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A pretty simple opinion thread, of any of the myriad Spehss Mehreen factions within the 40k universe, whose combat doctrine did you find coolest/most interesting/sexiest?

For me, it would definitely be the Thousand Sons, pre-Heresy at least. When Magnus led his sons into battle, he used his psychic power to form the focusing point (The "mind") of a huge psychic web, essentially turning the Thousand Sons at the battle into a huge pseudo-hive mind (no relation). Those of his sons part of the Athanean cult (Telepaths) were used to glean information from the enemy for tactical gain or pinpoint enemy ambushes as well as bolster the speed and efficiency of telepathic messages sent by Magnus to the rest of the army (And of course to break the enemies' minds into tiny pieces). The Corvidae (Divinators) served as Magnus' eyes and ears, reading the immediate future to react to events before they can come to pass. The Raptora (Telekines) primarily serve a defensive role, using kine shields in response to prompts from the Corvidae or Athaneans to better withstand enemy fire, and could of course use their telekinetic powers offensively to kill or detain the enemy. The Pavoni (Biomancers) and Pyrae (Pyromancers) served as the Thousand Sons' main offense, blasting foes with fire (In the case of the latter) and bio-lightning (The former) and other varying yet equally devastating powers to cripple and obliterate the foe. The Pyrae in particular have a detachment of Marines who specialize in the mental command of powerful archaeotech automatons, bolstering their numbers and overall efficiency further. And of course, the use of these abilities is used in tandem with the more mundane martial abilities and good old bolter violence of your "typical" Marine. It is these factors that enabled the Thousand Sons, a Legion considerably smaller than average, to still be an effective fighting force.

I've included a poll that I hope would have your picks, including all the founding Legions as well as several non-founding chapters that some might be inclined to choose. If your incredibly obscure pick isn't on there, I am sorry, lol.

Seeing as I could choose multiples, I picked 3

First up, Iron Warriors and the Imperial Fists - I adore siege warfare, both defensive and offensive, so it'd be unfair to pick one over the other (though IW would have edged it)

And my third choice was Night Lords. I mean, If anyone read the 3rd of ADB's Night Lords trilogy, when the warband visits that Imperial settlement... That's just classy.

For me its the Blood Ravens, Luna Wolves and Carcharadons.


As far as Luna Wolves are concerned, its mostly based on how I understand Horus' tactics from Horus Rising. He "extends an open hand of friendship, with a closed fist of destruction behind." This may sound cool and human, but, chillingly, its true meaning is "join us or die "
In terms of actual warfare, I like the speartip approach. Send an unyielding and devastating strike to the weakest point or most important spot and take the whole war in a single blow.

Blood Ravens- I like their planning and this allows them to be similar to Luna Wolves in that they can determine the perfect attack via Divination, and then end the conflict swiftly and effectively, in a single stroke.

Carcharadons Astra I like because of the sillyness and ferocity of them. Jn battle they are just badass as hell. Their leader wears Chainfist-Lightning Claws and Mk V on his TDA because he can. Everyone just goes berserk and kills gak with his fists. Like an Angry Marine's distant cousin, 3 times removed.
In terms of their sillyness and humour, I mention because outside of battle they are seemingly incredibly polite. This is how I imagine it be like.

"Good Evening Lord Castellan, mighty fine weather for a shoot out, no?
"Indeed Lord Tyberos, mighty fine indeed! I have a few Baneblades hiding in that bush over there, might get lucky and get some Super-Heavy kills.
"Most intriguing...How did you-"
"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!"
"Excuse me one moment please."
"EMPEROR!!!! RRRAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!

You were saying Lord Castellan?"

I chose
1. Ultramarines- basing their plans on the goal, not the glory and having one of the most practical yet, to me at least, coolest tactical doctrines.
2. Blood Angels- Arial Assaults are awesome
3. Thousand Sons- What Void_Dragon said.

And by the way Void_Dragon, you put Blood Angels on twice.

For me it's Iron warriors because of the mecha robo side of it, I have a huge softspot for daemon engines!
Then it's Carcharadons/Minotaurs. What can I say, I love vicious and overwhelming assaults.

Next it's my old favourites, Thousand Sons. Oh Phosis I barely knew ye...

Spess Wolves. Nothing says awesome like Beer and Mullets

VensersRevenge wrote:
I chose
1. Ultramarines- basing their plans on the goal, not the glory and having one of the most practical yet, to me at least, coolest tactical doctrines.
2. Blood Angels- Arial Assaults are awesome
3. Thousand Sons- What Void_Dragon said.

And by the way Void_Dragon, you put Blood Angels on twice.

I noticed this but I clicked the 2nd one, hoping meant Ravens not Angels.

Mad max white scars or a rain of jump packing angels!
Then again, Legion of the dammned show up from nowhere, shoot bullets that travel through walls, take a lascannon shot to the chest and STILL flame everyone around before disappearing at the end of the battle to make sure they get home in time for the start of the next episode of breaking bad.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh I forget pre-heresy Thousand Sons... they win hands down... but I've already voted :-(.

VensersRevenge wrote:

And by the way Void_Dragon, you put Blood Angels on twice.

feth.

I meant the Blood Ravens.

Edit: And now three people voted for Blood Ravens even if they didn't mean to.

