REF - Book Outlines

Doctor Perils · June 24, 2019

Wrt the possible other battles in Attrition, Blunt was suggesting an Army vs Army battle - do we have something planned for the First Terra Heredes at this period of time? And do we have any possible antagonists? A traitor regiment without particular bonds to a legion (ie, not something like the Madrigal regiments and co.)

bluntblade · June 24, 2019

I have a few ideas - though to be honest, it looks like most Army battle groups take in multiple regiments so we should have a few forces to play with.

Doctor Perils · June 24, 2019

I'd quite like to see at least one regiment well on its way to being corrupted by the chaos gods, but in a disciplined manner (like the blood pact or the sons of sek)

Since khorne and Tzeentch both have something similar, and nurgle also got some fun stuff from Vraks I think, I'd quite like to see a Slaaneshi version (more classically slaaneshi than the Drowned)

Perhaps some slaaneshi roughriders? Im sort of imagining something like Krieg, with the gas masks, but they actually contain hallucinogens, and they also use different kinds of gases around them

bluntblade · June 24, 2019

A bit early for that, I think - I was leaning more towards specialisations and cultures.

Doctor Perils · June 24, 2019

How about Khmer Empire / Majapahit / Srivijaya ? They'd be suitably flamboyant examples for a later fall to Slaanesh

bluntblade · June 24, 2019

Wouldn't hurt to set up factions for later

simison · June 24, 2019

Is Nox in Expansion since it's close to the Madrigal Sphere?

bluntblade · June 24, 2019

Not that I'm aware of.

simison · June 24, 2019

Well, why is it in Expansion then?

Beren · June 24, 2019

A side note, I had intended the first battle of Xandria to not be in Secession, but rather the last section of a book on the Cognis-Suzerainty campaigns. Might that be too much to focus on the two factions alone?

bluntblade · June 24, 2019

Well, why is it in Expansion then?

Timeline.

Doctor Perils · June 24, 2019

A side note, I had intended the first battle of Xandria to not be in Secession, but rather the last section of a book on the Cognis-Suzerainty campaigns. Might that be too much to focus on the two factions alone?

I'm not sure if there are going to be that many campaigns for the Suzerainty in the black books (at least in the first batch), so yeah it may be a bit much to have a whole book on the Suzerainty vs Cognis

Beren · June 24, 2019

In which case it'll probably be best to intergrate the first stage (the destruction of Cognis holdings such as Cyclothrathe within Suzerainty territory) into Secession. I'll figure out how to deal with the later stages another time.

bluntblade · June 25, 2019

Where should we put the Predators' betrayal? That's a key event to the Insurrection, and I've basically promised it in their own Red Book. It could go in Escalation or Recantation, where it might fit better thematically.

simison · July 7, 2019

It's pretty late in the Insurrection.

Also, Blunt has suggested we don't have an entire anthology since it would essentially be repeating the same story twice. Instead, have little moments here and there. I agree with this.

bluntblade · July 7, 2019

I think a story anthology could be good, but I wouldn't put it in the Black Books.

Beren · August 9, 2019

Just a note on the Cognis: I don't want the battle of Xandria in secession, but I would like their fighting withdrawal as the Suzerainty makes their initial move to drive Insurrectionist forces from their territory.

The Cognis counteroffensive and the attack on Xandria can both be slotted into later books.

simison · August 9, 2019

I have no issues with that.

bluntblade · August 18, 2019

Black Books - Campaign Lore and Rules

Book 0 - Insurrection [all complete]

This is the lead-up to the Insurrection, taking in a potted history of the Great Crusade and the Vizenko Prosecution.

Book 1 - Revelation [all complete]

The Day of Revelation, at which the Stormlord's Legions turned their cloaks and attacked their Loyalist kindred.

Preface [complete]
Introduction [complete]
The Madrigal Purge (Harbingers vs HW) [complete]
The Kataii Ambush (IB vs GS and GS) [complete]
The Perfidy of Untara (SH vs Drowned) [complete]

Book 2 - Scission

This deals with the Schism of Mars in our timeline.

