Gaunt’s Ghosts: Anarch

[DukeLeto69]

I'd be fine with the Sabbat Worlds opening up to different novels and this being, largely, the end of the GG. Not because I think Anarch was bad or anything, I thought it was really good (and it's going to kick off a GG reread for me), but imo it's a good bookend on the series.

Sek's dead, the terrible (not bad, terrible as in boy that suuuuuucks for the Ghosts) twist with Yoncy AND Dalin, the SWC is likely going to get through the rest of the Archenemy forces, but you can really split off into a lot of nice side stories from this point onwards without getting into retreads of 'this big bad guy now, then THIS big bad guy now, then THIS big big bad guy now'. GG characters can come in with cameos, feature as part of stories, but their story has been told, imo.

 

I think the closest analogy I can use is...I'm full of GG. Not in a bad way, but like, after you've eaten a really good meal and you've had your fill, and now you're full. A top notch meal, good restaurant, great service, and now I'm good.

Well Dan has said he at one time thought this might be the final arc BUT when writing it he had ideas for one more arc...so I fully expect to see one more set of four books. Personally when I have had a fantastic meal it satisfies me and leaves me with no desire to repeat that meal for a while BUT after some time has passed I am eager to taste those treats again :-)

 

However, along with Interceptor City, Titanicus II and more anthologies I would also be happy for more Sabbat spin off novels.

[Blood Angel Scout]

Just finished first reading, felt it was a bit rushed at the end but nothing new for Abnett's style. Will say it had one of the funniest moments I've came across in a BL novel due to one character calling a civilian a "ball-bag"

[Petitioner's City]

Yes that was a hard but brilliant read. Overall very much enjoyed, although I think I enjoyed each preceding victory book more. Painful, dark, and yet full of wonderful moments

 

 

Foremost - the Anarch. His appearance with the four different forms was excellent, in the chamber that was the same or recalled the chamber from Traitor General. The nods to his past were intruguing - 4 centuries old, in the military of the preceding Sanguinary warlord, trained in hand to hand and still able despite his aged 'true' body. His demise was wonderful.

 

The Sanguinary peoples were given great development. New terms and ideas like packsons and reworking. Again recalling the excellent worldbuilding of Traitor General. Can Abnett write - a la his Empire knights novel cum Eisenhorn - a novel set within the Sanguinary peoples?

 

Also on this theme - Mkoll's plot. Definitely the most enjoyable, especially because of the superheroic nature of Mkoll. I kept recalling the chapter in Ghostmaker when Mkoll kills a blinded dreadnought, and his assassination of the warlord in The Guns of Tanith. Holofernes's return was a nice moment, and his conversation about whether and how they could kill the Anarch was intriguing, thematucally, given the story emphasis given to unexpected or hidden weapons of war in the novel. Brin's return however I think needed more work, especially for one of the originally most important of characters. Brin as in the book could as easily been any other long missing Ghost, and that was very disappointing. Removing a meeting with Gaunt from the book was a poor choice, as it would also have mirrored his chat with Merity at the start very well!

 

Loved the mechanicore. Great alien way of depicting the Mechanicus. But didn't care for the Berserker virus. It felt contrived. Although thematically relevant - the hidden weapons and allies turning and unexpected enemies.

 

It was very good to see Mabbon again. Intriguing characterisation. I need to think more on it.

 

Further, while I miss Larkin as a focal character, it was nice to spend some more time with him this novel. But i would love more time with him.again. Finally, after being less present last novel, we did spend a fair amount with Rawne, although I wished there was more follow on to being regimental commander. However, despite it being a bad end, it was a good way to focus on his special unit, even if beyond Varl, Brostin and the vox officer, they were mainly names.

 

Overall, I have enjoyed how each book in this arc had different focal characters - however it meant that themes (or even characterisation-related plots) in each book haven't really carried on to the next (Elodie as leader in SR; Criid's promotion in Warmaster; Ludd's anxieties; Curth's rage; Zhukova's new role; etc). Maybe with more pages they could, but equally these have been focused books and maybe for Abnett each was resolved. However for me it meant certain moments - especially certain really tragic deaths* in this book - didn't work as well as really they should have, as those characters really weren't focal this volume.

 

Here i mean Elodie especially. I remember SR rather well, and loved her in that and Blood Pact. But here, her demise and her death experienced by Daur didn't hit home enough. There just wasn't time enough with each. But the same can be said of other deaths - perhaps because so many were rather anonymous (except for Brostin and Nessa). Really Dalin's transformation was horrible and worked well. But the epilogue with Criid's reaction felt emptier than it should have, at least I feel within this volume.

