315 replies to this topic

[bluntblade]

Original threads here and here. The Lightning Bearers are returning to their roots as the II^nd Legion, only this time they have a role to play in the great struggles of the 31^st Millennium and beyond.



Book Fluff
History
Unit and Formation Structure
Structure and War Disposition
I^st Legion Praetor
Exemplary Battles:
The Silencing of the Eternal Dirge
The Battle of Argos-Rho IV
The Coming Storm

Book Campaigns
The Madrigal Purge
The Commena Cluster
The Battle of Ysta
The Sack of Katorz

Stories
The Two Brothers
Ghost Crusade
Koloss
Adjusting
All Approaches Covered
Fraught

Characters
Icarion
First Marshal Susanoo Empyon
Ninth Marshal Raiden Athrawes
Master of the Forge Goro Amakune

Special Units
Volta Terminator Elite
Oni Assault Elite
Black Dragons
Ash Phoenix Gunship
Vortice Enforcer Squad

Allies
House Rakham
House Sunhava
Legio Telesto
Rakurai
Legion Wargear
The Hand of Iroku

Reference Information
Legion Fleet

Edited by bluntblade, 04 April 2020 - 12:03 PM.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Fiiiine. Blunts grasp for power

[bluntblade]

Might need to copy quite a lot from the PFD

[bluntblade]

Copied and slightly modified Icarion's fluff. His rules are, of course, unchanged.

Icarion Anasem
Stormborn, Master of the First Legion, the First Son, Arch-Traitor

For many years, Icarion was not simply the first Primarch but the Primarch. Master of the Lightning Bearers, he led his sons to a tally of glories that not one of his brothers could equal, and the realm he built around his adopted world rivalled Terra and its neighbours in sheer splendour. Such were his psychic gifts that they gave him an aura of ineffable grace. In this and his closeness to the Emperor he stood apart, and to all he appeared first among equals.

Yet when the Emperor withdrew from the Crusade, it was not Icarion whom He named to command as His Warmaster. The poison of envy and insecurity entered Icarion’s mind, leaving him susceptible to the machinations of those who sought the Emperor’s downfall. To this end he was convinced that his father meant to consign him and his sons to oblivion, lost and forgotten. Enraged and afraid, he resolved to usurp the throne of Terra.

From this day forth, Icarion plotted his betrayal, and no matter the noble intentions he may have had, the actions he undertook darkened his soul as he culled his own sons and devised the means by which his brethren were to be slain. With the Day of Revelation his plans were put into action, and the Imperium sent tumbling over the precipice.

Profile
WS7
BS5
S6
T6
W6
I6
A5
Ld10
Sv3+

Unit Composition
• 1 (Unique)
Unit Type
• Infantry (Character)
Wargear
• Time-Lost Aegis
• Thunderchild
• Haywire Grenades
Special Rules
• Primarch (Independent
Character, Eternal Warrior,
Fear, Adamantium Will,
Fleet, Fearless, It Will Not
Die, Master of the Legion,
Precision Strikes, Precision
Shots)
• Sire of the Harbingers
• Lightning Warfare
• Bulky
• Psyker (Mastery Level 4)
• Sword-Saint
• Artful Mind

SPECIAL RULES


Sire of the Harbingers
When Icarion is in play, all friendly models with Legiones Astartes (Harbingers) special rule gain the Adamantium Will Special rule and also gain +1 to their Leadership to a maximum of 10. Icarion and any unit he joins gains the Hit and Run special rule. At the beginning of each Psychic Phase, so long as Icarion is on the board, his controlling player may choose to re-roll the D6 when generating Warp Charges.

Lightning Warfare
Icarion's methods of warfare often rested on his foresight, and he was adept in using it to wrong-foot an enemy. A force containing Icarion may seize the initiative on a roll of 4+ where this is allowed in the mission. Additionally, an army with Icarion as it’s Warlord may, if wished, begin rolling for Reserves from the first turn of the game (rather than the second).


