Warhammer - Grand Cathay 1.7 out now!

This is another really big update overall, hence the longer than expected time it took to finish it (not helped by a few weeks of sleep deprivation on my part, but that's all good now). It features a lot of new magic items, upgrades and unit changes overall - but nothing too controversial I hope.

I've overall included most of the rules from Grand Cathay in TOW, while keeping some things from TWW3 that I felt was better designed. I've trimmed a few options and units down for gameplay reasons, which I'll go over next.

For starters, the Lore of Yin and Yang no longer have signature spells, but are instead supplementary lores that can be taken in addition to the Wizard's chosen magic lore. The spells are now numbered level 1-4 depending on their casting value - in case the wizard would lose wizard levels during the game or other oddball reasons. Each Wind of Magic has been divided into either Yin or Yang alignment based on Chinese cosmology, meaning Yin and Yang Wizards have access to 4 Winds of Magic each. Astromancers and Alchemists are now limited to Metal and Heavens, respectively.

As for the units, I've made quite a few changes, so let's go over the biggest ones. Javelinmen are gone, but Hill Tribesmen can skirmish now to fill the same role. Iron Hail Gunners are a Core unit that can also take regular handguns, instead of it being a Jade Warrior weapon. The Hand Mortar has been removed - there are no models for that I'm aware of anyway, and it made it artillery spam a bit too easy. Heavy chariots have been folded into the War Chariot entry. Lastly, both the Flying Crow and Catapult have been removed - the Fire Rain Rocket fills the same role with dual firing modes now. Overall, Cathay now has more limited options for war machines in the special section, but they still have access to both normal cannons and bolt throwers. 

Lastly, I've reworked the spell lores for the three Dragon sibling Special Characters - rather than keeping their magic lores from TWW, Miao Ying uses Heavens, Shadow and Yin; Zhao Ming uses Fire, Metal and Yang; and Yuan Bao uses Heavens, Life, Yin and Yang. Essentially, magic lores better suited to their background and alignment.

Overall, the book should be a bit tighter design-wise now, but still have about the same amount of options as the previous version. Hope you enjoy the update, and many thanks for your continued support!

Next up: Bretonnia, which should be a much quicker update.

 

Patch notes:

