ThePenitentOne

I'm one of those weirdos that don't mind the lore as it is. I thought the Torchbearer army made for an incredibly cool compaign, and it wouldn't have been possible without the Primaris roll-out. I'm not a fan of Primarchs or named characters as a Crusader, but I just use them very, very sparingly or not at all, and that solves the problem, leaving no need to change the game or the lore.

I finally brought all the snippets of background and photos together to show off the entire Drukhari Space Lane Raider detachment. This post just shows off the cast of characters; the next post will provide the narrative and Crusade results for the two boarding action battles that the Raiders have fought... All in time for my third league game, where I hope to take better notes. Anyway, here's the thread:

The Ascension of Sykil Draeven, the Daemonslayer Sykil, the sixth Trueborn son of House Draven, was among thousands of spectators at the Crucibael on the night that Yvraine the Daughter of Shades challenged Lelith Hesperax to a duel that would change Commorragh forever. During that fated single combat, a shard of Ynnead's consciousness awakened within Yvraine, and a thousand shrieking Daemons of Slaanesh tore their way into Commorragh. In the chaos that followed, only the combat training he had received as an heir to his House allowed Draeven to escape the carnage. Upon his return to the Draevenspire, Sykil found that the incursion had outpaced him, and his famil's legacy was beseiged. The families of House Draeven set aside their intrigues and schemes to mount a coordinated defense and containment operation. Sykil took up arms with an elite team of special operatives known as the Enigma Killers. In the battles that followed, Sykil and the Enigma Killers would distinguish themselves in several critical battles to push the Daemons back. When the last abomination was crushed beneath their heels and the Draevenspire was reclaimed, Sykil was promoted to the rank of Archon. As the first trial of his esteemed rank, Draeven was given the task to assemble an army and reclaim the Fractured Spiral, a splinter realm belonging to one of house Draeven's closest allies, the Lord Haemonculus, Vypus the Pale. Dawn of the Splintered Enigma Three of Draeven's closest teammates, including two Trueborn warriors, left the Enigma Killers to join him. They named their nascent Kabal the Splintered Enigma, to honour the Enigma Killers who had brought them together and trained them. Draeven's companions recruited a team from across the Draevenspire to complete their unit. Known as the Deathsight, they serve as both Sykil's Hand, and the preeminent unit within his army. In addition to the three former members of the Enigma Killers, the team includes both weapon specialists and agents chosen for their knowledge of the Fractured Spiral, which will provide an opportunity for Draeven to capture key territories early in the campaign. The Deathsight From left to right: Aetheria Destra, Dark Lance (Heavy Gunner) Notes: The first of Draeven's Trueborn Enigma Killers, Destra is the preeminent weapons tech of the Deathsight. In addition to her intimate knowledge of Drukhari technology, she has also studied the tech of the various other slave races and horrors of the forty-first millennium. She has no intention to seek a greater leadership role within the growing Kabal. Rayna Mallifex, Splinter Cannon (Heavy Gunner) Notes: Rayna apprenticed under the Lhamaean, Skythia Vesh at a Toxin Distillery before joining the Deathsight, and her knowledge of poisoncraft rivals her skill with the Heavy Splinter Cannon. Well trained, Rayna lacks the battle experience of many of her companions, and has formed a particular bond with Destra, who trades the secrets of weapon tech in exchange for greater knowledge of poisoncraft. Evarra Myrillian, Sybarite: Blast Pistol, Power Sword, Phantasm Grenade Launcher Notes: Evarra is as skilled with melee weapons as ranged, and is a disciple of terror tactics and spycraft. She is Draeven's closest friend, and a Trueborn Enigma Killer who expects to one day grow the Deathsight into a full Splinter of Draeven's Kabal, which she would rule as an Archon in her own right. Laeryl Absynthia, Shredder (Gunner) Notes: Laeryl is the principle torturer of the Deathsight, having worked as a personal bodyguard to Vypus the Pale. She delights in the flensing of those deemed unworthy of slavery and delights in the trauma caused by the shredder she carries into combat. Lothos Saerrin, Blaster (Gunner) Notes: