Unleash the Lions, the XI Legion

[Sigismund229]

Hello everybody and welcome to my thread about my version of the XI Legion, the Crimson Lions. I came up with the idea for this legion quite a while ago but have only actually started to majorly work on them since I've started working on them alongside AO108 working on his II. However, unlike him I don't have an absoloutely monstrous number of 30k models, so I won't be able to post pictures of the XI for at least another few weeks. For now, I'm just gonna be posting fluff and rules and the like on here.

Legion: XI.

Name: Crimson Lions(formerly Blood Wolves).

Primarch: Hectarion Mycenor.

Homeworld: Mycenae.

Legion Strength: 130,000.

With the Crimson Lions, I'm not particularly basing them off any culture in particular. They're going to be barbarians, much like the Space Wolves and the White Scars.

Crimson Lions, Legion Tactics:

Blood of the Lion

+1A when a unit has taken 25% casualties

And

Shield wall

When 2 or more breacher squads are within "6" of each other then they upgrade their invulnerable save by -1, so 6++ becomes 5++ and 5++ becomes 4++.

And the Crimson Lions special units are:

Line Breakers: Marines who, for whatever reason, have been sentenced to death by the Primarch but have been given one last chance to try and redeem themselves or die and honourable death before they do. Essentially they're assault marines with breaching shields and can still run despite carrying breaching shields. Function a bit like an XI legion Death Company.

 

Toxotai: Crimson Lions who have been so badly wounded that the majority of them is bionics but they weren't wounded enough to be interred in a dreadnought. Unable to feel the rush of battle or the joy of brotherhood, the Toxotai are locked in suits of cataphractii armour and given the some of the legions most volatile weaponry and hurled at the enemy. Deprived of the joys of life, these warriors are driven on by cold rage, only knowing peace with a dead enemy at their feet and a war cry on their blood and oil flecked lips. Function like a toned down version of Red Butchers.

 

Peltastai: Those rare Crimson Lions who show a preferrence for waging war at range are inducted into one the Legion Reconnaisence Brotherhoods. The elite of these marines are then promoted into the Peltastai. Armed with plasma rifles, the Peltastai are expert scouts, easily the match of the Raven Guard. When the Crimson Lions attack a fortress, the enemy sentries will often have their throats cut in the dead of night, or their heads will be blasted apart by plasma weapons. This is the kind of work the Peltastai excell at, quick and quiet with little praise expected or recieved. A long range unit.

 

Pezhetairoi: Basically units of champions designed to kill enemy elite units.

 

Hypaspists: Members of the First Brotherhood of the First Clan. Basically Elite Breachers.

 

Myramodons: The Primarchs bodyguard. 20 of the XI best warriors.

[Doctor Perils]

First of all, welcome to the Bolter and Chainsword !

Seems interesting enough on the whole, but I have got a few comments. I tend to sound a bit harsher than I mean to, but I'm only trying to provide constructive criticism and comments:

• You say they're not based off any culture, but they've all got greek names. Whereas that's not a problem, be careful of those that will say that there are already enough greek inspired legions (Iron Warriors, and to a lesser degree Ultramarines, Salamanders, and Imperial Fists).
• +1 A for 25% casualties seems OP for Heresy. Mind you, I don't play heresy and I'm not a 40k rules connoisseur, but bearing in mind that you can have units of 20 marines, that means that you can easily get units of 15 marines with 2 attacks (when they're simple tac squads) or more if they've got Pistols & CCW.
• Are the special units you mention all getting special rules, or are they more of a fluffy aspect ? I'd recommend you only try to develop rules for two units for the moment (the Toxotai and Line Breakers for instance), as that's all other legions get generally.
• Try and create their own specialist weaponry. This could easily be a shield or a pike or things like that if you do end up running with the greek theme, but don't let that limit you.
• If I'm being brutaly honest, it might be a good idea to think of another name: there are already two instances of wolves (space wolves and Luna wolves), there are already two legions that have prefixes loosely related to blood (Blood Angels and Death Guard), and there is already a Primarch called the Lion. To avoid confusion and make your Legion stand out, try and find something that really makes people think of YOUR legion first and foremost, and not "wolves... hum, space, luna or 'the other one'". The same goes with colour scheme: there are already three red legions (blood angels, Thousand Sons and later Word Bearers), don't make your's just the fourth. Find something out of the ordinary for the Legions.
• Quick and quiet doesn't mix well with plasma... Unless you make it work, or have your own brand of plasma for instance. As things stand, plasma technology might be the single most spectacular kind of weaponry you can find.
• Try to find a reason for why your units were created. Line breakers seem all right for the moment, though they may ressemble the fists a bit much. The Toxotai however just seem tacked on as a mix between Iron Hands and Death Guard. Also, you seem to be aiming at a middle ground between slightly wounded and very wounded, it just doesn't sound right. If you ask me, this seems far more like punishment detail than the Line Breakers.
• Even if you don't want to copy a real world civilisation (which I can understand) try and find a sort of prefered tactic that combines with their theme, because for the moment you've got "barbarians with shields that also have dying men acting as destroyer terminators, who also have brilliant assassins, as well as duelists"... a bit of a mouthful, considering that most of the other legions can be resumed in a handful of words.
• Give more information about your Primarch (how he acts/thinks, his preferred way(s) of fighting, and his favored weapons), your homeworld, the legion before the Primarch, the Legion upon finding the Primarch, and more importantly, why they were censored ! It must have been something cuss: ing terrible since the nine traitor legions weren't censored.

