Brainstorming for IA: The Purifiers

[Omega Striker]

So I was thinking about a certain member of the boards, who has repeatedly suggested a certain name for a DIY chapter. This name is Purifiers, or some variant thereof. I was thinking one day, what could this chapter possibly be based on? So I googled. It was a terrible few hours, but I emerged with a golden nugget of truth.

 

Ever heard of Command and Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath?

 

C&C3:KW a real-time strategy game, set in a dystopian future where earth is pretty much doomed. The unit called the Purifier is part of a faction called The Black Hand. The Black Hand is a fearsomly quasi-religious warfare sect within a larger quasi-religious warfare sect called The Brotherhood of Nod. They are a faction noted for their fanaticism, drive, religious intolerance of others, and obsession with fire (as a religious cleansing agent type thing). Sounds like a space marine chapter already!

 

The Purifier is the Black Hand's heavy warmech (bipedal), second only to the superheavy Redeemer warmech (a whole other mountain of awesome). It comes equiped with heavy armor, decent move speed, a heavy flamethrower, an anti-vehicle (and to a lesser extent structure) heavy laser, and boosts the morale of allied infantry within a certain radius. It can be upgraded with better flamethrower fuel, making the flamethrower do more damage and effective against all targets (except aircraft, the Purifier cannot target aircraft)

 

The Purifier is an awesome unit. Anyone who has played online enough knows that 10 Purifiers is enough to walk through an enemy base. The upgraded flamethrower (after the upgrade the flame effect is blueish white, really cool looking) is devastating against not only infantry, but tanks and buildings as well. When you see a wall of 15 purifiers walking toward your bass, you get your superheavy, your aircraft, and anything else you can spare and you start praying hard. It probably won't end well.

 

So, I want to generate a space marine chapter that not only grants the wish of a fellow B&C member who wants a name but also translates the cool, the fear, and the all-melting fire that the unit in the game has into a space marine chapter. I think all the elements are there, they just need to be organized into a coherent manner.

 

I hope you will all help with comments, criticism, and motivation as I attempt my second IA!

[Sobansa]

Salamander successor chapter. The pic I looked up of it looks like a space marine anyway. You could even use the black hand symbol as your chapter symbol.

 

 

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110611193134/cnc/images/0/03/CNCKW_Black_Hand_Logo.png

[Reyner]

So it begins...

 

Sounds like a good basis, I will have to reinstall C&C3 now. I will have to make a new Chapter based on a GDI faction!

 

edit: Also, KANE FTW.

[Arkangilos]

For the GDI, you could do the Steel Talons, and still use their name :)

 

They would be Devastator and Walker Heavy :P

[soddinnutter]

Mass use of some sort of Penitent Engine with Multi-Melta attachment?

[Reyner]

For the GDI, you could do the Steel Talons, and still use their name ^_^

 

They would be Devastator and Walker Heavy ;)

Yes they were awesome, I have dibs!! Gold and silver paint scheme or something... To the drawing board!

[Rafen_2]

The sad thing is that certain member hasn't peered in yet ^_^

[Reyner]

And he still hasn't appeared <_< Could be from shock I suppose that someone is going a make a Chapter with this particular name!

 

(I have been playing C&C3 a fair bit and may soon start my Steel Talons...)

[Arkangilos]

He's on vacation.

[Omega Striker]

Well, I guess he will just have to observe as the chapter takes shape. I kind of want this to be a group project, so if any C&C 3 buffs want to help me out, it would be appreciated. I guess this can be the ideas/brainstorming thread, and then we can make the official IA: Purifiers thread later. If this turns out well, I think I will actually make a Nod army or something. That would be tons of fun. But anyways, on to business....

 

So we can organize this by category like a regular IA. That means a Founding, Homeworld, Combat Tactics, Chapter Cult (this part will be the most fun, I think), and any other little bits like War Cry (Kane lives in death! Peace through Power! The Technology of Peace! This gives me shivers.... <_< )

 

Actually, we have a lot of this material in the command and conquer universe already. Lets start with what would be the easiest parts: War Cry, Chapter Cult and Combat Tactics.

 

War Cries of the Purifiers:

 

(insert lots of army unit meme's here (like above))

Kane lives in death!

Peace through Power!

Peace! Unity! Brotherhood!

In the name of Kane!

 

 

 

Chapter Cult: I don't really have the fluff knowledge for much of 40k, but i will try to 40k-ize the Black Hand beliefs as well as I can.

 

The Purifiers have their own belief system, where they worship the Emperor and those of their brothers who have died on the field of battle (the Ascended, in the lingo of the cult) and aspire to be like them, earning their spot at the Emperor's right hand. They are fanatical in their devotion, and many different cells among the living battle brothers have taken up veneration of famous (or infamous) former brothers, studying the tactics, weapons skills, and creeds from various members of the Ascended. There is a strict law in the chapter that no living member is to be honored in such a way as those who have ascended. There is still a chapter master, but he leads in a style chosen from chapter masters of old, the wise and glorious leaders of the past. They focus on the cleansing power of fire, and ritually burn off some of their flesh as signs of bravery or piety. This necessitates a lot of augmentation.

