Well, although I've already got more than enough to do with my Exodites, Eldar, True Kin and Croneworlders I've been thinking about some other cool fluffy ideas for alternative armies within the 40k lore. I'll likely never get round to actually making them, based on my current rate of painting the models I actually have, but I was wondering if anyone else had any cool ideas.
So far, the ones I've come up with are:
Ultramar PDF Small SM force allied with IG veteran forces painted in Ultrasmurfs livery to represent Chapter Serfs. You could do blob-guard with SM vehicles to represent an army that's primarily armed by their SM lords. You could have fun converting all the cybernetic enhancements they're supposed to have as well.
Knight World Militia Brettonians in spaaaace. Single Imperial Knight, again with foot-guard allied and painted up like grimdark Brettonian men-at-arms, with Sentinels to represent mounted divisions. Even better, ally in some Skitarii for access to Dragoons to expand on the knightly theme, and Skitarii Rangers as 'longbowmen' with archaeo-tech rifles
Anyone else got any cool ideas? Doesn't have to be Imperium-based.
The Imperium has landed and begun mining operations on a new planet. 3 months into their dig they break through the rock into a massive system of caverns and tunnels. The colonists are soon overrun by massive waves of giant rats wielding crude weaponry and armor. The local militia is no match for their numbers. Upon subjugation of the local population the rats seemingly impossibly reverse engineer all technology the colonists brought with them. The rats then force the remaining human population into slavery mining a strange green stone from the caverns they emerged from, which they then use to enhance their reverse engineered technology into weapons and warmachines. Three months after introduction to 41st millennium technology the rats take to space and begin popping up on all nearby imerpial worlds seemingly burrowing out of warpspace to wreak havoc, take prisoners and steal tech only to disappear as fast as they came. Librarians have begun to detect a new presence in the warp as they see visions of a massive horned rat laughing as the galaxy burns.
The Paragon Blades - A Slannesh warband, believed to have its origins in the Emperor's Children Legion, but since having acquired recruits from countless other Chapters and recruiting worlds.
The Paragons are obsessed with outward beauty, believing strength, beauty, and all other physical positive traits are signs of Slannesh's favor, and thus of divinity. Unlike the hideously mutated noise marines and half-spawned beasts other portions of the Legion became, the Paragons have only grown younger and prettier with the passing eons, until even their armor has curved and warped to capture their magnificence.
The Paragon recruitment method is to find those specimens they believe to be their equal, and induct them as marines. Their geneseed is actually, one might say, perfect, and most attempts to create a recruit are successful. However, while implantation is usually successful, the Paragons have been known to terminate new recruits, if they perceive the process has in some way damaged their beauty.
A large body of cultists and hangers on's can be found aboard the gilded vessels of the Paragons, as the warband will take on anyone who catches their eye for a time. In turn, these elevated humans (and some whisper, Xenos) who are accepted view the Paragons like angels, who have recognized that they are better than the common ilk of the galaxy.
Of course, what perfection the Paragons show outwardly, hides the rot within. They are preening fools at times, fleeing the field of battle rather than risk their perfect skin. They venerate their cultists as no other warband... until they inevitably age or lose their splendor. Then, they may linger on as put-upon and abused servants, suitable only for mockery. This disloyalty exists in the warband as well, as wounded or disfigured members immediately lose what authority they once had, and may even find themselves slain by their brothers, who consider what they do a "mercy."
The actual army would be a Slannesh themed CSM army, using Blood Angel Sanguinary Guard bits for the muscular humanoid power armor chests and haloed death masks. Cultists would mostly be taken from alternate companies, to reflect a prettier sort of scum than is typical in the Chaos hordes. The color scheme would be the basic deep purples, silver, and gold, with the goal being to create something so pleasing to the eye that the viewer would at first not realize these are villains.
The Imperium has landed and begun mining operations on a new planet. 3 months into their dig they break through the rock into a massive system of caverns and tunnels. The colonists are soon overrun by massive waves of giant rats wielding crude weaponry and armor. The local militia is no match for their numbers. Upon subjugation of the local population the rats seemingly impossibly reverse engineer all technology the colonists brought with them. The rats then force the remaining human population into slavery mining a strange green stone from the caverns they emerged from, which they then use to enhance their reverse engineered technology into weapons and warmachines. Three months after introduction to 41st millennium technology the rats take to space and begin popping up on all nearby imerpial worlds seemingly burrowing out of warpspace to wreak havoc, take prisoners and steal tech only to disappear as fast as they came. Librarians have begun to detect a new presence in the warp as they see visions of a massive horned rat laughing as the galaxy burns.
Heh I like this. How would you represent them using current codices?
Skitarii Vanguard and Rangers would be a good start I reckon. What about your other units?
The Paragon Blades - A Slannesh warband, believed to have its origins in the Emperor's Children Legion, but since having acquired recruits from countless other Chapters and recruiting worlds.
The Paragons are obsessed with outward beauty, believing strength, beauty, and all other physical positive traits are signs of Slannesh's favor, and thus of divinity. Unlike the hideously mutated noise marines and half-spawned beasts other portions of the Legion became, the Paragons have only grown younger and prettier with the passing eons, until even their armor has curved and warped to capture their magnificence.
The Paragon recruitment method is to find those specimens they believe to be their equal, and induct them as marines. Their geneseed is actually, one might say, perfect, and most attempts to create a recruit are successful. However, while implantation is usually successful, the Paragons have been known to terminate new recruits, if they perceive the process has in some way damaged their beauty.
A large body of cultists and hangers on's can be found aboard the gilded vessels of the Paragons, as the warband will take on anyone who catches their eye for a time. In turn, these elevated humans (and some whisper, Xenos) who are accepted view the Paragons like angels, who have recognized that they are better than the common ilk of the galaxy.
Of course, what perfection the Paragons show outwardly, hides the rot within. They are preening fools at times, fleeing the field of battle rather than risk their perfect skin. They venerate their cultists as no other warband... until they inevitably age or lose their splendor. Then, they may linger on as put-upon and abused servants, suitable only for mockery. This disloyalty exists in the warband as well, as wounded or disfigured members immediately lose what authority they once had, and may even find themselves slain by their brothers, who consider what they do a "mercy."
The actual army would be a Slannesh themed CSM army, using Blood Angel Sanguinary Guard bits for the muscular humanoid power armor chests and haloed death masks. Cultists would mostly be taken from alternate companies, to reflect a prettier sort of scum than is typical in the Chaos hordes. The color scheme would be the basic deep purples, silver, and gold, with the goal being to create something so pleasing to the eye that the viewer would at first not realize these are villains.
I really like that idea daemonette in a Blood Angel's clothing...
Mordian Iron Guard look preened enough to pass for some of the looks-focused cultists. You could look at bare Eldar heads for other 'pretty' cultists. The bare Guardian heads I think look particularly 'pristine'.
If it were me, I'd put in the occasional little flaw/chaosy mutation to make it seem like not everything is as it seems. Maybe something like the odd random tentacle poking out of a sleeve instead of a hand, made to seem like the cultist in question is trying to hide it...
Ynneadwraith wrote: Heh I like this. How would you represent them using current codices?
Clanrats would be much like IG shock troops, only with warp infused flash lights. Elite units woud be similiar to Triarch Praetorians, "WarpRunners" blinking in and out of warpspace for hit and run tactics. HQ units with something along the lines of a homing beacon, to allow for more accurate burrowing. Tanks with warpstone lightning batteries, using Tesla as a base rule for multiple chain lightning style wounds. Warlock Engineers essentially unchanged, but with a ratty discipline possibly mimicking the new chaos spell set. As far as actual models would go I would use Mantic's Veer-myn (http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/warpath/veer-myn.html) with 40k bits.
I really like that idea daemonette in a Blood Angel's clothing...
Mordian Iron Guard look preened enough to pass for some of the looks-focused cultists. You could look at bare Eldar heads for other 'pretty' cultists. The bare Guardian heads I think look particularly 'pristine'.
If it were me, I'd put in the occasional little flaw/chaosy mutation to make it seem like not everything is as it seems. Maybe something like the odd random tentacle poking out of a sleeve instead of a hand, made to seem like the cultist in question is trying to hide it...
I was thinking that, whenever a company produces a "female commissar" they tend to make them a little more... asset-y... than people make the male ones, and a pack of them, with a few pretty boys, would play the role really well.
But, the way I imagined the army, there would be no mutations, except perhaps in their youthful good looks growing perverse in their exaggeration. Instead, the unsettling nature of them is that at first glance they look like flawless heroes. Like, you would want to be around these people, if you didn't know them.
But in time, you realize how dreadful their behavior is - imagine all of the things models do to stay "perfect" in the real world, and apply it to a space marine. Eating disorders, quests for relics to preserve an aging leader's looks, ridiculous rituals and superstitions to preserve their looks that Slannesh views as worship, ruthless theft from "lesser" humanity who they deem as worthless for being less than perfect, and so on.
I think an important angle though, is that the Paragon Blades do not fit the "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll" motif typical of a Slanneshi warband. Far from embodying the body modification and wreckless nature of punks, this is entirely aesthetic as religion. Outsiders expecting to see licentiousness on display during a cultist gathering may be horrified to discover its nothing more than marines striking poses, while their admirers oooh and aaah and comment on their excellent form. Popularity is the coin of their cult, and popularity is based entirely on appearance and presentation. It could drive another Emperor's Children's warband as crazy as it would a World Eater one.
There's just one problem... those darned Sanguinary Guard chest pieces are hard to come by, and they're covered in blood drops and purity seals. I played around with the idea for a little bit, and decided to stick to a Khorne themed army. At the very least, all they need are chainaxes and bunny ears to fit their fluff perfectly.
I have a bit of headcanon for my Tau FSE. Asteroid miners. If you have suits, why mine resources on a planet that either we could colonize or have to fight another race over?
It also explains why I use Orks Shootas for stand in kroot. Kroot don't wear environmental suits, and orks don't need them. That the models are bulkier and less likely to snap off at the thin parts is (not in)consequential.
I've had a long standing custom chapter that's a successor to the Dark Angels. Their first Chapter Master was old as . Originally had him as having been in the legion at the tale end of the heresy but scrapped that. The chapter is 3rd or 4th founding. Either way, the idea is the First Chapter Master felt that the hunt for The Fallen was starting to consume the Dark Angels to the point of idiocy. He understood the need for it but was enraged when they would leave Imperial Forces to die just to check out a rumor of the fallen. Obviously, he kept it mostly to himself. So when he was given command of a new Chapter, he secretly (lol Dark Angels) shrunk the inner circle more so than other Unforgiven Chapters. For the most part, Masters of the battle and reserve companies didn't know about the fallen. Only the first (and to a certain extent, 2nd) company knew. That way they would focus on their true mission: Protecting the Imperium while their Deathwing and Ravenwing would respond to rumors of The Fallen when needed. To that end, each company would be permanently assigned an Interrogator Chaplain, whose job it was to watch for signs of The Fallen and ensure the Company maintained its course even when signs were spotted. He'd then lead elements of the second and first companies against The Fallen, or call for aid.
Each Chapter Master after him has tilted the scale in one direction or another and sometimes it becomes a major "political" issue within the chapter. On one hand, many from the Deathwing and Ravenwing are often more militant about bring the Chapter more in line with the tenants of the Dark Angels methods, while the Librarians and Interrogators (strangely enough) are opposed, wishing to keep the Chapter with the wishes of the Anteziel Seleucus, the First Chapter Master. Their tendency to be less zealous about their hunt for the fallen has even led them to conflict (mostly non-violent) with other Unforgiven, especially the Dark Angels. The later having, in the past, tried to influence the picking of a new Chapter Master.
Like most of the Unforgiven, they hate laurels and praise. They just want to do their job. But they take it to an extreme. Essentially, you aren't entitled to your awards/honors until you're dead. As a result, their armor is very sparse. There's very little if any decoration or personal touches. When a marine is given an award, it is expected of him that he place the award on the Wall of Honor when they return to the Fortress Monastery. Each company has a spot on the wall. If possible upon his death, they'll place all the awards on his body after removing them from the wall. I represent this with sparsely decorated models, even the big dogs. Robes and a few winged helmets are about as fancy as they get.
I'm currently working on an update now that I'm back. Something to explain why the Chapter has a ton of Mk IV armor. And now that I've sold off my Deathwing army, why they have so few terminators compared to the rest of the Dark Angels successors. Probably cut off from the Imperium for a time and found an ancient armory/forge world/manufactorum. And the Terminators lost would be due to time and or lost at the hands of Fallen ambush.
Also thought about...what if the new Chapter Master (who's always been a younger than usual guy through all his iterations) was actually a fallen who managed to infiltrate the chapter somehow? Sorry for the wall of text. lol
I have two such "heavily themed armies" that I'll never finish. But I treat myself to some modding and painting now and then. I do however play small skirmishes with them. Such as Kill team, Inquisimunda or Mutants and Death Ray Guns.
1 A highly radical ordo xenos inquisitor that do not trust humans, so she only uses abhumans, xenos and clones of her self. So many possible conversions in an excellent gothic Blanche-style! This one is based on the main antagonist from a long Dark Heresy campaign I GMed, where she had a long term plot to implant genestealer cults on select planets to lure in a tyranid fleet in a somewhat controlled fashion. Probably best counted as inquisitor with mixed imperial units, but options are to count as chaos marines or maybe even orcs if I want a more feral feeling.
2 A desperate militia (or maybe revolution army) from a highly industrialised world. Many mechanised exo skeletons, heavy wehicles and similar. Rusty yellow and civilian clothes. Many of the new genestealer cultist models will be used for this... or maybe they will simply be included into the Genestealer Cult ;-)
I love the idea of a radical Inquisitor purposefully spreading Genestealer Cults to try and lure Tyranid hive fleets where they want them. Seems like one of the few ways the Imperium could get one up on the Tyranids.
A renegade marine chapter that has not fallen to Chaos but instead decided that the one true god is the Machine God, the Omnissiah who is not the the emperor to them. They run around searching for archotech occasionally swindling Terran forces out of stuff. They are supported by forgeworlds who are not inclined to oppose them for worshiping the Omnissiah.
They would be a sort of IronHands with Word Bearer like faith in their Machine God.
