[a / b / c / d / e / f / g / gif / h / hr / k / m / o / p / r / s / t / u / v / vg / w / wg] [i / ic] [r9k] [cm / hm / y] [3 / adv / an / cgl / ck / co / diy / fa / fit / hc / int / jp / lit / mlp / mu / n / po / pol / sci / soc / sp / tg / toy / trv / tv / vp / x] [rs] [status / ? / @] [Settings] [Home]
Board:  
Settings   Home
4chan
/tg/ - Traditional Games


File: zoats-xenos.jpg (313 KB, 921x593)
313 KB
313 KB JPG
A continuation of >>61796828 in a sense
Post lore, share your favorite Xenos, homebrew and fluff, or whatever.

WIP Codex: Thyrrus (Feel free to pitch in if you want)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fntxfDCn6X1Pjem1-RNuXsgEuvSpb8oZNZuzZFKxJtU/edit?usp=sharing
>>
Last thread had some fun discussion about the Rangdan. If the anon I was talking to is still around I’d love to keep fleshing them out
>>
Looks like this thread is sadly dead in the water. Oh well, here’s one last bump hoping it lasts the night and some people pick up on it.
>>
Well, what minor races use titans/Knights?
>>
>>61921097
The most imporant minor xeno races are:

The Hrud - Skaven in 40k, but with a twist. They can hide within the seconds of existence and their migaration are a great danger for the Imperium.
The Fra'al - Highly psychic and technologically advanced race, they even got their own battleships. I imagine them to be the Greys of 40k.
The Q'Orl - Bugs from ST who rule over a HUGE empire
The Barghesi - Hyper-aggressive xenos that inhabit the Grendel Cluster
The Thexian - Biomorphic Traders that were able to built alliances with other xeno races
The Xenarchs - Warp-worshipping crystal creatures that can shoot lightning.
>>
File: image.jpg (174 KB, 900x643)
174 KB
174 KB JPG
>>61923742
>The Xenarchs - Warp-worshipping crystal creatures that can shoot lightning.
Why do chaos xenos get so much less exposure compared to other aspect? As much as GW likes to harp and wank on and on about how "chaos is multiversal and will corrupt everything", they never add chaos xenos as an army. Just continuing the same shit of Big bad goys in armor vs Big good goys in armor which has now overshadowed everything in the setting.
Don't GW know that people majority play SM and CSM only because they're the most supported armies?
>>
>>61923742
I want to learn more about the Q'Orl, did they get minis?
>>
>>61923742
>Thexian - Biomorphic Traders that were able to built alliances with other xeno races
Sounds like a potential faction for KT.
>>
>>61923946
40k is pretty solidly humanity centric. Sure you have the Eldar and all the little Xenos doing things, but at the end of the day 40k is the story of humanity and it’s struggle to survive against itself. So all the fun and interesting things are put to the side.
I’m half convinced that the reason why the Imperium si super xenophobic was that earlier writers wanted to limit how much they had to write about in a massive, galaxy spanning empire. It’s easier to say, “oh yeah there’s no information on xenos because it’s all destroyed” is easier than explaining and fleshing out each individual race.
>>
>>61925699
There are some 3rd party proxies, but nothing official.
>>
>>61927454
Damn.
>>
>>61927877
Yeah. None of the minor-Xenso really have models besides Kroot and Vespid.
There also isn’t any sort of rules for them as far as I know. I’m sure you could homebrew stuff up. And if nothing else I’m sure the proxies would be fun to paint.
>>
>>61927919
And any cool art? Or do you have to scrouge old books?
>>
>>61927952
Again, most minor Xenos get little to no attention. The Q’Orl only have one piece of official art to my knowledge (From Xenology) and a very popular piece of fanart that is posted often
>>
File: 1700326_0.jpg (23 KB, 630x630)
23 KB
23 KB JPG
>>61923742
>the hrud
>BITTERNESS INTENSIFIES
>>
>>61928085
The IW fought the Hrud? I don’t remember that.
>>
>>61923946
I always saw that as a testament to how utterly dominant the Imperium is in the galaxy, and to how far above mortals and xenos the Astartes are. Its more worth the time of the Dark Gods to actively corrupt the strong and the dominant, though they still remain a constant force.
>>
>>61928617
I mean that’s all well and good, but there is such a limited amount of Astartes. If you corrupt entire races there’s no way the remaining CSM could even conceivably outdo then due to sheer numbers
>>
>>61928666
I rationalize that away by saying that most major xenos races were eradicated during the Great Crusade. There is not much left for the Dark Gods to work with. The Orks, Tyranids, Eldar, and Tau are all (mostly) incorruptible for their own reasons. Humans are pretty coruptable, but even thats difficult due to the Imperial propaganda and revisionism machine. Astartes are both powerful and actively exposed to Chaos on a regular basis.
>>
>>61928759
I get that, but it would at least be nice to see a little chaos variety and mention things like the Xenarch or the Loxtol on occasion.
But I guess “muh xenophobia” explains why they don’t serve alongside CSM as much. Funny how literal demons are all fine and dandy, but an alien is too far
>>
>>61928895
Yeah, I kinda agree. More xenos of different varieties would be fun. I guess you could argue that turning xenos against eachother doesn't serve the agenda of the Dark Gods, since the Imperium is their greatest enemy.
>>
>>61928759
But that doesn't answer the main question though, because as stated by a shit ton of lore snippets there are chaos xenos everywhere. Hell even the Gaunts novel mentioned chaos alien lizards being used as mercenary by the blood pact troops. GW is just too lazy and too creatively bankrupt to make models for them. Why does the Dark Eldar can have xenos units when they're racist shitheads but chaos can't when their whole schtick is "chaos can consume all"?

