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I'm trying to come up with some fluff that helps me field an economically, mechanically, canonically and aesthetically beautiful army. In that order. None of the existing Legions really fit what I have collected, so I want to invent my own warband, but I want it to be founded in some reasonable canon. I have some ideas (basically Night Lord rejects), but I'd like some help fleshing it out.

The constraints:
1) Economics: I don't want to buy any more stuff. Most of my army was purchased over 10 years ago. Some of it (Berserkers, maybe?) 5 or so years ago. I don't recall. I've sunk as much as I care to sink into models.

2) Mechanics: I like in-your-face tactics and mobility. I'm hoping that what I have collected will support that. I have regular chaos space marines, of course, rhinos, some bikes and some raptors. Also a metric feth-ton (did I use that right?) of berserkers. I have other stuff as well (LOTS of terminators), but have yet to fully catalog everything.

3) Canonics: Typically, I see fluff as a way to contextualize (or justify) mechanics in this and other games. In some cases I go the other way, fluff inspiring mechanics. I'm looking for the former here and this - though it is listed as my third priority - is the whole point of this post.

4) Aesthetics: I like the Night Lords colors (dark blue and lightning), but I hate the red bat wings. I also like the striking red of the World Eaters and Berserkers, but the way I figure it, they should really be the color of dried blood. So the color scheme I'm thinking will be darker red (though not all the way to maroon) with bright bolts of red lightning (basically just color shift the Night Lords to a red scheme, sans bat wings). I know that'd be fine for Khorne, but I also figure that a dark red with splashy lightning could suit Tzeench-y stuff as well. Nurgle and Slaneesh would be a stretch, but I'm okay with that.

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THE WARP LORDS

I read that the Night Lords were some of the least Warp-corrupted Legions and that they still strongly resembled their Primarch (pale skin, solid black eyes). Also noted that they disdained mutations brought about by the 'gifts' of Chaos and hide them. ENTER: The Warp Lords. These are former Night Lords that were kicked out for becoming "too Chaos-y." These rejects still embrace NL terror tactics, but see Chaos as an incredible tool to inspire that terror and believe that they - by embracing the Dark Gods - can more truly fulfill that mission.

Am I WAY off in the weeds? Is this too thin? Too 'convenient?' Great? Lame? I'm open to any and all feedback and ideas.

Thanks!

EDIT: Related... is this the correct forum for this? From what I was able to gather, it is, but if not, please let me know and I'll move it.

One does not simply get 'kicked out' of the Night Lords

Generally, those that were heavily mutated or what have you would be slain/exterminated with extreme prejudice by their fellow Night Lords. I would emphasize the fact that they are but a few survivors of these purges and try to go for a low model count force.

Yes. I like that. I need help with grit. I don't do darkness very well.

So, what constitutes a low-model count force? I don't want to buy anything new, but I have (what feels like) a lot of models. Off the top of my head:

HQ:
2 Chaos Lords
2 Chaos Sorcerors
1 Kharn the Betrayer
1 Juggernaut mounted Chaos Lord
2 Abaddon (one is just legs and torso)
1 Bloodthirster

ELITES:
2 Dreadnoughts
15-20 Terminators (not sure what weapons)

TROOPS:
15-20 CSM
35-40 Berserkers (2 power fists)
5 Plague Marines
3 Rhinos

FAST ATTACK:
5 Bikes
9 Raptors (but no meltas or powerfists)

HEAVY:
3 Obliterators
2 Predators

OTHER:
Assorted lesser demons (Pink/Blue horrors, Bloodletters, Nurglings) that I'm not really interested in
3 Landspeeders (not canon)
2 Bikes (not chaos, ready for conversion!)
?? I'm sure I've left something off

Ok, so without digging out the codex, I have an idea for a list that involves several fast units and some interesting, fear inspiring units (Or at least I would be pretty scared if I was a guardsman facing them)

Chaos lord, Wings, DW, personal Icon
Greater summoned daemon

3 x Termies, 3 x combi melta
2 x Dread, 2 CCW, Heavy flamer

8 x Bezerkers, Champ, PW icon, Rhino
8x Bezerkers, Champ, PF, Rhino
10 x CSM, champ, double plasma, Rhino

3 x Bikes, 2 x melta, IoCG

7 x Raptors, 2 x melta (Ok so no model to represent but there's always counts as), IoK

2 x Oblits
2 x Autocannon/HB sponson preds

With no codex I think the points are there or there abouts for a 2k list. You can stick the lord in with the raptors, making for a useful CC unit after its dispatched a tank with the meltas, and is quick enough to keep up with the bikes. The icons all round keep the termies in play and the champs give the GSD somewhere to come in, hopefully to bolster the combat or take on a pesky dread etc. The double dreads can cause havoc on their own and add a little more target saturation whilst the Bezerkers act in the standard point and click fashion.

