Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

A Siera Leone child army based off the Astra Militarum Codex. Basically, the only adults are the command squad, platoon leaders, and the commissars, everyone else is a child soldier. Probably going to have to corner the market on Hobbit models for conversions. Just when the grimdark couldn't get any grimdarker, here come enslaved 10 year-olds wielding handout firearms and being forced into the meat grinder for their Imperial masters.

S.h.i.e.l.d

also known as the Secret Headquarters of Interspecies ESPers and Lifeforce Defenders

A secret group founded in the in ancient times, tasked with defending the universe from those who wish it's destruction. It's armies are composed of beings from any race.

their agents are sent out, accompanied by "Supers" for protection to investigate possible invasions by chaos, or the dreaded tyranids, unknown artifacts, and dangerous mutant creatures. As a general rule of thumb, any race that seeks to live will be protected, any beings that thirst for death and destruction will be eradicated.

THE AGENTS:
Humans, orks, outcast elder, former mercenaries, rogue Commissars, former assassin's, and anyone with the altitude can enroll in the agent program, trained in the mysterious ways of their organization the agents who succeed will become either frontline investigators, medical masterminds, tech whizzes, masters of espionage, the ever important information collector, or the revered squad commander, those who are in command of a "Super" squad.

THE SUPERS!!
the organization would be nothing special if not for their super squads. Teams of super humans, mutants, aliens, and those lucky enough to be chosen for experiments.
The typical SUPER model is chosen from the roots, RAGIN berzerkers. Tactical minded defenders, super genius Techlords mystical ESPers, or the impossible Demi beings. There are some who break from these roots, and become known as Hybrids, those with mixed powers, or multiple areas of expertise

Once a Super is chosen, they swear to protect their agents, or fight alongside them in the defense of life, and those who endeavor to live peacefully. They get formed into squads by senior agents and approved by their leader himself Jack Furious

ARMIES
Although the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D are few, and spread out. The universe is protected by more than mere organics. For every agent squad sent out, their ship is loaded with the following: a personal teleporter calibrated for recieving, a few thousand Mkxxl sentry bots and a personal armory/workshop for development and research
If the call comes to save an agent, or distress beacon is triggered, the teleporter will activate, allowing thousands to flock to their call.

WEAPONS, GEAR
Thousands of years has ensured the development of incredible weapons, the most prominent are those which fire incredibly hard virtanium capable of rending the hardest armors, and those which employ Gamma radiation, which can be focused to cut through near anything, or disbursed to wreak havoc on organic matter
Many agents are given the newest armors, designed to give full motion, and maximum protection for the elements, and damage from enemies each agent is assigned their personal 3 piece suit, black, with their rank displayed as a colored tie.
Some agents are chosen to test now models of armor, super heavy bulk-busters super light hornet jet armor, and it course new models of the standard issue detective suit.

Vehicles built and managed by S.H.I.E.L.D. ARE at a level more advanced than any known faction, faster, stronger, and chock full of technologies to protect from notice. Although they can resemble other factions vehicles, they are much, much more advanced

SWORN ENEMIES
Their sworn enemies are those who detest life, seek to destroy others, or simply wish for life to end. For that reason their enemies are: DARK elder, most necrons, Chaos, and tyranids.

Their direct enemy is their break away section of traitors and evil, known as KRAKON or so the records would have you think. KRAKON, seeking the end of every lifeform. Who infiltrates and destroys from within loyal, life loving beings. Their leader, is unknown but is thought to be working for the forces of CHAOS.

SECRET ALLIES

There are divisons, organizations, factions, and mercenary groups that secretly meet, and are sworn to secrecy to help those of S.H.I.E.L.D as such Eldar, Tau, Ork, Imperium, necron, ALLIES are treated as agents of S.H.I.E.L.D... In game they are treated as S.H I.E.L.D models for special rules.

Organization of forces
Typically every team of 10 agents will be composed of:
1 commander
5 frontline investigators (security guards)
2 info gatherers
1 doctor
1 tech

10 SUPERS

2,000- 3,000 sentry bits

Breakaway/children factions

For themes, or a different spin on making your army

The justice keepers
The brotherhood of Organics
The Instructors guild of special humans
THE UNITRON ALLIANCE OF SYNTHETICS

And many more groups of agents, SUPERS or other incredible beings


ON THE TABLETOP
The army is an elite force designed to recover, catalog, or if needed destroy anything deemed a threat to life. But it is no one trick pony, it has a level of customization deemed insane by some. Powers, mutations, technology, biological implants, experimentation, and blessings from the lost gods. Available to nearly anything that wants to take it..grot agent with powerclaw and berzerker gene? Why not. Ogryn with ESP? Go for it. Tau with powerfist and jet packs, in bulk buster armor covered with gamma lasers? Go ahead, if you have the points

Don't forget to bring magnets when assembling THESE units.

My idea:
An army of albino Skaven, led by an albino Verminlord with an eye patch (called Danger Mouse)

I don't care if albino Skaven are supposed to be rare, maybe with AoS there's a new albino realm.

Hi there. Influenced from recent documentaries that I was watching, imagine that:

A wargame with actual gods fighting each other in the most epic battles ever. Choose your pantheon (army), troops consisted of divine beings from each pantheon, Gods themselves as the leaders of the armies, demigods or mythical monsters. A great clash of the divine, with sorcery, huge weapons and just mere awesome.

For those who might get also the hint, yes, I am influenced from the MOBA PC and XBox game Smite.

My two cents.

Cheers

The compliance of the world of Plenum Tumulta had long been sought after by imperial authorities. Harbouring a massive underground mining facility, likely containing many relics from the dark age of humanity, the population had grown rich and complacent. The military powers of Plenum Tumulta were in decline, with the last substantial raid by orks having ended over 257 Terran sidereal years ago. Founded on the principle of freedom and equality, there was little the leaders of Plenum Tumulta could do to mitigate this. So when a daemonic incursion led by traitor marines of the baleful Alpha Legion, originating from a nearby localised warp rift, overran the planetary defence stations, the populace was woefully unprepared. What followed was a complete scouring of the planet’s lifeforms, from its primary human population down to a microbial level. The purpose for this is of yet unknown, and the records recovered from the fortress-home of the ruling elite of Plenum Tumulta indicate that planet side, the event was known simply as "the Harrowing”. Photo-records indicate that the majority of the initial survivors of the Harrowing took shelter in the hidden access shafts of the mining complex. But even here, things crawled, skittered, and slid their way through the dark to find huddled groups of men, women, and children to feast upon. Those who died quickly were considered lucky by their compatriots. Eventually, one by one, the humans broke. Mothers started offering their babies, and later their bodies to the beasts that roamed the night, hoping for a reprieve from the horrors in return for services rendered. Suddenly, one day, the hunting stopped. Insane, rad-mutated, feral humans crawled from their hiding places, to find their once rich, lush world an ashen waste. Massive piles of dead were arranged into strange patterns, whose insidious purpose was not yet discovered. So was the world left for over one hundred Terran sidereal years.

Xerxes, rogue trader, had been ordered to travel to the very edge of known space, far from the civilising reach of the Imperium. Accompanied by a small detachment of Dark Angels, along with his own, personalised ogryn servitors, he was ready to conquer in the name of the Emperor. But when he arrived at his destination, there were no lush forests as described by the High Lords of Terra. There were no tall spiral cities. Most of all, there were no people. Ordering his ogryns to make planetfall, he prepared his personal retinue with explorator-drives and rad-suits.