[Sigismund229]

Thanks for the c&c Lord Thørn! I shall try and adress some of those issues. However, for now, heres some fluff about the XI's homeworld and their initiation rights

The homeworld of the XI legion is the world of Mycenae. The worlds surface is covered with lush green forests and grasslands split by mountain ranges. While at first, the world of Mycenae seems like a paradise, the inhabitants of the world know better. The mountains are home to the mighty Stone Lions, called such by the natives of Mycenae due to the lions stone grey pelt. These colossal predators stalk both the mountains and the grasslands of Mycenae. They are rightly feared by the Mycenaeans, for they can slaughter a dozen grown men before they are themselves killed. Even the forests provide no respite from danger, as they are home to packs of animals similair to ancient terran wolves, known to the Mycenaeans as shadow hounds. The presence of these predators means that the humans of Mycenae are the hunted almost as often as they are the hunter. During the planets years long summers, the humans are often able to fend off attacks by these predators. However, in the long, dark winters, children go missing and grown men are dragged screaming into the dark, never to be seen again.

 

The Crimson Lions draw their recruits from those tribesmen who survive these dangers. Every summer, the most talented young warriors of each tribe journey to the base of the Mountain of Heroes. In the giant crater at the mountains base, the tribesmen fight each other in single combat, each hoping to catch the attention of the gods they believe reside on the Mountain. While they do so, they are watched over by the Illia, men who were once mighty champions of the tribes themselves but were deemed worthy enough for them to climb the Mountain of Heroes and join the ranks of those tribesmen made Immortal by the gods, who now wage war in the heavens. They are the Crimson Lions.

 

Once a tribesman has been deemed worthy enough to attempt to join the Crimson Lions, he faces a myriad of trials to see if he is truly worthy. The culmination of these is when he must hunt down and kill a Stone Lion with his bear hands. He must then dip his right hand in the Lions blood and drag its body back to the Lions keep as proof of his feat. Only then is he truly a Crimson Lion.

[AlphariusOmegon108]

Nice work so far! ;)

[Sigismund229]

Yet more fluff

Even before the discovery of their primarch, the marines of the XI legion showed a preferance for fighting shoulder to shoulder in dense phalanxes of astartes. Since they discovered their primarch and the XI begining to induct men from the tribes of Mycenae into their ranks, breacher squads have become the standard unit used by the Crimson Lions. Even the champions of the legions Brotherhoods and Clans, the elite pezhetairoi, fight with a shield mag locked to their arm. Because of this, the whole fighting ethos of the Crimson Lions has become built around the use of phalanxes of breachers to close with the enemy and begin to grind them down in close combat. Those marines whose temperements aren't suited to this kind of combat are often assigned to destroyer squads. As such, the destroyers have an even worse reputation in the XI than in many other legions, known as a dumping ground for trouble makers and the more hotheaded legionnaires.

 

Despite the heavy use of breacher squads, the XI legion does still maintain reconnaissance and heavy support elements. Where the role of assault marines is entrusted to Line Breakers and Destroyers, the role of reconnaissance and heavy support is more often than not assigned to the surviving Terran veterans. These astartes, warriors who have triumphed on countless battlefields, see the need for tactical flexibility in a way that their bretheren who were raised amongst the warriors of Mycenae don't. While their younger bretheren rush into battle in their phalanxes, the Terrans provide them with covering fire and armoured support.

