Moritat?

[Montuhotep]

Put simply just for curiosity's sake, what is a Moritat?

 

 I've gleaned enough to know that he's an Astartes and probably something to do with the Great Crusade/Heresy and a more detailed explanation might be in the Betrayal FW book, but that's all.

 

 So, what is he and what role does he have?

[Kastor Krieg]

Nothing to do with Astartes. It's a Death Cult that has its own Assassins (Reapers).

 

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/The_Moritat

[Emperor's Furor]

Moritat's are a rank of legion astartes equal to that of a company captain, they tend to lead destroyer squads and wield two pistols and rad grenades.

[Kastor Krieg]

They seriously used the same name for two different things in the same IP field?!

GW...

[Adra'Melek]

Given that Moritat rank ended well before the Moritat Death Cult began it's not really a cross over. Also since the word has something to do with death it makes sense it crops up again.

[spu00sed]

I'm actually curious as to what a moritat specialises in and how he got on that career path.

 

A champion shows great aptitude with a blade

A chief apocarthcary knows how to win operation

A siege master knows the ins and outs of sieges

A librarian cheats at poker

 

A moritat kills things,mike any marine can

 

Does he do it with style?, thus the two pistols and the movie marine ability to wipe out a squad.

[Emperor's Furor]

Well his rules imply he's a ruthless individual who doesn't get on with other astartes much since he can only ever join destroyer squads and their domain requires them to use "exotic" weapons like rad weapons.

[Kol Saresk]

Think of him as Wolverine. But with dual wield and dirty bombs instead of claws and regeneration.

[Montuhotep]

I have seen models of them armed with two plasma pistols - in modelling terms, would this be considered standard armament?

 

 Also, this second question seems a little superfluous but would a Legion as ruthless in general as the World Eaters actually even need one?

[Kol Saresk]

Yes on the World Eaters. In Betrayer, IIRC, the Destroyers are talked about as being avoided by the rest of their brothers. Mostly due to the lethality of the weapons they carry, but it is possible that anyone who chooses to personally lead these troops into battle would be a Moritat. Or Khârn.

[Emperor's Furor]

If I recall right the leader of the destroyers is in fact Khârn's best friend? My memory is foggy though.

[Kol Saresk]

I believe he was a sergeant. It was never clarified if there was or wasn't more than one Destroyer squad.

[Wade Garrett]

What makes a Moritat special in an Astartes Legion?

 

"The question is not, how far are you willing to go in the name of victory? The question is, do you have the strength to go as far as it takes?"

[Montuhotep]

The fact that he has no mates, apparently!

[GhostMalone]

I honestly want to convert one of every centurion option but until there is definitive artwork ima try stay away from it

[jeremy1391]

I envision a moritat as a doc holiday style marine officer, he is dying because of illness but cares not, he is here to kill bad guys not to inspire and lead troops! And to quote tombstone "I've got two guns, one for the each o ya"

A moritat has probably been a destroyer so long that his astartes physiology is starting to fail so his mission is to take as many enemies to the grave with him as he can!

[Greyall]

Which is genuinely funny because, as much sense as it makes for a Destroyer's health to start failing, you need those eagle eyes, stable hand and un-gased mind to be able to down an entire squad of other super-people who're pointing their guns at you. Our Moritat basically says "Screw this, my health's going down the pipe, I'm starting a mass rank reduction on our cousins using these pistols and my adamantium-sheathed recklessness."

 

And it makes sense in 40K, as the Space Wolves have shown us: last survivour of a squad -> pick close combat weapons -> so this is how you humilliate a Carnifex. The best part about this is that it makes little sense for a lone, non-commanding Astartes to grow reckless. Astartes' selse of preservation is much reduced when applying to self and basically only works towards their squad. And, for commanders, throwing themselves at nightmares with blades is their job. So, once you take an Astartes from his squad, he's a man with nothing to lose because "Better to die for the Emperor..."

[DuskRaider]

I suppose it would depend on the Legion. For Imperial Fists it may be a punishment, but for Death Guard I can see it being an honor of sorts. A Moritat may not even be a prior Destroyer, he may be a former Seeker or Recon Marine who shows proficiency with a weapon, he could be a former Captain who's lost his squad in action, he could be anything honestly. I view it as a rank that holds the same authority as a Centurion, but whom has no actually authority over others (barring Destroyers), kind of like Master Chief I suppose. A normal Captain cannot give him orders, he's on the same level as other high ranking officers so they can't lord over him. At least that's my take on it.

[Wade Garrett]

And now I am picturing Moritats offering challenges by saying "I'm your huckleberry!".

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

According to the rules, a Moritat is a Consol. 

 

The only fluff I am aware of is in Distant Echoes of Old Night, in which Death Guard Moritat Vitas Phorgal is described as doing, 'the Warmaster's bidding from a command deck throne'.

[Greyall]

That's some difference in jobs right there.

 

Unless the guy can snipe enemy soldiers from a command throne - in orbit. Using twin Bolt Pistols.

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

Indeed, but just because one Moritat acts as a loner (or leading Destroyer squads) on the table top, doesn't mean another cannot be a specialist in void warfare, similar to Vandred in the Night Lords series. I'm not saying Vandred was a Moritat, just that he bears a passing resemblance to Vitas Phorgal.

[Greyall]

Very true =)