As he waded through the ashes of a ruined city, his vox channel crackled to life. It was Captain Ezra of the Dark Angels. “We leave now. You will proceed alone. The Emperor protects.” What worried Xerxes most about this message was not that the Astartes were leaving, but rather the undeniable note of urgency in the Captain’s voice. He resolved himself to finish the sweep of his sector and return to his space-craft. On his way back though, Xerxes was alerted to a movement nearby by his explorator-drive. Whirling around, with bolt pistol in hand he saw a white daubed mutant descend upon one of his two ogryn bodyguards. One shot dispatched the Emperor’s justice, and moving quickly he ordered all patrols to return to their craft. He needed to know what he was dealing with. Suddenly, a massive fireball lit up the darkening sky in the direction of his personal transport, leaving him stranded on the surface of the planet. Cursing, he motioned for his remaining ogryn to follow him quietly. He crept towards a particularly large pile of ashes, hoping to climb it in order to gain an overview of his surroundings. However, when he placed his foot on the pile, he felt resistance underneath. Xerxes scraped off the ashes and was horrified to find a decomposing body underneath. Further digging unveiled that the whole pile seemed to be a construction built from human bodies. He turned around to retreat to the depressions in the landscape scouted out by his patrols, when he came face to face with another white-daubed mutant. Slowly, it raised its arms and started chanting as Xerxes stepped back horrified. His ogryn smashed the mutant aside, but not quick enough to avoid the mutant’s call from alerting others of its kind. The response was not one of violence, as Xerxes had predicted. Instead, a slow wave of chanting enveloped his surroundings. the earth started trembling and ferrocrete doors hidden by the ashes opened, releasing hordes of mutants. Suddenly, one stood above the rest and screamed violently. His body tore apart and in its place stood a shivering, tentacled daemon, summoned by the terrible chanting. The pile behind the surrounded rogue traded started to tremble. It burst appart as a giant tentacle ripped into his remaining ogryn bodyguard, enveloping him and then dragging hims down into the depths of the earth. Violent lighting storms raked the night sky, and a rain of blood natted the ashes of the world. Xerxes stood in terror, bolt pistol raised as he prepared himself for his last stand, when a giant warp rift threw him from his feet. Cohorts of daemons appeared from the rift, ready to do their master’s bidding. Giant spectral forms appeared in the sky as the ground was overrun with living nightmares. The mutants gave themselves readily to their idols, as the slaughter began. Xerxes patrols were destroyed, and his craft seized for one insidious purpose. They were to return to his fleet and dock, releasing their cargo into his space-craft. Once this had been achieved, the deamons and remaining mutants would be free to raid the outer fringes of the Imperium in the name of their god: Tzeentch. For this, Xerxes would be kept alive, to watch as his precious Imperium burned.

Basically a CSM list with cultists and a daemon prince only. Cultists painted in Mad Max style, with white body paint and bare chests, etc. Have at least one transport (an ork battlewagon run as a rhino) with a human tied to the front with something covering his face (as in Mad Max): this would be Xerxes.
Allied to this would be a Chaos Daemon detachment with Tzeentchian daemons only. Try to make these as imaginative as possibly, with the same colours as your nebular style lord of change. Conversions to include tentacles would be cool, to avoid the army looking tame, as the vanilla gw models for daemons often do. Giant gaping mouths with many teeth = bonus, and the more limbs the better.

Amazing idea guys ! This is one i had in mind for some time, and i even started to represent it - of course you could vary it. Sadly, it would be too much green-stuffing for my skills.



The Emperor’s 2nd Lost Legion
Legion name: Phoenix Prima

Officially declared lost, in reality rejected by the very emperor who engineered them due to genetic flaws that allowed them to grow breasts and maintain some women-like proportions, this is an all-women legion. Helped along their way to evolve both genetically and technologically by a Mechanicum faction from the far corners of the Emperium, the legion uses the powerful Mk III Iron Armour with certain enhancements. The back of their helm has a side reinforced hole that allows a direct cable connection to their backpack, while also allowing their long hair to get out of the armour. All the helms sport a red crest, with the commanders using black crests. Part of the auto-senses have been moved to Servo-skulls, thus allowing them easier tracking of targets from multiple directions. Their armour also includes a ammo belt-fed bolter on their right hand, that is believed to have influenced the later Grey Knights secretive faction. This bolter as well as the entire right arm can be operated autonomous, therefore targeting foes registered by the Servo-skull while the “Astartes” moves or is engaged in a different battle.

Their armour is a yellow one, very close in tone to the Imperial fists. They use red trims for standard troops and black trims for commanders, and their heraldry displays a Phoenix bird. As their helping Mechanicum forge world is secretly in close contact to Mars, they do have access to development plans so their army is very close the standard Astartes legion. A relic of battlefields, a Contemptor of Phoenix Prima can be seen here:


In return for their help, the Mechanicum only asked for their armour to include the Imperial Aquila, and their ultimate quest to be to reunite with the Emperor, show to him the mistakes of his ways and ultimately prove a worthy legion to take part into the battles.
It is believed that their highest ranking officers are secretly included into the Sisters of Silence to help further train this order. Their silent code helps prevent secret information making its way out, but also means that the included Phoenix Prima members can not make contact with their legion.

Unfortunately for the legion, they have not been yet made aware of the Heresy, and will have to forcefully exit the warp later when Terra’s astropaths go silent. Because of this, their fleets are scattered around the galaxies, and millennia will be needed to fix the damage caused by the sudden warp exit, re-establish communication within their own legion and meet around Ashur, their home world.

The legion could be modelled with a bit rounded breastplate, and lower legs cut in half and greenstuffed to extend a bit. Normal troops would therefore be closer to a terminator armour where height is concerned. The imperial Aquila could be easily modelled and made to conform to the new breastplate shape.

 VorpalBunny74 wrote:
My idea:
an albino Verminlord with an eye patch (called Danger Mouse)

You. I like you.

I have always thought that an army based around Malal (the 5th chaos god that was dropped in the late 80s) would be amazing. They are a really slick black and white themed army. Their logo is basically the chaos undivided logo with a skull over it.

Its very original and something that would be appreciated by old school gamers! This could be either chaos marines (which I would like to see) or warriors of chaos.

Malal actually means Malice and it turns out he was bitter towards everyone. Even the other chaos gods! He was so chaos that he hated everything including chaos. That's pretty metal...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Khestra the Unbeheld wrote:
A Siera Leone child army based off the Astra Militarum Codex. Basically, the only adults are the command squad, platoon leaders, and the commissars, everyone else is a child soldier. Probably going to have to corner the market on Hobbit models for conversions. Just when the grimdark couldn't get any grimdarker, here come enslaved 10 year-olds wielding handout firearms and being forced into the meat grinder for their Imperial masters.

^ saddest thing ever haha

A new army idea for LOTR. Not necessarily the most popular game system out there but the world Tolkien created was far too expansive to not include more on top of the already expansive list GW has made. My new suggestion would be to include an army of magic worshiping tribes brought together by the Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallando, to fight the influence of Sauron and Melkor in the east.

These 2 characters were lost very early on in the story of middle earth almost no mention of them is made through his works but what little we do know is they traveled into the far east with the ultimate goal of stirring up rebellion amongst the eastern men who worshiped sauron and melkor. While wizardry is generally reserved for the Istar and elves it could not be completely ruled out that men never were able to harness some minor ability to conjure magic.

The men of the east are generally thought of as the khand or easterlings as we know it now but what of the men further east? The great plains and areas of scattered forests? What of the Silvan elves who traveled east past the misty mountains and settled in the great wood? Were there some tribes that continued to travel east maybe into Ruhn or beyond? This is completely unknown but assumed not. The army would consist of nomadic tribes of men who travel the plains and dwell in the sporadic forests who while organized are still nomadic and tribal by nature. They use many horses but are limited in armor as the area the dwell in lacks the necessary resources. They are armed with bows, spears, daggers, and crude but effective shields. The average tribes man was not a magic user but select class of individuals selected from birth were taught what little magic a man of middle earth might hope to learn. Throughout the land scattered and alone for thousands of years may still exist the descendants of silvan elves who migrated east. These lone warriors remember the wars of the elves and Melkor and have no love for him or any agent of his. Living alone and surviving in what little areas of forests they can find, these elves have become very untrusting of strangers but are willing to fight the evil of middle earth. They have learned to become masters of stealth above and beyond that of their brethren still in the west.

The army would consist of 2-3 named characters. 2 of which at least being alatar and pallando possibly one other nomadic tribe leader. There would be 3 other options for generic/unnamed heros which would include a tribal leader/chieftain, a magic adept, and elven ranger(unable to lead warriors). The warriors would include the basic tribes man with 3 weapons options; bow, spear, paired daggers. With the option to bring a shield. There would also be the option for riders on horseback. There may be opening for 1 or more specialized troops.

So theres my idea for a new LOTR army the magic worshiping cults/tribes of the far far east.

Ok, so I didn't think I was going to type this much. It's got inspiration from all over the place, and is more of a story about one of the armies in a universe. I have probably made a few mistakes here and there, I am sorry about that.

Then Neifolk (Pronounced Nye-Folk)

The year is somewhere in the 4000s on earth, however that year is not important right now. Humanity has developed faster than light travel, our solar system has been mostly colonized. Some planets have full blown colonies, while others are just used for resources. Expeditions are being made, other livable planets found, but no advanced life forms as of yet.
Earth is still the central hub for humanity, it is united as one planet. The boarders no longer mean anything, and pacifism is generally accepted by the people. While there is no political turmoil, there are still the few rich and powerful who have their own turmoil between them. A Scandinavian family was able to profit greatly on the space race of the late 3400s. Through strong family bonds and traditions, their influence and power continued to grow. They are considered to be the real ruling power of earth, just because of the vast ownership of factories and properties. This corporation is known as "New Quest", an easier to translate and read form of the surname of the family, which is "Neiquist". The rebranding of the company name from Neiquist to New Quest, caused internal debate, but as the company moved into public eye, they had to be easy to identify. Their logo is a branch, that appears to be reaching out like a hand, almost growing towards a goal. The surname, translated from ancient languages, means "new branch".