Exergy wrote: A renegade marine chapter that has not fallen to Chaos but instead decided that the one true god is the Machine God, the Omnissiah who is not the the emperor to them. They run around searching for archotech occasionally swindling Terran forces out of stuff. They are supported by forgeworlds who are not inclined to oppose them for worshiping the Omnissiah.
They would be a sort of IronHands with Word Bearer like faith in their Machine God.
The Sons of Medusa, a chapter succesor of the Irond hands that begun a civil war in their ranks. They followed a heretical doctrine that believed that the Omnisiah was sending a message in the patterns of the cosmical white noise, and a strong schism in the mechanicum was produced. The Sons of medusa fought in the Badab war and they have profile for their chapter master, Kardan stronos.
When I build an army I choose I piece of lore and I try to reflect it in my organization, the Rites of war of Horus Heresy help a lot in the marines army. I have a Dreadnought Iron Hands force, a Pride of the Legion Ultramarines army (veterans and terminators), a Night Lords assault army...
For the 40k I taked the Badab War as inspiration for a Lamenters army (Blood Angels succesors) and the other chapters that guard the Maelstrom. Now I am building an Altansar (maybe chaos corrupted eldar) and Ulthwe combined force, using the references for the Eye of terror campaign and a Blood Axes army for the Armaggedon campaign.
The inquisition gives me lot of inspiration too, some of them coming from the novels or from the roleplaying games, I used to collect a Grey Knight, Deathwacht and inquisitorial army (before the Deathwacht codex).
If you like the literature behind the game the problem it is not to find inspiration, but to choose between all the ideas that flow in your mind.
A space marine chapter that went blackshield during the Horus heresy. During the confusion of the war they raided their geneseed stock to insure their future survival, and disappeared to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. They still loosely follow the codex and are loyal to the Emperor but are extremely paranoid of other chapters due to the betrayal of the Horus heresy. They hire themselves out as mercenaries, preferring working for rogue traders.
Exergy wrote: A renegade marine chapter that has not fallen to Chaos but instead decided that the one true god is the Machine God, the Omnissiah who is not the the emperor to them. They run around searching for archotech occasionally swindling Terran forces out of stuff. They are supported by forgeworlds who are not inclined to oppose them for worshiping the Omnissiah.
They would be a sort of IronHands with Word Bearer like faith in their Machine God.
Ooh that's cool especially if they're a result of the scheming of the Mechanicus. Like the Minotaurs are suspected to be the hidden hand of the High Lords of Terra, with their founding and much of their history kept under lock and key.
Your chapter could be the Mechanicus getting into the game. Covertly, they created a marine chapter which takes its orders from the Mechanicus, 'losing' the details of their founding in the bureaucracy of the Administratum. Although outwardly loyal to the Codex Astartes, the missions they undertake often have a secret secondary objective that furthers the goals of the Ad Mech...
A space marine chapter that went blackshield during the Horus heresy. During the confusion of the war they raided their geneseed stock to insure their future survival, and disappeared to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. They still loosely follow the codex and are loyal to the Emperor but are extremely paranoid of other chapters due to the betrayal of the Horus heresy. They hire themselves out as mercenaries, preferring working for rogue traders.
This works really well with them being a Kill Team. It fits nicely with the idea of a group of marines (they wouldn't even have been a chapter at the time of the Horus Heresy), fleeing the wrath of the Imperium for a heresy they didn't commit (cue A-Team tune).
To hide from the Imperium, they'd likely have to lay low, operating in small cells of a dozen or so marines rather than company-scale deployments.
Cool idea
Lusall wrote: Also thought about...what if the new Chapter Master (who's always been a younger than usual guy through all his iterations) was actually a fallen who managed to infiltrate the chapter somehow?
That's a cool idea, although I'd definitely leave it open as to whether he's loyal or not.
True to the secrecy of the Dark Angels, they keep the motivations and operations of their chapter a closely guarded secret. As per standard practice for Dark Angels successors, covert operatives have been infiltrated into their ranks in an attempt to assess the Chapter's loyalties. Curiously, the majority of operatives have fallen in glorious battle shortly after assignment. Although there is no proof that this is anything other than coincidence, it has aroused suspicion in the inner circle of the Dark Angels. The possibility that the Chapter has been compromised by the Fallen cannot go ignored.
I'm slowly but surely building a post-chapter civil war Blood Ravens army. Depleted ranks, very few vehicles and older equipment (Bolters, armor and vehicles) to show that they are scrapping the bottom of the barrel in their armory. Also using things like the leviathan dreadnought to show that they are indeed running out of equipment options and are fielding even dangerous weapons to try and secure victory. Add in a permanent inquisitor and retinue as 'allies' who keep one eye open at all times and you've got what should eventually look like a pretty cool army!
Exergy wrote: A renegade marine chapter that has not fallen to Chaos but instead decided that the one true god is the Machine God, the Omnissiah who is not the the emperor to them. They run around searching for archotech occasionally swindling Terran forces out of stuff. They are supported by forgeworlds who are not inclined to oppose them for worshiping the Omnissiah.
They would be a sort of IronHands with Word Bearer like faith in their Machine God.
From a modelling perspective this opens up lots of opportunities to model fancy AM machinery and weapons on your troops and vehicles, using counts as rules. The artist side of me is giddy at the thought. imagine electro marines, marines missed with Skitarii gear and machines. Maybe even convert some of your vehicles to walkers (this can be done while keeping LOS etc appropriate).
The fluff background being that they're hinted at being regressed descendants of the Old Ones, or one of their less successful creations.
Two options for creating this army.
Option 1: Space Marines with allied IG Saurus Warriors with Kroot Rifles and various other little bits of armour and ammo to make them look more '40k. The rules used for these would be Space Marine Scouts. S4, T4 with 24" Rapid Fire weapons, 4+ armour, Scout, Infiltrate and Move Through Cover seems to fit the idea of 'Space Saurus' quite nicely.
For a HQ, I'm thinking an Old Blood as a counts-as Chaplain
Skinks with autoguns, plus the added 40k-ness.
A Skink Starpriest would make for a rather cool looking Primaris Psyker, and the various Skink heroes would be good for sergeants.
Option 2: Head-swapped Mechanicus This ups the 40k-ness a little more, and is based on this kickass picture:
Basically, take Skitarii Rangers, Vanguard and Sicarians, scratch off the Mechanicum logos, and swap the heads out for skinks!
I'll have to check the scales between skink heads and the Skitarii bodies, but I think they fit together quite nicely. Especially the Sicarians with their digitigrade legs.
The only issue would be lack of psykers (from a fluff-based perspective, I'd expect most Old One creations to at least have some psyker presence). I suppose that could be sorted by an allied detachment of IG with less augmented skinks as a platoon, and then pinch the Starpriest Primaris Psyker idea from above
Exergy wrote: A renegade marine chapter that has not fallen to Chaos but instead decided that the one true god is the Machine God, the Omnissiah who is not the the emperor to them. They run around searching for archotech occasionally swindling Terran forces out of stuff. They are supported by forgeworlds who are not inclined to oppose them for worshiping the Omnissiah.
They would be a sort of IronHands with Word Bearer like faith in their Machine God.
Ooh that's cool especially if they're a result of the scheming of the Mechanicus. Like the Minotaurs are suspected to be the hidden hand of the High Lords of Terra, with their founding and much of their history kept under lock and key.
Your chapter could be the Mechanicus getting into the game. Covertly, they created a marine chapter which takes its orders from the Mechanicus, 'losing' the details of their founding in the bureaucracy of the Administratum. Although outwardly loyal to the Codex Astartes, the missions they undertake often have a secret secondary objective that furthers the goals of the Ad Mech...
The Steel Confessors were such a chapter created by the Ad Mech to be their private strike force answering to them only. It was sanctioned at a high level. They later got folded into the adeptes astartes with little punishment being metered out. Terra can really only slap Mars's wrist once or twice, as they are supposedly equal partners in the empire.
I like the idea of being fallen. In fact my personal chapter is actually in some way worshiping chaos, or in so far as they want to be unbound to study whatever type of tech they like. It includes IG and Ad Mech allies in a sort of heretic cult for the Omnissiah. There are a lot of options though as to how far you want to take it.
From a modelling perspective this opens up lots of opportunities to model fancy AM machinery and weapons on your troops and vehicles, using counts as rules. The artist side of me is giddy at the thought. imagine electro marines, marines missed with Skitarii gear and machines. Maybe even convert some of your vehicles to walkers (this can be done while keeping LOS etc appropriate).
Yeah I wanted to make an iron hand like chapter for modeling, but found things to be too clean. I wanted a bit of twisted scavenging going on, to the point that i can combine some of the better CSM gothic elements and some robotic Ork + Necron bits. Being a renegade chapter means they are going to stop getting regular resupply runs and need to improvise.
From a modelling perspective this opens up lots of opportunities to model fancy AM machinery and weapons on your troops and vehicles, using counts as rules. The artist side of me is giddy at the thought. imagine electro marines, marines missed with Skitarii gear and machines. Maybe even convert some of your vehicles to walkers (this can be done while keeping LOS etc appropriate).
Now you're talking! There's so much you could do with Ad Mech bits mashed together with Marines.
How about this?
Counts-as Marines/IG forces from a rogue Magos Biologis. SM scouts rules for beefed up genetically engineered skitarii footsoldiers. Ally in some Ogryn for the really beefy guys. Scatter with conversion-heavy Skitarii and blend
Also, I've bitten the bullet and ordered some bits to do a trial-run of the Lizardmen pic above I'll post them up here once I've got the first few together
A mad scientist themed Chaos Space Marine army with lots of Nurgle & Tzeentch forces to represent altered marines with admech, skitari, or even xenos allies to represent various gribbly science experiments.
Dark Eldar with blob-guard & penal legionaries to represent a Dark Eldar slaver empire in real-space.
There's tons of possibilities. That's one of the things I love about 40k.
Lusall wrote: Also thought about...what if the new Chapter Master (who's always been a younger than usual guy through all his iterations) was actually a fallen who managed to infiltrate the chapter somehow?
That's a cool idea, although I'd definitely leave it open as to whether he's loyal or not.
True to the secrecy of the Dark Angels, they keep the motivations and operations of their chapter a closely guarded secret. As per standard practice for Dark Angels successors, covert operatives have been infiltrated into their ranks in an attempt to assess the Chapter's loyalties. Curiously, the majority of operatives have fallen in glorious battle shortly after assignment. Although there is no proof that this is anything other than coincidence, it has aroused suspicion in the inner circle of the Dark Angels. The possibility that the Chapter has been compromised by the Fallen cannot go ignored.
Yeah, if I go that route in my terrible fan fiction/chapter fluff I'm for sure going to keep it vague. The chapter is all ready under scrutiny by the Dark Angels for their "lax" view on hunting the fallen. Like, there's two incidents in recent years where the chapter seemed to ignore signs of the fallen or even ignored a request for aid from the Dark Angels or another Unforgiven chapter. So while the fallen marines might have gotten away/killed the other Unforgiven marines sent to hunt them, the chapter stopped an Ork Whaagh! dead in its tracks, or defeated a Night Lords assault on a planet.
Excellent. I would also note you could use Nuns with Guns rules. Acts of Faith etc could represent psyker powers or advanced tech.
Good idea that could fluff it up as rather than dedicated psykers, they all have some low-level group psychic potential, allowing units to buff themselves in combat.
Thinking about it, that would work for Skitarii Doctrina Imperatives as well
A space marine chapter that went blackshield during the Horus heresy. During the confusion of the war they raided their geneseed stock to insure their future survival, and disappeared to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. They still loosely follow the codex and are loyal to the Emperor but are extremely paranoid of other chapters due to the betrayal of the Horus heresy. They hire themselves out as mercenaries, preferring working for rogue traders.
Pretty cool idea. If you ever want to expand their numbers or equipment you could say that they have something like a hidden transmission for renegade chapters that don't want to go chaos, so they have added a lot to their ranks
A space marine chapter that went blackshield during the Horus heresy. During the confusion of the war they raided their geneseed stock to insure their future survival, and disappeared to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. They still loosely follow the codex and are loyal to the Emperor but are extremely paranoid of other chapters due to the betrayal of the Horus heresy. They hire themselves out as mercenaries, preferring working for rogue traders.
They would be a part of one of the legions, not a chapter if they went renegade during the HH.
They could of course adopt a style of chapter later, to confuse other members of the IoM as to their true identity.
Getting enough geneseed for 10,000 years during the HH in one go would be very difficult. For 10,000 years that would be enough gene seed to create an entire new legion of space marines, and during the HH it was in short supply. Hence why Corax ended up creating a bunch of abominations while trying to recover his loses after Istvaan. Far easier to explain that they scavenge it along the way or have a forgeworld that is cooking it up and willing to trade with them.
Probably best to make them a renegade/traitor portion of one of the Loyalist legions, so they can still get geneseed. The Ad Mech still creates and maintains all the bloodlines, but the loyalist stuff is far more common and might show up in a rogue traders inventory. If they dont care about their bloodline/lineage, then I guess they could use whatever geneseed they can get their hands on.
I admit my knowledge of 40k lore is quite minimal. I really like the concept of the blackshields and want to use them. I tend to use the ultramarines chapter tactics so I guess it makes more sense they went rogue after the HH. Plus all my marines are in MarkVl and MarkVll power armor!
Maybe they went blackshield during HH but remained loyal and when returning to the IoM they retained their blackshield traditions?
Or went rogue much much later, closer to the 40k era?
Any ideas or suggestion welcome.
I think something that would be neat to see is a gluttony themed Slaanesh army but instead of an army of morbidly obese individuals, they're wendigos. It would probably be spawn heavy army as per wendigo mythology, the more they eat, the larger they get and less of their personality and sanity they retain so spawn would probably fit this fairly well. Possessed Marines being those on the descent into hunger induced insanity and anyone not a possessed or spawn is doing their damnedest to not give into the hunger for human flesh.
King Pariah wrote: I think something that would be neat to see is a gluttony themed Slaanesh army but instead of an army of morbidly obese individuals, they're wendigos. It would probably be spawn heavy army as per wendigo mythology, the more they eat, the larger they get and less of their personality and sanity they retain so spawn would probably fit this fairly well. Possessed Marines being those on the descent into hunger induced insanity and anyone not a possessed or spawn is doing their damnedest to not give into the hunger for human flesh.