Sword-Saint
No finer practitioner of Madrigalan bladework has ever existed. Honed by nearly two centuries of war, Icarion’s skills make him one of the deadliest Primarchs in combat. At the start of any assault phase in which Icarion is participating in a combat he may elect to use one of the following fighting styles that modify his profile:
Nitojutsu: +2 Strength, -1 Initiative
Naginatajutsu: +2 Initiative, -1 Attacks


Artful Mind
Icarion has been steeped in the mystical lore of Heavens and Madrigal since childhood. Having mastered the myriad teachings of the Astral Colleges and studied under the Emperor’s own instruction, his mind and the secrets it holds are an asset few in the Galaxy can equal.

Icarion may choose 4 Psychic powers from the Divination or SancticDisciplines. When generating psychic powers, he may opt to
replace any of his psychic powers with the Primaris power of ANY psychic discipline.

Additionally, when rolling on the table for Perils of the Warp, Icarion may roll two dice and choose his result.


WARGEAR

Time-lost Aegis
The Time-Lost Aegis is a beautiful and lightweight suit of psychically infused admantium and ceramite, engineered from Madrigalan archeotech. Inlaid with powerful psychic wards and a myriad of focusing crystals, the Aegis bolsters Icarion’s psychic foresight to truly superlative levels.

The Time-Lost Aegis provides a 3+ save and a 3+ invulnerable save. In a challenge, once per game, Icarion may choose to use the Armour’s special ability: Rewind.


Rewind
Icarion's scrying enables him to foresee an enemy's blows, countering them before the foe has even begun his attack.

During a challenge in which Icarion takes at least 1 wound, he may choose to refight the combat from the beginning of that fight sub phase, resetting wounds and effects from the beginning of the challenge from that assault phase. Icarion may use this ability only once per challenge. Note: the second results must be kept.


Enelysia
Acquired by Icarion during the exile of his youth, Enelysia is a spear of almost peerless quality. Said to have come from the personal armoury of the long-vanquished Thunder King, the weapon’s potency goes beyond its fearsome disruptor energies. It is laced with psycho-reactive crystals, and a talented psyker such as Icarion can channel its power into lightning to strike any nearby foes.

Profile 1
Range -
S User
AP 2
Type Melee
Melee, Shred, Deflagrate, Specialist Weapon

Profile 2
Range 18”
S 6 2
AP 2
Assault, Deflagrate, Haywire

Edited by bluntblade, 25 September 2020 - 08:01 PM.

[bluntblade]

Susanoo Empyon
First Sentinel of the Harbingers, Dragon of the Tempest

Sentinel Empyon was a true veteran of the Ist Legion, having distinguished himself many times as both a warrior and commander. Perhaps more than any other Sentinel, he was the one trusted to speak for the Stormborn and lead the Lightning Bearers in his absence, as he did in the Qarith War. With this prestige came a fierce pride in his achievements and the Legion, and he bore the elevation of Alexandros with difficulty. When Icarion conceived his treachery, Empyon was one of the first he enlisted, and would play a major role in the machinations.

The soul of the Ist was darkened irrevocably not just by their change of loyalties, but by the actions they took to conceal it. Empyon was no exception; he is now thought to have had a hand in the deaths of several fellow officers, most notably Sentinel Antru. At the forefront of the false Imperium’s Wars of Expansion, his ruthlessness would be demonstrated to the entire Galaxy.

Profile
WS 6
BS 6
S 4
T 4
W 3
I 5
A 4
Ld 10
Sv 2+


Special Rules
Master of the Legion
Warlord’s Pride
Severing Cut
Psyker: Divination Level 1

Warlord Trait
Master of Offence

Wargear
Artificer armour
Orochi
Volkite Charger
Iron Halo
Frag and krak grenades

Severing Cut
Empyon was adept in finding the crux of a battle, and when this was an enemy champion or leader he often struck the decisive blow himself. If Empyon slays an enemy Character in a Challenge, all enemy units involved in that combat suffer a penalty of -1 to their Leadership until the end of the turn.

Orochi
Crafted in the forge-spires of the Clan Anasem fortress, Empyon’s katana is an exemplar of Madrigalan forgecraft fitted with disruptor generators of exceptional potency. Having wielded Orochi since the earliest days of his service, Empyon has found it a perfect match for his skill, capable of cleaving through even Terminator plate.

Str +1
AP 2
Type - melee, two-handed, duellist’s edge

Edited by bluntblade, 09 April 2018 - 11:51 AM.

[bluntblade]

And just a little spice for Raiden's Marked by Dark Fates:

Beyond the ken of any Harbinger, the fates hold an eternity of war for Athrawes.

