While I was away with the National Guard I finished reading my copy of The Ultramarines Omnibus, a collection of short stories and novels following a Space Marine Captain named Uriel Ventris. You can read an excerpt from the book at the second link I've provided.
Without going too far into spoiler territory, the last novel deals with some Space Marines who, for one reason or another, have been dishonored and booted from their respective chapters. Some of them have given up on being part of a Chapter, but some of them have undertaken a death oath to complete some impossible mission and regain their honor. I lent the book out to another soldier, so I can't remember specifically which chapters. I think there were a couple of Ultramarines, a Blood Raven, a White Scar, and a couple of others mentioned.
This gave me an idea for my Space Marines Kill Team. Instead of doing something boring like a Tactical Squad made up of Marines from a single Chapter, why not do some dishonored Space Marines who have been exiled, stripped of their Chapter markings (but not their Chapter armor colors), and sent off to regain their honor and/or die in the attempt? Then I started thinking that a standard Tactical Squad was a little too limiting. In the book one of the guys has a Jump Pack, another has Lightning Claws, there is a guy with a Flamer, a guy with a Power Sword, and a few other different weapons. Luckily, the Space Wolves Codex allows such a unit, the Wolf Guard. Given the points restriction you will only be able to fit about five Wolf Guard into a Kill Team squad, but it is really something that you could run with on the hobby side of things. Even if you don't have armies for every Chapter, this would be a fun way to paint up one or two figures in different colors from your usual force. And it's also a good chance to go crazy with bitz and conversions.
I haven't quite made the points work yet for my planned Space Marine Kill Team squad, but I'm getting closer. Just wanted to share the idea, since it comes straight out of the GW canon and seems like something some of the really good modelers out in blogland could do something amazing with.
Without going too far into spoiler territory, the last novel deals with some Space Marines who, for one reason or another, have been dishonored and booted from their respective chapters. Some of them have given up on being part of a Chapter, but some of them have undertaken a death oath to complete some impossible mission and regain their honor. I lent the book out to another soldier, so I can't remember specifically which chapters. I think there were a couple of Ultramarines, a Blood Raven, a White Scar, and a couple of others mentioned.
This gave me an idea for my Space Marines Kill Team. Instead of doing something boring like a Tactical Squad made up of Marines from a single Chapter, why not do some dishonored Space Marines who have been exiled, stripped of their Chapter markings (but not their Chapter armor colors), and sent off to regain their honor and/or die in the attempt? Then I started thinking that a standard Tactical Squad was a little too limiting. In the book one of the guys has a Jump Pack, another has Lightning Claws, there is a guy with a Flamer, a guy with a Power Sword, and a few other different weapons. Luckily, the Space Wolves Codex allows such a unit, the Wolf Guard. Given the points restriction you will only be able to fit about five Wolf Guard into a Kill Team squad, but it is really something that you could run with on the hobby side of things. Even if you don't have armies for every Chapter, this would be a fun way to paint up one or two figures in different colors from your usual force. And it's also a good chance to go crazy with bitz and conversions.
I haven't quite made the points work yet for my planned Space Marine Kill Team squad, but I'm getting closer. Just wanted to share the idea, since it comes straight out of the GW canon and seems like something some of the really good modelers out in blogland could do something amazing with.
I think that that's the beauty of a kill team, it lets you field a unit that you wouldn't normally. I never thought of using Vanes & his little entourage, but it would fit the bill nicely i think!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of making a purely Kroot kill team, with none of those meddling Tau getting in the way...
I love it, and it turns out most of the time, the projects that end up being the most fun are the ones that start with a specific inspiration like this.
ReplyDeleteHere's something to chew on; throw the 40k rules out the window. Seriously. Build your team with whatever the heck you want in there and don't worry about codices or points values. For games, field 'em the best you can, or go off-menu and find some other rules (like Flying Lead) and let them truly be the BA's of the Emperor's finest for once on the tabletop.
I did something similiar a few weeks back, and it really gives you a chance to go with a lot of character:
http://miksminis.blogspot.com/2010/04/deathwatch-stage-one-complete.html
I may just build what comes to mind; I'm not sure yet. I need to have a go through my bitz box to see what all I've got in there, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI like kill team games because it presents a different challenge and, as has been pointed out already, you can use bits and pieces.
ReplyDelete