Building a Great Company - need fluff clarification

[Raensleyar]

I am in the process of detailing out my wolf company - the 9th. I have names and a basic premise, but need clarification to make sure the premise makes sense before I go into detail.

The 9th company is led by Wolf Lord Bodvarr Endbringer, Shield of Fenris. He has been tasked by the Great Wolf to aid a radical inquisitor in the scouring of chaos infestation in a small subsector of Calixis. The intrigue and machinations of the Inquisition in Calixis have caused the inquisitor (name to be determined) to call on Logan and the space wolves for aid. Both men have a strong sense of justice and honor and became friends in prior campaigns.

Bodvarr is chosen for a number of reasons. First, he served with House Belisariaus and can handle himself with political machinations. Second, a strong will and charismatic personality that mirrors that of Logan himself, he is well liked and amiable. Third, as with any son of fenris, he is quite capable on a battlefield and has experience dealing with chaos incursions.

With regard to his history, he is one of the six who fought to protect an imperial space port from Tyranid invasion.

Would such a premise be plausible? Would a wolf lord and his company be tasked to aid an inquisitor?

Bodvarr and his company pay host to the inquisitor and his very small retinue on a Space Wolves vessel.

Would this be a strike cruiser or a battle barge?

{side note: I plan to have the Inquisitor model in my army, but am debating whether to field him as a "counts as" wolf priest or as a "counts as" Rune Priest. For either, his warded artificer armor would essentially be "runic armor" For his psychic powers, he would choose from the 6th ed rule book rather than the Space Wolves codex. Gear would be translated into suitable "non-fenrisian" inquisitorial iconography and weapons. The rune priest has the benefit of allowing psychic powers and the wolf priest has the prefrred enemy, both of which seem to work well for an inquisitor. Also, I can't ally as I would need Grey Knights as troop allies, which I don't want ot use.}

Thanks for any thoughts and comments, even if it is that such a premise is completely implausible and need to be scrapped.

[Reede]

I see no reason as to why they wouldn't, though it would really depend on the level of threat as to who they would send. In the books Logan Grimnar has Rangar and his bloodclaw pack sent with an Inquisitor to investigate a planet that is being overrun by a plague. The only thing I would say there is a Wolf Lord probably wouldn't be sent unless there was a reason for the whole company to go, major scale invasion or at least as you're putting it, incursions that are indicative of that, otherwise the Wolf Lord would probably sent a Wolf Guard and a pack to investigate.

 

As for the type of ship... I don't know there. Offhand I would probably say Battlecruiser (once again per the Space wolves omnibus), though I'm very unsure as to if that's any/very different from a Battlebarge.

[Sturm Moonwolf]

Sounds good to me. A Wolf Lord and his entire company is totally plausible to help the Inquisition if it's a major operation. Now whether or not they would be dispatched in a Battle Cruiser or 2, a flotilla of several smaller ships or a Battle Barge I'm not too sure about. I think I can only recall 2 maybe 3 named Battle Barges in the fluff, Logan having one and Ragnar does have his own. I'm not sure if EVERY Great Company has their own Battle Barge though.

[Raensleyar]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will go toward a strike cruiser accompanied by a couple of escort frigates. That allows for increases mobility and a little more story than a singular ship.

[Raensleyar]

Lord Inquisitor Ersan Dogan

 

A radical inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus, over the centuries has slowly come to see the Ecclessiarchy as hampering the imperium. It was of little surprise that following the First Armageddon War, when he was not yet a Lord, he found himself aligned in his views with Logan Grimnar.  The mind wipe of millions who had fought bravely was an affront to his sense of justice.  Later, when the Ecclesiarchy and three orders of the Sisters of Battle came to Fenris, it was Dogan who sent a carefully worded missive of warning.  

 

Given his radical beliefs, he has made many enemies even within the Inquisition; thus,it is a good thing that he counts Logan Grimnar as ally and friend.

