Yet Some More 40k Questions

[Bob the Gunslinger]

I'll get right to it:

-Where are the Eldar killbots mentioned in the fluff, and are there any old pics or models of them?

-Where in the fluff did everyone learn so much about the Horus Heresy? I want to know all about the Primarchs and their backgrounds and why they turned.

-What does it mean for a unit to be "beardy"?

-What does the fluff say about the Slann, their technology and their numbers?

Thank you very much.

[Companion Cube]

-What does it mean for a unit to be "beardy"?

Others more well-versed in the fluff can answer the rest, but a "beardy" unit, at least in one colloquial sense of the word, is one that violates the background and/or the game rules in order to maximise its effectiveness. (For example, a squad of Imperial Guardsmen armed entirely with flamethrowers) These are only used under home rules, as far as I know. Some of our regular players can probably expand on my definition, it might have moved on since I played.

[Stark]

I've only seen 'beardy' used like 'munchkin': basically as 3rd Impact says, ignoring background and exploiting the rules to powergame the shit out of things.

[GeneralTacticus]

I'll get right to it:

-Where are the Eldar killbots mentioned in the fluff, and are there any old pics or models of them?

No idea on either count.

-Where in the fluff did everyone learn so much about the Horus Heresy? I want to know all about the Primarchs and their backgrounds and why they turned.

There are the various "Index Astartes" articles in White Dwarf, with the ones on the original Legions giving backgrounds on the Primarchs; I believe there's also a Horus Heresy CCG with background materials, and some "Art of the Horus Heresy" books (as in concept art and that sort of thing) that give background as well.

-What does it mean for a unit to be "beardy"?

It can vary, but it basically comes down to the unit or army, or the use thereof, being exploitative in some way, whether by exploiting rule loopholes or going against the character of the army. For instance, an Eldar army based around massive swarm attacks, or a unit of Khornate Bezerkers that spends the entire game hiding behind cover to hold a particular table quarter. Or a Space Marine army containing two five-man Tactical Squads to fill out the mandatory Troops choices, and then filling up the rest of the Force Organisation Chart - which defeats the whole point of the chart in the first place.

-What does the fluff say about the Slann, their technology and their numbers?

No idea.

[GeneralTacticus]

Stark hit it the nail on the head: "munchkin" is a perfect synonym.

[NecronLord]

Eldar robots are from, like every source on pre-fall eldar. The eldar have/had the means for a culturesque post-scarcity economy, it seems, but decadance makes them go bang.

Slaan: No fluff is currently in print. The old stuff about them is easily available to lawbreakers via the fluff bible. there is a picture of a slaan with a flamethrower in the 4th ed rulebook. The main slaan society is retired out on the rim of the galaxy, and seems to observe events. The C'tan may have killed them by now though.

I would write more, but this keyboard is shit.

[Lazarus]

Beardy: 1000 pt Eldar army with 3 wraithlords.
Basically, choosing an army purely to pwn the opponent, with no regard whatsoever for anything else. Tournaments=fine, anytime else=not so much.

I'm not aware of any models available for Eldar killbots, and I'm not too sure about them myself.

For the Horus Heresy, Everything I know has been learned through discussion or through the summary's in books like Index Astartes and the 4th edition rulebook. Each Index Astartes chapter profile also has a section on what the specific chapter did during the Heresy, if thats any help.

[Currald]

Most of the Slann fluff that I've found is in the Rogue Trader book, and the 3rd edition Warhammer Fantasy Battles book (the Warhammer World was explicitly stated to be in the 40K universe in the WHFB 3rd / WH40K 1st edition fluff).

[Lonestar]

I guess this is as good as place as any.

Looking through the 4th Edition book at the illustrations I notice everything about the Imperium is fucked up, right down to the Cherubs. What's up with that?

Also, the Inquisitorial Army...what's with the walkers with bodies on them?

[Kuja]

Looking through the 4th Edition book at the illustrations I notice everything about the Imperium is fucked up, right down to the Cherubs. What's up with that?

Depends on what you mean. Can you clarify a bit?

Also, the Inquisitorial Army...what's with the walkers with bodies on them?

Again, I'm not sure what you mean. If you mean this:



They're dreadnoughts, walking tombs for space marine heroes who lay stricken on the battlefield and were interred within them so they could continue fighting with the monstrous weapons and abilities of the machine.

If you mean these:



A mobile throne is used by an Inquisitor (more often than not a puritan) as a platform to bark orders and litanies to the grunts during purge operations. Despite gaming rules, they are not typically used on the front lines.

[SirNitram]

I guess this is as good as place as any.

Looking through the 4th Edition book at the illustrations I notice everything about the Imperium is fucked up, right down to the Cherubs. What's up with that?

[Adam Sessler]Some people think it makes this 'more realistic' and 'gritty'. I just call it 'Less Pretty'[/Adam]

Also, the Inquisitorial Army...what's with the walkers with bodies on them?

The dudes on the walkers being tortured by the Ordo Hereticus? Those are Penitent Engines. It's punishment. To remind us the Imperium is the worst government ever.

[Kuja]

The dudes on the walkers being tortured by the Ordo Hereticus? Those are Penitent Engines. It's punishment. To remind us the Imperium is the worst government ever.

Ah yes, those. Yeah, they're essentially kamikaze ex-criminals used to kill a lot of stuff before they buy the farm.

[Lonestar]

Depends on what you mean. Can you clarify a bit?

Dude! They were freakin' little Cherubs (Baby-angels), except they had bat-wings and were borgified!

