More BA Fluff Inconsistencies

[Redo]

Whilst I am not 100% happy with the BA Fluff I have been enjoying my newish Codex. Anyway last night I noticed that in the Tactical Squad description (p24) that "only when a Blood Angel has proven his worth in the Assault and Devastator Squads will he earn his place amongst the Chapter's Tactical Marines."

 

Then in the Devastator Squad description it states "In other chapters, the Devastator Squad (p26)is traditionally the first progression a Space Marine will make after completing his training in a scout squad...Ny conrast, the Blood Angels Devastators squads are thick with veteran Battle-Brothers."

 

It seems to me that Ward has got it mixed up again. With quote one, his writes that BA Marines progress form Scout, then to Assault, the Devastator and finally to the Tactical squads. With the second squad, whlst making it clear that BA Marines follow a different progression from regular Chapters he states that BA marines progress from Scout, Assault, Tactical and finally Devastator squads when they are "the most experienced and strong-willed."

 

While I realise that it can be hard to carry fluff through from Codex to Codex and that it may channge over time I find it a little silly that it is not even consistent in the same Codex. What do you guys think or have I just got it wrong?

 

On a side not...perhaps the second quote is correct as I hardly ever seem to run Devastators. These 'veterans' are usually already dead or have been promoted to Sergeants or on to the First Company ;)

[Feuermann]

that coulg be because new recruits can use the lascannon like a baseball bat (they need special rules for that xD)

the progresion in BA is this one:

scout=>asault(asault companies)=>tactical(reserve companies)=>devastator(dev. company)=>combat companies(from 2nd to 5th)=>1st Co

[BorisBC]

I always read it as they were doing something similiar to what's described in C:SM that new recruits to Dev squads man bolters, while it's the vets that handle the heavy weapons.

[Spagunk]

The passage in question was to detail that the devastators are full of individuals who have already spent a great deal of time as assault marines. The veteran status just means that they are experienced, not just that they are Veteran Marines from higher up the force org chart. Although I have no doubt that veterans would be called on to provided devastator duty in a pinch, i would imagine that someone in a BA army would spend hundreds of years in an assault marine role if they could; thus making them veterans.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I can easily see Devs as veteran heavy. Take Long Fangs as an example. You have fought in many campaigns on the front line right in the thick of it. It makes good sense an older veteran would be transferred to a heavy weapons team.

 

0b -_-

[Leonaides]

experienced at not losing their heads and running screaming at teh enemy brandishing Lascannons like chainswords... Thats why they are more veteran troopers than the assault marines.

 

Personally, I almost imagine it as Scout - assault marine, bolter devs, tactical, further tactical or back to devs as HW troopers/look after the newer recruits as a steadinginfluence on them fresh out of RAS. Similar to the vet marines leading scout squads, but on a less formal footing (more older brother than boss).

[Brother Nathan]

isnt the promotion system not strict though? Ie an exceptional assaualt marine would end up being promoted to where hell serve best with his skills. and those who arnt good anywhere else could end up staying where they are. ie a bezerk guy would stayin the asault squad...

[igotsmeakabob!!]

The promotion system sure isn't strict, considering you can stay in the assault squad for centuries, maybe beconme a sergeant, or distinguish yourself in some way that gets you picked for Honour Guard, which can lead to practically anything.

[lorider2]

The passage in question was to detail that the devastators are full of individuals who have already spent a great deal of time as assault marines.

 

Yep. No inconsistency really, it goes scout, assault, dev, tactial. With our army it is safe to assume the time spent as assault marines is pretty serious.

[Vodunius]

The promotion system sure isn't strict, considering you can stay in the assault squad for centuries, maybe beconme a sergeant, or distinguish yourself in some way that gets you picked for Honour Guard, which can lead to practically anything.

 

Just because there are multiple paths of advancement doesn't mean advancement isn't strictly regulated.