 

Gol had good stuff in the book, and his death did work - except it didn't provoke as much of a reaction as you'd hope, in part because indeed there was no real denouement. He should have been colonel - as Rawne argued in Warmaster - but for such a status there wasn't enough of a hole once he was absent.

 

This is Abnett'a style; his endings are like fragments of much more extended processes we don't get to see til subsequent volumes (if ever), but for this volume, a good few chapters of reaction would have mattered. Including, especially, "When Brin Met Ibram"...

[animal310]

Absolutely loved it 10/10, the horror was really well done, the twists fantastic, emotional and surprising. Contender for my favourite Black Library novel. I’m really glad that this is not the end as well although it will obviously be a while before the next one hits. If you plan on reading this, do yourself a favour and stay away from spoilers. 

 

[Osteoclast]

I really loved it, easily one of, if not the, best Gaunt’s Ghosts books. Some minor quibbles though:

 

Dalin going evil Unlimited Blade Works felt like an ass pull, I didn’t see any foreshadowing of it at all.

 

I do hope we have Merrity teasingly giving Gaunt crap in the future for stabbing the first man to profess his love for her. Bit of an overprotective father.

 

Loved the different impressions of the Anarch due to psychic shenanigans from his mask.

 

Bit confused by a Khornate cult, sacred number 8 and all, beseeching and getting aid from Tzeentch for their super warriors. Other than that, the world building of Chaos folks was fantastic.

 

Mkoll’s plot armor reached ludicrous levels during this and it was honestly a bit disappointing. Mutual kill of him and Anarch as he kept the mine forced down his throat would have been a good send off

[kamedake88]

I just put the book down and I suppose I will be the voice of dissent here and simply say I was whelmed. The feeling one would have if they were presented with a poorly reheated pepperoni pizza hot-pocket comes to mind. It looks good and it's pizza in a pocket but the center is still frozen. The book felt rushed and having endured Abnett's death-capades for what seems like a dozen books I find it hard to give a rats ass about the characters anymore dead or alive. There was some good but this was a tough read and in my opinion not worth the price of admission.

[Karthak]

"Finishes Anarch."

...Heritor Asphodel is just the worst. The. Worst.

[Gongsun Zan]

Having read the entire series in the last few months (which for me, was the first time reading everything past traitor general onwards), I felt that this was an *almost* perfect end to the entire series. But at the same time I'm torn - while the series has had some shaky books, the last three were outstanding and it's hard not to want more from Abnett.

 

I said almost perfect because Gaunt not meeting Milo was so frustratingly handled.

 

1. Moving their reiunion to the start of the next book would have robbed it of its dramatic significance.

 

2. Confirming Milo's surival before the parade undermines Gaunt's feelings about the Tanith Pipes during the parade. Even if Abnett wanted to avoid the reunion I think Milo's return should have come at the very end of the book.

 

[GlynG]

I loved that, quite possibly my favourite Ghosts book. I was wondering throughout whether it would be the final book, I’m glad I didn’t know it sounds like there’ll be more till after reading.

 

Odd thought: the alien super-weapon the Eagle Stones are a key to lead towards (that presumably will be the focus on the next / final arc). Could it maybe a Blackstone Fortress and the entire series be a prequel to the game?

[Reyner]

Was going to wait til Friday to pick this up but sod it I'm off to GW at dinner to see if they have one in stock :P 

[Moonreaper666]

I really loved it, easily one of, if not the, best Gaunt’s Ghosts books. Some minor quibbles though:

 

Dalin going evil Unlimited Blade Works felt like an ass pull, I didn’t see any foreshadowing of it at all.

 

I do hope we have Merrity teasingly giving Gaunt crap in the future for stabbing the first man to profess his love for her. Bit of an overprotective father.

 

Loved the different impressions of the Anarch due to psychic shenanigans from his mask.

 

Bit confused by a Khornate cult, sacred number 8 and all, beseeching and getting aid from Tzeentch for their super warriors. Other than that, the world building of Chaos folks was fantastic.

