Word Bearers

[DarkUncle2003]

I am currently an Imperial Fist player and have been for years.

 

Yellow is getting old and worn out for me though, and I have looked at all the bits and pieces available now and was wondering what pieces of advice would this forum have for a new Word Bearers collector.

 

I chose them because I like the idea of 'religious' space marines. I also like the idea that they had this deep seeded drive or passion and instead of being rewarded for it they were subverted by it. I appreciate the 'fluff' twist.

 

From a modeling perspective I would probably bash together some DA robe pieces with current CSM plastic bits, since the DA plastics (with a bit from the templars) seem to fit the idea of the Word Bearers.

 

Any suggestions on modeling, painting or on what to look at collecting would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[Dammeron]

- For modelling, anything that has a papal or classically "religious" quality fits well; I'd advise looking to the imagery of Crusaders, the Spanish Inquisition, etc etc, as the Word Bearers exemplify this kind of extremism. Robes, parchments, books, (un)holy seals, fetishes, relics etc etc all fit very well indeed. Remember that the Word Bearers are the most fanatical and superstitious chaos marines in existence; I imagine they all carry around any number of items that they consider "holy" or blessed. I personally kind of like the idea of them carrying around daemon's heads or something to that effect, holding them out to the enemy as someone might hold out a crucifix to a vampire.

- You'll also find some very interesting imagery in classic occultism that would fit the Word Bearers very nicely; stuff you could perhaps paint on their armour as squad identifying markers, or maybe make into banners of some sort. Speaking of banners, I imagine the Word Bearers boast a great many of them.

- Vehicles also present a very interesting potential in Word Bearer armies, as I imagine them to be very much like mobiles chapels; decorated and sanctified to the Nth degree, covered in prayers, testaments, parchments, sacred icons, etc etc. you could even fashion something like a defiler or a Land Raider into a great sacrificial altar which has various means by which enemies might be ritually tortured and finally sacrificed to the dark gods (I'm thinking a stone altar on the back of a Land Raider with a knife-wielding Word Bearer priest stood behind it, ready to cut out his victim's heart and vast furnaces in which the enemy are incinerated in praise of Chaos).

- There's also potential for some incredibly dynamic but simple conversions amongst your troops; I'd be tempted to model various Word Bearers in states of exultation or prayer, perhaps kneeling as they receive some blessed mutation from their Masters, or offering their enemy's internal organs to the sky.

[Teivel]

One thing that I see a lot of the Word Bearer armies is text painting onto their armor and on their vehicles. I remember an old White Dwarf article about Matt Hutson's Word Bearers, and he used "impurity seals" which was just the purity seals form loyalists with the wax part painted black. I'm sure you got some of those lying around ;) . Maybe use some of the bits from the possessed sprue on your guys too, since they considered it a blessing to be host to a demon.

 

Another suggestion would be to read the Word Bearer novels Dark Apostle and Dark Disciple books by Anthony Reynolds, will give you good feeling of the legion.

[DarkUncle2003]

Thanks a ton for the suggestions.

 

I would assume that 'chaplains' are the order of the day for word bearers, would sorcerors also have a place within their ranks or are they like the Templars who disdain and mistrust psykers?

 

I really like the idea of a squad in prayer (I'm thinking of the kneeling legs from the command squad + some sculpted robes and csm bits) Have the whole squad kneeling to the aspiring champion who is giving a blessing.

 

I LOVE the idea of black (im)purity seals. IIRC the Word Bearers have a brown tinge to their armor, to make it look like dried blood.

 

As for vehicles I think dedications and a lot of parchment would fit well. I was thinking of a Land Raider with a throne of some kind on it with symbols essentially welcoming a daemon to inhabit it.

 

I hope we are slow at work today! It might be an expensive ebay day :eek.

 

Are word bearers Khorne or Chaos Undivided? I cannot for the life of me find my CSM Codex !!!!

[Dammeron]

The Word Bearers worship Chaos Undivided: they regard Chaos as a pantheon of immortal princes and divine powers of which the Four Great Powers are paramount. They maintain a certain level of scorn for those who worship one deity to the exclusion of others, though there are undoubtedly any number of splinter factions, schisms and sundry offshoots who believe otherwise. They are very much the Crusaders of Chaos; the equivalent of the Black Templars in terms of their unwavering zeal. They have no issue with psykers, in fact revel in the use of psychic power, as it is a direct conduit to the raw power of chaos.

[DarkUncle2003]

So would black templar bits be more appropriate with the books and scrolls from DA's? I would obviously file off all the templar iconography.

 

Also as crusaders would they favor traditional weapons such as flamers/meltas and power swords (not axes etc).

 

I was thinking of taking a vanilla marine (white scar maybe?) and putting him up on a standard with some bones showing through.

