How should they do Legion of the Damned?

[EmperorEternalXIX]

These guys have a cool story and potential for very cool unique rules, but they are lumped into the standard SM codex as a bizarre overcosted afterthought. The abilities they got have little to do with their actual fluff other than how they arrive, and ultimately the idea of doing a Legion-heavy force is as foolish as it is asinine.

How would you like to see them handled in the future? Personally I'd like to see it be its own codex, but a White Dwarf one, like the Blood Angels got. It'd make a lot more sense that way.

Any other Legion fans out there have any ideas?

[jeffersonian000]

Given the nature of newer codex releases, GW could have had a special character named Sergeant Centurius with a chapter tactic that allowed all units to deep strike during set up, and to allow all units to have 6+ invul save. That would be about it.

SJ

[Lord Anubis]

Thing is, I kind of like that the Legion of the Damned is sort of the ultimate assist unit. Through all their fluff, it's almost always the Legion showing up to help someone else, not acting on their own, and I think making them the Elites choice sticks very well to that. Giving them Slow & Purposeful with heavy weapon options makes them more than a bit terrifying.

However...

I'd still love to use my LotD Captain and dreadnaught without feeling too guilty. I think it might be neat to see--perhaps in a White Dwarf article-- the Legion expanded a bit, perhaps something along the same idea as the Kroot. You can get other units, but they all tie back to basic Legionaires. All deploy the same way--and at the same time. The Legion of the Damned either shows up all at once or not at all.

For example... For every additional legion squad you take (past the first), and it gives you the option of "attaching" something to it. A Captain, a terminator squad, a dreadnaught... something fitting the Legion. They're not one unit, but they fill one slot and deploy at the same time. It starts with the second squad to ensure the Legion itself is represented.

So three elite slots could be 1) Squad of LotD, 2) Squad of LotD plus a LotD Captain, 3) Squad LotD plus a LotD Terminator squad.

That's just off the top of my head, of course, so it's probably full of holes... :)

[phoenix01]

I wish they would release the LOTD models again.

Having said that, I could just imagine if the LOTD got their own codex,all the high powered whining about codex creep/another imperial codex and my xenos don't get no lovin' from all and sundry.

[Súil Dubh]

I wish they would release the LOTD models again.

Having said that, I could just imagine if the LOTD got their own codex,all the high powered whining about codex creep/another imperial codex and my xenos don't get no lovin' from all and sundry.

Sculpts have been made apparently - who knows when / if they'll ever get released.

http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2008/09/rumors-legion-of-damned.html

[jeffersonian000]

I have a 2nd edition Legion of the Damned army that I'm currently using as Codex Marines. The current rules for LotD are okay, but if I use those rules I'd have to not use all the rest of my guys from a basic WYSIWYG stand point.

That said, I'm still going to be adding some scratch build MkI Land Raiders, converted Speeders, and a few suitable Dreadnoughts to my beloved undead-ish Marines. Who knows, I might get enough Plastic Marines to actually be able to field my Metal Marine as LotD. :)

SJ

[RogueGarou]

I always liked the Legion of the Damned. I think the current rule having them as a single unit that shows up in times of great peril for the Imperium is close to their original appearance in the 2nd Ed Ultramarines Codex. Their special rules are nice. The full Legion army list from White Dwarf was cool. I read somewhere that using White Dwarf for new releases like the Legion army, Cultists, Blood Angels, Cult Marines, new units, etc. was something Jervis did not care for so it looks like it was just a big priority with Andy Chambers at the head of things.

I miss the days when White Dwarf was a must-have magazine for me each month. Back when 40k and Fantasy were the main part of the book and then you might get a few pages for some of the other games. Back when new units were released when they were ready and not just when a new Codex came out. The new army lists and units being released in WD was something I looked forward to as well as the fluff, fiction, and battle reports. Devoting a third or more of the book to Lord of the Rings every month is a big reason I stopped buying WD several years ago. The argument can be made that having to buy WD every month just to get rules updates and needing to have specific issues to get the rules for units made things tougher on players but the Chapter Approved annuals made that less of an issue. I enjoyed the Chapter Approved books and thought it was a great idea to release new units and army lists in the monthly magazine and then collect all of them in the annual book each year. It seems to not be the current direction of the company but maybe someday they will alter course again.

I do have a friend who is possibly the ultimate GW Fanboy-Hater who keeps his subscription up to date, if for no other reason than to complain about it, and I have not seen anything in the magazine to make me want to buy it for about five years. I picked up the Blood Angels mini-dex issues but I think that might have been around six years ago, not really sure since they released it on PDF.