Preface [complete]
Introduction [complete]
Schism of Mars (HW, FK, Abyssii vs Cognis among others) [complete]

Book 3 - Expansion

Icarion's initial conquests, including a multi-part action carried out by the Harbingers, Drowned and other Insurrectionists against regions close to Madrigal.

Preface [completed]
Introduction: The False Empire [complete]
Conquest of the Tayargund Reach (Harbingers and Drowned vs FK and Army) [complete]
Nox [WIP]

Book 4 - Subjugation

This one deals with some of the most brutal aspects of the early Insurrection: the conquests of the Berserkers of Uran, the Warbringers' crushing of Loyalist resistance in the Galactic east, and the vengeful Crimson Lions' campaign to stamp out rebellion in Segmentum Pacificus.

Preface [completed]
Introduction: The Stormlord's Conquests [draft]
The Agony of Chalcea (BoU) [complete]
Iphigenia and Macragge [WIP]
The Lion's Hunt (CL vs Geno regiments) [very early WIP, collating ideas]

Book 5 - Attrition

The wearing and bleeding effects of war come into play here. The campaigns are a lengthy war over the Forge World of Iyacrax, a prolonged siege of a fortified hive city, and a void campaign based on the Battle of the Atlantic and privateer campaigns.

Preface [TBD]
Introduction: The Pieces Set [WIP]
Iyacrax (IB, Halcyon Wardens(?), Predators(?) vs WB and Godslayers(?)) [WIP]
Hive-based siege campaign [collating ideas]
The Unquiet Void (various Loyalists including Blackshields vs Insurrectionist fleets and Mechanicum) [very early WIP]

Retaliation

Accounts of wars of vengeance fought during the Wars of Expansion. This takes in the Void Eagles' brutal scorched-earth campaigns ahead of the Insurrectionist advance, the strikes against Legion fiefdoms on both sides of the war (in this case the Warriors of Peace attacking a Void Eagles planet) and the Dune Serpents and Predators' dogged and bloody-handed resistance in the east.

Preface [complete]
Introduction [to be done]
Foleith (prologue, VE) [Complete]
Evacuation of Thelum (VE and WoL vs WoP) [Complete]
The Eastern Fringe (DS vs SL and Drowned, followed by Predators) [WIP]

Emancipation

The climax of the Insurrection's first phase, as the Edict of Emancipation is issued with huge effect on the course of the war.

Preface [TBD]
Introduction [to be done]
Siege of Delos (HW vs EW) [Early WIP]
Battle of Revan (SH vs WB) [Very early WIP]
Fire Keepers vs Berserkers? [Hypothetical]

Escalation (Or Decimation, though my vote would be Eradication or Conflagration)

The Interregnum falls away as new divisions and powers reveal themselves. The Secessionists under Kozja break away from the Insurrectionists, but the influence of Chaos begins to permeate the Traitor armies and the baleful power of the daemon is unleashed upon the Imperium and the newborn Suzerainty alike.

Preface [Complete]
Introduction: The Torn Veil [to be done]
Blood Crusade general (CL vs BoS and EW) [WIP]
Cadia (same as above, but with IB and possibly Nightguard in supporting role - this could be misremembered on my part) [Early WIP]

Secession

The fallout of the Secession is explored here, while the Predators turn from the Emperor's banner to that of Icarion with devastating consequences. But there are other grey areas: the Blackshields and Insurgos who have defied their erstwhile kin, and the Sidorae Legions, raised from Loyalist gene-seed by the Insurrectionists and rapidly evolving into strange forms of their own. Some of this may be explored in Secession instead.

Preface [TBD]
Introduction: Turned Cloaks [to be done]

Hypothetical at this stage and no place set: Recantation
Various smaller campaigns, taking in the Shepherds of Eden, Grey Wardens, Morning Stars and Hammers of Malis as well as Blackshields

Edited December 26, 2019 by bluntblade

Beren · August 19, 2019

Again, the First Battle of Xandria should not be in Secession. The Suzerainty-Cognis battles in it might not even constitiute a single camaign in itself but just be part of the consolidation campaigns in Suzerainty space.