Are you satisfied with the new lore for the Ultramarines?

[DogWelder]

Please Note: There are some considerable spoilers ahead for people who haven't read Gathering Storm, and Dark Imperium as well as the background in the 2 player Set. - prot

 

Personally I think the Ultramarines have really excelled within the new lore. 

 

In Gathering Storm:

 

First and foremost Guilliman returned and is leading the Imperium. While he does face emotional struggle at first, he eventually bucks up like the staunch pragmatist he is and decides to try and steer the Imperium in the right direction once again. I also liked that he didn't just forget about Ultramar and leave his sons to fight while he ran off to Terra. Rather he leads the Ultramarines to victory during the Ultramar campaign and the Chapter (and its successors) have a lot of great moments; Marneus Calgar leading Ultramarine ships to destroy the Alpha Legion fleet, Guilliman and the 4th company taking out an entire Iron Warriors warband etc. etc.

 

In Dark Imperium:

 

We learn that the 500 Worlds are getting back together so Ultramar is going to be massive again. Not to mention the 10 Ultramarine + Successor Chapters that will be permanently stationed in Ultramar at all times. This essentially means the 13th Legion has gotten back together somewhat (I mean, 10k Astartes, >8k of whom are Primaris, following the same leader? Yeah thats a Legion).

 

In Warzone Ultramar:

 

While some were unhappy that worlds of Ultramar would be obliterated for the sake of an event, the story of the Campaign actually makes the Ultramarines look great.  The Ultramarines manage to hold off the entire might of a massive Nurglite invasion led by Mortarion himself for decades and when Guilliman returns they start winning almost immediately as the primarch cuts them off and cuts them to pieces.  Espandor is retaken, the Death Guard throw everything they have at Parmenio but still start to lose and the traitors eventually have to retreat from Ultramar. 

 

A bit sad that Iax is destroyed (Shira Calpurnia's planet ;-; ) but hey, thats the only major planet that was permanently lost in the entire invasion. Konor still needs to be saved but all in all, I'm pretty happy with the changes. So what if one or two planets are lost? We get the 500 Worlds and the Legion back.

 

So what do you guys think?

Edited July 21, 2017 by Prot
-spoiler alert for some pivotal moments in the campaign.

[Captain Idaho]

Yes I'm happy. Dark Imperium was a great read and seeing Ultramar grow again kind of diminishes the losses somewhat.

 

There's not much hope for Konor I'm afraid. It's clearly going to be ganged up on by every non-Imperial player involved.

 

What I liked was the interaction between Guilliman and his gene progeny. Many of the Ultramarines successors were essentially Ultramarines in loyalty and his use of them.

 

I still hope for Calgar to lead a rebellion, perhaps joining with rogue elements of other Chapters and going rogue. Not against the Imperium but against changes to the 10,000 years. Nothing Chaos. Just rival Imperials.

 

Plus that way we can have Primaris vs classic Marines.

[The Pounder]

Very satisfied!

It's the new fluff that's drawn me back to Ultramarines.

I loved 30k because of one key factor, Primarchs!

Now Guilliman is back, not alone either but with a legion's worth of improved Astartes!

This is the biggest shake up of canon in donkey's years.

[Prot]

I was reading your post and I'm personally not quite done with Dark Imperium and cringed a bit as I read a pivotal moment in your topic.... so I had to add a spoiler warning.

 

But yea, I LOVE the new fiction. The Dark Imperium has blown my expectations out of the water. The author I wasn't too familiar with (just some smaller stuff). I love McNeil but never cared for his UM stuff for some reason. (Love his IW work).

 

The Gathering Storm opened my eyes to angry Guilliman. I think his reality came crashing down to be awake in a time of everything going to hell instead of what he would assume to be a utopian era in the Imperium. Gathering Storm's take on Ultramarines, Guilliman, Calgar, etc is all very interesting, and it still pays great respect to the chaos forces (they don't come off as idiots).

 

Then this is built on even better in Dark Imperium. I would love to see more of that. I really hope they sold enough of that book to warrant it.

[derLumpi]

I have high hopes for the codex. I really hope that they will further explain the relationship between primaris and the (real) marines. May be we get a glimpse of things to come. Overall I'm ok with the direction and with the improvement (except with the primaris fluff - they still feel 'forced' into the fluff but that is not exactly ultra related).

[Daigo Cannon]

I loved 30k Guilliman, I loved the internal conflict he is struggling in 40k.

 

Is a shame the lost of Iax, in the heavy industrialized universe it was a unique world and one I was planning to built the lore of my marines after the re institution of the tetrarch by Rob.

 

The feeling of the legion coming back is great, it means I can start painting different schemas and back it up saying they are all fighting under Rob assembly force and this goes not for only UM and successor, maybe the inclusion of some Sllies, RG, etc..

 

Very happy with the turning of events so far, hopefully Konor will resist.

[DogWelder]

I loved 30k Guilliman, I loved the internal conflict he is struggling in 40k.

 

Is a shame the lost of Iax, in the heavy industrialized universe it was a unique world and one I was planning to built the lore of my marines after the re institution of the tetrarch by Rob.

 

The feeling of the legion coming back is great, it means I can start painting different schemas and back it up saying they are all fighting under Rob assembly force and this goes not for only UM and successor, maybe the inclusion of some Sllies, RG, etc..

 

Very happy with the turning of events so far, hopefully Konor will resist.

 

Indeed, though Quintarn, Masali and Talassar fulfill the same purpose as Iax. The world was special to me cause it was the homeworld of Shira Calpurnia from the Calpurnia books. 

[Ishagu]

I was very satisfied with Dark Imperium, with the exception of Calgar's "little man" complex that made me view him in a lesser way.

 

The rest of the book was fascinating, and I really grew to like the Primaris. They bring the feeling of hope that was lost after the great Crusade.

 

Gathering Storm was ok - I loved the moment Guilliman awoke to face the Chaos forces (and I really enjoyed the moment with Fulgrim taunting Rob from the warp) but the rest of the book was a Michael Bay movie.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Ishagu

[Captain Idaho]

The Primaris part was the "Michael Bay" part. They were unstoppable and pointing at Chaos Marines killed them.

 

I loved the Politics element. I really loved Dune and seeing elements of that in 40K got my inner nerd gasping.