 

Wargear

 

[counts as Rune Priest in terminator armor]

 

Dogan is armed with Black Harbinger, a hammer forged of adamantium. Known only to Dogan and his most loyal acolyte, a daemon has been bound within the hammer, turning it black.  The daemon allows him access to psychic powers (divination, mastery level 1). To the outsider, he is merely a psyker and the hammer a talisman. [counts as runic weapon]

 

The lord Inquisiter wears runic artificer armor, gifted to him by Logan Grimnar.  [counts-as terminator armor]

 

 

Wolf Lord Bodvarr Endbringer

 

A  true-born son of Fenris, Bodvarr is a man of indomitable will and courage.  Coupled with this strength, however, is an amiable and charismatic character that has served him and the Space Wolves well.  He is a man of dualities.  On the one hand he is at true-born son of Fenris,  invariably accompanied by the wolf he tamed centuries earlier, Grendel; one the other hand, he is a rarity among his brethren, having served with both House Belisarius and the Deathwatch.  To some this has given him a needed perspective, to others his absence from the pack has been seen as a betrayal and turning away from that which makes one Fenrisian.

 

It is because of his character that Grimnar tasked him to aid Inquisitor Dogan.

 

Wargear

 

Terminator Armor

Wolf Claw

Storm Shield

 

Saga of the Beast Slayer

[PupLord]

I LOVE IT!

 

Particularily Lord Dogan's fluff. Good stuff! Nothing to add.

 

And I also think that your decision on the fleet composition makes more sense. All Wolf Lords have access to several space vessels but battle barges are a rarity. A strike cruiser accompanied by an escort detatchment is the more plausible option. Battle Group Ragnarok or something like that in honor of Lord Endbringer's name.

 

-Pup

[SW1]

Yup ... This is looking really good.  :)

 

Though I'm not sure about the hammer being a daemon weapon.  Won't the Rune Priests notice it?

[Raensleyar]

@PupLord - nice ... Battlegroup Ragnarok it is.

 

@SW1 - Good point. That is the kind of feedback I need. I am not completely sure how obvious it would be to other psykers.  If it is obvious, then I imagine that is one of the reasons he is considered a radical inquisitor.  Now, given his character and personality, would the rune priests care or would they interpret it as doing what you have to?

[BT_Cennar]

He has to be a mighty psyker to controll the demon. Id suggest choosing another background for the "black" metal.. maybe some sort of Necron metal he came across or so.. Using a demonpossesed weapon leads just into Death, by the Demon or the Ordo .Only one Inquisitor is known (or unknown by the Imperium) to controll a Demon so.... everything else sounds cool. Hope to see your Inquisitor soon beside the Wolves (pic´s welcome)

[Reede]

"The lord Inquisiter wears runic artificer armor, gifted to him by Logan Grimnar.  [counts-as terminator armor]"

 

Why is it counting as Terminator armour and not runic armour? I haven't heard of normal humans using terminator-like armour before, though I suppose it's not impossible.

[SW1]

I've got several classic Inquisitors in TDA so there are ones in the background.  :)

[Raensleyar]

He has to be a mighty psyker to controll the demon. Id suggest choosing another background for the "black" metal.. maybe some sort of Necron metal he came across or so.. Using a demonpossesed weapon leads just into Death, by the Demon or the Ordo .Only one Inquisitor is known (or unknown by the Imperium) to controll a Demon so.... everything else sounds cool. Hope to see your Inquisitor soon beside the Wolves (pic´s welcome)

 

 

Sounds good. I think I will change that to something else and essentially make him a "regular" psyker. I want the characters to be interesting, but still remain within the relative norms of the setting.  

 

"The lord Inquisiter wears runic artificer armor, gifted to him by Logan Grimnar.  [counts-as terminator armor]"

 

Why is it counting as Terminator armour and not runic armour? I haven't heard of normal humans using terminator-like armour before, though I suppose it's not impossible.

 

This is mainly because the armor is fairly elaborate on the Coteaz model I am using and it was the only way I could think of to make him potent enough for an Inquisitor Lord.  Essentially magical armor, really.  I believe inquisitors, though, are ones who can wear terminator armor, though it isn't supposed to look like space marine terminator armor.  Hence, I figured the elaborate nature of his  armor would allow for it to be a "count as."

