So I picked up a bunch of 2nd edition Adeptus Arbites and it got me once again thinking of doing an
AA army. So I'm posting a first draft on how they might be used in
40k v8. Obviously Kill Team is probably the best home for an
AA force these days, but that will have to wait till I actually read those rules
Any comments or thoughts?
HISTORY
The Adeptus Arbites is one of the original factions presented in Rogue Trader and had models from the earliest days of the game. The appeal is obvious, just like Space Vikings, Space Romans and Space Mongols, Space SWAT teams holding that thin blue line between order and chaos has an obvious appeal. Plus the Arbites are both a paramilitary force pursing criminals and the Imperiums last line of defense when a world is invaded or turns rogue. The Imperial Guard and the Space Marines aren't coming until the Arbites call for them (and probably die to the last officer defending their fortress precinct).
The
AA had official lists in 2nd and 3rd, appeared as a footnote in the Witch Hunters book, and you could do a pretty decent job of them around 6th and 7th editions with shotgun/carapace
IG vets or Inquisition acolyes. But now...
8TH EDITION
8th has removed a lot of those options but some remain, the 3 main ones being
IG, Marines and Inquisition.
Ideally an
AA army list should have access to some of their iconic units. Guys in carapace armor with shot guns or bolters. Guys with shields and wacking sticks. Bikes, Chimeras, Rhinos. Characters who can kick ass and take names.
Plus there are some extras most of us would want, penal legions, sentinels, psi judges,
While home brew rules are always possible, they're not going to be universally accepted so I prefer to find ways to make a counts as army. None of the existing codexes will be perfect but some will more or less work. So what are the options?
IMPERIAL GUARD
In 8th the
IG have lost a lot of options, the only units that still have access to 4+ saves are Tempestus. That's actually not a bad option, their Hot Shot/Hellguns have an 18" range and -2 saves, but that can be explained as Arbites riot guns/shot cannons/executioner shotguns being better than the common shotgun. They have tons of special weapons and the Volley Gun can serve as some kind of heavy stubber. The rest of the
IG list can cover some of the other
AA units, normal troops or vets for Penal Legions, Crusaders for Shock Teams and Hellhounds or Punishers for riot control vehicles (the Imperium is a bit harsher when it comes to riot control...). Plus the
IG are a staple army of
40k and unlikely to go anywhere.
Another interesting option is Death Korps Engineers who can take shotguns and special weapons.
SPACE MARINES
Shotgun-toting Marine Scouts are an easy pick for Arbites Patrol Teams. Scouts with bolters and Riot Shields can serve as Tactical Marines with a 3+ save and Rhinos/Razorbacks. Scout bikers will be an essential iconic Judge Dredd type unit. Scouts with shock mauls and shields as assault marines sans jump packs. Then you can flesh things out with Land Speeders, tanks, and the inevitable 'Judge Dreadnought'.
The Improved stat lines can be hand-waved as training/equipment/enhancements/drugs.
And of course Marines are the absolute stable of
40k and short of
GW eliminating Secundis Marines in favor of the Primaris these units aren't going anywhere.
INQUISITION AND MINISTORUM
Once the most flexible faction out there, the Inquisition has also been heavily trimmed. Nonetheless Inquisitors are still the best option for creating powerful judges to lead your face and Acolyes with Storm Bolters are an acceptable way to represent bolter and shotgun bearing Arbites patrols. Crusaders to serve as shield and maul squads and Arco-Flagellants as cyber-hounds and you have a decent enough basis for your force.
ALLIED MELANGE
Allies rules allow you to pull from the best options here but can cause trouble if some judges have human stat lines while others have Marine stats.