Argument against Astorath all DC army

[Aramis_the_Red]

So, after thinking it over a bit, I have to say I really don't like the concept of an all DC army. Not rules wise, rules wise it sounds like a blast! My problem with it is this, when a marine joinse the DC, it's a death sentence. He will either die glloriously in battle or be executed after. Also, despite the flaw, the black rage is supposed to be a rarity. I believe it's the angels encarmine that are rumored to almost always have a full 30 man DC, and this is supposed to be extremely worrisome for the chapter as a whole. Think about a mazes DC army, that's 180 battle brothers who will never serve their chapter again after that engagement. That's almost 2 full companies, almost a fifth of the entire chapter. That would cripple any chapter. And what could make that many Battle brothers fall to the rage at the same time? I just don't see it. The only time I could imagine this would be during the defense of Baal, Astorath gathers all the DC from all the answering chapters for one major attack, but that's about it. Otherwise this would be the death knell of a chapter. I mean, how long does it take to replace a marine? Say a tac marine, that's a year in the sarcophagus, 10-20 years as a scout, 10 years as a Dev, 10 years as a RAS... That's a minimum of 30 some years to replace 1 battle Brother. 180? We're talking a long freaking time here.

[igotsmeakabob!!]

Here you go. It seems plausible

Actually, I'll just C&P.

 

So a couple of years ago (give or take some) Bell of Lost Souls released their fun little PDF of the Army of Death. Basically, the idea of an entire force of Blood Angels all falling to the Rage at once.

It gave some nice fluffy bits to justify this, and it was, of course unofficial.

 

If it's OK, I'll stick a couple of the fluff entries up:

The Passion of Captain Laurentian

“In the 37th Millennia the Blood Angels fell upon the space hulk Tongue of the Abyss. This ancient menace was approaching the advanced Barac system deep in the Segmentum Solar, and was ordered destroyed. Clearance and demolition teams swept the hulk, led by Captain Laurentian’s 4th Battle Company

when they were engulfed by limitless Genestealer forces emerging from hibernation. Surrounded by monstrous attackers in the dark labyrinth, the 4th company descended en masse into the Black Rage. Laurentian and his company fought to the last man, buying time for the remainder of the chapter to disengage and pulversize the hulk with cyclonic torpedoes.

Laurentian was entered into the chapter’s Grimoire of Heroes.”

Heroes of the Blood

The Descent of Captain Tan’cho

“In the burning citadels of Yukka near the Eye of Terror did the Mighty Flesh Tearer Captain fall. Tan’cho was months into an urban conflict against the Berzerker horde of Khazalid the Unbroken. Assault after assault left both sides bloodied and at the edge of sanity. At the climax of the fighting, Lord Khazalid slew Tan’Cho’s Command Squad and drove his company into the blinding visions of Sanguinius. Before his stunned eyes, Khazalid beheld his berzerkers hacked limb from limb; pulled down by mutilated Flesh Tearers who should have been dead but still fought on. In the end he was held aloft and thrown from the city’s highest hab by Tan’Cho himself.

The Captain’s fate is not recounted by the chapter.”

Heroes of the Blood

 

 

So, with Death Company as troops now, able to take bolters, power and special weapons no less... it seems quite possible to field an entire army under the Death Co. rules. Even better, you can use the models you have NOW. As the article details, an entire force falling to the Rage doesn't have time to paint themselves black.

 

This force might not be optimal, but it is quite interesting. Makes for a great narrative, too.

It starts with a few Space Marines; their rage breaking forth with hysterical shouts, the quivering of powerful muscles, the blinding waking nightmare of the Black Rage. Like stones cast into a puddle, these few send a ripple of burning ire through their comrades, and more and more the Blood Angels feel Sanguinius’ ancient energy rising through them. The Chaplains themselves fight hard against the urge, but even they cannot hold against the surging tide of anger that sweeps around them. There is no time for rituals now, no time-honored anointing of armor or prayers to Sanguinius and the Emperor. The whole army is filled with the need to bring terrifying destruction upon their enemies, to fulfill the charnel greed that suffuses their minds and bodies. As one, the army spills forth towards the

enemy, baying for blood, chanting the battle-cries of the Blood Angels. Like a terrible storm they fall upon their foes, half-blinded with rage, knowing nothing but the need to spill blood; to tear their enemies apart; to wade knee-deep in the gore of the Emperor’s foes!”

(from Gav Thorpe’s original Army of Death article)

 

An entire company falling at once would be a great blow, yes.. but it isn't as if Chapters haven't recovered from worse before.

[Aramis_the_Red]

I guess my problem with it would be trying to build some fluff behind my own army. I mean, this is a situation that might happen once a millenia, and probably not more than once to the same chapter ever(unless there flaw is extremely potent).

 

I just can't see it past one battle or one enemy.

[shatter]

When astorath 'does the rounds', he collects them in various states from a few years left if kept in seclusion to full blown Black Rage. When his sweep is done, he'll have quite a few in his hold. If they happen to get a message requesting aid, who better to send?

 

They're not an army as such but a brutally effective fighting force. They wont protect a farmhouse or take prisoners but they sure as hell will kill or die trying.

[Burningblood]

I think the towers where they are keeping the sufferers of the red thirst are housing a potentially chapter sized force of crazed suicide soldiers.

These will be lead by chaplains against the tyranids or deamons during the defense of baal.

That would be a site to see.