[BT_Cennar]

There are plenty non marines in the books whom wears TDA. Just make sure he doesent look like a SM in TDA. Maybe painting his body armor bright but getting darker and somehow...donno the word paperskinier in his face. Like the emperors face in starwars.

Godemperordamn dont kill me for that herasy.

Well just my opinion

[Grey Mage]

So when you say chosen- you do mean by his fellow wolf guard right?

Because thats how it works, the WG all have a thing, and vote on the new lord.

[Raensleyar]

Here I am speaking more of how he became involved with the Inquitor and was chosen to join him, rather than chosen as  Wolf Lord.  I would imagine that Grimnar would have the authority to send him where he thinks he is needed. If I recall from Battle of the Fang, the Great Wolf pretty much makes Greyloc stay and defend.  

 

With regard to him being a Wolf Lord, the presumption is that he was capable enough to have earned it.  I did, however, think that there was some sort of physical challenge or battle?

[SW1]

You will find a lot of marines who come back from serving on the Deathwatch alive end up being marked for greatness and will end up being great heroes of their respective chapters.  So having an ex-deathwatch SW become a Wolf Lord would be fluffy.  I got this from reading the Deathwatch novel.

 

We know that Wolf Lords are chosen by the Wolf Guard of a Great Company from their own members when a Wolf Lord fall in battle.  My understanding is it's generally the WG who takes up the hunt and kills the killer of the previous Lord.  There will normally be some WG who are seen as possible leaders of the company in the future and the Wolf Lord will develop their leadership skills by using them in the role of Wolf Guard Battle Leaders.

[Valerian]

Strike Cruiser with escorts is definitely more appropriate direction to go.  Instead of using your Inquisitor as a counts-as Rune Priest, I'd recommend that you actually use him as an allied Inquisitor, then for your mandatory and optional Grey Knights codex units you can paint them as Space Wolves (making them a part of the Wolf Lord's Great Company in your fluff), but they'd be counts-as, whatever you need from the GK dex.  This guy pulls it off brilliantly:  http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/267400-space-wolves-13th-company-grand-army-updated-3rd-june/.  That way you a little bit of the best of both worlds with the fluff and the units that you want to include.

 

Valerian

[Apahllo]

Are you sure you want to use a rune priest as a inquisitor? Have you looked into allied spacemarines? You can get div from DA or BA if that's what you really need.

 

The Wolf Lord is a boss dude, I can't wait to hear sagas about the beasts he has slain!

[Valerian]

In his story, though, the guy is an Inquisitor, so why not play his as one? Hell, he's using the Coteaz model, and Coteaz is a steal for his points. I'd play him as Coteaz, but call him his guy and use his backstory. Add in Terminators for Wolf Guard that are counts-as GKT, etc., and you're golden.

[Apahllo]

In his story, though, the guy is an Inquisitor, so why not play his as one? Hell, he's using the Coteaz model, and Coteaz is a steal for his points. I'd play him as Coteaz, but call him his guy and use his backstory. Add in Terminators for Wolf Guard that are counts-as GKT, etc., and you're golden.

I guess it's too far of a stretch for me, I'd rather use the rules for a inquisitor or a something else to make it unique in comparison to the rest of the army.

 

The rules for other marines especially the vanilla dex add some really interesting alternatives to runepriests. In his case he could use these rule differences to further enhance the sense that the inquisitor is not just unique because he says so.

[Raensleyar]

I like the idea of using the inquisitor as an inquisitor rather than rune priest; however, I currently already use a unit of TDA terminators ... wouldn't adding a unit of "counts as grey knights" complicate things?

 

I really wish that the GK codex allowed you to take inquisitorial storm troopers as a troop choice.  Perhaps, I could take a "counts as Coteaz" and add 12 storm trooper models as in warband.  Still need to think through the specific rules aspects.  I like to try and keep things simple and it seemed a counts-as rune priest was the simplest approach of all.  

 

You've all given me some things to think about.  

Regardless, thanks for the feedback and advice! You guys are great.