to fulfill any tactical role. The fluid movement of such a tactically flexible force would require the presence of a high level of discipline, to be able to take up cues and adapt with the changing situations.

With the aims to create such an ideal fighting force, Asurmen devised several tactics to coerce an otherwise reluctant people. Proving himself a capable psychological manipulator, Asurmen attacked them at the heart of the matter, where their devotion would be most greatly kindled. Asurmen cleverly also used the force of factors that were beyond their powers of control, thus creating an army of "converts on the knife", forced to take up arms or face certain obliteration. These destitute people had recently lost their homelands and was left at the other end of the spectrum when they once had the power to destroy entire star systems in a heartbeat. By filling them with the idealistic notion of an attempt through arms to revive their lost species and reclaim what was once theirs, Asurmen manage to stir their spirits up, and with it their fighting spirit. The first Dire Avengers were initiated through a pledge of blood, which came to be known as the Ritual of the Bloody Hand, a ritual that carries on in tradition to this very day. The Dire Avengers would take up a slab of spirit stone, and graft onto the back of their hands, traditionally the left hand, the symbol of the Phoenix, itself symbolic of Asuryan, greatest of the Eldar pantheon. The pain came to symbolise "endurance in the midst of struggles", an iconic gesture that mirrors their own efforts in fulfilling their dream. The grafting of the Phoenix itself came to represent the merging of the idealogical entities of Asuryan and Bloody-Handed Khaine, used in the context of Asurmen to symbolise the mental and physical aspects of war, for in Asurmen's eyes the definitive warrior is the Mind Warrior. Throughout the endeavour of carving the Phoenix symbol upon their hands, the Dire Avengers recite the Creed of the Noble Warrior, which decreed that "The Warrior was forged out of necessity and duty bound as the necessity would dictate, deviating or otherwise would bear consequences too great and mark them a failure to our people, at their dire hour of need." It is from this statement made with great conviction, forceful and intense in its make, that gave rise to their name as the Dire Avengers. Through this painful test of initiation, the Dire Avenger proves his devotion and willingness to the fore. Once steeped with the blood of its bearer, the spirit stone glows with a dull red, the spirit of its bearer forever bound to it.

Apparent in its structure, it appears that the entire process possesses little significance in impact, due to its rather short lifespan. It is only after all a blood carving and a short recital of statements. It does not seem to have the binding power required to seal the hearts of the initiates. The Ritual however compensates by being saturated in symbolism. The mythic cycles are known to each individual Eldar like the back of their hand(pun unintended), being imparted in all manner of forms to them from birth. Many forms of this ancient lore has been developed to express and retell these events, through books, art, dances, and other elaborate rituals. All these extraneous knowledge helps tremendously in appreciating the Great Blood Ritual, for the core of its symbolism is centred around the mythic cycles, albeit in Asurmen's interpretation of it. It is true that without the background knowledge of the mythic cycles, it would be impossible to fully interpret this deceptively simple ritual. The carving of the Phoenix unto the hand for example, is akin to merging Asuryan and Khaine and the ideals they present, the mind-body, the pledge-war, respectively. Asuryan Himself has never truly been described, as it is seen as an impossible feat, to limit the Greatest and define Him with mere words. As to His domain of power and what He alludes to, He is simply described as the King of the Gods, and associated with the Spirit of the Phoenix. Asurmen has always interpreted Him to represent the mind in its totality, for it is said that His true domain is over all of creation Itself. As such, every single aspect of the Ritual that is in some manner associated with the mind and its workings are symbolic, an utter declaration of the great presence of Asuryan in them. The Phoenix, steed of Asuryan, is said to be created through an extension of His Being, and is synonymous with Rebirth, Hope and Reincarnation, which is the Ultimate Aim, and why they consecrate themselves as Dire Avengers in the first place, i.e. for the Rebirth of the Eldar. Khaine on the other hand, represents all its physical aspects and actions, Him being the God of War, and the Strongest. Thus we can deduce as such that the Recitation of the Creed and the simultaneous Ritual of the Carving, is another means in which Asurmen attempts to allude the Two into the process of the Ritual, making both entities inseparable from each other, thus allowing the Dire Avengers to carry the symbolism of the merging and cooperation of Asuryan and Khaine to eternity itself. This merging of the mental and physical was never unintended, in fact always being the template of aspiration for the Dire Avengers, to become One in Body and Mind, to contain the essence of the Mind Warrior. The Scarring and Gifting of Blood itself was meant to represent the Curse of Khaine, when Asuryan condemned Khaine's Hands to bleed for all eternity, in light of His actions of utterly crushing Eldanesh's body. Taken in this perspective, the Dire Avengers are apparently cursing their lives forever to the Path of War, for indeed they are, bonding their blood to the spirit stone and making their lives forever intertwined with its fate. Indeed many do ascent to great deeds in the afterlife, albeit in the form of them being turned and used as Dire Swords. On one final note, the pain of the process of the Scarring was a way in which Asurmen devised to commit them to the Pledge, from his brilliant contemplation of the fact that an act committed in blood and pain will never ever refute the cause for its becoming, thus forever sealing them to his call and will, granting him the perfect soldiers for his plans.

