Ironhead Squats
Well well, it will come as no surprise to many of you that I'm a fan of all Abhumas, and just because they are short doesn't mean that I don't have big love for them, so let's take a look at our larger than life cousins.
What makes us different?
Pomeranian?
Well let's just get the obvious out of the way, the squats are a small but hardy breed (like a Pomeranian) and so start with a movement of 4” for your leader, Champions and Gangers as well as 5” for Juves but they also get a toughness of 4 giving them an edge on most gangs and against Strength 3 attacks. Not to mention their mental stats are superb.
Ironhead Rapid Fire
Next up is the bread and butter of the Squat gang, Rapid Fire.
The Squats have Rapid Fire on basically everything that shoots allowing for them to pump out the Dakka, even their stub guns are rapid fire 1. But you do pay for this in credits, so you end up with expensive gangers even with base weapons.
Also just because you can use 3 rapid fire dice doesn't mean you always have to (but obviously you will).
Ironhead weapons include;
Ironhead Bolter
Ironhead Heavy Stubber
Ironhead Autogun
Ironhead Stub Gun
Ironhead Auto Pistol
Ironhead Bolt Pistol
Ironhead Melta(!)
They are basically the same as their standard counterparts except for their additional Rapid Fire dice. This makes their bolter a murder machine but also runs the risk of hitting that 6+ ammo check more regularly so watch out, no one wants to be running about without any Ammo in their Gun.
Let's just take a minute to look at the Ironhead Melta, strength 8, ap-4 damage 3 with Rapid fire? There is no down side to this over a standard Meltagun except its, shockingly small, price increase of 20 credits, yes please, get in my list.
Firestorm
Firestorm, remember when I said “if it shoots it has rapid fire?” Well that includes flamers now… Firestorm is the answer to the question no one asked, “Hay what if we could hit multiple times with this flamer?” The answer? Almost guaranteed blaze condition.
This seems a little over the top, which is a recurring theme in squat weaponry, and considering how many people complain about blaze as it is… perhaps not the best choice if you want to keep friends. If however your group is like me, and thinks it's hilarious to have your models running about on fire, go for it but it might make itself redundant as you are also more likely to OoA your target.
Power pack weapons
Power pack weapons are an odd one, you can have up to 2 and then don't require hands to operate, now the way its written makes me think that you gain an additional attack per weapon you have attached to the pack just for that weapon or you can distribute your attacks evenly between all melee weapons and if you have another melee weapon you gain an additional attack like the core rules do with an additional melee weapon.
The big issue here is you are very slow so having melee weapons at all is a bit sub optimal, you could add them onto your shooty guys in case you get charged but that seams like a waste of credits most of the time.
The options we have are;
Circular Stone Saw - 25 credits
Melee and rending at strength +1 AP-2, damage 1
Gem Extractor - 50 credits
Melee, Strength+2, AP-1 and Damage 2
Ironhead Arc Welder - 100 credits
Melee, Blaze, Strength +2 AP-2 and damage 3
All 3 of these can pack a punch and if you are running a melee beast and have the extra credits laying about late game you could invest into them. It just seams a bit niche.
Claim Jumper
What can be said about the Claim Jumper other than its an auto include a lot of the time.
For 60 credits you get a model with 260 credits worth of equipment (not including the tech mite) plus special rules and skills.
Although it's slow it is amazing in melee and if it takes any injuries you can just replace it with another one.
I would say this model is way under-costed for what it is.
“But 3O!” I hear you say, “what about its special rules?” Well I'm getting to that so chill out. “Seize the prize” allows you to roll a d6 during the post battle sequence and on a 5+ you can gain the boon from your opponent's Territory of your choosing. I mean, if you are against someone with the good territories you just get to use it, it's amazing and also not the reason you take this guy.
Now the Claim Jumper doesn't come alone to this parry, he brings with him the Techmite Autovayor. The techmite does have a weapon but that's not important, what this guy is for is putting in front of the Jumper to absorb charges but it also has some special rules of its own, tech bypass let's the Mite open loot caskets and re roll the loot table to determine what's inside. Not only that but because of the Mites skill, there's always another secret, you gain 1d6x10 extra credits just for opening it, no down sides again and it is included in the 60(!) credits of the Claim Jumper. Easy worth 350+ credits at least.