[Grifftofer]

Ok. So while I was considering the Warbringers' Orders rule it occurred to me that the re-roll mechanic is very similar to the one that Athrawes mentioned as being the most recent version of the Lightning Bearers' Legiones Astartes mechanic. So my mind started wandering to how such a mechanic might work for the Harbingers and how to differentiate it from the one I was considering for the Warbringers.

 

In the end I came up with this as a replacement for the "Battle Scrying":

 

Battle Scrying: At the beginning of each game the army gains Samsara equal to the number of Harbingers units (units in Harbingers colours) plus the number of Psychic Mastery levels on Harbingers units. Each point of Samsara may be spent to re-roll a single D6 during the battle. The normal rules regarding re-rolls apply to those granted by Samsara (i.e. you may not re-roll a re-roll).

In addition to the above the Harbingers would get the following upgrade option:

 

Arcane Lore: Any Harbingers Independent Character has access to the Arcane Lore wargear upgrade. This upgrade turns them into a Level 1 Psyker with access to the Divination discipline and costs +30 points.

 

Basically this would give the feeling of all Harbingers contributing to the divinatory ability of the army, whilst getting away from the insane levels of Psychic Mastery levels that might be available otherwise. It also allows you to supplement this by having the characters able to become Psykers, which lets you still get somewhat more psychic power than most Legion armies.

 

Finally to compare this to the Warbringers' rule, which (currently) gives 1 re-roll per game turn to each character for use under specific circumstances. The Harbingers rule would likely give fewer re-rolls over the course of a game, but those re-rolls are not rationed through the game in the same way and can be used on any dice roll making them much more versatile than the Warbringers' equivalent.

 

Anyway, this all came to me last night and I thought I'd share the idea to see if it catches your imagination more than the current rule.

[bluntblade]

Athrawes has sent me his recent stuff, will forward to you and peruse myself shortly

[bluntblade]

Algrim, if you have time:

Ist Legion Breacher Marine
Heida Yanada
172nd Company, 17th Maniple
The Hand of Thunder, Battle of Ysta

Legionary Yanada fought in three separate boarding actions during the Battle of Ysta, first aboard the Army ship Korrek’s Oath, then defending the Hand of Thunder against a valiant boarding attack by a Shepherds of Eden force. His part in the battle ended with the seizure of the Ignis Titan-barque Cage of Fire, his squad having been amalgamated with another following casualties inflicted by the Shepherds.

Yanada is depicted wearing variant Mk III “Iron” armour, a mark favoured by the Ist Legion and continually manufactured for its breacher units on Akira.

Breacher shield

Akiran vibro-tokura The use of a breacher shield made the use of the Ist Legion’s traditional katana impractical. Consequently their breacher units made use of power fists, lightning claws or the tokura blade Yanada bears here.

Volkite charger

Edited by bluntblade, 16 December 2017 - 01:36 AM.

[bluntblade]

Will hopefully be able to copy across more fluff soon.

[bluntblade]

Wondering about giving the Volta some more options for guns. I know they're fluffiest wielding calivers and that'd continue, but I was thinking meltas, grav and lascannons could make them a tad more versatile.

[bluntblade]

Volta Terminator Squad
The Volta represented one of the two foremost Astral Colleges, channelling their foresight to make themselves almost peerless marksmen. This was achieved through their psychic gifts, to the extent that the Volta sacrificed their physical sight at the culmination of their training. With that step, their psychic power grew beyond any of their brethren. So deadly were they in gunnery that they typically went without swords, startlingly rare in the Ist Legion. The Volta had little need of melee weapons, especially when melee-oriented Terminators could be deployed with them.

The personal cost of induction ensured that only a small number of Volta existed at any one time, but such potent seers were immensely valued as advisors and leaders both military and political. Some of the most senior Sentinels favoured a squad as their personal bodyguard, following the Primarch’s example. Always treated with a mixture of awe and disquiet by other Imperials, with the rebellion’s outbreak they became figures of terror.

