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Two staples of the Imperial Guard (Astra militarum doesn't exist) fluff that get overlooked every time. They have models, but haven't ever had rules. GW need to get its gak together....

Loon wrote:
They have models, but haven't ever had rules.

Not precisely true... Gaunt used to have rules.

Were they official rules?

Yes. They were a Chapter Approved addition back in 3rd edition.

Gaunt's rules can be found on P. 53 of the 2003 Imperial Guard Codex.

cain on the other hand, normal lord commissar with a veteran BS4 bodyguard with a meltagun. and Null Rod rules from the demonhunters or GK.

And this is what the model for Gaunt looked like...

GW still sells the model, though who knows for how long.

http://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Gaunt-s-Ghosts

Actually Gaunts first and only got a a chapter approved complete with all your favourites from the books. It had some 5 or so special characters and special regimental doctrines. Gaunt as a special character was, as stated by @carldooley, published in the 4th edition guards codex. Cain has ha numerous fan made rules as well as an forgeworld model but was never given official rules.

Never.

I don't know the details of the relationship among GW, the Black Library, Forgeworld and the authors but other than Guant we have never seen a BL character get official GW rules or a model.

However we are seeing HH characters get FW rules.

It may just be a feeling in the studio of 'not invented here' or it may be an issue of copyrights/royalties/incentive payments.

In the US licence work is almost always work for fire, that is the licencor (Disney, DC comics, Hasbro) owns the copyrights. But writers usually get a bonus if their characters are used elsewhere, ie if your DC character is turned into an action figure or used on TV. Which sometimes means companies don't want to use more recent creations because they would cost money.

In Britian, I don't know how it works but I know it is more complicated. I've heard that BBC for example, does not necessarily own all the Dr Who characters and sometimes the original creator maintined the rights. Didn't the rights to K-9 end up somewhere else?

So my gut feeling is never, and reason is lawyers, contracts and money or just the fear of getting involved in them.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Related, I don't think any BL characters have appeared in the FFG games, is that correct?

No official stats for Eisenhorn or Guant for example.

But there is an Eisenhorn video game coming.

Of course Eisenhorn was created by the studio for the 54mm Inquisitor game, not by Abnett.

So yeah. Complicated.