Sergeant position

[Knight of the Raven]

Sixth Edition has brought rules, such as casualties starting closest to the enemy and challenges, that made the position of a sergeant among his squad more important tactically than previously. This has led me to wonder about how the different Legiones Astartes led their troops. I fully expect (Nostraman) Night Lords to hide behind their men while Dark Angels sergeants to lead from the front, but I may be completely wrong.

Where did officers of the different Legions stand among their troops during battle in your opinion?

[Marshal Rohr]

All space marine leaders would lead from the front, brother. There is a passage somewhere by A D B I think saying that the wars during the age of strife taught humanity that the most effective way to wage war was personal combat with leaders to the fore, and space marines were created with that in mind. 

[Kol Saresk]

The Night Lords Sergeants would especially lead from the front as a leader in the Night Lords have to constantly prove that they are strong enough to lead. Otherwise someone with more "ambition" is liable to take the position by force. But so far, everything we've seen of the sergeants show them to be in the thick of it alongside their squad.

[Raulmichile]

Except in the game, where it seems sergeants got a small pair and prefer to lead from the very back.... unless they've got a tasty 2+ save....

 

Well, another example of rules not equal to fluff!

[Kol Saresk]

Which is understandable certain aspects of the fluff are almost impossible to put on the tabletop.

 

Of course, in the game even a Night Lords squad leader gets a squad who is willing to go "Look out Sir! I'll take that shot for you!" which is definitely not something the stereotypical Night Lord would do.

[Hyaenidae]

I assume it's more like a Night Lord Sergeant grabs the closest brother to him, holds him in front until the twitching stops, and drops his bolt-riddled corpse with a mirthful "Thanks, buddy."

[Kol Saresk]

Except then his back would be wide open for the brother he didn't use for cover. :D

[Hyaenidae]

Except that guy can't kill him, lest he take a few rounds himself.

[Kol Saresk]

I don't know, a knife in the back is very concealed. Then just use the dead sergeant and his dead bodyshield for cover.......

 

But still, my take on it was always that a Night Lord at least has to project the illusion of strength, otherwise he could be legitimately challenged and killed in a murder-duel. Of course, that would cause any....... "ambitious" individuals to take a more alternative route and hope it actually looks like an accident or war casualty, which could be rather difficult in a Legion full of murderers, backstabbers and sadists.

[Knight of the Raven]

The rulebook does mention that Look Out, Sir! can refer to the officer diving behind his troops or using one soldier as a shield in addition to the nobler version.

(Maybe a pre-Curze Night Lord would jump in front of his sergeant though, I don't know much about those.)

Thanks for the answers. This thread can still prove useful though; do you play true to lore and have your officers lead from the front of their squads or do you keep them at the back (or elsewhere)?

[Reinholt]

So what you are saying is that my alpha legion should have sergeants that look exactly like my troops, other than a secret mark on the underside of the base, and even I shouldn't know who it is until I check to see who just died?

 

That could be entertaining. Goes right along with putting each trooper's name on their base, only every single base has "Alpharius!" written on it.

[Marshal Rohr]

Reinholt, don't forget the probably switched their bases when you weren't looking too. 

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

A D-B's NL series has a few examples of intra-claw loyalty and a willingness to cover each other's backs etc.

 

Inter-claw, less so ;)