Now, in the 4000s, the Neiqust family is sending ships to colonize new planets, each of the siblings in this family with different business interests. It is Elkund who we are interested in. Elkund has grown fascinated with his families ancient history, and wishes to relive it to the fullest. Exploring the seas is long past, exploring the stars is slowly losing its glory. Elkund Neiquist decides to go on an expedition. A large ship, almost the size of a small colony is purchased, and volunteers to join Elkund are found. The journey is to find a habitable planet, and live like the ancients do. Technology is only permitted in the most dire of times, the people will live off the lands, and pacifism will slowly vanish.

The expedition is a success, a very distant planet, far from where humanity has ventured is found. Elkund and his ten thousand followers begin their life on this new planet. All the followers have taken names that would be found in the ancient times, and the colonization is a success. For over 100 years the people live and flourish on a planet that is given no name. The next generation, and the generation after, only a few select people are taught of their origins, for if any dire situation was to arise, however as time goes on, no situation is ever deemed dire enough. Skirmishes and battle break out, using iron weapons and wooden shields to cleave through fur and chain armor. The world moves on, the population grows, and the late Elkund's dream is lived.

It is around 100 years later, that the first contact the human race has ever had is established. It is 100 years later that the people of earth, still have not bothered to explore Elkund's part of the galaxy. There are more promising planets in other directions, besides, someone had just went that way!
While training his successor on how to monitor the satellites orbiting nearby, originally placed as a safety against possibly meteor strikes, that the new alien ship is noticed. For 2 years the alien ship observed, only 50 or so of Elkund's people knowing they existed. Eventually it was known to them that a smaller ship landed on the planet, and they were being observed on a more personal level.

After great debate, it was decided that a small group of people, no more than 5, who were trained and versed in technology, would approach the area containing the alien camp. It was on the year 137, that humanity made contact with an alien race. The aliens were a tall, slender, athletic looking race, with bent, almost hunched backs. They stood at least 7ft tall, with proportions being similar to human, save for the slightly longer arms and fingers. The facial features were rigid, with longer and pointy noses and thin fleshy appendages on their chin, being the most noticeable feature of them.

Attached is a sculpt I made several years ago. It is the base for the Raklaji, just remove the extra teeth from the mouth and chop the tail.

As time went on, the aliens would communicate with the 50 humans who were aware and conscious of technology. The aliens wished to place a forward base for their military on this planet. After some discussion, it was agreed and deemed OK, as long as it was on the other side of the world, far from where the population would venture. After all, who were the humans to decline, they had very few weapons! However, it was decided that eventually the people would stumble across the alien base, and true ancestral living would be impossible.
Life went on, the alien race, known as the Raklaji, were in full peace with humans. It just so happened that the Raklaji not only had customs appealing to the people, but the people had customs appealing to the Raklaji. The barrier of language was broken with ease, as both were vocal speaking species. The Planet was given the name Elkundstone, after a modest Elkund finally gave up on his protest.

The Raklaji's warfare, when and if it was needed, could be extremely vast and powerful. It was their ideals, to observe first, and ask acceptance second when a species was found. Their reach of the galaxy was much more vast than humanities, and pacifism was not accepted as the ideal solution. So an active military was needed. Planets had never been destroyed, battles were usually done on the ground, with soldiers using special tactics to take the head off the uprising, and move down, accepting surrender, for hopes of disturbing the planets the least, and keeping their inter planetary nation at peace.

Eventually humans were accepted into training, and the technology of the Raklaji was exposed to them. For as unwieldy as they looked, they utilized a sort of short range teleportation for their units on the ground. This made them very fast, quick, and vicious fighters. It was perfect for assassinations, to cut off the heads of any uprising. This technology was highly regulated to specific military forces. Rarely was a Raklaji seen wearing the equipment when not in battle, and only then it was for ceremonies. Human bodies were unable to withstand the stress of the Raklaji technology without assistance. The assistance designed was bulky, and didn't allow for much more than straight forward "jumps", where as the Raklaji were capable of using their teleport in multiple directions quickly, to jump forward, then back.

A shield was designed, to go in with tradition of the humans, this shield not only housed additional support for the humans to have longer jumps, but also used the technology in an offensive way, which caused the shields to be rather large for a human. Instead of teleporting the whole body, it would teleport only a section of something within close range. It could be used to "blast" a living being in half, when it just moved their midsection 6 feet away and sent it flying at high velocity. It was a violent destructive weapon, when combined with the unwieldy suite that humans had to wear to withstand the jumps, it made for perfect shock troops.

Now the year has been forgotten by the people on Elkundstone, they have adapted the Raklaji "calendar" (which is using the term loosely...) Elkindstone serves as a base for a command of the Raklaji military, as well as the entire Neifolk, roughly translating into "New People". Neifolk assist the Raklaji in military operations where the usual techniques are not working. This sends the Neifolk into various high risk situations, fighting foes that would give the people of Earth eternal nightmares. Their weaponry has advanced past short range combat, and as time goes on, the people become more and more used to the teleport jumps. Vehicles are still rarely used, only occasionally by the enemy, as they were deemed too easy to destroy, and many see them as too great risk for their own cause. Whenever the Neifolk make planet side, it is quickly, and with shocking force. The Raklaji tactics are not forgotten. As the Shield Chargers create havoc and unrest, known for being nearly unstoppable forces, sniper teams, and offensive tacticians set up to keep the battlefield contained, and make sure the head of the snake is removed.

Neifolk attempt to remain true to their heritage when possible, or at least their interpretation of it. Nothing quite like celebrating a victory, and mourning the loss of friends, than a great feast.

If this was to be a tabletop game, I would want to stick with a table top wargame. Average games would have 50 minis on each side for a large scale game. Average games would be 15 to 25 for each side. Tabletops would be terrain heavy, I love the idea of urban or siege combat using individuals. Table size would vary based on size of the game. The Raklaji, Neifolk, and say, one other armies would be the good. There would be neutral rules for the Raklaji and the other army, to represent uprisings. Then there would also be 2 or 3 "bad" armies. Optimally it would be a game where each model is something you can grow attached to. You could follow the deeds of a single Raklaji or Neifolk with ease, recording what they did each battle, purchasing upgrades on a model to model bases. For this, I would probably attempt a D10 system and damage charts like AoS has, as there is less chance for "oh, your dude died to a lucky shot, game over"

I could probably type on for ages, just rambling about my perfect game. Most likely get inspiration for an evil army, and realize halfway through it exists! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.
Edited typos

Raklaji

I had a idea do make a halo odst army... and use alot of the storm troopers as allies and have a space marine army of Spartans and how it will be builded and played use the stormtrooper (odst) will be in drop pods and have metlaguns that will go behind enemy lines and destroy tanks or troops
And the rest of the space marine will be the ground force and move up to gun down the enemy away.. and I will use the imperial fist chapter tactics.

Yeah I’m the first Ork poster. Here is the story.

On a planet within the warp there exists a planet dominated by Orks. It is rumored that when the eye of terror swallowed a large portion of galaxy, it happened to swallow a section of ork dominated planets. Through constant assault and madness of the warp the orks were whittled down to one planet, yet on the brink of their destruction something very odd happened; the planet disappeared. Unbeknownst to Chaos gods, not that they even cared, natural selection had created a breed of orks with a higher than average psychic powers, and a higher than average spawning of what orks call WeirdBoyz. If chaos had any inkling to the possibility of these lumbering creators amassing a psychic prowess, possible on par with theirs, they would have obliterated them all in one fell swoop instead of eons of playing and experimentation. Unfortunately for them it is too late to do that. With the powerful Ork Warboss Zogdreg Zodkop able to harnessing the power of the Waaagh unlike any before, keeping the orks in a never ending frenzy, and a council of the strongest Weird boyz, each of which has been influenced by a God of Chaos, Hanzel PretzyBoy-Slaannesh, Aggumurugg Redslayer-Khorn, Dureth Deadchewer-Nurgle Atarl Madboy-Tzeentch, and their leader Zorrak Skullpopper, capable of using what they call “demie pets”, only on the bases of all the orks believing that they can control daemons, they roam around the warp causing havoc. Using the power of thousands of weird boys, which usually die in masses in the process, they use the power of “da-jump” to teleport their whole planet where the next green tide can descend upon their unsuspecting victims.

The WeirdTide

So ask you probably predicted this army is going to be a green tide consisting of as five weird boyz, that I am going to paint in the fashion of a chaos god, that are going to be solely there to summon daemons, while a hundred boyz run around the table causing havoc. The orks boyz are gonna also show some aspects of different chaos gods, like red, pink, purple, and yellow skin.

