day 3 - 40k mercenaries: Loxatl

Loxatl a race of sinuous, non-humanoid quadrupeds evolved from amphibian forms. They are commonly found as mercenaries in service of Blood Pact armies. Their natural environment is under water - outside of water, their vision, hearing and sense of smell are dulled, and they rely on their powerful senses of taste and vibration to hunt and corner prey. In appearance they resemble a slimy-skinned scaleless Komodo Dragon, with a broad toothy head and pupiles red eyes.

They are slightly larger than humans and extremely swift and dexterous, and use large dew-claws to give them purchase on any surface, allowing them to run up walls and across ceilings. Their presence is often given away by the nauseating smell of a mix of rancid milk and crushed mint.
The Loxatl use unique weapons known as flechette blasters, carried along with ammunition bandoleers on their torsos, and mounted on mechanical armatures that fire the weapons through a mind impulse device. This leaves a Loxatl's limbs free for climbing. The blasters fire deadly shot-bursts filled with millions of razor-sharp filaments that shred armour and cause grievous wounds in their target's flesh.
Loxatl are believed to operate in small, 'brood groups' of related kin, communicating by vibration and subsonic calls, usually led by a single Matriarch. Loxatl are normally grey skinned - when in close proximity with brood kin they communicate through­ iridescent patterning that they are able to flash and move across their skins.
The word 'Loxatl' is almost certainly a reference to the Axolotl, a species of Mexican mole salamander (a close relative to the Tiger salamander) that stays within its larval form thought its life-cycle, and is common in captivity.
They are also known to serve as mercenaries, and are present for the Skull Harvests on New Badab

A good conversion can be made from a cold one with an imperial guard grenade launceher strapped round its neck


Loxatl Mercenary Broodpack           35 pts/model

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	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
Loxatl	4	4	3	4	2	5	2	9	4+
Loxatl Spec.	4	4	3	4	2	5	2	9	4+
Loxatl Hunter	4	4	3	4	2	5	3	9	4+
Loxatl Matriarch	5	4	4	4	3	6	3	10	4+

Unit Composition: 1 – 10 Loxatl

Unit Type: Beasts

Wargear: Flechette Blaster, Dew-Claws (count as a single close combat weapon).

Special Rules: Stealth, Stubborn, Move through Cover, Hero Hunter (Loxatl Hunter only).

Options: up to two Loxatl may be upgraded to a Loxatl Specialist replacing his Flechette Blaster with one of the following weapons:

• Flechette Cannon +10 pts
• Caltrop Grenade Launcher +10 pts
• Pulse Lance +15 pts
• Flechette Arc Projector +6 pts

One Loxatl may be upgraded to a Loxatl Hunter at +18 pts replacing his Flechette Blaster with a Harpoon Rifle. He may also take Hunting Traps at an additional 6 pts.

One Loxatl may be upgraded to a Loxatl Matriarch at +17 pts and he may replace his Close Combat Weapon with 2 of the following weapons:

• Loxatl Long-Sword +20 pts
• Venom Bolt Pistol +5 pts
• Power Weapon +10 pts
• Phase Trident +20 pts
• Shattersoul Pistol +10 pts

Special Rules

Hero Hunter: Loxatl Hunters are extremely keen-eyed, able to pick out a famed warrior in the thick of battle, to represent this; a Loxatl Hunter may always target an independent character when shooting, even if the character has joined a unit.

Wargear

Ranged Weapons:

Flechette Blaster: The Loxatl use unique weapons known as Flechette Blasters, carried along with ammunition bandoleers on their torsos, and mounted on mechanical armatures which fire the weapons through a mind impulse device. The blasters fire deadly short-bursts filled with millions of razor-sharp filaments that shred armour and cause grievous wounds on their targets flesh.

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Flechette Launcher	18”	4	4	Assault 3, Rending

Flechette Cannon: The heavier version of the Flechette Blaster, the Flechette Cannon adds more range and a higher rate of fire than the Flechette Blaster, capable of felling whole squad with one shot.