The Ritual of the Bloody Hand goes beyond its significance as an initiation rite however, as during times of dire crisis the blood within the Dire Blade awakens, and the bond between the bearer's spirit and the spirit stone intensifies. The scar upon their left hands bleed anew and the pain reminds them of their initial commitment when they made the pledge. Their closeness to death in such times causes the link between the spirit realm and the Materium to open through the medium of the spirit stone. The intensity of the bond to the spirit realm allows them to feel the spirits of those Dire Avengers that were lost to the cause and their unredressed demises fills the Dire Avengers with vindicating intent. They fight on with unnatural vigour and force, their blows becoming possessed by some otherworldly force. As such, the Dire Avengers are renowned for their legendary stubbornness at critical moments, oftentimes able to turn the tides of battle, stunning both friend and foe alike. Among equals, the Dire Avengers have earned their name as the most devoted of the Aspect Warriors and truly worthy of the title Dire. They have exemplified the “Virtues of the Noble Warrior” at its heart, exposed at its core the “Virtue of Relentless Opposition against the Foe of the Eldar”, an unyielding pride that leads to a resolute defence. This Virtue amongst Virtues has earned them special recognition as first among equals, as the Armour of the Eldar, forged within the heat of battle, of tried and tempered devotion. They are reminiscence of ages past, of the glory of ancient days, created in the hopes of one day linking past and present. Unto them is the Undying Fire, the light that pierces the darkness to show the way to the salvation of their race. Unto them lies the responsibility of the Avenger, the one that Upholds, the one that Destroys in order to Restore.

“Blood Remembrance, Blood Awakening”:
When required to take Morale Checks for losing in Assault, whether the Test is failed or not, the squad gains a number of Attacks equal to the total number of fallen Dire Avengers, that are enacted at the very end of the current Assault Phase. These Attacks do affect the Combat Resolution and if the Combat Resolution does become positive, the enemy squad will have to pass a Morale Check, of which failing would negate any Fall Back results for the Dire Avenger squad. In subsequent turns, the entire squad gains +1 Attack to their Attack characteristic. This lasts until the squad breaks off from Assault. The squad always enacts their Special Attack at the end of the Assault Phase, considering the total number of Attacks as all the Dire Avengers that have fallen since the start of the effect. If the Exarch or Diarch falls in Assault, the squad is granted two Attacks instead of one.


Dire Sword ~ Spirit of the Sword

The Dire Sword is a Dire Blade refined and sharpened into the dimensions of a sword, although it has been known for the spirit stone that functions as the Dire Blade to be shaped into those of a halberd or even axe. It is essentially a matured Dire Blade; often a Dire Sword will be passed down from generations within the family line, retaining its use of war for many millennia. It is a weapon exclusive to the Exarches, due to the high regard they have of it. Despite its origins initially as a Dire Blade, it exceeds in many different ways beyond the powers of a regular Dire Blade, breaking the limits of the Blade with feats that it cannot hope to approach, to the extent of it is to turn it into a weapon of a completely different par from that of the Dire Blade.

