[Dornian Heresy] Word Bearers - How to represent them?

[Aurelius Rex]

The Dornian Heresy, which has been featured in the new Legio Imprint - the e-zine of the B&C - has shown an alternate timeline where the legions came out a little different to the norm. Click the board banner or the links in my sig for more details. There has been interest expressed in discussing what rules could be applied to field these armies, and so first up, discuss a 'counts-as' ruleset, and then, if needed, go for a set of homebrew house rules.

 

For the full story on the Word Bearers, check the Legio Imprint. The short version, however, goes like this...

 

 

The Word Bearers are tireless in their crusade to have the galaxy worship The Emperor as divine. It is a duty they carry out with both impassioned, fiery rhetoric and the cleansing purity of the bolt gun. They were one of the first legions to comprehend the existence and threat of Chaos, and that faith in the God-Emperor was soul-armour against its wiles. They used this knowledge to save Warmaster Horus from possession on Davin, but to their regret were unable to prevent the Dornian Heresy, which crippled their living deity. As Guardians of the Faith, they founded the galaxy-spanning Ecclesiarchy, and after witnessing how it nearly plunged the Imperium into another civil war, now act as its moral compass to ensure that such a powerful body can never again be corrupted.

 

 

The legion frequently takes to the field of battle leading much larger groups, such as the Frateris Militaris, Imperial Army or even massed mobs of pilgrims. It also places much weight upon divinations and interpretations of the Emperor’s tarot, and for these reasons the Word Bearers have gained a reputation for tactical inflexibility and naivety. While it is true that they cannot match the skill at arms of the World Eaters, or the strategic acumen of the Alpha Legion, it is a foolish commander who underestimates them. Once dedicated to a goal, the Word Bearers are enthused with an unquenchable will to succeed, and the exhortations of their chaplains drive them to incredible feats of strength and endurance that can only end in victory or martyrdom. They inspire the same fervor in those around them, so that once committed, the only way for the battle to end is with the total annihilation of one side or the other.

 

While the Word Bearers are the fatal spear-point in any attack, the psychological effect of an endless tide of wild-eyed zealots closing on the enemy cannot be discounted. These mobs are often little more than local citizens, untrained and armed with nothing but improvised weapons. Individually they are no match for a well-drilled opponent, and yet they give their lives willingly in the service of The Emperor, and are lauded for doing so. Across the Imperium there are vast monuments built to honour the glorious sacrifice of these martyrs, often alongside the mass graves of the fallen.

Despite the moral authority that chaplains wield amongst the Word Bearers, they do not command. Such a task is far too important to get bogged down in the minutiae of directing the flow of battle. Instead, their role is to provide spiritual guidance, inspire their brethren, and watch over the souls of those under their charge.

 

Librarians are greatly valued by the captains of the Great Companies, and their divinations and predictive abilities through readings of The Emperor’s Tarot are used to inform strategy. It is also common for companies to be drastically reorganised on the eve of battle based on how the cards fall, even if it flies in the face of what is known of the enemy or expected battlefield conditions. Despite disdain for this practice from outside the legion, it has proved to be divinely inspired on countless occasions. Even when it has led to catastrophic defeats, these are borne with stoicism as the Will of The Emperor.

 

Because of the dramatic changes in organisation from battle to battle, squads are not assigned to assault, tactical or devastator specialties. Instead, marines are expected to be proficient each of the roles. Their designation on the battlefield is displayed by coloured votive cloths draped from shoulder pauldrons, with sergeants proudly displaying their colours on richly embroidered back banners. Such ostentatious displays not only help to identify the squad’s position to their officers, it also acts as a spur to inspire their allies to ever-greater acts of valour.

 

Their fleets are accompanied by ramshackle civilian transports packed with zealots eager to martyr themselves for the cause, as well as regiments of Frateris Militaris. Encased in matt-black carapace armour and wielding powerful hellguns and purging flame weaponry, the grim-faced Frateris endlessly strive to emulate their Astartes superiors.

 

OK, that is the background to what they are, but how to best represent them in a legal codex form on the tabletop?

 

Throwing out some ideas for feedback:

 

1) Use Codex : Space Marines, possibly with C:WH allies to represent the Frateris Militaris and crowds of fanatics.

 

2) Similarly, use C:BT - much more zealous and the vows would be fitting, although they don't allow Devastator squads and how to explain the scouts in squads... just don't take them?

 

3) An interesting idea was to proxy them as SoB units from C:WH with access to Acts of Faith. There is easy access to =][= storm troopers from this list for the Frateris Militaris - Inquisitors for cardinals or the like taking to battle alongsid e them? This would make the WB astartes themselves significantly weaker than other Astartes, which wouldn't necessarily fit, and would miss out on Chaplains and Librarians unless some other C:WH unit could be proxied. Still, an interesting option worthy of consideration.

 

 

There are the opening ideas - feel free to discuss their merits or propose other options. ^_^

 

Regards,

Aurelius.

[Chengar Qordath]

Codex: Black Templars with Witch Hunter Allies would seem like the way to go. A faith-driven Marine army with some Ecclesiarchal allies would fit the Word Bearers pretty well.

[Guest Mordray]

Codex: BA( :( or SM) for their command grade chappy and Imperial Guard allies... with lots of their cheap units. I don't have Codex: WH so I can't comment on its use.

[Chengar Qordath]

Codex: BA( :D or SM) for their command grade chappy and Imperial Guard allies... with lots of their cheap units. I don't have Codex: WH so I can't comment on its use.

Codex: Black Templars has better chaplains than BA or SM. Statwise, a BT Master of Sanctity crushes a C:SM Chaplain, and while he's equal to a BA Reclusiarch he costs less, and most of his wargear upgrades are cheaper/better too (Like Terminator Armor that comes with an extra attack from Terminator Honors).

 

IG allies will not work outside of Apocalypse/casual games, while WH allies are tournament legal.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

Black Templars + Witch Hunter allies seem ideal to me, they highlight both the Word Bearers' zealous attacks, and allow for their integrated Frateris Militia. The lack of librarians is a bit variant from their fluff, however, but it isn't important for the "feel" of the army - dropping them in the counts-as 'dex is an acceptable concession. (Perhaps the effects of a Holy Relic could be reasoned as a librarian releasing a burst of zealous, holy light, similar to what Lorgar did during his sacrifice?).