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I'm sure everyone remembers the absolute classic painting by Adrian Smith of the Emperor facing down Horus on the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit, above the shattered body of Sangunius. However, there's one background detail that I'd never really paid much heed to, but on closer inspection has me intrigued. These curiously unidentified Marines. Has there ever been any confirmation on who these guys are? The most logical explanation would be an older depiction of the Custodes, but IIRC the "golden armour and pointy helmet" look has been around for a long, long time, pre-dating this artwork(?)- I could be wrong on that though. I'm also wondering if they represent the "Emperor's Legion" which IIRC was retconned but was briefly mentioned in a few pieces of fluff, prior to the Heresy being more extensively fleshed out. They appear to be wearing Mk, 4 power armour judging by the legs, though the pauldrons, backpacks and helmets are different.

This tank is for my Nurgle warband, with: 5x Raptors warpsmith plasma and hammer havoc 5x Terminators (Ranged) 10x legionares ( melee) Dark Apostle ( melee) 5x havocs Exalted Champion Terminator Lord What should I arm it with ? It's mostly shooting into SM and CSM, and in a Crusade force. Thanks

"You are the will of the Emperor. You are the bitter hate of the Lord Commander. You are the fire that the Primogenitors keep close, unleashed upon the enemy. You are the quick blade, the sniper's shot, the hidden hunters. You are the Riven- and worlds will tremble beneath your feet." - Commander Morrigar (later Chapter Master Morrigar), at the battle of Novus Neptu <<<Astropathic duct ready.... Receiving.... ....WARNING...Inquisition Eyes Only...>>> Adeptus Astartes Chapter: The Riven Founding: Ultima Geneseed: [ERROR- Data corrupted] Chapter homeworld: Fleet-based, currently thought to be in Imperium Nihilus Chapter colors: Dark green, bronze trim Chapter emblem: A broken shield Chapter tactics: Urban combat specialty, infiltration/elimination of command elements Summary of Chapter- The Riven are an Ultima Founding chapter, comprised entirely of Primaris Space Marines. Presumed to be descended from the Ultramarines (records are inconclusive/corrupted), the Riven have fought alongside the Ultramarines throughout the Indomitus Crusade. The chapter specializes in urban combat, sending out first wave attacks comprised of infiltrators and saboteurs to destabilize and destroy enemy command posts and defensive emplacements. After the first wave has accomplished its goals, the second wave descends on the target. Infantry-heavy attacks are lead by melee specialist and backed by marine-portable heavy weaponry. The Riven have shown some variance in codex structure, though not enough to be considered fully divergent. Their companies utilize Vanguard specialists in an equal ratio to traditional infantry squads like Intercessors. The Riven's heavy armour is limited (note- possible issues with Mechanicus?), so their heavier weaponry is generally regulated to squads such as Eradicators, Aggressors, and light vehicles such as the Invader ATV. In keeping with their long associations with the Ultramarines, many members of the Riven have received Ultramarine honour badges and commendations. The Riven also contribute to the legendary Victrix Guard of the Ultramarines, sending off the finest members of their veteran honour guard to serve with their brother chapter.

Knight House Romlas Title: The Jannissary Court of House Romlas Household Rank: Secondus Patent: Warrant of Imperial Immediacy recorded .930 M30. Allied Legions/Forgeworlds: Bound servants of Forgeworld Iskolaa Warden Domain: The Locast Plains, Forgeworld Iskolaa Cogonem: None Motto: We are Bonded in Ruin! Alliegence: Fedelitas Constantus The tale of House Romlas is full of darkness and misery. Initially founded when a Knight World title was granted to the world of Peltan, House Romlas was one of five noble houses to settle on the world. Peltan was a relatively gentle world for a Knight House, with vast plains for agricultural herds and high mountains perfect for Knight keeps. The local fauna was dangerous to the human colonists, but with five strong Knight houses the conditions improved greatly. Unfortunately, the coming Age of Strife threw Peltan's pastoral lifestyle into chaos as multiple incurions by xenos raiders decimated the human forces. After millenia of struggle, records show House Romlas and their brethren at last broke the final xenos bands and reclaimed their world purely for humanity. This was not to last, as the treacherous xenos (still unknown to the Imperium, though the mysterious Eldar stand high in investigators theories) had seeded Peltan with a genetic timebomb. When the nearby Forgeworld Iskolaa sent out Explorator fleets, Peltan was discovered to have been changed beyond all recognition. Once grass-clad plains had become disease-rotted marshes, the air itself toxic and foul. Magos Biolagis adepts were startled to find the remants of the human colony clinging to life in the mountain fastnesses, reduced to near-feral levels of technology and culture. Locating what had been House Romlas' seat of power, the Locast Keep, the Magos of Iskolaa found buried in the mountainside an enormous sealed vault of Knight armor. Retrieving old databanks and combining them with the feral tribe's oral myths, the tech-adepts learned that the Knight Houses of Peltan had acted swiftly when the genetic plague erupted by sealing all their armor in Locast Keep and attempting to shepherd as many of the colonists as possible to the hopeful safety of the higher mountains. It is unknown what happened to the last scions of the Knight Houses, but the tribes' stories speak of ancient warriors that faced death clade in naught but skin, welcoming the deadly plague-spoors. The adepts of Iskolaa made the decision to take all the Knight armor and the remaining feral humans from Peltan, leaving the world to decay and rot. Forgeworld Iskolaa became the new home of the former Peltans, and soon the Taghmata Iskolaa took control of the tribes. The vast majority of the former tribesmen were inducted into the Skitarii of Iskolaa, to bleed for the Forgeworld in thousands of battles. A few though, were destined for greater things. House Romlas was birthed anew, on the renamed bedrock of the Locast Plain. The Magos of Iskolaa gene-screened and selected the best and brightest of the former tribes and forgeworld workers to become the new House. Pyscho-indoctrinated and mechanically-augmented, these new scions strode to war in both the recovered Knight armor from the old houses and newly forged suits from the factorium of Iskolaa. The Binary Council and the Lord-Korbaci Perhaps unique among the Knight Houses, House Romlas is governed by a council of eight, headed by the elected Lord-Korbaki. The Lord-Korbaki is not a King, but the first among equals, and has the final deciding vote on all matters pertaining to war. The Binary Council rules the Knight House, and wherever House Romlas strides so does the will of the Council. The ruination of their ancient Houses and former homeworld has left House Romlas with a grim duty to scour the stars of the enemies of Man. The motto of the House states both their purpose and status, "We are Bonded in Ruin", for the Knights of Romlas bring about burning destruction at the bidding of their Mechanicus masters. The Lasthold and the Scarving The Lasthold is the vast fortress of House Romlas. Massive tracts of desolate rock stretch from tall, black walls constantly washed in the oily hydrocarbon rains of Iskolaa. On these barren plains do the Knights of Romlas train in their arts of war. Gouts of fire, lances of energy, and the thudding reports of hard rounds echo on firing range, while massive servitor-forms in combat arenas get cut down by revving chain-weapons and crackling fists. Deep in the depths of the Lasthold is the Scarving chamber. The magos of Iskolaa use the chamber to bond the scions of Romlas to the will of the Mechanicus. Ranks of ancient steel cylinders line the chamber, each with room for a single Scion's body. The cylinders are comprised of psych-scourges, pain-goads, and memory blanking augers- this is the Scarving. By going through the Scarving, Romlas Knight pilots are permanently bonded to the Mechanicus of Iskolaa, loyalty coded and emotion-repressed deep in their brains. This process makes the scions cold and distant when interacting with their Imperial allies and has led to a reputation of a House that is utterly without emotion and capable of any act of destruction against their enemies.

First some background - we all remember that the various companies in a Chapter used to swap units with each other - technically to forge the bonds of brotherhood, but also for spying on each other (sort of) and Chapter politics - like Agrippan in the Fall of Damnos. The Fluff Battle Role (On the Shoulder Pads) and the Codex Datasheet Battle Role are now often not the same. Terminators have the Elite Shoulder Pad Icon and Elite Codex role, but Aggressors have Heavy Support shoulders and Elite Datasheets. Incursors and Assault Intercessors are Troops with a Close Support Shoulderpad. So I made lists trying to both follow the FOC lists, and count shoulderpads with the theory that each company would donate a squad or two to Guilliman's reintue plus the Chapter Command would be with him so roughly - 15-30 Battleline, 5-10 Close Support, 5-10 Heavy Support shoulderpads based on points cost and some wiggle room assuming most companies don't send troops. This is how I ended up with the G/Bladeguard/Aggressor setup. I had forgotten this for a while, but it came back to me again recently so I've been checking my lists. One of the nice things about that, is it puts you at about 50 Marine bodies plus characters- 5 per company 10 companies, 50 bodies. One of the reasons I sometimes slough off Battlefield (Tactical) roles down to 15 or so is that it doesn't leave a lot of room for vehicles and such that the Chapter Armory would also donate to Guilliman's retinue. Has this occured to anyone else? How do your lists turn out when counting shoulderpads? One of the things I like about it is both the extra little challenge to balance two different but parallel consistency checks, and when I follow it I usually end up with a body heavy but effective list. After cleaning up and re-working my normal'ish list with that in mind I came up with this and 40 points left - and I'm thinking of just hanging out here until the new Desolators come out and we get a datasheet for them. 5 Desolators might balance 5 Aggressors for 10 Heavy Support Better. Eradicators used to be there, but I can fit 30 Troops shoulders now so I kinda went that way until we get the new units.

Hello all! Originally I planned on calling this thread "Ikka does Sisters", similar to how some other Frater have titled their threads and then thought about that for all of a half-second before changing it because, well, you know. Anyway, I'm subscribed to the Imperium mag (US) and the Sisters stuff has just started to come out. My initial thought was to simply sell them, as I already have multiple armies and didn't really want/need another project, but then that weird little hobby part of my brain couldn't shut off. I have a lot of Inquisition models (or random models I label Inquisition) and had the old 3rd ed Witchhunters codex back in the day- why don't I just fold in the Imperium Sisters into my Inquisition stuff? So my second plan was to just paint up the Imperium models (comprising the Sisters Combat Patrol without the Rhino) and be done with them. I even had a paint scheme in mind, as I had finished a group of Malleus gene-guards this month and like the ivory armor that I gave them, so no stress on the painting front. A nice, simple little diversion from my competition Necrons/Knights armies and my Primaris SM casual army. Of course, the second plan was not to be. I received quite a few nice Xmas gifts of the hobby variety, pretty much incapsulating all of my current armies and projects (barring Knights). Tucked in there was the Cawdor Redemptionist box from Necromunda that I had put on my list as a last minute filler because I couldn't think of anything else, and I tend to grab Necromunda models as a hobby break for myself from my main armies. A great little box full of six religious wackos who will scream about the God-Emperor while trying to light you on fire and/or rip you apart with chain-weapons. Great sculpts with tons of character. What does this have to do with Sisters? Well, while I was happily putting together the first three Redemptionists, my thoughts turned to the Sisters Canoness I had just received from Imperium, probably because they are all crazy Emperor-botherers (according to Commissar Cain). Pulling up the SoB codex, I found the entries for the Missionary and Preacher- boom, I had just made a Missionary and a Preacher without thinking. I quickly grabbed the flamer-wielding Deacon and slapped a chainsword on his flamer to make another Preacher with a vindicator. This lead to my thoughts spiraling around about how the Redemptionist and Sisters would interact... which lead to a spate of Battlescribing, researching, and spending some eBay gift cards. So, I now have the contents of Imperium, plus a box each of the Battle Sisters squad, Repentia squad, and Novitiate squad now enroute to my house (or scheduled, for the next three months, in the case of Imperium). 1,000 points worth of Sisters and various Ecclesiarchy goons will soon be mine, with whom I will hopefully pound my friends to dust with for the God-Emperor in a Crusade campaign that I want to get going. This thread will chronicle the rise of the Order and possibly its battles, as I work out some background and start getting models made/painted. Army theme- I'm going for more of a darker take on Sisters than the codex colors. I'd call it Blanchitsu if I wasn't so intimidated by that label and the great painters who already do that style. Subdued ivory/bone, worn leather, oxidized bronze, that sort of thing as far as colors go, but with a marble base effect that I've recently tried and enjoyed. Lots of use of washes, because that's liquid talent that I don't have naturally and don't particularly intend on acquiring (I'm a fast, but mediocre painter who doesn't really like to paint detail/put a ton of time in models, though I love having painted armies). Background- A work in progress at the moment. I tend to require an army name before I go into the nitty-gritty of head canon, so right now I'm working towards that. My initial ideas are to have the Order revolving around penance much more than most Orders, a "We are all damned" sort of thing. Feel free to chip in any thoughts or ideas, this is still very much a nebulous army in my head (as I have all of four models for it in my hands at the moment).