Draeven's final Enigma Killer, Lothos is a skilled pilot in addition to his role within the Deathsight. He has contracts among the Corsairs and has visited many of the landing facilities within the Fractured Spiral. He has detailed knowledge of the security protocols for these territories. Front: Kinael Darrow, Splinter Rifle with straight blade bayonet (Standard Operative) J'Kael Darrow, Splinter Rifle with drop blade bayonet (Standard Operative) Notes: J'Kael and his brother Kinael are interested in honing their close combat skills, and often occupy the forward positions when the Deathsight deploys in order to receive the brunt of those who would dare to charge the unit. Both have visited the Wych Cult Arenas of the Fractured Spiral, and they are enthusiast of both gladitorial arts and the accompanying combat drugs. Vyrtek Krael, Splinter Rifle (Standard Operative) Notes: Vyrtek distinguished himself battling the Daemonic hordes despite his relatively low status prior to the incursion. It is said that he possesses on unassailable will which insulates him against the siren song and soporific musk Slaaneshi Daemonkin. Ophidian Jarell, Splinter Rifle (Standard Operative) Notes: Ophidian is a tracker who worked as a bounty hunter prior to the Daemonic Incursion. He is comfortable navigating the slums, including those of the Fractured Spiral, and his familiarity with the terrain and the denizens of these territories are as much an asset to the Deathsight as his skill as a marksman. Janex Daeridian, Splinter Rifle (Standard Operative) Notes: Janex is a student of esoteric lore, and one who has risked proximity to Aelindrach to seek the counsel of Mandrakes and other denizens of the shadowrealm. He is known for his grim resolve at fraying of reality when the tide of chaos is at hand. Skythia Xesh With his Hand assembled, he began to seek support from the allies of his House. The first to volunteer her services was one of his family's most trusted retainers- a Lhamaean known as Skythia Xesh. Unlike many of her kind, who are content with serving in the retinue of a promising Archon, Xesh manages several poison distilleries among the familes of House Draeven, and she has built a network of spies and allies of her own. While she is careful to maintain direct control over these assets, she is willing to use them in the service of the Splintered Enigma, provided she is given exclusive domain over any of the Factured Spiral's Poison Distilleries as they are recovered. The Wych Cults With the aid of the Deathsight and Skythia Xesh, Draeven began planning his first raid into the Fractured Spiral. Their point of entry would be the celebrated arena Mesmoria. Skythia suggested that it would be wise to bring a team of Wyches, and offered up five of the Faceless Sons, a Cult that she had recruited into her personal guard. Draeven, in turn scoured the arenas of the Draevenspire for five Wyches of his own, with the intent of shaping them into a new Cult. The Faceless Sons The Wyches of Skythia's guard belong to an established Cult known as the Faceless Sons due to the prevalence of male gladiators. Three of the Wyches contributed to the raid are masked men- the Cult's namesake. Unlike other gladiators, the Faceless Sons are known by a singular name to distance themselves from House affiliations who may not approve of their commitments to the Arenas. From left to right: Irithax- A direct disciple of the founder of the Faceless Sons, for Irithrax, the success of his cult is a political agenda. He hopes to prove the Faceless Sons against the Dravaenblades to secure a place at his side in a Realspace Raid. He believes that reclaiming the Fractured Spiral will raise the the profile of not only the Faceless Sons, but all the men of the arena. Jadelyth Minyx- For Jadelyth, the Faceless Sons are means to an end. She recognizes that the Cult seeks to improve the profile of male Wyches, and while she believes there is an important role for men in the arenas, she also knows that in order to achieve their goals it will also always be necessary for the men of the Cult to outside their female counterparts. Shotokann- Shotokann is a proficient poisoner who learned his craft under the tutelage of Skythia Xesh. He sees himself as a successor to Yaelindra through Xesh's intercession, and is as fascinated by poison as the arena. Shalassa Viderran- Shalassa is Shotokann's sister, though this bond can never be acknowledged without revealing his family identity. She supports his efforts within the Cult, but also encourages his