Again, I'm not sure what you mean. If you mean this:

I know what Dreadnoughts are. And Nitram answered it.

[Kuja]

Depends on what you mean. Can you clarify a bit?

Dude! They were freakin' little Cherubs (Baby-angels), except they had bat-wings and were borgified!

Because Cherubs are servitors, dude. They're robots. And you can only dress them up so much. They don't show up much in the fluff anyway. I think I've only seen them in the novels once or twice.

[Lonestar]

*slaps forehead*

duh. Thanks.

What's the deal with servo skulls? Why don't they make floating things...without being skulls?

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

What's the deal with servo skulls? Why don't they make floating things...without being skulls?

Convenient. People die a lot in 40k, why fill up graveyards when those bones have perfectly practical uses?

[Kuja]

What's the deal with servo skulls? Why don't they make floating things...without being skulls?

Convenient. People die a lot in 40k, why fill up graveyards when those bones have perfectly practical uses?

There's also the spiritual side of 40K mythology. There's a beleif that it's good to give a machine the direction of a human spirit because in that way, even a machine can be tied to the Emperor's will and making it a more potent servant of the Imperium.

[Stark]

And it's edgy. 40K is like anime: they've got their artists on contract, so they've got a quota of skulls and nipples to draw or they're getting ripped off.

[Base Delta Zero]

I believe the answer is that the Imperium clearly has a skull fetish.

<Snip Dreadnaught>

I believe that is an Adeptas Sororitas Dreadnought, which is odd, because I didn't know they had them.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

I believe that is an Adeptas Sororitas Dreadnought, which is odd, because I didn't know they had them.

It certainly looks like one now that you mention it. It's probably a fan conversion.

[Kuja]

I believe that is an Adeptas Sororitas Dreadnought, which is odd, because I didn't know they had them.

They don't in the game but in the universe I wouldn't be surprised if they did have at least a couple lesser dreadnoughts. Tau have their battlesuits, orks have their own dreadnoughts, even Eldar have their wraithlords. Soroitas having their own version of a dreadnought isn't all that out of place.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Eldar robots are from, like every source on pre-fall eldar. The eldar have/had the means for a culturesque post-scarcity economy, it seems, but decadance makes them go bang.

Which sources on pre-fall Eldar would you recommend? I'd like to know if I can just pick up a codex or if I'm going to need to really look for some old Rogue Trader fluff on eBay or what. Should I just wait for the new Eldar codex anyway?

Slaan: No fluff is currently in print. The old stuff about them is easily available to lawbreakers via the fluff bible. there is a picture of a slaan with a flamethrower in the 4th ed rulebook. The main slaan society is retired out on the rim of the galaxy, and seems to observe events. The C'tan may have killed them by now though.
I would write more, but this keyboard is shit.

I guess you're not going to be back until friday, but I'd be interested in finding out all I could about them. I would not object to receiveing unrequested messages containing materials unavailable through GW, especially as it wouldn't be taking money away from them. (Besides, I have the new rule book and many new codexes. If they had the old stuff, I'd buy it.)

[GunDoctor]

I'll get right to it:

-Where are the Eldar killbots mentioned in the fluff, and are there any old pics or models of them?

You know, I haven't seen any specifics on that in Rogue Trader or the Astronomicon, but maybe I haven't been looking, and those are my source for 1st edition info, I'm still looking for the chaos book (realm of chaos?) and other sources.

-Where in the fluff did everyone learn so much about the Horus Heresy? I want to know all about the Primarchs and their backgrounds and why they turned.

Old GW books from previous editions (2nd and 1st) as well as White Dwarf back issues or compilations. Find Rogue Trader, Astronomicon, Codex Imperialis, Dark Millenium, old army Codexes etc. Or you "could" google for something refered to as a "fluff bible" would make the baby star child cry.

-What does it mean for a unit to be "beardy"?

Broken, built without reguard to unit fluff, on crack, 5 Wolf Guard with three assualt cannon and two cyclones, power gaming, cheasy, the tabletop force built by a munchkin

-What does the fluff say about the Slann, their technology and their numbers?

The Slann are the old ones of the setting, 1st edition fluff implies that they created the younger species. Their empire is in decline though, and communications between worlds has been lost. One colony might have blow guns and stone axes, while another, a heart world, could make the Necrontyr or the C'tan go away. They don't, cause they've been in a cultural malaise since they acidentaly created Chaos. Oops

Thank you very much.

NP

[The Grim Squeaker]

he Slann are the old ones of the setting, 1st edition fluff implies that they created the younger species.

No, the old ones are something else, the Slaan are just their servants of old. Common mistake though.

Their empire is in decline though, and communications between worlds has been lost.

Actually it isn't in decline, it's just that they have various colonies left to run rampant, that are usually on the "Hunter gatherer/tribe" level of civilization with lasguns as weaponry.
The organized Slaan are gathering forces on the galactic rim according to Really old fluff.

They don't, cause they've been in a cultural malaise since they acidentaly created Chaos.

The Old ones made most of the warp sensitive races who as a sideeffect made the various chaos gods over time as a sideeffect over millions of years.
The old ones did make the various warp gods though directly (Such as the Eldar pantheon, etc')

[andrewgpaul]

-What does it mean for a unit to be "beardy"?

Broken, built without reguard to unit fluff, on crack, 5 Wolf Guard with three assualt cannon and two cyclones, power gaming, cheasy, the tabletop force built by a munchkin

That's not beardy; 5 Wolf Guard terminators with an assault cannon and cyclone launcher each, that's beardy.