Jungle space marines?

[Deleted]

Hi,

I've got this idea of making an entire converted army. Still working on the fluff, but it's gonna be the left overs from a space marine chapter and imperial guard on a jungle planet over run by orcs. They were left behind when the rest of the armies fled and try to survive in the jungle.

I was thinking about smurfs with Orc arms and bare heads, to show that they dropped the gear they didn't need. I'll paint tattoos all over there arms, just like the highlanders. Could this be done?

For the guard I'm just gonna mix the cadian and cathachans.

How can I put guard and marines in one army? checked my codex but couldn't fing anything.

Thanks!

[Deleted]

Ummm I would check out the catachan arms first - you may find them a more realistic size than ork arms. Check out www.bitzbox.co.uk for lots of catachan arms (they're really cheap).

The only way to take a Imp/Smurf force like this would be to either look at a joint force (half imp/half guard) you could adopt the same approach as Kroot mercanaries (ie: one Hq choice, 1, elite, 2 troop choices, 1 fast attack and 1 heavy) or simply draw us two fluffy chioces - ie: no power playing. On the guard side you have more flexibility...

Keeping it purely RAW (rules as written) you could add a deathwatch killteam to your army as a second HQ choice.

I'd start off looking at these:

Codex: Catachan - uk.games-workshop.com/imperialguard/catachan-rules/assets/codex-catachans.pdf
Deathwatch killteams - uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/deathwatch/assets/deathwatch.pdf

They are both quite old - but chapter approved. Good luck.

[thelonelywolf]

It would be possible. Through necessity (sp?)

For example. An over zealous Imperial Commander sends IG and Marines onto a planet that is over run with orks. The orks manage to destroy the orbiting ships, essentially stranding the Marines and Guard.
Of course, the models of the IG will have to look quite old and rugged, maybe a little thin too, to get across the idea that they've been on this world for all these years.
Maybe you could use the Marine scout models as a base for the main marine contingent - getting across the idea that they've either damaged their armour beyond repair, or that they just didn't feel the need to lug it around . .

Sounds like a very good plan to me, and good luck.

[mardaddy]

Options for intermixing IG & SM's are pretty sparse, and only allowed under very strict and limited lists - The only ones that comes to mind immediately is an IG force with Grey Knight allies or an Inquisitorial DH list with Space Marine allies.

While neither of those instances are tailored to the fluff you have so far, a creative player such as yourself could come up with maybe some more background justfying how things got to their current status...

The DH codex has rules regarding those options I mentioned, and the limitations you'd be subject to; I believe the IG w/Grey Knight allies are limited to only getting GK Terminators, and if you use the Inq DH w/IG allies, you'd have to have an Inq & retinue and two squads of Stormtroopers to fill out your HQ & TR1&2, and are limited in your selection of allowed IG units (no doctrines allowed in this case.) But, hey, the Inq Storm Sgts have better wargear options than the IG one's so you'll have that going for you...

[Ymmot (M.I.A)]

just make two small armies using the force orginization chart and use them together against your opponents

so long as your points are equal with your opponent it shouldn't be a problem, right?

[Deleted]

First of all I want to thank you all for your advice. Thanks!

I read the deathwatch codex and as far as I understand I can use a squad of them as an HQ choice for my IG. Does that also count for your main HQ? That would be perfect for my fluff. As the remnants of the forces would be led by the most capable, in this case the marines.

I was thinking about using the Orc arms to point out the SM superhuman nature. It would make them bulkier than the rest of the troops. Or would that be a little over the top?

[lordcastellenjon]

sry but i think ott is right they would just look stupid and out of place

[Ymmot (M.I.A)]

nah, you still need an Officer HQ from the IG codex
but the deathwatch is the easiest way to squeeze in 10 space marines,
also the Ork arms are much too large.

[thelonelywolf]

I think you're along the right tracks with chunky arms, but more than likely you'll find the Ork arms too big for your purpose . .
However, i would say the Catachan arms would look equally out of place. Maybe it's time for some green stuff modelling?

[Deleted]

well the guard could be inducted as neophytes or scouts. both have access to the same weaponry and wargear


as well as marines never discard gear unless its broken completely.

[Mabus]

Although in theory this could be a very cool army I think i reality, it's not really going to be plausable. To begin with you haven't got appropriate rules to play this army. The suggestions involving the Deathwatch kill teams and Greyknights are okay, but not really appropriate as these profiles don't really represent Standard marines very well.

The fluff is also on the "iffy" side of things. To begin with such an occurance is very unlikely. All the SM backround emphasises the fact that The Adeptus Astartes are Shock Troopers. They never engage in wars where protracted combat is likely to errupt. The Space marine chapters simply don't have the man power and resources to fight a protracted war of attrition. No Space Marine Commander would commit his men to a battle which he knew he would loose.