The key to moulding the Dire Blade into the Dire Sword, and secret to their tremendous difference in levels, lies in the substance lingering within the core of the spirit stone. The Dire Blade doubles as the all-important spirit stone of the Dire Avengers, in its traditional purpose of containing and shielding the spiritual essence of an Eldar in his passing, from the daemonic ravages of the Immaterium. It is their first line of defense against the predations of She Who Must Not Be Named, from Her unceasing thirst for Eldar souls. The difference between Dire Avengers and their brethen is that they use this actual spirit stone as a weapon, albeit using its mythic properties to augment their line, instead of simply engraving it into their chestpiece for instance, a much more sensible gesture in light of an action by which upon appearance seems to condemn the fate of all Dire Avengers into an existence of thin fragility, exposing their one instrument that guarantees them an afterlife to the unforgiving elements of war and nature, which even then some bearers of ill omen say that of its powers will ultimately prove to simply serve to delay their inevitable possession by She Who Thirts. Despite this, the Dire Avengers view it as an example of their conviction to their oaths, and as another means to seal their determination in battle.

However, there are actual practical and technical matters to this issue, which although may not be readily apparent, holds the secret to the formation of Dire Swords. A Dire Sword is as such a Dire Blade sealed with the spirit of a Dire Avenger, with the crucial aspect that he must have fallen heroically in battle, especially desired to be set against the toughest of odds. When the Dire Avenger is still alive, the blood within the Dire Blade is sentient and glows dimly in situations which bring the Dire Avenger closer to death. The Blade itself glows more intensely with the progress of the moment, as the heat of the combat reaches its peak, and the Dire Avenger's life shines with less vigour and prospect, the glow becomes a brilliant gleam, due to the expanding of the portal that manifests through the spirit stone, between the Materium and the Warp, between the realm of the living and the dead. This is possible because of the bond between the Dire Avenger and his spirit stone, due to the presence of his blood within. The psyche of the Dire Avenger as he reaches a level where the line between life and death blurs, due to the intensity at that moment, breaks lose from such feeble concepts as the preservation of oneself. As such the intensity of the psychic emanations of the Dire Avenger are comparable to an ancient Farseer channelling his psychic powers, those tiny fractions of time in the highest point of the battle, as they cross arms with such precise movements as to become a blur of movement, a stylised dance of death, appear to the Dire Avenger to span out to eternity. When it reaches this mark, thought attains its ultimate existence as pure intent, the movements of the mind ceasing with all thought, only the purity and surety of the fulfilling of intent left, movements a blur, bearer becoming one with his blade. If the Dire Avenger reaches this point, which only the machinations of battle in their natural course can bring about, and dies, he has died the “correct” way, named the “Beautiful Passing”. Few ever approach such a height in battle, much less attain. In such situations it is only possible if the bearer has the attributes that makes him an exceptional fighter, thus Dire Swords are almost exclusively wrought from the souls of Exarches.

Something interesting happens at this moment of absolute fulfillment. Known as “The Height”, the sheer emotion and experience becomes engraved in the blood within the spirit stone, and as the Dire Avenger passes onto death, the portal between the realms completely manifest, bonding absolutely the sentient Blood, the spirit of the bearer into the spirit stone. What that is registered into the spirit stone, which the Eldar also use as memory modules, never leaves it. In times of war, when the champions of the Dire Avenger are compelled to muster their greatest, they bear these powerful weapons of war, often inbuilt with special micro-reactors that turn them into high-frequency blades, edge sharpened to dash through armour. Besides this, the Dire Sword bears with it many interesting properties, as the sword is sentient and guides the bearer's blow, seeking vulnerable areas of the enemy. More importantly, the true power of the Dire Sword is its terrifying ability, in which the spirit of the fallen warrior lash out psychically upon all that the Sword touches, obliterating their minds with powers proportional to the nature of the psyche of the warrior at the instance of his death. As such those fallen warriors who were tested to the extreme limits of body and mind upon their last moments become the most powerful Dire Swords. A single well-placed hit is all that is needed to enable the spirit to intrude into the minds of his enemies and annihilate him from within. In fact the hits act as a mark for the spirits as they enter through the point of contact, each additional hit upon a target marking him further, increasing the ease of the spirits to access and assault the souls of the enemy. To exist as a Dire Sword in the afterlife is considered the perfect and aspired way to all Dire Avengers, as the services they have rendered themselves to their people and their pledges is carried on with them in their existence as a weapon of war. There's little doubt the Dire Sword exist as the most powerful armament of war in the arsenal of the Dire Avengers, the quintessential piece of the Dire Avenger style of war.