Spoiler

Volta Terminator WS5 BS4 S4 T4 W2 I4 A2 Ld8 Sv2+

Volta Magister WS5 BS4 S4 T4 W2 I4 A2 Ld8 Sv2+

Unit Composition
•2 Volta Terminators
•1 Volta Magister

Wargear
•Cataphractii Terminator armour
•2 Volta Chargers
•The Sightless Crown

Special Rules
•Legiones Astartes (Harbingers)
•Implacable Advance
•Stubborn
•Fortitude
•Aetherial Knowledge
•Brotherhood of Psykers (Mastery Level 2)

Dedicated Transport
•A Volta Terminator squad may choose a Land Raider Proteus, Land Raider Phobos, or Dreadclaw Drop pod as a Dedicated Transport

Fortitude
When in battle, all units from the same Detachment within 12” have the fearless special Rule.

Aetherial Knowledge
A Volta Terminator Squad, in addition to Prescience may use the Scrier’s Gaze Psychic power from the Divination Psychic Discipline.

The Sightless Crown
The eyeless helmets worn by the Volta conceal the eyeless faces that make up these powerful psykers; each warrior is ritually blinded in order to “truly” perceive the Warp, in a fashion similar to Astropaths undergoing a “soul binding” to the Emperor. Each Volta experiences the battlefield as echoes in the Warp, perceiving potential futures, actions and warriors as bright flares of aetheria. The Sightless crown means that Infiltrators may not be set up within 24” of Volta Terminator Units, regardless of line of sight. However, at the beginning of each turn, Each Volta Unit must pass a leadership test using their Magister’s Leadership Value. If passed, the Volta fight with full BS and WS. If failed, the unit has their BS and WS reduced to 1 until the start of the next turn.

Volta Weaponry
Volta Chargers have two profiles, one melee and one ranged, they may be used as both in the same turn.

Volta Charger:
Range - S5 AP5, Melee, Deflagrate, Rending
Range 15’’ S5 AP5, Pistol 2, Deflagrate, Rending
Volta Culverin:
Range 30’’ S6 AP5, Pistol 4, Deflagrate, Rending

Edited by bluntblade, 24 January 2018 - 05:19 PM.

[simison]

Maybe grav and Melta pistols, but lascannons?

[bluntblade]

Yeah, doesn't sound quite right. Do Terminators get lesser heavy weapons than Devastators?

[Grifftofer]

Not really lesser, more different. Heavy Support squads get: Lascannon, Plasma Cannon, Multi-melta, Missile Launcher, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Flamer, Autocannon, Volkite Culverin and (if Blood Angel) Illiastus Assault Cannon (I think that's all of them). In comparison the Terminator special weapons are Heavy Flamer, Reaper Autocannon, Plasma Blaster, (if Alpha Legion unique) Conversion Beamer and (if Sons of Horus unique) Multi-melta. Oh and the Iron Hands unique terminator might have a grave weapon option. IIRC dark angels in 40k could(can?) take plasma cannons on terminators, so thats a possibility too.

[bluntblade]

Ooh, I'm tempted by conversion beamers.

Maybe storm bolters as base, and beamers and culverins as options?

[Doctor Perils]

I'd probably say chargers as base actually ?

[bluntblade]

I wondered if they'd be a bit underpowered for Terminators. Reckon they'd be OK?

[bluntblade]

I wonder if I could use a rule like Calibanite Swordsmanship to represent vet squads who don't fit into the Oni or Volta.

[Grifftofer]

Re: veteran squads. They already have access to a Veteran Tactic that makes them WS5, which is strictly better than the Calibanite Swordsmanship rule. So I'm not sure it's needed. As for the various weapon options, maybe we can discuss it more easily when you're next on discord?

[Athrawes]

A big part of Volta Lore is their training and ability to use specially designed volkite Chargers as paired pistol weapons. It was a weapon designed on Madrigal during the planets early days as a Golden Age shipyard, to be used as a premiere anti-boarding weapon. 

 

These are known as Volta Chargers, and it is where the unit's name actually comes from, they are named for their weapon of choice.

 

So arming them with stormbolters, melta guns ect, just makes them a generic terminator squad.

 

As I designed them, the Volta charger has two shot types to give them more variety/ap, and the unit is equipped with Haywire grenades for close combat anti-vehicle crunch, bu

t giving them access to alternate weapons (aside from a Heavy Culverin) Isn't in keeping with their lore.

