Space Sharks

[Crimson Devil]

regarding the officiality of the assigned traits: i'm fairly certain when these were first put up that the guy who organised the weekend said on the Badab War MSN group that these traits were house rules made by the campaign organisers specifically for that weekend ~ that they are not GW (40k design team) sanctioned rules (eg: no turning up at a regular 40k tournement and expecting to get a free squad)

 

Here is a link and a copy of the statement.

 

http://groups.msn.com/BadabWarProject/gene...517335979984259

 

Hi there.

 

The bit about being on sale in January was a WD typo, the Ogre Kingdoms campaign went on sale in Jan.

 

Nick has given each chapter listed as being there certain traits and disadvantages, we've also given bonus units to the listed chapters to encourage people to bring themed armies and not just bring their Space Wolves along (we're allowing other chapters but they will count as generic Space Marines in this campaign).

 

Sometimes this unit will be a free unit that is normally available as a 'points purchase' and sometimes, as with Tranquility Sniper Squads' it's an entirely new unit.

 

Please not also that the rules, traits and units are *purely* for the purposes of our campaign and in no way *official* (mainly as Nick and I hate the 'tourny legal/official above all mentality)

 

Cheers

 

G

[Ferrata]

Please not also that the rules, traits and units are *purely* for the purposes of our campaign and in no way *official* (mainly as Nick and I hate the 'tourny legal/official above all mentality)

 

Well, I would say that if GW have published on their website then its offical enough for me B) Also see the italiced section of the quote, they dislike the official method so would prefer their rules not to be offical. They must have based these traits on some fluff, so changing to the traits Codexmaker suggeseted is quite a large jump.

 

Ferrata

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Well I think I will abandon my Space Shark idea. I had some really cool ideas but most of them contradict what traits GW ( however foolishly) has assigned them.

 

Guess I'll try to think of something on my own. Oh well should be entertaining.

 

Thanks for all of the replies :lol:

[Crimson Devil]

That is a shame. While Ferrata is adamant these traits are official, they are not. They were written for a single event. If they were meant to be official do you think they would be hidden away in the events section instead of the marine section of the website? Of course this doesn't mean they won't become official in the "group consciousness". Take my Howling Griffons as an example. Ferrata mentioned earlier they were an assault squad heavy chapter. Nothing in the published fluff would indicate this. This idea became popular because of the Howling Griffons' website, not the official fluff. So feel free to use whatever traits you want, until GW does publish something about them.

[Cpt_Tiberius]

I'm torn. I was sitting at work today trying to think of a different chapter to latch onto and I just can't find one that inspires me. So I think I'll stick with the Sharks a bit longer.

 

So having decided that I have 2 options as I see it:

 

1.) Use the traits from the tournament and rework my fluff I have so far to accomodate them.

 

-or-

 

2.) Use whatever traits I like and put up with whatever hassle may come of it.

 

What do you guys think?

 

My goal is to create a cool set of fluff for this under appreciated chapter and maybe inspire some others to make sharks of their own.

 

Finally I have one other question. As the only painted models I have seen of the Sharks are older none of them has a chest eagle. Are they shown in the Insignium Astartes book? I was thinking Red to add some color, but I have seen pics of someone elses army who used black (though he was playing 5th company so maybe he thought it looked better with his company markings.)

Speaking of which, do they display their company on the shoulder rims, kneepads, or elsewhere?

 

Thanks again for all of your responses. Once I settle on the direction I want to go I will start writing this stuff up.

[Commissar Molotov]

Given that the Space Sharks traits for the Badab Weekend aren't, it seems, 100% official, you're entitled to do whatever you like with regards to traits.

[Cpt_Tiberius]

So they are not official traits?

[Ferrata]

So they are not official traits?

 

Apparntly not. But I'm guessing that they must have got the idea that they were like that from somewhere, so I would go with something like that. Also you have the problem that a lot of people have read them rules and would expect a Space Shark army to be something like that, not the complete opposite that you have suggested.

 

Its your army, do what you want.