I was thinking yesterday about mouldlines and if there was a fluff justification for ever leaving them on your models. I thought up a few and I will put them here to see what people think and what else you all can come up with. Death Guard/Nurgle in general: Joke - it's called mouldline 'cleaning' - self explanatory. Astra Militarum: The imperium does not care enough for the common soldier to remove mouldlines from their armour. What do you think? Any others you can come up with?

Whispers stir deep in Segmentum Obscurus. In the dark hives of Mordia...in the halls of the Naval Academies of Cypra Mundi... The rumors grow. Ships have disappeared, far from the Cicatrix Maledictum's known borders. There are stories of lost outposts and planets decimated by rusted, ghostly figures of steel and bronze. The Imperium's worlds lie quiet. The people pray to the God-Emperor. Rumors wind through the courts of the Necron dynasties. Nobles brood on the threat of the Haunted Legions. These Necrons are unburdened by memory, or even by soul. The murmurs of Crypteks of all stripes in quiet conferences echo through the halls. What do they discuss? The Sarkoni Emperor, the former Master Program that has become so much more. Minor tombworlds lost; their resources and populations fuel for the Severed's plans. A rising chorus of dismay and horror swirl in the Empire of the Severed. The Master Program, the Sarkoni Emperor, the Gestalt-Lord, has awakened and cast its eye upon the galaxy. The galaxy is unworthy. Rusted legions of warriors. Mindless Nobles. Hovering Destroyers. Corrupted Crypteks and their Canopek thralls. All march in obedient, ghostly silence.

We Bear the Word Clothed in darkness, gilded in fervor By aethyr bound, an unbroken creed Through our faith we are known For we are the Ebon Word We Bear the Word of the Warmaster Chosen to serve under the broken Legion Long have we toiled without our Lord's eyes upon us Long have our brothers denounced us as traitors For we are the Ebon Word We Bear the Word of Lorgar Our pact is hidden, our blood runs true We are a twisting blade in the hands of the Despoiler We guard the Eightfold Path For we are the Ebon Word We Bear the Word of Chaos Bound to break the dreams of Man Our travels vast, our works unending The red hands of Chaos reach out For we are the Ebon Word