Now that's a terrifying army even by 40k standards...
I have had this concept for a little while now, an odd one...
An Imperial controlled solar system that gets enveloped in a massive warp storm, eventually being pulled almost completely to the other side. As one would expect, from day one there has been near constant fighting against the ever increasing number of demonic incursions. Within a mere few months, the situation appeared grim for the embattled human populace.
However, the chaos gods are fickle.
Sergeants and various officers of the guard regiments begin manifesting impressive psychic abilities. Dead guardsmen get back up and continue the fight against the waves of demons. Destroyed machines roar back to life and begin rolling forward on their own accord. For a time, it would appear that Imperial forces may push back the chaotic hordes, even as they are drawn deeper into the warp.
I thought of a nice backstory to go with my Chapter.
Several years into the Great Crusade, an Expeditionary Fleet is lost amongst the Halo Stars with all hands lost. Shortly after Istvaan, a group of survivors flee to the region on a random Warp jump and encounter the fleet, the ships seemingly received no damage yet not a soul on board. Faced with impossible odds of returning to Terra, they decide to remain amongst the Halo Stars, salvaging equipment from the colony ships. The original Legions from which the survivors were from has been lost to time, yet they remain loyal to the Emperor despite conflict arising with the Mechanicus due to the development of unique and heretical technology, most notably the newly-created Quantum weapons, capable to temporal distortion and sending foes back to before they were even created!
Also, in my workshop there's a little group of models I've placed to one side. It started with an Inquisitor I painted up, I put him to one side, and over the years it's built up substantially to around two dozen models I've had no where else to put them. I'd love to do a bit of fan-fiction about them one day as there's quite a rag-tag bunch there, such as a Reaver crew, Thunderbolt pilot, various Servitors, old Commissars, a single Deathwatch Marine, even a Dark Eldar warrior (I like to imagine he's either a merc or a prisoner, perhaps with an explosive collar or some sort of similar device).
I'd love to go into more detail and develop it further but it's 2am and my bed is calling me.
A space marine chapter that went blackshield during the Horus heresy. During the confusion of the war they raided their geneseed stock to insure their future survival, and disappeared to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. They still loosely follow the codex and are loyal to the Emperor but are extremely paranoid of other chapters due to the betrayal of the Horus heresy. They hire themselves out as mercenaries, preferring working for rogue traders.
They would be a part of one of the legions, not a chapter if they went renegade during the HH.
They could of course adopt a style of chapter later, to confuse other members of the IoM as to their true identity.
Getting enough geneseed for 10,000 years during the HH in one go would be very difficult. For 10,000 years that would be enough gene seed to create an entire new legion of space marines, and during the HH it was in short supply. Hence why Corax ended up creating a bunch of abominations while trying to recover his loses after Istvaan. Far easier to explain that they scavenge it along the way or have a forgeworld that is cooking it up and willing to trade with them.
Probably best to make them a renegade/traitor portion of one of the Loyalist legions, so they can still get geneseed. The Ad Mech still creates and maintains all the bloodlines, but the loyalist stuff is far more common and might show up in a rogue traders inventory. If they dont care about their bloodline/lineage, then I guess they could use whatever geneseed they can get their hands on.
Also, in my workshop there's a little group of models I've placed to one side. It started with an Inquisitor I painted up, I put him to one side, and over the years it's built up substantially to around two dozen models I've had no where else to put them. I'd love to do a bit of fan-fiction about them one day as there's quite a rag-tag bunch there, such as a Reaver crew, Thunderbolt pilot, various Servitors, old Commissars, a single Deathwatch Marine, even a Dark Eldar warrior (I like to imagine he's either a merc or a prisoner, perhaps with an explosive collar or some sort of similar device).
I'd love to go into more detail and develop it further but it's 2am and my bed is calling me.
I love the idea of the captive Dark Eldar with an explosive collar I can just imagine him being utterly sarcastic and just staying on the right side of the line of outright rebellion to avoid getting his collar detonated:
'You do realise that if you weren't required for this mission you'd have been cleansed a long time ago,' the Inquisitor growled.
Lazily picking dried blood from under its fingernails, the Kabalite drawled 'I have never been able to wrap my mind around why you Mon'keigh state the blindingly obvious as if it were new information'
Making sure that the perfidious xeno would notice, the Inquisitor subtly circled his thumb around the detonator switch. The alien maintained a look of utmost disinterest and boredom, but the smallest flicker of its gaze betrayed who had the upper hand in this particular situation.
New geneseed is grown by each astartes over time, and then harvested from them when its time. From what I gather it's a bit of a lengthy process, and logically the fewer marines you have the harder it becomes to replenish your numbers.
Automatically Appended Next Post: ------------------------------
Ok. Here's another idea I've just had which Dakka should like
Looted Tyranids.
I'm picturing an Ork Boy with a couple of Mad Dok and Mek parts attached, sitting on top of a Zoanthrope, with a control panel and various wires going into the Zoanthrope's brain.
Following this up is various Gaunts, some of them with those ork metal jawbone bits bolted on, others with liberally applied red paint because 'the red wuns go fasta'.
I wonder how cheaply you can pick up Tyranid bits for...
As I recall, each space marine has 2 organs that grow geneseed with it taking a while for them to mature. This way a chapter can harvest small amounts of the stuff. It seems that the organs grow only once. So each space marine will create 2 geneseeds.
That most recruits do not survive the implantation processes means that even with the organs growing geneseed, full replacement is not really possible.
The ad mech has massive facilities that can grow geneseed enmass without the need of creating space marines. It is again a slow process that might take a forge world centuries to make enough to create an entire new chapter at once.
A Daemon Sword of Nurgle reaches a planet. It converts the first person it finds into a Herald of Nurgle, empowering and warping him until he possess the daemonic power to rival an daemonic herald. He gave up his name and identity long ago for this power, pledging himself fully to the plague lord, and no longer reveals his face. His function has become solely that as the vassal and host for the Daemon Sword Gal'hakk
He has amassed a cult of followers and will be played as a Daemonic Herald of Nurgle from codex: Chaos Daemons, and will know the Daemonology discipline, summing plaguebearers to join him and his chaos cultists (as taken from Codex: Chaos Space Marines).
If his Daemonology Discipline draws the Greater Daemon spell, then the time of Gul'hakk has come, and he will slough off the form he willingly took to participate in the battle directly, using his poor vassal's soul as his offering.
I'd represent the Herald using a Nazgul miniature with a converted sword.
A Daemon Sword of Nurgle reaches a planet. It converts the first person it finds into a Herald of Nurgle, empowering and warping him until he possess the daemonic power to rival an daemonic herald. He gave up his name and identity long ago for this power, pledging himself fully to the plague lord, and no longer reveals his face. His function has become solely that as the vassal and host for the Daemon Sword Gal'hakk
He has amassed a cult of followers and will be played as a Daemonic Herald of Nurgle from codex: Chaos Daemons, and will know the Daemonology discipline, summing plaguebearers to join him and his chaos cultists (as taken from Codex: Chaos Space Marines).
If his Daemonology Discipline draws the Greater Daemon spell, then the time of Gul'hakk has come, and he will slough off the form he willingly took to participate in the battle directly, using his poor vassal's soul as his offering.
I'd represent the Herald using a Nazgul miniature with a converted sword.
I like the idea of a Chaos Warband lead by someone possessed by their sword. If they die in a battle you do, you could do a new HQ model as another member of the warband having taken up the sword. You could have even more fun if they're killed in a challenge with an enemy character. You could say that the Space Marine captain that slew the former owner of the sword picked up the weapon after besting its previous owner. Slowly, steadily the sword crept into his mind and turned him against his former loyalties.
Then, make a copy of your enemy's model, replace the sword and make it look 'tainted'.
Et voila!
I'd be wary of using Nazgul models though. I've found LoTR models to be built to slightly different proportions to 40k and AoS. A lot slighter, and smaller overall.
Bonus points if they're clearly a bunch of thieves and gutter-scum who have been 'employed' by a rogue trader and told to go 'acquire' something for him...
Ynneadwraith wrote: Heh I like this. How would you represent them using current codices?
Clanrats would be much like IG shock troops, only with warp infused flash lights. Elite units woud be similiar to Triarch Praetorians, "WarpRunners" blinking in and out of warpspace for hit and run tactics. HQ units with something along the lines of a homing beacon, to allow for more accurate burrowing. Tanks with warpstone lightning batteries, using Tesla as a base rule for multiple chain lightning style wounds. Warlock Engineers essentially unchanged, but with a ratty discipline possibly mimicking the new chaos spell set. As far as actual models would go I would use Mantic's Veer-myn (http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/warpath/veer-myn.html) with 40k bits.
I have (Well sort of, I'm working on) an army of purple orks. It'sa counts-as IA 13 Renegades of Vraks army, or a counts as IG
They're heavily standardized with regards to their gear and their look. All of their vehicles are looted from the Imperial pattern stuff and, whilst they do modify them and salvage, they keep them in fairly good shape and they don't look too crazy.
Fluff-wise, my Orks are from a small planet in a small system directly adjacent to the Eye. One of the planets was Ork, the others were Imperium controlled; all were ice worlds. They came under constant attack from demons and chaos, and due to proximity the Orks had their skin-tone warped by the raw stuff of chaos and became more intelligent, and they practice a similar - but more conservative - method of war to most of the Imperial Guard. Eventually a Space Hulk drifted in they got on board and went on their merry way.
Upon getting out of their frozen hell they encountered other orks and were horrified to see that not only were they idiot barbarians, but also green. They see other Orks as heretics (or her-ork-tics), and believe that the green is unclean and must be purged, so they travel between Ork held worlds and convincing their barbarous green kin to 'repent'.. Primarily by killing them, and then rounding up the survivors and using them as suicidal shock troops.
Heh I like the idea of mutated orks picking up on the Imperium shouting 'repent!' over and over, and then thinking the rest of the ork population is tainted and trying to get them to 'repent' but punching them in the face until they're no longer 'tainted'. Perfect
Also, I've just come up with an irritatingly cool idea that might make me have to re-do all the Eldar Corsairs I've made already.
Khaine's Ravens Eldar Corsair force that has a standing contract with the Haemonculi of the Dark City. Each new recruit has a pair of jet-black wings grafted to them, in the image of the black ravens of Morai-Heg. In Eldar myth, these Ravens were the eyes and ears of the Crone goddess.
During the Fall, Morai-Heg bid her ravens to fly with Khaine and peck at the eyes of Slaanesh during their titanic battle.
Khaine's Ravens take after these birds of legend, spying on the forces of the Ruinous Powers, and conducting surgical strikes to take out their leaders.
Looking at the prices of Scourge wings from the usual places I can tell this is going to be an expensive thought...
An Eldar Empire holdout force would be an interesting project, represented entirely by Wraith Hosts to represent Psychomatons with Spiritseers representing 'Handlers' for them.
I've been floating an idea around for my nids. It comes from a story from some codex (can't remember which one) where an inquisitor tries to control the movement of a hive fleet by using "captured" genestealers. The inquisitor in my version decides that the best place to send a nid force is through one of the many warp anomalies to go annoy chaos (the enemy of my enemy is still my enemy, but at least they're distracted for a while). Nids obviously can't fall to chaos. But their time in the warp has definitely had a significant impact. When they reemerge from the warp, they are starkly different. Mutations are rife among the smaller troops, though the larger MCs stay closer to their "true" forms. The hive fleet has lost the ability to create any pigment in its troops, leaving them a sickly off-white. It also has trouble reconnecting to the hive mind due to the time spent in the warp, so they seem to go kind of feral and act erratic.
I think this army would allow me to do a lot of fun conversions (Nurgle's rot on a carnifex, Tzeench influenced mutations on raveners, etc) and not be too fluff-destroying or Mary-sue. I'm worried though that if I mention the words "chaos nids" my opponents will immediately roll their eyes. So I'm trying to walk to a narrow line with the chaotic influences. Though maybe I've already crossed into the realm of fluff destroying
Robin5t wrote: An Eldar Empire holdout force would be an interesting project, represented entirely by Wraith Hosts to represent Psychomatons with Spiritseers representing 'Handlers' for them.
That's sort of the basis for my Croneworld Eldar idea. The thought is that Slaanesh kept a few Eldar alive on their homeworlds as playthings. Either because they pledged themselves to her, or because they were her agents before the Fall (there's more detail in the link in my sig).
These corrupted Eldar still use the old Eldar psychic construct in battle alongside their pleasure cultists. I'll use Sylvaneth Spite Revenants for that, and rules for Noise Marines/Chosen/Warp Talons to represent tougher constructs. Better with the Mark of Nurgle to make them T5.
That's the plan anyway
Freytag93 wrote: I've been floating an idea around for my nids. It comes from a story from some codex (can't remember which one) where an inquisitor tries to control the movement of a hive fleet by using "captured" genestealers. The inquisitor in my version decides that the best place to send a nid force is through one of the many warp anomalies to go annoy chaos (the enemy of my enemy is still my enemy, but at least they're distracted for a while). Nids obviously can't fall to chaos. But their time in the warp has definitely had a significant impact. When they reemerge from the warp, they are starkly different. Mutations are rife among the smaller troops, though the larger MCs stay closer to their "true" forms. The hive fleet has lost the ability to create any pigment in its troops, leaving them a sickly off-white. It also has trouble reconnecting to the hive mind due to the time spent in the warp, so they seem to go kind of feral and act erratic.
I think this army would allow me to do a lot of fun conversions (Nurgle's rot on a carnifex, Tzeench influenced mutations on raveners, etc) and not be too fluff-destroying or Mary-sue. I'm worried though that if I mention the words "chaos nids" my opponents will immediately roll their eyes. So I'm trying to walk to a narrow line with the chaotic influences. Though maybe I've already crossed into the realm of fluff destroying
This is a really cool way of doing mutated 'nids, and I fully endorse the fluff reasoning for it seems like a perfect explanation.
The usual response would be that 'nids don't really go for daemon worlds as there isn't much biomass, but they would if they were lured there.
I'm picturing a horde of hormagaunts with the odd daemonette claw, and gargoyles with bird wings (Dark Eldar Scourges would be ideal donors).
