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I know they're sensible enough to not attack their allies, but are they capable of actually commanding forces?

 HillyKarma wrote:
I know they're sensible enough to not attack their allies, but are they capable of actually commanding forces?

All things considered, it is highly unlikely that an Avatar of Khaine would be able to communicate and command forces on a battlefield. They're Avatars of death, and basically just want to kill everything non-Eldar. The only reason that they don't kill Eldar is because Eldar are the ones who summoned them and also are the ones who worship Khaine.

Think of pretty much any "big dangerous monster release" scene in movies (The rancor in Jedi for example), and that's basically it. Should the Avatar need to be used, they let it loose, point it where they want it to bash things, then watch the chaos ensue.

Depends on how you define communication. I'm sure screaming "RAAAAAAAAAA!" while charging into the enemy communicates as "follow me" in any language

 dusara217 wrote:

 HillyKarma wrote:
I know they're sensible enough to not attack their allies, but are they capable of actually commanding forces?

All things considered, it is highly unlikely that an Avatar of Khaine would be able to communicate and command forces on a battlefield. They're Avatars of death, and basically just want to kill everything non-Eldar. The only reason that they don't kill Eldar is because Eldar are the ones who summoned them and also are the ones who worship Khaine.

As of the Overfiend Space Marine battles novel:

 BobNT wrote:
Depends on how you define communication. I'm sure screaming "RAAAAAAAAAA!" while charging into the enemy communicates as "follow me" in any language

hahahaah

If you read the novel 'Valedor' there's a little bit where this is explained.



So I don't think you could hold a conversation with it, by it can definitely be communicated with and it knows whose side it's on.

I'm sure much of it sounds like "RAARGH! WHY PUNY ELDAR NOT LEAVE AVATAR OF KHAINE ALONE?"

can't the avatar be a warlord?

I know the ones in Dawn of War can talk, and conceptually it sounds to me like they've got a developed gestalt consciousness not unlike an Exarch, they'd probably be just as capable of communicating as an Exarch (weird, detached, not social outside of combat, consummate commanders when in their element).


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also with the Eldar psychic thing you don't need to wonder about making a radio headset big and fire-resistant enough for an Avatar.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
weird, detached, not social outside of combat, consummate commanders when in their element

That probably nails it. The Avatar can understand what Eldar (and others) try to tell it, but unless it has something to do with smashing the enemies of the Eldar it will most likely disregard it as unimportant. If it deigns to say anything it will also be something to do with battle. Under no circumstances will it converse about arts and philosophy.

Spetulhu wrote:

 AnomanderRake wrote:
weird, detached, not social outside of combat, consummate commanders when in their element

That probably nails it. The Avatar can understand what Eldar (and others) try to tell it, but unless it has something to do with smashing the enemies of the Eldar it will most likely disregard it as unimportant. If it deigns to say anything it will also be something to do with battle. Under no circumstances will it converse about arts and philosophy.

Haha, I have the mental image of an Avatar and Farseer walking through an art gallery discussing the pro's and con's of the artist's work, only for the Avatar to stand too close to a nice oil painting, thereby causing it to burst into flames due to the heat from his molten body

BrianDavion wrote:
can't the avatar be a warlord?

That's what actually led me to ask this question.
I've been watching SS82's batreps, and he likes using his Avatar as his warlord, so the idea of an Avatar actually commanding forces popped into my head.
He's a god of war first and foremost, so wouldn't he be capable of strategy and whatnot?
My knowledge of the Eldar is pretty limited, but when the Exarch is sacrificed, are they actually lending their bodies to Khaine temporarily, or are they just channeling his power?

AnomanderRake wrote:Also with the Eldar psychic thing you don't need to wonder about making a radio headset big and fire-resistant enough for an Avatar.

Right.

An avatar is going to easily be able to imprint at least images and emotions into nearby warriors. It could be as basic as the avatar coalescing an idea and the eldar around him sort of doing what he wants on instinct, even if there's no language-based communication.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
I know the ones in Dawn of War can talk

I usually ignore that since he sounds so damn stupid.

I prefer the molten roars of the sequel's Avatar, who also looks far less stupid since it's based on the FW rather than the GW Avatar.

BrianDavion wrote:
can't the avatar be a warlord?

HillyKarma wrote: I've been watching SS82's batreps, and he likes using his Avatar as his warlord, so the idea of an Avatar actually commanding forces popped into my head.

In the 5th Edition Codex if you took the Avatar of Khaine he had to be your warlord. Any special character would follow his lead if I recall correctly.

I dislike the idea of him simply being a mindless beast. As a splinter of the Eldar God of War I always imagine him to be a supreme tactician and with his ability to inspire the Eldar around him becomes uniquely capable of commanding them no matter the situation. That's just my opinion though; I don't know if it's backed up anywhere.