No Space Marine chapter would fight in a conflict where there was a risk they would become stranded. Simple as that. The Imperial guard aspect f it is cool though. The Fluff there is appropriate and I'm sure you could collect a pretty kick a-rse army there.

Good luck.

[Deleted]

im sure a company would sacrafice itself in battle if it was the best hope.... ala 300 style. ultramarines especially... i could definetly see squads of marines volunteering to stay behind and occupy the enemy while reinforcements come back or the brothers are needed some where else.


also to give praise to the wolves. in 2nd edition a space wolf whose name i forget was part of a company making evasive manuvers from an ork waaagh through a canyon. well a land raider broke down and instead of waiting on it to be fixed this wolf told his company to keep going... even though they were stopped at a lava flow. well this wolf who happened to be incredibly strong pushed that broken land raider into the lava to allow his brothers to escape.

as the wagh was drawing closer he and his terminator squad stayed back and fought the orks all by themselves.

when the wovles returned in greater numbers and repairs they found a giant throne of ork bodies and seated upon them was the corpse of the space wolf. the orks respected the wolf so much they honored him even in death

[Mabus]

Hmm, cool story.

Still, it does go against fluff and stuff. I've also been reading the Minitorium manuel. It states that if IG troopers manage to get themselves stranded and waste minitorium resources the regimental commisar should punish the regiment by executing all the senior officers.

[thelonelywolf]

That's just 'cause Wolves are the best, and Space Wolves are the best marines

And. . .
I think there is a way of making it all work well, but it could take a year or so to get everything up to scratch, but, personally, i think it'll be wroth it in the end, and if we can help, then i know i'll be glad to. . .

[Deleted]

Wow! Thanks for all the support.

About the fluff:

I just have the basis for it, but I was thinking of something like this. The planet they are on was suddenly attacked. The planet wasn't valuable enough to fight for, so the decision is made to abandon it.

While most troops pull back to the landing zone where they are picked up, a small force is left behind for a suicide mission. They have to fight iff the enemy long enough for the others to depart safely.

Ofcourse an Commisar is attached to this force to stop them from running. After the Commisar is killed. The officers start to run and the army crumbles as a result. A squad of space marines see the officers run, while a few simple guardsmen risk their lives in an attempt to retrieve the imperial flag that was dropped by the running soldiers. This act of bravery touches the Sm sergeant, the will to sacrifice their lives for just a mere symbol of the emperor surely must be something divine. He thinks it is the will of the emperor that he helps them and he orders his squad to help them, dispite their official orders.

With the few guardsmen and the marines running in the direction of the enemy, more of the IG rallies themselves and help them.

They manage to get the flag and keep fighting while the enemy drives them back towards the LZ. With only a few men left they can't succeed in stopping the enemy and the LZ becomes under fire.

In the confusion that follows, ships take off and others crash. The last soldiers that fought are left behind. Somehow they manage to escape into the jungle. (Still working on that part)

I was thinking of a pilot as my SO and his crew as his HQ squad. He has the highest rank ledt after what happened and waited for the last troops against his orders, even taking the fight to the enemy. Of course his ship gets destroyed somehow and they aren't able to get off the planet.

Remember, this is still very rough and it still needs a lot of work, Just my main idea.

I think it will solve the fact that the SM are there and why they were left behind.

Any suggestion is welcome, just want this to work.

About the conversion:

I personaly think that Cathachan ar,s would be to thin for a SM. Green stuff might be an option, but I never used it before. Just getting started with 40K and don't have a lot of experience.

Well, guess I have to start sometime. Right?

P.S. Sorry for my lousy english, but I'm dutch so it isn;t my first language.

[knight (M.I.A)]

Shrike and his squad were stranded on a orc world for several years. Also many other SM squads volunteered to stay behind and many chapters go into wars of attrition if their archenemies are suspected to be in there. Just tell the Space Wolves for example that the Thousand Sons are supposed to be involved into an attack on a planet, and that it could end in a war of attrition. They'll join.
Or tell the Mantis Warriors, the Minotaurs, and the Lamenters that the Red Corsairs started a war of attrtion they'll join. Some chapters have enemies taht cause them to forget any reason and that theydon't have that many soldiers to begin with

[Deleted]

if you tell any of those chapters about war of attritions i can almost gurantee they will get on their battle barge and drop pod or thunderhawk their way to the enemies hq kill the commander and all the vitales and leave before it gets too dicey

[thelonelywolf]

I think that the fluff basis you've written up is very good. It does explain a lot, and with a few tweaks and adjustments, it could really be a good basis for an army, so well done on that part.
(I think your english is very understandable and you shouldn't worry about that!)