Index Xenos The Tau Sept World Fi'karro Discovery The moon that would become the colony of Fi'karro was discovered quite by accident. During the finale days of the second phase expansion a navigation error lead a small survey fleet led by the For'vattra class cruiser “Sa'cea Rilal” to the system known as K-107-Dal. Inside this minor system the fleet found a single small moon that registered barely habitable. While at first this system would be classed as a candidate for a small sensor outpost, soon after the first Earth caste survey team set hoof on the moon's surface the readings would show the ice ball of a world contained minerals involved in the creation of the rare, expensive alloy that makes up Iridium armor for Tau battlesuits. Sept World Fi'karro This turned out to be a boon, as soon after the first mining operations were set up the Imperium of Man launched it's ill-fated Damocles gulf crusade. For the next 3 years these mining operations would help fuel the Tau empire's military as it desperately fought the forces of the Imperium to a standstill. The new found need for these materials drove many earth caste miners to the moon and in turn increased the need for larger more permanent settlements, as well as a larger population to handle the logistics of refining and moving the alloy off-world to the septs that had larger manufacturing bases. When the first shots of the Damocles Crusade were fired the population of the colony world stood at less than 500, by the time the truce was put in place Fi'karro's population had expanded to 150,000. Since its discovery the world of Fi'karro has grown and matured into a large frontier colony with a substantial population and a strategic importance to many nearby worlds. Both in the form of Fi'karro's exported minerals and in the form of it's large fire cast force to protect nearby small colonies. Fi'karro The world of Fi'karro is the first moon of the gas giant B'bap'eir (Shepherd of the lost world) which is the 4th planet in the K-107-Dal system. Due to the system's star being much less warm then normal G-type main sequence stars there are no other planets in the system that can support life. The only reason Fi'karro is warm enough to support even basic life is due to the extreme gravitational forces it experiences from it's large gaseous parent producing warmth from the moon's core. Even with this warming effect the moon is only able to maintain temperatures just above freezing, with areas near the equator reaching º5 Celsius during the moon's summer months and with the average yearly temperature being closer to º-2 Celsius. Even with earth caste terraforming specialists efforts, these temperatures have not changed much, with most of their efforts being focused on importing plants and animals that may survive the current climates, with mixed results. The moon itself has no large complex native life, with the most complex organism being a type of aquatic flatworm deep in the moon's oceans. While it may not boast much native life, the moon did have one form of complex life on it's surface since before tau settlement began, the non-native Ork species. The Ork population was small and very dispersed when the moon was first discovered, it has since grown into a major problem being faced by the colony's security forces. Since settlement began species of fish and plant life have been introduced to allow for a small amount of food to be grown and/or harvested from the moon. This has only been marginally successful, as the growing population of Tau colonists cannot be supported by such a hostile environment. This deficit in foodstuff is mitigated by large amounts of imports. The colony of Fi'karro's population currently stands at 713 million, with the large majority of this being made up of members from the earth caste. The next largest segment of the population are of the sept's fire caste members, with only token segments made up of the air and water caste. One notable difference to other worlds in the Tau Empire is the low number of Ethereals on the world, with this being the most seen in the almost complete lack of Ethereals in the colony’s military forces. This spread of population highlights the focus of the colony, being to support the empire as a whole with it's mining operations and to defend said operations from threats both inside and outside the colony's star system. Many of the world's settlements are clustered around large mining sites that have been in operation since the colony's first days. The largest of these settlements being the world's capital city, as well as its largest space port. The limited number of Ethereals in the Colony's population may look to be a problem that could result in issues with the colony's social order, but it is actually a response to a distinct cultural quirk. Due to the harsh environment and hostile nature of the colony itself those who are born on the moon are taught that their hardships are ultimately in service to the greater good of the empire as a whole. This manifests as an almost fanatical drive for ones work/task/duty, what ever that may be. While this helps the colony hold together with the lower numbers of Ethereals then normal, it has lead to some friction with other sept worlds and colonies, as many may see this steadfast dedication as far and above what is needed of them. The population itself is known for their stubbornness and steadfast determination in the face of an obstacle, and have gained a reputation for pushing through hardships. Living on Fi'karro can be harsh at the best of times, with the cold, Orks, and Imperium raids being only a few of it's dangers. Even with this in mind the Tau that live on this world gladly risk life and limb daily for the greater good of the empire. This strategic situation has also led to both the general population and fire caste to adopt a very forward looking mindset. With potential threats being dealt with long before there is a chance for them to actually become a major threat. Whether it’s minor damage to a mine's support struts or a dispersed tribe of primitive Orks the Tau of Fi’karro would rather deal with it then and there then to wait until it becomes an actual problem. Combat Doctrine Due to the population of Fi’karro’s general pragmatic outlook and stance to not allow small problems get worse then they already are, the military forces of the Colony have taken to fully embracing a modified version of the Mont’ka doctrine. Much like the standard Mont’ka the enemy must be hit with an overwhelming strike that destroys or otherwise disables critical infrastructure related to its ability to fight, whether that is troops, supplies, actual infrastructure, or just that forces' will to resist. Unlike the standard Mont’ka the military forces of Fi’karro prefer to undertake strikes on enemy forces before they are able to actually threaten the attacking force, with the most preferred targets being fuel depots, ammunition dumps, potential staging grounds, raw material gathering/refining operations, and any other target that may delay an enemy from being able to threaten the strategic interests of a Fi’karro military force. It is rare for the Fire caste of Fi’karro to be drawn into a long war with an enemy, with the constant vigilance practiced by their military’s pathfinder and stealth suit corps most threats to the colony are found long before there is a chance for much momentum to be built up. On the defensive the forces of Fi’karro practice the same strategy as much of the rest of the Empire. Preferring to avoid actually defending ground and using mobile warfare tactics to move to favorable ground or pull the enemy to ground in which they would be at a disadvantage. This standard practice is only broken in times where critical mining operations on their home colony are threatened, in such a situation it is thought that the potential interruption of operations is unacceptable. To overcome this Fi’karro forces will try to pull enemy forces threatening these operations by presenting them with targets away from the locations of these mines, such as lessening the garrison of a local military installation or settlement. Currently the only times where such tactics have had to be undertaken have been when Orks on the surface had formed warbands to attack the colony, and so far they have been fairly successful in avoiding destruction of critical mining operations during such times. When forced into a full war footing, as has been the case in many campaigns with the Orks on Fi’karro or during the multiple spheres of expansion, they will prefer to seek out the areas that contain installations that allow the enemy forces to conduct offensive actions and maintain it’s forces, and attack them while avoiding the main body of enemy troops. While this limits the usefulness of the Fi’karro fire caste in some types of combat, it has been of great use to the empire in maintaining it’s hold in the area around Fi’karro as well as helped in keeping imperial forces off balance during the many border conflicts that have occurred since the end of the Damocles crusade. A perfect example of both of these behaviors came in the Third Sphere of Expansion in 998.M41. During this time of expansion Fi’karro dispatched elements of its military to aid in the reclaiming of worlds lost during the Damocles crusade. These forces were used by the empire as a force to disrupt imperial military formations from forming a proper defense and help clear the way for the main force of the expansion forces. One of these actions took place in the Dogra system when 3 Fi’karro cadres were tasked with clearing major resistance from the local world’s PDF units in preparation for the main Empire forces arrival. The strategy pursued by these cadres was to target the large stockpiles of fuel on the surface of the planet, by doing so and avoiding the forces of the worlds PDF they were able to effectively freeze the enemy in place and stop them from quickly responding to any further actions. The strikes themselves were rapid assaults that focused on destroying fuel silos and refineries while avoiding the actual defending forces. This short campaign resulted in very limited Fi’karro casualties and allowed the main forces of the empire to take the system with relatively few losses and quickened the overall campaign significantly. Organization The military forces of Fi’karro are organized in a fairly similar way to much of the Tau empire, With the most units being built from the standard Cadres that other worlds use. In total the colony has multiple Contingents (3-6 Cadre) operating at one time, With at least a single over-sized Contingent stationed inside the Fi’karro star system at all times, so as to respond to any potential attack or threat on their home colony. Like most other Tau worlds this colony provides troops to the many forces that operate in combat zones all around the Tau empire proper. While the actual number of Cadre and Contingents deployed by Fi’karro is always changing, the average at any point in time is close to 12 Contingents worth of Cadres. During times of conflict or a sphere expansion the colony will raise it’s number of warriors substantially. Normally however the bulk of Fi’karro forces are deployed as Cadres on Preemptive strike missions at targets both inside and outside it’s local sector of space. Due to the preference of Fi’karro commanders for preemptive strikes at potential enemy forces, the standard Cadre of this Colony normally always have attached pathfinder teams as well as a team of stealth suits. These Troops are used to gather ground level intelligence for upcoming operations as well as to support the main line combat troops during said operations, through rear line sabotage and direct combat support. Another symptom of this colony’s particular combat preference manifests through the use of very high impact combat tactics. This means most units will look to the weapon system that has the highest damage output possible so as to end direct combat as quickly as possible. Battlesuit teams from Fi’karro will look to highly specialize individual suits in the team toward certain types of forces they are likely to encounter in combat. With some suits being equipped for anti-armor suites at the detriment of anti-personnel abilities, and vise-versa for other suits in the team. While this does make the suits themselves somewhat less flexible in combat, it allows the team as a whole to more quickly deal with any threats they encounter. With the lower numbers of Ethereals on the colony of Fi’karro it is a rare sight to see them a part of combat units in all but the largest of formations. This means that many Cadres go into battle without any Ethereals, while this results units under fire haveing a slightly higher chance of breaking then those being lead by an ethereal, it is an unfortunate measure that must be taken so as to save the few Ethereals from the dangers of combat. To try and counter this unfortunate situation all fire warriors raised on Fi’karro are put through an even more rigorous regime of training in the virtues of the Tau’va in an effort to steel them against the horrors of combat away from their home colony. In recent years this training regime has shown some success in reducing the numbers of warriors breaking against strong resistance. As an example of the common structure of Fi’karro Hunter Cadres, what follows are the contents of the 98th Fi’karro Hunter Cadre (Aka The Ice Hawks) during its deployment in it’s recent operations to preempt an Imperial build up along the Empire’s western border. HQ Section Shas’O Fi’karro Dor’las in an XV85 Enforcer Battlesuit Shas’el Fi’karro Mon’par as a leader of the infantry forces of the cadre Battlesuit Force A 6 warrior battlesuit unit Lead by Shas’vre Fi’karro Bantu in a XV8-02 Iridium battlesuit Second in command Shas’ui Fi’karro Harot In a XV8-02 Iridium battlesuit 4 more Shas’ui make up the team each in a XV8 crisis suit The weapons of all these suits are changed depending on the mission Infiltration Force A 10 warrior unit of pathfinders Lead by Shas’ui Fi’karro Orael A 6 suit unit of XV25 Stealth battlesuits Lead by Shas’vre Fi’karro Shi’un Infantry Force 30 fire warrior strike teams divided into 3 teams of equal sizes Each lead by a Shas’ui A single team of breachers with 7 warriors assigned This team has a single TY7 Devilfish transport attached Heavy Support Force A team of 3 XV88 Broadside Battlesuits Lead by Shas’vre Fi’karro Gra’nera A Single TX7 Hammerhead Gunship Drones for this force are not listed due to the amount and type of drones used being highly tied to the scale and type of missions being conducted. While this is a small Hunter Cadre it does highlight the thought process of Fi’karro Forces, with a highly mobile hard hitting force supported by a large Infiltration troops deployed long before the main force it is able to deal with targets and enemy forces far larger than itself. The use of Air caste assets is also extremely common, with battlesuits being regularly deployed by both Manta and Orca Dropships into tactically advantageous positions during combat. Major Events 689.M41 - The discovery of the moon that would become the colony Fi’karro 697.M41- The first long term settlement is built on the surface of Fi’karro 742.M41- The Damocles Gulf Crusade begins, the small Colony of Fi’karro provides mostly material support to the military forces of the Tau Empire 753.M41- The first Fire caste academy is built on Fi’karro, this is deemed necessary due to the local Ork presence on the surface of the moon. 775.M41- Fi’karro’s population reaches 20 million, new mining operations and settlements are built to expand the colony’s output. 799.M41- Battle of Outpost 31-A: a large Ork warband formed in the Ice wastes of Fi’karro and began a terror campaign along the colony’s frontier. At the mining outpost 31-A the fire caste of the colony met this warband in open battle to defend fleeing colonists. While the battle resulted in victory for the Tau forces and the scattering of the Orks as an effective fighting force, it did highlight the failures of the colony's military forces at stopping such a force from threatening the colony in the first place. This would result in changes to military tactics and strategies that would become the current Version of Mont'ka used by Fi'karro. 812.M41- Raid of Rusliv VII: This was the first major action by the Fi’karro Fire caste outside of their home system. A preemptive raid on an imperial promethium refinery, as intelligence gathered showed the local planetary governor was planning an attack in the local sub sector on Tau military outposts. 869.M41- Fi’karro’s population reaches 400 million, this is mostly due to the high amount of earth caste miners settling on the moon from around the Empire. 980.M41- During the Great War of Confederation Fi’karro’s local Ork population would greatly expand and threaten the moon’s many settlements. This would drive a large military expansion to try and combat these roving warbands on the surface. The colony would also send troops out to help many nearby small colonies to try and secure the sector. 997.M41- The Third Sphere Expansion begins: Fi’karro is able to provide 3 Contingents worth of troops and a single small naval force to the expansion fleet. Due to their few numbers these troops are used as forward observers for other more numerous forces. 998.M41- Dogra Campaign: forces of the Fi’karro colony take part in a 4 month long campaign to clear major resistance in the Dogra Star System. This highlighted the Colony’s tactical and strategic acumen and insured its place as a major world for military matters in the future. 999.M41- Both Contingents from Fi’karro, along with many other troops from other sept worlds, took part in Commander Shadowsun’s plan to stall Space Marine forces in the Zeist Sector during the latter part of the Third Sphere Expansion. 001.M42- With the disaster that was the Fourth Sphere Expansion Fi’karro has to help defend its local sector with little in the way of support from the rest of the Empire. During these operations many commanders make a name for themselves by keeping enemies of the Empire from being able to capitalize on the lack of major forces in the region. M42- Due to the increased protection needed near the Strtide Nexus and Nem’yar Atoll Fi’karro has been tasked with protecting the areas along the Empire’s Western border. So far Imperial forces have been very active along this region. Fighting has been light but the longer the current situation stands the more chances Imperial military forces take in Tau space. Notable Individuals Aun’vre Fi’karro Dor’fa – Is currently the highest ranking Ethereal on the colony of Fi’karro. He has been able to guide the colony through these very troubling times and push it into a leadership role for its local sector. While not a battlefield commander by any means he has been noted as a very uniting presence, even for an ethereal, and in his youth helped a hunter Cadre hold a defensive position near a mining outpost for over a week with little supplies or support. In the end he kept the force together long enough for reinforcements to arrive and break the Orks. Shas’el Fi’karro Naron – A Cadre fireblade of high standing in the Fi'karro military forces. She has earned a name for herself with direct leadership and insane acts of bravery in the face of the enemy. She began her career in a standard strike team and quickly rose through the ranks in the campaigns in the local sector putting down Imperial and Ork forces. When presented with the honor of a battlesuit she turned it down in favor of perfecting the art of infantry combat. She is currently assigned to the 7th Fi'karro Hunter Cadre's command staff in its current mission of securing the western Empire's border with the Imperium of Man Shas'o Fi'karro Tor'dis – Overall commander of the Fi'karro Military forces second only to Aun'vre Dor'fa. He is an exemplar of the Mont'ka and has pushed for its adoption throughout all Cadre of the colony. While his current position keeps the old commander from much front line combat, his reputation for lighting strikes and overwhelming attacks with his Coldstar battlesuit have earned him much respect from the fire warriors he commands. Due to his advanced age he has taken on many pupils from the most decorated on Fi'karro so he may pass on his unique views of Mont'ka. Shas'vre Fi'karro Tsuun – The current commander of Fi'karro's infiltration forces. While Tsuun is on paper the commander of these highly important forces, she serves a more ceremonial role then anything. Due to the current need to keep well informed of enemy movements and positions she has been on almost constant deployment in her XV95 Ghostkeel battlesuit. This combined with her many years as a XV25 Stealthsuit team leader makes she one of the most experienced infiltration experts in the Fi'karro military forces. It has been noted by those that work with her that recently due to the many deployments behind enemy lines, that sometimes last months, she has become very introverted in the presence of others while outside of her XV95.