 

I want to do a 'story board' sketch of each army unit before I begin, and we are going to be slow at work this morning so why not get paid for a hobby!!

 

Do the word bearers hold grudges against any particular legion (traitor or otherwise?) or b/c of their zealotry do they just hate/dispise e'one in general?

[Muzza]

They have a strong dislike of the ultramarines but are generally against all loyalist chapters. I read somewhere that they particularly like to convert planets that are especially religious towards the emperor (aparantly turning your enemy before you kill them is more fun).

 

Try and read dark apostle, dark disciple and from january dark creed as they give an amazing insight into how the word bearers work.

[Dammeron]

Black templar bits would be perfectly appropriate; it's sort of become standard for Word Bearer forces to incorporate the various tabards and whatnot to be found on the sprue. Some of the Dark Angels kits also come with marine bodies in robes that have a certain monastic feel. I doubt there's any particular mandate on the weapons they wield; they are, after all, a chaos force, though I imagine corrupted versions of traditional "holy" weapons would work very nicely (i.e. maces, swords, etc).

 

The Word Bearers have a particular enmity for the Ultramarines, with whom they were primarily engaged during the Horus Heresy.

[Dammeron]

You could also incorporate the various "cult" options within the current chaos space marine army list with just a little creative revision of their backgrounds: Khorne Berserkers, for example, could become Dark Templars; the most zealously punitive members of the warband who are determined to slaughter the enemy for failing to follow the one true path to righteousness. You could even borrow imagery from actual history; Vlad the Impaler was a defender of the church, and as an exmaple to his foes would have enemy combatants spitted and impaled. This could make a very, very nice modelling project.

 

Noise Marines could be Word Bearers Evangelists who take to the battlefield decked out in all manner of broadcasters that spew a non-stop litany of Chaotic hymns, prayers and catechisms.

[Maledict]

Razakel has a wonderful post here that showcases his Word Bearers. Tons of before and after stuff, so it should give you some ideas.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=150542

 

Enjoy!

[minigun762]

They have no issue with psykers, in fact revel in the use of psychic power, as it is a direct conduit to the raw power of chaos.

 

In the second Dark Apostle Book (Dark Discipline maybe?) There is some evidence that they have a low opinion of Psykers, some offhand comments by the main character.

Now whether or not that is a Word Bearer opinion or just that characters, I don't know.

[DarkUncle2003]

Thanks again for the replies guys!

 

I am pumped. Vlad is an amazing suggestion, though he may be more a world eater than a word bearer.

 

I was thinking historically that St. Augustine would be an interesting slaanesh-leaning idea (especially pre-conversion to christianity).

 

Think a throne with a termy-armored lord with some daemonettes around him, and a pet nurgling.

[Guest Herald of Desolation]

They maintain a certain level of scorn for those who worship one deity to the exclusion of others, though there are undoubtedly any number of splinter factions, schisms and sundry offshoots who believe otherwise.

 

That would be incorrect. As per Daemon World, the Word Bearers actively hunt down and destory dissenters, fractious brothers and full-blown traitors. It's all or nothing with the Word Bearers. According to Daemon World, there has never been a surviving dissenter ever to escape these execution warbands sent by the Dark Apostles on Ghalmek.

 

@ DarkUncle: Check out the Lexicanum entry on the Word Bearers. Read Dark Apostle, Dark Disiciple, and if you can get your hands on it, Daemon World. Fury of the Abyss, although Word Bearer oriented, was a bit mediocre.

[Argon]

They maintain a certain level of scorn for those who worship one deity to the exclusion of others, though there are undoubtedly any number of splinter factions, schisms and sundry offshoots who believe otherwise.

 

That would be incorrect. As per Daemon World, the Word Bearers actively hunt down and destory dissenters, fractious brothers and full-blown traitors. It's all or nothing with the Word Bearers. According to Daemon World, there has never been a surviving dissenter ever to escape these execution warbands sent by the Dark Apostles on Ghalmek.

 

@ DarkUncle: Check out the Lexicanum entry on the Word Bearers. Read Dark Apostle, Dark Disiciple, and if you can get your hands on it, Daemon World. Fury of the Abyss, although Word Bearer oriented, was a bit mediocre.

 

Really? I was unaware That ruins a few ideas for the origins of some Renegades like the Apostles of Minthras.

 

However, it does give me a few ideas for my DIY Renegades....

[Talisac]

That would be incorrect. As per Daemon World, the Word Bearers actively hunt down and destory dissenters, fractious brothers and full-blown traitors. It's all or nothing with the Word Bearers. According to Daemon World, there has never been a surviving dissenter ever to escape these execution warbands sent by the Dark Apostles on Ghalmek.

 

@ DarkUncle: Check out the Lexicanum entry on the Word Bearers. Read Dark Apostle, Dark Disiciple, and if you can get your hands on it, Daemon World. Fury of the Abyss, although Word Bearer oriented, was a bit mediocre.

