Most use of Heresy Era Emperor's Children

[Duke Vorian]

Hi all. So recently I have started collecting a Pre-Heresy era Emperor's Children army. This is going to be kind of a side project for me and I haven't gotten on Forums really before but looking for a wider scope of ideas outside my gaming group.

But I am having some trouble with how to go about getting the most out of my Pre-Heresy Emperor's Children. See, I love the models and want to theme them as such but no one plays 'Betrayal' in my area (I live in Hawaii so my options for opponents are limited). I want to have them be used in a 40K Chaos Space Marines army list but without nearly all the corruption.

And that's the problem I am running into. Sure, I could just 'say' they are recently turned but I like to go for look and originality. This is going to be a huge undertaking regardless and a long, big project nonetheless but I am down to see it through...just how...

So ideas right now are to defiantly as of now make these guys 'clean', Pre-Heresy Emperor's Children. But leaving the right shoulder pad unglued on. The idea here is to get some chaotic shoulder pads, maybe shoulder pads with what looks like skin placed over, for switching out between Pre-Heresy and 40K Chaos Space Marines.

The other idea is having select models, like champions of squads and obviously unit selections from Chaos Space Marines, being clearly chaotic (IE from GW Chaos Space Marines). Thinking in the future having two separate Chosen choices, one clearly chaotic and embracing Slaanesh for 40K and the other clean and regal for Pre-Heresy. The core Troop choices would stay the Pre-Heresy models.

Sorry for the post seeming kind of jumbled but just looking for ideas from the bigger world on how to go about this. Thanks ahead of time for suggestions!

[Denzark]

I use some relatively clean miniatures in my CSM army- an Iron Warrior Squad, entirely comprised of RT era marines, with no mutations. If they have the chapter badge, and maybe the odd chaos star, why do you even need to wory about shoulder pad changing? Not all CSM that the codex represents, are mutated, or even 'muhreenz wiv spiiiiikkkkeeesssssssssssss!' so why try and force yourself into that envelop?

Just make the best looking force you can, and if it will flex between 30 and 40K then brilliant. Anyone who would take offence because they think your pre-heresy don't look like CSM, should be ignored anyway.

[cobra6]

I'd split the difference on the side of clean-looking marines, but you could include a little chaos influence, particularly among the leaders like Eidolon and Fabius Bile - those guys were already well on the road to Slaanesh worship even before they arrived at Istvaan. Fabius Bile had been experimenting and "augmenting" members of the legion before that time.

Bottom line is that nobody has a leg to stand on to tell you that your PH marines "can't" be CSMs.

[Mr Mystery]

Me, I'll be using my Heresy era Emperor's Children as is, as allies for my Necrons.

Pour quoi? Simple. Mindshackle Scarabs and a generous bout of stasis.

And it is quite within Slaaneshi tastes to not look at all corrupted in body. Sigvald in Fantasy is an excellent example. No reason you can't have your cake and eat it without having to mess about swapping your shoulder pads.

Owning Betrayak, CSM is indeed the best way to go to represent them. Just play it safe on the gribbly daemonic side.

[DWest]

What about lots of "bling", for want of a better term? Slannesh is all about Excess, and the EC were already pretty preening and fancy before even turning to Chaos. I'm thinking something along the lines of the EC Contemptor that's just completely encrusted in scrollwork and iconography, or a completely gold-plated champion, something to show that they have fallen into the cult of Excess without having quite crossed the line yet.

[Denzark]

Remember the old RT era mutation table ... It included 'illusion of normality...

[Mr Mystery]

Indeed. Average imperial citizen or even governor isn't even aware of the heresy.

What better way to corrupt a system than playing the hero, demanding adulation, seeing them worship yours.... Guiding them.... Embracing them...

[Duke Vorian]

Thanks for the advice! I talked with people in my gaming group (The lead Tourney runner in the area as well) and they all agreed on the same thing as you both suggested. Can't wait to get started!