Index Xenos ”Da stars feared da Beast. Da stars will bleed for ME!” - Brakgcrel Nag Krot Tortoof WAAAGH!!! Tortoof Origins Deep in the Ultima Segmentum lies an Orkoid dominated realm, a dozen systems in the Imperium sub-sector of Pnoabsterix that were lost in M32 during the War of the Beast. All of these worlds saw unending war as their Ork masters fought, raced, scavenged and pilfered their conquered domains for millennia. Occasionally, a warboss would knock enough heads together on one world to unite the warring tribes, which would start the chain reaction ultimately leading to a massive xenos invasion on the worlds of humanity. These various warbosses would have varying degrees of success, but would always end in their defeat, either to the defenses of the Imperium or to the in-fighting that often dooms such ambitions. Eventually, the Imperium launched an assault of their own to wreck and eliminate the scrap fleets of the Ork realm, successfully reducing the Orks’ ability to launch invasions across the void. For nearly three millennia, the greenskins weren’t able to threaten humanity. One of these worlds is known to its inhabitants as Krot, which was much less a mouthful than the Imperium’s former name for it, Kurotus III. It was on Krot in late M41 that Brak, a boy in the warboss Grelgcrel’s tribe, overheard a rant that would change the course of the entire sub-sector. Brak was an unassuming boy with a strong gob of teef and a penchant for clubbing Grelgcrel’s foes with extreme prejudice, but ambition had never been one of his qualities. He was returning from an afternoon of buggie racing and brawling when he overheard a runtherd throttling throttling a snotling for some inconsequential but unforgivable mistake. Brak watched on as the runtherd’s grip tightened around the scrawny thing’s neck and as spittle flew from his mouth. The runtherd was laying into the snotling about how the Orks of Krot were descendants of the “Great Beast” that shook the galaxy with his battle roar. As the diminutive greenskin’s eyes popped out of its skull, Brak was enthralled by the runtherd’s story. From the great war moons they had rode on to Krot, to the stars themselves trembling in fear, to the indignation the snotling had shown to a proppa ork of the Beast, the story awakened something in Brak. Brak didn’t know that it had been hundreds of generations since that era of Ork dominance, nor did he know or ask how the Beast had been defeated, if the Runtherd had even known. It mattered not, as Brak suddenly realized that Krot wasn’t the entire universe, and that there were other enemies to fight among the stars. In that moment, Brak chose to become a Beast and wash those stars in blood and flame. With this sudden inspiration motivating the Ork, Brak stormed into the shanty hall of Grelgcrel, and punched the surprised and royally angry boss in the face. Bewildered but excited for a scrap, Grelgcrel immediately pulled his trusty slugga and fired a round into the belly of Brak, who didn’t notice the hunk of metal now lodged in his abdomen. The battle that ensued was short but brutal. Grelgcrel continued to fire rounds at Brak, but couldn’t land another one. Orks who claimed they were present say it was the girth of Mork himself that shielded Brak, though some brave or perhaps stupid grots will snicker it was just another example of an ork’s poor aim. Whatever the reason, Brak was able to lodge his choppa into the boss’s shoulder, before a boot to the chest pushed them apart. Left without a weapon, Brak dived at his former leader, and with that big gob, bit Grelgcrel’s face. This is a bit of an understatement, as an ork mouth can open wide and the teeth are long and strong. With a quick snap back of his head, Brak ripped the lower jaw of the shocked boss clear off, leaving blood pouring and a lonely tongue hanging. Grelgcrel couldn’t believe what had just befallen him, and watched in stunned amazement as Brak finished the fight by beating his skull in. Bellowing triumphantly, Brak asked if “any other git wanted a go”. Wisely, none stepped forward. Brak then proclaimed to the assembled throng that they had been warlords of the stars, and that they would be again. Brak would be their new warboss, and he called himself Brakgcrel, as though he stole some kind of reverent title from the previous boss. But Brakgcrel was not just going to be a boss, he was going to be the Big Boss of Krot. As the story of his duel with Grelgcrel spread like wildfire amongst the surrounding tribes, the boyz who fell in line behind Brakgcrel took to calling him “Tortoof”, a name that would eventually cause fear and panic across the void. Brakgcrel’s War for Krot led the warboss from one end of the planet to the other as he sought to conquer the other tribes. Sometimes he was able to absorb the orks by defeating their warboss in a duel. Most often, open warfare was necessary to bring the orks into his fold. One by one, the other tribes fell in line. In the mountain ranges, Tortoof strapped a large rocket to a glider to descend on the fortress of one warboss who refused to leave his defensive position, crashing through the roof to personally stomp the defiant Ork’s head in. When he came across tribes that refused to give him a head-on-head fight by racing around his hordes with their quick buggies and bikes, Tortoof took his biggest nobs and hid in a canyon to jump on the speed ladz as they attempted to navigate the uneven terrain. And when the sea kaptains of the great oceans refused to land and fight, Brakgcrel ordered his fleet of battlewagons and trukks scrapped to create kill kruisers, not knowing the inherent similarities the crafts had with their space-going namesakes. Eventually, all greenskins on Krot served Brakgcrel, “da Big Boss of Krot”. Near the end of his conquests, word had reached the warboss of something unusual happening in the deserts of the northern continent. With all of orkdom bent to his will, Tortoof settled to find out what was unsettling his warbosses in the area. To his surprise and delightment, Tortoof was fired upon as his kustom battlewagon approached the area. Rather that the solid slugs of Ork weaponry, Tortoof saw crackling arcs of lightning and unexplainable green energy rip his vanguard apart. Metallic creatures stood in perfect alignment, without a single bosspole or bellowing nob to direct them. Tortoof didn’t know what they were, but he was excited to find a new foe to krump. “Da Tin-ladz War”, as it became known among the Orks, saw the greenskins of Krot adapt to a new and frighteningly deadly opponent. Whatever reason had brought the Necrons to his world, Tortoof didn’t know, but they seemed determined to dig something out of the sands. Wave after wave of Orks were thrown back upon the dunes, and Tortoof resolved to make a breakthrough himself. A kustom warbike was ordered, and astride it, the warboss lead a charge that finally managed to crack the tin-ladz’s line. Without slowing down, Tortoof and his nobs drove deep the depression the Necron’s had excavated, only to find themselves in a vast, underground labyrinth. In sheer amazement, the Orks raced through unending corridors of metal, flanked on both sides by row upon row of unmoving tin-ladz. More metallic constructs attempted to road-block the Orks, but Tortoof would crush anything that would stand in his way. As hundreds of boys exploited the gap created and joined their warboss in the subterranean structure, the war shifted from the open dunes to the close confines of the labyrinth. <<continue tin-ladz war here>> Even with his limitless ambition, Tortoof may have been constrained to Krot for his natural life if it wasn’t for the timely arrival of a space hulk. Due to the crusades the Imperium knows as the “Cleansing of Pnoabsterix”, the space around the Ork systems was largely free of the scrap and wreckage necessary for Orks to create invasion fleets large enough to threaten human worlds. Even after the “Tin-Ladz War”, there wasn’t nearly enough material for the construction of a void-faring fleet to carry the warlord’s hordes across the stars. Unfortunately for those stars, just when Tortoof began to despair that Krot would be his only conquest, the galaxy provided a solution. Appearing in the sky from seemingly nowhere, a massive conglomeration of ships, scrap, rock, ice, and refuse answered the needs of the Orks. One of the largest space hulks the Imperium has ever recorded, the arrival of the vessel caused tectonic events on Krot that topled scrap spires and tsunamis that drowned hundreds of thousands of grots and orks. Tortoof immediately mobilized his mekboyz to building crafts that would carry him and his boyz into the sky. Once onboard, the warboss was delighted to find the vessel brimming with all manner of hostile life, and started cleansing the space hulk with exuberant glee. Overtime, the Orks of Krot began to fill up the space hulk. Deep within its cavernous interiors they found the scrap they needed to construct a myriad of other vessels, which in turn lead them to nearby asteroids to be gutted and outfitted into roks. The hulk provided not just a flagship for the warlord, but the means to construct an entire fleet. Once his mekboyz had figured out how to control the hulk, Tortoof claimed it as the vessel for his ambition, naming it “da Star Bleeda”. <<continue War of Pnoabsterix here>> Homeworld Tortoof began his life on the soiled and long-overrun world of Krot. Krot had been a feudal planet before the Imperium re-settled it, and by the time the Orks had arrived, it had become a productive Agri- and Hiveworld. Great numbers of produce were grown in the fertile regions on the equator and in massive sea complexes. The populations had inhabited planned cities on the coasts further north and south, mostly working in factories that worked the raw foodstuff into nutrient-rich products to feed the sub-sector. By the 41st millennia, nothing was recognizable of Kurotus III as having once been a prosperous, effective planet of the Imperium. Long gone were the hives, turned into scrap walkers and junk tanks for wars ages past. The great sea-farms had been sunk, the oceans dead and dirty from hundreds of generations of orks polluting them. The equatorial super-farms were now a sick xenos mockery of their past glory, as the same fertile soil that had borne crops for humanity now nurtured the fungus farms of the greenskins. Before the Mega-Tyrant’s rise, the Orks of Krot were content to war amongst themselves, the tribes battling, breaking up and reforming under a new boss as fluid and regular as the tides washing garbage upon the polluted sands of the coasts. Wherever wide, open spaces could be found, city-sized race tracks would rise, leading to massive demolition derbies and battle-races. Squigs and Squiggoths roamed the once-fruitful plains of the world, crushing and devouring any soul that didn’t give the massive herds a wide berth. Out in the oceans, scrap armadas would crash into one another as the winds blew them, with lively and joyous boyz swinging from one vessel to another without a care in the world. Tortoof’s ascendance bent the world to his star-conquering ambition. The tribes were united under one boss. All available scrap was gathered and assembled for Tortoof’s warmachines. The herds of squiggly beasts were bent and broken, “domesticated” for the warboss’s designs. And while the sea kaptains of Krot were the last to fall under his bosspole, even the oceans and their currents were eventually swept over by Tortoof’s lads. In the aftermath of “Da Tin-ladz War” and Tortoof’s WAAAGH!, Krot is a quieter place. The vast majority of Orks, gretchin, snotlings, squigs and Orkoids of all kinds were piled into the Star Bleeda and roks, leaving the polluted and despoiled world behind. The orks that now inhabit the world rose after the Mega-Tyrant’s departure, and while they immediately returned Krot to a world of incessant wars and infighting, they all know deep in their souls that some great Ork once walked that world. Da Star Bleeda A truely massive vessel that dwarfs any Imperial craft in the sub-sector, the Star Bleeda was both the flagship of Tortoof’s fleets and the nexus at the center of his WAAAGH! Besides allowing the warlord a way off of Krot and providing the material that jump-started his invasion, the Star Bleeda was also a formidable vessel in void-battles. The Imperium was forced to avoid direct confrontation with the hulk as they were seemingly incapable of causing debilitating damage to it. Large amounts of wreckage could be shaved off, entire vessels liberated from its bulk, but nothing would seem to cripple the Star Bleeda. In contrast, the Ork hulk possessed a weapon capable of causing catastrophic damage to its foes. Running along the hulk’s bottom was a massive gravity weapon that made a mockery of conventional defenses. The Mechanicus of Alcrondre could not explain how it functions, or even where it came from. Administratum records from M32 have led the Imperium to believing it’s one of the gravity weapons used by the Beast, only instead of being on an attack moon, it is the main weapon of the Star Bleeda. Whatever it was, it forced the Imperium to dance around the hulk to avoid being in the weapon’s line of fire. Tortoof realized this, and took great enjoyment in ordering the space hulk to spin like a mad top, indiscriminately firing the weapon as it twisted in the void. Some battles ended with more crushed Ork ships than Imperium, but Tortoof cared not. The enjoyment of seeing the “humies scatter like rats” is worth whatever losses his forces took. Deep within the bowels of the hulk was an ancient vessel that predates the Imperium by unknown millennia. Once a ship intended to carry the best and brightest of humanity into the stars, it has been long lost to the scions of Terra for ages. However it was lost is unknown, but it made its presence felt everytime the Star Bleeda arrived in an Imperial system. This was not thanks to any weaponry or arcane technology being bent to the Mega-Tyrant’s ends. Instead, this former star voyager was still broadcasting its name to the stars, which led to the Imperium adopting that name for Tortoof’s flagship: the “Peaceful Serenity”. Combat Doctrine <<WiP>> Battlecries <<WiP>>

Hello brothers and shield maidens of the Fang! (Rolls out several barrels of the heartiest mjod) It's been awhile since I've been able to model/paint for this hobby and after finally getting my basement in a good state. I'm hoping to use this blog to share my experiences, gain feedback, and maybe inspire others. I plan on building the list below. As you can see I've kitted together Bjorn, a Leviathan and one pack of intercessor(I may viking/wolf up the intercessors more) Next immediate tasks= another pack of autobolt rifle toting intercessors, chopping up and magnetizing heavy bolters for the storm wolf, build a pack of wulfen(need to find a way to make a better wulfen pack leader) First pack of intercessors by dionyysus, on Flickr Bjorn and Leviathan Murder Make by dionyysus, on Flickr

