Squig Catapult

Believe it or not, the Squig Catapult was a serious threat through the end of 2nd edition...

In the grimdarkness of the 41st millennium, the humble catapult still somehow finds some use in a universe filled with Titans and Tanks. The Squig Catapult is an extremely primitive Ork artillery weapon which hurls a pot of Squigs (usually of the Buzzer Squig variety).

They are constructed from bits of scrap metal and wreckage, and form large girder-like structures with perforations to reduce the overall weight (Grots are a rather feeble crew). Each section is bolted together before battle, but will be taken apart and carried by Gretchin runts between battles. The firing mechanisms of the Catapult should be quite self-explanatory (though the model itself depicts a counter-balanced Trebuchet design), but what makes this Catapult unique is its ammunition.

As noted above, the Catapult throws a pot of Buzzer Squigs, a special kind of Squig that are essentially insect-sized piranhas. Buzzers get hungry and angry very quickly and a swarm of them can strip a man-sized target into bones within mere minutes. Although the catapult itself is woefully inaccurate even by Ork Standards, the Squigs are mobile enough to find their nearest target, compensating for that flaw. This means that the Orks are the only faction that is capable of out-NOMMING the Tyranids in their own game and it is often advised to look at the face of a 'Nid player as his entire Gaunt army is reduced to giblets. Heck even tank crews and fucking Dreadnoughts aren't safe as the Squigs are small enough (they are roughly the size of a large beetle) to fit through cracks or holes before eating the crew alive.

Just like most Ork tek, there is a high probability that something will go wrong. When the catapult fails, it is usually quite spectacular, either it manages to destroy itself as the strain of operating gets too much, or a minor fault prevents it from firing at all. On occasion a gretchin is loaded by mistake, sending him to his certain death, but at least he may take an enemy or two with him.

Now you may ask- why don't the starving Buzzers, encased in a thick, sun-baked mud pot from which they cannot escape, resort to eating each other? And surely the Grot crew is in serious danger when near them as well? The answer to both questions is simple: the 2nd Edition Ork Codex emphasizes the fact that Buzzers are strongly repelled by the taste of the symbiotic algae present in the bloodstreams of all Orkoid creatures. While that won't necessarily prevent an Ork or Grot from getting bitten once or twice, Buzzers will almost never consume other Orkoid creatures (the fan-made rules shown below appear to overlook this distinction).

A classic pewter Squig Catapult as shown in White Dwarf 135, circa 1991.

History

This unit was introduced waaaay back in 1991 with *'Ere We Go*, back when Feral Orks were a much more popular idea within GW.

They stuck around as an officially supported unit through the 2nd and 3rd Edition Codexes, after which they disappeared from the tabletop. Now effectively replaced by Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy.

Fan Made Rules

8th Edition

Name	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	A	Ld	Sv	Points
Squig Catapult	5"	5+	4+	3	4	5	2	5	5+	45

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Squig Catapult	-	-	-	-	-	When attacking with this weapon, choose one of the profiles below.
-Buzzing Squigs	60"	Heavy 2D3	*	*	*	Add 1 to the hit rolls for this weapon and this weapon wounds INFANTRY on a 2+ and everything else without the TITANIC keyword on a 4+, TITANIC's are wounded on a 6+. Every successful wound made by this weapon deals a mortal wound to the target.
-Bomb Squig	60"	Heavy D3	-	-	-	This weapon wounds all targets except TITANIC's on a 3+, TITANIC's are instead wounded on a 4+. Each successful wound made by this weapon deals 4 mortal wounds to the target unit.

Abilities:

• Dakka Dakka dakka:
• Living Ammunition:
  • You may re-roll hit rolls of 1 for this models ranged weapons. In addition, for every missed shot roll a D6, on a 4+ the nearest unit to the intended target (friend or foe) takes the missed hits instead.

• Boss the Squigs are looking at me hungrily again: Squigs don't make for the best ammunition and trying to launch a creature which most certainly does not want to be thrown at the enemy can have... Unfortunate side effects.
  • At the beginning of your turn roll a D6 and consult below, the resulting effect lasts until the start of your next turn.:
    • 1, Ammunition on the loose: The squigs have escaped and are now eating the Grot crewmen, this model takes D3 mortal wounds and all other units within D6" take a mortal wound.
    • 2-3, (Sound of a Squig being kicked): A suitably large Ork has come and beaten the Squigs (or squished some of the Buzzing Squigs) into a modicum of calm, nothing happens.
    • 4, Git on da katapult fatty!: The ork overseer has decided that the catapult’s ammunition could be enhanced by a few “volunteering”, rotund grots strapped with explosives, providing a little more weight and firepower to throw at the enemy. Reduce the range of this models weapons by 12” and a unit of GROT INFANTRY within 6” suffers a mortal wound (if no such models are available then this model takes a mortal wound). However, you may then add 1 to all dice rolls to determine the number of shots made by the model's weapons.
    • 5, Git them out of 'ere then!: The decision is made the fire the Squigs out of here as fast as possible, shooting attacks made by this weapon are made at a -1 to hit, but you may roll double the dice when determining the number of shots when firing any of this models weapons and discard the lowest half of dice.
    • 6, Very enthusiastic ammunition: The very hungry Squigs are extra eager to be introduced to their targets, add 1 to the wound rolls made by this weapons ranged weapons.

• Zoggin 'el itz gonna blow!: See da univers dey sed. 'orkin 'ith da squigs will be fun dey sed. Da gitz 'idn't 'ention dat da squigs will trys an gobble you wen deys ad enof!
  • When this model is slain roll a D6, on a 1, 2 or 3 nothing happens, on a 4 or 5 every unit within 2D6" takes D3 mortal wounds, on a 6 this model may make one full round of shooting attacks as if it was the shooting phase, then all units within 2D6" take D3 mortal wounds.

Faction Keywords: ORK, <KLAN>

Keywords: VEHICLE, Squig Catapult