IL V - The Halcyon Wardens

[bluntblade]

Trying to decide what makes the most sense for my idea - Alex in the shield wall with his Terminators around him, and then Akylles and other regular Wardens to the side, I guess. Also Ruel up in the air behind them, and broken Ursurax and Ruststalkers at their feet.

[simison]

What are you talking about?

[bluntblade]

That battle on Mars picture I was going to try and sketch. Sorry, brain's slow today. Gonna find a pencil and have a stab at it after I've been for a run Edited October 22, 2016 by bluntblade

[bluntblade]

In my defence, it's been literally half a decade since I drew anything other than a stick man:

[simison]

Heck, Blunt, it's better than what I can do.

[bluntblade]

Cheers. In case it isn't clear, that's meant to be a mountain behind the title.

[simison]

So, the Storm Shield, there are three potential sets of rules. +1 Invul to whatever the model has (Salamanders) with a -1 A modifier (Old Tower Shield rule) or a straight-up 3++ save (IF). 

 

I'd rather discard the old Tower Shield rule to make it cheaper to implement. The Salamander version has a natural synergy with the older Cataphractii terminators, while the IF works better with the newer models. 

 

Which brings us back to the Wardens. Would they keep to the older model out of a sense of tradition or would they adopt the newer patterns to better represent the Warmaster?

[bluntblade]

Akylles was silent as he watched Ruel take up the claws, bowing his head as they came alive with power. With a whirr, the First Captain's fingers flexed, then the talons fuzzed briefly with electricity. The ritual was repeated every time, and it still had enough significance to reduce the room to silence. They were the spoila optima of a battle fought more than two centuries before Akylles had begun his ascension, one that had paved the way for the Unification of Terra. Ruel had slain a techno-barbarian chieftain, taking his savage weapons as a trophy.

 

A small volkite was mounted on the back of each gauntlet. They would be invaluable weapons against the heavily armoured troops that Kelbor-Hal was using to cement his hold on Mars.

 

“Meltas, volkites and plasma should be allocated first,” Sauhan declared. “Grav-weapons to be given to those with the training to utilise them.” Then he was taking inventory of the armoured assets at his disposal, drawing up provisional formations for the situations that they might find by the time they made planetfall.

 

“Hit them hard, use anything that can breach their armour,” growled Ruel, nodding. “We won on Stengah with those tactics, my friend. We can do it to the traitors, just like we did to the abominations.”

 

Sauhan turned his head to meet Ruel's, sadness writ large on his face. “Nothing like that, I'm afraid.”

[simison]

Rereading the rules, I was wrong. The Salamanders' shield provides a 5++ or a +1 on an existing Invul save. Neither IF or Sal shield is allowed to be mounted on dreadnoughts, which suggests to me that the Sal shield may be more fair since it doesn't give dreadnoughts 3++ saves.

[MikhalLeNoir]

By thr way: the custodes have some.special.sjield wall rule. Ism't that a thing for.you?

[simison]

They have a special spear rule.

[Grifftofer]

Their Praesidium Shields also allow them to re-roll their 4+ invulnerable save in melee. Plus the Sentinel Guard (shield squad) gains defensive grenades if two or more models are in base contact with one another. It's quite a potent combination all told.

[simison]

I didn't see that in the link you posted. Hmmm.

[Grifftofer]

Oh. Some pics of the upcoming white dwarf have been posted, which has some tide you over 30K rules for the Custodes (Russ has some too if you're interested). I sometimes forget that not everyone compulsively collects all 30k rumours and info like I try to

Edited October 27, 2016 by Grifftofer

[simison]

I'm always happy to read info on the canon Primarchs. Still most eager to see what Magnus has going for him.

 

Alright, I do like the shield wall rule, but since the Custodians are the same in canon and BotL, I'm hesitant to use it. Maybe I'll include it in the Order of the Shield RoW. 

 

It does have a good point in not allowing weapons with the Two-Handed Special Rule, so I'll add that to the Wardens' Storm Shield. I'll come up with the complete rule later, and then add it to the front page.

[Grifftofer]

Yeah. I liked that bit too. It always felt missing from Storm Shields in the past. The really nice thing is that it looks like characters (at least) should be able to take both Spear and Shield in combination, as the Spear is only a Specialist Weapon not Two-handed.

