Fluffy KT Leaders

[Lysimachus]

Hey all,

 

 

So I've seen lots of posts in various threads of people worrying about the unfluffiness of the better options (gamewise) for the Leaders of their Kill Teams, i.e. cheaper dude hiding at the back providing their 1CP each turn.

 

 

So I thought we could talk about different ways for those of us who want to build teams that are both fitting in lore and reasonably competitive on the tt to fluff out their hide-y Leaders!

 

 

Adeptus Astartes:

 

Scout Sgt - no problem here really, a Scout Sgt is a valid choice to give command to, especially in a sneakily inserted Kill Team. But what about for more aggressive Chapters, like BT or even SW, who fluff-wise might not approve of or accept a Leader who stays at the back? Well, in that case the Scout Sgt Leader profile could instead represent a less important Marine/Scout (or even a humble Chapter Serf!) equipped with a comm link and left in an observation position where he can call in tactical info to the team's (in-fluff) commander (maybe the ever popular Combat Specialist Intercessor Sgt, etc, etc?).

 

 

Heretic Astartes:

 

Cultist Leader - Well, again it doesn't feel right for this guy to lead in fluff. But he could represent an observer equipped with comm link or magnoculars (as above) for a more tactically minded Chaos warband/Legion like AL/IW. Or a low level seer/sorcerer whispering the truths from the warp for WB/BL. Or…?

 

 

(Personally, in my chaos KT, the in-fluff Leader is represented by a Combat Specialist Khorne Berzerker Champion, whereas the Chaos Cultist Leader Specialist is just a venerable and respected old Clan elder, subordinate to the Astartes but there to inspire the other cult members.)

 

 

Orks:

 

Grot - lots of possibilities here, could be a team mascot, seen as a lucky charm by the Orks, maybe a banner bearer a la Makari? Or as I think someone mentioned elsewhere, a cunning Grot 'advisor' has often been the real brains behind a Warboss' schemes, so him being Leader is perfectly fluffy!

 

 

Thousand Sons:

 

Tzaangor Twistbray - I might be inclined to model this Leader as less of a warrior and more as some kind of familiar or wizened human apprentice for the Sorcerer, sent to a good spot to observe the battle and/or chant rituals that bring Tzeentch's blessing and twist fate in favour of the TS…?

 

 

So, these are just a few ideas that came to me, anyone else got any fluff bits they use to justify a less impressive, backfield Leader?

[RandyB]

Good idea.

 

The game mechanical Leader role does not have to be the in-narrative team lead. They just have to perform the mechanical functions of the role.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

My heretic astartes kill team has a marine aspiring champion as the leader - but it was done as part of a modelling challenge rather than to produce the best kill team possible.

 

If my current champion were to be killed, I would likely replace him with a cultist champion - describing it as a meat puppet being worn by a powerful psycher.

 

That said, I'm not expecting to get any games in anytime soon.

[Lysimachus]

- describing it as a meat puppet being worn by a powerful psycher.

 

That's an awesome idea, the Marines aren't afraid of the puny Cultist, but they certainly are of their Chaos Sorcerer/Lord, who is too important to physically be there himself but still wants to keep an eye on his subordinates!