Storm Jackals

[Cortez667]

Storm Jakals chapter (Storm Lords succesor). Name taken after the packs of wild dogs that roam thier home world's plains, who are unafraid to attack even the biggest settlement, or most well-defended caravan. Desert-ish homeworld, fighting-pits and blood sports common place. A equal cross between strict codex adherence, and unorthdox company organization. No 1st company; Instead, veterans are spread out among the battle companies, and form elite bodyguards, as well as veteran squad leaders (Wolf Guard). Company Org: 6 Tactical/ grey hunters, 3 Assualt squads/Blood Claws, 1-3 Scouts, chosen from the most able tactical marines. Chapter doctrine rejects the idea of infantry based heavy weapons, so NO long fangs. Support fire is given from tanks, and dreadnoughts. 1st turn "in-your-face" style warfare prominant. Lots of drop pods, supported my mechanized infantry forming the second wave. Even the standard tactical squads prefer close quaters, so they are often issued C.C.W.s in addition to their standard bolters.

 

They recruit adolescents from native population and makes them full fledged marines (tactical/grey hunters squad), but also older aspirants from gladitorial arenas in the surrounding sector, i.e.blood claws; being older and less able to accept all of the SM implants, they have the lower ws/bs. Not wanting to waste valuable marines in the bloody-minded assualts that the chapter is known for, the chapter uses these 'expendable' marines for the role. The "full" marines veiw them as 'less-than...', and thus they try and prove themselves (berserker charge) and given the lives spent in the arenas before being inducted,grey hunters and blood claws alike (still working on new squad names...) know that to hesitate in close quarters means death; Hence, counter attack rule. Situational awareness is also vital for life a a gladiator, and so Acute Senses rule.

 

Colors: Red main, bone white trim; different right5 shoulder color for individual squads. Models will be a croos between "imperial" SM kits and SW kits (60% imperial, 30-40% SW).

 

Any opions, suggestions, abuse, would be appreciated. Thanks.

[The Thirst]

if you want them to seem "Different" then maybe stray away from using conventional tactics but all in all looks good 2 me

[Cortez667]

Thanks for the support.

 

Decided to go with an idea sparked by the blurb on the Vindicator entry of the SW codex on page 43.

 

The Crimson Claws. The quote seems to be from a Lord of a SW sucessor chapter. I knowe previopus ED. have stated that the SW have NO sucessor chapters, but this leads me to believe that GW is hi nting at them. Granted if it was from a sucessor, then the person quoted from would be titled Chapter Master, not "Lord". However, what opther way (that wasen't retarded) could this excert be taken????

 

I'm thinking a crusade company that the chapter maintains to continuly hunt for their Primarch, and who periodically returns to Fenris to re-organize and re-equip. Red armour (hence the name) to symbolize the blood spilt by both them and their enemys in the search for their Lord and Forefather.

[Wulfebane]

I would consider mixing in some dark angel-esque tabards/draped fabric in favor of the multitude of runes/wolf (jackal) pelts. I hear jackal and immediately think desert/prairie wasteland, so very arid and windy and hot. Tattered, billowy fabric would suit for that setting.

 

As for the blood claws unit, I would take a page from MaveriK and mix in some chaos marine bits.. give them a gladiatorial feel. Since they're considered "less-than", I doubt they'd be given the preciously coveted and cared for space marine suits, but instead being tossed the cast off left overs and odds and ends (older models, disrepair, mismatched, and/or incomplete).

 

In regards to naming schemes, something dealing with sandstorms, heatwaves and mirages, or "blood in the sand" imagery would be what I'd go with. Also, no Long Fangs??? You're insane!