study of poisons as the path of the poisoner would allow him open access to the resources of House Viderran in a way that the Cult does not. Myrro- Myrro is heavily addicted to combat drugs, and he works closely with a circle of Elixicants who supply the Faceless Sons. He hopes to join the ranks of the Elixicants himself, and he intends to expand distribution as the Faceless Sons sworn to the Splinter Enigma continues to attract additional recruits. The Draevenblades While the Wyches gathered by Draeven are not yet a cult, they have trained together as the Draevenblades. Should they prove successful in the arena, they will become a Wych Cult in their own right, with a new name to be chosen when one amongst them attains the rank of Succubus. From left to right: Therogar Mirothex- Intrigued by the potential of the Faceless Sons, Therogar is loyal to his team but only to a point. He is the only male Wych on his team, and while he was prepared to walk in the shadows of his team mates, he does wonder if the Faceless Sons offer a better future. Myrae Lirieth- A student of arcane Lore, Myrae serves as a source of knowledge for her team mates. She joined Draeven's fledgling cult as much for the chance to explore the Fractured Spiral as to fight in the Arenas. She has been preparing most of her life to join a realspace raid, and is hopeful that Draeven will offer her an opportunity. Syndaera Thraxis- In addition to her considerable combat skills, Syndaera is also a strategist and leader with an interest in achieving the title of Succubus. She is grateful to Draeven for gathering the Wyches and providing this opportunity; she sees the Faceless Sons as an aberration, and hopes to defeat them in the arena to maintain the Matriarchy of Commorragh's Wych Cults. Kyriel Illanyr- Kyriel is Syndaera's closest ally- the two found each other after being expelled from their houses to fend for themselves among the nightmare city of Commorragh, and only that partnership has kept them alive. Kyriel would be more likely to support Syndaera's bid for leadership rather than launch her own. Janivyr Kadence- An Impaler and Shardnet specialist, Janivyr is a born duelist. She has no interest in leadership- only a consuming passion for weaponcraft; her expertise with arena weapons, even those outside her specialization is unmatched among her team mates. Vivithrax the Boneweaver Vivithrax was an apprentice to Vypus the Pale, and fought in the defense of the Fractured Spiral before it was captured by the Thirsting Minions of Slaanesh. He alone is aware of the Oubliette beneath Mesmoria's Alpha Floor. He hopes to be the puppet master behind Draeven, guiding his efforts to reclaim the Fractured Spiral for maximum personal advantage. The Bonewoven Rear, flanking Vivithrax: Karyx the Acothyst: Hexrifle Karyx is the only minion that survived the fall of the Fractured Spiral. It is fiercely loyal to its Master, and capable of both leadership and independence. It is obsessed with capturing additional specimens so that the Master may replace the forces lost to the fall. Syralex the Venomous, Stinger Pistol In addition to wielding the unit's Stinger Pistol, Syralex is a test subject for the poisons he employs. This prolonged exposure has created a poison tolerance greater than that of its peers. Front, left to right: Jarek the Bonesinger, Ossefactor As the operator of the unit's Ossefactor, Jarek is a direct apprentice to Vivithrax. It sees its arcane weapon as more of a tool, and it takes great care to craft only those extrusions of bone that best prolong the suffering of its victims. Malyketh the Inevitable, Wrack blades This one is known for its ability to maintain a withering hail of blows despite the most determined of defenses or counterattacks, wearing down its opponents until they are no longer capable of defending themselves Ophyrum the Emulsifier, Liquifier Gun It is Ophyrum's task to dispose of those enemies deemed insufficient for reclamation by the Master. Other more suitable specimens are left to its companions. Of all of the Bonewoven, this one is the most committed to the utter destruction of its foes. The Shadowthralls of Netherweir These Mandrakes are young, and have not yet carved identities and roles for themselves, and as such have not earned names. If the group has a leader at all, it is the Thrall who carries the sickle. These Thralls have been sent to Mesmoria to learn about those who seek to reclaim the Fractured Spiral, as they may be useful in the conquest and expansion of the other Shadow Districts.

