In need of an idea

[Nostromo]

Now there is that story that starts as generic scifi and eventually ends with the empire showing up and picking up all military resources of an isolated colony before annihilating the planet. That sounds weird, but until that point the story makes sense.

My problem starts later when the former colonists are boarded on a fleet tender and shipped from fight to fight to fight get rid of them without wasting perfectly useable cannon fodder.

Now the shanghaied soldiers stubbornly refuse to make space gor other cargo by dying fast enough and instead seize control of the tender.

What now? Without cooperation of the ships astropath/navigator, the story would end, so that psyker will cooperate with my neobarbarians. But how do they survive from that point?

As mercenaries? Pirates? Or what?

I think the first makes the most sense - roughly 3,000 men with a lightly armed tender are no threat for a whole planet and would be in serious trouble once they meet any kind of armed spaceship. So open Rebellion does not look clever.

As an alternative to mercenaries that leaves a more or less volountary status of auxiliary troops that pretend to act on imperial order and could hence claim supplies from loyal planets or ships.

Not much different from their Status prior to the mutiny- but with the difference that now they do not fight to die and make Space in the cargo bay. Considering the irony, that suits the whole story so far.

 

Ideas? Suggestions?

[Tarvek Val]

Is there any potential for cooperation between other renegade factions - I'm thinking along the lines of renegade Space Marines perhaps? The only catch is that they would need to be able to offer the Marines something to make themselves useful as allies (as opposed to being outright destroyed). Maybe they have knowledge of the routes of local merchant vessels and help the Marines steal something valuable, thus earning some trust and a partnership of sorts? 

 

Maybe they partner with some other faction - say, the Tau - to develop better technology / weapons that allow them to pack a greater punch than their relatively low numbers suggest? 

 

Maybe they start a revolt on an Imperial planet (or prison world, or feral world, or xenos-controlled world, etc.) and gain significant numbers - they are still a "horde" in a sense, but they have the numbers to be combat effective?

[Nostromo]

That is at the very least an impulse to give some thought to - a powerfull ally at least to help them build a reputation might do the trick.

However, Xenos are completely out and Astartes are difficult - but not impossible.

Reason: the faction consists of two forces that were at war against each other until that war was ended by a brief intervention of Imperial Fists. Ironic Part in that: one of the forces follow a racist ideology in which they are superior to all other humans. Contact with Astartes was a first kick in the teeth- but i fear that the remains of that mindset would make it almost impossible to side with something not even human.

They are just learning that there is a whole universe at war out there.

 

Their equipment is already exotic- the technology comes from the 24th century - both superior and inferior at the same time to imperial standards. That is already very special.

 

... maybe a powerLESS ally...!

My primary army are dark angels... so maybe this force might make a good partner with a small group of Fallen. They might have just enough in common - and they completely lack imperial indoctrination.

It does not really solve the supplies problem, but I am thinking about the mercenary/act-loyalist-to-survive thing. That they have in common with (some) Fallen - and the latter could teach them what they need to know to play that role.

Fallen also come from another Millennium - so something else in common. And they DO have something to offer to Fallen: a mobile base with extensive maintenance infrastructure. They have an imperial fleet tender...

 

That is at least an idea that could work. But prior to getting too excited about it, I shall have it investigated for hints of cheese.

 

That was helpful!

Sometimes I need a shove...

[Tarvek Val]

Happy to be of service.

 

 

 

My primary army are dark angels... so maybe this force might make a good partner with a small group of Fallen. They might have just enough in common - and they completely lack imperial indoctrination.
It does not really solve the supplies problem, but I am thinking about the mercenary/act-loyalist-to-survive thing. That they have in common with (some) Fallen - and the latter could teach them what they need to know to play that role.
Fallen also come from another Millennium - so something else in common. And they DO have something to offer to Fallen: a mobile base with extensive maintenance infrastructure. They have an imperial fleet tender...

 

I'm really liking the potential for a collaboration with the Fallen here (based on what I know of the story so far). It seems as though they would have a mutually beneficial relationship - the Fallen needs the muscle the colonists can provide him, and in turn he can provide guidance perhaps. The Imperium is very slow to change over time - having someone who was around at the time of the Heresy could be greatly beneficial. Maybe your army can target an Imperial institution or prison because the Fallen member(s) recall the layout and defenses in place? This also gives you a great chance to expand the role of the Fallen in 40k beyond "there's a guy the Dark Angels are hunting because REASONS who subverted the local idiots to his cause, let's go blow some stuff up!"

 

Would love to see how this turns out.