Starting Lists
This is not exhaustive but here are 2 simple lists to get you started.
Basic like Kin
So this is what I like to call the “Basic” list, it's simple but effective. The downside is it's a little boring but good for showing new players how the game works, the downside is your bolters will run out of ammo every game and you will end up with mostly useless champions.
Charter Master - Hip Shooting, Ironhead Melta gun and Mesh Armour.
This is the most interesting model in your gang, the Meltagun will be over-kill until brutes turn up (usually about halfway through the campaign) but think about it this way, you will never need to upgrade this fighter's weapon. You could swap the melta for another special or heavy weapon if you wanted to make things easier but playing with melta is little more interesting then sitting in one place and shooting away. A pricey but valuable model coming in at 285 creds they can use the hip shooting skill to alway be double moving into that sweet melta range.
2x Drill Master - Both of our drill masters are sporting Ironhead Boltguns and Flak armour but one has “Dependable like Kin” skill and the other “Nobody pushes kin around”.
These guys have a seriously high chance of taking your opponents out of action if they shoot them but also, with an ammo roll of 6+ on 2 rapid fire dice, a high chance of being out of ammo, Dependable like kin helps with this allowing you to reroll an ammo dice and nobody pushes kin around helps against being pushed off buildings and allows you to climb without fear of falling. 295 points.
2x Drill Kin - 2 gangers with Ironhead autoguns. One should be a specialist, because why not, and both will be used to lay down fire and keep heads low and fighters pinned. Again, with rapid fire 2 even at strength 3 the autogun will get work done and its 4+ ammo roll means the dreaded out of ammo dice isn't as scary as say it is on your bolters. 75 credits.
2x Prospect - Ironhead Autogun only, fulfils the same job as the drill kin but not quite as well. I would pair these up with your leader to keep him safe as they move 5” and can keep up with the hip shooting while still occasionally popping shots off to keep heads down. 60 credits.
Claim Jumper - Counter charger, casket opener and general badass. The Claim Jumper is your go to in the first half of a campaign but will probably be less cost effective in the second half (more on this later)
There's always another Rapid fire dice
This list is more what you would expect from a squat gang and in the hive is usually a bit overkill and basic as well (notice a theme?)
Charter Master - Mesh armour, Ironhead Boltgun and Iron will, This is a change from the other list and is much more static and slow, but the chances of you running off the battlefield is so low you’re digging for it. 225 credits.
Drill Master - Mesh armour, Ironhead Boltgun and Dependable like kin, this hasn't changed from the previous list. If it aint broke dont fix it.
Drill Master - Mesh armour, Ironhead Heavy Stubber and Nobody pushes Kin around. Your heavy gunner, get them to a nice vantage point (high up if you can) and let him pump out the dakka at rapid fire 3 without fear of falling off. 240 credits.
2x Drill Kin - Ironhead Autoguns. Same as before, use them to shield your champions and lay down the covering fire.
2x Prospect - You can either run these with the Ironhead Autoguns or with 2 Ironhead Stub Guns, use these to grab objectives and try and get close, letting the rapid fire stub guns do their work, if you want to add some extra punch then add Ironhead Dum Dums to make them strength 4. 60 credits with autogun, 55 with duel stub guns.
Claim Jumper - I have said all that needs to be said here, early game it's too good to pass on.
Campaign Progression
Exo-Driller
The Vartijan Exo-Driller is a great brute for the squats, with toughness 5 and a 4+ armour save it can tank nearly all small arms fire but it can be pinned fairly easily. It's skill, nobody pushes kin around, stops your Exo-driller from falling off things or being pushed back at all but the big thing that makes the exo worth bringing is its weapons. You start with the Vartijan heavy flamer, which is template strength 5, ap-2 damage 2 with firestorm, which is noticeably without unwieldy allowing you to move and shoot which might actually make it worth taking. But for 50 credits more you can upgrade the flamer for a Vartijan Heavy bolter, strength 5, ap-2 damage 2, rapid fire 3(!) with a 5+ ammo, which is also missing unwieldy so you can run about with your +1 to hit at 18” heavy bolter which is great if you play on larger boards.
This isn't something I would spec into early, unless you find yourself over flush with credits, but is well worth picking up at the halfway point in a campaign. It's even worth replacing the Claim Jumper for if you loose it and have the credits to do so.