[Sigismund229]

When Hectarion's gestation pod landed on Mycenae, he was discovered by King Alfryd Mycenor of the Saksen tribe. While at first, the tribesmen were going to kill the boy, he was saved by the intervention of the tribes Shaman who predicted that the boy was the Son of a God and would one day wage war in the stars. Hearing this, Alfryd called off his warriors and instead adopted the boy as his son.

 

Over the years, this would prove to be a wise choice as Hectarion soon grew taller and broader than any of the tribesmen. He soon became famous for his skills as both a warrior and strategist. Under his command, the tribes warriors won a great many victories, expanding the Saksens territory far beyond what any tribe had accomplished before. For years, in Summer he brought them victories in war and in Winter slaughtered any Stine Lion or Shadow hound that dared come too close to the Saksens encampments. However, one year, as the long bright summer came to an end, Hectarion was unable to protect his people. In the long dark, he had gone out hunting and when he returned, he found that a Stone Lion had killed both his adoptive father and twelve of the tribes best warriors. Filled with anger, Hectarion left the encampment once more. This time, he went stalking up into the mountains, not giving a reason as to why. As the months passed, it began to be rumoured that he had, at last, met his match and been killed. The Saksens began to be attacked by tribes that were envious of their great wealth and lands. Spurred on by the rumour that Hectarion was dead, more and more tribes began to attack the Saksens, who were unable to fight the tens of thousands of warriors now descending on them.

 

However, a full 7 months after his dissapearrance, Hectarion returned, wearing the pelt of a huge Stone Lion, the very same Lion that had killed his father. Wearing this trophy, Hectarion led the Saksens in battle against the enemy once more. This time, the enemy tribes were unable to withstand Hectarion, enraged by the slaughter they had wrought on his people. Following this string of victories, Hectarion was made king of the Saksens and vowed to honour his dead step fathers memory by completing his dream of a Mycenae united under Saksen rule.

 

Over the next years, Hectarion created the greatest alliance of tribes that Mycenae had ever seen. Some he brought into the fold through diplomacy, promising protection from enemy tribes or a permanent alliance with the Saksens through marriage of a Kings daughter to one of Hectarions nobles. As the Saksens expanded, they soon came into conflict with the southernmost tribes of Mycenae.

 

The southern tribes of Mycenae were ferocious warriors. They took their enemies skulls as trophies and made cloaks out of their enemies scalps. Their god was a being known as "Cahorn", god of Blood and War. As Hectarions armies pressed ever further into the arid lands controlled by these people, they soon began to band together until they formed a mighty army to rival that of Hectarion himself. When the two armies met, it was said the sound of spears crashing against shields could be heard miles away and that, following the battle, the skies above Mycenae turned red and rained blood for a week. As the battle raged on into the dark night, with the battlefield illuminated only by flashes of lightning, the priests of Cahorn completed a ritual fueled by the mass slaughter raging around them and summoned a "Trecahorn", a dreadful servant of the blood god. A bloodthirster.

 

Wherever the bloodthirster strode, Hectarions men died in their hundreds. Soon, Hectarions army began to waver. However, Hectarion stood resolute in the face of this new threat and instead of running, he let out a bellow that shook the very core of Mycenae and charged. For hours the young primarch fought the servant of Khorne. As the dawn rose, it was Hectarion who roared in triumph. However, the denizens of the Warp are not so easily gotten rid of. As Hectarion banished the bloodthirster, it managed to leave behind part of itself in the material universe by leaving behind a never ending pool of anger and lust for blood in Hectarion. At first, he found it easy to resist these urges. However, as time wore on, it became more and more difficult for Hectarion to control his anger. Leaving his councilors to govern his newly made Empire, he would go hunting for weeks at a time, hoping to quench his anger. However, it never worked and his anger simply came back. By the time the Emperor landed alongside elements of the XVI and XVIII egions, Hectarion had almost ceased to be. All that was left was a seething cauldron of rage. As the XVI and XVIII landed, instead of the welcome they were expecting, they found a vast army of tribesmen waiting for them. As the Luna Wolves and Salamanders began to disembark, the tribesmen hurled themselves forwards in a ground shattering charge, Hectarion at their head. While the tribesmen fought the Luna Wolves and Salamanders, Hectarion sought out the gold being at the centre of this army. When he found him, Hectarion wasted no time on words and simply threw himself at the Emperor. While at first the Emperor tried to reason with his son, nothing could pentrate Hectarions blind rage. As the two fought, the Emperor began to see that this was not his son he was fighting, but a servant of Khorne. Mustering his pyschic might, the Emperor sent a pyschic bolt into Hectarion, driving almost all of the bloodthirsters influence from Hectarion. When Hectarion came to his senses and saw what he'd ordered he ordered his tribesmen to halt and fell to his knees begging forgivness, a request the Emperor granted. After this, Hectarion spent a full week feasting his newly discovered father along with his brothers, Horus and Vulkan.