A loyal, non-codex-compliant chapter of (assumed) Imperial Fist decent.
Homeworld: Crusading
They were founded during the 13th founding.
Battle cry: Facta non Verba ('Deeds, not words' in latin)
Their chapter master, Aetius led the chapter well, using the chapters extremely well disciplined tactical marine squads to overwhelm the foe. This tactic, however, gained scrutiny from the captains of the chapter, especially the captain of the 3rd company, Captain Caecillius Ontaro.
The Emperor's Angels were deployed to exterminate a geenstealer cult on the planet Dulcis. After the planet was liberated, Aetius was visited in his dreams by a Lord of Change, the daemonic abomination told Aetius that his chapter would be eradicated, and that only he could save his brothers. He offered The Emperor's angels salvation, in exchange for Aetius' souls obedience to Tzeentch.
Aetius took the deal.
As the Chapter's ships lay above the planet, offering supplies and help to the locals, Aetius plots his escape. With no intention to harm his brothers, Aetius secures a vessel to transport himself away from his beloved chapter. Before Aetius could escape, the grip of chaos took hold and bound his soul to tzeentch forever.
As an experienced warrior, Aetius took his revenge on his brethren for their scrutiny of him, dispatching his former brothers with as little remorse as he did on the battlefield.
Once Captain Ontaro got word of Aetius' heresy, he felt his body fill with rage, as he stormed down the ship, looking for blood.
Tzeentch, as the chaos god of trickery, obviously screws over the Emperor's angels. There is word that a tyranid hive fleet is approaching their sector, due to an attraction from the aforementioned Genestealer cult. With little hope left, Ontaro finds Aetius and pummels him, ripping his arm from his body before being delayed by a bolt of psychic power shot from Aetius' eyes. As Aetius escapes off the ship, Ontaro sets up a bulk head against the hive fleet behemoth.
The Emperor's angels secure 5 planets, including Dulcis, to use as bulkheads against the looming beast. Ontaro, now appointed chapter master, and his men defend valiantly. Although they fight strong, a single, ill-prepared chapter is no hope against an entire Tyranid hive fleet. All but a single company of the emperor's angels are completely whiped out. The remaining company fights alone the Imperial Fist's Sentinels of Terra.
Ontaro serves the Deathwatch, as a blackshield. Although he is not allowed to wield his Lighting claws or jump pack, on every mission he hopes to encounter Aetius to finish what he started.
Picture Skitarii being used as PDF (Planetary defense force) in the "classical" imperial guard methods.
The true intent is to verify that produced IG/AM hardware is being made in good order and any possible "interpretations" (read innovations or experiments) can be fielded in a controlled way.
Plus due the cyborg durability of the Skitarii, the hardware can be properly tested to the limit long before a normal guardsman would have expired which would limit the data.
I just like the idea of Mechanicus "Research and Development" and how they would go about it: field tests are a logical choice.
I am imagining a more "advanced" version of the Ork looted tanks with the "don't push da button!" where experimental munitions have a similar result to "gets hot" weapons but that would be some house "fluff" rule if opponents are willing.
I would instead with real rules have IG/AM have allies with Skitarii and have their models operating tanks and heavy weapons and the like.
Then any normal human guard would be in the rust colours as well with slight visible "upgrades", I would think of them like the Scouts are to Marines.
There could be so many conversion options like picture what a "priest" of the Mechanicus would look like or their version of a Commissar until proper mental implants are operational.
My idea started off with "Illuminati".
Picture a Deathwatch force that is tasked with finding "The driving force behind all the xenos attacks."
There are hints of patterns behind how the Orks and Tyranid attack, Necron worlds wake up and Eldar become active at certain gates.
This has worried a certain Watch Master that he has taken this on as his primary goal which has the side benefit of seeing the enemy "ecology" as a whole.
He has decided that judgement should not be clouded by too much "zeal" so Chaplains are not to be used at the kill-team level as well as chapter members of the Black Templar or similar groups.
Librarians have been asked to participate in greater number in order to better investigate the details of various xenos movements.
He has also set the strange precedent of involving the Grey Knights.
There is a strong chance the "Great Deceiver" is involved (and is very likely) so had engaged those who had most fought them.
There are so few instances of the daemonic and the xenos combine but they do happen and some coordination became a necessity.
Deathwatch investigates the suspected daemonic involvement and the Grey Knights descend like a hammer blow when confirmed.
The "partnership" has been agreeable to both groups, largely due to Deathwatch being welcome to ALL allied space marines so that common ground was easily found.
I think this is a rather interesting parallel to the Dark Angels and their hunt for the fallen.
This is a rather upscale version of hunting for the daemon xenos scum!
Running Red Skull Kommandoz using the Gene Stealer Cult Codex.
Also, seeing new plastic MKIII armor in BoP, I'd like to do either preheresy Word Bearers in the grey or World Eaters to match a few Rogue Trader guys I have laying around.
Space Kroot, Kroot Knights, Kroot Wolves, Ravenkroot, Kroot Angels, Kroorks (late edit: Should it be Orkroot? Kroorks might be confused with Krorks), Eldakroot, Harlekroot, and Primarkroots: The myriad results from over a hundred years of secret Eugenics, Tau cloning technologies (to supply whatever DNA the Kroot require), and large packs of willing[?] Kroot Carnivores.
Kroorks would be among the first byproduct of the process, with a diet that consists mainly of (you guessed it) Orks. The intent would be to produce hardier skirmishing troops that focus heavily in the sort of close-and-personal confrontations that Kroot often find themselves in, but with fewer casualties and greater efficacy in those face-to-face confrontations (even if that results in a drop in their ranged effectiveness - something the Tau can do better themselves). Story-wise, a sizable portion of Kroorks would have dropped out of the Eugenics program from an increase in genetic belligerence and a sudden urge to wage WAAAAAAAARRRRRR as mercenary forces. Kroorks would also be less willing than other lines to adopt modified Tau battlesuit and weapon systems, preferring to make their own (through a semi-independent breed of Meckroot who inherited some of the Mekboy's genetic mechanical gifts).
Eldakroot and Harlekroot would also be an early product of the process, with a diet more heavily focused on the Eldar and Harlequins. These kroot would be fit within the existing kroot's hit-and-run niche, and would also provide a powerful combat-capable counter to the Imperium's devastating "Mind Science" that has given them so much trouble in the past, and continues to do so. Eldakroot and Harlekroot would be somewhat more willing to adopt modified Tau technologies, but would supplement and enhance them heavily using the results of their increased Shamanic potency.
Kroot Wolves, Ravenkroot, and Kroot Angels would be the initial, semi-distinct lines that result from the interbreeding (and supplemental feeding of different physically potent xenos species) of the Eldakroot and Kroork lines, resulting in breeds with [most of] the best of both lines.
Kroot Wolves would be the most Kroork-like, and use cloned Fenrisian Xenos DNA as the supplement, and would almost completely replace the Kroork lines in their function (though being a result that comes far later into the research, their numbers would be far more limited). They would also retain the greatest amount of their species' culture, remaining shamanistic and most comfortable living in jungle and forests. Several of the "accidental byproducts" of this bloodline would result in enhanced breeds of Kroot Hounds and Knarlocs, the latter of which the Kroot Wolves would sometimes ride into battle...
Kroot Angels would be nearly equal mix of the Eldakroot and Kroork lines, with aggression characteristics closer to Kroorks but retaining more of the psychic potency of the Eldakroot.
Ravenkroot would supplement Xenos DNA from more sneaky, camouflaging, stealth-oriented species.
Space Kroot would be the result of interbreeding the above super-kroot lines, with a heavier focus on training and camaraderie (and "inter-species integration training", i.e. hypnoindoctrination) and with as many of the inevitable genetic personality quirks of the other lines removed.
Space Knights would be an offshoot of the Space Kroot bloodline, focusing the bloodline on increasing psychic potential only after the personality quirks and training readiness are well established (due to the inevitable disasters resulting from exceptionally potent Kroork Warpbeaks).
Primarkroots would be one-in-a-million Kroot individuals that won the genetic lottery from independent sub-bloodlines of each of the lines (kept apart from the main bloodlines due to the extremely increased quantities and varieties of supplemental Xenos DNA, particularly ones of more monstrous potency and form... and done in secret, avoiding the watchful and critical eye of the Shapers overseeing this project).
Phydox wrote: Running Red Skull Kommandoz using the Gene Stealer Cult Codex.
This. This is pure genius.
Unusual Suspect wrote: Space Kroot, Kroot Knights, Kroot Wolves, Ravenkroot, Kroot Angels, Kroorks (late edit: Should it be Orkroot? Kroorks might be confused with Krorks), Eldakroot, Harlekroot, and Primarkroots: The myriad results from over a hundred years of secret Eugenics, Tau cloning technologies (to supply whatever DNA the Kroot require), and large packs of willing[?] Kroot Carnivores.
Heh. Kroot are an excellent concept with tons of scope, and anything with added Orks is just better
Been thinking about my previous post on here, thought I'd expand it a bit more.
++ Chapter Name: The Unforgotten ++
- Warcry: "Unforgotten! Unforgiven! Unbroken!"
- Founding: Unknown
- Successors: Unknown
- Successor Chapters: None
- Chapter Master: Lord Commander Agamemnon
- Homeworld: Strike Fleet Umbra, headed by Battle Barge Eternum
- Colours: Grey with yellow trim, red helmets for Veterans. No chapter markings.
Declared heretical by some, saviours by others, the chapter known as the Unforgotten undertake one of the darkest aspects of the Astartes. The chapter has no founding legion, no homeworld and no genetic legacy. The chapter consists of individuals or groups who, for a variety of reasons, have left their original chapter, forming an army united through a common cause regardless of each individuals' origins.
Reasons for joining the Unforgotten vary dramatically; a chapter may be too depleted to continue alone, an individual may exile himself out of shame, or in more extreme cases, some individuals may become stranded in unknown regions of space. Membership to the Unforgotten also varies between a single individual to several squads. Records indicate over several hundred chapters which would have been lost to time were it not for the efforts of the Unforgotten, chapters such as the Dread Phantoms, Praetorians of Arcadia, Icarian Typhoons and Venators.
New initiates present themselves to the Chapter, stripped of weapons. His armour is removed and placed in the Hall of Heroes aboard the Eternum, so the legacy of each chapter is never lost, and the history of his chapter is recorded in the Eternum's data banks. He is rewarded with new armour bereft of chapter symbolism. This encourages a stronger fraternal sense between warriors of different chapters, united beneath the banner of the Unforgotten. The only form of chapter symbolism within the army is the Banner of Infinitum, bearing a skull emblazoned on two crossed swords. The imagery is disputed, a current rumour being the symbols represent the original founding Legions, a claim disputed many times by Agamemnon. The Eternum itself differs from standard Astartes vessels, draped in a mourning blue-grey with no gothic decor used by other fleets, save for a single angel mounted at the highest point of the ship, her hands cupping the tears wept for the lost chapters.
However, this formation results in very uneasy relations between the Unforgotten and other chapters, particularly those with a stubborn demeanour such as the Dark Angels and Black Templars, whom in some occasions have refused support or communication with the Astartes they regard as traitors. As a result, the Unforgotten have often been ignored in the grand scale of the Imperium's conquests, forcing them to develop their own wargear and strategies. The most advanced amongst them is the Quantum weapon, developed as a replacement to Grav-weaponry, which while harder to produce, has shown itself to be a more reliable and powerful device capable of inflicting devastating damage through temporal distortion. Warriors are encouraged to retain the skills and tactics of their origin chapter combined with those learned from their brothers. Dyalos Ivalna's use of Calabinite bladework combined with an MkIX targeter and training from his Imperial Fist squadmate for example, was instrumental in supressing the uprising on Pyrexes, slaying the enemy warlord and his retinue before they had time to arm their weapons.
Due to the tense relations between several significant Astartes chapters, the Unforgotten commonly receive no praise or acknowledgement for their work, a cruel irony in that those dedicated to preserving the legacy of their chapters are still forgotten, with the Eternum's records of legacy the only link to a chapter's past. A single suit of Power Armour may lie in the Hall of Heroes, yet while his bearer serves the Unforgotten, his origin chapter lives on. Several scholars have compared their formation to that of the Deathwatch, although where the Deathwatch comprises the best Astartes of their chapter, the Unforgotten comprises the last Astartes of their chapter.
Notable members - Lord Commander Agamemnon - Origin Chapter - [CLASSIFIED]: The Astartes known as Agamemnon was discovered by a Raven Guard reconnaissance force amongst the ruins of Argus Prime, his armour scorched of all imagery, a broken power sword in hand and surrounded by dozens of slain Chaos Marines. His actions between his discovery and recruitment into the Unforgotten remain unknown, yet his subsequent actions have proven himself to be capable and fearsome commander, earning the awe of those witness to his feats. Wielding the unique Emeralite Blade and clad in the Aurora Armour, the remaining relic from his origin chapter, his demeanour hides a darker side, for no one but him knows the true events of Argus Prime, and what led up to his discovery.
- Techmaster Quitos - Origin Chapter - Venators: Quitos' mechanical knowledge is said to match even those of the greatest Mechanicum minds. The mastermind behind such devices as the Quantum Blaster, MkVII Holo-Targeter and Void-Shunter, his inventions have earned him several declarations of heresy by Mechanicum parties, until his assassination by a Skitarii “peacekeeper squad” in M40.228. Subsequent investigations into the assassination led to a kill-team headed by [CLASSIFIED], upon which the heads of the perpetrators were cast into the inferno of the Eternum's reactors. Relations between the Mechanicum and the Unforgotten have never recovered.
- Dyalos Ivalna – Origin Chapter – Dark Angels: Self-exiled from the Dark Angels due to the events of the [CLASSIFIED] incident, the acts of Ivalna instil courage in his brothers and those witness to his heroism. The Dark Angels however, view Ivalna as a traitor, and have demanded the Unforgotten return him to their custody to face interrogation, a demand which has so far been ignored.
- Joran Illeuios - Origin Chapter - Angels of Meridian: The last remaining Astartes of the Angels of Meridian, Joran Illeuios maintains the stoic yet graceful attitude the Angels were known for, despite the mental burden placed on his shoulders. A former Devastator Marine, his promotion to Sergeant was met with commendation from his squadmates, and his knowledge has proven to be the anvil on which many enemy formations were broken.