Green stuff can be quite difficult at first, and it can be rather costly having to throw away all your failed attempts, but in the end it really is worth it! If you know anyone who uses green stuff frequently, or some online tutorials (unfortunately i don't actually know any) that can help, i suggest starting there. . .

Well done my friend.

[Deleted]

I'd add the following suggestions:

Senior Leader and Command squad: Transport Captain (SO or HSO), flight crew including pilot (vet with plasma pistol), a grenade launcher and a lascannon extracted from the crashed transports.

Advisors: Psychic Navigator (sanctioned psyker) with disarm ability, priest (he was abandoned on the planet after he refused to leave his colony village).

DeathWatch killteam (10) including captain. Read Uriel Ventris's story by Graham O'Neill. 100 Ultramarines and 100 Mortificators are sent to a world to support millions of guard (including the death korps of krieg in defeating a Tyranid invasion. Survival is not likely and they could have been overrun easily.

Troops: Platoons are good - veterans are excellent (since they've been abandoned so long. You could have grenadiers/storm troopers as they are particulary exemplary veterans honoured by the Deathwatch team with broken but servicable amour plates from their dead comrades.

Vehicles: Difficult, unfortunately I think few vehicles would survive... although you could have some fantastically modelled "reclaimed" captured leman russes and Chimera/Hellhounds that the orks had claimed after the Imperial retreat, and your group had managed to recapture as part of a daring raid... I like it!

Heavy weapons: Model the heavy weapons on either:

o Make the weapons look like they've been "liberated" from the transport or other vehicles.

o Convert ork Dakkaguns and big shootas (but use heavy stubber/heavy bolter stats and prices)

o Create "homemade" mortars and satchel charges for your special weapons teams...

o Conscripts platoon of "liberated" civilian families from the villages.

o Have a ratling sniper squad - but they are "liberated" children (maybe too dark).

Refinement of the fluff: The 50 or so DeathWatch and your core Imperial guard were the last in retreat of a mighty ork horde. They made it to the transport but it was shot down over the jungle by fighta bomba's. The survivors led by the 10 remaining DeathWatch and Transport captain escaped into the jungle.

The ork forces did what they always do, when they've won. Divided into groups and infought. During your forces escape through the jungles they come across a strange thing. A village unaware of the war or the orks and untouched. The village is led by the Priest leader. DeathWatch and Captain decide to conscript the village and lead them outta there ... but to where, to escape, to fight, that is your story.

[Ymmot (M.I.A)]

I'd buy it.

eh, I wouldnt spend money or anything, that just seems believable.
and legit rules wise too!

[Deleted]

I thank you ... Thank you very much ... King!

Thinking further, you could have all that and avoid doctrines altogether with the following:

o Command Squad, including:
o Psyker
o Priest.
o Liberated Autocannon/Big Shoota Support Squad
o Homemade Mortar Squads
o Liberated Lascannons
o Special Weapon Squad with flamers, homemade satchel charge

Deathwatch Killteam

o Veterans Squad
o Storm Troopers x2 (the Deathwatch "chosen") - effectively these guardsmen have proven themselves so well, the Deathwatch captain had promised to represent them for adoption into his chapter on rescue.

or: Children Snipers.

1+ standard guard platoon; I'd go for lage platoon with few command squads - as promising men are brought up and trained into chosen by the Deathwatch killteam.

1 conscript "villagers" platoon

Liberated Leman Russes/Hellhounds/Demolishers/Chimeras (maximum 5):

Paint up imperial, and then orky. Replace Heavy stubbers with big shootas etc. Put on subtle imperial identification markings as they use these tanks to avoid and escape the ork bands... mounting night fighting and ambushes...

[Deleted]

Thanks for the help!

I'll take all of the suggestions with me when I continue working on the fluff. Like the Pshyker/navigator idea, have this picture of some hot chick in mind fo that. Guess I'd better start practicing with the green stuff I bought.

I was actually thinking about using the cathachan codex, because that gives me a better chance without a lot of vehicles. I'm thinking of using 3 Orc warbuggies as a sentinel squad. I have this picture of them racing through the jungle with some of my men in them.

Expect some fluff soon and I'll keep posting my progress here.

[Deleted]

Great ideas ... I think this joint force has real potential... look forward to seeing your first conversions and finished models - keep us posted.

[Deleted]

Hey'all!

I ordered some non 40k mini's that I plan on using for my army.



My future psyker/navigator...



My HSO, transport captain. I'm thinking about cutting of the horn from her shoulder pad.



And this dude, not sure what to do with him, but I liked the mini.

They are all metal, somebody has an idea for some conversions on them?

[Ymmot (M.I.A)]

ok wow, fancy models you got there.
heh, I guess it works.

so, maybe call the guy a priest?
with carapace armor and a powersword.
are priests allowed to take carapace armor?
that thing in his other hand could be a rosarius.

or a grenade, in that case he could be something else entirely.