Thunder Warriors - atributes & points cost?

[Durendin]

***I posted this in "general" but it could be at home in background as well as rules so roll with it however you like and consider there to be spoilers though out for certain Horus Heresy novels.***

The sixteenth in the Horus Heresy novels, the Outcast Dead by Graham McNeill was a real surprise for me. In a series that's become formulaic and a bit stale (eg. Primarch X gets suckered by Primach Y and then makes a comeback) it did away with this and instead ran as essentially a minor plot with unknown characters. This step away from the main shenanigans gave the author a bit of breathing room to flex his creative muscles and McNeill lands some solid body blows.

The best bit for me (and there were plenty to chose from) was the appearance of a couple of Thunder Warriors - the genetic precursors to the Primarchs and the Space Marines. McNeill doesn't water them down in comparison to the Astartes but instead shows us exactly the sort of warriors needed to bring a warring Terra under his undisputed control swiftly and brutally. These guys eat Astartes for breakfast - one aged Thunder Warrior is easily the match for a handful of Marines and is a much more ruthless killer.

Being one who always wants what I can't have, the Heresy era Marines now in reach via Forge World has made the Thunder Warriors more desirable to me so I've decided to dabble using the "Heavy Medieval" range from Anvil Industries along with the Visor Helmets and a bit of minor conversion work.

So what to point them up as? Clearly the standard Marine is the basic template to work from but Thunder Warriors are stronger, tougher and are psyker resistant, so cost this up, brothers and sisters!

S4, T4 (or T5), WS5, I5 W2, A2 LD9

Fearless,
3+ Deny the Witch
Bolter & CCW

Is 25 points each about right? I'm thinking 250 for a squad of ten plus 25 for a Power Fist and Heavy Bolter or Autocannon Suspensor rounding the squad cost to 300.

[White Tiger88]

If they have two wounds you should be paying 30pts each......

[Durendin]

If they have two wounds you should be paying 30pts each......

It was either T5 or two wounds. I couldn't decide what fits but 30 points is the price of two Chaos Marines which seems high.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

I'd say T5 over 2W, feels better. For enhanced Psyker-defense, maybe just put on the Adamantium Will USR?

Also, since they're Thunder Warriors, maybe give them the newly revealed Heresy-era Volkite weapons as a squad weapon?

Are you making these rules to represent them when they were still commanded by the Emperor, or after he abandoned them?

[Kirsten]

I was surprised by that book too, the thunder warriors were pretty interesting. I would go with T5 I think. In the forgeworldheresy book the thunder warriors are not as good as space marines it seems, which was a bit of a shame.

[Durendin]

I'd say T5 over 2W, feels better. For enhanced Psyker-defense, maybe just put on the Adamantium Will USR?

Adamantium will and T5 W1 it is!


Also, since they're Thunder Warriors, maybe give them the newly revealed Heresy-era Volkite weapons as a squad weapon?

Isn't that kind of like a Tessla gun or something similar? If Forgeworld do a model of it I'd definitely have a look.


Are you making these rules to represent them when they were still commanded by the Emperor, or after he abandoned them?

Given the generally "negative attitude" of Thunder Warriors I'd say that there wouldn't be much difference and you wouldn't need to take into consideration their motivations beyond being slightly more annoyed than before!