I think something that would be neat to see is a gluttony themed Slaanesh army but instead of an army of morbidly obese individuals, they're wendigos. It would probably be spawn heavy army as per wendigo mythology, the more they eat, the larger they get and less of their personality and sanity they retain so spawn would probably fit this fairly well. Possessed Marines being those on the descent into hunger induced insanity and anyone not a possessed or spawn is doing their damnedest to not give into the hunger for human flesh
This sounds awesome!
Try out the Crimson Slaughter list so you can use Possessed (not-quite-full-Wendigo) as Troops and Spawn as full wendigo perhaps?
I did something similar-
Spoiler:
My Wolfbrothers are a force that was created when a mad Inquisitor decided that the Astartes were the greatest threat to the Imperium. He hijacked a geneseed shipment, tried to make Space Marines to prove they're actually monsters and thus untrustworthy; his creations got out and killed him. They now fight as a marine force that's loyal to the people of the Imperium, but not its organisations (who, historically, don't really care for the average Joe)
Rules-wise they're Chaos, as they don't have the cool toys of the standard marines. Due to the gene-seed mutations they have a lot of maddened beasts among their ranks, which I represent with possessed and spawn. The few that are sane man things like rapier carriers, or command armies. Most of their vehicles are crewed by humans that can't for whatever reason be made into marines
Some explanation.
A lot of my fluff is scattered across my model blog. Snippets of battles from various combatants (some on the receiving end, of the device in question in the fluff), or stories of how they came to be in-fluff, and other things.
Other fluff like the planet, characters within the army and so on are separate and jotted down for the sake of fun of course.
Some of the earlier blog fluff I personally refer to as "non-canon" (silly as it sounds), to the later stuff as the fluff as a whole has changed over time. Which ones are or are-not "canon" in my own fluff I cannot recall off hand, so take some with a grain of salt as it all doesn't fit at the moment.
Also: Every tank has a name (unless I haven't gotten to it or forgotten) attached to it. I just need to make a list.... A very long one...
Anyways.
Planet: Schrott
Designation: Vault World
Segmentum Tempestus
Climate: Barren wasteland, Metal-Contaminated Oceans.
Owned by the Adeptus Mechanicus
Planetary Law Enforcement: "The Enforcers" (Arbitrators are present obviously)
Gravity: 1.3 of that of Terra.
The planet of Schrott has a long history with the Mechanicus. It is said that it used to be a green planet with forests and more, but that is long gone.
When the Mechanicus arrived long ago (exact date of colonization and events have been lost or expunged from records) they built a colossal vault into the very crust of the planet.
Said Vault is believed to span most if not beyond that of the largest continent on Schrott, its doors being large enough a pair of Imperator Class Titans could stride out with room for an armored battalion between them when fully opened, and so thick it could survive a direct hit from planetary bombardment.
What is contained within the Vault is not known, with most of the records being lost. But what has been found have been experiments, prototypes and more from all across the Imperium from countless years. When or how the devices were sealed within is unknown.
Expeditions regularly venture deep into the Vault to find what they can. But some of the experiments roam the depths and are utterly lethal and kill those they find.
Weapons and machines that have been located include but are not limited too, the High Voltage Plasma Discharge Array now mounted to the chassis of a Leman Russ tank (Tesla Tank), Quad Walker Battle Tanks, Sonic Weapons, Cryo Weaponry, even devices that warp quantum mechanics to their will, and countless more.
Such weapons drew the ire of the Dark Mechanicus which launched an invasion upon the planet during the Horus Heresy, hoping to steal the secrets within. The Imperium retaliated and the end result was the planet was scoured of life and reduced to a wasteland.
Space craft crashed across the planet, mountains of scrap metal from battles cover the planet and the few cities that once were on the planet are in ruin. but the Vault held without a scratch, its door sealed shut.
No trace of the darkness remains. But life returned to the planet slowly and adapted.
Those who live on Schrott who are not directly associated with the Mechanicus eek out a life in the ruins of the world. the most intact spacecraft that fell from the heavens now are used as cities, with smaller towns built from scrap and what resources the citizens can scrounge. The Mechanicus presence is mainly around the Vault itself, but they rule the planet over all.
Weapons and vehicles have been resurrected from the refuse of the planet beyond the vault more than once. One area known as the "Valley of the Fallen Giants" has had multiple Baneblade class tanks pulled from their grave and repaired.
The Culture of Non-mechanicus Citizens prizes survival, cunning, and cleverness. (If anything imagine the game RAGE, combined with Mad Max but of course with 40k and other stuff).
A few traditions of Schrott non-mechanicus citizens.
Spoiler:
.
Traditions: each village has minor variations or additions but the primary traditions are.
1. By age 7, the citizen must assemble their own weapon (such as a salvaged Lasgun, very common)
2. By age 16, a Citizen must construct their own transportation. Car, Bike, buggy whatever.
(I'm still figuring out a few more)
The primary currency is "Bolts" (reference to Ratchet and Clank), but are not physical bolts such as those holding things together, but are more coins in the shape of nuts and bolts, there are specific nuances that make then distinct for their purpose.
The 91st Experimental (my army), is a experimental test bed for the Mechanicus. Weapons that are recovered from within the Vault are studied and refurbished and data is taken as they are field tested.
Officially it is a Skitarii army (it belongs to the Mechanicus after all, but it started as an IG army, then gained, Experimental SM, then MT Scions, then finally Skitarii when they were released!), but a large portion of the infantry are not very augmented, therefore requiring a Commissar like the Imperial Guard. Special Forces similar to the Tempetus are used to remove trouble-some targets with fully augmented Skitarii troops being deployed to protect the most sacred of experimental weapons such as the Ordinatus Majoris, Omnissiah's Sword
The army is based out of a Ark Mechanicus ship named the "Forge Hammer" that is big enough to act as transport and War ship. While difficult due to the nature of warp travel, the Forge Hammer endeavors to make regular stops at Schrott to pick up anything newly discovered within the Vault. The Ship itself has seen combat for longer than any of its occupants. Its secrets buried deep within its armor plating.
The command structure of the army is mainly 3 individuals with others beneath them. (Aka, they are the main characters I created)
Spoiler:
Arch Magos DeSat (Dee-Sat): A powerful Arch Magos who officially commands the 91st, she is mostly quiet but can bring those who doubt her to their knees. Compared to other Mechanicus officials of a similar rank, DeSat is not as augmented as others. But many of her augments are internal and give her the appearance of a mostly normal human, with the most obvious cybernetic augmentation being a metal spine that goes up the length of her back, which her mechadendrites are connected too. she is approximately 5' 1.
Commander Martin Andrews: Commander of the planetary forces of the 91st. Usually is found in the field standing upon the largest mobile armor he can find to command from. He owns a cat-like creature named "Tipsy" (inspired by my best friends creation) that regularly drinks his alcohol ration, which he himself doesn't drink anyways. He owns a sword and pistol he inherited from his father, said sword being a long 2 handed blade that can cleave a man from top to bottom and the pistol is a heavy revolver that uses powerful ammunition that releases plasma upon impact but is volatile.
Lord Commissar Mary Burgo: The lone Commissar of the 91st, who keeps the troops in-line. She owns a cat named "Spartan" that is capable of killing an Ork by itself (it has been augmented with cybernetics due to previous battles). Her Bolt pistol is not feared, but her creative executions is. Due to the fact that the army is experimental she creates "tests" that are more creative and diabolical than the last. One of her (in)famous executions was to fill a small ditch with water and to use the Tesla tank at low voltage to shock the unfortunate victims, slowly makin the crew ramp up the voltage until they are beyond dead. Another was making the victims run through the knee high mist blasted by the "Cold Hearted B****" Cyro Tank, victims legs would freeze, shatter, and they would freeze and shatter in the mist as they fall off their frozen legs.
There is Plenty of other fluff, and its constantly being changed. That and its hard enough to share it, I'm not scared of criticism in it self. I couldn't explain it if I wanted too.
But feel free to read it. I thought I would share it.
edit: I trimmed out a lot of stuff from the original post.
Rogue Trader Army, mostly imperial but with xeno tech, weapons and mercenaries. Have mostly Cadian Shock Troopers, maybe arm some of them with xeno rifles, get an Inquisitor and make him/her look Rogue Trader like and have xeno "Hero" Characters(Warlock, Fireblade, Meganob, Etc.) Get a mix of imperial and alien vehicles, combine the rules from all of the codices for their respective units. Then go out and explore/pirate the galaxy.
P.S. Bonus points if you make the rogue trader look like Trump.
A jungle dwelling ork horde who have relatively simple tech; normal guns etc. but no vehicles, riding boars instead of bikes and building fortifications out of wood. Basically savage orks... it wouldn't be hard to build the army by mixing 40k ork with AoS savage orruk kits but I don't know if I could commit to it unless people start playing 1250 points rather than 1850
An IG army using Valhallan models but being mountain based rather than full on ice world. No vehicles bigger than sentinels (for traversing narrow mountain paths) but the option to take flyers would still exist. Another infantry army in other words, which has the same practical drawback as the ork idea but probably isn't as effective on the table
Solar system: Europa
Location: very edge of Garon Nebulae, Segmentum Temestus
It all started as a single colony on a moon of gas giant (named Thelyn) and orbital docks, as it was established as rear naval base for Garon Nebulae Crusades led by Black Templars.
Crusade went bad and imperial forces retreated from the area, leaving everything behind, including a small colony and half-done orbital docks.
As time went by, small colony slowely developed into interplanetary empire consisting out of 6 habitated celestial bodies, first 4 of which are Thelyn's moons.
Europa Prime - civilised jungle world (imagine Hossin from Planetside 2)
Risha - agri-world
Flecis - paradise world, rumored as former Eldar maiden world (imagine Typhon Primaris before Exterminatus)
Aetheris - mountaineous civilised world (imagine Phantine from Guns of Tanith novel)
Neutra - taiga/ice world (imagine Skyrim)
Ostrakan - ice world, underground forge/fortress world
Next thing is as the colony was left behind, the technology developed in it's own way. And in general, there is much more liberal approach to developing and maintaining technologies. Tech priests belive that technology have to be guarded, but also improved.
You can find alot of new technologies and designs, botn in military and civilian sectors. Maglev trains, grav-vehicles, safer plasma, advanced solar cells, large-scale automatisation, lightly / non-polluting industry... All of theese things are completely common, as life is not the only currency. There is huge pro-population policy running for decades, as all of those world are still sparsely populated.
Even warships are being refitted with automatic or servitor controlled systems to decrease crew requirements.
Entire solar system hosts dozens of various regiments, but my IG is Neutran Armoured, specialising in armoured assault and blitzkrieg tactics.
They have white base paint with green and grey stripes/plates.
Basicly you can create whatever you want, be it city-fighters from Ostrakan, airmobile units from Aetheris or jungle fighters from Flecis.
It also hosts considerable number of warships, as it has been a former naval base.
Cool ideas guys really expansive background befitting that huge Mechanicus army, and I love Rogue-Trader style irregular armies.
I also love the idea of a mountain-world Valhallan-esque army. Infantry-heavy armies are what I feel 40k should really be about (all these GMCs and Superheavies are for Apocalypse games...).
You could also make a really cool Zone Mortalis board with mountain crevasses and suchlike that sort of gameplay would really suit your infantry and walker-heavy army
I have always wanted to make a small Halloween themed SM army. They would be a group SM who had discovered an ancient tradition (Halloween). After a large portion of their chapter had been killed, they believed the best way to honor the dead was to constantly participate in this ancient tradition. They changed their armor to reflect this ancient way and went on their own warpath. They struck out on their own and although still are loyal to the Imperium, they often work as mercenaries to bankroll their campaign. Their mental state is not completely steady as they take unhinged pleasure is spreading pain and terror among enemies but give out treats and good will to civilians and friends. What do y'all thing?
Saim-Hann Wild Riders Usual Eldar Jetbikes with Seer Council/Bike Autarch. Vypers for heavier guns. Then, the best bit, Dark Eldar Raiders full of Wyches, but modelled as 'Wild Host' Wardancers. Play up the more barbaric nature of Saim-Hann by having boats full of choppy CC Eldar using kitbashed Guardians and Glade Guard
Blanchitsu Imperial Guard For the life of me I can't find who said it, but I remember reading someone here saying that they were always a little disappointed by the Imperial Guard. They seemed a little too 'green army men...in spaaace', and I absolutely agree. Apart from kickass regiments like Vostroyans and the Kriegers, they seem to be lacking a little of the grimdark gothic-ness of the rest of the universe.
So, the idea would be to Blanchitsu-up the Imperial Guard. More cybernetic enhancements, replace special weapons people with gun-servitors, more servo skulls and those creepy flying cherub things. Make an Imperial Guard regiment that's fitting with the whole gothic-punk feel of the 40k universe
Chaos as a standard human empire using an alternative tech tree Having read a couple of sci-fi novels where human technology of the future is based on biological engineering (Skin Suits in Fallen Dragon by Peter F Hamilton), it struck me how close that was to the technology that Chaos uses. That got me thinking as to what a genuine reasonable-marines Chaos empire would actually look like. Less of the 'they're all insane cultists!', more 'realistic human empire that uses daemon-forged and biological/mutation based technology'. Still working out how best to represent that.
Oh, and I tried my head-swapped Skitarii for my Lizardmen...in Spaaace idea but I didn't like them. The Ranger/Vanguard bodies are too bulky for the look I want (needs a more severe hip-to-shoulder ratio). Thinking about using Sicarian bodies with Skink/Saurus legs instead.
Your chaos as an alternative tech empire basically describes WHFB chaos dwarves; They had a stable empire based on slave trade / labour and chaos powered tech/artefacts.
nareik wrote: Your chaos as an alternative tech empire basically describes WHFB chaos dwarves; They had a stable empire based on slave trade / labour and chaos powered tech/artefacts.
Perfect I'll look up their background for inspiration. Dropping a couple of hints to them would be cool
Automatically Appended Next Post: Just come up with a doozie.