Soul Blade:
The Dire Sword is a Power Weapon. Any target Hit by the Dire Sword is required to pass a Leadership Test that suffers a -1 Modifier for each Hit successfully assigned to it. If the target fails, it immediately perishes despite any remaining wounds. Invulnerable Saves work as usual.

Spirit of the Blade:
All to-Hit rolls made with the Dire Sword gain a +1 modifier.

[Calixtus]

Leader Powers

The Dire Avengers being the most numerous and oldest of the Aspect Warriors, are organised very much like a professional, veteran army. As a result, those who take the helm and become the leaders of this versatile and efficient troop are those outstanding individuals, through some worth of merit or deed, have proven their leadership capabilities. Oftentimes, given the nature of their work, their leaders are born out of dire situations, the circumstances conspiring to test them to their limits, forcing them to evolve in the face of imminent doom. Their leaders are thus experienced with their own distinctive styles and flairs to their management, that have grown out of their personalities. Indeed, their leaders are forged in the heat of battle, and have been tried and tested in the extreme.


Iron Hand: +20Pts

The Iron Hand has ascended the ranks noted for his tremendous strength of character. In fact, the Iron Hand is notorious for being rather overbearing as he leads his men with an iron fist, emphasising discipline above all. He pushes his men forward even in the harshest of circumstances, sometimes forfeiting their lives in exchange. His men obey him unquestioningly for they fear him. He delivers his orders in a strict and straightforward manner, expecting full compliance. He is a tremendous figure of authority, an awe-inspiring and highly uncompromising persona in the unforgiving war-torn galaxy of the far future.

You Shall Fire Without Falter:
Ignore Target Priority Tests.

You Shall Be Heedless in Approach:
Ignore Morale Checks from suffering casualties from Shooting.

You Shall Stand Your Ground:
May always Regroup even when below 50% of Starting Strength.

You Shall Know No Fear:
When required to take Morale Checks for losing in Assault, you do not need to take the Test but instead the squad suffers a number of Hits at the Strength of the opponents' (taking the majority Strength) equal to the Combat Resolution. For each Wound Saved the Combat Resolution is modified accordingly. If you choose to remove casualties suffered from those Wounds you will pass the Morale Check automatically, exactly as if your squad was Fearless. In other words, the suffering of these Wounds are optional. However, remember that you will have to pass a Morale Check if you choose to ignore the Wounds, albeit with the modified Combat Resolution.


Voice of Hope: +10Pts

The Voice of Hope has gained recognition through his charismatic presence. He has proven his mettle during times of dire crisis, uplifting his squad's spirits with stirring words. Indeed, he is the voice that pierces the darkness that permeates the darkest moments, the bringer of light that illuminates the path to victory. Upon the battlefield, his voice echoes across the fields, striking fear in the hearts of his enemies. Without a doubt, he is the voice of the people, their spirit and their heart. His charismatic words spur his men on to great feats of arm, turning the tide against the odds. When they would lose hope, they would fall back upon his words as support in dire times. He is their reserve in times of crisis, a charismatic force greatly revered by friend and foe.

Pillar of Strength:
Add D6 to all rolls required by Leadership Tests, in effect 3D6, taking the lowest two rolls.

Force of Charisma:
At the beginning of the Assault Phase, you may choose to pass an unmodified Leadership Test at 2D6. If you pass the Test, all squad members gain +1 Attack.