[MikhalLeNoir]

So just add the culverin as heavy weapon option? Maybe give them two/+++ if you feel they are underrated compared to other terminator units.

[bluntblade]

A big part of Volta Lore is their training and ability to use specially designed volkite Chargers as paired pistol weapons. It was a weapon designed on Madrigal during the planets early days as a Golden Age shipyard, to be used as a premiere anti-boarding weapon. 
 
These are known as Volta Chargers, and it is where the unit's name actually comes from, they are named for their weapon of choice.
 
So arming them with stormbolters, melta guns ect, just makes them a generic terminator squad.
 
As I designed them, the Volta charger has two shot types to give them more variety/ap, and the unit is equipped with Haywire grenades for close combat anti-vehicle crunch, bu
t giving them access to alternate weapons (aside from a Heavy Culverin) Isn't in keeping with their lore.

A big part of Volta Lore is their training and ability to use specially designed volkite Chargers as paired pistol weapons. It was a weapon designed on Madrigal during the planets early days as a Golden Age shipyard, to be used as a premiere anti-boarding weapon. 
 
These are known as Volta Chargers, and it is where the unit's name actually comes from, they are named for their weapon of choice.
 
So arming them with stormbolters, melta guns ect, just makes them a generic terminator squad.
 
As I designed them, the Volta charger has two shot types to give them more variety/ap, and the unit is equipped with Haywire grenades for close combat anti-vehicle crunch, bu
t giving them access to alternate weapons (aside from a Heavy Culverin) Isn't in keeping with their lore.

A big part of Volta Lore is their training and ability to use specially designed volkite Chargers as paired pistol weapons. It was a weapon designed on Madrigal during the planets early days as a Golden Age shipyard, to be used as a premiere anti-boarding weapon. 
 
These are known as Volta Chargers, and it is where the unit's name actually comes from, they are named for their weapon of choice.
 
So arming them with stormbolters, melta guns ect, just makes them a generic terminator squad.
 
As I designed them, the Volta charger has two shot types to give them more variety/ap, and the unit is equipped with Haywire grenades for close combat anti-vehicle crunch, but giving them access to alternate weapons (aside from a Heavy Culverin) Isn't in keeping with their lore.

OK. I was wondering if that was the case, and seeing as it is I'll bow to your wishes.

I might introduce a "Vaults of Madrigal" rule to give Terminators, vets and Devastators fancy tech, with the stipulation that a Forge Lord is taken.

[bluntblade]

Oni Spectre Squad
The rapid assault elite of the Ith Legion combined their foresight with vanishingly rare and extraordianrily potent technology: personal teleportation units. Guarded jealously by the Akiran Mechanicum, these proved prohibitively dangerous to use unless one had possessed powerful foresight and was well-trained in its use. Accordingly the Oni were formed from the finest swordsmen among the adepts of the Red Path, who practiced the most aggressive of the arts taught in the Astral Colleges.

Equipped with “shunt” packs, the Oni could perform small teleport jumps to instantly engage their foes blade-to-blade. On Uzhred V their intervention famously threw an entire Qarith army into confusion, striking apparently from nowhere at the weakest points of the xenos formations. This, coupled with their skill and ferocity in the melee, made them a favoured unit for decapitation strikes.

Spoiler

Oni Spectre WS4 BS4 S4 T4 W1 I4 A1 Ld8 Sv3+

Oni Altus WS4 BS4 S4 T4 W1 I4 A2 Ld9 Sv3+

Unit Composition
•4 Oni Spectres
•1 Oni Altus

Wargear
•Power Armour
•Bolt Pistol
•Power Weapon
•Personal Teleporter
•Frag & Krak Grenades

Special Rules
•Legiones Astartes (Harbingers)
•Deep Strike
•Stubborn

Options
•The Oni Spectre Squad may take- Up to 5 additional Oni Spectres.......................................... +30 points each
•The entire squad may be equipped with Melta-Bombs......... +5 points each
•Any model may exchange their Power Weapon for one of the following:
- Lightning Claw..................................................................................... +5 points
- Thunder Hammer.............................................................................. +15 points
•For every five models in the squad, one Oni Spectre may exchange their Bolt Pistol for one of the following:
- Flamer...................................................................................................... +5 points
- Meltagun.............................................................................................. +10 points
- Volkite Charger (how much?)

