Lysimachus

It could fit with our Distrust of Authority that your guy has a Commissar's hat. It's not actually his, but...

So, does that mean we are currently at: Grunts: Necro - Sgt (I think this sounds like a good call, very useful ) Lysimachus - Weapon Specialist (maybe a Melta gunner* if we are happy with that for Favoured Basic? As AT said, we could do with some anti-tank) AT - ??? Ikka - ??? Support: Mazer - Stormie Tro - Ogryn Badgers - Ratling MG - (2nd Ogryn, was it?) *I do still like the idea of a Sharpshooter, but I think I'd be ok waiting for that. There are a few other bits he wouldn't get that the Ratling does; Stealth, Camo cloak, Weedy makes harder to hit at range - all stuff useful for a scout/sniper?

I'm happy being a regular grunt, so I'll give my GM spot to Badgers for his Ratling (I think he mentioned it pretty early on) Also, @Necronaut is one of our GMs, he started the BC game that led to Blackest Heart! Bit of a side point, but if I'm the only Weapon Specialist, am I the only one who can take the Favoured Basic gun? The reason I'm asking is, I don't think my guy is going to work as a dedicated sniper (certainly not as well as our Ratling, maybe if the game continues long enough I'd take the Sharpshooter upgrade, but until then...?) So I am considering whether for now I'd be better off with one of the other Basic guns - either Bolter, Plasma, or even go all in and go for a Melta? Anyone got any thoughts?

I think we're already there for that, aren't we? Badger's Ratling, Mazer's Storm Trooper, Tro's Ogryn, and maybe AT's priest (not 100% sure if the last one is confirmed or not) So the rest of us need to be regular Guard? Question: assuming we go with the Regiment above (and again, it's not decided, so if people have other ideas to put forward, they still should, right?) we don't have any vehicles listed as part of our standard gear - can we still be assigned vehicles on a mission by mission basis, or even pick them up as we go? If so, an Operator wouldn't be a bad pick in case we need a driver? They'd also get Tech-Use twice in their Skills (= +10), which could make them our Tech-Priest (Lite) if we've already filled our Support slots?

I think Badgers was the 8th player, and wanted a Ratling?

Well, my suggestion was given earlier (sorry again! ) so you can see my previous post for the reasonings of the selections, but for simplicity it was: Regiment: Line Infantry (3) Doctrines: Die Hards (3) Hardened Fighters (2) Sappers (3) Drawbacks: Iconoclasts (-3) Total of 8, which would bring us to the full 12 points.

Ooo, ok, so that wouldn't be too bad, then? Lasgun Barrage still wouldn't be ideal, but it would be the only duff pick? Ok, cool. Then my previous initial suggestion stands for group consideration (...once Mojake says it is time for that bit, anyway! )

Apologies, I was probably jumping too far ahead. Well, fudge. I just looked at the starting skills/talents gained by a Weapon Specialist, and realised that the Regiment suggestion I made above basically doubles up everything he already gets… Altheltics… already got it. Survival… already got it. Nav(Surface)... already got it. Common Lore(IG and War)... already got it. Rapid Reload… already got it. Literally the only thing he'd gain that he didn't already have from the Regiment rules would be Lasgun Barrage… which only works on semi/full auto, and is therefore useless on a Long-las sniper…

I think this is going to be a balancing act to get to the magic ‘12’, so I wonder if we sort of need to try to start taking everything into consideration all at once? So, with that in mind, can we start throwing out some more fleshed out ideas and see which bits of them stick? The following is what I came up with, based on the choices we've made so far. Again, it is not intended to be the finished product (unless everyone loves it, I guess?) but just what I thought I might put together to represent a ‘basic’ Line Regiment hailing from the world we're creating? (Not saying that is the Regiment type we should use either)

Predatory dinosaurs could be the lower altitude 'monsters'?

Oh. Ok, cost makes more sense. I'm not sure I like it, though. I think maybe I'd prefer sticking to being the 'poor bloody infantry', just feels more 'classic Guard'? That's just my opinion, though.

Just a thought that popped into my head based on what Xin said above, has anyone seen that Anthony Mackie film Elevation? It's not great in itself (IMHO)... but the basic idea of monsters that only live below a certain altitude, so people are forced to stay above the line, could maybe work for our world? If it's a relatively newly settled world, that might explain why the Imperium hasn't come in and wiped the beasties out yet?

@Xin Ceithan @Mazer Rackham Excellent points. When i said Highland/Wild West, I wasn't suggesting kilts/bagpipes, or stetsons/duster coats, or particular accents... (...though IG in dusters could be kinda cool...?) Do any of the Training Doctrines get helos (or Valkyries in 40k, I guess?) I'd struggle to get behind Rapid Recon - 8 points is very, very expensive. (Like seriously, is that a typo? What's so good about Tauros?) But I like the Iconoclasts, I think that would fit the character of the world nicely, and give us a few extra points to spend! @Machine God Manners please. I do think Hardened Fighters is a nice Doctrine, though.

I'd agree, no vehicle Regiments... but we haven't got any Operators anyway. I still quite like Line Infantry Regiment; strong, reasonably well equipped individuals? Strong enough to wear full Flak up a mountain, laddie! Commander is an odd one. So we don't get the listed benefits, only he does? I might be inclined to keep it cheap and go Phlegmatic for (1)?

I like it, gives it a Scottish Highlands sort of feel? Opportunity for inter-party conflict depending on which kingdom you are from? However, this: is suddenly giving me Wild West vibes, which would obviously work with Frontier? So maybe North American style mountains surrounded by scrublands? A mix of Highlands and Wild West could be fun?