Hopefully this is something like what you're after. Everything is pretty mobile, there's plenty of anti-tank and anti-horde plus some handy cc units as well as some longer range weapons from the oblits and preds. Oblits of course can be struck in for in your face delivery of firepower as required.


As for your fluff, I like the idea of a night lords element taken a step further- perhaps dispensing with a little more of their pride in not succumbing to chaos fully in order to better satisfy their need to spread terror and suffering etc. I'm not 100% on the red scheme with lightning, Unless that red was very very dark, else I reckon the lightning will lose it's contrast. The night lord's motiff of putting red paint on the gauntlets of those who have wronged but must still serve before they are punished might work well for you. As for the dispensing with the bat wings, I agree entirely.

Hope this was useful for you!

Wow, this is incredibly useful. Thank you! All right. So, in kicking around various forums, I've picked up a bit of the jargon, but in terms of the underlying mechanics, I'm a total newb. I have some questions:

1) Why does one Berserker squad in that list have a PW and the other have a PF? I know from reading that PFs are for "cracking tanks," but don't really know WHY that's the case. Probably need to RTFM.

2) Is the fear inspiring you mention a mechanic in the game or meta-fear that an opposing player would have? Follow up: Which of these units is the fear-i-est?


I really like getting those dreadnoughts into play, I've heard people bag on them mightily (because they're erratic) and figured they'd be out of any list I had. But it's such a cool looking model.


Thanks again.

There are presently no morale check inducing units in this list, game mechanics wise, I was thinking more of the idea of taking a charge from a warp-crazed dreadnought or greater daemon, let alone a squad of bezerkers. In terms of meta-scary, most people don't really "fear" CSM because its an older codex and theres not a lot in there thats unfamiliar. That being said, a charging squad of bezerkers are still one of the best cc units in the game.

The reason one squad has a PW and one has a PF is for points conservation, such that when the greater daemon enters play, you can sacrifice the guy with less points spent on him. The PW on said sacrificial champion is just to keep him useful until the big guy shows up. PFs are good for tank/dreadnought busting because they double the users strength, but you hit at I1. Thus a dreadnought is unlikely to kill the whole squad (excepting blood talons on Death company dreads) and will thus take some s8 hits in return, which can actually penetrate its armour.

CSM dreads however are an altogether more unreliable matter than their SM counterparts. Personally, I think the new FAQ made them easier to use, as you only have to worry about fire frenzy in a smaller arc, and they get fleet 1/6 of the time which is great for getting closer to CC with the enemy.

Anything other queries and I'm happy to oblige, but bear in mind I'm just one, often fallible guy, so I can't promise to get it right all the time (or even some of the time.)

So does the PW on the one Berserker squad broadcast the 'THIS IS WHERE DAEMON WILL BE'? I mean, I could bring him in to either squad, but smart money is on the PW not the PF champ. Correct? So, if I know that you know that I know...

This is a REALLY crude mockup, but this is the scheme I'm thinking of:

The fluff is fine, it's simple and fits the purpose. Are you planning on doing conversions to show the extra mutations? I know you don't want to spend more but some simple work with GS can produce good results (spec if you like tenticles lol).

As for what to do with the list, if you're going to use the GD then you need all your champs to have the same equipment. Either you sink the points into power fists for them all, ensuring that the champs that aren't possessed are still useful or you take them all naked and save a few points. Both options keep your opponents guessing as to where the GD will appear and stops you bringing it in where it won't be useful just to save a champ with a PF.

As for PWs on champs, don't bother, if the squad can't kill it then there's not much a PW can do, atleast a PF lets you kill tanks and dreads while helping against multiwound enemies. As for the "why", a PF doubles the users strength, making it much easier to penetrate vehicles.

Hope this helps!

Edit: A lord with a daemon weapon has a good chance of killing himself, I'd take Kharn and throw him in a rhino with the zerkers, cheap and slashy!

Yes, that helps, smiler. Thanks.

Will be posting an updated list of my catalogued army soonish, but in a new thread dedicated to making the best out of it.

Thanks folks!

Sounds fine, I'm a little sad as this was a possible name of my Space Marine chapter, boo!

An alternative to them being kicked out would be that they simply willingly left and became a splinter faction, the Night Lords weren't extreme enough for them as it was