I think warlord traits would be fun to implement, say three charts like 40k, heck, even keep it the same:
- Command traits affect an area immediately surrounding the Warlord, representing the orders he issues to the units around him during the thick of battle. Generally these are abilities that affect units within 12".
- Personal traits represent specific combat skills that your Warlord possess. he can influence those fighting alongside him him as he leads by example. Generally these only affect him or his unit.
- Strategic traits are skills that affect your entire army, representing tricks or gambits your Warlord sets in motion long before the battle begins. Game-wide affects, like affecting reserves, units and terrain, and so on.
As a shortlist of ideas:
Command
1: Inspiring Presence - Friendly ships within 20cm of the Warlord can use his Leadership value instead of their own.
2: Intimidating Presence - Enemy squadrons within 20cm of the Warlord must use their lowest Leadership value, not the highest.
3: Crossed the trackless Void - Your Warlord and all friendly ships within 20cm may reroll any Leadership tests for terrain (asteroids, warp rifts, etc)
4: Master of the Vanguard - Your Warlord and all friendly ships within 20cm roll an extra dice when they All Ahead Full, dropping the lowest dice.
5: Target Priority - Your Warlord and all friendly ships within 20cm may reroll failed Leadership tests for shooting a further target.
6. Coordinated Assault - Your Warlord and all friendly ships within 20cm add 1 to their Boarding results.
Personal Traits
1: Master of Defense - Your Warlord and his squadron add 2 to their Boarding result while in they are in their own deployment zone.
2: Master of Offense - Your Warlord and his squadron add 2 to their Boarding result while they are in the enemy's deployment zone.
3: Master of Maneuver - Your Warlord and his squadron may deploy anywhere on the table that is more than 45cm from any enemy ships.
4: Legendary Fighter - Each enemy ship destroyed by your Warlord yields an extra 10% in VP.
5: Tenacity - Your Warlord and his squadron may make a 5+ save against any hull damage taken while within 15cm of one or more enemy ships.
6: Immovable Object - hmm I dunno. Could rename or something
Strategic
1: Conqueror of the Stars - You may choose which table edge is the Sunward edge.
2: Out of the Sun - For the first turn of the game, all weapon ranges are halved.
3: Master of Ambush - Your ships in Reserve may come on from any table edge of your choice.
4: Strategic Genius - Whilst your Warlord is alive, you may reroll any Reserves rolls.
5: Divide to Conquer - Whilst your Warlord is alive, your opponent has -1 to Reserves rolls.
6: Princeps of Deceit - After deployment, you may redeploy up to 3 of your ships/squadrons. This cannot take them out of their deployment zone.
Basically it's all straight out of the book with minor changes, though obviously some need a little help. I'm not sure how often if ever anybody uses Reserves, or if it even works anything like 40k (never used them myself) so those could do with a change.
Discuss.
