Ordo Xenos Acolytes & Stormtroopers

[Wormwoods]

So, partly because everyone in my Crusade group is now putting together a Tyranid army, and I want to add some alien-hunting flavour to the marines I'm taking to that set of games I'm now planning to include an Inquisitor and retinue. 

 

Thing is, I don't want to take Deathwatch in an army that's already blinged-out marines, and I don't think the recent Killteam of Acolytes quite matches the more military look I'm after. 

 

What I do have, instead, is a box of Necromunda Enforcers, leftover GSC bits, and a whole lot of gumption. 

 

My question is: How do I make this pop? What colours should I use for an Ordo Xenos Stormtrooper? Can I get away with converting a captured and augmented genestealer psyker into a counts-as Demonhost? 

 

Would love some ideas, recommendations, and examples of your own weird acolytes and agents. Once I dig in to this it'll probably end up over on the WIP forum.

[Orion]

1 hour ago, Wormwoods said:

Can I get away with converting a captured and augmented genestealer psyker into a counts-as Demonhost? 

This is an interesting idea. I wonder if you could do some kind of legged, or tracked specimen tank. Obviously not the easiest solution, but would be very much how I would imagine it for ordo xenos.

[Wormwoods]

2 minutes ago, JayJapanB said:

This is an interesting idea. I wonder if you could do some kind of legged, or tracked specimen tank. Obviously not the easiest solution, but would be very much how I would imagine it for ordo xenos.

I was thinking chained up and/or missing limbs, possibly being carried by a servitor?

[sitnam]

Spoilers for Belisarius Cawl: the Great Work

 

Spoiler

The Scythes of the Emperor has a acolyte that they held in stasis then later used as a sort of bloodhound/bait for the Patriarch. They had him in chains and with neuro-systems to pacify him.

 

If you don't want the spoiler: I think a pet GSC is a very doable idea. Perhaps your stormtroopers have had a bunch of experience putting down the cults, and they forego typical las weapons for auto weapons so they can scavenge ammunition during missions. Maybe these guys can even be "undercover" as the planetary pdf or police force of the world they are on.

 

I don't think colors in particular matter. Black with red is kind of the traditional Inquisitorial Storm Trooper coloration, but Tempestus Scion regiments have a ton of color diversity

[Wormwoods]

I've always associated red and black with the Ordo Hereticus specifically, but looking back at the official models over the years that's been across all the major Ordos. 

 

I think I may do something with purple and silver? 

 

Good to hear it's been touched-on in the lore, I haven't really read any of the modern 40K novels, just a smattering of the Heresy-era stuff. This would be using something more potent than an acolyte hybrid, maybe a Magus or similar, though I'll probably build it from Neophyte bits, and a lot of green stuff cables.

[sitnam]

My only worry with purple and silver is it might come off as a bit to close to the colors of their Nid/GSC rivals. Then again, there’s plenty of stories of Blood Angels fighting World Eaters and Word Bearers. Or Black Legion and Black Templars. My SoB are in silver and purple, so I definitely think it’s a good combination

[WAR]

I like the idea

[Wormwoods]

On 8/29/2023 at 11:43 PM, sitnam said:

My only worry with purple and silver is it might come off as a bit to close to the colors of their Nid/GSC rivals.

For whatever reason, everyone I play with is painting their Nids primarily in green. Should be fine. 

[Wormwoods]

So, I'm tracking this over in my Crusade Army WIP thread, but thought I would drop the progress here: No Stormtroopers yet, thanks to a UPS delivery backlog, but I've been working on the weird characters in the retinue, and finished the Inquisitor herself!

 

Stand-in for Kyria Draxus

 

Stand-in Daemonhost

 

Stand-in Jokaero

 

[ThePenitentOne]

I love this!

 

I can't wait to see the other two pieces painted. Very inspirational.

[Wormwoods]

3 hours ago, ThePenitentOne said:

 

I can't wait to see the other two pieces painted. Very inspirational.

 

Funny story: They're all done! I posted them over on my WIP thread: 

Also painted up the stormtroopers, and despite some quibbles I have with how the paint scheme worked out, I'm pretty happy with this mini project.