I can't do it. I can't let Difsta have all the fun. It's time to have a chat about a project I've been working on, with an eye towards Arc40k 2017: The Word Bearers
Hi there, do you have some time to talk about the Dark Gods?
For those who aren't aware, the Word Bearers are a Chaos Legion, and were the first of the original Legiones Astartes to turn to the Gods of Chaos. Their Primarch Lorgar was a devout and pious son of the Emperor, but religion didn't wall into the Emperor's vision for the galaxy. He scolded Lorgar and his Legion and tore down their temples and idols.
Lorgar was seduced by his advisers Kor Phaeron and Erebus into putting his faith in beings that would welcome his worship: the Chaos Gods. It was the Word Bearers who would play a large role in corrupting Horus, Angron and many others in the Traitor Legions to the Primordial Truth as they called it.
Since the Heresy, the Word Bearers are the Chaos Legion that have embraced Chaos to the greatest degree. Where some Legions like the Night Lords spurn the gifts of the Gods, and others like the World Eaters, focus their attention on one of the Gods, the Word Bearers fervently worship all the Gods as a great pantheon. Each are given their dues, and the Sons of Lorgar can draw upon all of their power.
They are commonly led by Dark Apostles who inspire their followers with fiery rhetoric.
Rules
The Word Bearers, like the rest of the traitor Legions, have received some unique rules in the recent supplement, These are as follows:
Requirements:
- No unique characters
- No cult units (such as Noise Marines or Berzerkers).
- Units that can purchase marks can still take them, as long as that base unit doesn't have a specific mark by default.
- Marked Psykers and DPs can choose to generate all their powers from their gods' discipline.
- You must take VotLW, which is free
Benefits:
- Unholy Pact: Word Bearers Psykers harness Warp Charges on 3+ when rolling Malefic Conjuration powers, and Possessed are Troops.
- Blood Feud: Models with VotLW re-roll to hit against Ultramarines, but Ultramarines gain Hatred (Word Bearers).
- Profane Zeal: Word Bearers units within 6" of Word Bearers Dark Apostles gain Zealot.
These rules suit the Legion pretty darn well. Their religious leaders are head-and-shoulders above their counterparts in the other Legions, and their dogmatic knowledge of the fell rituals of the Chaos Gods lends them a bonus to summoning daemonic allies. Finally, as the first to allow daemons to inhabit the bodies of their soldiers, the Possessed form a staple of a Word Bearers force.
So how am I using the lore for this army, and the rules, to construct my army?
The key thing that separates the Word Bearers from their traitor brothers is their total and utter religiosity. It's what makes a Word Bearers army unique, and so that's the feature I most wanted to accentuate in my models. Every battle a Word Bearer's army fights is part of a holy war, driven not by hatred or desire to conquer, but instead because it's what their Gods demand.
When building my models, I was struck by the thought that a Word Bearer might well utter the phrase "My body is a temple." Where we use this idiom to mean that we should take care of ourselves and so forth, a Word Bearer means it entirely literally. His every word is a prayer or a hymn, his every movement a ritual, and his body should be adorned with holy iconography and scripture.
The first model I'd like to show here is the leader of my force. Whether or not he ends up using the relevant rules, in terms of my army's background he is a Dark Apostle. His helmet is a leering skull, in twisted parody of Space Marine Chaplains. He still bears the Crozius Arcanum he did during the Heresy, and his backpack incorporates a censer, presumably buring some kind of profane incense. His armour bears the mark of one who tracks with the Dark Powers, mutated and distorted by the touch of the Warp. His armour is covered in script, literally bearing the Word of Chaos, and on his back he carries the Book of Lorgar, and the word 'Verum', Imperial High Gothic for "The Truth."
Next up are my Chaos Space Marines. The core of any Chaos warband, I've made sure my marines are just covered in Chaos iconography, either in the form of adornments to their armour, trophy racks or 'impurity seals' and parchment inscribed with script and runes. The unit contains an Icon of Vengeance proclaiming their faith, and the Aspiring Champion shows signs of mutation, as well as being armed with a small athane in his left hand. This ritual dagger makes many appearances in the fluff of the Word Bearers, and is used for spilling the entrails of human sacrifices and enemies alike.
Their transport is likewise covered in marks of devotion, like spikes carrying devotional offerings as well as a plethora of candles, further accentuating the religious overtones. The top hatch uses a piece from a third-party manufacturer, and demonstrates that even the vehicles of the Word Bearers haven't escaped the foul touch of their patrons.
Next up are my Possessed, These are actually the least converted models in my army, mostly because the Possessed kit already looks plenty gribbly enough. The main effort I put into these guys was in trying to blend the colour of their armour with their flesh tones. This is meant to give the impression that their mutations have essentially melded their armour and bodes, and it's now impossible to say for sure where power armour ends and wicked talons or gaping maws begin.
I really wanted to run a Maulerfiend in this army, both because I really like the way they play in game, and also because I feel like daemon engines would form a natural part of the Word Bearer armoury, With that in mind, I wanted to further differentiate my model from a Maulerfiend of the Iron Warriors or Black Legion. I decided the best way to do this was to play to what was already strong in my army, and make the model more-Daemon and less-engine. I've replaced many of the metal parts of this model, like claws and feet, with fleshy counterparts from Age of Sigmar monster kits. The most striking detail is the head, which has been entirely replaced with a seething mass of tentacles. Not only does this represent Lasher Tendrils really well, but having no discernible face makes the model a bunch more otherworldly and creepy.
Finally, we have my Land Raider. This model serves as a transport for the holiest of my warriors, the Possessed. As such, it provided me with a really good opportunity to make a striking centerpiece model worthy of these blessed Secondborn. Using pieces from the Chaos Warshrine kit, Dark Apostle kit and Corpse Cart kit, I've made my very own rolling altar to the Dark Gods. The Apostle on top preaches to his flock, all the while making sacrifices to the Powers of Chaos, Since this photo was taken, I've applied a liberal amount of Blood for the Blood God technical paint to the roof of this tank, making the sacrifices look fresher and more gruesome. A few finishing touches and this Holy Temple will be ready to despoil the battlefields of the Imperium.
Between now and Arc40k, I'm hoping to add a large unit of Cultists to the army (because any good Word Bearers priesthood is followed around by a gaggle of the lesser faithful), some Havocs (to provide some much-needed firepower), some Chaos Spawn (because is not the servant who has been utterly subsumed by the desires of his Dark Masters not the most blessed of all?) and a Helbrute (because the Forgeworld Mhara Gal model is friggin'
Theme in your modelling
Hopefully my thoughts above have given you a better idea of how the story and fluff of an army can manifest itself on the tabletop a little more than "They're Ultramarines, so they're, like, blue." By sticking to a couple of strong visual motifs, like Daemonic Possession, mutation, and religious ceremony, you can bring a real sense of identity to the models in your collection.
Until next time, all glory to the Primordial Annihilator!
No comments:
Post a Comment