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I'm curious to know how people reach a decision to take named characters in their army, or why they would decide not to.

One of my favorite things about 40k is the ability for players to make it their own. The lore provides enough loose ends for players to create their own forces if they decide not to play a premade faction. That being said, I haven't ever played a premade faction. My Space Marines are a custom chapter, my Eldar are a custom craftworld, and my Chaos Space Marines a custom warband/legion.

This is largely an aesthetic choice, based (for me) on model design, wargear, and playstyle, but I try to factor in elements from the lore as well.

For those players that play the Ultramarines for example, it makes perfect sense that you would field models like Marneus Calgar, or Tigurios, or Tellion. But what if you are playing a custom chapter? I have always rationalized it myself that using a named character is not an actual representation of that specific character being present. It's just using the rules provided in it's template to fit a character of your own design.

For example, I play a custom Craftworld "Sia-Lien" that is all but dead, very similar to Iyanden. They make heavy use of wraith-tech when in battle due to their dwindling numbers, and what few of them do take to the field are generally in stealth or fast attack roles (Pathfinders, Scorpions, War Walkers, Vypers, etc). Even though they are not Iyanden, I still use the model and rules for Prince Yriel, but with some changes. I've slightly tweaked the model to make it look more female, and I just refer to her as the Matriarch or "Princess" of my craftworld.

Is something other players do as well or do you prefer to use custom HQs? I've never encountered problems with it, and since that part of the game is largely for the imagination anyway I can't see anyone fussing about it in terms of rules ... Thoughts?

I like to use named characters as templates for my own characters. Yes, I want to use the Baron, everyone does, but I don't like hellions. So I made a Reaver jetbike version of him which I love to bits to lead my beast pack. Yeah Vect is cool, but I don't want to be forcing into the terrible colour scheme of the Black Hear kabal, so MY Vect is simply a very,very kick ass Archon of the Kabal of the shattered soul who works with his sublimely sexy wife Ahrianwen (Lilith). I prefer this because I don't get sucked into other peoples fluff when I could so easily make my own.

 ALEXisAWESOME wrote:
I like to use named characters as templates for my own characters. Yes, I want to use the Baron, everyone does, but I don't like hellions. So I made a Reaver jetbike version of him which I love to bits to lead my beast pack. Yeah Vect is cool, but I don't want to be forcing into the terrible colour scheme of the Black Hear kabal, so MY Vect is simply a very,very kick ass Archon of the Kabal of the shattered soul who works with his sublimely sexy wife Ahrianwen (Lilith). I prefer this because I don't get sucked into other peoples fluff when I could so easily make my own.

Based on your answer I think I may have posed my question incorrectly.

Modeling is modeling. If you are creating a Custom HQ for the DE, like an Archon or a Succubus, than you can use whatever model you like. I GW one, one you sculpted yourself, or even some other GW Model (like that of a named character) because you like it's look better.

But I was wondering is if you ever used a named characters rules & model, but just kind of told yourself that instead of being Typhus it really Timmy The Terrible, leader of your homebrew warbrand. Does that jive with most people or and how they imagine the game or do really like to think that Typhus - actually Typhus, is fighting the battle you're fighting.

I get what you're saying, and personally I think it all depends. For example, pretend you created a Blood Angel successor chapter and wanted to use Lemartes in your army. To me, it would be perfectly fine to use Lemartes in that successor chapter as one of its members instead of actual Lemartes because he basically just has chaplain armor decorated for the Death company. However, if you wanted to use the rules for Astorath in the same army, it just wouldn't look quite right due to the fact that he has his signature wings and muscular armor design. It would look better to proxy a different model or use a "counts as" character. Basically what I'm saying is that as long as your special named character is not obviously that character and could pass as just another of their same rank, it is perfectly fine to fit them to your own fluff. Hopefully this answers your question.