 

Mkoll’s plot armor reached ludicrous levels during this and it was honestly a bit disappointing. Mutual kill of him and Anarch as he kept the mine forced down his throat would have been a good send off

The Blood Pact takes the Martial path instead of the Berserker

 

They employ Psykers, that do used spells approved by Khorne

 

They are very liberal when it comes to recruiting, even having a Nurgle Cultist leader

 

 

Funny that they are getting away with things other Khornate warbands get punished for

 

They don't suffer the bloodlust that affects the World Eaters or Khornate Daemonkin

 

VERY successful as a Cult

 

(Not as successful as the Cult of Daemon Summoners who wiped out a Grey Knight Company but that's a high bar)

[SkimaskMohawk]

Pretty sure nothing ever specified them as being a khornate force. Yes, they have blood in their name, and they're of the sanguinary tribes...but that's it. It doesn't always have to be so on the nose in terms of naming conventions. They're only ever portrayed as undivided; their commanders are the ones they show the most zeal for following over anything else 

[marine7312000]

So I bought this and read it in one sitting last night. I can't say that this is my favorite GG book but it definitely is in my top 5.

[Noserenda]

Superb book, Pasha is now my fave Ghost after her dialogue in this one Gotta say though the pacing was a bit off, I thing maybe the whole basement section could stand to have been later in the book, its definitely the strongest part, and so i dont think that helped the traditional slightly rough finish.

That said it really does feel like a solid finish for the series, through Brin definitely should have met Gaunt.

And at this rate there are going to be more Commissars than Ghosts!

[Preliminary Bombardment]

Well I thought this was pretty great, great follow to the Warmaster. I can't work out how to put spoilers on mobile so can't say much but some of the incidental details about how a Chaos society would actually function was fantastic.

[Ranwulf]

-Long book, but I guess it makes sense. Dan was trying to close a lot of threads in it. I mean, we had the Eagle Stones, the Sons of Sek, Mabbon, Gol Kolreas children, the Woe Engines, Heritor Asphodel, Saint Sabbat showing up again, Milo showing up again, the Victory for the Crusade. It was a lot. I think they finished it up pretty well.
-A lot of people died in this book. And I think its partially to help finishing some of this threads. I don’t recall all of them, but here are a few:
-Meryn died. JFC finally he is dead. And it was Merity that did it. Partially wanted Rawne to do it, but hey, she got a comissars blood. Merity Chass storyline was the whole Lijah Cuu/Larkin story again, but at least the ending was quick and more enjoyable.
-Gol dying was honestly kinda expected. I think he was reaching his emotional limit, and it was written all over the wall.
-Yoncy was exactly what I expected, just as creepy, and makes a lot of sense when you consider what happened in Verghast, and specially in Necropolis where what might have been an editorial/writer mistake became a cool story moment.
-Dalin though...hmmm...its just a bit weird, but it might showcase something important. Maybe Yoncy was in fact crazy girl, and the Woe Engines did not actually change anything with the person itself. Maybe Yoncy WAS in fact trying to protect herself saying weird stuff, and it was JUST AS PLANNED so both would be properly implanted weapons. Or maybe not, and it could have been better foreshadowed.
-Elodie dying actually bothered me as I like Daur, and I liked Nik Vincent take on her. Specially as it showed the people who followed the Ghosts around as support.
-Blenner survived. I don’t know how. I hope his last talk with Zweil shoves him in a better direction. Don’t really expect it though.
-I read that Nessa died, but I honestly might have missed that part.
-Van Hoytz, oh boy, he was a jerk last book and came back to the old general I liked back in the Saint Arc.
-I think if you wear the Commisar cap, you get some super resilience. I honestly expected a few of them to die.
-Now, a few other points:
-Mkoll has a lot of plot armor. I honestly would have liked if Brin finished the Anarch, but I guess we havent seen him in a while.
-Which reminds me the ten year gap is still weird. Brin is now on his 30s, and I feel like thats the closest we had of a big impact in the story for the Ghosts.
-I find it hilarious that the Ghosts almost never get enough credit. Even when they are the Lord Executors own, people still don’t know who achieved a lot of it, and now there is red tape around it so people won’t ever know.
-Victor and Laksheema. Can a Commisar and an Inquisitor find love together? Probably not, but I ship it now.
All and all, a good read. I want to see whats going to happen next, which I assume its the consolidation over the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

[SixOfOne]

-Long book, but I guess it makes sense. Dan was trying to close a lot of threads in it. I mean, we had the Eagle Stones, the Sons of Sek, Mabbon, Gol Kolreas children, the Woe Engines, Heritor Asphodel, Saint Sabbat showing up again, Milo showing up again, the Victory for the Crusade. It was a lot. I think they finished it up pretty well.