Also as powerful as Astartes are, they can't be everywhere at one, they can't hold strategic positions on a star system scale. This is why the entire Badab War makes no sense if there are only a few thousand heavily armored dudes fighting in an entire sector with multiple star systems. They have always been an extremely powerful force use for strategic attacks, not full scale war.
>>
>>61928995
>>61929120
Not to mention that chaos can only benefit from ensnaring more Xenos. Sure they’re not as numerous as humans, but more worshipers is more worshipers. Not to mention they can easily spin themselves as anti-Imperium and get plenty of recruits solely based off the “Fuck Humanity” train
>>
File: hrud1.jpg (120 KB, 914x845)
120 KB
120 KB JPG
>>61928457
The IW lost against the Hrud.
>>
>>61928666
>there is such a limited amount of Astartes
Define "limited".

Before the Horus Heresy, most legions were around 100.000 marines, with a few exceptions.

While they had been decimated by the civil war, even having only 1/3 of their strength would be mean the traitor legions had about 300.000 warriors.
From then on, we saw they did recruit new aspirants, if only to maintain their numbers.

Even if there were only say 100.000 chaos space marines in the whole galaxy, let's not forget that these are supposed to be the elite forces of chaos, commanding or helping BILLIONS of normal humans serving in the armies.
>>
>>61929224
ayy lmao
>>
>>61929224
>IW lost vs Xenos.
Of course.
>>
>>61929263
>1/3 of 100,000 is 300,000
Uh anon?
Also you forget that most legions are now fragmented into hundreds of warbands, many of which are in conflict with each other. Granted they aren’t limited in the sense we’d consider a modern military, but there’s hardly enough to cover an entire fallacy efficiently. And with the billions of humans there are still gaps xenos could fill.
Not to mention GW brig constantly inconsistent so you have giant armies of CSM invading despite the fact they’re supposed to be few and elite.
>>
File: image.jpg (137 KB, 589x768)
137 KB
137 KB JPG
>>61929224
>Age your fortress of doom to dust
>Age your siege equipments into a pile of useless rust
>Mostly unintentional when doing it
Truly the Hruds are the IW's true nemesis.
>>
File: 1500163492128.jpg (160 KB, 872x512)
160 KB
160 KB JPG
>>61929663
Oh wow, how patethic to lose to fucking Maggots.
>>
File: 555px-Loxatldetails.jpg (257 KB, 555x800)
257 KB
257 KB JPG
>quadruped lizard mercenaries working for chaos are a thing
>>
File: image.jpg (181 KB, 640x888)
181 KB
181 KB JPG
Continue with the last thread, what kind of war machines would a Rangdans use? Can they be a pure infantry army? With the weakest units rivaling Space Marines in power and the heavy infantry can easily destroy tanks.
Why doesn't South East Asian aesthetic get used more often in scifi and fantasy setting? It's like Hindu aesthetic on drugs.
>>
>>61930028
>What kind of vehicles
Seeing as we talked about the Wueens being massive, mobile statues I think something similar would work. But mostly infantry as it mentions swarms of them.
>SE Asian aesthetic more common is Sci Fic
Fantasy seems to mostly be grounded in European tradition. Only recently has Japanese/Chinese folklore/aesthetic become fairly popular enough to merge with the usual knights and dragons kind of fantasy. Sci Fic however thrives in the exotic, and a culture most people know nothing about makes a solid base for strange yet relatable aliens
>>
A good way to implement some minor xenos may be in a mercenary list, units might be along the lines of

>Human mercenaries (basic guardsmen stats with a much wider array of options) who can ally with anyone (replace keyword with any faction keyword like Tau, Eldar, Imperium, Chaos, etc.)
>Ork mercenaries (Ork boyz with more options and wacky technology) who can ally with anyone
>Kroot mercenaries (Kroot Carnivores with all their basic options and maybe some more diverse gear like bolters or needler rifles) who can ally with anyone
>Eldar mercenaries (essentially a corsair squad) who can ally with anyone except Chaos

Each race of mercenaries would include one HQ (essentially boss man) and one elites (the mercenaries) while they can be taken as independent attachments they cannot be mixed in the same detachment (you cannot have a guard detachment with Ork mercenaries and Eldar mercenaries, but you can have two guard detachments, one with Ork mercenaries and one with Eldar mercenaries). What are some other races that could be included (ideally include basic stat block (WS/BS/S/T/W/A/Ld/Sv))?
>>
>>61931751
And here is how human mercenaries for example might be implemented.

