Applications for Legio XVIII

[simison]

Meros has both member patrons. Now, he needs two candidate patrons. The same applies if Thorn and San does decide to run. 

[MikhalLeNoir]

How about the patronage of the allfather^^

Would be awful if the other candidates aren't online until the vote starts

[Kelborn]

San is the hod with us being his advisors forming a triumvirate of madness

[simison]

I don't give patronage to maintain my neutrality. It's also why I try to be the last one to vote, so that my vote doesn't influence the election early on.

 

And that's also why I insisted on a full 24-hour period. 

 

Speaking of which, I have three questions I'd like to hear opinions on.

 

1. As I said at the start, I wanted to give extra weight to candidates who had been with us longer. I had planned on a simple system, an Auxilia candidate would start with 2 votes, an Ally candidate with 1 vote, and Xeno with no start. However, since then, several members have voiced a desire to include new blood in the project. Should I scrap or reduce this advantage to those who have served more time with us?

 

2. Given Nate's lack of appearance yet flexibility, do we want to reserve his legion as a draw breaker? 

 

3. When it's time to begin actual voting, should I start a new thread (I can't start a new poll for the record), or do we want to use this one?

San is the hod with us being his advisors forming a triumvirate of madness

 

I would like to hear it from the horse's mouth, as it were.

[Apothecary Meros]

Hello again chaps. Yes, I wish to re-apply as a result of Mikhal's inspirational rhetoric, with a legion of the old West, with ponchos and pistols and all that lovely stuff. There are a few crucial details to create before I can make a fully informative post, but we'll work on it with swiftness.

[Nomus Sardauk]

 

San is the hod with us being his advisors forming a triumvirate of madness

 

I would like to hear it from the horse's mouth, as it were.

 

Horse's Mouth, reporting as order sir. http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/msn-wink.gif

 

Now then, credit where credit's due, this article (save the Legion name, we changed that, and we're still open to changing it if the rest of the Project Members have a better alternative) was written by my partner-in-crime Grifftober, so big thanks to him for that, and a big thank you to Kelborn as well for his excellent proposals regarding sources of inspiration and theming, not to mention being an excellent person to bounce ideas off. You guys kick serious ass. http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.png

 

But without further ado, ladies, gentlemen and assorted heretics, for your consideration and reading pleasure, our submission for the role of XVIIIth Legion:

 

The Silver Scorpions

Numeration: The XVIII^th Legion

Primogenitor: Nomus Sardauk

Cognomen (Prior): The Silent Chorus

Allegiance: Socius Solicitus (Suzerainty)

 

Origin

'Nomus' crashed onto a planet ruled over by a powerful Dark Age AI known as the Overseer. The population had been split into two classes: one who lived in luxury in floating cities tightly governed by the Overseer and his mechanical guards; the other who lived a relatively primitive existence amongst the decaying ruins of the rest of their civilisation.

 

It was only later that 'Nomus' would acquire that name, for he crashed into the domain of the Overseer who classified him according to the system it used: ðμþ-13768230/Ω. Via genetic sampling the Overseer was able to comprehend the greatness inherent in the child Primarch and thus embarked upon a series of cybernetic enhancements greater in scope than any it had bestowed on the inhabitants of the planet. In order to facilitate this program 'Nomus' was kept under heavy sedation and existed in a dream-like state provided by the Overseer.

 

The enhancements given allowed 'Nomus' to interface with the systems of the floating cities mentally and interact with it directly. Naturally the Primarch's mind was the perfect tool for such a system and he learned at a prodigious rate. Eventually he discovered he was able to subvert the Overseer's commands and hide things from the ruling AI. The discovery that he was in fact greater than the one that lead him pushed him to create the coup that would destroy the AI and take his place as ruler of the floating cities.

 

It was the members of this rebellion who named him Nomus Sardauk after a great figure from their history, and it was by this name he was known through the Imperium after his rediscovery.

Primarch

Nomus is an average sized Primarch, which is to say he is as a god among lesser beings, but it is not his physical prowess that makes his dangerous. It is his mind, enhanced beyond any hope to comprehend that is his true weapon. Every iota of information that he uncovers or is taught is stored and categorised for instant access at any moment. He never forgets anything and can perfectly recall and describe details from a conversation centuries ago as if he were experiencing them. However it is not only his experiences that he has access to. Since his rediscovery he has taken to scouring every database and store of information that he can in the Imperium in order to know everything.

 

However Nomus doesn't merely iterate on existing technology or tactics. He is still a Primarch and he often uses his prodigous intelect to come up with new technologies and innovations. He is said to have been heavily involved in the development of the Tartaros pattern of Terminator armour, providing some unique insights on how to increase mobility without lowering integrity.