-A lot of people died in this book. And I think its partially to help finishing some of this threads. I don’t recall all of them, but here are a few:

-Meryn died. JFC finally he is dead. And it was Merity that did it. Partially wanted Rawne to do it, but hey, she got a comissars blood. Merity Chass storyline was the whole Lijah Cuu/Larkin story again, but at least the ending was quick and more enjoyable.

-Gol dying was honestly kinda expected. I think he was reaching his emotional limit, and it was written all over the wall.

-Yoncy was exactly what I expected, just as creepy, and makes a lot of sense when you consider what happened in Verghast, and specially in Necropolis where what might have been an editorial/writer mistake became a cool story moment.

-Dalin though...hmmm...its just a bit weird, but it might showcase something important. Maybe Yoncy was in fact crazy girl, and the Woe Engines did not actually change anything with the person itself. Maybe Yoncy WAS in fact trying to protect herself saying weird stuff, and it was JUST AS PLANNED so both would be properly implanted weapons. Or maybe not, and it could have been better foreshadowed.

-Elodie dying actually bothered me as I like Daur, and I liked Nik Vincent take on her. Specially as it showed the people who followed the Ghosts around as support.

-Blenner survived. I don’t know how. I hope his last talk with Zweil shoves him in a better direction. Don’t really expect it though.

-I read that Nessa died, but I honestly might have missed that part.

-Van Hoytz, oh boy, he was a jerk last book and came back to the old general I liked back in the Saint Arc.

-I think if you wear the Commisar cap, you get some super resilience. I honestly expected a few of them to die.

-Now, a few other points:

-Mkoll has a lot of plot armor. I honestly would have liked if Brin finished the Anarch, but I guess we havent seen him in a while.

-Which reminds me the ten year gap is still weird. Brin is now on his 30s, and I feel like thats the closest we had of a big impact in the story for the Ghosts.

-I find it hilarious that the Ghosts almost never get enough credit. Even when they are the Lord Executors own, people still don’t know who achieved a lot of it, and now there is red tape around it so people won’t ever know.

-Victor and Laksheema. Can a Commisar and an Inquisitor find love together? Probably not, but I ship it now.

All and all, a good read. I want to see whats going to happen next, which I assume its the consolidation over the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

Unless I'm very much mistaken, it's Jessi Banda that dies, not Nessa as I can't find any mention of the latter meeting a perilous fate in the last part of the book.

[librisrouge]

I just put the book down and I suppose I will be the voice of dissent here and simply say I was whelmed.

I take it you're a Young Justice fan (ditto.) On a lexicon note, whelmed and overwhelmed mean the same thing. Adding over- to -whelmed is just used to create emphasis. It is like saying that you're really whelmed (the opposite of what you meant.)

 

I liked this book. Kolea has been a favorite character of mine for some time and what he went through in this book forced me to put it down from time to time. I just couldn't. I saw what was happening to Yoncy, predicted what would happen to Dalin, and still tried to hold onto hope that it...wouldn't. That it was some kind of illusion or psychic manifestation or what not. Literally shed a single manly tear at the end.

 

The saint's portrayal was great. She is still a power house of faith and ability but she is tired. Being at the forefront of a major campaign and battling the horrors of the warp has drained her. Now she has a major player to take down and is running on E. Despite that, she steps up and does what Imperial saints do. She had moments of doubt and hesitation but didn't allow that to change her understanidng of what was need of her from the Emperor.

 

Mkoll was packing a host of plot armor but when hasn't he. I expect genuinely human heroics from the rest of the regiment. I expect Mkoll to kill dreadnoughts. Still, I feel like the cameos on his story arch were largely unneeded. I was glad to see the return of our resident Iron Snake (great chapter) but Milo felt...wasted in that roll. There had to be a better way to get him back into play with the regiment but have his story gain more flavor. I did love how the marine went out, taking one last shot at the anarch instead of looking at his own defense. It feel very much like a marine thing to do and the fact that it didn't work doesn't take away from the heroic sacrifice of it.

 

I liked the inclusion of a few new characters. The scion bodyguards were great flavor characters, never taking the spotlight, even for a moment, but making every scene they're in slightly better and demonstrating the new gravitas Gaunt has with his role as Lord Executor. The inqusitor is always a win for me. Abnett knows how to right inquisition and I wish I could get more inquisition books from him. I'll take what I can get here. She genuinely contributed to the story AND the action but never stopped feeling like an inquisitor, as opposed to just somebody who was skilled and knowledgable. A breed apart, so to speak.

