Lucky 88th: Codex: Quite fun but lacking character.

Friday 24 April 2009

Codex: Quite fun but lacking character.

Just got hold of my copy of the new Codex:Imperial guard

I've now successfully converted my Roster to 5th Edition, but theres still some things bugging me

Firstly i've had to remove my Commissar from my command squad and the closest i can get to keeping him there is by making him a Commissar Lord and attaching him to the command squad. which is fine, but it puts all my eggs in one basket. but hey, all in the name of fluff :D

Secondly

Characters, i want to choose some characters to either purchase, or scratchbuild (most likely second option) and add into the ranks of the lucky 88th. Whilst ive never really been fond of named characters outside of playing themed games (armageddon = yarrick and ghazgkull) etc

I can see the best way to add diversity into an army now is to drop in these characters like seasoning, to boost squads and platoons for specific missions.

At the moment i'm leaning towards Gunnery sergeant Harker, he adds a heavy bolter to a veterans squad, and being "catachan" he allows the veteran unit to move through cover more easily - quite befitting a cityfighting veterans squad.

as for others, i'm at a loss.

i'd like to hear others views on the new codex, plus the characters etc.

Cheers, TSINI

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The Lucky 88th History

The Lucky 88th

The Royal planet of Borlina is just off the Cadian gate, once a thriving hive planet with a high percentage of royal and rich descendants from Terra itself. Now a diseased, war torn hell hole, home to a twisted secret the Inquisition would rather not recount.

The Curse of Borlina

During a Chaos incursion (Blood & Bile of the Rich Invasion 960.M41) Inquisitor Payne ordered the Orbital Bombardment of the entire planet, choosing Viral Bombing as the means of execution of the foul beasts and corrupted Governors.
Unfortunately the Borlina PDFs were also sentenced to death, whilst deeply in conflict with the Chaos forces.
Under pressure from Inquisitor Rayvenn (of the Black Storm), Inquisitor Payne mercifully ordered areas with high concentrations of loyal forces to be bombed with a weaker strain of the virus. Whilst the planet was bombed with Virus 1, a highly corrosive airborne agent which subsides after 1 day. Virus 13 (a Plague like virus with no corrosive element) was deemed legal for use over loyalist troops, who were forewarned, advised to find cover and don gas equipment. Low on supplies, deep in conflict and without gas equipment the lucky 88th miraculously fought off Virus 13 as if it was a bad case of flu.

Affirmation

A nearby Commissariat fleet jumped at the opportunity to put together their own personal force and made planet fall to gather together the pockets of loyal troops into a fighting regiment. This proved quite difficult, requiring the aid of the nearby Space Marine chapters (“Dragon Marines” and “Black Storm”) to seek out loyal forces.

The largest surviving regiment had barricaded themselves in the Master Palace, which impressed the commissariat no end, for it was a disease ridden nightmare, the very palace itself was a Nurgle infested monstrocity.
Having already adopted the name “Lucky 88th” due to the large amount of survivors from the 88th regiment the troops added a Lucky Ace symbol to their armour and vehicles, much to the annoyance of the commissariat who view it as graffiti and unofficial. In return the more senior commissars keep their gas-masks on when in combat to stir anger into the men, making them fight harder for the injustice caused to them. Lower Commissars tend not to test such practises, wary of the men turning on them when cut off from high command.

Recruitment: The Virus Run

Any outsider coming into contact with any surviving member of the Borlina virus attacks must first be inoculated from the infectious version of the virus which can be fatal to weaker immune systems. New Recruits however are not so lucky. Firstly they are put through a year of heavy training wearing gas masks. Graduation into the Lucky 88th is only complete after a gruelling month fighting through the Virus Run, a heavily infected area of the former Borlingrav Palace, now a Bastion of pestilence and disease. The survivors of this infamous death zone gain the respect of the rest of the regiment, except for the veterans who hate all outsiders including the commissariat.