One in a million survive. This is a process that is “necessarily” harsh.

[Recodjl]

"The Grey Knight training regime. A regime that is captured in one of literature’s great understatements:

“The Chapter’s initial training process is necessarily harsh”

Now I’m going to stop there for a second. Note that word there, “necessarily”, got it? Then let us continue.

“Only one in a thousand candidates survive the first rite of passage… and most of these will be slain in the second… All told, perhaps one in a million novitiates make it through.”

One in a million survive. This is a process that is “necessarily” harsh. Is the phrase they were looking for not… “ludicrously” harsh, “sadistically” harsh, “pointlessly” harsh even?"

More at: http://40kintheuk.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/grinds-my-gears-grey-knight-codex-by-david-lane/



Evening all, just wanted to spread the word about my friend's new website (as he's putting a hell of a lot of effort in to getting it together). The site is based around a weekly podcast which I urge you to check out (particularly if you are interested in playing competitively and the tournament scene). They are up to episode 11 and going strong, any ideas or requests for podcast sections or articles are more than welcome.

The link above is to an article I wrote for him to get a little more varied content on the site. Any feedback you can give would be much appreciated (even if it's "stop writing", you'll free me up some time for booze). Again, any ideas for articles you would like to see (i.e. anything you find daft in the 40k fluff) would be more than welcome too!

Thanks all, have a good weekend.

[Grailkeeper]

and statistically one in every 27 shots fired by a conscript, of whom there are billions, will kill one. also who'd want to be a grey Knight- one in a million chance of surviving the application must mean that they get mostly nutters.

[Recodjl]

and statistically one in every 27 shots fired by a conscript, of whom there are billions, will kill one. also who'd want to be a grey Knight- one in a million chance of surviving the application must mean that they get mostly nutters.

I reckon so. Although, given the veil of secrecy around everything it could be that they simply don't know any better. The Grey Knight PR campaign probably makes it seem like you've got, you know, a statistically significant chance to survive the process!

How do you think you could pitch that? "Grey Knights need you... and 9,999,999 of your friends" (Photoshop anyone? :p)

[Nabterayl]

Heh. Space marines don't really ever ask if you want to join. We're talking about elementary school kids here, remember. They aren't exactly capable of appreciating the implications of becoming a marine, even if the marines were upfront about what joining means, which they aren't.


"Hey kid! Want to be a space marine? You'll be taught that everything your mommy and daddy and pastor taught you about religion is wrong, never see your friends again, and you'll probably die in training. But if you don't, you'll get to spend about twenty hours a day training - except when you're fighting for your life; you get a break from training then. I'm about two hundred years old, but the average life expectancy is a couple of decades. How about it?"

"If I join, do I get to be huge and wear cool armor like you?"

"Well ... yes."

"Awesome!"

[Necron2.0]

... who'd want to be a grey Knight- one in a million chance of surviving the application must mean that they get mostly nutters.

Remember that the GK's also "recruit" from the black ships. I'm imagining every single one of them would jump at the chance, even knowing the odds. After all, they're psychics. They know what awaits them on Terra. Given the choice of A) Come with us and almost certainly die a gruesome but otherwise natural death, or B) go to Terra to have your soul forcibly ripped from your body and consumed by an undead corpse-god, I'm guessing the answer is pretty cut and dried.

[Fellend]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Honest Space Marine
"Hey kid! Want to be a space marine? You'll be taught that everything your mommy and daddy and pastor taught you about religion is wrong, never see your friends again, and you'll probably die in training. But if you don't, you'll get to spend about twenty hours a day training - except when you're fighting for your life; you get a break from training then. I'm about two hundred years old, but the average life expectancy is a couple of decades. How about it?"

"If I join, do I get to be huge and wear cool armor like you?"

"Well ... yes."

"Awesome!"

I'd join

[Nabterayl]

I'd join
Blessed is the mind too small for doubt ;)

[Nabterayl]

Actually, Recodjl, if you're looking for some criticism, it is a little unclear to me in what way that article is meant to be taken. Are we talking about tabletop only, or other lore sources as well?

[Recodjl]

That's a fair point, talking about points in an article rooted in the fiction does blur the lines a little. It was meant to be very tongue in cheek look at the fluff using the points comparison just to visualise the issues. I wasn't trying to say 5 Gretchin would top a space marine in the fluff, just to highlight some of the more extreme lengths the fluff goes to.

Great point about them being psykers. I suppose that cuts both ways in terms of protecting the Imperium though, on the one hand you're killing 10,000,000 psykers, on the other hand, you're killing 10,000,000 psykers. Given that they can be a great boon or a great curse then it's tricky to say if it's a good thing or not.