 

When the time came for Hectarion to take command of his legion, then named the Blood Wolves, he broke his old axe over his knee, swearing never to wield the cursed weapon again. Vulkan then presented him with Godstooth, a masterfully crafted Chainaxe, and Hereah's breath, a master made flamer, the weapons that Hectarion would wield in the Great Crusade. Accepting these gifts, Hectarion chained Godstooth to his wrist, swearing never to rest until the Great Crusade was over. And so, the XI legion was united with their primarch.

[simison]

Cool story, Frater, but one nitpick. You misspelled Salamanders the first time.

[Sigismund229]

Here are the Crimson Lions rites of war and some of their special units rules.

 

Rites of War

Blood of the Lion: If a Crimson Lions unit loses 25% of its starting strength then it must take a LD test. If it passes this, then every model in the unit gains +1A.

Shield wall: If two or more units Crimson Lions Breachers are within "12" of each other then their invulnerable saves get upgraded by 1.

 

Hectarion Mycenor, 475 points(Lord of War)

WS8 BS6 S6 T6 W6 I7 A6 LD10 SV2++/4++

Wargear: Godstooth, Hereah's Breath, Primarch armour, Hoplon shield, the Lion Stone.

Godstooth: +1S AP2

Hereah's Breath: S6 AP3, Rtemplate.

The Lion Stone: Gives all friendly units within "6" Furious Charge.

Special rules: Furious Charge, Sons of Mycenae, the Mycenor.

Sons of Mycenae: All Crimson Lions units with Line of Sight on Hectarion may re roll LD checks and gain +1A and +1I.

The Mycenor: Before the game starts, Hectarion must take a LD test. If he passes then he gains +1I. If he fails then he gains Rage but Hectarion must always attempt to charge any unit within "12" of him.

You are Lions!: Any unit Hectarion is attached to may re roll 1s on to hit rolls.

 

Myramodons, 330 points.(Elite)

WS6 BS4 S4 T4 A3 I5 W2 LD10 SV2++/4++.

Wargear: Power halberds, twin linked bolters, hoplon shields, tartaros terminator armour.

Power halberds: +1S AP3 rend on 4++.

Special rules: Champions of the Mycenor, Bloodsworn, Furious Charge.

Champions of the Mycenor: When fighting other Elite units, the Myramodons gain +1S and +1A.

Bloodsworn: When Hectarion is attached to a unit of Myramodons, they gain +1A.

Unit size: 5.

May take up to 5 more Myramodons for +55 points each.

[Big Bad Squig]

What about Hectarion's sire of the Crimson lions rule?

[Teetengee]

So, I don't mean any offense, but these guys seem like just a slightly different World Eater's legion.
What makes them different enough that it warrants an expansion into new legion fluff rather than just a slightly different World Eater's army?

[Sigismund229]

@Big Bad Squig, Sons of Mycenae is Hectarions version of a Sire of the Crimson Lions rule

 

@Teetengee, seeing as most tactics have been covered by canon legions, I'm trying to aim at a mix of Imperial Fists and World Eaters primarily. Perhaps I went to far towards the World Eaters with my primarch and the Myramodons.

Anyway, heres some more rules

 

Line Centurion, +50 points upgrade for a centurion.

Wargear: Close combat weapon, bolt pistol, breacher shield, power armour.

Special rules: Ciringite Frontem!.

Ciringite frontem: Any unit with a Line Centurion in upgrades it's toughness by +1.

 

Toxotai 250 points(Elite)

WS4 BS4 S4 T5 A2 I4 W1 LD9 SV3++/5++

Wargear: Breacher shield, bionics, frag&krak grenades, bolters, falcan blade, targeting systems, special ammunition, void hardened armour.

Targeting systems: May re roll 1s for to hit rolls

Falcan blades: +1S AP4, unwieldy, AP3 if a 5 or 6 is rolled for the to hit roll.

Special rules: Rage, it will not die, Legiones astartes(Crimson Lions).

Unit size: 5

May take up to 5 more toxotai for +12 points each

Any model in the squad may take a burning volkite for +10 points

One in 5 may take

Flamer +5 points.

Graviton gun +10 points.

Power weapon +10 points.

Plasma gun +15 points.