Sword of Valour: +15Pts

The Sword of Valour is one who leads by example. He is at the forefront of the fight, devastating the enemy ranks with heroic counter-charges. He is an inspirational presence to his men, spurring his men on with deeds rather than substanceless words. He has earned his leadership by his heroic endeavours at critical moments, mustering his courage and launching a counter-charge at opportune times when the enemies would otherwise be in expectations of their lacklustre, cutting a bloody swathe through their front, totally taking them unprepared, and delivering a decisive blow to the enemy ranks. Motivated by his heroic burst of arms, his men throw themselves into the fray, contributing whatever they can. Ironically, the Sword of Valour is at his best when the fighting has taken a turn for the worst. At those times, his blows double in their flurry, and if he successfully wards off the enemies, his men relieved and inspired by his actions, take up his lead in buoyant fashion, overrunning the enemy in triumphant melee. Clearly, the Sword of Valour is an inspirational force, both primal and potent in temperament and energy, to his men and to the fore.

Champion of the People:
During a Charge, the Sword of Valour must always be placed in base-to-base contact with the enemy's Champion, in which case he might be the squad leader or an attached Independent Character, approaching the greatest among them. For all Attacks allocated by the Sword of Valour on the enemy's Champion, or vice-versa, treat the Sword of Valour and Champion as Independent Characters for the purpose of determining allocation of Hits, and as such act as separate units to their respective squads.

Heroic Burst of Arms:
At the beginning of the Assault Phase, you may choose to pass an unmodified Leadership Test. If you pass the Test, the Exarch gains +D3 Attacks.

Live by Example, Die by Example:
When required to take Morale Checks for losing an Assault, the Exarch makes D6 number of Attacks. The Morale Check is then taken at the modified Combat Resolution. If the modified Combat Resolution is positive, the Morale Check is passed automatically. If the Morale Check is passed, the entire squad makes up to D3 Attacks that forces a Morale Check upon the enemy squad in accordance with the modified Combat Resolution that takes into account all the Attacks made by the squad.

Force of Inspiration:
For each Attack by the Exarch that Wounds successfully, the entire squad makes a single Attack.


War Prince: +5Pts

Some Leaders are born with the natural characteristics, being noble of birth, from worth rather than lineage. They are those who have gained their status through recognition of abilities, possessing desired qualities and natural talent. They are awarded the title of War Prince, to enunciate their regal bearing and natural charisma. These warriors of note often augment themselves in pursuit of what their gifts would provide allowance for. In that respect, they are often equipped with an impressive array of psychic powers, making them warriors of the body and the mind.

Regal Stature:
+1 Leadership.

Gifted Psyker:
May purchase one Farseer Psychic Power.

[Calixtus]

Noble Stances

The Dire Avengers being the most numerous and diverse of the Aspect Warriors have evolved a set of fighting styles and postures that adapt to the various, myriad challenges faced by the average Dire Avenger, by merit of the versatile nature of the niche they fulfill. As a result, their style of war is broad and simple in their application and often take the form of them assuming various postures or stances that augment their ability to perform specific roles in the heat of battle. The stances of war that are pivotal to their battle strategy are based off the teachings of Asurmen, the first and most powerful of their kind, who emphasize the understanding of the subtle mechanics of the balance of power and the transfer of it as induced by movement. They also incorporate tremendous knowledge on the posturings and workings of the humanoid shell, and as a result of their expertise, their style of combat is centred around using their opponent's momentum against them, or their own momentum to their advantage. Their methods of war are revered by them as the Noble Stances, a set of movements and postures that give them tactical viability that befits their niche. They are further augmented by their highly advanced armour and weaponry, making them a force to be reckoned with.