 

On the battlefield he takes in everything, monitoring the sensory input of every single marine, servitor and machine spirit. Through this he knows of the movements of the enemy as they happen, or even before they happen if the enemy is using a tactic that Nomus has knowledge of. The units under his command flow seemlessly around and through one another in an inticate pattern designed to blunt enemy offensives or open their strongholds in the most efficient manner possible.

Tactics, Strategy & Warfare

The XVIII^th tactics rely on a complex interplay of units of different specialisations acting in perfect concert to achieve their goals. However, one thing that is almost always a factor is the use of preliminary bombardments, either saturation or precision depending on the situation, to suppress and kill the enemy without risk to the Sons themselves. As such they have heavy artillery and naval elements allowing them to strike at some foes with impunity.

 

Where such bombardments would prove ineffective the XVIII^th will engage on the ground. Here they do not focus on a single aspect of fighting, but use each unit to cover the weaknesses and blind spots of the others. Most marines show a greater propensity for ranged warfare, however whether this is due to some preference passed down via their cybernetic links or simple expediency is unknown.

Speciality

Due to their ability to analyse their enemies quickly and accurately, fixed emplacements are especially vulnerable to the XVIII^th Legion, because they cannot adapt or change so breaking them is a simple task of applying sufficient force to weaknesses until they crack. The XVIII^th also specialise in the mixing of fleet and ground operations, their ships being in the precise place they need to fire lances or macrocannon shells into concentrations of the enemy.

 

There is also an incredibly high incidence of cybernetic augmentation within the XVIII^th Legion. All Legionaries have some allowing access to a collective neural network allowing for instantaneous transfer of information during battle without that unnecessary speaking part. Others go further in an attempt to emulate their Primarch allowing them to act as nodes for their brothers, holding vast stores of knowledge on tactics or weapons for faster access when fighting.

How do they fit into setting?

They have close ties to the Mechanicum, but both sides hold some things back from the other. The Mechanicum because it doesn't want to give away all its secrets, the XVIII^th because the Tech Priests haven't risen beyond human emotion (jealousy anyone?) enough for them to be trusted with some things.

 

The Imperial Army generally finds the marines of the XVIII^th eerie with their implants and their lack of talking. But on the other hand their survival chances are usually higher when fighting under one as a commander, so they will do so.

 

For their brother marines it's a bit of a mixed bag. They don't really like being put under the command of others as they can see the strategic tendencies of those Legions getting in the way of efficient victories. They also find it limiting to have to verbalise inter-squad communications so that the others can follow what is going on and adapt to the changing circumstances.

 

Having said that I think there would be something close to friendship between the XVIII^th and the Fire Keepers and the Iron Bears. All of them are technologically minded and Niklaas and Daer'dd would recognise, and appreciate, Nomus' abilities as an inventor in a way that the others wouldn't. Alexandros and Nomus would likely share a healthy respect, they are both very different but have formidable skills in the ways of war. Raktra on the other hand would probably dislike/outright hate Nomus and his sons as they eschew his preferred methods and don't always get their hands dirty. The Wardens and Crimson Lions would probably be standoffish with the XVIII^th as they have a strong sense of personal honour and improvement which is at odds with the XVIII^th and their collectiveness. The Warriors of Peace would likely be on good terms with the XVIII^th as both have strong cohesiveness in the legions and a greater than the sum of its parts ethos. Not too certain on the rest off-hand, but they will be worked on.

Role in the Insurrection

In the early Insurrection they are sent to counter the fleets of the Void Eagles as they are the only naval force of comparable strength fighting for the Stormborn.

 

Later on the join with the Suzerainty as they have discovered that their augmentation is limited by their biology. So in order to better emulate their Primarch (and for him to improve further) they need to join with the ones working on the genetic manipulation and improvement of Astartes.

What makes the legion unique?

The Legion is heavily technologically aspected. But where others would be about physical enhancements primarily, the XVIII^th improve their minds. Every marines is part of a collective; sensation, information and even experience can be shared between members. As a marine falls his consciousness is disseminated through this link so that the experience is not lost and as more marines in a unit fall the remainder become more an more effective. Eventually too few, or only a single marine is left. A single marine is given command of a new initiated squad so they can benefit from is experience. Units that have been whittled away and are too small for effective battlefield use are amalgamated with other likewise reduced units. Eventually over several repetitions of this process come out veteran marines who have the combined knowledge and experience of dozens and effectively have skills honed over hundreds or even thousands of battles.

 

End of the Crusade

The XVIII^th would see this as an opportunity to better themselves. They would send more marines out into the other branches of the Imperium, such as the Mechanicus I order to draw in even more knowledge. Eventually they would become the ultimate Lore Keepers possessing all the skills and knowledge of a combined humanity.