[LordofDeath11]

I can easily see Devs as veteran heavy. Take Long Fangs as an example. You have fought in many campaigns on the front line right in the thick of it. It makes good sense an older veteran would be transferred to a heavy weapons team.

 

0b :)

 

Seems like a bit of a waste doesn't it. Experience-wise I mean. Can't really help too many rooks remember tha plays from wayyy in the back.

[Brother Nathan]

Maby inuries just mansomevets cant keep up? After all ba do live a fair while...

[Snorri Goresson]

i just find the way Ward writes this in the BA and SM codex is utter madness..

 

let me tell you why i think this.

 

you start off as a scout, fresh behind the ears, stealth skills and limited training in the use of larger weopons such as the lascannon and plasma cannons.

 

you should then be moved in the the TACTICAL squad, here you learn how to fight as a marine, get used to your new power armour, learn new ways of battle, be watched and tested at the same time.

 

once you have been a member for a period of time, you may be asked to join the assault carder, by showing you have a skill for close assaults and skill with a chainsword or blade.

 

or you may be asked to join the devestors after your time been the squad heavy weopon marine, as we all know, every marine in a tactical squad will spend time using all weopons open to that squad.

 

during all this there is a chance you show great skill or are just one lucky sod and get moved to the dizzy highs of the 1 company.

 

this makes sence....

 

not Wards way and say they start of as scout then go to assault and in codex SM the dev's

 

but thats just me.

 

Snorri

[SnorriSnorrison]

i just find the way Ward writes this in the BA and SM codex is utter madness..

 

let me tell you why i think this.

 

you start off as a scout, fresh behind the ears, stealth skills and limited training in the use of larger weopons such as the lascannon and plasma cannons.

 

you should then be moved in the the TACTICAL squad, here you learn how to fight as a marine, get used to your new power armour, learn new ways of battle, be watched and tested at the same time.

 

once you have been a member for a period of time, you may be asked to join the assault carder, by showing you have a skill for close assaults and skill with a chainsword or blade.

 

or you may be asked to join the devestors after your time been the squad heavy weopon marine, as we all know, every marine in a tactical squad will spend time using all weopons open to that squad.

 

during all this there is a chance you show great skill or are just one lucky sod and get moved to the dizzy highs of the 1 company.

 

this makes sence....

 

not Wards way and say they start of as scout then go to assault and in codex SM the dev's

 

but thats just me.

 

Snorri

 

 

I think that this is the only case where Ward's fluff is not that hard to understand.

 

Our recruits are unexperienced so they probably won't be able to react in appropriate ways in different situations, so they are sent to the assault squads where they can unleash their fury upon their enemies. Parallels to the Blood Claws(sp?) can be drawn here, thanks to the Red Thirst being new for them and all that.

 

After learning how to keep the Thirst back, they are trusted with heavy weapons, again this is a one-sided role: sit back and shoot. No real tactical flexibilty required, they destroy a target and aim for the next one. The only difference is that they are able to control the Thirst more reliably.

 

Members of a Tactical squad need to control the Thirst as they lay short to midranged fire with boltguns and special weapons, or hold positions of strategic value against waves of cultists, filthy xenos scum or whatever comes their way. Remaining control in the fiercest battles is what defines a Tactical Marine, being able to run forward, fire, fall back and repeat until the enemies are dead, instead of pumping out a few shots and hacking them into bits, losing advantages of terrain or whatever.

 

This is purely for fluff, we all know that it is different ingame.

 

 

 

Snorri

[Brother Nathan]

yup with ascattering of mixiture in between due to the personal skills of the asparant. a particularly skilled sniper who can control his battle lust would likely go straight to the devs, then get progressed to the heavy weapon of a tactical. where as a level headedbut normal guy would just go through assault-dev- tact then make sarge. but then again alot of the fluff makes little sense to me, you would think that there should be a fair few more than 100 scouts, more like the 100 ish on the planet training, the about the same split up amongst the regular companys training along side the full battle brothers.