In fantasy, and i am surprised it isn't a thing, I imagine an army of elementals. The leader would be like a humanoid that is in tune with the world. Water elementals would be like being taking forms of massive crabs or such. Earth would be similar to rock golems, giant rock giants traversing the land, making the land quake in their path. Fire would be similar to the chaos dwarf fire born. Air would be wing beasts that rule the sky's that use massive jaws to destroy their foes.

MOBA!

I would love to see a MOBA style game come to the table top.

Players 2-10

Game play. Just like traditional MOBA style the board is set up into 1-3 lanes depending on number of players or characters (one player could control more than 1 character, lever leave a friend out again!)

Champions, Heros, whatever can be from various walks of life opening a lot of doors for personalization and endless expansion.

Mobs also can be anything from your endless goblin army to the lumbering Trent.

Waves of mobs are released and fight each other, for the sake of speed their HP would be generally low.

The characters would have some form of progression, like picking up coins or tokens off mobs to spend on enhancing skills, unlocking new ones or maybe buying enhancement cards (Booster packs could be sold of enhancement cards making it a sort of collectable item in its own right or as a deck/set)

Objective. This could be scenario based. Capture the flag, king of hill, breach enemy lines and escape, timed deathmatch, assassination etc.

Add in some events to create objectives to fight over like neutral mobs or powerful items. Some structures to defend the base.

Designed in such a way that the game does not last much longer than an hour.

28mm scale works, single lane skirmish on a 2'x4' space should work up to a 4'x4' space for 3 lanes and a 3'x4' space for 2 lanes. Typical forked lanes with neutral space between no need to reinvent this aspect. but you could add curved lanes. You could keep the mobs 28mm scale and go with something larger scale for the champions but I would not be a fan of it.

I also like the idea of Champions being progressive outside of active play. Having a RPG aspect to it, like a character sheet. Could even have a system to create your own character from a point allotment and ability select, class selection maybe for a quick start?

A game of this nature would take a bit of balancing but I really like the ways it could advance the hobby aspect as well as making for a fun game.


So many MOBA character ideas flooding me right now in the 40k/WHFB universe.

The Imperial Nautico Division.

On worlds where the native population has developed primarily underwater, the Imperial Nautico Division is called in. The humans are trained to a higher standard and each given a basic bionic lung and rebreather that allows them to survive underwater without constant air supplies. Their ships have has many guns pointing up as they have pointing down. Harpoons, spears, and hooked weapons are commonly used by the standard troopers instead of swords, depending on the company. Personal propulsion devices are used in mass quantities along with Urchin Transport vessels and the larger Eel Assault Ship. The termite assault tank also has a close cousin in this unit, the Lamprey. It's powered melta bore can punch through many levels of fortification, seal the breach, and unload its company of troopers.

The fatigues of these companies are typically an aquatic camo pattern or a simple dark navy. Optical aids and searchlights are common on every trooper.

Due to the construction of many deep sea compounds, breacher squads and demolition experts are in nearly every unit. Krak grenades are standard issue along with increased numbers of melta bombs. Heavy weapons are also used in larger quantities and are often built into the personal propulsion devices.

I often thought underwater combat and everything water related was rarely discussed in the 40k universe. I would LOVE to see your take on either an Imperial Guard force such as I described, or perhaps converted some Astartes to a similar underwater look. The Space Sharks for example, or my favorite, the Mantis Shrimp Warriors!

Warhammer 40K MAD MAX! Think about it!?!? Humans on ramshackle vehicles with inventive weapons, plenty of inspiration in the new movie. The models for the conversions can be draw from several Necromunda gangs, Chaos Marauders, Flagellants, Ork Trukks and Battlewagons. Can be run using rules for an Orks. Speed Freaks! Pretty sure the Ork driver's legs would be easy platform to throw on a marauder torso cut at the waist, model some goggles on the head with the beard or pony tail hands chopped or easily positioned to be holding steering wheel. One Battle wagon with crazed out dude on the hood rocking metal riffs on guitar (old Noise marine guitar?) strapped with bungee cords to poles protruding from the thing with massive amps around him. Convert another Battlewagon to be a transport tanker with a platform along the top to hold the models (troop capacity). Bikes wouldn't be terrible to convert either. HQ could be based on characters from the movie? Fabius Bile model with a creepy mask would suit well for scary albino leader guy!

Think back to Digganob but a whole army!

The single idea that has always be far beyond the time and effort that I can invest is a Dark Harlequin Army, The Circus of Night, the Dark Masque. A troupe of Harlequins formed by residents of Commorragh, or you could do a Harlequin troupe who exclusively performs for the Dark Kin. I want to see how a group that call Commorragh home would go about balancing the very nature of Commorragh itself, the backstabbing and bodynapping, the augmentation and highly advanced but archaic technology. Most importantly, the plots without plots of beings who live for thousands of years purely on the torment of other souls, with the tactful and deceitful intricacies of handling the upper echelon of Commoragh. How do you tell the tale of the Fall to the ones who caused it, very carefully, and I think you could create that in an army.

As a concept a Dark Masque offers so much opportunity. In terms of style, I have always imagined to be a combination of a Dark Vaudeville theme, with the Venetian Masquerade intricacy that exists within Harlequins and a splash of the "Grimdark Gothic far future" of 40k. Similarly, inside "The Dark Masque" you have numerous different groups that can all present with their own individual style, but still allow you create a unified theme across the whole force. As for the base models that you can work with are spectacular, if it was me, I have always imagined starting with the Dark Eldar range and adding specific harlequin models and bits as you need to and expanding from there.

You can use a combinations of unit choices from all three of the armies to build and create the following roles:

Dark Eldar Units:

Archon - The High Avatar/Great Harlequin ( - Plays the role of the Laughing God

Succubus - The Master mime - Takes the most difficult/leading rule and advises on war and politics

Incubi - Avatars - Plays the remaining Eldar Gods

Wyches - Mimes - Advertisers for the masque and performance, dancers, infiltrators and assassins.

Scourges - Death Jesters - Plays as Death, and deals death as heavy support.

Eldar Units:

High Warlock - The High warlock acts as guidance and support for the High Avatar.

Warlock - The Warlocks act as spiritual guidance for the troupe in the way of the Eldar, while still being components of the troupe.

Harlequin Units:

Solitaire - Harlequins who have lost their soul (tortured in Commorragh perhaps). Exclusively plays the role of Slaanesh

Troupers - Regular Harlequins, who perform as part of the chorus, the smaller roles as required

Shadowseers - Plays the roles of Fate and Fortune, the forces that push and pull all living beings

In terms of vehicles you obviously can make use of the existing Harlequin models, their Skyweaver bikes, the Star Weaver and the Void Weaver. However, you could easily make use of the Skyboards of the Dark Eldar Hellions and make some really creative and dynamic models, similarly you can use the jetbikes or components from all three ranges as well.

While it has never been confirmed by GW, I was captivated by the idea of the Demiurge as a re-introduction of the Squats. This space-faring dwarven race shunned by the Imperium of Man in the past was now embraced by the Tau. In trying to keep with the technological aesthetics of both the Imperium and the Tau, I’ve opted to stay in the WWII era, but in a nod to the Tau, to use experimental designs.

No dwarf, not even a space-faring one, would consider going into battle without anything less than a full suit of armor. The troop unit is 2/3s the height of a space marine in power armor, but equal to the width, making the dwarven trooper far more bulky (and yes, squat). Standard weapon loadouts are plasma pistol, plasma rifle, power axe, hammer and shield, plasma cutter (flamethrower), and plasma cannon.

The standard troop carrier is giant drilling machine. Think a thick cylinder capped with a massive drill bit on one end, rocket exhausts on the other. In space, these drilling machines are used in boarding actions, ramming and drilling into enemy ships. From orbit, these drilling machines can deploy troops by hurtling through the atmosphere and then drilling into the ground and emerging elsewhere. Launching into orbit simply would require orienting the drilling machines up. The tunnels dug provide the gantry support and will increase the power of the rocket thrusters.

For scouting and exploration, the dwarves created monowheels. Their design allows them to traverse terrain considered too dangerous for conventional vehicles. To increase the stability of the monowheel, the armored cockpit is offset to one side (with an increase in visibility), with the weapon batteries offset to the other side (with a decrease in accuracy). Monowheels take the field in squads of up to 20.

For heavy support functions, dwarves prefer barrels (one-person mini-tanks) with an onboard AI. Four such barrels form a platoon. Three platoons and two additional barrels (acting as headquarters) are a company. As most dwarves are artificers, these barrels can be somewhat idiosyncratic in design (and function). An additional consequence is a healthy competition among all the barrels within a battalion, each having its own identity, storied history, and achievements.

For air support, the dwarves have a few types of aircraft, blimps, flying wings, and interceptors. The heavy armored blimps are mobile command centers and aircraft carriers. The flying wings are long-range bombers. The interceptors, which are similar in design to the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden, are fighters.