I will definitely get the combat patrol- I only have one Talos and five Wracks. I like the battlebox, but I can't spend that much at once. I have at least one of every unit in the box, but I could use everything in it too.

I joined and replied to the Bertram and Chelsea post. I'm interested in the idea, but I think I need to talk through it before I figure out how deep to go. I noticed you mentioned Sisters... And that gives me some thoughts- like what era are you looking for, or chan we develop multiple parts of the timeline simultaneously? I see a lot of alternate histories for Legions beginning in the Heresy Era, and working forward from that... So would a sisters developer transpose the sisterhood into the heresy via alterations, or can the sisters continue to enter the timeline during the Age of Apostasy and deviate from there? I like the idea of developing rules content for Apostasy-era Sisters. In case you're unfamiliar, there were only four Orders of Sisters at inception- Ebon Chalice, Argent Shroud, Valorous Heart and Fiery Heart, which would be renamed Martyred Lady after Katherine, their Matron Saint. The other two Orders where founded two millennia later, though the Saints they were founded to honour were contemporaries of the first four- all six were granted an audience with the Emperor, and all six played a roll in the execution of Goge Vandire. I've already done a bit of proto-sisters work: for Iron Gauntlet last year, I developed an alternate detachment meant to represent the fighting style of The Fiery Heart prior to Katherine's demise. The backstory was that my Order had been cut of from the Imperium before Katherine was Martyred, and thus, their fighting style is less governed by the concept of Martyrdom- a focus that I presume was developed as a result of that Martyrdom. Here's a link: If you're just interested in the Fiery Heart rules, scroll down to the Optional Rules section. Cheers, and good luck on the journey.

Cool character concepts. The development of an Ordo Chronos detachment for Imperial Agents is intriguing. Even just getting ideas about who is in Bertram's retinue is cool. I love that Kill Team has given us a lot of Imperial weirdos, but I like going further in games where people will let me; Draxus is a radical, and I'll definately be playing some scenarios where she works with Aeldari Rangers, and perhaps one where she works with a Zoat. So what would Bertram's Retinue look like? Control over time is often represented on the table by redeploy or reroll shenanigans... But might there be more interesting ways to represent it for the Chronos? Now obviously, you've mentioned these as "perspective characters," and so maybe their role ISN'T on the table... But I always like to use the game to generate the fluff... That way the fluff turns out to be more consistent with the game than the average BL novel. The game is the frame of reference for everything. Cheers!

I will be using the cards from the Index to field mine for the remainder of the edition vs. opponents who are okay with that kinda thing. And yeah, the price of success rule is one that I don't think I'm going to use, but I understand the need to start over once you've conquered everything... So I'd be more likely to just retire my Ascendant Lord, leaving the potential for him and his forces to be used as special guests, NPO's or whatever... And then I'd go with a Lord of a different type for the next Crusade- so if I retired an Archon, my next Lord would be a haemonculus or succubus.

So, what I actually WANT to talk about is the new Crusade rules. Before I get there, I'll just respond (briefly) to @Evil Eye: So onto the Crusade reveal: First off, Drukharimunda is here to stay in 10th! It's also not a direct copy/ paste. It seems territorial acquisition is much more connected to the game itself rather than being confined to the meta-theatre of the progression system- so if your Incubi body guards are still standing at the end of the fight, they can help you fend of an assassination attempt between games. And generating Commorrite rivals is a way to make it feel like Drukharimunda even if you are the only Drukhari player you know- you're still COMPETING against other (NPO) Commorrite Lords who can steal your territory, assassinate you or otherwise make your life miserable. They also offer you Drukhari targets for your spite and treachery. I'm looking really forward to seeing more about Rival Actions and Hostile Takeovers... Which I suspect will have interactions with Agendas and Requisitions. As a result of today's preview, I am now genuinely looking forward to this book despite being bitter about the loss of the Court and Beasts.

Absolutely the latter. I used to ALSO lament the former, but believe it or not, the internet actually changed my mind about it. I never minded the psychic phase, but people showed me that it was possible to get all the deep psychic rules I wanted without having a dedicated phase.

Typically only Quebec is affected. I live in Ontario and I just got my Spiritseer Tuesday. But Quebec has a lot of separate policies (sweepstakes, contests and lotteries are big on this), and most of that is due to language.