>Mercenary Lord
>Same stat block as an Imperial Guard Captain except with a 4+ save with same basic options with the following exceptions
>Can replace carapace with power armour
>Pistol and CCW lists are the ones mentioned below
>Can take on of the following primary weapons, lasgun, hotshot lasgun, bolter, or storm bolter

>Mercenary Strike Team
>5-20 guys
>Guardsman statline, sergeant gets carapace armour and WS/BS 3+
>Lasgun, laspistol, and chainsword for everyone
>1 in 5 can replace their lasgun with a special weapon or their chainsword for a power weapon
>Sergeant can replace his pistol or chainsword for a better pistol or close combat weapon
>Entire unit can replace flak with carapace armour (barring sergeant of course)

Special Weapons
>Heavy Stubber, Flamer, Heavy Flamer, Bolter, Grenade Launcher, Meltagun, Plasma Gun, Heavy Bolter, Autocannon, Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Plasma Cannon, Sniper Rifle, Multilaser

Close Combat Weapons
>Power Sword, Power Axe, Power Maul, Power Fist, Lightning Claw

Pistols
>Bolt Pistol, Plasma Pistol, Hotshot Laspistol

The idea being that they are by no means elites, but they can fill any number of niches from meat shields to weapons specialists to shock troops.
>>
>>61931781
You the stats guy from last thread by chance?
>>
>>61931840
Yes, I would gladly do more work on the Thyrrus but I am out of ideas and am bad with points, if there are any notable unit ideas that I missed I would gladly try my hand at stating them. Will probably look over the codex in a bit to see point costs and if anything is particularly weird.
>>
>>61929722

it was hinted in dantiochs book that Hrud may be devolved humans retreating backwards through time from something.
>>
>>61931888
Honestly the work you did was amazing enough. I’d hate to ask but maybe if you want I’m sorta stuck on ideas of what to do for the HQ options. I hope you don’t mind that I used your stats.
Also if you are interested another anon and I are working on some ideas for the Rangdan. Of course it’s up to you.
>>
>>61932005
>I hope you don’t mind that I used your stats.
If I didn't want them used I wouldn't have posted them, I am happy someone got some use out of them.

As for the Rangdan I think that either the Thyrrus should be fleshed out into a full army first (need a few more slots filled) or we should try to make something more akin to a general mercenary/kill team list allowing for the basic concept of numerous species to be fleshed out. In other words
>Rangdan get 1 HQ and a "mercenary" unit (even if they were never mercenaries it could still be influential for their use in a kill team list)
>Barghesi get 1 HQ and a mercenary unit (hyper aggressive, but Orks can serve as mercenaries, so I can see these guys working as Mercs before turning on their employers)
>Thexians get 1 HQ and a "mercenary" unit (maybe their HQ lets you take mixed teams with some other mercs of different races in the same detachments to represent less a mercenary force and more a coalition of races)
>Thyrrus get 1 HQ and a mercenary unit (can see a group wandering off and offering their services in exchange for bigger guns and more ammo to continue their wars)

From there anyone wanting to expand upon these lists can have a basic outline to work with. For example Barghesi might be Ogryn sized guys with brutal guns and close combat weapons but surprisingly high leadership. You can then use the basic HQ and merc unit to influence other units and give you a concept for how their vehicles might fight.
>>
>>61932229
I’d prefer to finish fleshing our the Thyrrus, and maybe the Rangdan a little, but maybe the killteam idea would be easier on you stats creation wise and requires less fluff generating
>>
>>61932634
The issue for the Thyrrus is that we are seemingly out of ideas to add to it, if people have ideas for units of vehicles please tell me, otherwise I think I will just look through the army list, tidy it up, suggest point cost modifications and call it complete as a mini-codex (or like an index army than a codex army).