 

Ferrata

[Cpt_Tiberius]

I thought of a third option last night. What do you guys think of having multiple traits. For Example...

 

The chapter normally operates with traits A & B but with disadvantage C.

 

But, In some conflicts they organize them selves so that they use trait Y and would them recieve disadvantage Z.

 

Does that make sense? It would only be 2 sets reflecting different approaches to a situation, not a pick every trait available type of thing.

[Vodunius]

2.) Use whatever traits I like and put up with whatever hassle may come of it.

 

i'd go with that, i mean, how many people are you going to run into who have even heard of them!

 

Speaking of which, do they display their company on the shoulder rims, kneepads, or elsewhere?

 

they had had no official scheme since the days of the Beakies, the beaky marking conventions didnt include company designation ~ so its entirely up to you, personally i would either go shoulderpads or chest eagle, tho if i chose the latter i would try and remove the shoulderpad trims

[Ferrata]

I'm sure there was a discussion about this in Amicus. I personally would be ok, as long as they were similar. So for example your base trait was "Honour you wargear" and "Aspire to Glory". Then as long as you always take the 2 base traits (or charc. traits) then you could add another as a situation trait.

 

Ferrata

[Crimson Devil]

I see nothing wrong with changing your traits per game as long as you follow the given rules for each trait. For example; "Suffer not the alien to live" must have the trophies on the models. The traits were designed to give your army character, but nothing requires you to play the same character in every game. Unless you play an chapter of legend army.

 

Now tournaments are a different kettle of fish. You must play the same traits in each game. Also whenever you play one of the GW chapters you run the risk of upsetting someone's idea of the army. Just be prepared to explain why you choose the traits you did. "The Space Sharks share the Iron Hands hatered of weakness, they believe biology is the answer not cybernetics. Thus their embrace of the ultimate predator...." Keep talking until their eyes roll back in their heads, and they forget to argue with you. :lol:

 

The Space Sharks have no history outside of the Badab War. So you are free to go into any direction you want. Who knows maybe your ideas will become the basis for the "group consciousness". Of course GW may come along and invalidate everything you have done.

[Ferrata]

Before the whole changing Trait between battles starts here, read this. Its closed so you cant post anymore, but you can see what everyone else thinks.

 

Ferrata

[Crimson Devil]

Cpt_Tiberius, Ferrata is right. Just by suggesting changing traits between games you have kicked a beehive and no matter which way you go, you'll get stung. :lol:

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Actually my intention was not to give someone the ability to change traits but to allow someone to built an Army that represents the Chapter in a given Situation. So Once you pick your traits those are the ones you use. Or you just go with Basic Marines.

 

Changing your rules every game is the reason everyone I know hates the Black Templars. (which, by the way, I am happy to hear they will have to pay for now). So I would pick the one set and just use them. It was basically a way to pay lip service to the Traits I don't like, but use the ones I wanted in the first place.

[Crimson Devil]

Use whatever traits you wish. Anyone who gets upset over your traits is not someone you want to game with anyway.

 

There are too many people concerned with anyone having an advantage over them. Is the whining, crying, etc worth the game?

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Ok, so I think I am going to go "No Mercy No Respite" over "See but don't be seen". I only want to use one trait because I just want a minor deviation. My basic feel is a cross between Space Wolves and Ultramarines. I want them to be Brutal but not feral. Kind of the way I imagine the pre-heresy World Eaters to have been.

[Codexmaker]

So after all that hassle the 'official' traits weren't official! :D

 

There's another answer to your problem concerning what traits to use. You could just say that a particular company of the space sharks has a different organisation to the rest of the chapter. E.g. the commander doesn't trust the inquisition (We Stand Alone) and is highly effective at using bike squadrons and has therfore been granted a higher number of them (Be Swift As The Wind), or whatever traits you want.

 

So you're advantage is No Mercy, No Respite, but what's your disadvantage going to be?

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Well I'm leaning toward "Faithful Unto Death". I would use it not to represent a chapter with heavy losses, but one that is infantry heavy and that uses specialized equipment that is harder to come by than standard marine wargear.