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Birth of a Warband


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Hey all

 

A while ago I decided to start a small chaos force, which led me to asking a question in this very forum. At the time I intended an Alpha Legion based warband. However after signing myself up for the tale of 20 gamers in the WIP forum this got forgotten and I lost intreast in the idea.

 

Now with my heresy era rg going well I have turned my attention back to the forces of chaos and am working on my first model. I plan to make this a showcase force, where every modle is converted. Now heres the question, what theme. So far i have 2 ideas:

 

1. A word bearers warband who are more like corrupted templars. They wish to purge the galaxy of heritics (i.e. Non-choas worshipers). There would be dark apostles and accolytes, but the whole thing would be more militarised. I came up with the idea they worked on a code that they were brutal in combat, to the point of excess. They sow dispaire and they force change. This way they satisfy all the gods. My one turnoff is the lack of single god specialisation.

 

2. My other idea is a Night Lord warband. Fluff wise im a bit lost. I like the feel that they our outcasts, raiding and attacking the imperium at will, but also despratly trying to survive in a changed universe. I know this is how they are often portrayed but ive been thinking of thier relationship with chaos. I had a thought that while they may despise chaos and the influence of the gods they were reliant on choas to survie. Im not really sure how to represent this though, past making a pact with a god or demon who is now forcing them to do his bidding. This feels a bit to 'blugh'for me though.

 

I know I could simply make up my own warband however I don't like that idea and prefer to use one of the exisiting ones as a base.

 

Anyway I just wanted to get some thoughts on my ideas. Which do you think is better, any ideas on how to improve represent on the modles. Or just ignore my insane rambalings.

 

Also sorry for spelling/grammer this was composed on my phone at work.

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Good to see you are using your work time productively ;)

 

But onto your question. I personally have always seen the Night Lords to be almost 100% equipped with Jet packs- which would allow for more conversion options and look pretty good as an end result. However, what are you looking for with this army? You said it was to be a showcase force, so are you planning on ever actually playing with it? If not, then you won't have to follow the rules in terms of equipment and organization- a boon for converters.

 

What is more important to you? The background of the army or the way it is painted and represented? If it's the former, then your Word Bearers idea sounds a little bit better to me. If it's the latter, then the Night Lords a thousand times over. Figuring that out should give you a sense of direction and tell you what is really important for the army.

Good to see you are using your work time productively ;)

 

But onto your question. I personally have always seen the Night Lords to be almost 100% equipped with Jet packs-

 

Wut ?

 

He said he is at work, and instead of work he is on this forum. So I poked fun. (But I assume that's not what you were saying "Wut" to)

 

The Night Lords Jump Pack thing. Is it true? Probably not by most works of 40k literature. But I did say personally, implying that I may not be right, but this is the way I see things.

 

Night Lords have always been Chaos' fast moving, scoot around for an attack army to me. The idea that a warband would be made up of Jump Pack Marines isn't too far fetched.

your mixing up Raptors[who in deed are mostly made up of NL as those had the most of those] and NL . NL are those crazy fear dudes .

 

I like the WB list and fluff + in the future it gives you options to add demons .

 

I'm not though. I've been playing this game for over a decade and am very aware of most all parts of the Background. I know who the Night Lords are and I know who the Raptors are. As I said, my personal perspective (which I also admitted might be wrong) is that the Night Lords make extensive use of Jump Packs.

 

Anyways, let's not let my possible misinterpretation of the lore derail the thread.

Thanks for the replys. Work was an unusually slow day hence the ability to post.

 

By showcase I mean that I plan to spend my time converting and painting, trying new techniques etc. I still plan to build a game legal force but I'm not bothered at having the best unit load outs. Rule of cool will win out.

 

I feel I have a more solid idea for the Word Bearers, and the ability to include daemons and traitor guard (like a pilgrim force) would be amazing. Also I feel the conversion possibilities are greater. I was also wondering about 'cult' troops. While it may or may not become a moot point with a new codex, could they be represented by troops venerating an aspect of Chaos, for example slaughter, or change. Sort of like how we sometimes venerate different aspects of gods in our current society (the only example I can think of is Sparta worshiping Ares for his courage, but I'm sure I can think of more contemporary examples).

I was also wondering about 'cult' troops. While it may or may not become a moot point with a new codex, could they be represented by troops venerating an aspect of Chaos, for example slaughter, or change. Sort of like how we sometimes venerate different aspects of gods in our current society (the only example I can think of is Sparta worshiping Ares for his courage, but I'm sure I can think of more contemporary examples).