Greetings, brothers. 15 years into the hobby, I'm drawing close to actually finishing off painting my collection. I turn 30 on Sunday, so roughly half my life has been spent working on a single crusading force. I envision this thread as a way to collect my efforts - to track what's left of the painting project, to gather advice on what to do with the last remaining kits that have yet to be assembled, to organise the disparate elements available to me, and to gather additional reinforcements once all the current forces are 100% battle ready, pending wifely Adeptus Ministorum approval. There shall be fluff. There shall be army lists. There shall be pictures. There shall, hopefully, be battle reports. So, to kick things off, barring a few weapon options and mislaid models, this is the sum of my current collection. +++ FIRSTBORN BATTLE COMPANY (3RD CO) +++ + HQ + Captain [6 PL, 155pts]: Jump Pack, Storm shield, Thunder hammer Chaplain [5 PL, 85pts]: 2. Catechism of Fire, Fortress of Resolve, Litany of Hate, Plasma pistol Librarian [5 PL, 90pts]: 3) Null Zone, Bolt pistol, Force sword Lieutenants [5 PL, 93pts] . Lieutenant: Chainsword, Jump Pack, Storm bolter + Troops + 2 x Tactical Squad [10 PL, 180pts] . 7x Space Marine: 7x Bolt pistol, 7x Boltgun, 7x Frag & Krak grenades . Space Marine Sergeant: Chainsword, Combi-plasma . Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Heavy bolter . Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Plasma gun Tactical Squad [10 PL, 200pts] . 7x Space Marine: 7x Bolt pistol, 7x Boltgun, 7x Frag & Krak grenades . Space Marine Sergeant: Combi-melta, Power fist . Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Multi-melta . Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Meltagun Tactical Squad [10 PL, 195pts] . 7x Space Marine: 7x Bolt pistol, 7x Boltgun, 7x Frag & Krak grenades . Space Marine Sergeant: Plasma pistol, Power fist . Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Multi-melta . Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Meltagun Tactical Squad [10 PL, 175pts] . 7x Space Marine: 7x Bolt pistol, 7x Boltgun, 7x Frag & Krak grenades . Space Marine Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Power sword . Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Missile launcher . Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Flamer Tactical Squad [10 PL, 180pts] . 7x Space Marine: 7x Bolt pistol, 7x Boltgun, 7x Frag & Krak grenades . Space Marine Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Power sword . Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Missile launcher . Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Grav-gun + Elites + Apothecary [4 PL, 55pts] Company Veterans [8 PL, 167pts] . 3 x Space Marine Veteran: Combi-plasma, Storm shield . Space Marine Veteran: Combi-plasma, Thunder hammer . Veteran Sergeant . . Power Sword, Combi-plasma Vanguard Veteran Squad [7 PL, 130pts]: Jump Pack . 4 x Space Marine Veteran: Chainsword, Plasma pistol . Veteran Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Thunder hammer Vanguard Veteran Squad [7 PL, 145pts]: Jump Pack . Space Marine Veteran: Bolt pistol, Power fist . Space Marine Veteran: Bolt pistol, Power sword . Space Marine Veteran: Grav-pistol, Power axe . Space Marine Veteran: Bolt pistol, Power fist . Veteran Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Thunder hammer 2 x Venerable Dreadnought [8 PL, 128pts]: Assault cannon . Dreadnought combat weapon w/Storm Bolter: Storm bolter + Fast Attack + 2 x Land Speeders [5 PL, 70pts] . Land Speeder: Multi-melta + Heavy Support + Centurion Devastator Squad [14 PL, 255pts] . 2 x Centurion: Centurion missile launcher, Grav-cannon and grav-amp . Centurion Sergeant: Centurion missile launcher, Grav-cannon and grav-amp Devastator Squad [8 PL, 140pts] . Space Marine Sergeant: Chainsword, Plasma pistol . 4 x Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Plasma cannon Devastator Squad [8 PL, 135pts] . Space Marine Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Chainsword . 3 x Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Lascannon Devastator Squad [8 PL, 110pts] . 2x Space Marine: 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Boltgun, 2x Frag & Krak grenades . Space Marine Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Power sword . 2 x Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Missile launcher + Dedicated Transport + 5 x Drop Pod [4 PL, 68pts]: Storm bolter 3 x Razorback [6 PL, 110pts]: Twin heavy bolter 2 x Razorback [6 PL, 120pts]: Twin lascannon +++ PRIMARIS REINFORCEMENTS +++ + HQ + 2 x Captain in Gravis Armor [6 PL, 115pts]: Master-crafted power sword Primaris Captain (Indomitus) [5 PL, 105pts] Primaris Chaplain [5 PL, 85pts]: 5. Recitation of Focus, Fortress of Resolve, Litany of Hate Primaris Chaplain [5 PL, 85pts]: 2. Catechism of Fire, Fortress of Resolve, Litany of Hate Primaris Lieutenant (Indomitus) [4 PL, 90pts] Primaris Lieutenants [8 PL, 150pts] . 2 x Primaris Lieutenant: Master-crafted auto bolt rifle Primaris Lieutenants [8 PL, 150pts] . 2 x Primaris Lieutenant: Power sword + Troops + 2 x Assault Intercessor Squad [5 PL, 95pts] . 4x Assault Intercessor: 4x Astartes Chainsword, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Heavy Bolt Pistol . Assault Intercessor Sgt: Heavy Bolt Pistol 4 x Intercessor Squad [5 PL, 100pts]: Bolt rifle . 4x Intercessor: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades . Intercessor Sergeant + Elites + Aggressor Squad [6 PL, 135pts]: 2x Aggressor, Aggressor Sergeant . Auto Boltstorm Gauntlets/Fragstorm Grenade Launcher Bladeguard Ancient [5 PL, 85pts] Bladeguard Veteran Squad [5 PL, 105pts]: Bladeguard Veteran Sgt . 2x Bladeguard Veteran: 2x Frag & Krak grenades, 2x Heavy Bolt Pistol, 2x Master-crafted Power Sword, 2x Storm Shield Judiciar [4 PL, 85pts] Primaris Ancient [4 PL, 80pts] Primaris Apothecary [4 PL, 60pts] + Fast Attack + 2 x Inceptor Squad [6 PL, 120pts]: Assault bolter x2, 2x Inceptor, Inceptor Sergeant Outrider Squad [6 PL, 135pts]: Outrider Sgt . 2x Outrider: 2x Astartes Chainsword, 2x Frag & Krak grenades, 2x Heavy Bolt Pistol, 2x Twin Bolt rifle + Heavy Support + Eradicator Squad [5 PL, 120pts]: Eradicator Sgt . 2x Eradicator: 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Melta rifle 2 x Hellblaster Squad [8 PL, 165pts]: Plasma incinerator . 4x Hellblaster: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades . Hellblaster Sergeant: Bolt pistol + Dedicated Transport + 2 x Repulsor [16 PL, 346pts]: 2x Storm Bolters, Auto Launchers, Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Icarus Rocket Pod, Ironhail Heavy Stubber, 2x Krakstorm Grenade Launcher, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Twin lascannon +++ 1ST COMPANY TASKFORCE +++ + HQ + Captain [5 PL, 95pts]: Master-crafted boltgun, Relic blade Lieutenants [4 PL, 85pts] . Lieutenant: Combi-melta, Power fist + Elites + 3x Sternguard Veteran Squad [6 PL, 85pts] . 4x Space Marine Veteran: Special issue boltgun . Veteran Sergeant . . Special Issue Boltgun/Bolt Pistol Terminator Assault Squad [9 PL, 183pts] . Terminator Sergeant . . Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield: Storm shield, Thunder hammer . Terminator w/THSS: Storm shield, Thunder hammer . 3x Terminator w/x2LC: 3x Lightning Claw (Pair) Terminator Squad [18 PL, 223pts] . Terminator Sergeant: Power sword, Storm bolter . Terminator w/CF: Chainfist, Storm bolter . Terminator w/Heavy Weapon: Assault cannon, Power fist . 3x Terminator w/PF: 3x Power fist, 3x Storm bolter ++ Total: [451 PL, 8,369pts] ++ Created with BattleScribe EDIT: Double-posted the army list, cleaned up formatting for ease of reading.

"They came out of the dark between the stars, destroyed the Xenos scum that we had been fighting for two long months, and then left. They were clearly Astartes, but their armor was of an ancient pattern- black like the night with some sort of crimson wing or sword on the shoulder. Never a word did they say, save for a single vox transmission as the left the planet, "The Forgotten have returned to fulfill our vows." They were gone as suddenly as they arrived." - Report from Comru PDF Colonel Urla Vannick, Comru Xenos Raids M41 "You've heard the recording, that's all they said. We were there raiding along the borders, but those damned black Space Marines came and killed all my boys. Why are you asking me about your own troops?" - Interrogation exerpt of void pirate Kaneor the Faithleech, Ordos Hereticus Ultima Segmentum detention "I've never heard of these Forgotten, or whatever they are called. They appeared on my planet, slaughtered my hand-picked retainers, and left me in a life pod. Of course, I was lucky enough to be picked up by you..." - Testimonty from Interrogator-Chaplain Evora's redemption of the Fallen Tremian, former Sergeant of the 1st Legion and lately Governor-General of Cylpa (Ultima Segmentum) Of late in the Ultima Segmentum, a mysterious force of Astartes has appeared. No known Chapter has been deployed to the engagements where these Space Marines have been roperted, nor have any Deathwatch deployments been authorized that match the scope and resources used. Xenos raids, local rebellions, and Chaos incursions have all been thwarted by these "Forgotten", as they so label themselves in the single message that has been received in all confirmed contacts. The livery on blurred recording does not match any current known Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, though it bears some relation to the Heresy-era 1st Legion. Further investigation is warranted. Inquisitors Kembrah, Felkir, and Thoren have been entrusted by the Conclave Ordos Ultima to investigate and report. - Order from Ordos Ultima Headquarters to Inquisitor Thoren, Ordos Hereticus "Supreme Grand Master, I have uncovered a mystery in the Ultima Segmentum. Along with Squad Helver of the Deathwing and Squad Ysil of the Ravenwing I will make haste to determin if it is indeed a problem worthy of our attention. For the Emperor and the Lion!" - Vox transmission from Interrogator-Chaplain Evora to the Rock. Alright, enough fluff. So after over a decade away, I started up 40k again. Basically I was reading Horus Heresy novels and thought that making a 30k army would be fun. So two years ago I began scouring eBay and bitz sellers for stuff on the cheap and had built up a decent sized Dark Angels force. This 30k army has transitioned to 40k, with the release of 8th edition and me finding a guy at work who also plays 40k. So this will be my log of stuff. The first post after this will be an explanation of my painting thought process/concept for the army, after that will be the fluff, and then a continually updated post that will show my leaders. Thanks for looking.