[Skarvald the Troll-faced]

1. Use LONE WOLVES. What better unit to represent a gladiator than a Lone Wolf? Call them Champions of the Arena. Simple, yet it speaks volumes. You could have more than one Champion of the Arena, just say that they are representing different arenas and if you want to be fluffy you could even give them a rule that gives them Rage towards other Champions of the Arena if they are no enemy models within 18''. You could be so creative and they have so many options. Plus you should totally give them two Jackals (aka Fenrisian Wolves) that they use in the arena. Again, as Wulfbane suggested, use some Chaos Marauder bits, especially for the legs. You should also give the Lone Wolves terminator armor. You could represent this by giving them a really cool looking helm and by just converting a bulkier looking dude that will look good on a larger base. A good way of making him look tough and bigger than he is would be to use two plain Terminator shoulder pads on top of his KNEES. Then put spikes on them.

- I know that they compete with Wolf Scouts and Dreadnoughts... and Wolf Guard.. But think about it. I would personally advice against Dreads. If they are native to a desert-ish planet they would only be a liability. Think about it.. Plus one lucky shot and they are useless. I'd go with 1 Wolf Guard unit, 1 Wolf Scout and 1 "Champion of the Arena".

 

2. Storm Jackals (Fenrisian Wolves). Period. Tamed wild dogs that lead your Jackals to the next prey..

 

3. Dune-Shaper (Rune Priests) - They can move entire sand dunes or create ones from sand using their innate talents, even turn the winds against your foes in the form of a sandstorm. Dune-Shapers are also adept at finding oasis..es.

 

4. Sand Stalkers or Dusk Scorpions or Mirage Warriors (Wolf Scouts) - They lay silent in the sand, often using simple but durable technology (mirrors) to create mirages and lead the enemy into a trap.

 

5. I'd say take advantage of the cheap Wolf Guard Battle Leaders. They are what.. 75 points base? You could easily run 3-4 (You should totally have a rune priest variant, though!) with some nifty equipment to futher bolster your units. Each unit will pack an even greater punch. Crazy idea: Use 4 and put each of them in squads instead of Wolf Guards, thus saving an Elites slot for more Wolf Scouts and/or Lone Wolves (if you like my idea). It would be more kill points for sure but it would be glorious.

[Cortez667]

I would consider mixing in some dark angel-esque tabards/draped fabric in favor of the multitude of runes/wolf (jackal) pelts. I hear jackal and immediately think desert/prairie wasteland, so very arid and windy and hot. Tattered, billowy fabric would suit for that setting.

 

As for the blood claws unit, I would take a page from MaveriK and mix in some chaos marine bits.. give them a gladiatorial feel. Since they're considered "less-than", I doubt they'd be given the preciously coveted and cared for space marine suits, but instead being tossed the cast off left overs and odds and ends (older models, disrepair, mismatched, and/or incomplete).

 

In regards to naming schemes, something dealing with sandstorms, heatwaves and mirages, or "blood in the sand" imagery would be what I'd go with. Also, no Long Fangs??? You're insane!

 

Dude, I love your ideas! I'm thinking sand colored armour. (this will keep the "blood angels with pelts?" comments that red armour would have cuased from coming up).

 

Definatly going to use the name ideas you gave me, and while at first I wasen't going to use Rune priests, I like the name so much that now I'm sold. Champions of the arena idea is good, too. I already have a 5-man scout squad being built (I bought a SW battle force, and had a imperial tact. squad lying around already, so I've got a good start. Ordered a LR Cruesader, some jump packs, a standard bearer <grey hunters squad>, and a melta gun blister) and I'm definatly going to fill the squad out to 10-man.

 

This is totally going to work! Now I need to get some desert colored paint for the main color, and I can start priming...

 

1. Use LONE WOLVES. What better unit to represent a gladiator than a Lone Wolf? Call them Champions of the Arena. Simple, yet it speaks volumes. You could have more than one Champion of the Arena, just say that they are representing different arenas and if you want to be fluffy you could even give them a rule that gives them Rage towards other Champions of the Arena if they are no enemy models within 18''. You could be so creative and they have so many options. Plus you should totally give them two Jackals (aka Fenrisian Wolves) that they use in the arena. Again, as Wulfbane suggested, use some Chaos Marauder bits, especially for the legs. You should also give the Lone Wolves terminator armor. You could represent this by giving them a really cool looking helm and by just converting a bulkier looking dude that will look good on a larger base. A good way of making him look tough and bigger than he is would be to use two plain Terminator shoulder pads on top of his KNEES. Then put spikes on them.

