Help with Narrative Campaign

[Brother Chaplain Tyranus]

Hello brothers.  I come looking for advice.  I have signed up for a narrative campaign with my local gaming club and I have no idea how to play narrative.  From what I think I understand, it is more about the storylines of the army than it is about making a super strong list.  I realize that the campaign changes as we go but I don't actually know where to start.  Do i include characters like azrael and ezekiel?  I would think that would be a bit of a cop out if you will considering that the history and back story and personalities are already written into the characters. 

 

How do I build a list for this?  Our first game is July 3rd and I probably need to add a few pieces to this army so I want to get this started now.  Do I build a list based off of what I like about the Dark angels?  Whats the most important parts to think about when building something for this?  Thanks for the help

[FlamingDeth]

Any narrative event I’ve participated in I usually stick to generic characters, it’s a bit easier to make your own fluff with them. Also: build a list off of your hypothetical commander’s preferences.

[Bryan Blaire]

Did whoever is running the campaign give you any restrictions or the starting narrative for the campaign?

[Brother Chaplain Tyranus]

They have not released that information yet but I imagine that an info packet will be on it's way. I love deathwing terminators so I wanted to make my list(s) around that.  I put an initial list together and I had azrael and ezekiel in it but then I got all narrative on myself and asked why would azrael and ezekiel be out here already?  Unless they write into the campaign something about our dark past, I don't think they would leave the rock.  I was thinking of making an interrogator chaplain in terminator armor as my warlord.  From what I understand, the armies can change but the warlord stays the same all the way through.  Either that or do a ravenwing based list.  I have a bunch of ideas. 

[Hantheman]

I think with Dark angels you can go strong narrative because we have three distinct armies with different kinds of fluff. So I’d run pure Ravenwing or Deathwing and go have fun

[sneakybamsen]

Pure Deathwing is fluffy, so is pure Ravenwing, but the first is rather hard to get to work. Too expensive models that don't survive well enough and don't do enough damage before they go. Also you won't be getting enough CP. An interrogator chaplain is close to our weakest choice for an HQ.

 

I've been fiddling with a combination of 5 ravenwing black knights, 5 deathwing knights, 10 tartaros terminators, darkshroud, dark talon and stormraven. HQ's are Belial and a libby in TDA. 3 scout squads to make it a battalion. It can be done in 2000 points, is fluffy to a degree and so on. Just here for inspiration. If you had the above (modelwise), replace belial with a master in TDA, I'd say. I know it's triwing and far from pure, but I think I'll have to try it out at some point, when I get the unpainted parts ready.

[Brother Chaplain Tyranus]

Would you guys forego the command points from a batallion to go full raven/deathwing?

[sneakybamsen]

I wouldn't. At least not with Deathwing. The stratagems are so expensive, and even with double vanguard, or vanguard and spearhead (land raiders (crusaders, really)), you'll be at 5CP. You won't be able to afford a 10-man DWA, which is rather nice to be able to do, as even with double vanguard, you'll have 2 CP left, so only 2CP you can use on turn 1 to not get beaten too harshly. Were terminators a stronger choice (being cheaper or more durable), you might consider it, but it'd easily become a game without stratagems. You can play deathwing without DWA, but I feel it does a lot to help clear out stuff that's in the way of something more important. I've been running 10 Storm bolters and 2 cyclones in a league, they do rather well if they land with Belial. But it's 3 CP for really opening the dakka tabs, and that is only really worth doing in a battalion list.

 

Ravenwing do the CP shortage better, as their main stratagem is speed of the raven. It only costs 1 CP, and since they're cheaper, it's also easier to get something decent going without a battalion. Sableclaw and Talonmaster for some pretty solid shooting. Then a darkshroud and a dark talon, and you've got 1258 points remaining to bring whatever you can that will make your opponents life less joyful. If you can manage 5 FA choices from the Ravenwing, you have 2 outrider detachments. It's not going to be competitive, but it does work. Now though, for the campaing, the generic HQ's are more well suited for story reasons, so maybe two talonmasters or a talonmaster and a biker librarian (index option).

[spiros14]

I would strongly suggest looking up either other campaign books such as "Shield of Baal," "Sanctus Reach," or "War Zone Damocles," to get a good feel for narrative armys. Even if they don't fully relate to the Dark Angels, you can see a couple of themes running through them.

 

Most tend to have a Demi-Company core (Three Battleline, one Fire Support, one Assault) which are led by a Captain (or in this case, Company Master) who is usually the warlord.

Following this is support from other Companies or Characters.

 

Using this, I would recommend:

A Company Master on foot (give him a name, too, naming these guys is half the fun, especially when they do well)

A Librarian or Interrogator Chaplain (name them, too!)

