Exemplary Battles - Remaining Legions

[Etruscan]

I've really enjoyed the additional units in the Exemplary Battle PDFs (especially the lore) and was wondering about the remaining Legions and what kind of units we might see. I think these legions are left:

 

Thousand sons

Iron Hands

Salamanders

Alpha Legion 

 

The Alpha Legion and Salamanders could be themed around the Siege of Mezoa with potentially a Disciples of the Flame unit for the Salamanders (though no idea what they would actually constitute). It might be quite refreshing if the Salamanders had a specialised unit which isn't flame based? As for the other Legions, I have no firm ideas but would be interested to hear the Community's thoughts.

[Ripper.McGuirl]

I would really love a Disciples unit. For the Alphas, I could see some kind of esoteric tech unit. Since the Exemplary Battles have skewed Destroyer heavy, I could see them using those a starting point and adding something extra weird to them.
I honestly don't know enough about the Iron Hands or KSons to make any guesses/wishlists for them. I would love a kind of "bionic commando" unit for the Xth, though. A bunch of insane mutilated Istvaan survivors who probably should be in dreadnoughts or dead, but are still ticking through sheer hatred and limb replacements.

[Etruscan]

Yeah I agree, would be cool have a Disciples unit, perhaps a sort of Assault Squad.

From memory (might be wrong here), the Siege of Mezoa mentioned mostly Alpha Legion armoured divisions so not sure how they would create a unique infantry squad for them but I like the idea you mentioned.

An interesting but unusual idea for the Iron Hands could be from the novel 'Riven' based around The Keys of Hel.

Spoiler

Basically dead Iron Hands who have been resurrected using banned Dark Age technology. It would be a strange one for sure but fluffy in a very specific instance.

Alternatively, something based around Shadrak Meduson's exploits though the problem is that they were the Shattered Legions so consisting of multiple Legions. I definitely think a post-Istvaan unit would be cool though.

As for the Thousand Sons, I'm at a loss. I always considered it a bit of a tragedy that they turned Traitor in the first place.

 

[bushman101]

I think we are missing one for Blood Angels

They were featured in the campaign with Word Bearers, but we didn't get a unit.

[Etruscan]

That's a good point, an oversight on my part. I'm a fan of the Blood Angels so hope they get something interesting.

[Misterduch]

Playing salamanders I feel like we are really missing a unit that can get into melee and match the damage output of some other legions.

Almost every game I played of 2.0 has been decided by something like cult troops from TS or gal vorbak getting into melee and obliterating me, or me managing to just barely outpace them and win by a VP or two. Even firedrakes get melted point for point when gal vorbak are running around

[Etruscan]

I agree despite the fact that I don't play the game but I'm a big lore junkie and the Salamanders seem to share similarities with the Death Guard; endurance and relentlessness in the face of adversity. Ideally they would have some sort of staying power in melee combat to represent this so an Exemplary Battle unit could really fix that niche. The obsession with flame weapons seems to be at the expense of some of their other traits, such as their skill with forging, endurance, etc.

[The4thHorseman]

Well, for Blood Angels I feel like everyone screams from the rooftops for Sanguinary Guard. However, that just seems so boring. I would rather something really interesting, maybe like a melee bike or jetbike squad.

[tinpact]

A biker unit for Blood Angels would be neat, since they already have a special Destroyer unit - and I've got a handful halfway built anyway.

[SGK]

Destroyer Bikers, would be a treat, every third bike has a rad launcher  could be neat . Or the destroyer circle that Dominion Zephon belongs to. Blood angels should get something it felt a grosss oversight as all other articles had two units maybe an article where they attack cultists or dark mechanicus

[LameBeard]

Maybe for Alpha Legion it could be leftfield - a non-astartes unit who have been recruited as agents. It could be a way to get one Auxillia/Guard unit (and their transport) in the game since it looks like it might be a while before we see any Liber?

Thanks to ‘rewards of treachery’, every time another legion gets an option, XXth do too!

[sarabando]

AL - vault breakers 5-10 men all armed with Thammers for when guile isnt quick enough. 

[Biscuittzz]

The Space Wolves article for their unit said "They'll eventually lead the VI Legion to Yarant......But that's for the future - perhaps another Exemplary Battle article!"

 

So maybe we'll see a unit from TS or AL represented in that? They were present at it, although there's no units mentioned in the Corax book itself.

[SickSix]

For Salamanders I will pile on with a close quarters combat unit not based on flame. 

Maybe a specialized variation of Breachers? Shields and shotguns? Or an elite jumpack squad that would resemble 40k Vanguard? Every member can take specialized close combat weapons? That would help push 'the best forgers in the galaxy' schtick.

I don't want a destroyer variant as I could swear Vulkan was not a fan of them. 

[Etruscan]

Nice ideas all posters but I do imagine they’ll keep the Units on the Infantry tip rather than throwing in a unit of Blood Angels bikers, for example. That’s purely on the basis that all previous units have been infantry squads.

Re: the above post, I’d love to see a unit of hard hitting Salamanders combat specialists and also something of their forge skill represented in the stats.
 

A unit of human Agents for the Alpha Legion would be super fluffy but not quite sure how this could be implemented. Nevertheless an interesting proposition.

I wait impatiently for the remaining Exemplary Battle units.

[Ripper.McGuirl]

I am also feeling impatient for some more exemplary battles! They really keep me engaged when I'm not able to get many games in.

 

[Cleon]

I'd quite like a terminator squad for the Blood Angels (The Raven Guard at least have had one iirc), I'm not really keen on the Crimson Paladin sculpts regardless, but a Tartaros armour based option would be cool.

[Noserenda]

The Tempus fugitives rules included Alpha Legion operatives (Ive got a whole army because excess :P ) and the feeling behind them was humans equipped out of the Legion armoury, so essentially scout armour and various weapons, theyd work fine as a variant on that squad with less S&T but more toys.

[Primarch Betalio]

On 8/15/2022 at 12:38 PM, Misterduch said:

Playing salamanders I feel like we are really missing a unit that can get into melee and match the damage output of some other legions.

Almost every game I played of 2.0 has been decided by something like cult troops from TS or gal vorbak getting into melee and obliterating me, or me managing to just barely outpace them and win by a VP or two. Even firedrakes get melted point for point when gal vorbak are running around

I would love if the Salamanders got more hammers ngl:

 

Artificer armor

Unnamed squad ( artificers?)

Thunder hammers, and shields