Dark Eldar Mandrake army... ...using the Genestealer Cults codex. Mostly T3, a couple of nasty S4 CC attacks. Plus, Cult Ambush/Return to the Shadows seems tailor made for a Mandrake strike force. A Broodlord as Kheradruakh would be epic too.
My tau sept from the world of Valantis
Basically take tau
Mix in the night lords love for terror and you gave my tau sept.
They are not overly evil or sadistic but they aren't exactly the most merciful either
Champion of Slaanesh wrote: My tau sept from the world of Valantis
Basically take tau
Mix in the night lords love for terror and you gave my tau sept.
They are not overly evil or sadistic but they aren't exactly the most merciful either
Neat I like the idea of a Tau fear-tactics army. Not through inherent evilness, but simply because it's the logical way to combat the enemies they come across.
With the expanse of the Imperium it's safe to say that you'd have a lot of small trade-worlds which were outside the normal trading zones, etc. While the Imperium may be concerned about xenos and heretical stuff, there must be countless thousands of worlds "outside" of the real sphere of influence.
While I likely won't bother building the force, I was going to do an army based on a private colony, funded by a rich merchant or two.
-Imperial guard in slouch hats (victoria miniatures etc.)
-Kroot mercenaries
-Some WW1/WW2 vehicle kit-bashes
-Some rough-riders on alien mounts
-A small Terminator force as bodyguards (either rebel Space Marines or surgically/medically enhanced guys with stolen/recovered suits)
Champion of Slaanesh wrote: My tau sept from the world of Valantis
Basically take tau
Mix in the night lords love for terror and you gave my tau sept.
They are not overly evil or sadistic but they aren't exactly the most merciful either
Neat I like the idea of a Tau fear-tactics army. Not through inherent evilness, but simply because it's the logical way to combat the enemies they come across.
Clinical, scientific application of terror.
I like it
Indeed it also helps that my Taus sept world was saved from the Orks by them so terror tactics make sense
This sounds like a place to dump my RPG civilization!
Human civilization, linked together by mass neural implantation that creates a technological "hive mind". Ruled by incredibly powerful artificial intelligences, and have a fully automated society. Makes heavy usage of robots and drones.
Neat strip out the AI and replace it with cogitators/servitors and you could make a very nice grimdark 40k human world out of that especially if it's mechanicus/biologos-y
Sounds a little Culture like as is. If you haven't read any of those books I'd thoroughly recommend them
The point of the civilization is people voluntarily surrendering their individuality and ability to control their own destiny. I suppose it could work with an enormous cogitator, but I have a preference for making the "government" as far from humanity (and superior) as possible.
I'm working on The Culture, that's the series I'll be reading later this month.
With the release of IA, I am considering some Ordo Xenos to ally my deathwatch with.
I'm gonna do counts as Kataphron battle servitors with Tyranid warriors mixed with Admech-Centurion-DW bits.
I already have an inquisitor, the few actual acolytes will be the Cadian Karsnick or whatever, and the priests will be heavily converted cultists.
The plan is that they are very radical Ordo Xenos, on the fringe of renegade, very bright purple colour scheme to compliment the purple accents my DW have.
Maybe a dreadknight represented by a electronically controlled Mawloc, who knows?
Oh, and some heavily converted LotD as I don't like duplicate models, and I want 10 in my army. They will probably be more ghostly, instead of black and fire I wanna do very very ethereal, think AoS ghosts, although I don't know how that would translate to a space marine, I guess I shall see.
Obviously there is a Big Mek as warlord. He's proppa professional and 'gets da job dun' so he is a Goff wearing Mega Armour (da only appropriate equipment to grace da battlefield in).
Next we have the shop hands, the grots. These are herded by Snake Bite runterds, because as a serious professional the Big Mek believes in hiring the right talent for the job.
Expanding troops we have the 'acquisitions team'. These are Deathskulls, riding tow trukks into battle. Their job is to get in to a scrap and then get all the resulting scrap back to the mek's shop.
How do the Deathskulls know where to find the best scrap? A super sneaky recon team, that's how! Cammoed up Blood Axe Death Koptas and/or Bikers, loaded up with survival supplies, extra food, and all the provisions they need to keep their vehicles rolling towards the next big procurement.
Sometimes the recon will find a target of substantial value, but perhaps too tough for the regular boyz to deal with. In these circumstances the mek can call in his team of Freeboota tankbustas / commandos to get the job done (at a price, of course)!
Underlying every good business is the cashflow. As such we have 'da money'. These are ostentatious Badmoon Nobz, acting as investors and clients, wanting to load up on Mega armor, kustom weapons and so on.
Being a serious Goff, the Big Mek can't simply cobble stuff together and flog it regardless of whether it works. That is far too deviant.
As such, he has pieced together a 'Field Testing' team. These Evil Suns load up in a looted/battlewagon to get up close to the enemy and unleash the might of the inventions (whether as Flash Gitz, Looters or Burna Boyz), all under the close supervision of the Big Mek. He can't be allowing shenannigans. On their luckiest days the Evil Sunz get to try out the jump packs!
Personally, if I could get the parts/money/time/skill with painting, I'd like to make a mismatch guard regiment focused on the ANZAC's, while also adding guardsmen from some other more well known planets. The idea is that the survivors of a bunch of regiments were mushed together because everyone else was dead, like grimdark NATO forces. It also gives me an excuse to create a bunch more worlds based off of ancient armies, such as Iselians (really grimdark Israelies) or Amarkians (think Civil War era Americans that look like captain america).
gummyofallbears wrote: With the release of IA, I am considering some Ordo Xenos to ally my deathwatch with.
I'm gonna do counts as Kataphron battle servitors with Tyranid warriors mixed with Admech-Centurion-DW bits.
I already have an inquisitor, the few actual acolytes will be the Cadian Karsnick or whatever, and the priests will be heavily converted cultists.
The plan is that they are very radical Ordo Xenos, on the fringe of renegade, very bright purple colour scheme to compliment the purple accents my DW have.
Maybe a dreadknight represented by a electronically controlled Mawloc, who knows?
Oh, and some heavily converted LotD as I don't like duplicate models, and I want 10 in my army. They will probably be more ghostly, instead of black and fire I wanna do very very ethereal, think AoS ghosts, although I don't know how that would translate to a space marine, I guess I shall see.
Love the idea of Tyranid Servitors. Fits a radical Ordo Xenos Inquisitor perfectly the chap who does the 'Little Camera, Big Results' thread has a kickass Forgefiend converted from a Carnifex when he runs his Deathwatch using CSM rules.
Also, anything that replaces that godawful Dreadknight model is good in my books
Interesting idea on the Legion of the Damned. I'm picturing something akin to Astartes-Ringwraiths, but Lord knows how you'd do that to make them not look like pauldrons glued onto Spirithosts :S
Overheal wrote: Always envisioned a pathfinder based eldar army, doing patrols of the webway, making use of serpents and vypers and such.
Yeah that's a kickass idea I've always felt that War Walkers were very Ranger-y. Dark Eldar Mandrake rules also fit rather nicely with a stealthy/camouflaged Ranger army
nareik wrote: A big Mek's shop and entourage/affiliates.
Obviously there is a Big Mek as warlord. He's proppa professional and 'gets da job dun' so he is a Goff wearing Mega Armour (da only appropriate equipment to grace da battlefield in).
Next we have the shop hands, the grots. These are herded by Snake Bite runterds, because as a serious professional the Big Mek believes in hiring the right talent for the job.
Expanding troops we have the 'acquisitions team'. These are Deathskulls, riding tow trukks into battle. Their job is to get in to a scrap and then get all the resulting scrap back to the mek's shop.
How do the Deathskulls know where to find the best scrap? A super sneaky recon team, that's how! Cammoed up Blood Axe Death Koptas and/or Bikers, loaded up with survival supplies, extra food, and all the provisions they need to keep their vehicles rolling towards the next big procurement.
Sometimes the recon will find a target of substantial value, but perhaps too tough for the regular boyz to deal with. In these circumstances the mek can call in his team of Freeboota tankbustas / commandos to get the job done (at a price, of course)!
Underlying every good business is the cashflow. As such we have 'da money'. These are ostentatious Badmoon Nobz, acting as investors and clients, wanting to load up on Mega armor, kustom weapons and so on.
Being a serious Goff, the Big Mek can't simply cobble stuff together and flog it regardless of whether it works. That is far too deviant.
As such, he has pieced together a 'Field Testing' team. These Evil Suns load up in a looted/battlewagon to get up close to the enemy and unleash the might of the inventions (whether as Flash Gitz, Looters or Burna Boyz), all under the close supervision of the Big Mek. He can't be allowing shenannigans. On their luckiest days the Evil Sunz get to try out the jump packs!
Massive extra bonus points if you model them as a homage to Scrapheap Challenge
Mudrat wrote: I like the fear Tau, that's an unusual mix.
Personally, if I could get the parts/money/time/skill with painting, I'd like to make a mismatch guard regiment focused on the ANZAC's, while also adding guardsmen from some other more well known planets. The idea is that the survivors of a bunch of regiments were mushed together because everyone else was dead, like grimdark NATO forces. It also gives me an excuse to create a bunch more worlds based off of ancient armies, such as Iselians (really grimdark Israelies) or Amarkians (think Civil War era Americans that look like captain america).
Yeah the fear and Tau combo is very unexpected I like it
That guardsmen idea is a good one you'd have tons of options for making some really unique models as each one is a survivor. I also love the idea of expanding and making some more fleshed-out IG regiments. Tons of scope for that
Heh, you could do quite a good Avengers-themed Kill Team thinking about it. An Astartes as the Cap, an Ogryn for the Hulk, Ad Mech chappy for Ironman, Dark Eldar Wych/Hekatrix as Black Widow, Lord knows for the bow chappy and Thor I'll need a hand with (something with a Thunder Hammer).
Reminds me of the couple of kickass models over on The Convertorum that are Grimdark Star Trek. For instance, Bones the Magos Biologis:
Kroot Marines. Kroot who have feasted on nothing but space marines so now are very strong and skilled at war. Wear custom Tau armor and use tactics similar to Space Marines as shock troops
Here is my origin story (i made it before the Horus Heresy books)
The Founding of the DOOM BRINGERS
It was after the Istvan Campaign, that seventy space marines chose for the Emperor, They Mutinied for the sake of the Empire turning against their chapters and their warmaster HORUS.
Were these marines traitors or the most loyal of them all?
Seventy marines: fifteen World Eaters, twelve Death Guard, twenty from the Thousand Sons, ten Luna Wolves, ten Emperor's Children and the 3 officers who accompanied them. But there were more, from every chapter that defected to HORUS, there were some who had their doubts (From the Iron Warriors, Night Lords, The Word Bearers, Alpha Legion, Etc). Some were killed escaping their chapter and only a few could escape their traitorous brothers. The Inquisition turned those who reached Terra inside out. Even while going through this horrid torture their faith in the Emperor was unshaken. Now the Emperor knew that this impossible news was true, that the inconceivable was at hand, marines fighting marines.
As the war was raging on, more chapters crossed over to HORUS, and consequential some of these marines chose for the Emperor. These Marines were kept under close guard and were subjected to numerous loyalty tests. Only a few marines were traitor spies and these were dealt with.
Hello Kitty Marines! Hello Kitticus is a smaller power of chaos, when slaneesh emerged Hello Kitticus was a benevolent god, whom was sucked into the chaos Maelstrom and was changed forever. It ideals of cuteness was still there but now perverted. It looked on the Human empire with disdain, all these darkness and fear inspiring architecture, Hello Kitticus would bring cuteness and loveliness back to the imperium even if it would be destroy it in the process.
The bright cats space marine chapter would be the first to be converted. On the just liberated planet of Sanrio, Chapter commander Halokaton found a small cute statue, after the battle. He felt an unnatural attraction to this statue and secretly he took it with him as a spoil of war and hid it in his chamber. The following campaigns Hello Kitticus slowly corrupted the chapter commander, and Halo was converted to the ways of cuteness. He hid the idol at the chapter chapel and after him the chaplains were the first to convert. It was during the charmy campaign that the
whole chapter changed and showed its "true" color, dropping their former chapter colors the marines emerged in a multitude of bright colors. Hello Kitticus was pleased and gave the marines the gift of its face. The chapter now renamed to the hello kitty chapter, massacred their allies in a cute fashion, who fled in confusion and disarray because of the mental anguish caused by the intolerable cuteness level.
When the inquisition later came to investigate the planet, they were horrified to find joyfull happy people worshipping, idols of hello kitty, wearing cute clothes and accessories and had painted their cities in joyful colors, singing songs of praise for Hello Kitticus. The inquisition dealt accordingly with this heresy of worshipping a false god and ordered Exterminatus.
But the Hello Kitty Chapter already had left for another planet to show the cute ways of Hello Kitticus
When the final confrontation was about to start, the battle at HORUS rebel command centre. The Loyal "defected" marines were also teleported in. The bitter hatred and ferocity with which they fought their former mutated battle brothers surprised the other loyal marines. Where other marines screamed in agony because of the horrors they had seen, these "defected" marines fought in almost in a berserker rage. They fought hard but never reached Horus. But they managed to keep the chaos renegades at bay. So the Emperor could fight HORUS without being interrupted by traitor marines. The fight between the Emperor and HORUS was grim but in the end the Emperor was victorious. Of the loyal "defected " marines only a few were slain. The Emperor, now in his golden throne because of his injuries was still conscious, redirected the organisation of the space marine chapters. The emperor had sensed the DOOM BRINGERS Immunity against Chaos, so their task was clear, they would become a chapter specialised in hunting these traitor marines down, directly under the Emperors Command.
In the early years the inquisition closely watched the marines. It became clear that this chapter is the most loyal chapter to the Emperor. The only setback is their distrust to the other chapters. And because they are directly under the emperors command their dealings with the high lords of Terra and the inquisition are strained. And so the DOOM BRINGERS chapter was born.
Because the chapter was not involved in the reorganisation of the other chapters their organisation has not the limitation that other chapters have. For example the DOOM BRINGERS currently consists of about 570 thousand marines, have their own space fleet, Titan Legion, weapon factory and are thus totally self sufficient.