In terms of what codex one would use for this army, it would be a kludge of the space marine codex and the astra militarium.

I want to be the very best, like no one ever was.

The Space Marine chapter which is still growing to this day. 718 Marines, but not one has the same armour. Some are large, blue and shelled, others with yellow, thinner armour. They are...

The Pokemon chapter, containing every Pokemon that has ever existed, to be painted onto armour to show it. To keep some consistancy, have a poke ball as a chapter symbol on the left shoulder pad.

The mighty chapter whom have mastered all arts of warfare, lightening fast attacks and rock solid defence. Dark stealth infiltrations and dragon like destruction. Just use the right 'mons for the job, and they can achieve any task.

The Harbingers of the End

In the 40K Universe, only two things are guaranteed, suffering and death. With death usually being the end of that suffering. What if it isn't though? What if every time a person, ork, eldar, or monster died, they came back? Not as themselves, mind you, they would have become something less, yet also something more. That is the premise of "Harbingers of the End".

Picture this, Ancient gods that have been sleeping since the beginning of the universe are starting to awaken. These are not cute and cuddly benevolent gods that want to bring peace to the universe, nor are they like the chaos gods playing their fickle game of thrones. These are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. They are a cycle and are what caused the beginning of time and will be the harbingers for the end of time. Once the universe had been properly cleansed of all life, all gods have been absorbed, and there is nothing left but the ancient gods and the void. Then the universe will be consumed, regurgitated, remade, redesigned and recreated. Only then will the Ancient gods sleep once again. In a quiet universe devoid of everything but life starting anew. Which will continue to prosper, evolve, consume, go to war, explore the stars, expand, live and die. Until there is enough life to awaken the gods once again. Then the process starts again. They are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and the cycle must continue.

These gods exist in a space between realities. A place where life and death intermingle. A plane that no living thing sees till their last breath, and at that, only for a brief moment till they reach whatever afterlife may exist. The closest we have to describe this is traveling to the light at the end of the tunnel. When these deities awaken, they block the path to the afterlife, trapping the dead forever in a state of limbo. These souls are given a choice. They may return to their bodies and fight for these ancient ones as Harbingers of the End with the promise that once the universe is finally void of everything, they can go on to their afterlife. Or, their other option is they may choose to be consumed by the ancient gods and be erased from existence.

Most choose to relive as Harbingers. Giving up what was once them to be something less and something more. These Harbingers bodies often show signs of decomposition and battle damage. Often missing limbs, holes throughout the body, and skin flayed or melted off, but these things do not bother them. The bodies they inhabit may of once been their own, but now they are mere vessels for souls pledged to the end of time. They still have their personalities, their opinions, and their thoughts. What they don't have is their memories or free will. They do not feel pain, they do not feel remorse, and they are not kindred with anyone but another Harbinger. All the petty fighting that killed them in the first place no longer exists for them. Ork harbingers fight alongside imperial guard harbingers, CSM harbingers fight alongside loyalist Space Marine harbingers. They are all equal in the aspect that they serve only the Ancient Ones.

They have pledged themselves to fight for sake of being able to die properly and care only to "survive" until time ends. To have their body decompose or be destroyed before then would mean they will be erased from existence. This is what drives them to fight. For if one proves themselves to these Ancient gods, they can be transformed in their gods image, becoming an avatar for them. Taking on the form of a many tendriled abomination that both strikes awe and fear into all around them. These Avatars lead the Harbingers of the End on the many campaigns of death and destruction for the sake of the Ancient Ones. With every life they take, their army grows and the end comes closer. With every battle, the surviving harbingers may find the gods blessing them. Where they have of lost an arm, a tendril of fibrous muscle takes its place. Where a man's torso has been riddled with holes, a hardened skin shell may grow and takes its place. With every one of these "blessings", they become less like the men they were and more like the gods they represent. Meaning no Harbinger looks alike except for one thing. All Harbingers have glossy black eyes devoid of pupil, iris, and feelings.

Harbinger of the End armies often consist of many of the host armies vehicles, troops, specialists, and others unfortunate enough to have been recruited into the Ancient Ones ranks. This makes most of the Harbingers armies look significantly different from each other except for the black eyes. A newly turned host will look no different from a standard army except for black eyes and battle damage. An older host will be more monsters than men with Avatars leading the charge. Either is deadly, for they only exist to serve the Ancient Gods whims. Through them, the universe will be reborn, for they are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

The dead game chapter. A chapter of space marines who love the up close and personal weapons of power fists chain fists and lightning claws. They're implanted with a special "dead game" implant that makes them ignore pain even while getting chunks of their body blown off, & even moments before their death they will use the last of their strength to crush their enemy. They have canines similar to that of the space wolves, & have a superb apothecary. Theyre a small chapter that has a squad of assault marines, terminators, an apothecary and a primarch. Their preferred tactic is dreadclawing onto the head of their enemies army, taking out leaders & HQ's then disappearing faster than the dark elder. They are the 74th chapter n have 74 etched on a lot of their armor, also having decorative brass pit bull heads and such on their armor.
They're primarch Drebo was born in the warp due to a deadly female commissar traveling through the warp in a ship, on route a daemon prince along with lesser daemons assaulted the ship & oddly enough the daemon prince rapes the commissar somehow inpregnating her instantly. Causing her to die n give birth to a half daemon. A creature created from a humans killer instinct mixed with the pure hatred of chaos. As a baby he swam thru the warp somehow surviving until he was sent onto a death world. Where there are killer beasts, & giant deadly arachnid like creatures. The humans there are very savage & kill as fast as they can walk. Drebo easily murders any human that tests him &I when the imperium discover him all they know is that he's very special. After rigorous tests and training they implant him with the gene seed, he grows to his fullest potential twice as quick as the average space marine, growing nine feet tall and is twice as strong and agile as the average space marine making him appear super human among super humans. They build him a special terminator armor in which it's as durable as terminator armor but he moves quickly as a space marine with no armor on. The only set backs is that it has minor weak points tho they are still as durable as regular power armor, he chooses a power fist with a giant brass pit bull head decorating it for his right hand, and a power claw for his left with 74 in Roman numerals. They even mount a plasma cannon on his shoulder for ranged combat. his abilities grantin him much favor in the imperium, coming from the unknown he proves his worth n creates a chapter with soldiers he hand picks implanting them all with the dead game implant. His apothecary is the most superb in the imperium patching up wounded battle brothers very fast & effectively. He uses a lightweight power armor variation, with a jump pack his weapons are a power law and a sniper lascannon.
Conversion ideas for primarch, the chest plate of maybe, a saguinary marine or a blood angel which has muscle tone in the front and the back piece from a terminator. Rampager legs with skulls attached to the chains. Forge world abaddons powerclaw, a plain power fist with a green stuffed pit bull head, the knotted pauldrons from the forge world Kharn, some spikey bits on the area that surrounds his head on the terminator armor for a spiked collar look, a tech marine terminators shoulder mechanical arm piston thing with Kharns plasma pistol on top for predator like shoulder cannon, & a Khorne world eaters conversion kit head the plain un damaged un mutated on with the rabbit ears and Khorne symbol filed off. Oh yea a lot of filing n green stuff to make it all blend together.

This is a idea for a Warhammer 40k chaos space marine character and his army.
Story:
In the sector of Rena near the borders of the Tau empire in the eastern fringe there was a space marine chapter known as the "Wolves of Purity". There were build of the genes of the great primarch Jaghatai Khan. The Adeptus Terra send them there 800 years ago to build up a new chapter world and to defend the east of the empire and their borders from the danger of the strange Xenos. Even in times of heavy losses they fulfill their duty with no doubts but over the years of fighting they were not able to fill their lines with enough recruits and the production of new ammunition,weapons and armors was dramatically low. In their distress they asked the Mechanicus and the Munitorum for help but no help was coming. Ironically, after the Mechanicus and the Munitorum refused their help, the Tau empire starts more attacks in the nearby systems and withdraw from the Rena system by and by. In the end the end the People who are refused their help to the "Wolves of Purity" were forced to escape into the Rena System but the "Wolves" called them traitors and warn them not to get a single step on one of their worlds. They ignored them and the Situation escalated. All the invaders were dead within one day and their belongings were completly looted. The message of their deads came to the Inquisition and they declared the "Wolves of Purity" as "ordo hereticus". The Inquisition send a huge fleet of space marine chapters from neaby sectors and Imperial Guard to cleanse the galaxy from their enemys. Malik the chapter master of the "wolves of purity" , who already knew that a big enemy was coming, did not saw an other chance to survive and save his chapter than ask the dark gods of chaos for help. Even if he didn´t like the idea it was better than to get killed by this "traitors". When the loyalist came he tried to let his psykers make a giant warpstorm but this goes terrible wrong and the worlds of Rena caught fire. When the fight began the armors of the "wolves" were completly black from the flames all around. Just when it seams that a defeat is unavoidable the chamber of the chapter master opens and Malik came out in a bright shining white armor that hurts the eye of every of his foes starring. With new hope the "Wolves" defeated the enemys in a long bloody massacre. Maliks armor was still white without any red drop of blood even if he killed uncountable enemys this night. After the Victory the Psykers succeded to create the warpstorm and the Rena system was Isolated and not reachable for the invaders anymore. After that the Chapter became a Chaos Legion and Malik leaves Rena. But sometimes he comes back with new space marines from different chapters all around the galaxy. All of them painted the half of their armor black as a sign that they are unworthy against their Lord Malice in his shining Armor. Everytime he comes back to Rena all the new Chaos Lords let him pass and fulfill all of his orders full of fear and admiration.