- I know that they compete with Wolf Scouts and Dreadnoughts... and Wolf Guard.. But think about it. I would personally advice against Dreads. If they are native to a desert-ish planet they would only be a liability. Think about it.. Plus one lucky shot and they are useless. I'd go with 1 Wolf Guard unit, 1 Wolf Scout and 1 "Champion of the Arena".

 

2. Storm Jackals (Fenrisian Wolves). Period. Tamed wild dogs that lead your Jackals to the next prey..

 

3. Dune-Shaper (Rune Priests) - They can move entire sand dunes or create ones from sand using their innate talents, even turn the winds against your foes in the form of a sandstorm. Dune-Shapers are also adept at finding oasis..es.

 

4. Sand Stalkers or Dusk Scorpions or Mirage Warriors (Wolf Scouts) - They lay silent in the sand, often using simple but durable technology (mirrors) to create mirages and lead the enemy into a trap.

 

5. I'd say take advantage of the cheap Wolf Guard Battle Leaders. They are what.. 75 points base? You could easily run 3-4 (You should totally have a rune priest variant, though!) with some nifty equipment to futher bolster your units. Each unit will pack an even greater punch. Crazy idea: Use 4 and put each of them in squads instead of Wolf Guards, thus saving an Elites slot for more Wolf Scouts and/or Lone Wolves (if you like my idea). It would be more kill points for sure but it would be glorious.

 

Whoops, meant to quote this one. Sorry.

[Skarvald the Troll-faced]

Hey man, I'm glad you liked the names. Visit my blog some day and I'd love to post about your progress so that more people could learn about your cool idea. It's at the bottom where my signature is.

[Wulfebane]

I would personally advice against Dreads. If they are native to a desert-ish planet they would only be a liability.

 

In regards to this, I think you (Cortez667) have a semi-rare opportunity at making a stellar conversion for the sake of DIY lore, not simply b/c it'd look cool. The design of a dreadnought/walker currently would be inconceivable to desert-dwellers. They'd sink right into the sand, never getting any traction. Consider replacing the legs with treads.

 

Also, even though I like the idea of speeders and skimmers, you might consider looking into this as a dune buggy motif:

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Images/Product/DefaultFW/large/taurosa4.jpg

 

Perhaps use them for bikers instead of skimmer replacements.

[Cortez667]

Actually, I think that the Dreadnought theory is inaccurate. They are SM from a desert planet, but SM never fight on their on planets (well, very rarl, at least. Rynn's World not with standing). So i think that theey would have dreads. Though I DO really like the tracked-instead-of-legs idea.

 

And yeah, sure, when I get this first squad done, I'll hit your blog spot up. It'd be nice to have them up on-line.

[The Thirst]

maybe add desert protective headwraps like the Tallarn guard

 

just a suggestion

[Wulfebane]

I just went through the GW website looking for bits and stumbled onto Thousand Son marines box... as heretical as this idea is, regarding adding chaos bits and clothy bits in combination with space wolf (jackal) bits, you might consider incorporating Thousand Sons into your army, and remove their stylized helms and of course the chaos symbols.

 

/waits for the flames to grow

[Cortez667]

I just went through the GW website looking for bits and stumbled onto Thousand Son marines box... as heretical as this idea is, regarding adding chaos bits and clothy bits in combination with space wolf (jackal) bits, you might consider incorporating Thousand Sons into your army, and remove their stylized helms and of course the chaos symbols.

 

/waits for the flames to grow

 

Not a bad idea....Still seems heretical.

 

<Inquisitorial Kill-team dispatched>

[Kurgan the Lurker]

This thread has been purged and Cortez667 warned for his conduct. Any future shenanigans like this and the melta guns come out.