 

Line Breakers, 245 points.(Fast Attack)

WS4 BS4 S4 T4 A1 I4 W1 LD8 SV3++/5++

Wargear: Power armour, breacher shields, close combat weapon, bolt pistol, frag&krak grenades.

Special Rules: Furious Charge, Sworn to Death, Death or Glory, Legiones astartes(Crimson Lions).

Unit size: 10

May take up to 10 more Line Breakers for +12 points each.

One in three may take

Flamer +10 points.

Falcan blade +10 points.

Plasma pistol +15 points.

Power weapon +10 points.

Power fist +20 points.

Power hammer +25 points.

Sworn to death: Line Breakers may have the bonus attack for wielding a bolt pistol and chainsword however they always get hit on a 4++.

Death or Glory: If a unit is under 50% strength it may attempt to regroup. When a unit is under 25% strength, it must take a LD test. If it passes it gains +1A.

 

Crimson Lions specific wargear:

Falcan blade: +1S AP4, unwieldy, are AP3 on a to hit roll of 5 or 6. May be taken by sergeants, centurions or praetors for +10 points.

 

Hoplon Shield: Gives a 4++ invulnerable save in close combat and 5++ at range. May be taken by sergeants, centurions or praetors for +15 points.

[Grifftofer]

Here are the Crimson Lions rites of war and some of their special units rules.

Rites of War

Blood of the Lion: If a Crimson Lions unit loses 25% of its starting strength then it must take a LD test. If it passes this, then every model in the unit gains +1A.

Shield wall: If two or more units Crimson Lions Breachers are within "12" of each other then their invulnerable saves get upgraded by 1.

Hectarion Mycenor, 475 points(Lord of War)

WS8 BS6 S6 T6 W6 I7 A6 LD10 SV2++/4++

Wargear: Godstooth, Hereah's Breath, Primarch armour, Hoplon shield, the Lion Stone.

Godstooth: +1S AP2

Hereah's Breath: S6 AP3, Rtemplate.

The Lion Stone: Gives all friendly units within "6" Furious Charge.

Special rules: Furious Charge, Sons of Mycenae, the Mycenor.

Sons of Mycenae: All Crimson Lions units with Line of Sight on Hectarion may re roll LD checks and gain +1A and +1I.

The Mycenor: Before the game starts, Hectarion must take a LD test. If he passes then he gains +1I. If he fails then he gains Rage but Hectarion must always attempt to charge any unit within "12" of him.

You are Lions!: Any unit Hectarion is attached to may re roll 1s on to hit rolls.

Myramodons, 330 points.(Elite)

WS6 BS4 S4 T4 A3 I5 W2 LD10 SV2++/4++.

Wargear: Power halberds, twin linked bolters, hoplon shields, tartaros terminator armour.

Power halberds: +1S AP3 rend on 4++.

Special rules: Champions of the Mycenor, Bloodsworn, Furious Charge.

Champions of the Mycenor: When fighting other Elite units, the Myramodons gain +1S and +1A.

Bloodsworn: When Hectarion is attached to a unit of Myramodons, they gain +1A.

Unit size: 5.

May take up to 5 more Myramodons for +55 points each.

My main concern here is that when you combine all your rules together you have the Myramodons with 7! attacks each base! That is more than any Primarch other than Angron. I'm all for having a theme, but I think you may need to diversify rather than focus in that one area so much. Some thoughts:

• I decided to quickly work out the Myramodon's stats on the charge with Hectarion in a best(worst) case scenario. Each would get 8 attacks at WS 6, I 6, S7, AP 3. And they rend on 4+. Wow that is practically a unit of Lorgars :S
• Sons of Mycenae probably shouldn't just give stat increases (except Ld). Having him boost their physical effectiveness in that way through his presence seems a littel strange. I could maybe see WS increasing as they fight harder, but not really I and A would be more balanced by giving the Counter-attack special rule in my opinion. Other than that I really like the look of Hectarion.
• For the myramodons I do wonder how they carry all their weapons. They seem to have Halberd (2-handed traditionally), Combi-bolter (1-handed) and a shield (1-handed), by my count they ran out of hands a while ago.
• I would also suggest that you reduce their WS by 1 and make their Champions rule give +1WS when fighting against Elite/HQ units. It means that they keep the WS against the better enemies where they might need it.
• I'm not sure whether to suggest having regular rending on the Halberds, or maybe only on a 5+ as currently against other marines they rend 60-75% of the wounds they cause (depending on if they charge).
• Shield wall seems a little odd. 12" is a long way for 2 units to be apart. Possibly make it something like the current Imperial fists shield rule. You only get the +1 to invulnerable saves whilst in base contact(or possibly coherency) with at least 2 other models with this rule.