Army Idea: so the Army idea is really simple you take every chapter or legion you like or you really want to paint make the half of its armor black and let him fight as one of Maliks warriors.

Ps: sorry for maybe bad grammar but i hope you enjoyed this.

Ancient race of benevolent machines created by humans during the Golden Age of Technology.

Found by Iron Hands successor chapter and activated after mistakenly being taken for some type of old servitor or war machine, the Astartes quickly realize these are, in fact, Men of Iron (Old Machines), self-aware AI from the Age of Technology. After a short, violent conflict and failing to destroy the old machines, the Astartes are left stranded without transport and unable to communicate with the rest of their chapter. The Astartes are eventually overwhelmed and taken prisoner. During their stay, the Marines are repeatedly interrogated by the machines seeking to learn more about their attackers and what has happened to humanity during their long stasis.

Once the machines understand the nature of an Astartes and their role among humanity, they explain to the captured Marines the history and purpose of their creation: to benefit mankind. A truce is proposed by the old machines seeing their purpose as similar to that of the Adeptus Astartes. The Space Marines refuse.

But the Chaplain-analogue amongst them notices something his Battle-Brothers do not. The machines are free of taint. He senses no deception or techno heresy in them and is all but certain these constructs are simply what they claim to be. He approaches his Battle-Brothers with this information and counsels the Captain to consider the machines offer. At the very least, he says, it will provide them opportunity for escape and retribution.

The Captain, not entirely convinced, but heeding the wisdom in the Chaplain's words accepts the truce the next time it is proposed. As part of the agreement, the Space Marines will be released and allowed communication - which the Old Machines have been blocking - with the nearest installation. Before those conditions are met, however, the Space Marines must abide their side of the agreement and serve as guests while the machines further explain their origin, touring the planet's hidden city and facilities. The Marines are amenable to this for the strategic information it will provide, planning to make use of it during their next assault and subsequent destruction of the machine's home world.

Unexpectedly for the Marines, the technology present in the long forgotten installation is all fully functional and beyond the ken of even the most experienced Battle-Brother present. (A rare occurrence for those descended from Ferrus Manus himself.) Unheard of wonders from the Golden Age of Technology abound but the machines escorting the Captain and his retinue are focusing more on the humans responsible for it and their goals than explaining the devices or their respective functions; though they do take their time and explain any particulars, as they know them, when asked.

When the Space Marines finally return to their Battle-Barge, they are left deeply contemplating everything they've learned. Owing to their heritage, the Chapter has always placed logic and reason above superstition. The Chaplain-analogue has no doubts now - the Old Machines are not their enemy. The Captain orders them to return to their home world. He meets with their Chapter Master and tells him everything they have discovered. The Chapter Master nods and dismisses his captain.

Months go by. Ships continue to arrive. The planet's population are uneasy; something is happening that they have never seen before. Unbeknownst to them, the Astartes are in the same situation.

More time passes. The Captain finds himself once more before his Lord, now surrounded on either side by the Chapter's senior officers, even from among the honored dead. As the Captain comes to attention in front of the assembled warriors, the room grows silent. The Chapter Master nods in affirmation and leans forward upon his throne, his face scarred and his gaze steady upon the Captain.

"Show me," he says.

-----

My idea:

Intelligent machines from the Golden Age of Technology working with the Adeptus Astartes. They are discovered and activated by the Marines and after a lengthy period of time they become allies. Eventually the machines are incorporated into the Chapter itself.

The Old Machines impart what knowledge they can to the Chapter resulting in drastic improvements to the Chapter's manufacturing capabilities and, of course, to the diversity and quality of their gear. The effect is not limited strictly to military technology either and eventually permeates the civilian sector. Though the Chapter makes sure to limit how much is revealed as the existence of the Old Machines is considered their highest secret.

Eventually the Old Machines begin fabricating 'bodies' that will allow them to serve more directly on the field of battle. Essentially, they look like any other Battle-Brother in full armor and, in fact, many end up in the role of Chaplain-analogue. This Chapter doesn't have true Chaplains because of their secular belief and attitude; they place logic, reason, self-determination, and an 'Iron Will' as their highest virtues. A Chaplain-analogue's role is not to incite his Battle-Brothers into a frothing frenzy in the name of the Emperor, but to serve as an exemplar and remind them to maintain discipline and an almost Zen-like control of their emotions which they view as an impediment to clear, logical thought on the battlefield.

The information of the Old Machine's existence is kept from the Adeptus Mechanicus, other Astartes, and the Imperium as a whole, known only to Battle-Brothers of the particular Chapter (and a select few personnel outside of it). In fact the Chapter has been rather fortunate in that anyone discovering this closely guarded secret has been inexplicably met with disaster, usually involving explosions or falling victim to enemy fire during attacks despite the Chapter's best efforts to safeguard the individual.

The entire concept is predicated on the Chapter being an Iron Hands / Ferrus Manus successor. Tech-savvy, tech-lovin', and secular - despite their heritage, they do not actually maintain the same close ties to the Mechanicus as their parent chapter, but they still possess a good working relationship. Loyal to the Emperor and humanity, the Chapter views falling to Chaos as the ultimate weakness: weakness of will and of mind. They abhor Chaos not just as enemy to humanity but because it is unchecked slavery to emotion. Emotions are not viewed negatively and Battle-Brothers, particularly the younger Marines, are given to outward displays. Control is still paramount.

The Chapter focuses on their ideal of an 'Iron Will' which is their interpretation of strength. Notably different to their parent chapter, this Chapter does not view the flesh as inherently weak. Rather they believe weakness stems from wanting, being incomplete. Mastery of oneself is only achieved from an Iron Will - the goal of every Marine in the Chapter. Through it a Marine is never lacking - he has the knowledge, training, and ability, if not the equipment, to face any threat and ultimately emerge victorious.


On Techmarines:

The Chapter doesn't have Techmarines the same as other chapters. No Battle-Brother follows the Cult Mechanicus. That practice ended not long after the Chapter's founding, dying off as fewer Marines tenured at Mars due to cult differences - mainly the Mars Adept's deprecation of the flesh.

Those recognized as being particularly gifted or skilled in their 'communion with the machine spirits' are instead apprenticed to a Master Techsmith within the Chapter. Among an entire chapter of Tech-Adept Space Marines, the Chief Techsmiths are amongst the most knowledgeable and skilled craftsmen in the Adeptus Astartes. The title Master of the Forge is still used by the chapter for the position of most senior Techsmith.

Those familiar with the Chapter's 'Techmarines' are awed by their mastery over the mechanical and often praise them as second only to those found in the Iron Hands or Salamanders chapters. The Techsmiths accept the praise with grace knowing the true ability of the Chapter must remain hidden. Knowledge gained over the centuries since the activation of the Old Machines sparked the Great Rediscovery, as it is known within the chapter, allowing for incredible growth in the Chapter's scientific and technological understanding.

The Marines are very aware that they must avoid suspicion and so the Techsmiths have housed some of the more advanced discoveries in enclosures to mask them as simple Bolters and other standard Astartes weaponry. These are usually issued to more experienced Marines allowing them to covertly use them alongside other Imperial forces. Armor, weapons, and vehicles have all mostly maintained traditional appearances; while the facade is familiar, the internal workings are not so. There's been much development and wholesale upgrades to the more standard Astartes kit - everything from armor to Bolter to operating systems have seen significant improvement with successive generations. The strength of the Chapter's Battle-Brothers gives testament to this.

In conflicts where the Chapter is not encumbered by other Imperial organizations, the Marines are free to employ all the insights gleaned from their long tenure with the Old Machines. Devastating energy based and ballistic weaponry pierce enemy lines and quickly lay low all but the most monstrous opponents. That is not to say the Chapter eschews more traditional Astartes weaponry; which, actually, are not quite as traditional as they would have you believe.