• Harmony: Unless specified, models armed with missile weapons counts as Yin, and models armed with only close combat weapons counts as Yang.
• New Army Special Rule: Celestial Forged Armour. Models with this special rule gains a 6+ Ward save. This rule applies to Celestial Generals/Captains, Longma Riders, Shugengan and Dragon Descendants (including special characters). Increased price accordingly.
• New Army Special Rule: Will of the Dragons: Friendly units within 6" of a model with this special rule may re-roll failed Panic tests. This replaces Inspiring Presence (6) for characters.
• New weapons for characters: Celestial blades, Fire Dragon Pistol, Fire Dragon Bombs.
• Three-eyed guns have Rapid Fire.
• Crane Guns ignores ponderous if mounted on a Chariot.
• Removed Signature Spells from the lore of Yin and Yang (since these are not canon).
• Constellation of the Dragon scatter D3". 13+ to cast.
• Ancestral Warriors is a direct damage spell with a range of 18". The target unit suffers 5D6 Attacks with Weapon Skill 4 and Strength Hits 4, resolved as close combat attacks. Is 13+ to cast.
• Crystal Of Kunlan: The bearer of this item gains a 5+ Ward save. In addition, for each successful Ward save they make in close combat, the enemy that struck the blow all immediately suffer a Strength 3 Hit with the Flaming Attacks special rule. Costs 35 points.
• Shield of Nan-Gau: The bearer gains a +2 armour save against all attacks to their front in the first round of close combat. Costs 10 pts.
• Scrolls of Astromancy: Astromancer only. The bearer can re-roll all of the dice rolled to cast or dispel a spell once per Magic phase. Costs 40 pts.
• Fan of the Magister: The bearer of this item allows friendly units to re-roll failed Leadership tests when attempting to use the Tactician special rule. 
• Astromancer’s Spyglass: In addition, all enemy units within 30" must reveal all Hidden models and magic items they might have.
• Flag of Great Cathay: In addition, friendly units within 18" count as being in Harmony if within 6" of eligible Yin/Yang units rather than 3". Costs 55 pts.
• Added dozens of magic items from The Old World.
• Characters can take bows. Increased cost of missile weapons.
• Celestial Generals/Captains have Celestial Forged Armour. Costs 110/65 pts.
• A Dragon-Blooded Shugengan/Dragon Descendant must be chosen to be aligned with either Yin or Yang. A Yin Wizard chooses spells from one of the following Lores of Magic: Death, Heavens, Metal, Shadow. A Yang Wizard chooses spells from one of the following Lores of Magic: Beasts, Fire, Light, Life
• In addition to their chosen lore, a Dragon-Blooded Shugengan/Dragon Descendant may also replace any number of spells from that lore with spells from either Yin or Yang depending on their alignment.
• Dragon-Blooded Shugengan may take the same weapons as Celestial Generals.
• Dragon-Blooded Shugengan may ride Celestial Lions and Great Moon Birds.
• Dragon Descendant: If they are in a unit when turning into their Dragon Form, they must immediately leave it and be placed within 1" of that unit, facing the same direction. If they are engaged in combat, they must remain in base contact with the enemy unit if possible.
• New Mount: Great Spirit Longma
• Harmony of Stone & Steel: A Gate Master and any unit they join gain the Cold-blooded special rule when taking tests to March, Reform, Redirect Charges and Restrain from Pursuit.
• Magistrates have Inspiring Presence (6). Costs 85/50 pts.
• Tactician: One friendly Human unit with the Yin and/or Yang special rule within 12" may be given one of the following bonuses at the start of each of your turns by passing a Leadership test. 
• Magistrates may be mounted on Sky Lanterns.
• Alchemists/Astromancers do not have the Yin/Yang special rule. Do not have access to Fire/Light. Do not have Mastery of the Elemental Winds. May take light armour.
• Separated Peasant Militia and Jade Warriors into combat and missile units. 
• Peasant Militia may take pikes. Increased the cost of weapon options. 
• Peasant Archers are Unit Size 10+.
• Removed Peasant Javelinmen.
• Jade Warriors are Unit Size 15+. Cannot take handguns.
• Spears for Jade Warriors cost 0.5 pts
• Jade Horsemen may take Three-eyed guns.
• Hill Tribes have LD6, are not ambushers by default. Cost 2.5 pts. Can be upgraded to ambushers or skirmishers.
• Monkey Warrior blowpipes cost 3 pts.
• Repeater Crossbows and Dragon Crossbows have Rapid Fire.
• Repeater Crossbows costs 4 pts.
• Dragon Crossbows are S3, range 24". Costs 4 pts to swap to from polearms. 
• Celestial Dragon Guard heavy armour costs 1.5 pts.
• Celestial Dragon Lancers cannot take Three-eyed guns.
• Iron Hail Gunners are a Core Unit, cost 9 pts. May take handguns. Three-eyed guns cost 3 pts.
• Field Engineers renamed to Grenadiers.
• Fire bombs renamed to gunpowder bombs, do not have flaming attacks.
• Removed Hand Mortar. You may take 1-2 Flamethrowers as a single special choice. They have W1, cost 20 pts.
• Sky Lanterns have W5, cost 90 pts. May take Sky bombs. May replace crane guns with blunderbusses and gunpowder bombs.
• Heavenly Beacon: Friendly units within 12" of a Sky Lantern/Sky junk gain +1 Leadership when making Rally tests. 
• Sky Lantern/Sky junk have Fly (6).
• Removed Heavy Chariots - extra crew and warhorses are options for War Chariots.
• War Chariots may take standard bearers.
• Mercenary Ogres have Natural Armour 6+, light armour and Ogre Charge, cost 30 pts.
• Terracotta Warrior polearms cost 2 pts. 
• Removed Traction Catapult and Flying Crow.
• Longma Riders have Celestial Forged Armour, costs 48 pts.
• Grand Cannons and Fire Rain Rockets may have Ogre Loaders.
• Ogre Loader: An Ogre Loader has the Fear and Natural Armour (6+) special rule. In addition, it increases the Unit Strength of the war machine by 3 rather than 1 and gives them Line of Sight (2).
• Fire Rain Rocket fires like rocket launchers, can either fire using large or small template with different Strength. 
• Celestial Comet scatters D3".
• Sky-junk have W7, cost 150 pts.
• Terracotta Sentinels have Regeneration (6+), can be upgraded to Jade, Obsidian, Granite or Warpstone Sentinels. Costs 220 pts.
• The Storm Dragon's Fury: Innate Bound spell (power level 4). The Storm Dragon's Fury is a magic missile with a range of 24" that causes 2D3 Strength 5 Hits with the Lightning Attacks special rule. 
• Miao Ying costs 550 pts. Has Celestial Forged Armour, Hatred (Daemons of Chaos, Warriors of Chaos) and Stubborn.
• Miao Ying is a Level 4 Wizard who uses spells from Lore of Heavens and Shadow. In addition, she may also replace any number of spells from that lore with spells from the Lore of Yin.
• Zhao Ming costs 200 pts. Has Celestial Forged Armour. The Burning Vambraces gives the wearer +1 Toughness.
• Zhao Ming is a Level 4 Wizard who uses spells from Lore of Fire and Metal. In addition, he may also replace any number of spells from that lore with spells from the Lore of Yang.
• Yuan Bo has Celestial Forged Armour. Costs 480 pts.
• Yuan Bo is a Level 4 Wizard who uses spells from the Lore of Heavens and the Lore of Life. In addition, he may also replace any number of spells from those lores with spells from the Lore of Yin and/or Yang.
• Tian Shi may take light armour and mounts.
• Zhuge Yi has same stats as Lord Magister and Inspiring Presence (6).