@Big Bad Squig, Sons of Mycenae is Hectarions version of a Sire of the Crimson Lions rule

@Teetengee, seeing as most tactics have been covered by canon legions, I'm trying to aim at a mix of Imperial Fists and World Eaters primarily. Perhaps I went to far towards the World Eaters with my primarch and the Myramodons.

Anyway, heres some more rules

Line Centurion, +50 points upgrade for a centurion.

Wargear: Close combat weapon, bolt pistol, breacher shield, power armour.

Special rules: Ciringite Frontem!.

Ciringite frontem: Any unit with a Line Centurion in upgrades it's toughness by +1.

Toxotai 250 points(Elite)

WS4 BS4 S4 T5 A2 I4 W1 LD9 SV3++/5++

Wargear: Breacher shield, bionics, frag&krak grenades, bolters, falcan blade, targeting systems, special ammunition, void hardened armour.

Targeting systems: May re roll 1s for to hit rolls

Falcan blades: +1S AP4, unwieldy, AP3 if a 5 or 6 is rolled for the to hit roll.

Special rules: Rage, it will not die, Legiones astartes(Crimson Lions).

Unit size: 5

May take up to 5 more toxotai for +12 points each

Any model in the squad may take a burning volkite for +10 points

One in 5 may take

Flamer +5 points.

Graviton gun +10 points.

Power weapon +10 points.

Plasma gun +15 points.

Line Breakers, 245 points.(Fast Attack)

WS4 BS4 S4 T4 A1 I4 W1 LD8 SV3++/5++

Wargear: Power armour, breacher shields, close combat weapon, bolt pistol, frag&krak grenades.

Special Rules: Furious Charge, Sworn to Death, Death or Glory, Legiones astartes(Crimson Lions).

Unit size: 10

May take up to 10 more Line Breakers for +12 points each.

One in three may take

Flamer +10 points.

Falcan blade +10 points.

Plasma pistol +15 points.

Power weapon +10 points.

Power fist +20 points.

Power hammer +25 points.

Sworn to death: Line Breakers may have the bonus attack for wielding a bolt pistol and chainsword however they always get hit on a 4++.

Death or Glory: If a unit is under 50% strength it may attempt to regroup. When a unit is under 25% strength, it must take a LD test. If it passes it gains +1A.

Crimson Lions specific wargear:

Falcan blade: +1S AP4, unwieldy, are AP3 on a to hit roll of 5 or 6. May be taken by sergeants, centurions or praetors for +10 points.

Hoplon Shield: Gives a 4++ invulnerable save in close combat and 5++ at range. May be taken by sergeants, centurions or praetors for +15 points.

Next batch

• Not sure about the Line centurion. +1 T is a powerful option, but 50 points is an expensive upgrade. I think that if you were to maybe restrict him from taking Terminator armour or any kind of bike he'd be pretty reasonable. That would emphasise his role as being in the main lines and not amongst the flankers or elite elements.
• Toxotai. Any reason that these guys start at T5? The combo with the line centurion seems too good to pass up and would be more than a bit silly.
• It will not dies doesn't actually do anything for them as they only have 1 wound so can't regenerate them at the end of a turn.
• Also what are the bionics supposed to do for them as there is nothing saying?
• Oh and 12 points for each extra is far too low for a unit with these rules.
• Line Breakers. I wonder if there is a particular niche that the Line Breakers fulfill as they seem to be Breachers with some different options and in the Fast Attack slot.
• The first part of Death or Glory is covered by the Legion Astartes rule that all your marines get.
• Sworn to death is not a negative in any way. Marines normally hit on 4s and this rule means that they will never hit on 5s if for some reason they go up against a WS9 opponent or fail a fear check. Change it to them hitting on 5s and I think it will balance more nicely.

Hope you don't think I'm overly harsh with these comments. I think there are some good ideas here and they just need a bit of tweaking to balance against existing legions and your fellow Lost Brothers.

[Sigismund229]

@Griftofter. Thank you for the advice. On the rules I'll probably look over the units aain and try implement some of the changes you suggest.

As for how Myramodons carry their weapons, the combi bolter is wrist mounted and they fight with their shield mag locked to one of their arms.

Also, for Sworn to Death it's not that they hit on 4++ its that they always GET hit on 4++. And the niche they fill is....well breachers with jump packs basically. I had the idea and liked it too much to pass up.