 

That could be. Or it could be something else. The codex has always shown Khorne Berzerkers to be painted as World Eaters, or Noise Marines to be Emperor's Children. In reality, Khorne Berzerkers and World Eaters are not the same thing. A Khorne Berzerker is just someone who venerates Khorne and as such, has been changed into that of a Berzerker. So undivided Legions like the Black Legion and the Word Bearers can have Berzerkers and Noise Marines who were a part of their legion all along. Nothing is saying that they have to belong to a specific Legion. In fact, it says the opposite. So there are Word Bearers who are dedicated to Khorne, and as a result are now Berzerkers. Same with Noise Marines and Plague Marines. Rubric Marines not so much, I'm not sure if anyone can be a Rubric Marine other than the Thousand Sons. My guess is no.

 

In short, you can use any of the Cult Marines as Word Bearers and have it be perfectly within the idea of the Legion. (again, exception to Rubric Marines and Tzeentch)

 

EDIT: spelling

A large part of the background to the Warp is how it's reactive to, feeds off and is (almost?) composed of emotion. And the Black Templars are some of the most emotional Marines out there, and that emotion is Hate. It's a good, strong emotion that calls out to our Lord Khorne.

 

With the use of Marked and unmarked troops, and Chosen you could even keep the Neophyte/Initiate side of the Templar background. They might not even see themselves as corrupt; the Word Bearers themselves almost didn't fall to Chaos but made a choice to worship it. And as such, they might keep many of their traditions.

 

Have you thought about the level of Possession and mutation? Will they be largely free of it, not having spent ten thousand years in the Warp, or will they have completely thrown themselves into it? A related issue is Daemon Engines.

 

Another question is sorcerors. The Templars aren't really the most welcoming of people when it comes to psykers, but maybe this Crusades latent potential was missed and has broken out? As a lot of Chaos worship revolves around this, it's worth considering.

 

It's a really cool idea, definitely one with a lot of legs and I'd be lying if I hadn't considered it myself so I'll be really interested in where you go with your warband. Modelling wise, have you thought about picking up the Black Templar upgrade kits for extra-special defiling potential? :P

Hmmm yeah thought needs to be put in on the whole cult troop thing. Still that can be developed over time. I was under the impression that the word bearers worshiped chaos as a whole and I looked down on those who worked the gods individually. I could well be mistaken however.

 

I also didn't envision them as corrupted Black Templars (which would be cool though) but more a word bearer version. The fanaticism of the word bearers combined with the unstable mentality of a space marine would to my mind led to the creation of such a violent force. They would launch their own crusades of faith, like small black crusades I guess, that would aim to convert the imperium to the rule of the 'true' god. And by convert I mean kill.

 

In my mind their dark apostle would be far more militaristic and active taking on the roles of the Coryphaus, supported by his Coryphaus and First Acolyte, with the rest of the force being led by other acolytes, possibly not to much different from a normal word bearer force, but least in my army fluff it will be different ^_^

 

Possessed will be those luckily enough to be blessed by the gods, and I'm thinking of having a magos-sorcerer to explain the obloterators, demon engines etc. This is to be a long term project, I have been working on my first modle (first acolyte I suppose) and the green stuff sculting, while going well, takes time. Still I'm finding the whole thing fun. Not trying to be pretentious but I am trying to make art out of my little toy soldier (I failed miserably there with the not sounding pretentious didn't I!).

A-D-B's Night Lord's novels are excellent if you're looking for details or ideas, and without sounding too much like a fanboy First Heretic is great and could be a really good source.

 

At least you have narrowed your idea down to two paths. I would suggest waiting for the new codex to make a 100% decision, would be bad to get started on an idea only to find the new codex cannot represent it as you have in your mind. Plus there may be some things you fall in love with unit wise (You can ask some of the people who have seen my battle reports, i take possessed, lots and lots of possessed), so waiting to make the final decision would allow you to perus everything in the book and make a more informed and wiser decision.

That's certainly what I'm currently doing. Waiting. I've got a good idea of the general shape, but the details need feeling in.

 

Also, things like the box set will provide lots of good convertible models from the Loyalists, while I'm waiting to see what the new model fairy brings.

At least you have narrowed your idea down to two paths. I would suggest waiting for the new codex to make a 100% decision, would be bad to get started on an idea only to find the new codex cannot represent it as you have in your mind. Plus there may be some things you fall in love with unit wise (You can ask some of the people who have seen my battle reports, i take possessed, lots and lots of possessed), so waiting to make the final decision would allow you to perus everything in the book and make a more informed and wiser decision.

 

That is a valid point. However like a little kid I can't wait. However I could always change. Looking at what I have done so it feels more like a Word Bearer so that is what he will be. If the future marines will be the same, who knows. Chaos is a wondrous entity, I walk the path and will see where the gods take me.

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