Alright so I have been sort of collecting the little scraps of Lore I have for the 14th I kinda opened a can of worms by talking about em and some folks were asking for my life behind em. So I figured id try and compile all the stuff here as well as use this as my WiP thread where I will put pictures of the army and what now now that I am finally stable again ( or so I hope) Before you go ANY FURTHER , please read this disclaimer DISCLAIMER The Lore you are about to sift through is of my own design. I try to stay within the realm of possibility and draw from things that have been done in official sources I have taken liberties in some areas. While I do not expect you to agree with all of my choices I certainly expect you to respect my creative freedom in designing my own lore to give my great company it's own feel. If you honestly take issue or find some of my work offensive and would like to speak to me about it , please message me and we will have words. Or dont read it , no one is twisting your arm. The Liberty Taken with the 14th Great Company is that it has existed as a place for Outcasts. Lonewolves who fulfill their oaths but cannot integrate back into their Great Companies at all , Dreadoughts that are just difficult in every war shape or form , Sometimes whole packs who are disgruntled with their great companies. It is largely a company of Veterans and very rarely have new recruits that aren't ones Poached from other great companies. The unwanted but yet too valuable to be thrown away. The company is made up mostly of Wolf Guard who may not have been wolf guard before they joined but quickly achieve that rank when they join. ( COF Detachments Everywhere !) The 14th Great Company or the Company of the Deathmarked is led by two Wolf Lords Bjorn Swiftsword and Stybjorn Swiftsword Both are brothers and thier off the ice origins are Below Bjorn Stybjorn Bjorn was once a member of Krakedoom's Great company as he showed a proficiency for hunting monsters even as a bloodclaw. His Pack much preferred to spill the blood of Xenos than anything else. Behind his back they call him Kinslayer. They call him Wyrd Cursed and Deathmarked. When his packmates and the wolf guard who led them were killed by tyranids he accepted a summons to the deathwatch dissapearing from Fenris for a number of years it was either that or join a new pack and he was still fairly messed up about losing his packmates. Stybjorn spends most of this time as a member of Blackmane's great company he is a very mild and average space wolf who simply dose well but never stands out he is actually often avoided by most because they think he is cursed for being the last of his tribe ( spoiler his brother killed em all) something that Blackmane has sympathy for. He eventually reaches Wolf Guard simply due to prowess alone. Bjorn returns to Fenris After a number of years and is joined to a new pack. His experience with the deathwatch is used very well and he rises fast , becoming a pack leader quickly then being elevated to Wolf Guard because of a systematic routing of the dark eldar. Despite his long time away none of the rumors or distrust of Bjorn has stopped They still call him Cursed and Deathmarked , they call him Kinslayer. As time passes it seems that he would be better off as a lone wolf because he never truly has the trust of his packmates even in Krakendoom's Wolfguard. He feels , alone , he feels like an outcast wolf despite being one of the greater monster hunters in a great company of monster hunters the only solace he has is his Thunderwolf who was a runt before he left for deathwatch and is absolutely massive when he returns. This is when his life changes. In the fluff it says there have been times when several great companies have needed to be re raised because others have been completely wiped out. Which must mean if needed there are means to raise another great company. The Great Wolf after some prodding from Krakendoom approaches Bjorn to offer him the ability to Raise a 14th Company. Bjorn thinks he is being tricked until it is explained to him that Outcast companies are occasionally Raised though they rarely last very long due to the nature of the tasks they are given and the complete stripping of them from the sagas. Bjorn being the psychopath that he is decides this is a great idea and becomes Jarl of the 14th The Deathmarked which he calls them because he remembers being deathmarked as a child by the Gothi of his tribe when he first truly felt like an outcast. This is also around the time when he figures out his brother is not only still alive but also a sky warrior. Now the Fluff for the 14th is ongoing just like my Army List constantly is growing. And I thought it would be pretty cool if I sort of laid out for you what exactly makes up the 14th great company by going through the 5000 point 14th Great Company List I run ( I have about 9022 points but some of it is just...like stuff I never like to use). The assumption is that Bjorn has a fairly large ship like bigger than a regular battle barge where all his forces are housed , sorta like crusading fleet based chapters , the 14th only returns to Fenris when only the Greatwolves Great Company is there to poach people who have been returned to the fang on disciplinary charges or to rest when there are not other great companies around. Highly secretive are the 14th. Im not going to be listing wargear or anything just the names of stuff. If you want to know more about a particular thing just reply below and I will get back to you on the individual fluff for whatever it is. Cool little lore game aint it!? Also feel free to raise any other questions about the great company and what they do and I will try to get to them as soon as I can. 14th Great Company Index

What other legions does it make sense to paint up Rubric Marines in? One of the major themes in my Thousand Sons army's backstory is the mission of my warlord, the Exalted Sorcerer Senet, in gathering the Sons of Prospero from across the galaxy once again as one part of Ahriman's campaign to correct his Rubric; which begs the question, where would he actually be finding those Rubricae? I mean, I'm sure you wouldn't find Rubricae with the liveries of the World Eaters, Emperor's Children, and definitely not the Death Guard, and I know the Black Legion definitely uses Rubrics of some type (since one is on the cover of the book of the same name, which I need to read at some point), but in what contexts? Would they be (in terms of fluff) found with the Word Bearers, or Alpha Legion, or Iron Warriors, or Night Lords? What about Renegades? And what fluff exists depicting the "soulless automata" of the Thousand Sons under other banners? Also, from a more hobby perspective, what other legion colors actually work well with Rubricae models? I'm at 50 of the Thousand Sons under their own symbol now, comprising liveries of a standard Thousand Sons blue/gold scheme with a squad each like the Silver Sons, the Crimson Sons, and the Black Legion Rubrics, and as I continue to collect more Rubrics I'd like to eliminate some of the intrinsic gameplay redundancy that necessarily crops up when you get up to that many Thousand Sons Rubric Marines. (And another question: do non-Thousand Sons Aspiring Sorcerers get access to the Discipline of Change or is that for the Sons of Prospero only?) Thanks! --KiteSenet

Over the last few weeks I have been listening to the After Ullanor podcast [which reviews the HH books and is hosted on the Freebooters Network] and one of the things I have taken away is just how much background information there seems to be in the Forge World books. As an aside, they're good reviews and have refreshed my memory of books read eons ago, much to my enjoyment! This has lead me to thinking, are the FW books essential reading to get the fullest flavour of the BL HH series? My knowledge of the HH stems from the Index Astartes articles from White Dwarf however these only briefly referred to 30k history. Therefore I have loved this series for exploring events only briefly touched on when I first encountered them but it seems to me that there is now so much out there that is not available to someone who only reads BL products. Supplementary to this, is anyone aware of if/when the FW books will be brought out?

We've touched on this topic in various threads before, but it came up on Dakka and I wanted to hear what you guys thought. There is a lot of debate on how the Blood Angels should play and what special rules we'll have when our Codex drops. I think part of the issue is that we suffer from an identity crisis more than any other army in 40K. People have various opinions. We're a jump pack army, we're a Codex marines army with a few special units, we're a fast mechanized army, we're a close combat army, etc. So which is it? According to the fluff in the 8th Edition Rulebook Blood Angels are: So the one common thread we get is that we're an aggressive army. That can mean a lot of things: faster movement, faster in combat, more attacks, stronger attacks, closer deep strike distance, more shots, reroll charges, longer chargers, longer consolidate, etc. Most of that stuff GW has toyed with in one way or another throughout the editions. It's obvious they don't know what the rules should be for Blood Angels either. What do you guys think? How should a Blood Angels army play? What rules should we have when our Codex finally drops?

Like most people who play Warhammer 40k, I found out that the Death Guard are getting new models. I was becoming bored of the space marines, lore and game play wise so I thought "might as well go chaos for a bit". I did a bunch of personality quizzes to give me an idea of who to worship and all of them told me to worship Nurgle, so I grew accustomed to the lore and backstory and got super hypes about the new models. I'm one of those players who loves to develop and customize the fluff and paint jobs of my armies, and I just wanted to know; are Fanon Death Guard sub-factions a thing? Will I get called out for breaking the lore for my own twisted purposes? WILL I BECOME MY LOCAL MATT WARD? In other words, can I make a custom sub-faction for Death Guard, and what would be the rules for writing it? Hope this makes sense.

Dear Ravens and Ravenettes, a small foreword: This is an attempt to discuss how the Primaris Marines could be integrated within the major Topics and Themes of the Raven Guard. So this is a kind of meta fluff discussion. When the Primaris Marines were announced a few weeks I go, I was still more or less on the wolf side of astartes life and started a Thread "The Primaris Marines and Space Wolves" over in the Wolves Subforum. My main idea was, that the Primaris Marines could add nicely to some of the major Topics and Themes of the Wolves, especially that of "being old". The Primaris make every other Marine look old, because they are bigger and have cooler Armour. For the Wolves this is not a problem, because "being old" is a virtue or at least a main topic among them (Grey Hunters, Long Fangs, Wolf Scouts, Björn …). Plus they have the Legend of Frost Giants (Jotun) as a popular part of nordic Mythology. Now that I tend more to the raven side of the astartes, I find myself thinking about the same Question regarding the Ravens: How or what could the Primaris Marines add to the Raven Guard? The Raven Guard are – in my humble opinion – the most modern Chapter of the First Founding with their denial of any old Culture the resemble and their focus on Stealth, which comes naturally with all sort of High-Tech-Associations (Night-Googles and such). Soo … the general Appearance of the Primaris does not really add to that. Plus: It's been hard to explain anyone how a Superhuman as big as a common Astartes can sneak up on anyone, or hide in the Shadows. But the Primaris are even bigger and bulkier, and they may look cool, but they certainly don't look sneaky and stealthy … … sooo what else do we have? I can see at least a few ways … 1. Geneseed Problems solved The Primaris more or less promise to solve several of the Problems with the Geneseed of the Chapters. Plus they are simply a lot. So they are probably welcomed by the Raven Guard, which suffered from constantly being understrength. This might lead the Raven Guard to a bit more "normal" way of warfare and thus to tensions within the Raven Guard, which might be interesting to explore. 2. Death from Orbit The Inceptors Primaris with their Meteoric Descend add to the much much much favoured use of Jump Packs among the Raven Guard. So they fit in "nicely" there, and might become the by far most popular use of Primaris within the Chapter. 3. Legacy of the Raptors Corax Experiments during the Horus Heresy with the Geneseed led to the beastial Raptors (not the Successor Chapter). They are a kind or Mr. Hide to the Dr. Jekyll the Raven Guard usually are. One could extend that in the narrative dimension and consider them less sneaky, but more brutal. Something like the Wulfen or the Deathcompany. This wouldn't fit to the main Concept of the Raven Guard, but hey, the Blood Angels are not proud of their Deathcompany either … you can't choose the curse you're given. 4. Hit with Force, a lot of Force The Lexicanum defines defines the Raven Guard (among other thing) by their specialisation in "… striking with the precise application of force." The Primaris could be seen as a new height in applying as much force as possible. This would also justify the use of the other more footslogging Types of Primaris Marines, esp. if the Repulsor would be as fast as "normal" skimmer. 5. Contradiction in Terms Actually I am a big Fan of Characters that seem to be contradicting: The clever Giant, the sensible Barbarian, the cruel Professor. Maybe there's a working narrative way, to make the Primaris (or just a few of them) even better Stealth Specialist than the current Raven Guard, maybe with some sort of Drawback: They can melt with the Shadows (like the Shadowmasters) but everytime they results in Phases of deepest melancholy and depression … or … it get's harder for them to reappear from the shadows until, one day they vanish forever … Okay … so much from the thoughts out of my head … you guys and girls have spent much more time with the Raven Guard and their Lore. Do you have any other Ideas how to melt the Primaris into the Raven Guard? As always: Thank you very much in advance for making this a great place!