[Apothecary Vaddon]

 

-Long book, but I guess it makes sense. Dan was trying to close a lot of threads in it. I mean, we had the Eagle Stones, the Sons of Sek, Mabbon, Gol Kolreas children, the Woe Engines, Heritor Asphodel, Saint Sabbat showing up again, Milo showing up again, the Victory for the Crusade. It was a lot. I think they finished it up pretty well.

-A lot of people died in this book. And I think its partially to help finishing some of this threads. I don’t recall all of them, but here are a few:

-Meryn died. JFC finally he is dead. And it was Merity that did it. Partially wanted Rawne to do it, but hey, she got a comissars blood. Merity Chass storyline was the whole Lijah Cuu/Larkin story again, but at least the ending was quick and more enjoyable.

-Gol dying was honestly kinda expected. I think he was reaching his emotional limit, and it was written all over the wall.

-Yoncy was exactly what I expected, just as creepy, and makes a lot of sense when you consider what happened in Verghast, and specially in Necropolis where what might have been an editorial/writer mistake became a cool story moment.

-Dalin though...hmmm...its just a bit weird, but it might showcase something important. Maybe Yoncy was in fact crazy girl, and the Woe Engines did not actually change anything with the person itself. Maybe Yoncy WAS in fact trying to protect herself saying weird stuff, and it was JUST AS PLANNED so both would be properly implanted weapons. Or maybe not, and it could have been better foreshadowed.

-Elodie dying actually bothered me as I like Daur, and I liked Nik Vincent take on her. Specially as it showed the people who followed the Ghosts around as support.

-Blenner survived. I don’t know how. I hope his last talk with Zweil shoves him in a better direction. Don’t really expect it though.

-I read that Nessa died, but I honestly might have missed that part.

-Van Hoytz, oh boy, he was a jerk last book and came back to the old general I liked back in the Saint Arc.

-I think if you wear the Commisar cap, you get some super resilience. I honestly expected a few of them to die.

-Now, a few other points:

-Mkoll has a lot of plot armor. I honestly would have liked if Brin finished the Anarch, but I guess we havent seen him in a while.

-Which reminds me the ten year gap is still weird. Brin is now on his 30s, and I feel like thats the closest we had of a big impact in the story for the Ghosts.

-I find it hilarious that the Ghosts almost never get enough credit. Even when they are the Lord Executors own, people still don’t know who achieved a lot of it, and now there is red tape around it so people won’t ever know.

-Victor and Laksheema. Can a Commisar and an Inquisitor find love together? Probably not, but I ship it now.

All and all, a good read. I want to see whats going to happen next, which I assume its the consolidation over the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

Unless I'm very much mistaken, it's Jessi Banda that dies, not Nessa as I can't find any mention of the latter meeting a perilous fate in the last part of the book.

 

Yeah, Nessa kind of appeared in the story when she got the driver of that truck laden with the explosives but nothing about her after that. Banda is the one that Yoncy om nommed.

[Moonreaper666]

 

 

 

 

-Long book, but I guess it makes sense. Dan was trying to close a lot of threads in it. I mean, we had the Eagle Stones, the Sons of Sek, Mabbon, Gol Kolreas children, the Woe Engines, Heritor Asphodel, Saint Sabbat showing up again, Milo showing up again, the Victory for the Crusade. It was a lot. I think they finished it up pretty well.

-A lot of people died in this book. And I think its partially to help finishing some of this threads. I don’t recall all of them, but here are a few:

-Meryn died. JFC finally he is dead. And it was Merity that did it. Partially wanted Rawne to do it, but hey, she got a comissars blood. Merity Chass storyline was the whole Lijah Cuu/Larkin story again, but at least the ending was quick and more enjoyable.

-Gol dying was honestly kinda expected. I think he was reaching his emotional limit, and it was written all over the wall.

-Yoncy was exactly what I expected, just as creepy, and makes a lot of sense when you consider what happened in Verghast, and specially in Necropolis where what might have been an editorial/writer mistake became a cool story moment.

-Dalin though...hmmm...its just a bit weird, but it might showcase something important. Maybe Yoncy was in fact crazy girl, and the Woe Engines did not actually change anything with the person itself. Maybe Yoncy WAS in fact trying to protect herself saying weird stuff, and it was JUST AS PLANNED so both would be properly implanted weapons. Or maybe not, and it could have been better foreshadowed.