The reason Toxotai are T5 is because I want them to be tougher than usual as they're the legions veterans. They used to have W2 for the same reason but I removed that on the grounds I felt it was OP and I guess I forgot to remove it will not die.

[Grifftofer]

Ah that makes sense for the Line Breakers then. Though they don't have the jump packs in their wargear currently so that may explain my confusion.

 

Perhaps the toxotai should have FNP(5/6+) or something instead of the +1T. They would then be tougher than other units and not need an apothecary, but it wouldn't make them Gal Vorbak levels of tough. Which to my mind is a step beyond even veteran marines.

[Teetengee]

My main point was not that they were tactically problematic, but that they narratively are almost identical to the world eaters. I don't understand their dramatic reason to exist.

[Sigismund229]

How are they nearly identical to the World Eaters?

There are similarities I grant you, mostly in that both serve as effective shock troops and have a preferance for close combat but it doesn't go much further than that.

[Teetengee]

There primarch is a rage filled being who is bitter with the emperor for coming to his planet.
One of their few joys is the joy of battle.

 

 

although looking back it seems you have made the primarch diverge a bit more which is in the right direction,

 

however, he still seems to be more of an Angron what if? than a character in his own right

also, and perhaps the most important question of any lost legion, why were the records expunged? (particularly since this appears to have happened before the heresy)

[Sigismund229]

Legion Organization:

Upon being united with their primarch, the Crimson Lions underwent a large change in their legion organization. Where before they had been organized into Companies and Chapters, Hectarion re organized them into Clans and Brotherhoods. Where chapters size had been fixed at 10.000 astartes, a Clans size was fluid, with there being no fixed size for a Clan. At the time of the Legions destruction, the largest clan was Clan Mallok with a strength of 23.000 astartes and the smallest was Clan Tauran with just under 2000. As with Clans, Brotherhoods had no fixed size and fluctuated from around 100 astartes to just over 1000. As a consuquence of the Clan structure, it relatively easy for detachements of Crimson Lions to be split off from the legions main strength in order to utilise their specialism, that of elite boarders, to maximum effect. However, one effect of the legion being spread out like this is that, while in theory the legion drew the majority of its recruits from Mycenae, many clans drew large numbers of recruits from other worlds they had brought into compliance, leading to slight variations in style of warfare. Two prime examples of this are Clan Kesh and Clan Tauran. Where Clan Kesh, who began to recruit from the savage tribes of Horrilon, relied primarily on overwhelming force to win their battles, Clan Tauran relied more on hit and run tactics and shock to win theirs.

At the time of their destruction, the Crimson Lions disposition was as follows.

43rd Expedition: 90.000 Crimson Lions led by Hectarion.

121st Expedition: 12.000 Crimson Lions led by Myrvallen Agramman of Clan Kesh.

336th Expedition: 8000 Crimson Lions led by Myrvallen Breccus of Clan Briganda.

789th Expedition: 6000 Crimson Lions led by Myrvallen Dronthar of Clan Lyrus.

904th Expedition: 11.000 Crimson Lions led by Myrvallen Vercangorix of Clan Cogidonus.

1001st Expedition: 2000 Crimson Lions led by Myrvallen Jurran of Clan Tauran.

[Sigismund229]

So, I decided today to pit Hectarion against one of his brothers in the BoL universe. I decided to pit him against Raktra as Raktra is the BoL primarch who comes closest to Hectarion in terms of CC ability.

 

Round 1

Turn 1

Hectarion wins the roll to see who goes first but Raktra manages to steal the initiative. Hectarion passes his LD test to gain +1I.

 

Raktra moves forwards 6" and fires Heartworm. Both shots hits, both wound and Hectarion passes both his armour saves(woohoo). After that shooting phase, Raktra attempts to charge Hectarion. Hectarion unleashes Hereah's breath causing 1 wound and Raktra rolls a 1 for his armour save. Raktra then rolls 6" for his charge distance. Raktra fails to recover his wound through IWND.

 

Hectarion starts by moving forward 6". He then fires Hereah's breath at Raktra but it fails to wound. He then attempts to charge Raktra. Raktra fires his overwatch. 1 shot hits but fails to wound Hectarion. Hectarion then rolled a 7" for his charge range of the 6" needed. His HoW attack wounds Raktra and but Raktra passes his armour save.

 

Hectarion strikes first at I8 with 8A(+2 on charge due to Rage). 3 of his attacks hit, 2 hit and Raktra fails both his invulnerable saves. When Raktra hit back, 4 of his attacks hit, 3 wound, Hectarion passes one invulnerable save. At the end of the turn, Hectarion replenishes 1 wound due to IWND.