http://i.imgur.com/CezEHQ0.png ++Imperial Celestial Wave Band Extend++ ++Clearance Osiris Black++ ++Astropathic Duct available++ ++Realspace Signal Priority Imus++ ++Clearance Granted++ ++Cypher Unlocked++ ++Message Begins++ I can still taste the blood in the air High Marshall. I can still hear the sound of the screams as men and women are torn apart by those fell lightnings. I still feel the fury and shame that my brothers and I suffer from the order to mobilise from the Deluvian Sub-sector. I crusade at the behest of your will Lord Helbrecht, and I will continue to do so until the Imperium has no more need of the breath in my lungs, the strength in my arm and the anger in my heart. Your orders were followed to the letter, but I wish to convey to you that we will seek penance in the fires of battle as we return to your side, for the Orphean Crusade has indeed met failure. Failure in our abandonment of one last bastion against the Necron onslaught. We held orbit around C'syn'ad as you wished, the Astropathic Choir a fitting witness to our mighty stand, the unliving legions poised to snuff our voices from the sector traffic. But we are Black Templars. Our voices are not easily silenced. This you know from Armageddon. From Cadia. From a thousand worlds and a thousand battles.You know our pain, felt yourself at the conclusion of the Ghoul Stars Crusade. I speak not from temerity but from a need to convey why we must repent. It is not in a brother of the Black Templar's nature to retreat, to leave the field without victory or at least death. But we come. We come but a shadow of our original number, Marshall Roland is dead, the black from his ceramite stripped by the tide of undead bastards. Our oldest brother Meginhard has been interred in a Dreadnought, his gall in the face of an enemy honour guard keeping him alive enough for our Apothecary to reach him. Many brothers and allies dead. We will be returning with Major Godefroy, Commander of the 14th Armoured Regiment, 17th Line Korps of Krieg. He has been 'attached' to my command, I am unsure as to what aim, but after witnessing the bravery in him and his men I am loathe to deny them their goal to board the Einhard and leave system. We will return to your side my High Marshall, the Imperium demands that we be the cliffs against which the waves of darkness crash. This darkness will be met by a host of black plate, armoured in faith and armed in zeal we shall strike back. The crusade is eternal, and there will be plenty of time for us to earn our victory. Glory be to The Emperor! Castellan Turold Cynebald Interim Commander of The Orphean Crusade ++Message Ends++ ++Signal Lost++ The Orphean Crusade will be my way of showcasing my Black Templars primarily, with a bit of Death Korps and Imperium allies. It will be mainly a fluff/WIP post with some occasional battle reports! I am woefully behind on painting what I have assembled so far, and a lot of the models were painted with a very rough scheme for a tournament. This post will hopefully motivate me to finish more models as I am very slow. However the crusade is eternal... Pict-capture of Parade Grounds (Full Army as at 19/04/2017) Veterans of the Einhard (Assault on Black Reach set painted) The Clearance of Vodnir Square (First Killteam game) The Breaking of the Vodnir Line (First large multiplayer game) Let No One Pass (Killteam BT & Salamanders vs. Skitarii & Thousand Sons) The Scouring of Nephilim VI (Killteam BT, Salamanders & Skitarii vs. Eldar & Thousand Sons) Training Day (First Battle Report Video) Excerpt from Brother Otuel's Ascension Part One http://i.imgur.com/LRRYaPF.png