On Old Machines:

They serve many roles within the Chapter. Almost all the machines inhabiting human-like constructs or 'bodies'. Some are no bigger than the average Imperial citizen and, indeed, many are patterned after the brilliant men and women that gave rise to the sentient AI - a feat achieved through the creation of synthetic skins and fibers. Others, however, are bigger than even an Astartes; these bodies - more accurately called combat platforms - are armored in "odd marks of Terminator and Dreadnought armor" as one Guard captain described. The majority of Old Machines that opt to join the Space Marines in combat duties have carefully crafted Astartes-sized bodies covered in the Chapter's usual armor and livery.

When they originally allied with the Space Marines, many within the Chapter viewed them with varying degrees of skepticism. This slowly gave way to awe and reverence as wonders from the Age of Technology were revealed to them. Eventually attitudes settled into acceptance and finally brotherhood. Now those within the Chapter simply refer to one another as Battle-Brother, though the monikers of 'Iron Brother' and 'Blood Brother' may be used if needed to distinguish between Old Machines and normal Space Marines.

Iron Brother was originally applied only to the Astartes-analogue combat forms but has since extended to cover all Old Machines within the Chapter. Over time Iron Brothers fighting alongside Space Marines have made modifications to their bodies: fail-safe self-destruct mechanisms, hidden internal weaponry - particularly grav-weaponry that can be channeled inconspicuously and makes Iron Brothers very effective in close combat. These modifications proved popular among the Space Marines when replacing limbs with bionics and are now standard in the Chapter's prosthetics.

After a particularly bloody combat operation, a Marine even had his body interred into an Iron Brother body. The grievously injured Battle-Brother, beyond the help of the chapters formidable Apothecaries, was approached by a rather creative Techsmith wanting to put his theories into practice. By this point the stigma surrounding the Old Machines had dissipated and the Battle-Brother accepted so that he may continue his service to the Emperor. The operation was an incredible success and has seen much more use. Dreadnoughts are not so practical and while the Chapter might be able to manufacture enough Dreadnought-analogues for Marine interment, the more subtle metal bodies employed by Iron Brothers are preferred. The Marine even keeps his human likeness with the aid of the synth-skin covering.

Outwardly there is little to distinguish an Iron Brother from a Blood Brother. This is by design. Curiously, when interacting with the civilian population of their home world Iron Brothers are regarded as the more approachable members, coming across as 'more human'. Iron Brothers do not hold office within the Chapter. This is voluntary with two purposes in mind: to avoid any difficult situations with the Imperium that might reveal more than they are willing to reveal, and as assurance of their loyalty to humanity - a measure of good faith to reassure their Battle-Brothers.

How about a Metro-2033/Stalker-style project? Would lend itself well for skirmish-type games. People with very different kits, ranging from mostly civilian attire with the odd hunting rifle to run-down military gear augmented by improvised tools and scavenged equipment. Vehicles being customized or field-repaired stuff from the soviet 60's-70's - cars and wheel-based light armor reinforced with corrugated steel and barbed wire, lots of external fuel cans.

Large, hairless dogs, giant rats, mutants (and heretics) optional.

A couple of friends and I were talking about ways to improve 40k and help get rid of a lot the negative feelings toward unbound. It seems like a way to help younger players who have scattered models play but it ended up not being so.

I had the idea to not allow unbound as a way to play for other armies. Instead the 40k universe would instead would feel the destruction of THE UNBOUND.

The Unbound are an ancient race of creature. They have never been documented and are only talked about in rumor and stories. Any faction who has faced them did so unknowingly. For one of the unique properties of The Unbound race, is that they metamorphosize to the strongest and most destructive creatures that they have happened upon.
When the universe was created, the race of creature known as the unbound existed as spirit or vapor. When they're vaporous form suffocated lowly wild life they took its shape and properties. From there they slowly started to destroy the life of planet. Using they're new forms they killed ever larger creatures, transforming once again. This process has kept they're species alive and growing. They have adapted so well in fact that whole civilization of unbound exist but to the eye it would seem as a coexistent planet. Wraithknight and daemon exist together alongside space marine and Warboss alike. Adversaries of the Unbound just see them as roaming scavenger or assassins. No one has ever seen an Unbound's true form and they probably never will.
The only evidence of their existence; kept locked in Inquisition records; is that The Unbound race has identical colorations. It is not difficult to identify The Unbound by the few who have happened across they're records. To others it is quite the coincidence and mystery to face against imperial tanks that fight alongside and adorn the same colors as endless waves of Tyranids. The Unbound destroy everything in their path and can metamorphosize mid battle, albeit out of the view of the enemy.
How can the universe survive a threat that adapts beyond limitations of race? The inquisition are unsure. Early recognition by the oldest inquisition may allow for Exterminatus orders. Other than complete annihilation at the hands of Exterminatus, there are not many who can confront The Unbound and live.

So I came up with the idea for the unbound after hearing a lot of complaining on both sides about how it's dumb or how they would like to try it but it always is opposed or banned. The rules for The Unbound are simple. You are playing orks? You may only use ork units, and allies. A player can choose to play The Unbound. They will have specific rules limiting the use of LoW just like any army. They in a sense have a Combined arms detachment that may be comprised of units from any army. One restriction that will be in effect is that no more than 40% of your army can be from the same Codex. You cannot use unbound to take a space marine company and then also take a Wraithknight. It must be much more diversified. There would be a 3 troop slot minimum in Order to help keep things balanced instead of just taking the best units.

There will also be a strict rule regarding paint scheme. Some players may just use units from various codices in order to play. Some of the strength to the unbound is that they will have to be painted in a similar fashion to match the fluff. They can get bonuses if this army is actually painted the same. With that in mind I haven’t come up with fluffy rules to use in game other than a detachment for them.
One rule would be to have a standard 6+ FNP across the board. This would help make up the fact that certain FNP granting character might not be able to be taken based upon army percentage. E.g. (one 30 man ork boy squad costs 39% of my army, I don’t have enough % left to afford a painboy also.) again this is just an example.
All these rules and the fluff are WiP.
ENJOY!

The Rogue Trader, 40 k total mercenary private army who loot and recruit misfits and outcasts, just think of the pure scope of this army! Using xenos weapons, vehicles and unique items from the far reaches of the galaxy. Enslaved aliens with unique talents and skills all under the employ of the true scaveging mercenary.

Well, I'll give it a shot. This is the lore for my Death Guard warband, the Joyful Stigmatics, and the Chaos Lord who leads them. I've thought quite a bit about this over the last few months but this is the first time I've put pen to paper, so to speak. Anyway...

Recruited from Barbarus not long after Imperial forces brought that world into compliance, the brothers Isidorus and Leander, who were at the time but children, scarcely understood the significance of the events unfolding around them: the destruction of the planet’s cruel alien overlords, the Primarch’s reunification with his gene-father, the Emperor. Barbarus, its people long inured to suffering and hardship, provided ample stock from which the Death Guard were able to recruit during the Great Crusade, and as fortune would have it, both brothers were deemed suitable for transformation into warriors of the XIV of the Legiones Astartes. Though a resolute and stalwart defender of mankind, as were so many of his battle brothers, Isidorus lacked the flare for command possessed by the most notable generals and heroes of the Great Crusade. Still, his was a studious and thoughtful character, and he proved a thorough and competent tactician over the course of many battles against grotesque alien fiends and noncompliant human factions alike. Eventually this quiet reliability saw Isidorus rise through the ranks of the XIV Legion, first becoming a sergeant of one of the many Tactical squads of his, the 77th company. Eventually Isidorus attained the rank of centurion under Captain Thomas Crowe, a veteran of the Unification Wars on Terra and commander of the 77th company. The only thing particularly noteworthy about Isidorus in a Legion of transhuman supermen was his sheer resiliency. On a number of occasions he survived, it seemed by pure luck, outrageous circumstances that should have seen even a warrior of the Legiones Astartes slain. So sure was Isidorus’ belief in the legitimacy of the Imperial Truth during those long years that it never occurred to him that some dread power beyond the scope of human comprehension might be ensuring that death did not claim the centurion yet – like a Chess player guarding a valuable piece which might serve him well in the future…

Ever was Leander at his brother’s side during those days, and though in time Leander proved to be a swordsman of natural talent, his was a strange pathos: ever a reluctant warrior, the devastation so readily unleashed upon wayward human worlds by the Legiones Astartes ate constantly at his conscience, leaving him a tortured shadow of his former self over the course of many years of savage warfare. This came to a head when, at length, the Death Guard came upon a world, the name of which has long been lost to the shrouded annals of history. The human inhabitants of this world were entirely peaceful and had no military to speak of, nor any pretensions of empire. As the Death Guard wondered how this might be in so dangerous a galaxy, whether they had simply been spared the predations of an apathetic and violent universe merely by some lucky twist of fortune, Mortarion transmitted to the people of that world the usual offer that was afforded by the Legiones Astartes to the lost scions of humanity: join the Emperor’s cause and swear fealty to the nascent Imperium or be brought to heel by force.

