Ordos Hereticus and Radicalism

[Schlitzaf]

Not trying to power game or anything but honest question what reason is their to take a Hereticus Inquistor over Xenos or Mallues? And by extension how would you represent Radical Hereticus Inquistor over Non-Radical?

 

And just to extend this question, how would you represent Radicalism for Xenos? And for completeness sake Mallues?

[Inquisitor Fox]

In the current ruleset, the unique items for Hereticus are the condemnor boltgun, and the null rod.  Both of which really put the hurt on psykers (especially the condemnor boltgun paired with another unique item, the psyocculum).  The hereticus also still has access to an inferno pistol, which is pretty nifty hand mini-melta.

 

In terms of fluff, I would view a ultra-puritan Hereticus as one that believes that ALL psykers and witches must die, versus a more mainstream Hereticus which would (IMO) believe more that the sanctioned psykers, Astropaths, etc are okay, and a radical as one that is a psyker themselves and uses psykers to hunt other psykers.

 

Similarly, a ultra-puritan Xenos believes that anything not human goes down in flames, a mainstream might use things like Jokaero or other "sanctioned" mercenaries, whereas a very radical Xenos is using alien technology against them.  I seem to recall something in IA3 (Imperial Armour vol. 3) about a Xenos experiment to try and harness Tyranids against other alien enemies that sort of went sour ;)  Or possibly utilizing Tau technology (in wargear terms the scythian venom talon is of alien origin, as is the plasma syphon, or a Jokaero ally).

 

Ultra-puritan Malleus wastes anything that even smells of the Warp or daemons.  A radical would utilize daemonhosts, a daemonblade, or a hellrifle without even blinking (weapons of the enemy against them and all that).

 

Really, remember that each Inquisitor is an individual with their own viewpoint of morals and ethics, and whether or not the ends justify the means.

 

If you watch Supernatural, the viewpoints of Sam and Dean form a neat compare/contrast.  Sam is very radical, and Dean is more puritan.  But there's a range and other mitigating factors involved.  I'm sure there's other examples from movies and literature as well.  From Star Wars, Qui-Gonn is more of a radical Jedi that plays fast and loose with the rules, Anakin is a radical that goes so far as to join the other side, Obi-wan is much more puritan in following the rules of the council.  The viewpoints of Aragorn vs Boromir from Lord of the Rings is another example.  Boromir is a radical who wishes to try and use the weapon of the enemy (the one ring) against him, whereas the others wish to destroy it in a more puritan fashion.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Inquisitor Fox pretty much summed it up.

 

I think that the line between Puritan and Radical is much more blurred with Hereticus than others. I think it would be possible to be a puritan hereticus and by a psyker because hereticus is concerned with heretics and unsanctioned psykers primarily. Some extremists of course think all psykers are evil (not sure how they get around the galaxy though) but I would think of a radical as more one dabbling with the darker side of psyker stuff/the warp.

[Isolia]

The wargear and the fluff are what prompt me to start a hereticus mini detachment to go along my sisters - and they fit better together than other ordos.

 

The condemnor is cool, a canoness can have one too for sisters players (plus the metal lady inquisitor with this gun is very nice in my opinion). That's two forced perils already, Nice .

And the psyocculum...BS 10 against psyker-containing units, for the inquisitor AND their unit ? Yes please :) maybe I just want to see the face on the opponent when I explain them the rule :)

(That's mean but that's the ordo hereticus for you)

 

I'd see puritans as purgers of all things psychic, including being not very fond of friendly psykers of any kind . The ultra conservative, traditionalist inquisitors who consider half their peers require execution. In game I'd see them a bit like priests, lots of purity seals and no psychic power of course.

 

Radicals are more loose, the end justifies the means, so what's wrong with killing a Xenos with their own tech ?

A kind of neoconservative if you will. The kind who thinks half their peers are foolish old idealist barbarians. I'd picture them in a more adventurous look, with exotic gear and psychic powers - kill the witch with witchcraft.

 

At least this is how I understand the difference.

[Schlitzaf]

Thanks all for the answers. I appreciate all the answers, it seems there is no easy answer how to represent a Radical Hereticus on the Tabletop. For full context; back well over a decade now during the Years of Codex Witch Hunters, I loved the Lore and conversion opportunities, but not enough to make a full army. However I also needed physic defense, so I took an Inquistor Lord with Hood in my Black Templar force using Stormtroopers as my troop. (I originally wanted it to be Xeno, but no Xeno Hunter or no access to OG Deathwatch Rules).

 

I wanted to skirt the line of Radicalism without delving too much into obvious physic shannigans (sense BT no Pyskers), so I ended up making the army using only Stormtroopers and Non-Sororitas Units. (So Assassin and Lower Level Inquisitors and the Lords mostly). And Codex Agents reinspired me to remake that army. I have the option to do Xenos, now I wanted to stick with Hereticus. (I'll be honest in part the reason I never made the full switch (with the arrival 5th Ed Grey Knights) in Apoc Style Games, I did not want complaints, 'Your only Xenos because Power Level'.)

 

However the loss of the Hood makes it hard to do the concept of the hidden witch providing physic defense for the army. And just mechanically 1 Warp Charge is rather pitiful. But I am tangenting, thanks for all suggestions. I think I am gonna stick with Null Rod idea, I've been using for awhile. And have the Radicalism of my Inquisitor be in my army background, and not represented on the tabletop.

[Inquisitor Fox]

I know what you mean.  I too have fond memories of my Inquisitor Lady Nicole Pyykkönen shutting down an entire table's worth of Apocalypse Game Tyrannids with the old table wide psychic hood :)  Granted that's also why it's not in the game any more, but it was a memorable send of when she held off the hive mind all on her lonesome which destroyed any real chance the 'Nids had since their anti-tank was psykers...  She certainly attracted a lot of fire that game all out of proportion with her points cost *grins*

 

Sadly those days are gone and the null rod is probably the way to go.  :)

[Schlitzaf]

While I am thinking about it, what are your thoughts to represent that flavor by using my Inquistor Lady Tiena as Lv1 and in her Warband have a Lv2 Astropath? It's no infinite hood granted, but if flavor wise, I could say Null Rod reduces the Pyshic Energies so it's less obvious to the Black Templars. I admittedly been out of the game for a bit but how useful is 3 Defense Dice?*

 

 

*If had to make one mechanical change to Inquisition it would be to allow Hereticus to go to Mastery Level 2. But that is wish listing.