-Elodie dying actually bothered me as I like Daur, and I liked Nik Vincent take on her. Specially as it showed the people who followed the Ghosts around as support.

-Blenner survived. I don’t know how. I hope his last talk with Zweil shoves him in a better direction. Don’t really expect it though.

-I read that Nessa died, but I honestly might have missed that part.

-Van Hoytz, oh boy, he was a jerk last book and came back to the old general I liked back in the Saint Arc.

-I think if you wear the Commisar cap, you get some super resilience. I honestly expected a few of them to die.

-Now, a few other points:

-Mkoll has a lot of plot armor. I honestly would have liked if Brin finished the Anarch, but I guess we havent seen him in a while.

-Which reminds me the ten year gap is still weird. Brin is now on his 30s, and I feel like thats the closest we had of a big impact in the story for the Ghosts.

-I find it hilarious that the Ghosts almost never get enough credit. Even when they are the Lord Executors own, people still don’t know who achieved a lot of it, and now there is red tape around it so people won’t ever know.

-Victor and Laksheema. Can a Commisar and an Inquisitor find love together? Probably not, but I ship it now.

All and all, a good read. I want to see whats going to happen next, which I assume its the consolidation over the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

Unless I'm very much mistaken, it's Jessi Banda that dies, not Nessa as I can't find any mention of the latter meeting a perilous fate in the last part of the book.

Yeah, Nessa kind of appeared in the story when she got the driver of that truck laden with the explosives but nothing about her after that. Banda is the one that Yoncy om nommed.

None of them were abducted by Trazyn?

 

 

I wonder when does Trazyn capture part of the Taninth Regiment as part of his collection?

 

Imagine Gaunt, Rawne and Mkoll fighting on Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade!

[Apothecary Vaddon]

What the hell are you on about dude

[librisrouge]

What the hell are you on about dude

Iirc, the Fall of Cadia book mentions some guardsmen in camo gear shouting "For Tanith!" when Trazyn opens his lunchbox to help out defending the pylons.

[Apothecary Vaddon]

There's no Trazyn in Anarch, if there was people would've been going bananas over it pages ago

[SkimaskMohawk]

Abnett is too good to gimmick in gathering storm nonsense

[1ncarnadine]

And for all we know, Trazyn stole some Tanith snipers who failed to make it off the world as it was destroyed, so they're already assumed dead. Preserving something in its last moments is classic Trazyn.

 

Anyway, finished this last night. Definitely a great read, though I have my complaints. They're pretty small though. Highlights and criticisms below:

 

Fantastic horror in the undercroft. Definitely my favorite parts of the book.

 

The 2nd woe machine felt a little contrived. I'm on ebook so I used search to check through and see if/where it was hinted at, and I can kind of see it... Yoncy has a bit where she gets a little irate and says something to the effect of 'you were just talking to papa too,' probably referring to Dalin hearing Sek's commands. It seems clear the Dalin persona isn't aware of these communications and he just kind of shuts down while they happen. I'd be curious to see if there was anything in Warmaster that solidly hints at this as well, or even before, but I don't get the impression this is a choice that was decided on 3-4 books ago. I'd be happy to be wrong, though. I wonder if there is a hint somewhere where another character sees Dalin staring into space for a bit or something while he tunes into Anarch Radio? I wouldn't have noticed it before, but if anyone does a re-read of the last few books it might be something to keep an eye out for.

 

And the charge of the Qimurah felt a little weightless. I kind of wish the main body of the Qimurah had lived up to their hype a bit more, but they seemed to go down in a flash.

 

But I do really like that Sek and the Qimurah seem to be blessed by Tzeentch despite the overtly militant, kind of Khornate nature of the Chaos forces at play. It makes good sense, too. Sek is ambitious, and Tzeentch reaches out to those who seek the power to make change. Change, heedless of its cost. And somewhere in the depths of the warp, there's a part of Tzeentch that would love to overthrow one of Khorne's champions simply for the sake of it. And Sek even adhered to the Sanguinary Tribes' cultural favor of the number 8 to help maintain his power amid that militarist culture. Anyway, that's my take on it. I'm sure others will read this differently.

 

And lastly, I'm a little sad that Brostin didn't get to go out in a blaze of pyrotechnic glory :'( It's what he would have wanted