While the Death Guard awaited their response, word somehow reached the Emperor of the XIV Legion’s location, and the Master of Mankind raced to reach Mortarion’s fleet. Upon his arrival the Emperor proclaimed that this planet and all its inhabitants should be purged from the galaxy, destroyed so utterly that none could foresee their arising ever again. Mortarion did not question his father’s command, although the Emperor’s decree disturbed him tremendously – why should an entire people be put to the sword without cause? Rather than risk any of his Astartes in a planetary invasion, the Primarch resolved simply to obliterate the population of this doomed world with a bombardment of virus bombs. Surely that would be a mercy compared to a protracted campaign of butchery and terror waged by the Death Guard against these defenseless people?

Then a response came from that world which caught the Primarch and his sons off-guard. The people of that world were, it seemed, of a deeply religious nature, and they vowed to serve the Imperium loyally so long as the Emperor would allow them to keep their faith. Initially Mortarion refused their request, telling them of the Imperial Truth, and the falsehood of superstition. The world’s leadership, a caste of priests known as the Suffering Servants, requested that Mortarion allow the greatest of their number an audience in order that they might convince him of the good that their religion had done for the people of their world – against his better judgment, Mortarion agreed. The priests had their audience, entering the Primarch’s flagship unarmed but swathed in dark robes. They told the Primarch of the Death Guard how their caste was dedicated to tending to the needs, not only spiritual but also material, of the poor and downtrodden. They promised they would not attempt to convert any other worlds of the Imperium to their faith, and told Mortarion of how their religion was dedicated to peace over violence. Theirs was a jovial and benevolent god who blessed his children generously, encouraging them to live their lives for the service of one another in the face of an uncaring and arbitrary universe. They posed no threat to the Emperor’s ambitions. It was then that the Primarch noticed that many of the priests bore a few open sores on their bodies, here and there, small and relatively inconspicuous, but present nonetheless. Mortarion inquired if this was some manner of ritual scarification, but the priests replied that these wounds were not inflicted by the hand of any mortal. Rather they were stigmata – a sign of favour from their god that marked them out from the mass of the population and reminded them that their purpose was to serve, lest they should become arrogant and lustful of power, forgetting their ordained station.

Many of the Death Guard’s legionnaires, including a number from the 77th company, were present in the Primarch’s audience hall, Isidorus and Leander among them. Moved by the words of the priests and saddened by their plight, Leander’s sympathy turned to abject horror as the Emperor burst into Mortarion’s audience hall with a small guard of Custodes, unleashing a fusillade of bolter fire against the priests that cut them down where they stood. The head of this conclave, the priest who had spoken for their whole number, turned to face down his attackers as his brethren were massacred, their blood running in great streams onto the floor of the audience chamber. As the Emperor approached the leader of the priests, who remained untouched by the torrents of firepower unleashed by the Custodes, the holy man said in a loud voice:

“Oh Grandfather forgive them, they know not what they do.” He spread his arms wide, welcoming death, as the Emperor cut him in twain with a single stroke of his ornate blade. Furious, the Emperor turned on Mortarion and demanded that his son unleash the orbital artillery of his fleet against the planet below immediately. Now moved to wrath himself, Leander stepped forwards, and much to the shock of all present – Isidorus most of all, confronted the Emperor.

“What right have you to butcher and destroy so wantonly, oh Master of Mankind?” the Space Marine demanded “Have these people not given you their fealty? Are you a god then, to let live or snuff out lives as you please without explanation or due cause? They committed no offense or treachery against you, but you punish them merely for their ignorance! Or are you so unsure of the righteousness and justice of the Imperial Truth that you cannot spare a few words to convince the gentle and unsure, misguided though they may be, of our purpose? I have served you loyally and without hesitation, my lord, for many decades, but even I must question what you have done here. Is senseless murder the mark of enlightenment, or the fruit of Old Night? For what then did you condemn the tyrant lords of Barbarus to death?”

All were silent, waiting for the Emperor’s response, and in time, gathering courage, many warriors of the 77th came to stand beside Leander, for good or ill. For a time, the Emperor considered his erstwhile servant, before decreeing that, as censure, it would be the 77th that would lead the invasion of the planet below, putting to the sword every man, woman and child who refused to recant the obscenity of religion. So it was that Captain Crowe’s company was the vanguard of that atrocity, a despairing Leander among their ranks. By day’s end blood was on his hands too, despite all his protestations. Crushed by despair and doubt, Leander took his own life on those gore-slick fields; the last blood to stain his sword was his own. Worse was yet to come, however. The 77th was forced to withdraw when many of its warriors were stricken by a terrible illness, the Space Marines suffered terrible agony and were incapacitated, but did not die quickly – rather they rotted away in quarantine slowly enough that they might all know the touch of despair. In the end, that forgotten world did die at the hands of the Death Guard’s orbital artillery after all. The Emperor told Mortarion never to disobey him again and departed.

Isidorus never recovered from his brother’s death, nor forgave the Emperor for the decimation of the 77th, though he managed to escape whatever contagion had slain so many of his battle brothers. When the hour of the Horus Heresy was at hand, and Mortarion declared his support of Warmaster Horus, Isidorus was only too eager to throw in his lot with the Traitor Legions in their bid to overthrow the tyranny of the Emperor. When, in the closing days of the Heresy, Calas Typhon arranged to have the Death Guard fleet marooned in the Warp on their way to the Siege of the Emperor’s Palace, and the Legion was stricken by the Destroyer Plague, it seemed that Isidorus’ luck had finally run out, for he too suffered the worst of its effects. Rendered delirious by the disease and insensible by the pain that wracked his flesh, Isidorus’ mind swam with visions or delusions. A voice spoke to him in his mind, telling him how he had been chosen by a jovial and benevolent god, a deity of whom he knew well. Indeed, it was this god who had gifted the priests so mercilessly butchered by the Emperor with the stigmata, this god who had unleashed the plague against the 77th for their impudence in striking down his blessed children. The Emperor knew of this god as well, and he knew what awaited the 77th on that forgotten world - still he had sent these Space Marines to their deaths for nothing more than Leander's defiant words. Even so, this intelligence claimed that it was a forgiving god, revealing that the Destroyer Plague was not a condemnation of the Death Guard but an opportunity to redeem themselves through the balm of suffering. Moreover, this god revealed to Isidorus his name: he was Grandfather Nurgle, a deity who delighted in all life, from the smallest bacterium and virus, to mankind, to the greatest beasts and creatures of the material universe. Grandfather Nurgle wished only for all creatures to know his loving embrace.

It was then that Isidorus had an epiphany – he would become a prophet of this god, bringing truth and enlightenment or a swift death to the servants of the Emperor, just as the Emperor had brought the same to all the disparate worlds of man. The stigmata borne upon his flesh and the flesh of his fellows were signs of the favour of his god, soon to be the Lord of All, and a manifestation of his vision for the whole galaxy. In that moment Isidorus of Barbarus died and the Chaos Lord known as the Suffering Servant was born. By the will of Nurgle, Thomas Crowe was slain then and there, his super-human constitution overwhelmed by the Destroyer Plague at long last. When the Death Guard emerged from the Warp and joined the battle on Terra, the remnants of the 77th had rechristened themselves the Joyful Stigmatics, the Suffering Servant at their head as their commander, and in that dark congregation was resurrected a twisted and perverse version of that religion destroyed on a forgotten planet by order of the Emperor.

 LeCacty wrote:
Angry chaos mushrooms. Yes. You know you love it.

Give that man the 1st place!

Hello guys,

The time is almost up

I have some favourite stories so far and it'll hard to choose one!

But you may make it even more difficult for me still and add some more ideas before time will pass!

I'd eagerly read more army ideas

WH40K: Imperial Knight List

'Four Knights of the Apocalypse'

Each knight takes on an aspect of one of the 4 riders/horsemen.
Do this through colours and symbols painted on shield, banner, armour etc.
Convert the knights heraldry system into their new form.
Even glue other model pieces to convey the message, like bones, spirits (warhammer fantasy undead), skaven/rats etc. If a knight is the embodiment of 'war' I want to see a red avenging battle slaying knight with blood, if a knight is to be a black 'famine' spreading disease then there might be rats and decay spreading from its feet and for 'death' well spooky spirits circling its form as it treads through an eerie ghostly green light might be appropriate. That kind of idea.

1st Knight name: 'Conquest'
Colour: White
Symbol: Bow
Suggested knight type: Paladin

2nd Knight name: 'War'
Colour: Red:
Symbol: Sword
Suggested knight type: Errant

3rd Knight name: 'Famine'
Colour: Black
Symbol: Weigh Scales
Suggested knight type: Crusader

4th Knight name: 'Death'
Colour: Pale Green (eerie ghostly green)
Symbol: Scythe
Suggested knight type: Styrix or Magaera