[bluntblade]

We should set some Wardens against Secutarii Hoplites on Mars. Classic phalanx combat

[simison]

Guardian-Pattern Storm Shield

The first prototype of its kind was invented by the Shield-Lord himself in conjunction with his vision for his legion to form a living wall between the Imperium and its enemies. Its design incorporated a powerful field generator to protect its wielder from the most powerful of weapons. Furthermore, it became a mark of status within the Halcyon Wardens to be able to receive a storm shield, denoting a symbol of excellence. During the Insurrection, this piece of wargear would allow Halcyon Wardens to weather devastating Traitor attacks before striking back. 

 

This wargear may be taken by Legiones Astartes (Halcyon Wardens) models in Terminator armour or by independent characters and dreadnoughts and must be shown on the model. A Guardian-Pattern Storm Shield provides a 5+ invulnerable save or increases an existing invulnerable save by +1 (to a maximum of 3+). The model may not claim an additional attack for a second weapon in close combat, if they also have this wargear, or use any weapon with the Two-handed special rule. This option costs +10 points per model for an independent character not in Terminator armour, and for any model in Terminator armour; it may be exchanged for their combi-bolter for +5 points. Dreadnoughts may replace one arm for one using a storm shield for +15 points.

 

[How's that?]

[Grifftofer]

Looks good to me :)

[simison]

The Halcyon Wardens have always been, above all else, protectors. While the Legiones Astartes may have been conceived as weapons in the Emperor's Great Crusade, they have been tempered to become weapons in the service of Humanity due to the vision of their Primarch. As such, the V^th Legion excels in defensive warfare, forming a living wall that absorbs the enemy's attacks before crushing them in retaliation whether on the edge of combat or supporting the wall from afar. Upon Alexandros' ascent to Warmaster, the Halcyon Wardens have strived to live up to the honour accorded to them, honing their discipline to the highest degree possible. At the same time, this zeal for higher standards has inflicted its share of sorrows.

 

 

[This is the rewritten legion description. How does it look?]

Edited October 30, 2016 by simison

[bluntblade]

"have been" needs an "always" or "ever" in the middle, I think. I'd also add something about sparing their less resilient comrades from bearing the brunt of any fighting

[simison]

Tweaked. How about now?

[simison]

"With my Father at our lead and my brothers and I to support him, what force in the galaxy can stop us? With victory guaranteed, we must make the Imperium's ascension as bloodless as possible so that all may enjoy the coming future of prosperity." 

 

-Alexandros Darshan VonSalim, speech given during victory celebration of the Liberation of Balov.

 

This is the current quote that goes on the same page as the Legion Tactics. Should I change it?

[simison]

All of the legions were made to serve Humanity. To reclaim our lost outposts of civilizations, to extend our dominion over the entire galaxy, and to protect those borders once established, that was their mission. At times, it is difficult to remember this since they stand above us in stature, both literally and metaphorically. Yet, the Halcyon Wardens never forgot this and struggled the most to ensure Humanity's ascension. However, no legion could claim the heart of the common Man as the V^th legion could. For the Wardens not only worked harder to protect the Imperium, they made the most effort to connect with Humanity on a personal level. It was not an uncommon sight for Wardens to interact with the common man, to speak with and to learn from each other. 

 

[Paragraph before Origins section.]

[simison]

Origins: The Armored Spear

 

Few remember, but the original, Terran-based V^th Legion was a much different beast than what it would become under the ideals of their Primarch. In those early days, the Storm Riders, as they were then known, consistently displayed a much more aggressive temper as they fought in the Unification Wars. The legion as a whole adopted and gradually mastered a variety of assault tactics as they preferred to meet their enemy face-to-face before destroying them, whether it be by bloodied blade or by grinding tanks. Early theorists believed that this was perhaps a side effect of their unique gene-seed, but these theories would eventually be disproven by later evidence.

 

Instead, the Storm Rider's belligerent temperament toward war seemed to be rooted in the psychological rather than any biological predispositions. Although the V^th Legion achieved combat readiness and deployment earlier than many of its brother legions, any glory or victory gained was always in the shadow of the I^st Legion. Additionally, the First enjoyed the privilege of testing out experimental prototypes of war. Thus, an early rivalry formed, an unusual exception to the unity shown by most Terran Astartes, though several remembrancers would point to this event as early evidence for the flaw carried within their gene-seed.