 

"Traitor! You betrayed us! For....for what? Power? Glory? Father should have left you out to die instead of taking you in as his son" growled Hectarion. "What was there to betray?" grinned Raktra "An old tyrants dream? You may be loyal brother but I'm something much better: Free". As he said this, Raktra ran forward, firing Heartworm at Hectarion. As both shots pinged off Hectarions armour, he fired Hereah's breath at Raktra, dousing his wayward brother in promethium. Raktra roared as his skin blackened and blistered, the pain eventually forcing him to stop charging. When the smoke and flames cleared enough for him to see, Raktra saw Hectarion rushing towards him, gunning Godstooths motor. When he reached Raktra, he let off a flurry of blows with a speed that surprised Raktra. While a lesser being, even a primarch, would doubtless have been overcome by the blows, Raktra simply parried them. However, two blows slipped past his guard, opening up great, bloody gashes in Raktra's flesh. Raktra growled "My turn" at his brother and began to launch mighty hammer blows at Hectarion. While Hectarion turned many aside with his shield, Raktra brought one blow crashing down into Hectarions arm. He then said "Hows does it feel brother? Does it hurt? Make you angry perhaps?". Hectarion snarled and said "You lost the right to call me brother long ago" and launched himself at Raktra once more.

At the end of turn 1:

Hectarion: 6 wounds left.

Raktra: 3 wounds left.

 

Turn 2

Hectarion strikes first at I7 with all his attacks. He hits with 3 of them(again!) and wounds with 2 of them. Raktra passes 1 of his invulnerable saves.

 

Raktra hits with 2 of his attacks and wounds with 1 of them. Hectarion fails his invulnerable save. Raktra fails his IWND roll again, evidently recovering isn't something he does well.

 

Raktra desperately tried to parry the flurry of blows his brother was hurling at him. Damn these wounds! They were making him slower. In a fight against a normal being this wouldn't matter but against a fellow primarch, speed was everything. Raktra growled as his brother sank Godstooth deep into Raktra abdomen and hurled his fist at Hectarions face, probably breaking his nose in the process. He then drove the Grinder into his brother chest, giving it an extra revv to try and cause more damage. Then he withdrew his axe and struck again. However, this time and all the other times afterwards, his brother parried or turned aside his blows. He growled in frustration at his failure to cause his brother any more damage. For a moment the two primarchs parted, both bloodied and battered but unbowed and unbroken. Then Raktra saw something give way inside his brother. Hectarion let loose a ferla roar as he charged Raktra obce again.

At the end of turn 2:

Hectarion: 5 wounds left.

Raktra: 2 wounds left.

 

Turn 3

Hectarion hits with 5 of his attacks, wounds with 3 of them and Raktra passes 2 of his invulnerable saves.

 

Raktra hits with 2 of his attacks, wounds with both of them. Hectarion passes both his invulnerable saves but needs to re roll 1 due to grind. Luckily for me he passes again.

 

For the IWND, Hectarion passes his roll and Raktra fails his(this guy seriously is asking to die....)

 

Raktra was on his knees, bleeding from a dozen deep wounds all across his body. He was getting weaker and slower with every passing moment. Raktra looked up and saw his brother, Hectarion, standing above him, about to deliver the coup de grace. Suddenly Raktra was filled with strength, the strenth of a man who's desperate to live. Roaring in pain and anger, Raktra hauled himself up and readied himself to fight once more.

At the end of turn 3

Hectarion: 6 wounds.

Raktra: 1 wound.

 

Turn 4

Hectarion hits with 3 of his attacks and wounds with 2 of these. Once again, Raktra fails both his invulnerable saves.

 

Hectarion looked down at Raktra. He was on the ground, coughing up blood and bleeding out. Hectarion could just leave him here, leave him to die. Slowly. However, where the Emperors Sons were concerned, there was no such thing as being too sure. Hectarion brought Godstooth down once more, bringing it biting deep into Raktra's neck. Then, covered in his brother blood, Hectarion rose and said "So shall I deal with all traitors".

At the end of Turn 4:

Hectarion wins!

 

So that was remarkebly one sided. Personally I think the deciding factor was that Raktra kept failing his invulnerable saves and IWND rolls and also had 1 less attack than Hectarion. Well, those things and the fact the Hectarion got the charge in. We shall need to wait until Round 2 to see if that was just bad luck on Raktra's part.