I added the numbers so I can address both pieces individually- I still haven't figured out how to split a quote block. 1. This perspective seems to be from a male point of view. It isn't about wanting to make female characters unattractive- it's about making sure PEOPLE don't feel the need to hold themselves to an unachievable ideal. The fact that you think an "ugly" model is misogyny seems to communicate to me that Lelith was always an object to you, rather than someone you wanted to relate to or aspired to be. Because if you did aspire to BE Diaz Lelith, you would probably come to believe that eating well is a sin and that making yourself sick after a particularly large meal was a good idea... and THAT would be actual misogyny. If you aspired to be modern Lelith, you might be content to just blast five sets of squats until failure three times a week... Neither option is a perfect picture of mental health, but one IS healthier than the other. 2. That's not what a double standard is. A double standard is where one group (female) is expected to conform to a different set of norms (ie. standards) than another group. An example would be how nobody cares whether a male model is thick or ugly, but it does tend to be the first thing people notice and/or comment about with a female model. An example where the double standard applies to people is the famous "assertive men are seen as confident and motivated while assertive women are seen as 'bossy'" And look, I don't mean to sound judgmental. Sometimes, we DO talk about how ugly or thick a male model is- we body shamed the heck outta nuCoteaz amIright? And also, some comments are legit (this chin looks weird, etc). And it should also be acknowledged that the unattainable image problem can affect men too; if I had a nickel for every time I felt bad about my own body because I saw a gratuitous six pack on a movie or TV character who a) didn't need to have a six pack or b) didn't need to show off said six pack... Well, let's just say I probably would have been able to afford the Kill Team Tomb World box. Suffice it to say that, in general terms, objectification is an issue that can arise in discussions of models on forums, and it does so more frequently with female models than their male counterparts. Anyone think the new Archon is fat and ugly? Anyone? Yup. That's about what I thought.

So far, my experience of GK has always been theory hammer, so I will defer to your superior knowledge of the army specifically. On this general point, however, you and I will have to agree to disagree. I personally believe that the psychic rules are the worst and weakest part of 10th. There's enough other good stuff in 10th that I didn't rage quit, but every psychic unit being required to have the same psychic power as every other unit of the same type is, to my mind, a heap of hot garbage you just can't unstink.

So there are ctually a couple of pieces of merch I'm interested in. Does anyone know when we get the vouchers?

In the current edition of the game, psychic power doesn't feel like psychic power, but I am surprised that in describing GK's niche, no one has even used the word Psychic, yet it should be regarded as the signature trait of the GK. Teleporting has replaced psychic power precisely because psychic power in 10th feels like no big deal. And I just took a look at the Deathwatch Index, and I think it's pretty flexible and packs quite a punch. While SIA is not on the datacards, it is still a strat- or rather, it's three individual strats. Watchmasters can reduce the cost of a strat for their unit by one once per round, so the Fortis or Vets they lead can SIA once per round for free. Obviously, making SIA strats DID very much limit their use- your whole army certainly can't do it every turn... But it is still there. And building DW Kill Teams is fun- they are one of the only flexible factions still in the game. I don't think the new KT has 40k rules yet, which is unfortunate, because that's a really interesting team because it actually mixes armour types, which most Kill Teams don't anymore. And of course, those are the "game" niches; lorewise, these armies are also interesting through their connections to the Inquisition, and the fact that many units have their own datacard and also an Agent's card; I haven't done the side by side to compare the cards, but it's an interesting potential. Crusade implications are a bit weird too: GK's can buy Battle Honours from the Agents dex or the GK dex. DW, as an Index army, didn't get bespoke content in 10th, but they can some of their units can take battle honours as Agents, and the 9th stuff is easily adaptable to 10th if your group is cool. My Deathwatch need some love. I'm no longer as concerned about finishing my firstborn DW, which is sad really, because they're awesome models. But with the new list, I really want to finish my Indomitor and Fortis teams. Unfortunately, I need both Heavy Intercessors and Eradicators plus multiple Gravis pads, and you only get two of those per upgrade frame... So I'm looking for four packs, leaving me with enough pads for 40 Fortis or Talonstrike teams (assuming you don't take any Inceptors). A really good DW shoulderpad kit would be so good: 10 vet/ fortis, 10 gravis/ termie, 10 spectrus. Even if they went 10/5/5 it would be so much better than what we have. Honestly? We needed a better shoulder pad kit more than we needed the new Kill Team... And that's saying something, because I love the new Kill Team. Sorry that some of that was a tangent.

Like the vampires upon which they are partially based, their appearnace may change based on how well supplied with pain they are. Model Malys looks like she just had a bite of Medusa brainfruit. Artwork Malys has probably gone without for a week or two.