The Doom Bringers extreme hatred against chaos renegades. Has left them with animosity against almost all other chapters with a few exceptions. So you have to take animosity tests (rules stated elsewhere) whenever you fight with other chapters. One exception is the Dark Angels chapter. The Doom Bringers cannot fight alongside them (The Doom Bringers have once captured some of the Fallen, so they know the truth of the treachery of the Dark Angels during the Horus Heresy) they see them as traitors and will attack them on sight. Because Doom Bringers Hate Chaos Renegades use the rules for hatred, the Doom Bringers can make a ld. test to restrain themselves or choose to forego the test and attack them.
Enlightened
Why the Second legion disappeared.(possible name the Enlightened?)
The Second Primarch was whisked away like his 19 other Brothers. But instead
of being send to a war torn planet, he was send to the planet Gautama, were
people followed the Buddhist believes. He was found by local Buddhist Monks,
Instantly noticing that this kid was special they names him Siddhartha,
after Buddha himself, He was taken to temple and trained in the Buddhist
teachings and the martial arts. He bested all comers with his martial
skill but he was known for his kindness and piety.
When The Emperor finally landed he did not find are hardened fighter but a
peacefull spiritual leader. I know why you have come father, i will try to
bring peace to this stricken universe. And During the great Crusade he was
several times criticised by the Emperor by not taken a planet by force. Most
of his planets were gained by peacetreaties and mutual pacts even with
Aliens! (most of these planets were taken back forcefully after the Horus
Heresy and the Xenos filth was eradicated). Siddhartha, became more and more
disenchanted with his Fathers ways, He thought he found in Horus someone
with the same convictions, But after Davin Horus Changed, And Siddhartha
knew That Horus lost his way. Siddhartha tried to reason With Horus, but
after almost a fight broke out between Abbadon and Siddhartha, Siddhartha
removed himself from the crusade, He sent a message to the emperor, but the
Chaos powers made sure that message reached the emperor all Garbled up. The
Only thing the Emperor and His staff could make from it is that His Pacifist
Son and his chapter had gone rogue. Angry because of his son's treachery he
commanded that all records of Siddhartha chapter should be deleted from the
records. (the emperor did not know yet of Horus treachery and Siddhartha was
low on the emperors favourite son's list). He called for a strike on
Siddhartha's home world, but by the time the Army reached Gautama the
population was gone. Siddhartha and his fleet were allready on his way to
uncharted space.
Ideas for the army;
Dark Angel and certain Black Templar bodies would be perfect as Battle
Monks, Scouts would be more difficult as they need all to have shave head
and monk robes (eastern style). Close combat weapons could inspired by
ancient Indian weapons and/or Chinese budhist armies. Color would light
orange.
Rules?
Well there should be a dice roll for battle to determine if there is a fight
at all! so if the roll would succeed (for example on a 6) there would be
peacefull resolution resulting in a draw (Damn no battle :p) Furthermore
Siddhartha army w
TheLumberJack wrote: Kroot Marines. Kroot who have feasted on nothing but space marines so now are very strong and skilled at war. Wear custom Tau armor and use tactics similar to Space Marines as shock troops
Rules?
Well there should be a dice roll for battle to determine if there is a fight
at all! so if the roll would succeed (for example on a 6) there would be
peacefull resolution resulting in a draw (Damn no battle :p) Furthermore
Siddhartha army will always go second as they only fight back when fired
upon.
Hello Kitty Marines! Hello Kitticus is a smaller power of chaos, when slaneesh emerged Hello Kitticus was a benevolent god, whom was sucked into the chaos Maelstrom and was changed forever. It ideals of cuteness was still there but now perverted. It looked on the Human empire with disdain, all these darkness and fear inspiring architecture, Hello Kitticus would bring cuteness and loveliness back to the imperium even if it would be destroy it in the process.
The bright cats space marine chapter would be the first to be converted. On the just liberated planet of Sanrio, Chapter commander Halokaton found a small cute statue, after the battle. He felt an unnatural attraction to this statue and secretly he took it with him as a spoil of war and hid it in his chamber. The following campaigns Hello Kitticus slowly corrupted the chapter commander, and Halo was converted to the ways of cuteness. He hid the idol at the chapter chapel and after him the chaplains were the first to convert. It was during the charmy campaign that the
whole chapter changed and showed its "true" color, dropping their former chapter colors the marines emerged in a multitude of bright colors. Hello Kitticus was pleased and gave the marines the gift of its face. The chapter now renamed to the hello kitty chapter, massacred their allies in a cute fashion, who fled in confusion and disarray because of the mental anguish caused by the intolerable cuteness level.
When the inquisition later came to investigate the planet, they were horrified to find joyfull happy people worshipping, idols of hello kitty, wearing cute clothes and accessories and had painted their cities in joyful colors, singing songs of praise for Hello Kitticus. The inquisition dealt accordingly with this heresy of worshipping a false god and ordered Exterminatus.
But the Hello Kitty Chapter already had left for another planet to show the cute ways of Hello Kitticus
TheLumberJack wrote: Kroot Marines. Kroot who have feasted on nothing but space marines so now are very strong and skilled at war. Wear custom Tau armor and use tactics similar to Space Marines as shock troops
Make Knarloc lancers and I'm in.
Deal. This army would have full on knarloc and krootox cavalry
This is amazing. I love it. I like the helicopter in the other thread too, looks fantastic. I'm curious about the blimp, though - how do you play that?
TheLumberJack wrote: Kroot Marines. Kroot who have feasted on nothing but space marines so now are very strong and skilled at war. Wear custom Tau armor and use tactics similar to Space Marines as shock troops
Make Knarloc lancers and I'm in.
Deal. This army would have full on knarloc and krootox cavalry
Give me a bit and I'll have a mockup of rules for a Great Knarloc with a gun that isn't an embarassment to Krootkind.
TheLumberJack wrote: Kroot Marines. Kroot who have feasted on nothing but space marines so now are very strong and skilled at war. Wear custom Tau armor and use tactics similar to Space Marines as shock troops
Make Knarloc lancers and I'm in.
Deal. This army would have full on knarloc and krootox cavalry
Give me a bit and I'll have a mockup of rules for a Great Knarloc with a gun that isn't an embarassment to Krootkind.
I look forward to it Another idea is just a full on kroot army that has the ability to add feast abilities that for points you can upgrade your WS, BS, S, etc.
gummyofallbears wrote: Thor could be a vanguard vet with a TH, represents the hammer and the flying.
Hawkeye could be an IG special weapon sniper, or a vindicare assasin (although that might be a bit expensive)
Don't forget spiderman! I've always been fond of Scion rules for Spidey!
Vanguard Vet is perfect
Yeah a Vindicare is probably a little OP. I thought Culexus for Black Widow, but definitely OP. IG sniper is perfect as he's noticeably squishier than the rest
TheLumberJack wrote: Kroot Marines. Kroot who have feasted on nothing but space marines so now are very strong and skilled at war. Wear custom Tau armor and use tactics similar to Space Marines as shock troops
Well, I have been working on quite a few on and off over the past couple of years, as much to try and prove a few points as forge interesting armies. To avoid filling the thread with several thousand words of lore, i'll just list the completed and incomplete creations thus far-
Completed:
721st T’au “Silent Wardens” Hunter Cadre Formed from the veterans who fought the initial Tyranid Hive Fleet invasions into their space, the Silent Wardens have been tasked with readying the Empire for future invasions. Through a mass of automated satellites and watch stations, they stand sentinel over the Zone of Silence, watching for the return of another Hive Fleet and the remaining bio-forms left on several worlds during the previous invasion. Rather than existing as as single standing force, warriors of various cadres are seconded to several of the 721st's warriors, so that they might be taught how to confront and combat the Tyranids; often using strikes against the worlds below for training purposes, and to claim live specimens for the Earth Caste to study.
The Harbingers of Ruin A warband of World Eaters who rejected the Butcher's Nails and were almost annihilated for this act. Despite worshiping Khorne, they highly prize the aspects lost of many of the XIIth's warriors, such as patience, self-control and sustaining their numbers by training young cultists as initiates. They currently occupy a (largely) purged space hulk known as the Ruin of Kings, believing that its semi-random jumps through the Warp are guided by Khorne's will. They often ignore massed slaughter in favour of claiming only warriors' skulls, believing that anything less would be an offense to Khorne.
The Night Watch A successor to the Iron Hands legion, guided to a world on the fringes of the Eye of Terror by a vision of their primarch. Having found something beneath the world's surface which convinced them this was his will, a reasoning they have yet to share even with their parent chapter, they are oathbound to guard the planet until his return. The chapter was created largely to preserve many of the ideas created in the original Index Astartes, and show how easily they could be adapted to the modern setting, rather than ing on them as Codex: Clan Raukaan did.
Craftworld Yin-Sarr Rather than completely hiding itself from the galaxy, Yin-Sarr fled to the outermost regions of the Eastern Rim following the Fall, and began preparing for the future. Forming an alliance with several Exodite worlds and setting themselves up as gods to the more primative races of that region, they began training and shaping them over centuries into a warrior caste. Taught the rudimentary basics of eldar values and some core understandings of their teachings, they were to serve as the backbone for the craftworld's army in place of its Guardians, and sent into the more attrition heavy war zones it fights in. From there, these eldar have carved out their own small empire hidden among the galaxy's fringes, watching and waiting for the right time to act in force.
Tinkering (largely finished but with a few general edits underway):
1st Scarran Irregulars An ad-hoc force of Imperial Guard survivors from regiments scattered, broken or left behind in the wake of the Tau Empire's Third Sphere Expansion. Ill equipped and with limited resources, the force has begun a series of guerrilla raids to keep several Tau Empire forces in a perpetual stalemate on the tactically vital but abandoned Fortress World of Scarra. Often using the planet's hostile environment against the tau cadres, they are fighting a relentless but failing war to slow the Empire's advance across several sectors; buying time for the Imperium to recover and counter-attack with their blood.
To Be created:
Order of the Eternal Sun An Order of the Adepta Sororitas tasked with defending a network of pilgrim paths across several sectors. Based upon the world of Uatzin the Order has integrated a large number of beliefs of the local populace into itself, and of the surrounding sectors, coming to worship a sun which mysteriously re-ignited upon the moment of its death, restoring itself once more. This is a general idea, but I was hoping to use more Aztec and Inca mythologies and beliefs to shape this force, and to use them as an example of how varied or flexible Imperial Faith can be in worshiping the Emperor.
The Xarekh Dynasty A force of Necrons who took it upon themselves to guard the gigantic mobile sarcophagus holding an immensely powerful shard of a fallen C'Tan. Terrified of what the nameless false god was capable of, they were determined to sacrifice themselves as its eternal guardians, guiding it out of the galaxy and into the void beyond. However, a freak accident left them stranded in the Segmentum Pacificus, and forced to remain vigilant against any who might awaken it. However, even their mere presence to the shard has warped and twisted their bodies beyond recognition, to the point where few mortals can look upon them and retain their sanity. The general idea is to rework a number of Lovecraftian elements into the Necrons lost after their revamp, and the heavy use of an unreliable narrator to question if anything they have claimed was ever true.
EDIT: Apologies for the sentence structure, this is why I should not be typing at 5AM.
This is amazing. I love it. I like the helicopter in the other thread too, looks fantastic. I'm curious about the blimp, though - how do you play that?
The "Rage of the Heavens" War Zeppelin, has very experimental rules, and hasn't actually been in combat. Its understandable the fear people have of custom units, I have deployed that monster Ordinatus Majoris, Sonic Disruptor. I posted the rules for the Omnissiah's Sword (The Ordinatus), for the Apoc match on FB for about 3 or 4 weeks ahead of the actually battle. The day of the battle, the enemy team (heretics and orks and other xenos) they cried and moaned and I had to nerf the machine like its turbo laser was changed to a Baneblade cannon and it lost a bunch of weapons, hull points, void shilds and more. It didn't do to well, I had bad luck and there was Kustom Force field spam blocking it. (This was also before the real Forge World Ordinatus came out and its rules existed).
Bombs, Primary Weapons.
Heavy Bombs***
Colossus Bomb (ST D Ap2, 12 inch blast)****
Hellstorm Bombs*****
* Quake Cannons have range reduced to 72 inchs due to the downward facing of their mounting. They also have a reduced firing arc of 180 in the direction of their facing. (forwards and backwards)
** Has no ammo limit due to onboard reloading systems. But can still only fire 1 at a time.
*** There is no limit to the number of Bombs carried, the immense amount of bombs carried can last multiple wars.
****Limit 10. can only drop 1 at a time.
***** Instead of using the super flamer template. use a 7inch blast. The Zeppelin moves to slowly for the flames to blast forwards like if dropped by the faster Marauder bomber. Can only drop a max of 4 at a time, but otherwise have no ammo limit.
Can transport 3 Lightning's or 2 Thunderbolt flyers.
Rules:
AA fire (like the FW Manta rule): The Zeppelin is so large that units can use their normal BS to fire upon it, its still a flyer so no blast templates!
Self Sealing: Can regenerate HP. on a roll of 4+, roll 2 D3 for number of HP regained.
Lumbering Aircraft: Cannot move like a normal aircraft. Normal move up to 12 inchs . Can attempt to go up to 24. Roll D6, on 1 take D3 hull points from stress on the hull and cannot fire its guns, can still drop bombs.
Unending Bombs: The Rage of the Heavens carries an incredible number of bombs on board, of which its Bombardier-Captain dispenses liberally. Roll D6+6 for number of bombs you can drop (you can only drop 1 Colossus bomb regardless, or a maximum of 4 Hellstorm), if you roll 12, roll another D6 for additional bombs.
I know about changing things like giving it IWND and all sorts of things. These rules were just a shot in the dark during construction a long time ago and I haven't updated it, mainly due to never getting it a match to fight in.
Hell I'm working up plans to modify a massive toy aircraft carrier into a giant Land Carrier to launch squadrons of attack craft such as Land Speeder Tempests, Storm Talons and more into battle.
Spoiler:
I'm hoping to bolt massive treads to the bottom and of course... Lots of guns!