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Flechette Cannon	24”	4	4	Assault 6, Rending

Caltrop Grenade Launcher: A Caltrop Grenade launcher is a unique weapon, usually worn on the back of a Loxatl rather than the usual under slung position. When fired, a Caltrop Grenade Launcher shoots a small bomb up into the air, a small charge surrounded by three-sided metal spikes. When it lands, the charge in the centre explodes showering foes with a lethal rain of razor-sharp spikes

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Caltrop Grenade Launcher	24”	3	3	Assault 1, Blast, Rending, Barrage

Pulse Lance: A Pulse Lance is a powerful, medium range, lance weapon, the laser created by the users own heart pulse amplified a thousand times over, capable of searing holes straight through tanks and turning a man to close to nothing.

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Pulse Lance	24”	8	2	Assault 1, Lance

Flechette Arc Projector: A Flechette Arc Projector is similar to a Flechette Blaster, but houses a much wider barrel and uses a lot of ammunition. Though it lacks in range, it is capable of unleashing a potentially devastating storm of blades.

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Flechette Arc Projector	Template	4	4	Assault 1, Rending

Harpoon Rifle: The favoured weapon of Loxatl Hunters, the Harpoon Rifle fires a long, vicious-shaped Harpoon spear with a length of barbed rope attached to the end which raps around the target when the Harpoon hits. Any person who survives the initial blow will soon die struggling to free himself.

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Harpoon Rifle	18”	6	2	Assault 1

Any model wounded but not slain must take a toughness test at the beginning of their next turn or suffer a wound with no armour saves allowed.

Matriarch Pistols: Loxatl Matriarchs, leaders of a Broodpack, will often carry a pistol in addition to their Flechette Blasters. One of these pistols is a Venom Bolt pistol. The Venom Bolt Pistol fires a single dart coated in venom taken directly from the Loxatl sensor glands, capable of killing a man instantly. Another pistol armament of the Loxatl Matriarch the Shattersoul Pistol fires a single perfectly cut crystal which would scythe through any armour easily. On contact with flesh, the crystal will dig deep into the victims mind before literally shattering his soul, leaving a stiff corpse bearing a horror stricken face. Unlike the Flechette Blaster, the pistols which a matriarch wields do have triggers, as well as specially adapted handles so that the Loxatl can hold it. The pistol will also have a holster mounted on the Matriarchs waist so that he can carry it easily when crawling.

A Loxatl Matriarch with a Pistol may fire it as well as his Flechette Blaster in the shooting phase.

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Venom Bolt Pistol	12”	X	4	Pistol, Rending, Poisoned (3+)

Name	R	S	AP	Type
Shattersoul Pistol	12”	9	2	Pistol

When rolling to wound with a Shattersoul Pistol, wound against the enemies leadership instead of toughness.

Close combat Weapons:

Loxatl Long-Sword: Loxatl Long-swords are the signature close combat armament of the Loxatl Matriarchs. Carved from a mono-crystalline rock, not only will it cut through armour with ease, but is also capable of passing straight through energy fields and banishing Daemons back to the Warp. Loxatl Long-Swords can also easily be slid into a scabbard the Matriarch wears on his back, allowing him to move freely. Loxatl Long-Swords are Power weapons. In addition, they ignore invulnerable saves as well as armour saves.

Phase Trident: Phase Tridents are cursed weapons. Said to be forged in the bowling blood of men and fitted with stolen Eldar Spiritstones. So powerful are these weapons, that a single cut would drain the life from a normal man with ease, and leave any mighty warrior limping. A Phase Trident is a power weapon. In addition, when rolling to wound, wound against the models current wounds value instead of toughness.

Other

Hunting Traps: Hunting Traps are both assault and defensive grenades. In addition, at the end combat, before combat resolution is resolved, any unit in combat with some one with Hunting Traps immediately take D3 Strength 4 at AP -, these hits DO count towards combat resolution.