Gaze upon my works and despair.

Only 2 people made a mistake, I was the third and I knew you meant the BR with that one.

Iron Warriors, Raptor Marines and the Black Templars have the lulziest approaches to war.

Ultramarines for having it all and being flashy.

Oh dear...Now my true loyalties will be revealed! But here goes

1. World Eaters : Because noting appelas more to me than a literal hailstorm of chain axe armed frothing mad men! That and I always had a soft spot for Agron
2. Minotaurs : Same as above, added to the fact that being a chapter created for the ole purpose of murdering rouge Astartes, or generaly making a total wreck of anything they are sent after( A trend seems to be appearing here.......)
3. Word Bearers : Because no one wants the preachers from hell to arrive at your world

Oh, it was multiple choice...? Dammit - I would've gone for Space Wolves (celebrations!!) and Blood Angels (guns down, lads, let's rip off their faces instead) as well.

I plumped for other - you missed out the Angry Marines...

I love how people REALLY want to like Thousand Sons..

..and how GW makes it very hard.

Iron Warriors.

There's a moment in Angel Exterminatus where Perturabo says to Fulgrim something like "There's no way in hell my people touch down until a bombardment wipes out the area and clears immediate threats".

Raven Guard. The Sam Fishers of the 41st Millennium.

A Space Marine that you can see is scary enough. A Space Marine that could be lurking in any shadow? Horrifying.

Ultramarines - Poster boys for the Codex Astartes, everybody needs something to aspire to... right? Guys? Right?

Iron Hands - For how brutal they are to allies and foes.

Minotaurs - For how brutal they are in carrying out there High Lord guided orders.

I like the Thousand Sons as a faction, but it's hard to judge them presented as the are in the 40k timeline in terms of warfare. Agreed 30k, excellent. 40K? Still awesome, but more splinter groups/cabals of powerful sorcerers. I'd imagine now that it's pretty much Sorcerer, some Rubric Marines and a bunch of cultists or mutants. Something like the Vraks list would be good if there were rules of Tzeentchian Marines.

Death Guard get a mention due to their philosphy of attrition, footslogging across a warzone under immense fire.

Raptors, only ones that don't fight like complete idiots. Maybe Raven Guard.

1. Iron warriors, there is nothing cooler than fighting a war with exact mathematical formulas and overwhelming fire power

2. Raptors/raven guard, they fight in a sensible way and I love their guerilla style approach to warfare including camoflage

3. Grey knights, their one-man army approach is also realy cool and the fact that they like to fight in close combat and everyone can use psychic powers to boost their skills is also nice

Blood Ravens combat doctrine involves emulating RTS players. I found that quite clever.

Raptors
Raven Guard
Alpha Legion

They all actually treat battle like a battle and using tactics becoming of that. They will use stealth guile and deception to get an advantage.

I've always thought the Hawk lords were cool: instead of drop pods or teleporters, they just jump out of low altitude thunderhawks, dreadnaughts and all.

Black templars and Charcaradons for being up close and personnal, chainswords for everyone!

Last but not least is the Legion of the damned. Took out a whole blood crusade by themselves, and does it in complete silence. Can you imagine how creepy that would be, flaming/zombie space marines walking slowly with guns blasting, and not a single word is spoken.

Honrable menton:
Raptors - present day military tactics but in power armour
Crimson fists - cant keep these guys down
Iron hands - tanks, and lots of them

I picked Dark Angels (for the whole "all our successor chapters pretty much report back to us ultimately - viva la first legion" thing), Carcharadons for giving exactly zero fuqs, and Minotaurs - when you have to teach a genetically modified super-human his place, call the Minotaurs.

I chose Raptors because they tend to adapt to the battle and they are pretty hard core having their chapter almost being wiped out on multiple occasions only to return and kick butt.
Red Corsairs would be my second come on how cool are Powered Armour Pirates

 Trondheim wrote:

3. Word Bearers : Because no one wants the preachers from hell to arrive at your world

We wont actually fight, we will proselytize a billion cultists to be our army.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 carlos13th wrote:

Alpha Legion

Yelling "for the Emperor" as they charge into battle

Iron Warriors, after reading Storm of Iron the way they work is awesome and cruel at the same time.

Such as Charging a heavily armed citadel which has hundreds of Basilisk cannons with all the captured prisoners, so they can work out the range of the cannons. Then meticulously digging closer before pounding it to bits with unstoppable force followed by a destructive charge.

blood angels- striking from the sky is awesome, as well as deep striking land raiders right into an enemy line also just something about the elites of them having wings is awesome.
after them
imperial fists, one word, Bolters.
then dark angels- nothing more terrifying than a marine flailing a chainsword about like a mad man while solemnly chanting hymns.

Blood angels and descendants, World Eaters, Black Dragons, Space wolves
I like the ragey assault oriented tactics bordering on beserker rage (with exception of world eaters, they are beserkers).
Chapters with Blood Angels esque death companies are awesome too X)

Night Lords, Raven Guard and descendants
Sneaky kill kill, except Night Lords make sure bodies are found and displayed XD

Salamanders because fire and blade!

So basically I like assault oriented tactics, or melee/close range tactics for my SPHEZ MAREEENS