Sharpshooter Stance

Prior to engaging the enemy, the Dire Avengers will go down on their knees, and using the added stability gained from their grounded posture, shoot with greater accuracy over a considerably longer distance than would be permitted from their usual standing firing positions. Shots are fired at a steady rate with a fixed pace set between shots, thus reducing the scattering that would otherwise prevent the Shuriken Catapult from reaching the full potential of its complete range. Into specifics, what is actually done is a blend of both controlled bursts and purposeful aim, a powerful merging that greatly extends the capabilities of the weapon. However, the drawback is that the Dire Avengers sacrifice their mobility to maintain their stance. The stance is often used with devastating effect with the Shuriken Storm technology, as the range of the shots are likewise increased. This stance is used primarily to create and maintain firing zones across the battlefield, to deter enemies on the approach.

Controlled Bursts, Set by the Duality of Precision and Intent:
Shuriken Catapult changes to the following profile: Range24" Strength4 AP4 Heavy2.

Legendary Leadership:
If an Exarch or Diarch is present in the squad, the squad gains a +1 to Cover Saves when the squad is in Cover. This Cover bonus extends itself to Cover generated by the Conceal Psyker Power, after the Exarch passes a Psychic Test to represent the Exarch's efforts in maintaining a cohesive fighting formation within his squad while ensuring the Power's concealing mist appears to the enemy to cover the extent of the extremities of their formation.


Defender Stance

The Defender Stance constitutes the core fundamentals of the essence of Asurmen's teachings, which form the backbone of the philosophy of war of the Dire Avengers. There is little doubt it is the trump within their arsenal. However, it is by its nature a double-edged sword and used in desperation against the greatest of foes.

Central to the tenets of Asurmen's teachings, known as "The Way", is "The Flow". The warrior, in this case the Dire Avenger, is, in respect to "The Flow", the direction of intent, also known as the medium of "The Flow". In conjunction with "The Flow" is "Balance", an abstract term, in reference to the focus of discussion, can simply be expressed as the sum of the conflicting movements of "Flow" when two opposing forces meet. As eloquently stated by Asurmen, "Flow, by its nature, holds no distinction between mediums, favouring the subtle knife to the blunt cudgel." Thus the fundamental of "The Way" is control, over the element "Flow", expressed in more mundane terms to mean the movement of force.

This theory is the first edge that forms the sword that is the Defender Stance. The second edge is knowledge of the humanoid body, a knowledge that spans every known weaknesses, strengths, a fluid understanding of the movements both subtle and gross, complete with every calculated response to every nuance of triggered reaction. In practice, the manipulation of "The Flow" becomes the fluid blending of attacker and defender, the weighing of "Balance" becomes the annihilation and merging of two forces into one. In other words, through means of anticipation, one attains the optimal position and timing to apply force, turning one's force against his own. In essence, the Defender Stance is "The Way" exemplified, "The Way" in action. The Avenger Stance is a subset of it, both anticipating their opponents through analysis of movements, the difference being one is defensive by nature, reacting instead of acting. This is also the crucial downside of the Defender Stance, requiring being first assaulted, and of all the imminent risks it entails. Their only defense is the knowledge gained from anticipation and the means by which they would blend their attack with the opponent's, in essence evading and attacking simultaneously.

“The Way” Manifest:
All enemies suffer -1 to-Hit penalty in Assault with Dire Avengers. All Attacks by the Dire Avengers are made last and have an Initiative of 0. This means they come before Power Fist Attacks. For any Attacks that are made against the squad that fail to Hit, the Attacking squad suffers a single Wound at a Strength of X+1, where X is the Strength of the Attacking squad. Thus a Power Fisted Space Marine Sergeant that fails to Hit is inflicted with a Strength 9 Wound that ignores Armour. This ability only works against man-size models.

Seamless “Flow”:
In regards to the above power, Attacks dealt unto the Exarch always require 6's to Hit.

[kithre]

Erm, Calixstus - do you:
1) Play Eldar?
2) See any issues with Dire Avengers in particular?

