I'm Sorry, but...

[Loketh]

I play Iron Warriors. I use Plague Marines in my army list, but I model them to be meched out CSMs with bolters replacing their forearms, which is perfectly acceptable fluffwise. However, I always loved the paint scheme of the 1k Sons, and was eager to paint electric yellow and blue on some models. Don't get me wrong, I love the fluff for the Iron Warriors and have always been an adamant follower of the fluff laid down in the 3.5 codex. But I would love to do the paint scheme, and now that I've looked at the rules for them, I want to play a squad in my army list.

 

I tried to explain their presence by saying that the aspiring sorceror is a renegade, and his jealous colleagues are trying to hunt him down and steal his works. In his escape, he found my Warsmith's Grand Company and begged for the warsmith to protect him. The Warsmith, seeing an opporitunity, drugged the sorceror and planted miniature explosive charges in the helms of the then deactivated Rubric Marines. If the sorceror attempted betrayal or escape, the charges would be blown.

 

Now, is this OK fluffwise for a tricksy Iron Warrior Warsmith? I really want to use the models, and want to have a cool looking squad that breaks out of the mould in this showcase/tournament force. Is it all cool? Should I be hung at dawn? Feedback please (and for the good of the forum, please don't turn this into a flame war between the "who cares about fluff" camp and the "fluff is everything" group).

[Lady_Canoness]

Why say that he had to be drugged? The Warsmith could just do it with or without the Sorcerer's consent. Price of protection.

[Lay]

Go for it.

You like the idea - that's all that counts.

[Ubermensch Commander]

Perfectly fluffy. As fluffy as the 3rd edition book(first one, not 3.5 book) and the 2nd Edition book. Your storyline is feasible and makes sense(as much as 40K makes sense ;) ). Hell, Iron Warriors used to get Khorne Berserkers in their old IA: Iron Warriors article, no reason you can't use Thousand Sons now. You could even use Slanneshi stuff and still maintain fluffiness!

 

Couldn't you see battle fatigued and burnt out soldiers turning to Slaanesh just to FEEL something, ANYTHING, again?

 

At any rate, yes, perfectly fluffy. Just keep Iron Warriors units that in the majority by a fair margin. That way, the cult units become specialized forces that the Iron Warriors call upon, not the other way around.

[Loketh]

Hey thanks guys. I'm planning on them being the ONLY cult squad in my army besides Plague Marines (who are, in fact, modelled to be Iron Warriors). But yeah, I do like your idea of how a battle weary seige warrior could turn to Slaanesh. Maybe make the Slaanesh influence very light on the model, and give them very beat armor to represent that they have just begun to convert. Nice idea!

[Loketh]

Why say that he had to be drugged? The Warsmith could just do it with or without the Sorcerer's consent. Price of protection.

As for that, I think that a psyker should be kept in the dark about such things. The best chess piece is the one who does not know it's on a playing field!

 

EDIT: Sorry about the double post guys, it's a bit different a program on other forums.

[Ubermensch Commander]

Hey thanks guys. I'm planning on them being the ONLY cult squad in my army besides Plague Marines (who are, in fact, modelled to be Iron Warriors). But yeah, I do like your idea of how a battle weary seige warrior could turn to Slaanesh. Maybe make the Slaanesh influence very light on the model, and give them very beat armor to represent that they have just begun to convert. Nice idea!

 

Cool! Fluffise I figure an Iron Warriors conversion might start with, perhaps, stimm drugs to keep them combat effective....which then turns to recreational use because the high is soooooo good after the stress of siege combat....which then turns to stronger drugs...which then turns to drugs distilled from the essence of totured slaves given up to slaanesh....WHEEEE DOWNWARD SPIRAL! I wonder how one would model that? Pull a Bane from Batman and get some tubes going from a backpack into the armour could be one way. One could perhaps use Apothecary backpacks and fabius bile backpacks to aid character. Anyway, idle thoughts. Just musing.

 

Glad we could answer your questions and keep on playing!

 

also, nice bit about "The best chess piece is the one who does not know it's on a playing field!"

[Dammeron]

There's absolutely no problem with this in fluff terms. Though the Iron Warriors honour the chaos gods as a pantheon, they are not devout and lack the single-minded fanaticism of, say, the Word Bearers or the Khorne Berserkers. I can see Iron warriors being naturally drawn into the service of Tzeentch anyway what with their proclivity for problem-solving and critical analysis of situations....

[Deacoknight]

I can't argue with their color scheme... they have one of the best schemes in the game, in my opinion.

 

I think that you are fine with that fluff. Renegades from all legions interact from time to time. They even barter with Fabius Bile to create new marines on occassion. Chaos Sorcerors could even "hire" their warband out to the highest bidder. ANy number of possablities are out there for including them in your army.

[Roultox]

As an iron warrior would delve into retaining knowledge of machines, one would think an ally to the immaterium with the same ideals and/or principles would find a kindred liking or co-operation of interest.

 

The plague marines could be explained as the techno-virus oriented marines enhanced by nurgles touch or somesuch.

 

SOme have gone as far as say highly-bionicified marines to the point of nearly dreadnought potential being animated for a tech-sorcerer's use. How dop you think the techno-virus gets influenced, only by the tech adepts? They need sorcerers to help maintain (and contain) such a viral influence.

[Deneris]

Hell... My Thousand Sons Sorcerer Lord would probably "rent" out Rubrics and a "keeper" for them in exchange for the occaisional bit of heavy firepower- Some fortified libraries need the "gentle" touch of a IW siege to crack them open for the Sons to plunder...

 

So essentially my Lord "trades" the services of a sorcerer and Rubrics for the use of a vindicator and heavier tanks; It's how I explain the presence of big guns in Apocalypse games.

[Gyson_Vore]

It makes sense to me, after all, maybe the sorcerer could help in creating Defilers or Soul Grinders.

[Malagant the Deceiver]

Fluff wise your Sorcerer could be using the Iron Warriors in some way, promising them some sort of forgotten lore or threatening to get sorcerous on their asses, some such thing, or banding together with a band of renegade IW for for mutual protection ("You shoot them from afar and I'll make theirs heads go pop when they get to close. K? K!!")

[Loketh]

Hell... My Thousand Sons Sorcerer Lord would probably "rent" out Rubrics and a "keeper" for them in exchange for the occaisional bit of heavy firepower- Some fortified libraries need the "gentle" touch of a IW siege to crack them open for the Sons to plunder...

 

So essentially my Lord "trades" the services of a sorcerer and Rubrics for the use of a vindicator and heavier tanks; It's how I explain the presence of big guns in Apocalypse games.

I'll let you say that they're from the 907th Grand Company, deal? I get your dudes and you get mine!