Grim Dog Studios Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Hi all! Just writing an army list and I've hit a snag when deciding on what squad my Praetor will accompany. It's an Ultramarines force, so Invictus Suzerains are the obvious "go to" option, however in the fluff I'm writing in my head for the army, the Praetor is just a simple line captain. Therefore I feel like I should go for a veteran tactical squad for fluff reasons, as It's unlikely a line captain would be accompanied by a large squad of Suzerains. However, by going with the vet squad, I feel like I'm making a sub-optimal list, that will quite obviously not perform as well on the table. So I was just wondering, do other people hit these small 'snags' when writing their lists at all, and how do you overcome them? Do you go for the sub-optimal but fluffy choice and pray for the best when playing, or go for the more competitive list and ignore the fluff reasons as to why you shouldn't have taken the unit you have? Very interested in hearing your replies whilst I try and figure a way around my own conundrum!! Many thanks, James Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlphariusOmegon108 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Well, I take the best unit normally, and then model them like cool vets, maybe you could build your own suzerians by using breachers with axes, a banner bearer and a champion like something, no need for much extra decoration, build them as normal vets with sheidls etc, make their fluff like they are just veterans, but use the suzerian rules ;) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4196858 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenbain Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I think it depends on the environment you expect the list to play in. Personally I rarely play super competitive games, with most being campaign and story driven. So I will always prioritise fluff and rule of cool over a units effectiveness on the table. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4196860 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rage of Khorne Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I play in a decent number of tournaments, most of which include both painting scores and playing scores to achieve the best overall spot. In order to do well it ends up being a mission of putting together a really effective list while making what you take fit the "feel" of your army (which also helps you stay interested in the models as you paint them). AlphariusOmegon has a good idea in fusing both angles to make both work. A quick flip through book 5 in the ultramarines sections shows a picture of some alternate shield designs for breaching marines, one of which is called "Honour Variant" but is not quite the same as a Suzerain shield. Maybe putting some "honoured breacher marines" as the command squad veterans would fit the bill. One would be a vet sergeant (with the fancy helmet design from the book) and the rest would have the white stripe of veterans on their helmets and all could carry the golden shields. Just throwing some ideas out there. Whatever decision you make I'd love to see where you take the idea. Good Luck! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4196891 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Dog Studios Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 I appreciate the replies, I am liking the idea of a veteran squad with boarding shields. The images of the boarding shields in tempest are very nice, much prefer that style compared to the shields you get in the MK III breacher squad. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4196966 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyCrow Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Don't limit your competititiveness by fluff, but make your fluff competitive If your HQ is shootier than the usual melee build, Veteran Tactical Squads can be a good escort, but if you want him to fight in melee, you really want a Command or Suzerain squad. Based from the fluff in Tempest though, there seems to be quite a lot of Invictarus going on, as they're the soldiers singled out for Command duties later on and Suzerains seem to have special training on that matter making them prime for a Command Squad. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4208219 Share on other sites More sharing options...
depthcharge12 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I'd recommend taking a big breacher squad all armed with power swords :) it's incredibly fluffy and cool. Failing that, I'd take a command squad all armed with breacher shields. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4208322 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reyner Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Failing that, I'd take a command squad all armed with breacher shields. I thought of doing that but in the Betrayal book Command Squads can only get Combat shields rules wise but you cannot deny the awesomeness of the breacher shield :D Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4208394 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandlemad Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 It's an Ultramarines force, so Invictus Suzerains are the obvious "go to" option, however in the fluff I'm writing in my head for the army, the Praetor is just a simple line captain. Therefore I feel like I should go for a veteran tactical squad for fluff reasons, as It's unlikely a line captain would be accompanied by a large squad of Suzerains. I think you could comfortably make that work fluffily though. Say that the captain is noted as showing promise and that he has been assigned a bodyguard detail of suzerains for a set duration of time, either to assess his mettle or to provide him with visible support on a particular mission. Maybe it is of special diplomatic significance and it is important that he is seen to be supported by the will of the primarch and the tetrarchs, even if he is not of the invictarii himself. Or maybe in the chaos of the war in Ultramar his forces has banded together with survivors from other WE/WB attacks and the suzerains have elected to fight by his side until they return to Macragge or wherever. Could be an interesting visual contrast, a relatively plain leader of men fighting, perhaps a little uneasily, amongst a gilded bodyguard. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4208415 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excessus Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 With the size of the legions and them being able to handle all situations, all lists are fluffy...but maybe more or less competitive... Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4208644 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theredknight Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 If at the moment I decided to take a spartan with phoenix guard. 10 palatine blades and 10 kakophoni against someone, likelyhood is that I would get hammered by my opponents better units. And even average terminator ones. So I don't use any of those, instead i view the way I play EC as a perfect weight of fire, combined with a close quarters assault or countercharge. I tried playing fluffy lists i the past and lost14 times on the trot. So aside from having to challenge always, I gst eidolon. But I do love the colour scheme! All this will hopefully change in book 6 soon though Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/314902-fluffy-armies-vs-competitive-armies/#findComment-4208722 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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