Three Tac Squads or Intercessors (or a mix, whichever floats your boat)

Some sort of fast attack choice (or even some elite ravenwing black knights)

A Heavy Support Choice (Hellblasters look like they do well for DA)

Some Deathwing fun.

 

With that in hand (and with the names of your characters and Sergeants) give it a bit of fluff

"X Company has gone to <PLANET> for <REASON>, However, what the troops do not know is <SECRET ADGENDA>,"

maybe throw in a grudge with another players warlord.

"Company Master <Cool Dude> has always held <RIVAL WARLORD> in contempt because of <REASON>, and will do anything to <SLAY/SHAME> him,"

 

Bish bash bosh you have your army, and you have your fluff, all you need to do now is play a few games, charter some cool things that have happened, and your sorted!

 

On the subject of Special Characters, I personally would either have a "non-leader," character such as Zeke or Asmodai, introduced later into the campaign, or a "leader," Company Master (like Belial or Sammy) introduced as the warlord.

 

Happy Wargaming, Battle Brother!

[Solrac]

I think Spiros is more on point here.

 

It's a narrative campaign which means even if you "win" your battles you will be at the mercy of the GM on how the story goes. Narrative Campaigns aren't about how many games you win. It is about how a tactical marine kills a whole unit of gaunts on his own or a Master refusing to die holding off a daemon prince from mincing the rest of his force.

 

Forget stratagems, forget CP's, forget what's competitive. If it's anything like the last narrative campaign my friend ran, he will have the power to just give the underdog CP's or skew the battle in someone's favour to make for a better story.

 

 My suggestion is along the lines of what Spiros has said. Pick a non named HQ character and think about a theme for your force. Give your character a name and give him some background even if its dot points. Finally flesh out your army based on the theme.

 

Your HQ character could be a Talon Master with a detachment of bikes, speeders and the company champion doing training exercises with scout bikers and land speeder storms when they get called to assist in the battle taking place for the narrative story as they are the closest units to respond.

 

Have fun with it and remember narrative is not about winning or losing its about the story and those epic thematic moments that dice rolls will give you!

[Kasper_Hawser]

If i may contribute, assuming your campaign allows it, there are plenty of reasons for high command characters to participate in battles. Therefore it isn't "unlikely" or "illogical" for Azrael or any Chapter master to occasionally lead a demi-company once in awhile, especially if there is a high value objective or even political shenanigans forcing the Chapter Master to personally intervene.

 

However, I think it'll be more fun to customize your own Company Master and Librarian as opposed to Azrael and Ezekiel. Greenwing is very respectable even without the ravenwing portions or deathwing, especially camping Primaris Intercessors, or the hugely overpowered (when you use em right), Hellblasters. 

 

If you are not into Primaris, then the only thing I would change from Spiros suggestions, is 3 tac squads as multiple 5 man small plasma units, put them all in Razorbacks (twin assault cannon if you can), and a unit of Devastators. Season with either Deathwing or Ravenwing. 

 

Try to see Berzul's battle reports if you want to see Deathwing, Ravenwing and Greenwing synergy. He actually uses all 3 in one go very well. He seems competitive but also does this in a narrative campaign of his own.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346556-battle-at-death-valley-da-vs-tyranids-narrative-batrep/

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346347-quick-battle-report-victory-or-death-da-vs-necrons/

[Brother Chaplain Tyranus]

Thanks for the advice so far guys. So I think I have decided to not bring azrael yet. The first mission was released and it is basically a space hulk showed up with some resources on it so everyone is trying to get a piece of it. I don't think that is worth the time of our supreme grand master. So what I'm thinking of doing is depending on how things go, they will come. I'm trying to stay in character if you will. If I'm up against orks, maybe belial will come. Unless I can find a way to justify bringing them then I don't think i will.

 

I actually made a talon master and I have a darkshroud on the way. From what I can tell the ravenwing combos seem to be more effective (in most cases) than a deathwing list. I did pick up a librarian in terminator armor that I am going to build for this. So I am going to try and keep those guys alive to be in charge of this ragtag crew of loyalists.

 

The first mission has a restriction of no batallion or brigades or super heavies so it's a great time to pull out the ravenwing methinks. I'm going to try and center the lists around the shroud, dark talon, talon master, and a librarian on a bike. Unless that got faq'd out. Thoughts?

[spiros14]

A Space Hulk can be a very characteristic start of a campaign, far from a space marines usual MO of "Kill the target," or "Protect the civvies," it instead pushes a narrative into a mystery dungeon. What will be found in the hulk? Historical Relics of the Chapter? The starts of an alien invasion? A dangerous conspiricy? Who knows?