Hello to my fellow Brothers and Sisters of the Ravenspire! The purpose of this thread is to provide a “living” resource that we as Raven Guard commanders (and their successors) can draw upon as a means to get creative with something that’s canon. One of the best parts of having your own DIY Chapter is the ability to write your own background and create a rich history, and sometimes trying to do that for a Chapter that has already been scripted out by Games Workshop, it can feel like your hands are tied. In order to counter act that, I wanted to make this thread as a way for us to deposit little nuggets of information that we can use to “flesh out” our own stories, if you will. I intend to break this post down into 3 parts: i. Symbolism and Themes ii. History and Purpose iii. Words, Emphasis, and Definitions The first and second categories will be more of an essay – an editorial – if you will. However, that doesn’t make it any less mutable. If you would like me to amend or add to any of these sections, please do post with your input. Feel free to cite sources as well, my first write-up will more than likely be devoid of sources, but if the community wills it, we can make that a thing. Onwards to the meat of the matter... Symbolism and Themes: The Raven Guard, XIX, 19th Legion. Sons of Corax. Warriors of Deliverance. Like most bits of Games Workshop fluff, the Raven Guard seem no different, their background a bit on-the-nose. The Primarch’s name, Corvus Corax, is the literal latin translation for common raven. Their armor is black. They favor an aerial and stealth approach to combat, and their crucible (the fields of Istvaan V) they focused on survival where they principally relied on scavenging to see them through (much like their namesake being a carrion eater). If we take a deeper look into some of these themes though, there is some significant depth. The Raven: While the Primarch might literally be named Raven, the bird itself is a huge indicator to the theme of the force as a whole. The Corvidae family of birds is known to encompass not only Ravens, but also Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, and Shrikes. What does this family mostly have in common? High intelligence. Many members of the Corvidae family are highly intelligent when compared to the rest of their class of the animal kingdom, possessing a brain to body mass ratio similar to apes, not far behind that of humans. There are many examples of Ravens (and other members of the Corvidae family) using and making their own tools. They are a very resourceful species, opportunistic in their diet (most are omnivores, but the real interesting bit is them being carrion feeders – eaters of the dead). These sort of things are important when you want to look at the over-arching theme we can feel. It is also worth noting the clear relationship between the Raven as a bird, in addition to “The Raven” a poem by the American writer, Edgar Allen Poe. The poem covers a narrative of a person at home reading esoteric or forbidden texts, only to hear knocking at his door. When he goes to answer expecting a person, it is in fact a raven. The raven stares at this guy blankly, and the guy figures “Well I’m just going to ask this majestic Raven if he knows where my dead girlfriend Lenore is”. Raven answers no. Guy proceeds to lose his , lots of dark imagery ensures in regards to the raven, death, ghosts, and forbidden knowledge. Basically his grief is catalyzed by the symbol of the raven, oh and the fact that it squawks “Nevermore” at him a bunch. In Germanic Mythology, ravens are closely associated with Odin, whom he was often cited as being accompanied by two of. They were frequently referred to as his eyes and ears. His watchers if you will, who would report back to him. The raven is seen as auspicious and a symbol of knowledge. It would be quite easy to draw a parallel between Odin and the Emperor, and makes sense as a means to justify the much more secretive relationship that he had with his son Corvus, where they were documented in the fluff for having prolonged conversations, in private, multiple times. Out of all of the Emperor’s sons, you will be hard pressed to find one that was privy to more one on one time with pops than Corvus. Raven Word Bank: Black, Intelligent, Resourceful, Opportunistic, Wisdom, Death, Carrion-feeder, Fear, Knowledge, Messengers & Prophecy. Shadows: The theme of warriors that “strike from the shadows” is a continual one. This theme is only slightly related to that of the Raven, but is really its own independent theme. The Raven Guard home world is a desperate one. Corvus grew up on the slave world of Lycaeus, which was a nasty place of struggle. A mining world exposed to the void, where its inhabitants were forced to work like slaves doing grueling labor below the heel of brutal oppressors. Corvus grew up in the bowels of this community, learning guerilla warfare and basing his entire moral compass on trying to earn his own freedom and the freedom of those that cared for him. Sabotage, raids, and hit and run were the name of the game. Shadows plays a big part into this thematically. Early on Corvus discovered he had a special ability. All of the Emperor’s sons are touched by the warp and latently psychic, but most don’t manifest powers openly, rather they have “gifts” that manifest themselves in a much more specific manner. Corvus’ gift is referred to as wraith-slipping (also Shadow-Slip or Shadow Walk). Basically if he wills it, he can make himself invisible to other sentient beings by melding with the shadows. What’s interesting about this ability (and relates it to being psychic in nature) is that he isn’t able to hide from artificial scanners/sensors. This lends itself to being an apparent trick of the mind or psychic in nature. Even some of Corvus’ sons had this ability as well, but it alluded to being a weaker version and more based on a mutation/bonus ability in their geneseed. Marines with possession of this ability would be promoted to the ranks of the Mor Deythan, an elite fighting unit that operated clandestinely outside the rest of the legion. Later on after the Horus Heresy, more champions of the Raven Guard chapter would be cited in having similar abilities (although frequently watered down versions compared with their Heresy-era counterparts). What is apparent and consistent throughout the canon is the nature of the Raven Guard to employ stealth and subterfuge as a pillar of their tactica. What’s this mean thematically? The concept itself (like the quality) is ephemeral. Employing stealth gives an incredible advantage tactically, but it can also give an advantage emotionally (if survivors are left to tell the tale), as the enemy will know of your name in hushed tones for centuries to come. This evokes a sort of fear, but not so crude or baroque as that which their Night Lords brethren would employ. It’s the sort of Fear that creeps into the enemy, and erodes confidence. It’s the sort of fear that feeds on itself. Much like a child’s fear of the dark, the Raven Guard have the ability to unsettle and disarm even the toughest of foes, simply by their way of war. Shadows Word Bank: Ghost, Wraith, Apparition, Phantom, Shade, Shroud, Dusk, Gloom, Aphotic, Dark(ness), Dirge, Umbra, Silent, Stalk, Stealth, Guile, Somber, Whisper Paint It, Black: Again, it feels hard to draw a line between shadows and black, but I feel it’s necessary because you can evoke a lot of different things emotionally when pulled in different directions. Black as a color is a very primal thing, and it fits perfectly with the Raven Guard aesthetic due to the fact that it’s the absence or complete absorption of light. This of course hits on the wraith-slipping note quite well. The Raven Guard approach from a practical standpoint is one of utility. Since the Legion/Chapter prefers to use stealth and swiftness as their main avenue of aggression, black fits the perfect requirement of stealth and efficacy. The Raven Guard eschew much of the adornment that their fellow chapters use in terms of their armor and iconography, preferring a more subtle approach to their panoply, exceeded in utility only by their successor chapter, the Raptors. For many cultures, the color black is associated with a raft of concepts. Amongst the most common is death and mourning. I feel that most Raven Guard depicted in the fiction have a very melancholic nature to them, which definitely aligns with this theme of mourning. While utterly practical, they all seemed possessed of an overwhelming sadness. Whether this is related to their tragic history as a legion, their desperate home world and origin, or simply just a genetic trait inherited from their gene-sire. Ultimately it feels like the members of the Chapter are in on some grand secret about the galaxy that only they know. I suspect it has something to do with being in flames, and only war. Black Word Bank: Ebony, Jet, Obsidian, Onyx, Sable, Ebon, Atrementous Birds, Predators, and Flight: My last symbolism category will be more a grouping of symbols and themes that all share elements, but probably aren’t worth breaking down on their own. It’s worth noting that thematically, the Raven Guard allude to and make reference of numerous cases of what are considered Birds of Prey. What’s interesting about this is that Ravens are, in fact, not considered a bird of prey (or Raptor). While Raven Guard history refers to many different families of birds of prey (Raptors, Hawks, Falcons, etc) while Ravens themselves are part of the Corvidae family, and are considered a song bird. The Raven Guard way of war can have many of its aspects directly compared to certain birds of prey. Falcons as an example are known to hunt in a swoop or dive. This can be directly compared to the way Raven Guard employ Jump Pack Infantry, either deployed via Thunderhawk, Whispercutter, or by pack alone. Most birds of prey hunt by making a diving attack with a significant amount of kinetic force coupled with razor sharp talons, which results in killing their prey typically in a single blow. This also lines up with the Raven Guard way of war. Also when we as humans think of birds of prey (like Eagles), we probably don’t consider stealth a key attribute to their success in the food chain. The truth is quite different though. From the prey’s perspective, those predators do employ stealth, simply by virtue of the fact that in most instances, the prey isn’t even aware of the fact they are being hunted until right as death takes them. This also provides a parallel to the teachings of Corax. It’s also worth speaking about the Raven Guard rite of passage, where they hunt a small species of raven native to Kiavahr. It’s hinted that this process is a step that must be completed as a scout to progress to a fully-fledged battle brother. In addition, these sort of hunts can be undertaken as a form of meditation or spirit quest. Once killed, the warrior keeps the skull, or Corvia, and attaches it as a totem to his armor. These skull totems are worn into battle, and an older warrior may acquire more of them as time goes on. Should a brother fall in battle, a fellow Astartes will retrieve his Corvia, and carry them as a personal burden and symbol of honor, until such a time as he returns to Kiavahr, and is able to bury the skull in the soil personally. This tradition has a couple of neat parallels I think. First off, it’s unique to see an Astartes rite of passage that focuses on agility and stealth as its main methods for success. On top of that, collecting trinkets (including bones/skulls) is a thing multiple species of Raven and Crows do (as do a handful of other song bird species). This tradition blends motifs of stealth, agility, death, and honor (yet subtlety) all in one. Predators Word Bank: Passerine, Forfex, Corvia, Swoop, Dive, Descent, Swift, Talon, Claw, Blade, Rend, Tear. History and Purpose: I realize my above segments on theme are quite wordy, so I will try to provide my history of violence for our boys in black in a succinct manner. Once founded by the Emperor, the past of the legion is one of not-so-honorable deeds. The nature of the legion in its infancy was one of recon and wetwork. They were not a legion known for their ability to wage war entirely independently. The Emperor utilized them to infiltrate, reconnoiter, and assassinate would be usurpers and rival tyrants during the Unification Wars. While a noble purpose in the end game, definitely not something most warriors would consider an honorable deed. After the Unification of Terra, once the Great Crusade began, the legion was tasked with mainly being a supporting force for the Luna Wolves. Under the Lupercal’s command, the legion ended up filling the same functionary role that it did on Terra for the Emperor: swift, decisive, decapitation strikes. Later on, once merged with their gene-sire, the overtone of the legion would begin to shift, but not without its continual “taint” being a reoccurring theme. As an example, in Corax’s uprising on Deliverance, it was necessary for him to ally himself with not only people whom he liked and trusted, but also with those whom he did not, but rather shared a common goal. These killers would prove very useful in the years to come, having been charged and imprisoned for being murderers, rapists, and thieves. Some of these warriors would go on to become Astartes, and excellent ones at that. They would go on to be known as Moritats, members of the Ash Blind. A group of killers who for all intents and purposes don’t play well with others. These warriors were frequently deployed alone, given a target, and often died in the act of completing the task. Highly effective, marginally ethical, later on other legions would be unable to deny their effectiveness and begin to employ the like themselves. When Corax inherited his birthright, he was ashamed of his legion. He saw their brutal methods very similar in nature to the slave masters he had seen oppress his people on Lycaeus. While their methods of war would not change drastically, it would seem going forward Corax would expect a certain level of accountability in his warriors, and ultimately he would place that burden on himself. All applications of force should be evaluated before the blow is delivered, lest one see themselves become the tyrant they seek to overthrow. Later on, once the legion became crippled at Istvaan V, Corax would once again resort to methods that were questionable in nature. He would tap into a forbidden process of trying to grow new Astartes in a rapid fashion, using his father’s methods (without his permission). While initially thought to be a success to produce a new breed of stronger and faster Astartes, it would come to pass that this course of action would have dire circumstances resulting in mutated Astartes, and a shame brought down upon Corax’s shoulders. These series of events would also come to further compromise the legions position going forward, for their ability to replenish their ranks. These mutated warriors (Raptors) would prove themselves valiantly, albeit not proudly. As time goes on into the 41st millennium, the history of these failed science experiments would fade, but tales would be told centuries later of large vicious mutant’s fighting alongside their black armored brethren once more. It would appear the Raven Guard as a chapter would continue to maintain the membership to the “huge secrets we hide from the inquisition” club, along with their brother Astartes the Dark Angels, Blood Angels, and Space Wolves. A recurring exchange when looking at the legion historically is the ends justify the means. Frequently the legion (and its Primarch) was prepared to cross the proverbial line, should that mean victory. However, these choices are not taken lightly, and the legion as a whole seems consumed by a sort of sadness, as a result of these choices. The Raven Guard are known to seek out conflicts on smaller worlds, forgotten worlds, far flung bastions of the Imperium that have long since been neglected by their Emperor. They show up, without warning, answering a distress call never thought to be answered. It is very easy to associate these actions with atonement, and also justice. They would seek to save those from a dire fate, much like the legion did itself on Deliverance, while also pushing themselves forward to a noble cause. Words, Emphasis, and Definitions: In this final section (and probably the most valuable of this post). I will combine all the above word banks into a glossary if you will. My intent was to only provide definitions for a handful of the more obscure terms used, but given the global nature of the hobby, and the fact that many users of this forum are not native English speakers, I thought it prudent to just provide definitions to every word in the bank. In turn, as this word bank grows, we can provide more terms and definitions, to grow it as a resource. All definitions below courtesy of www.dictionary.com and my own personal bias to cherry pick what definition I like most in this context. Aphotic: lightless. Apparition: a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost, specter or phantom. Atramentous: black as ink. Black: characterized by absence of light; enveloped in darkness. Blade: the flat cutting part of a sword, knife, etc. Carrion-feeder: something that consumes dead and putrefying flesh. Corvia: a small totem consisting of the skull of a small species of raven from the forests of Kiavahr. Claw: a sharp, usually curved, nail on the foot of an animal, as on a cat, dog, or bird. Dark(ness): absence or deficiency of light; obscurity; concealment. Death: the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism. Descent: the act, process, or fact of moving from a higher to a lower position. Dirge: any composition resembling such a song or tune in character, as a poem of lament for the dead or solemn, mournful music. Dive: to plunge, fall, or descend through the air. Dusk: the state or period of partial darkness between day and night; the dark part of twilight. Ebony / Ebon: a deep, lustrous black. Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined. Forfex: a pair of pincers. Gloom: total or partial darkness; a state of melancholy or depression. Ghost: a mere shadow or semblance. Guile: insidious cunning in attaining a goal. Intelligent: having the faculty of reasoning and understanding. Jet: a compact black coal, susceptible of a high polish, used for making jewelry, a deep black. Knowledge: awareness, as of a fact or circumstance. Messengers: carriers of a message as a matter of duty. Obsidian: a volcanic glass similar in composition to granite, usually dark but transparent in thin pieces, and having a good conchoidal fracture. Onyx: black, especially a pure or jet black. Opportunistic: a person who adheres to the policy of adapting actions, decisions, etc., to effectiveness regardless of the sacrifice of ethical principles. Passerine: Bird order with feet for perching (3 toes) and advanced vocal chords (Oscine). Phantom: an appearance or illusion without material substance, as a dream image, mirage, or optical illusion. Prophecy: a divinely inspired utterance or revelation. Rend: to tear apart, split, or divide with force or violence. Resourceful: able to deal skillfully and promptly with new situations, difficulties, etc. Sable: the color black, often being one of the heraldic colors. Shade: a place or an area of comparative darkness, as one sheltered from the sun. Shroud: to cover; hide from view. Silent: making no sound; quiet; still. Somber: gloomily dark; shadowy; gloomy, depressing, or dismal. Specter: some object or source of terror or dread. Stalk: to pursue or approach prey, quarry, etc., stealthily. Stealth: secret, clandestine, or surreptitious procedure. Swift: moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; fleet; rapid. Swoop: to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack. Talon: a claw, especially of a bird of prey. Tear: to pull apart or in pieces by force, especially so as to leave ragged or irregular edges. Umbra: shade; shadow; a phantom or shadowy apparition, as of someone or something not physically present; ghost; spectral image. Whisper: to speak with soft, hushed sounds, using the breath, lips, etc., but with no vibration of the vocal cords. Wisdom: knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action. Wraith: an apparition of a living person supposed to portend his or her death.

I'm presently constructing a few Inq28/stylized kill-teams for some Horus Heresy narrative wargaming, and one of the ideas which started percolating around in my head was for a warband of Knight Household men-at-arms, huscarla, and other assorted infantry-sized fixers. Not every mechanism for advancing a Knight Household's interests will be solvable via the immediate application of fifty-food tall stompy mini-titans after all, and there's evidently a lot of space for political maneuvering in how the Knight Households interrelate with the rest of the Imperium (particularly during the Crusade & Heresy era). But I need two things: inspiration, and information as to what's previously been depicted in fluff before I can proceed. Awhile back I got part-way through Vengeful Spirit, and I seem to remember that the Knights themselves had groups of retainers who played a role during the Hunts - chaps flying around in grav-vehicles acting in a role commensurate with that of 'beaters' during real-world medieval hunts, flushing out game for their lords. I've also found a number of citations in this forum for House troops [Atia finding mention in both Conquest and HH fiction]; and a cursory google additionally suggests the existence of "Men-at-arms" acting in a supplementary military capacity to our friends the Knights. So there's evidently some precedence; and with Rule of Cool firmly in mind, I'm sure it's possible to extrapolate real-world Medieval baronial court personnel into far-future equivalents. What sort of equipment do we think these sorts of figures would have? For the men-at-arms, standard Imperial (or possibly even Ad-Mech) weaponry seems sensible - but potentially with a more close-in focus (since anything requiring serious heavy firepower or anti-tank capacity is probably better handled by the Knights anyway). Huscarla might have more unique, ornate, or heavy-duty gear - perhaps even primitive forms of powered armour or other exotic goodies. 'Beaters' (or whatever their fancy name presumably is), may have equipment which is designed to facilitate their lords' hunting exploits - grenade-launchers and other big, loud blasty things for the purposes of flushing large fauna out of subterranean locations where they might be hiding, or flamers and the like for defoliating an area of underbrush wherein the prey may be lurking. On top of this, we might also have genetically enhanced super-sized and cybernetically augmented hunting-dogs, and other such gothitek monstrosities. And then we have the Sacristans... (perhaps even the banished son of a Knight-Baron who attempts to mimick a Knight's fighting-style while on foot) Thoughts, suggestions and input welcome.