 En Excelsis wrote:

 ALEXisAWESOME wrote:
I like to use named characters as templates for my own characters. Yes, I want to use the Baron, everyone does, but I don't like hellions. So I made a Reaver jetbike version of him which I love to bits to lead my beast pack. Yeah Vect is cool, but I don't want to be forcing into the terrible colour scheme of the Black Hear kabal, so MY Vect is simply a very,very kick ass Archon of the Kabal of the shattered soul who works with his sublimely sexy wife Ahrianwen (Lilith). I prefer this because I don't get sucked into other peoples fluff when I could so easily make my own.

Based on your answer I think I may have posed my question incorrectly.

Modeling is modeling. If you are creating a Custom HQ for the DE, like an Archon or a Succubus, than you can use whatever model you like. I GW one, one you sculpted yourself, or even some other GW Model (like that of a named character) because you like it's look better.

But I was wondering is if you ever used a named characters rules & model, but just kind of told yourself that instead of being Typhus it really Timmy The Terrible, leader of your homebrew warbrand. Does that jive with most people or and how they imagine the game or do really like to think that Typhus - actually Typhus, is fighting the battle you're fighting.

He understood your perfectly, and is doing exactly what you just described. Lillith Hesperax is a named HQ. in this instance she is Ahrianwen, the wife of his version of Vect. So he is using the named HQ rules, but is applying his own fluff to them.

I personally dont think that it causes any static if someone has fluff for a named HQ. What you are doing is taking the rules for a character and changing the story around a little bit. Thats exactly what creating a homebrew chapter is all about: taking the rules in the book to create a unique storyline for yourself.

I use the model for Marneus Calgar TDA as my 2nd Company captain for the simple reason its difficult to convert.

I think I get what you're asking/saying. I play Space Wolves soooo obviously the whole "Make your own guy/fluff" plays a HUGE factor. We kinda do what you're saying regarding the special rules thanks to our Sagas. Which, in their own right, offer fluff development, special rules etc to a very awesome and just jittery level ^^. I think the others have made their points/answered your question already. Pretty much roll with what gives you the most fun, so long as your opponent doesn't reject/goes on a rant/is peeved about I don't really see any real issue, especially if you converted/made the model differ then really it is yours in every full sense of the word! That's what I personally love about this hobby and i think some more serious by the book people should cool it on the analness ^^

Named characters for sure. I'm a huge fluff fan and I think its fine If you want a custom HQ model that you make into your own for your own custom chapter/warband then by all means.


I speak as a Vorthos from MtG, a game which focuses exclusively on mechanics/balance and pays little to any fluff (If you can even consider the recent "Planeswalkers" quality material.) And I am alwasy pleased too see how GW handles our IP and pays its due respect to the Lore.

I use the rules for pedro kantor in my custom space marine chapter as just a normal captain

Personal not big on the idea of using named characters. I prefer generic units which develop their own history the more games you play. Eldar Phoenix Lords are ok because they are eternal warriors / are reincarnated etc., but if a named character is killed in a battle that is kinda odd to me, especially since I think smaller battles are my favorite.

I play a custom Craftworld, but that really just boils down to a paintscheme since I haven't written any fluff for it. I love the fluff of this game, but I see it as pretty divorced from what goes on the table. Special characters have special rules, typically ones that you can't find anywhere else. I can't equip a normal Farseer to make him let me redeploy forces or regain Warp Charges like Eldrad. So for me it really just boils down to if the SC can fill a role in my list, and if I want to spend the points.

 Willnaut wrote:
However, if you wanted to use the rules for Astorath in the same army, it just wouldn't look quite right due to the fact that he has his signature wings and muscular armor design. It would look better to proxy a different model or use a "counts as" character. Basically what I'm saying is that as long as your special named character is not obviously that character and could pass as just another of their same rank, it is perfectly fine to fit them to your own fluff. Hopefully this answers your question.

I think Astorath travels around the Blood Angel's successor chapters seeking the victims of the Black Rage as well though.
So Astorath really makes the most sense in using the same model in your own chapter.

If a named character has a rule that fits your custom Army I say go for it. Just call them something different I have no problem.