 

 

 

Combat Tactics: Since the army in C&C 3 is short ranged, I think we can make them that in this game, too. We just have to add melee, and viola!

 

The Purifiers focus on melee to short ranged combat, utilizing flamers and meltaguns exclusively. No rocket launchers, grenade launchers, lascannons, powerfists, plasma of any kind, and even their bolters fire dragonfire bolts. The army is a bit devoted to fire.

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Okay, I am running low on time, so can everybody comment and poke at this and give me an idea where to take this?

[Arkangilos]

Make them hate scouts and stealth tactics. The Black Hand in C&C hate stealth, and you can't get those units in game.

 

Make your squad leaders (which are Confessors in C&C3 for regular squads, and something else of equal status for the Confessor Cabals of the Black Hand, you catch the gist though, I think) Chaplains in training. That would be my suggestion.

 

Actually, Las Cannons would be a good weapon for the heavy. One of the upgrades for your "Confessor Cabals" in C&C3 basically amount to Heavy Hitting Las weapons, and their vehicles are all upgraded to have them. Charged Partical Beams IIRC.

 

And I think you would make good use out of Whirl Winds, but regular squads would, as you said, be armed with mainly flame throwers.

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

Ah, it feels good to be back. More people to the Purifiers slaughterhouse. :)

 

Flamers, lots of flamers. And Redeemers. Plus Incendiary Castellan missiles.

 

Maybe have a large amount of dreadnoughts?

 

For personality, you could try total religious zealots who are fervent believers in the Imperial Creed, often bombarding planets or going to war with Imperial forces because they seem slightly impure?

[Omega Striker]

If I was going to make this a tabletop fluff army, it would be something like this:

 

HQ:

 

Captain-Chaplain McIHateEverything (aka Brother Marcion from C&C 3 or Anton Slavic if you are a Tiberian Sun (C&C 2) purist like me :P ) +1 AP to flamer weapons or something (light, heavy, and flamestorm)

 

MasterOfTheForgeOnBike McChargedParticleBeams - all bolters get +1 strength or AP or something (the charged particle beams aren't really plasma weapons, or anything else. I think a straight boost to bolters would be appropriate, since all our troops would be Confessor Cabals instead of militants)

 

Troops:

 

Confessor Cabal squads - regular troops with the souped up flamers and bolters, or maybe one heavy flamer per squad and the rest the bolters? Also, a mini-chaplain for the leadership bonus and litanies of hate and whatnot, right?

limit 8 space marines per squad, with the usual trimmings, add a heavy flamer for the fun of it

 

Elites:

 

Purifier Warmech (venerable dreads with CCW (and heavy flamer) and twin linked heavy flamer (with bonus to AP from super-chappy)

 

Fast Attack:

 

Ummmm...... Maybe some missle-based land speeders as Mantis anti-air tanks? Some Fanatic squads? An Elite commando? (you get two of a unique unit, and they both come with max promotions, right?) I have no idea what to put here. Looking at the rest of the list, we may not have points for fast attack anyways! ;)

 

Heavy: Another dread like above (bringing the total to 4) and....

 

Flame Tanks (Land Raider Redeemer with sponson mounted heavy flamer or something? How much flame weaponry can you put on a heavy support?)

 

 

So I guess that is how it would break down on the tabletop. Looks good actually. I want to do this even more now.

 

 

 

While I'm at it, here is a list of things the Black Hand gets that other Nod factions do not: (I think the army theme should come from one of these)

 

Confessor Cabals instead of Militant Riflemen (better armor, weapons, and give a little morale boost not unlike a venerable dreadnought)

Infantry squads get a Flame Trooper Leader with souped up flame weapon and health

Commandos coming max veterancy (and you can get two while every other faction only gets one commando)

Flame Troopers and Flame Tanks come with one veterancy rank higher than normal

no stealth on anything, no stealth tanks or disruption towers at all

no aircraft

Purifier Warmech instead of Avatar Warmech

Purifying Flame weapon research upgrade (makes fire effective against all units)

Mantis anti-air tanks (very light, fast, and fragile units, but absolute death on aircraft)

 

I think that's it. So what from that can we make an army out of. I have some two-bit ideas pounded out above.

 

 

What think ye, brothers?

[Arkangilos]

Your fanatic squads can be chapter serfs who dedicate their life to the cause (aka, melta bombs strapped to them or something).

In game terms they all charge into combat, and detonate with a Ordinance Blast.

 

 

Yes, no stealth, so no "scouts."

 

Just my thoughts :o