These rules are simply too complex for implementation in 40K.
I know that you will say that you have no issue remembering these (I wonder if you have any issues remembering school work if you are remembering so many special rules )

However, on a more serious note, Dire Avengers are not particulalry borken, they are actually quite nicely balancd Eldar units for dealing with hordes of lightly armoured infantry. Dire Avengers are not fast objective "contesters" - that's swooping hawks or warp spiders, they are not Tank hunters, that's Dire Avengers or Shining Spears, they are not combat gods - that is Banshees and Scorpions, and they are not MEQ killers, that is Dark Reapers.

Eldar units are very, very limited to battelfield applications, that is the specific hook of the army, there are several smaller niches which could be occupied, but not by Dire Avengers

Oh, and a point of grammar - "a myriad of" is actually incorrect phrasology - the phrase is "myriad" but thn most media uses incorrect grammar anyway...

[avatar of khaine]

um... why?

most of this stuff is amazing complex, and not really needed. These rules also make dire avengers a lot more powerful than before, for example the war prince for 5 points has a farseer power!

there's also the stances, which i assume can be switched between freely, making them a whole lot more powerful and variable. For some reason, they have loads of weird things they can do when losing combat, which actually make them better when losing.

Then, there's the defensive stance, which makes even the most skilled enemy just as likely to hit himself as the enemy.

I think it's interesting background, but the rules just aren't need for eldar, who are pretty much balanced fine, unless you ask karmoon...

[omegoku]

Is this meant to replace the perfectly good Dire avengers in the Codex?
Do you actually play 40k?
Do you play with more than 3 squads on the field?
All the rules are needlessly complex, and unneeded.
It also goes against the Eldar 'one path at a time, all units working in unison' feel to their background and army.

Why take other units if the Dire Avenger can do it all? Why do Dire Avengers have Space Marine rules?

Simplicity is ALWAYS best.

Before adding any rules ask the following questions:
1, Does this squad act like it should on the battlefield?
2. Why does it need a new rule?
3 Have I already added enough rules?
4. Are they broken yet?
5. Can this rule be represented by an existing USR?

You seem to love modifying AP, changing weapon stats at half range, and adding additional rolls for everything)

That is not how 40k should be played.

[kithre]

Strictly speaking omegoku, the statement:

You seem to love modifying AP, changing weapon stats at half range, and adding additional rolls for everything)

That is not how 40k should be played.

was actually how 40K used to be played in the "bad old days" of Rogue Trader and 2nd Ed, when a single game took nearly a day to complete at 500 points a side(!)

However, point is that 40K is much more streamlined in an effort to make the game fluid and dynamic and require minimal reference material. I also commend the (often poorly executed) efforts GW go through to eliminate as many "immovable object vs irres. force" situations, and also teh more game-dynamic breaking inconsistencies

[omegoku]

I remember how 40k was played. where every weapon had different rules. Hurray for Gravity gun! And while it was more interesting in many ways, I would not like to fight anything bigger than a 15 man a side skirmish.

It is a rare game of 40k indeed that has 15 men a side these days.
Can you imagine if every unit was as complex as these rules? and you try to have an apocalypse battle?
You would need to check the rule book every time anything happened, and it would take a few months to play!

[Calixtus]

I have made the according changes: Removed the Avenger Stance, rewritten the rule description for War Prince, so it is now implied that you have to purchase the Farseer Power separately. See no other faults with the current rules. The rules are not meant to make the Dire Avengers invincible in every role, we already know from their fluff description that the Dire Avengers are the most tactically flexible of the Aspect Warriors. They represent the Noble Warrior, who is able to come to terms with the enemy both in Assault and Range. I am just trying to emphasise that fact with my rules. These rules, except for the Leader Powers, are meant to come with the Dire Avengers intrinsically, as in, they do not require additional costs to purchase for them. Dire Avengers still cost 12Pts, and are a Troops choice. We could make them back as an Elite choice however, if it is deemed too broken.

[warhammer madman]

TROOPS !!! 12PTS!!!
I PLAY ELDAR AND THAT IS SO BROKEN (verry wrong) atleast 20pts each as a elite!
i tend to think with custom rules you have to over point some what to let your opponent to play with his regular army. so 12pts is just wrong i play 2 10man dire avenger squads and there fine anyway...

love the background thoughgood job...