Ammo jack
What is the main issue with Squats? Ammo. When you are firing that much Dakka you need some help. Thankfully the Ammo Jack is there to help you, for 50 credits you get to reroll ammo rolls of 1, and with up to 3 per gang you can reroll up to a roll of 3. It's uninspired but handy, you could however spend more credits and get…
Ragnir Gunnstein
At 100 credits Ragnir is not cheap, but he is thematic. Counting as one of your Ammo Jack's he also has the added bonuses of being “part of the crew” bringing the skill Munitioneer to help with your ammo checks further, a shotgun, carapace armour, Krak and Frag grenades and a respirator. If that sounds good then keep listening, you also get the joys of deploying D3 ammo crates. This allows you to add 2 to all ammo checks, just don't roll a 6 or you will exhaust the supply.
Fixer
The fixer might actually be the first hanger-on you get (even over the Claim Jumper if you think about it) because Squats are expensive! The ability to earn d3x10 credits just for turning up will pay for itself incredibly quickly and from there it's just free credits.
The Overlying Issues
Lack of variety in the House list
All the non house gangs (second best gangs?) suffer from a lack of options in their house lists, but the Squats suffer the most.
The lack of variety can make all squat lists feel the same and you are limited to where to go in campaign Progression and it can make playing squats feel… boring… We will get into a few combos you can make to add some variety, and if you have any you would like to share please send them to me at secondbestguides@gmail.com.
Clearly an Ash Wastes Gang
With the atrociously slow movement and the clear focus on ranged weapons it becomes obvious to me that the Squats weren't really considered in hive at all, which isn't a shock as they and the Nomads are the poster gangs for that expansion. The weapons with that much rapid fire (and the rapid fire melta) seam like they are overkill against standard gangers in the underhive and even brutes are going to fall over in a puddle of melted limbs against the melta for example.
What's better than Rapid Fire 3?
Back to the lack of options, you could always go to the trading post (and you should) for your variety and interest but there is always going to be a part of your brain that goes, “what's better than rapid fire 3 heavy stubber?”
Combos
Slayer
Drill Master - Frenzon coller, Stimm-Slug Stash, Bio-Booster, Grapnel launcher and 2x Chain Axes with the Stubborn to the Last skill.
This guy comes in at a reasonably expensive 265 credits this Slayer can be thrown into the strongest, nastiest, badass on your opponents team, using the Grapnel to move across the board as quick as possible, the frenzon to negate pinning and reduce damage coming in (as well as its other benefits), Stimms for its first charge to make sure whatever you hit goes down and the bio booster to keep them on their feet.
To be honest this should be the other Champion type the squats never got.
Wrecker juves
Grapnel launchers and stub guns or hand flamer.
80 credits on a Juve with only Stub pistols seams like a lot, but as the Juves are there to get close and grab objectives the addition of a grapnel launcher boosts their effectiveness massively for only 25 additional credits.
Plasma and Kin
Drill master, Plasma gun or Plasma Cannon and Dependable like Kin to overcharge every time.
I'm not a huge fan of plasma guns, I think underhivers should be looking for low tech weapons, but if any gang (other then Van Saar) should get Plasma it's Squats.
Its effective, more interesting then another IH Bolter and if you pair it with Dependable like kin you can overcharge every shot without fear of exploding yourself. Add some Mesh to keep them standing and you get 200 credits of danger not to mention hitting on a 2+ within 12” at Strength 7, AP-2 and damage 3.
If you are using Gunstien then you can drop an ammo cache next to them as well to keep them in the game.
Fanatic
Meltagun, hip shooting and displacer field - do you want to tank the shot or see where it lands.
Is this a meta build? No.
Is this going to be hilarious and scare the crap out of your opponents? Definitely.
The down side is unless you spec a champion into secondary skills the only model you can do this with on creation is your leader, but it is still definitely worth considering, just to bring more random carnage to your games.
Final Thoughts
I enjoy this gang, they are a little boring to use in a campaign unless you lean into the trading post and definitely require you to “think outside the box” to make them fun to play in the long term. But if you are after a gang to show a new player how to play or want to turn your brain off a bit then Squats are your best bet.
Finally, GW please give the Squats a WarCom Apocrypha update like you did Nomads, just something to help them feel more interesting to play.
Thanks for reading,
3_Ogryns_in_a_Trenchcoat