Bellarius wrote: Well, I have been working on quite a few on and off over the past couple of years, as much to try and prove a few points as forge interesting armies. To avoid filling the thread with several thousand words of lore, i'll just list the completed and incomplete creations thus far-
Completed:
721st T’au “Silent Wardens” Hunter Cadre Formed from the veterans who fought the initial Tyranid Hive Fleet invasions into their space, the Silent Wardens have been tasked with readying the Empire for future invasions. Through a mass of automated satellites and watch stations, they stand sentinel over the Zone of Silence, watching for the return of another Hive Fleet and the remaining bio-forms left on several worlds during the previous invasion. Rather than existing as as single standing force, warriors of various cadres are seconded to several of the 721st's warriors, so that they might be taught how to confront and combat the Tyranids; often using strikes against the worlds below for training purposes, and to claim live specimens for the Earth Caste to study.
Neat I like this idea. Like a Tau Deathwatch. Loads of options for cool fluff and modelling with these guys.
The Harbingers of Ruin A warband of World Eaters who rejected the Butcher's Nails and were almost act. Despite worshiping Khorne, they highly prize the aspects lost of many of the XIIth's warriors, such as patience, self-control and sustaining their numbers by training young cultists as initiates. They currently occupy a (largely) purged space hulk known as the Ruin of Kings, believing that its semi-random jumps through the Warp are guided by Khorne's will. They often ignore massed slaughter in favour of claiming only warriors' skulls, believing that anything less would be an offense to Khorne.
Like this idea too like Khorne Reasonable Marines (although it's my personaly headcannon that Berserkers are only flying rodent gak insane on the battlefield, and still follow the World Eaters doctrine of rapid recruitment outside of battle).
Love the idea of them believing that the semi-random jumps of their space hulk is Khorne's will. Brilliant
Craftworld Yin-Sarr Rather than completely hiding itself from the galaxy, Yin-Sarr fled to the outermost regions of the Eastern Rim following the Fall, and began preparing for the future. Forming an alliance with several Exodite worlds and setting themselves up as gods to the more primative races of that region, they began training and shaping them over centuries into a warrior caste. Taught the rudimentary basics of eldar values and some core understandings of their teachings, they were to serve as the backbone for the craftworld's army in place of its Guardians, and sent into the more attrition heavy war zones it fights in. From there, these eldar have carved out their own small empire hidden among the galaxy's fringes, watching the galaxy, and waiting for the right time to act in force.
Cool idea, and always good to see something different done with CWE fluff. Loads of potential with this one, and fits the arrogance of the Eldar very nicely. Also, I feel like the whole 'eldar trying to reclaim their empire' is slightly unexplored in terms of settlement of new planets. We've got the Biel-Tan take on things, but I could definitely see a craftworld trying to carve out an empire in the halo stars as the basis of a new eldar empire
Order of the Eternal Sun An Order of the Adepta Sororitas tasked with defending a network of pilgrim paths across several sectors. Based upon the world of Uatzin the Order has integrated a large number of beliefs of the local populace into itself, and of the surrounding sectors, coming to worship a sun which mysteriously re-ignited upon the moment of its death, restoring itself once more. This is a general idea, but I was hoping to use more Aztec and Inca mythologies and beliefs to shape this force, and to use them as an example of how varied or flexable Imperial Faith can be in worshiping the Emperor.
I definitely like the idea of showcasing just how strange the Imperial Faith could be, given the broad spectrum of planets and societies. You could really go down the rabbit hole with some of the mesoamerican faiths. They're pretty grimdark to begin with tbh!
The Xarekh Dynasty A force of Necrons who took it upon themselves to guard the gigantic mobile sarcophagus holding an immensely shard of a fallen C'Tan. Terrified of what the nameless false god was capable of, they were determined to sacrifice themselves as its eternal guardians, guiding it out of the galaxy and into the void beyond. However, a freak accident left them stranded in the Segmentum Pacificus, and forced to remain vigilant against any who might awaken it. However, even their mere presence to the shard has warped and twisted their bodies beyond recognition, to the point where few mortals can look upon them and retain their sanity. The general idea is to rework a number of Lovecraftian elements into the Necrons lost after their revamp, and the heavy use of an unreliable narrator to question if anything they have claimed was ever true.
Anything that brings the HP Lovecraft back to the Necrons is fine by me
It's my personal opinion that unreliable narrators should be a cornerstone of pretty much all 40k fluff, so fully supportive of that too
Hell I'm working up plans to modify a massive toy aircraft carrier into a giant Land Carrier to launch squadrons of attack craft such as Land Speeder Tempests, Storm Talons and more into battle.
Spoiler:
I'm hoping to bolt massive treads to the bottom and of course... Lots of guns!
Certainly not lacking in ambition! Love the idea of a massive tracked land-boat. Feels very Mechanicus
Fluffliest Tzeentch daemon army I can think of would be to consult a magic 8 ball with each additional unit to it; remembering to change the 8 into a 9 first because Khorne.
A few elite Chosen backed up by cultist spam and the Lord with terminators deep striking. Planning on having the rest of the list as small, elite units of something like Oblits and raptors.
Hive Fleet Grootslang: A predecessor of the hive fleets that have arrived in our galaxy, this ancient tendril was defeated and entombed on the world of Hellion Prime. An artificial solar system buried within the Ghoul Stars of an ancient extinct civilization, deep beneath its surface lies this fleet that is easily classified by the more feral and brutish evolutions of the tyranid organisms that have taken place during their slow degeneration, this fleet has slowly begun to stir and pockets of long hibernating tyranids have begun roaming the ghoul stars, hunting for food and most importantly, the last surviving Norn Queen and collective knowledge of their tendril, trapped beneath the surface of Hellion Prime.
I love this backstory, because it allows me to keep up an extremely detailed campaign as my hive fleet tries to escape it's prison, while having plenty of offshoot games which I can explain as the scattered and near dead remnants of this tendril. Also feels great to have a story where I am the underdog and I can really push a sympathetic storyline for Tyranids.
A few elite Chosen backed up by cultist spam and the Lord with terminators deep striking. Planning on having the rest of the list as small, elite units of something like Oblits and raptors.
Neat I like that idea.
I also had an idea for an Alpha Legion warband that was basically a pristine Loyalist army...with one second-in-command chappy hiding an Alpha Legion logo somewhere on his armour...
Would explain why there's loyalist armies duking it out on tabletops everywhere. Alpha Legion operatives are telling them the other chapter's compromised!
Unyielding Hunger wrote: Hive Fleet Grootslang: A predecessor of the hive fleets that have arrived in our galaxy, this ancient tendril was defeated and entombed on the world of Hellion Prime. An artificial solar system buried within the Ghoul Stars of an ancient extinct civilization, deep beneath its surface lies this fleet that is easily classified by the more feral and brutish evolutions of the tyranid organisms that have taken place during their slow degeneration, this fleet has slowly begun to stir and pockets of long hibernating tyranids have begun roaming the ghoul stars, hunting for food and most importantly, the last surviving Norn Queen and collective knowledge of their tendril, trapped beneath the surface of Hellion Prime.
I love this backstory, because it allows me to keep up an extremely detailed campaign as my hive fleet tries to escape it's prison, while having plenty of offshoot games which I can explain as the scattered and near dead remnants of this tendril. Also feels great to have a story where I am the underdog and I can really push a sympathetic storyline for Tyranids.
Neat that's a cool take on the Tyranid fluff. Definitely loads of potential.
Ooh, you could have them hounded by members of their own species. When hive fleets meet they tend to try to absorb each other to ensure the most beneficial traits survive. So, they could definitely be hunted across the stars by tendrils of another hive fleet...
Idea I had when I bought the Khorne vs Stormcast box and had some Stormcast left over
Archangels of the Storm
A Blood angels successor chapter, they are similar to the Lamenters in that they are remarkably resilient to the Black Rage but have some unfortunate side effects.
For Lamenters it is Depression and immensely bad luck, for the Archangels it is Severe Delusions of Granduer and a disregard for mortality rates.
Always believing themselves better then their Blood Angels brethren, they were a solitary chapter, claiming planets in the name of the Emperor, believing themselves to be his, and Sanguinus's, Chosen.
After suffering enormous casualties in several skirmishes, the Chapter Master was beginning to give up hope for his Chapter, as numbers dwindled, due to both a disregard for safety and an abysmally high standard for recruitment (For not just anyone could be one of the Emperor's Chosen). Until one day they discovered an abandoned planet, seemingly perfect, yet empty. Upon that planet they found an gigantic hidden vault, filled with an assortment of previously Unknown Mark Terminator and Power Armour. Believing this a sign from the Emperor himself, the Chapter 'recovered' the entire stock, equiping the last of the Chapter, who became the new 1st Company. To battle they went, resplendent in their gold, shining armour. Although it had no addition benefit to normal Terminator or Power armour, the Veterans fought with a zeal that had never before been seen in their ranks.
Soon, word of this unknown armour made it to the halls of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and, after the incident with Blood Angels and the Baal Predator, they demanded with the full authority of the High Lords of Terra to turn over this armour. The answer was a resounding no, for this armour was a gift from the Emperor himself, and a sign from Sanguinus that they are doing his will in the universe at large.
basically got that far fluff wise, not sure whether to make the Chapter Excommunicatus Traitorus, or just on a penitence crusade. All I know is, the armour has done nothing but increase their Narcissism and arrogance.
They are represented with Stormcast Eternals, with the Paladins as Assault Terminators, Persecutors as Vanguard Veterans/Sanguinary Guard, etc etc
Neat I like that especially as to me, it seems like there's a question mark over their loyalty. Or rather, if you were in the 40k universe and stumbled upon a massive treasure trove of gleaming suits of armour...would you not suspect slightly that they were put there by something like Slaanesh (Prince of Perfection).
They may very well be a gift from the Emperor, but I doubt every Inquisitor would believe that!
So, not only hounded by the Ad Mech but also by the Inquisition
Oh, and I'd say that from their background I don't think they'd be Excommunicatus Traitoris. They're not going to be liked, but if the Marines Malevolent are still in then your guys haven't done bad enough stuff to get excommunicated for
So, not only hounded by the Ad Mech but also by the Inquisition
Yeah, basically what I was thinking It helped that the first game I played with them was against my brother, who plays Minotaur Chapter. Minotaurs who are the attack dogs of the High Lords of Terra. Fluff wise I imagined the battle is the High Lords telling the Archangels to pack it in essentially (Since I got absolutely slaughtered I'm inclined to agree)
Ynneadwraith wrote: put there by something like Slaanesh (Prince of Perfection).
Could be fun, I actually had a look at the new Chaos books to see if there was anyway I could take them in a Chaos Formation. Alas, not really, since they are all Terminators (Currently in an Angel Strike Force, with Archangels Core Detachment). Maybe if I get some basic marines I could, but thats down the line
Deploy one squad and a Taurox Prime, the squad must be wearing appropriate camo for the board. The squad that starts on the table represent the recon unit spotting your opponent list or a possible objective worth capturing. The Taurox is their transport. When the enemy is spotted, the airborne assault detachment of the Battalion (nicknamed Riley's Fist from the détachement commander) storms the objective and the enemy.
To be able to have proper camo for the initial recce team, I have (or will) painted all my squads with different camo schemes.
So, not only hounded by the Ad Mech but also by the Inquisition
Yeah, basically what I was thinking It helped that the first game I played with them was against my brother, who plays Minotaur Chapter. Minotaurs who are the attack dogs of the High Lords of Terra. Fluff wise I imagined the battle is the High Lords telling the Archangels to pack it in essentially (Since I got absolutely slaughtered I'm inclined to agree)
Yeah the Minotaurs are the perfect adversary to your chapter great that your army's developed from battles you've had with your borther too
Deploy one squad and a Taurox Prime, the squad must be wearing appropriate camo for the board. The squad that starts on the table represent the recon unit spotting your opponent list or a possible objective worth capturing. The Taurox is their transport. When the enemy is spotted, the airborne assault detachment of the Battalion (nicknamed Riley's Fist from the détachement commander) storms the objective and the enemy.
To be able to have proper camo for the initial recce team, I have (or will) painted all my squads with different camo schemes.
That's a kickass idea love the narrative gaming aspect of it, and how your battle tactics reflect the tactics of your regiment
The Paragon Blades - A Slannesh warband, believed to have its origins in the Emperor's Children Legion, but since having acquired recruits from countless other Chapters and recruiting worlds.
The Paragons are obsessed with outward beauty, believing strength, beauty, and all other physical positive traits are signs of Slannesh's favor, and thus of divinity. Unlike the hideously mutated noise marines and half-spawned beasts other portions of the Legion became, the Paragons have only grown younger and prettier with the passing eons, until even their armor has curved and warped to capture their magnificence.
The Paragon recruitment method is to find those specimens they believe to be their equal, and induct them as marines. Their geneseed is actually, one might say, perfect, and most attempts to create a recruit are successful. However, while implantation is usually successful, the Paragons have been known to terminate new recruits, if they perceive the process has in some way damaged their beauty.
A large body of cultists and hangers on's can be found aboard the gilded vessels of the Paragons, as the warband will take on anyone who catches their eye for a time. In turn, these elevated humans (and some whisper, Xenos) who are accepted view the Paragons like angels, who have recognized that they are better than the common ilk of the galaxy.
Of course, what perfection the Paragons show outwardly, hides the rot within. They are preening fools at times, fleeing the field of battle rather than risk their perfect skin. They venerate their cultists as no other warband... until they inevitably age or lose their splendor. Then, they may linger on as put-upon and abused servants, suitable only for mockery. This disloyalty exists in the warband as well, as wounded or disfigured members immediately lose what authority they once had, and may even find themselves slain by their brothers, who consider what they do a "mercy."
The actual army would be a Slannesh themed CSM army, using Blood Angel Sanguinary Guard bits for the muscular humanoid power armor chests and haloed death masks. Cultists would mostly be taken from alternate companies, to reflect a prettier sort of scum than is typical in the Chaos hordes. The color scheme would be the basic deep purples, silver, and gold, with the goal being to create something so pleasing to the eye that the viewer would at first not realize these are villains.
. Originally had him as having been in the legion at the tale end of the heresy but scrapped that. The chapter is 3rd or 4th founding. Either way, the idea is the First Chapter Master felt that the hunt for The Fallen was starting to consume the Dark Angels to the point of idiocy. He understood the need for it but was enraged when they would leave Imperial Forces to die just to check out a rumor of the fallen. Obviously, he kept it mostly to himself. So when he was given command of a new Chapter, he secretly (