[jeffersonian000]

I concur with RogueGarou. WD is not on my list of things to get each month, but it use to be back in the day when each issue had something useful such as the LotD army rules. I loved the old Citadel Journal books, as they too would add cool units based on nifty conversions someone did that GW wrote up rules for. Of course, those are things of the past.

SJ

[Ardousius]

they should have their own codex, i wanna learn more about them and the space marine codex doesnt do them proper justice. they look pretty awsome though:D

[Duke]

Sorry guys, I like LoTD as much as the next guy, but I don't think that they warrant a whole new codex. I could see a WD editorial covering them in more detail or even a small 'mini-dex' for them in WD... But a stand alone codex is far off, if ever. (Though it would be cool!)

DUKE

[Ardousius]

o ya they wont ever make one as u said it would be cool. :D

[fuzzbuket]

I know that there proably a proper dex but i would imagne the leigon like this

Fluff

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Legion_of_the_Damned

Damed rule"advance d6 , shoot at closest enemy unit/ then d6 1-2 stay still 3-4 charge 5-6 move 2d6 towards nearest freindlyHQ" fearless and ALL opponents within 18" lose 1 ld 12" 2ld 6" 3 ld and Base contact -5ld (scary zombies on fire!:D)t5 i2 ws/bs 5. all marines chainsword, bolt pistol bolter ,fearless and ALL opponents within 18" lose 1 ld 12" 2ld 6" 3 ld and Base contact -5ld (scary zombies on fire!:D)

TROoPS norm no wepon option

HQ only1 experianced unit of 5(captins stats) vets with choseable wargear and 5 marines/ 5 terminators chooseable wargear.

Heavy dread with damn rule norm wargear but chainfist and NO missle.

ellite vangaurdwith chanfist,bolt pistol
sterngard with psyker powers and nemisis weapon (gk termie)/ thunder hammer+ combat shield


Ideas broken ect ect

[Melissia]

How should they do LotD?

They shouldn't. At least not until they do more important things like Sisters, Dark Eldar, Necrons, etc. I'm certain this will offend people, but quite frankly if the current rumours are believed there will be three Marine codices updated for fifth edition by first quarter next year. It's ****ing ridiculous.

[emperorsaxe]

How should they do LotD?

They shouldn't. At least not until they do more important things like Sisters, Dark Eldar, Necrons, etc. I'm certain this will offend people, but quite frankly if the current rumours are believed there will be three Marine codices updated for fifth edition by first quarter next year. It's ****ing ridiculous.

Melissia,
I agree on your two points, that GW needs to concentrate on re-doing the armies for 5th ed. And that the LoTD should stay as they are. Although back in 3rd ed I believe there was a WD article that had a mini-dex kinda listing for the LoTD, that issue I have in my archives somewhere.
As to the three SM dex's being updated I believe there'll only be one that being the SW dex. I don't consider the SM dex an udate as much as a total re-write. Now with the Nid's dex being rumored for a Jan release it would seem the BA's would be middle of the year or later. Just my two bolter rounds worth tho' :)
Respects, Emperorsaxe

[Dan-e]

I remember when i first started playing 40k and lotd was my first army using the old mini-dex that was in WD... and being so pissed when they got changed to a 0-1 elite unit for space marines in a later WD or something i don't really remember... (mostly due to the fact i have more then 1 unit worth of the units)...

I was young and upset i ever wrote a letter to GW about it and got a response back that gave the normal BLAH BLAH computer response... but it had a hand written post script from from Andy Chambers talking about a Cursed Founding Army Listing in a codex approved which made me stay in the game rather then sell off my stuff... rather then wait though i picked up Necrons and now i am stuck waiting for a new Necron Codex playing up with the Space Marines again with my LotD as elites...


I like this this way personally... I don't see the logic in them playing on their own a lot of times unless you spend the time to find a reason. Now i do have my Space Marines all themed in LotD style and i know that contradicts what i just said about they shouldn't be alone but the reason for it is the Apocalypse Datasheets Legion of the Damned (http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?aId=3400020)...

i have yet to use them in this way but its why i am painting them all like this.... some times i am tempted to ask my opposite if i can use this in a normal game but i have yet to find anyone who will let me... something about the option of having terminators with Feel No Pain... : ]

[Melissia]

it would seem the BA's would be middle of the year or later

Which was exactly my point.

Thus far:

Marines (SM)
Guard
Marines (SW)
Tyranids
Marines (BA)

I want to kick whoever set these schedules up in the balls.