The fluff regarding Word Bearer splinter factions seems to be inconsistent. While Demon World does indeed discuss the execution teams sent to destroy dissenters, the new chaos codex includes war bands which are referenced to the Word Bearers. The Sanctified, for example, are listed as 'Cross-ref: Word Bearers', which means they could be a potential splinter group.

[Dammeron]

They maintain a certain level of scorn for those who worship one deity to the exclusion of others, though there are undoubtedly any number of splinter factions, schisms and sundry offshoots who believe otherwise.

 

That would be incorrect. As per Daemon World, the Word Bearers actively hunt down and destory dissenters, fractious brothers and full-blown traitors. It's all or nothing with the Word Bearers. According to Daemon World, there has never been a surviving dissenter ever to escape these execution warbands sent by the Dark Apostles on Ghalmek.

 

@ DarkUncle: Check out the Lexicanum entry on the Word Bearers. Read Dark Apostle, Dark Disiciple, and if you can get your hands on it, Daemon World. Fury of the Abyss, although Word Bearer oriented, was a bit mediocre.

 

 

there's always been conflict and contradiction between the background presented in the Black Library novels and that presented in the codicies. Generally, it is considered that the Black Library products are not canon, as is evidenced by the various warbands featured in the current chaos space marine codex that are Word Bearers splinter groups (RE: Apostles of Minthras, The Sanctified, etc)

[40kChrista]

@ DarkUncle: Check out the Lexicanum entry on the Word Bearers. Read Dark Apostle, Dark Disiciple, and if you can get your hands on it, Daemon World. Fury of the Abyss, although Word Bearer oriented, was a bit mediocre.

 

 

I think if your looking for fluff, this will get you going in the right direction. Although from a book stand point, Daemon World had little to do with the Word Bearers overall.

 

As far as what is canon and what isn't... this is a game, I myself do not like the current canon of the current Chaos 'dex. As a result I stick to the Black Library material for my inspiration and look toward Lexicanum if I'm fuzzy on details.

 

Grim

[the jeske]

Daemon World had little to do with the Word Bearers overall.

the book is about two stories . the chaos barbarian guy and the WB kill team . it tells a lot about how those kill teams are made ,about new initiates [the sniper guy who is a dark apostol in training] . how the WB view other chaos factions and other chaos csm etc. There is a lot of info about WB in it.

[40kChrista]

Yes the book has two stories, three if you count the disillusioned Chaos champion trying to make a point to the 4 Powers. Most of the content of this particular novel is divided between the story threads of the Khorne/Slaanesh war and the barbarians trying to regain their lost honor. The Word Bearer content wouldn't be a novella if you took out everything else. How the Word Bearers view other factions, or a leaning to a particular power has also been covered in other material.

 

The kill team aspect of the book, which I admit I totally forgot this from 4th Ed., while in interesting tie in to the game mechanics doesn't hold up for myself.

 

That's ok Jeske, you and I just have different takes on the book, this wouldn't be the first time we disagreed on this. While I like most of Ben Counters' work I just don't like this particular story to well, especially as a Word Bearer resource. And that's ok too, I'm not going to like everything an artist does.

 

Grim

[Vodunius]

The fluff regarding Word Bearer splinter factions seems to be inconsistent. While Demon World does indeed discuss the execution teams sent to destroy dissenters, the new chaos codex includes war bands which are referenced to the Word Bearers. The Sanctified, for example, are listed as 'Cross-ref: Word Bearers', which means they could be a potential splinter group.

 

Theres conflicting fluff for The Sanctified, they were confirmed as a Word Bearer splinter group on the old GW site (in a piece of fluff attributed to Gav Thorpe - it wasn't just some webmonkey fluff) whilst Imperial Armour volume 7 identifies them as a World Eater "sub-faction". Personally I don't regard the existance of Word Bearer splinter groups as an inconsistency however - just because the Word Bearers haven't destroyed them yet doesn't mean they aren't trying.

[the jeske]

well the real problem is the shift GW made in Gav dex. Somehow they though [or rather thorpe did ,what isnt nothing new] that it is possible for a legion member to stop thinking of himself as an AL or WB guy and start see himself as a lord Y different red color chaos warband csm . Maybe it makes sense for splintered legions like EC or WE , which dont have structure . But other legions ? Can you guys imagine an 10k year old veteran thinking "nah being IW is boring and stupid , I decided to be a Brozen Warriors of Yellow Stripes now"? And WB are even more extrem in that , no other legion is as structured as they are .They are fanaticlly loyal to chaos undivided , they hunt down guys who dont anwser the legion call [demon call], they see one god worshiping as heresy and almost as just as bad being loyalist. There is no know fluff about WB going rogue , going one cult and surviving or even going one god worpship and dieing.