Black Legion Fluff Idea

[goldenwonder]

Greetings;

 

After a while away from the hobby I have decided to return and build a new Black Legion force. Granted doing so at the start of my final year of Uni isn't the smartest thing to do but chipping away slow'n'steady it'll soon build up.

 

Whilst I was away from the hobby I still kept an eye on what was released and the fluff, including picking up new codices since whilst I couldn't do the models I could follow the fluff.

 

Anyway, whilst reading background material the one thing which struck me hardest was the idea of the loss at the heresy and the events which led to the destruction of Horus' body shattered their spirits and ego's - and that now hey fight to re-establish themselves as "the" legion - with Abaddon as the new Warmaster.

 

The idea which I'm toying with is that the leader of my force was recruited into the Lunar Wolves at their inception and rose from the rank of Seargeant in say a veterans unit to the point of being a chaos lord now. As a result of his "pedigree", the heresy and the betrayal and attempted cloning of Horus which ensued, my forces leader (who at present is without name) has become bitter and elitist - shunning outside alliances whenever possible only allying where no other option exists and turning upon them at the first opportunity.

 

My idea would have all troops being Black Legionnaires, so no Thousand Suns as in conjunction with my foces leaders distorted view of the galaxy around him, the ideal of fighting to be the best of the best would be ingrained and so too would legionnary pride, something which has taken Abaddon a long time to rebuild.

 

How viable is this idea? Does chaos have the means to recruit new marines from scratch? I would assume that Chaos can produce new vehicles from scratch in addition to salvageing and stealing imperial vehicles?

 

I mean this is just an initial idea which needs much refining but is this idea sound in theory and does this mesh with the BL in your opinions. I personally think it does and I will probably use regardless but I would really appreciate some input.

 

Regards

Goldenwonder

[Ardus]

Sounds like a good idea. But I have a few questions/ sataements.

1. How did your band break away from Abaddon's grip?

2. Chaos has forge worlds, so no probs with vehicles.

3. New Marines - I'm not too sure about. But your leader could have taken a large portion of men that were in the process of becoming marines and lots of scouts, who are now marines.

 

That's all for now.

 

Ardus.

[goldenwonder]

Thanks Ardus.

 

For question 1, it's not that my force/leader has broken away from Abaddon although I think that my armies fluff will gravitate to the force, particularly my forces leader holding true to Horus and retaining some of the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus views, viewing Abaddon as a leader but not with respect held for Horus. The line about outside alliances referred to alliances with other legions - not other black legion forces although when I write the army fluff's first draft I may add a competitive element when allied with other forces - although there would be a deference to Abaddon as Warmaster.

 

With regards to the marines, I like your idea and I may have read somewhere that Fabius Bile can create new chaos marines so tying in a link into receiving new recruits in very small numbers could work. Thinking about it though, I think it is worth building in an awarness of depreciating numbers into the background. Perhaps, smaller Black Legion forces could be absorbed or annexed to build up numbers.

 

Plenty to consider from just 3 questions/statements. I'll have to start a rough draft I think.

 

Cheers

Goldenwonder

[chillin]

This whole BL allying with other legions is new to this codex. In the origional fluff in "slaves to darkness" BL got hatred toward most of the other chaos legions. In the IA and 3.5 codex csm BL had members worshiping all of the chaos gods, but black legionnaires could worship khorne, even become brzrkrs, but were never WE's. Same went for the other cult types.

The guy that wrote this dex had a lame or at best limited understanding or knowledge of the fluff and history of the BL (and chaos in general). BL allied with other legions for the black crusades, but WE's, TS's, etc did not join BL like this legion sz they do.

I run my BL like you say you want to, 90% undivided csm, all of my HQ are undivided. When I do use brzrkrs, they are BL brzrkrs, they were never members of the WE's. When I use "T'sons" they are black legionnaires whom BL Tz sorc's have but powerful spells and wards on, they were never members of the T'sons legion.

To answer your Q's. 1- I would say it is a very viable idea as I do it. 2- Yes, new csm's can be made (created, whatever) how else could you wage a war for 10,000 yrs and not run out. And BL can cretainly make new ones. 3- BL controls whole forge worlds, so making new vehicles, ships, equipment, etc, is no problem.

good luck w/ your project, welcome to the BL

[davethebear]

the whole thing with your black legion lord beig paranoid and his army not allying with other legions sounds alot like the iron warriors to me.

[the jeske]

viewing Abaddon as a leader but not with respect held for Horus

well in fact he called Horus a fool .

 

 

By the way , isnt the BL after the whole horus clone thing made by Bile kind of a at odds with master of genetics ?

[chillin]

Yes, thus hatred toward EC back in "slaves to darkness" days.

[TheDarkApostle]

There are other means then Biel to create new marines though, as revealed in the Storm of Iron novel I think it was?

 

TDA

[goldenwonder]

Thanks for the input. I was unaware that the Black Legion had hatred towards some of the legions in a previous incarnation. It seems I've inadvertantly locked on to some elements of the Black Legions fluff. Was it only the EC that were hated or were there others?

 

Anyhow, I think I will definitely go along these lines and try to find out more. The Black Legion definitely seems to have some interesting background which for me is the most important factor in selecting a project/army as it is what got me into the hobby initially and what has brought me back again.

 

Thanks again for the input

 

Goldenwonder

[Deneris]

From what I recall in the early fluff the Black Legion was bled almost dry by fighting with other legions in the Eye of Terror for resources and planets, as well as for control of Horus' remains(And I can imagine the other Legions were bitter about the defeat after the Heresy and took it out on the Black Legion. Probably didn't help that most other Chaos Legions still had a Primarch so I can imagine them viewing the Black Legion as "weak" and an easy target for looting and pillaging).

 

And who says good ol' Abaddon controls the WHOLE legion? :mellow:

[Lay]

I was unaware that the Black Legion had hatred towards some of the legions in a previous incarnation. It seems I've inadvertantly locked on to some elements of the Black Legions fluff. Was it only the EC that were hated or were there others?

Back in the day they hated them all. IRC after retreating to the Eye the other Legions banded together and attacked them for being the first to retreat after Horus' death. It was during these fights that the EC managed to steal Horus' corpse.

 

This whole BL allying with other legions is new to this codex. In the origional fluff in "slaves to darkness" BL got hatred toward most of the other chaos legions.

[...]

Didn't the old fluff also describe them more as a lone phantom Legion that'd show up and dissappear throughout on the galaxy?

They were also said to be horribly decimated after the Heresy (their suicidal daemon possession orgies + the revenge of the other Legions) and are now supposed to be the largest of all Legions - the whole chaos coalition fluff makes their rise somewhat understandable - not that I like the idea of "chaos coalitions".

[Magnus Thane]

Sounds like my Black Legion force. Fully undivided. No 'serkers, 1000Sons or the likes.

High on infantry too.

The codex's new fluff isn't that bad. You can compromize between both if you handle it a bit smartly.

As the BL rose in power it is not that strange for others to wish to join it. But i really don't see them as a mishmash where there is an ally of the day out of the blue. BL has everything but they are Black Legionnaries still.