 

Flaws in the Geneseed

Both the Preomnor and Omophagea act at a diminished capacity within the XVIII^th and they are able to only gain extremely limited information through consuming a foe's flesh, also they are slightly more susceptible to poisonous substances than other marines. However their Sus-an Membrane seems to be highly responsive allowing even the most critically injured marines to survive the vital moments for their memories to be uploaded to the collective.

Edited November 4, 2016 by SanguiniusReborn

[simison]

I recognize Meros' and San's renewed candidacies. Both of you only require two patrons from your fellow candidates.

[Nomus Sardauk]

Acknowledged Sim, any thoughts on our beautiful little monster? http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/msn-wink.gif

[simison]

Acknowledged Sim, any thoughts on our beautiful little monster? http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/msn-wink.gif

 

Do I detect some Fallout influences?

[Nomus Sardauk]

 

Acknowledged Sim, any thoughts on our beautiful little monster? http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/msn-wink.gif

 

Do I detect some Fallout influences?

 

 

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't personally influenced a little by my favourite post-apocalyptic not-Sphess Mahrens. http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/tongue.png

[simison]

Good stuff. I don't see any :nuke: off-hand. 

 

And I still have three questions that could use some answers...

[AlphariusOmegon108]

I soo soooo sooooo hope the Devoured get chosen...

[Nomus Sardauk]

Good stuff. I don't see any :nuke: off-hand.

 

And I still have three questions that could use some answers...

What do you need boss? :)

[simison]

Opinions on these questions:

 

1. As I said at the start, I wanted to give extra weight to candidates who had been with us longer. I had planned on a simple system, an Auxilia candidate would start with 2 votes, an Ally candidate with 1 vote, and Xeno with no start. However, since then, several members have voiced a desire to include new blood in the project. Should I scrap or reduce this advantage to those who have served more time with us?

 

2. Given Nate's lack of appearance yet flexibility, do we want to reserve his legion as a draw breaker? 

 

3. When it's time to begin actual voting, should I start a new thread (I can't start a new poll for the record), or do we want to use this one?

[Skalpynock]

Hm, having a non-biotech (but still tech) Legion on the Suzerainty's side is very much welcome. And an additional legion at all adds to its survivability. If Legionaire patronage is required, I'm in. Making my mind between the Silver Scorpions and Star Lords shall be done in an outrageous example of neural destruction by alcoholic methods.

[Kelborn]

Or a coin? ;)

 

It seems that my decision will be made by it. So many well thought concepts!

It will be very hard to decide upon which to go with. And I'm excluding the Silver Scorpions. :)

[Skalpynock]

Or a coin? http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/msn-wink.gif

 

It seems that my decision will be made by it. So many well thought concepts!

It will be very hard to decide upon which to go with. And I'm excluding the Silver Scorpions. http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/smile.png

Knowing myself, it'll be a bit of both, probably a manhole cover or something similarly socially unacceptable to use as a decision-making projectile.

[~Drakzilla~]

1. I think I'm in favor of scrapping the advantages

 

2. Sure, having a reserve sounds like a good plan

 

3. Perhaps another thread; start it off with a synopsis of each legion so everything is laid out and organized in a way people can see?

[Kelborn]

1. I think I'm in favor of scrapping the advantages

 

2. Sure, having a reserve sounds like a good plan

 

3. Perhaps another thread; start it off with a synopsis of each legion so everything is laid out and organized in a way people can see?

Agreed.

Will everyone have one vote or more because of the amount of offers?

[simison]

Regardless of the advantages, only one vote per person. By the time voting starts, each candidate needs to pick one legion concept to support. So, we will be voting for one candidate and one legion concept.

[TheBlindPrimarch]

I've edited my Legion post for anyone who wants to look it over one last time before voting.

[simison]

I've edited my Legion post for anyone who wants to look it over one last time before voting.

 

Thank you, Blind. It'll help me when I create the new thread. Did you want to patron anyone?

[TheBlindPrimarch]

Could you explain again what the candidacy is for?

[simison]

Apothecary Meros wishes to offer an 'Old Wild West' Legion.

 

SanguiniusReborn wishes to offer the Silver Scorpions Legion.

 

However both of them had earlier dropped their candidacies. So, to be viable once again, they have to secure four patrons: two current members and two candidates. Both of them have the member patrons, but neither have candidate patrons.

[TheBlindPrimarch]

I support the Silver Scorpions (though I hope I'm not hurting my chances by doing so http://image.bolterandchainsword.com//public/style_emoticons/default/mellow.png )

Also, please PM me once the voting thread is up if you don't mind.