 

A Ravenwing themed force may not be the worst idea in the world fluff wise: given their usual role, a marine scouting the corridors out first and planting teleport homers for the Deathwing to safely board the Hulk, plus, a bike can travel the corridors very quickly, which will have it's own uses.

 

Crunch wise, depending on the terrain or type of board being used, some other things need to be considered. This is something that should be discussed with your GM, that can be answered without spoiling any story details.

 

If your GM intends for a "Ship Vault," or "Outer Hull," battlefield (in that it's an ordinary 6×4 table for 40k, but with a few extra rules) all will be fine, take your list as planned and enjoy the game.

 

However, if your GM intends to use a "Deck Level," battle field (in that it's the claustrophobic nightmare Space Hulks are famed for, using Zone Mortalis tiles, or even the Space Hulk board game tiles) you may want to have your vehicles, such as the Dark Talon, sit the game out (as it will likely be too bulky to move about the table and be much use) in these situations, I have found Terminators (who become even harder to kill in corridors, their usual weakness of hordes is diminished when said horde cannot bring their full numbers to bear in the cramped spaces) Dreadnoughts (which is about the biggest thing you can fit on a Zone Mortalis Board) and troops with short ranged weaponry (as line of sight restrictions means you won't see an enemy until you turn a corner and come face to face with him!)

 

With all that said, I hope your first campaign game is a successful one.

 

For the Glory of the Emperor and the Primarch, Cousin.

[Bryan Blaire]

A high-ranking Inner Circle member like Azrael or Ezekiel could easily be very fluffy for a Space Hulk Mission - perhaps the accretions can’t hide that part of the hulk is actually a portion of a “Fallen” battle-barge, or an ancient craft thought lost. It is also possible that this hulk was where a battle force of DA previously lost a relic and the Supreme Grand Master was just a young pup at the time and wants to try and recover the artifact from story himself.

 

There are lots of plausible reasons for characters to be involved if you want took at it some.

[ValourousHeart]

Creating a Narrative list is relatively easy... you simply have to collect pieces that tell a story.

It doesn't have to be the full story or even a good story.

Narrative and Fluffy could be the same, but it isn't necessarily the same.

Narrative can break from Fluff, but you just need to make sense of the story being told.

 

EXAMPLES

Sisters of Battle MASH army - is a basic sisters army with a couple of hospitaler models.  You could even add in some Marines or IG with their respective medics.

A Marine Recon Patrol (version 1) - Every unit either has a transport or it is faster than the basic infantry.  Again this isn't limited to marines.

A Marine Recon Patrol (version 2) - Doesn't have to be mounted, the list just avoids anything cumbersome.  Might work well for that Space Hulk theme (you were probably not going to bring a land raider on the boarding mission).

Tau Raiding party - Lots of suits, lots of Kroot, maybe both.

Tau Outpost - focus on fire warriors and fortifications.

Dark Eldar Slavers - Start with Gangs of Commorragh and add in some units in Raiders or Venoms.

 

Or my personal favorite...

Remnants of a Ravenwing patrol - Think of a group of Ravenwing squads some of which have had some of their bikes and speeders wrecked, and the marines are now having to take cover in the wreckage of their own vehicles.  So in my mind that list is made up of Bikes, Black Knights, Speeders,Tactical and/or Assault Squads (without jump packs).  For the weapon choices on the Tactical and Assault squads stick to weapons that could be "salvaged" from wrecked bikes and speeders.  Maybe even take defense line barricades (because the marines could make barricades from the wrecked bikes and speeder).  A gun turret is also reasonable for those barricades (because the marines could mock up a gun turret from the wrecked attack bike and speeder).

 

You could also have that just be a small portion of your army and have the rest of your army be the extraction team, whatever that might consist of.

 

You don't even need to be in a narrative campaign to have a narrative for your army.

In previous editions to explain why I was running pure Ravenwing, every game I played I said wasn't the main mission the Dark Angels were involved in that day.

The game either took place before that imagined primary mission and my Ravenwing needed to break past this line of defenders to get in range of the primary target in order to summon the Deathwing.

Or it took place after the primary mission and My Ravenwing needed to break past the defenders to get to the extraction point.

 

 

 

So every army has a story... What's yours?

[Kinstryfe]

I'm currently running a narrative campaign, so what I can tell you is to play what you want within the bounds of the campaign. It's up to the GM to translate how that fits within the bounds of their story. The only thing I've decided with my players is that named characters will be instead generic analogues. So Azrael's rules would instead be used for the player's Dark Angels originally named leader. Beyond that, I had a starting point for the story and multiple ideas for story hooks, and it just went from there