Personal Teleporter
The Personal Teleporter confers a 5+ invulnerable save and the Hit and Run Special Rule. In addition once per game, a unit equipped entirely with Personal Teleporters may make a teleport shunt instead of moving. If making a teleport shunt, the unit immediately makes a move up to 30” in any direction; when choosing the destination the player must roll as if the unit is arriving using the deep Strike Special rule. Their move cannot end on top of another unit or in impassable terrain but ignores intervening units, terrain and so on. A unit that performs a teleport shunt can assault in the same turn, provided they do not shoot or run. This charge counts as a disorganized charge. The Unit counts as having moved

Edited by bluntblade, 02 March 2018 - 03:59 PM.

[bluntblade]

Raiden Athrawes

Marshal of the 9th Maniple, Equerry to Icarion, Sentinel of Keys

  Raiden Athrawes was once heralded as one of the finest talents of the Great Crusade. Charismatic and talented, he held a trifold role within his Legion. In addition to his duties of command, he served as Icarion’s equerry. While this role ensured that his reputation was tied to his master, it also made him an accomplished diplomat and politician, often sent to represent the Primarch in councils and embassies. Finally, Athrawes at least nominally commanded the order of the Red Path, both for his exceptional skill and great power as a psyker, and frequently led a force of Oni into battle.

 

  As a Harbinger, these attributes would make Athrawes one of the arch-traitor’s deadliest assets, deftly supporting his master in matters both political and military. Dozens of alliances and pacts of allegiance would be sealed by his skill, and in battle he was lethal both as a tactician and combatant. In the early years of the Insurrection, his tally of conquest was rivalled by only a few in the Stormlord’s armies.

 

Spoiler

WS6 

BS4 

S4 

T4 

W4 

I5 

A3 

Ld10 

Sv3+

 

Wargear

• Power Armour

• Lightning

• Storm Heart

• Frag & Krak grenades • Iron Halo

• Personal Teleporter

 

Special Rules

• Legiones Astartes (Harbingers)

• Independent Character • Master of the Legion

• Eternal Warrior

• Adamantium Will

• Fearless

• Psyker (Mastery Level 3) • Storm Scrier

• Aetherial Lore

Warlord Trait

• Arcane Warrior

 

Warlord Trait

• Arcane Warrior: If Athrawes is the Army’s Warlord, then all units with the Legiones Astartes (Harbingers) rule may re-roll 1 Warp Charge roll when attempting to cast Prescience.

 

Storm Scrier

Able to see the future with disturbing clarity, Athrawes embodies the unique gifts the II Legion; every strike is measured and precise and launched before his opponent is aware of their peril. Athrawes and any unit he joins with the Legiones Astartes (Harbingers) special rule gains +1 Initiative on the  rst turn of a combat.

If Athrawes is Present in a detachment, then that detachment may take Oni Spectre Squads as Troop choices.

 

Aetherial Lore

Raiden Athrawes must roll for 2 psychic powers from the Divination psychic discipline. In addition, Raiden has access to a Unique Psychic Power: Psychic Swordsman

 

Psychic Swordsman Warp Charge 1

Raiden channels his psychic energy into sword mastery, glimpsing enemy movements and strikes and adjusting his  ghting style accordingly, raising his blade skills to a preternatural level.

 

Psychic Swordsman is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst this power is in e ect, The Psyker increases his Weapons Skill or Initiative by 1.

 

Lightning

  The sister blade to Icarion’s own spear, this exquisite sword was modified by Legion artificers and gifted to his equerry. Known to cleave through even stone, it has accounted for the champions of a dozen civilisations. 

 

Range- 

S+1 

AP2 

Type Melee, Static Feedback

Lightning . +1 2 Melee, Static Feedback

 

Static Feedback

For each unsaved by a weapon with this special rule in ict an additional automatic hit at Strength 5, AP - with the Rending special rule. These additional hits cannot themselves generate further hits.

 

Stormheart

An archaeotech plasma revolver, Athrawes acquired Stormheart upon his promotion to Sentinel. It is a weapon of exquisite workmanship, and one of the deadliest sidearms ever forged on Akira.

 

Range15” 

S7 

AP3 

Type Pistol 3, Rending

Edited by bluntblade, 08 October 2019 - 09:22 PM.