As for the Rangdan the issue is that we know even less of them than the Thyrrus meaning anything we make is going completely off of personal or group preferences for rules and fluff, not to mention that we would be even more strapped for ideas than we are with the Thyrrus. The minor xenos/merc list allows us to use what little info we are given about races to make the backbone of it as a concept and then later we can expand upon it.
>>
>>61932725
I could try and think up a few ideas for new Thyrrus units once I’m done lectures.
Probably for the best to go killteam for the rest. I’d still be down to homebrew for the Rangdan and other races mostly in lore for fun.
>>
>>61932725
>>61932893
Some ideas:
>Long range sort of "sniper" units. Base snipers is 1, wield what could be compared to a C-Beam
>High volume chaff unit known as a "crowd". only weakest arms, but you can field fucktons for cheap to absorb attacks
>A flier unit that drops smoke bombs and debufs armored units
>Smallish robots that are part war piece part weapon?
>>
>>61933825
Also someone once mentioned something that was giant, open flying stage. Sounds sorta neat
>>
File: thyrrus tank thing.png (209 KB, 718x712)
209 KB
209 KB PNG
>>61932725
I came up with a thyrrus tank design but I can't draw for shit
>>
File: d326ML2.jpg (562 KB, 2050x2187)
562 KB
562 KB JPG
made this about a year ago
>>
>>61935512
hmmm maybe if it had tentacles instead of treads.
Otherwise that's fucking awesome
>>
>>61933977
your obsession with jews is cringe
>>
File: Hrud.jpg (74 KB, 600x800)
74 KB
74 KB JPG
>>61929663
>that pic
those are a different xenos race, 40k cthulhu mindflayers

pic related is a hrud
>>
>>61929663
>>61935619
I thought Hrud were supposed to be 40K Skaven.
Or is that a different species?
>>
>>61935724
In older editions they were, but newer depictions have those gangly bois. Of course they could both be called hrud due to mutual pennants for hiding in darkness. I prefer the space skaven honestly. Would be more relatable to have as a faction and the batshit innovation alongside a disregard for decency would make them a great chaos subfaction of dark mechanicus.
>>
File: skaven paper factory.png (492 KB, 910x4746)
492 KB
492 KB PNG
>>61935782
agreed. the entropy field of the new-hrud combined with their time shenanigans make them difficult to make an army proper with

i do like the idea of space skaven though, scientific research for the sake of scientific research, results are all the matters no matter the cost in material or lives, absolute mad science cranked up to eleven in the full retard setting of 40k

posting the skaven paper factory cap for posterity
>>
>>61935841
Pretty much admech's worst nightmare. It would be a good counterpart faction. Maybe they're a special breed of abhuman with insatiable curiosity and no moral qualms about satisfying it. Stuff 1000 human souls into a computer and force them to navigate ships, or try and stop DEldar from cornering the market on the economy of pain.
>>
File: xenos-pic.jpg (174 KB, 649x472)
174 KB
174 KB JPG
>>61935782
>In older editions they were
I mean, they could have been pretty much anything. It's just a small thing with a raggedy cloak and a rifle.

I find space skaven rather boring.
>>
>>61935915
It sure as hell beats space elves and space orcs, imo. That and you can't get too alien if you want a faction to actually be played.
>>
File: literal viewports.png (477 KB, 1024x539)
477 KB
477 KB PNG
>>61935512
I kind of envisioned it as something more like pic related
>>
File: thyrrus tank thing.png (505 KB, 718x712)
505 KB
505 KB PNG
>>61935612
I tried
>>61935948
guess that could work too
>>
>>61935929
>if you want a faction to actually be played
I mean, there are lodse races I'd choose over hrud (both noodle entropy hrud and space skaven hrud) as far as playable armies go.

Tarellians, for one. Gimme the bitter lizard mercenaries, GW.
>>
File: thyrrus tank thing.png (520 KB, 718x712)
520 KB
520 KB PNG
>>61935988
that was the WRONG pic
>>
>>61935619
>xenology
>canon
>>
>>61933825
>Long range sort of "sniper" units. Base snipers is 1, wield what could be compared to a C-Beam
I like it. Maybe base their stats on Thesbians. As for the weapons, maybe something like
S:4, AP:-1, Range: 60 inches, Heavy 1, D1
>At 20 inches or more strength increases to 6 and AP increases to -3
>At 50 inches or more strength increases to 8, AP increases to -5, and damage increases to 1d3
If you can manage to keep them at range they are pretty lethal and if you manage to get a shot off at a commander within that narrow 50-60" range bubble a couple of them can drop them very quickly or murder light vehicles, but at close range they are pretty much a bulky one-shot bolt rifle.

Maybe fluff it as some kind of antimatter beam, propels a very very small amount of antimatter at the target at near light speeds, the longer the range the more regular matter it can collide with creating a bigger fireball, and at its max range all of the antimatter has been "consumed" and thus the explosion dissipates soon after. At close range it is like being shot by a high explosive .50 BMG, at its max range it is like taking a TOW (or krak) missile to the chest.

Also since stealth isn't their style I suggest more smoke screens and lasers to keep them from being hit.
>>
File: hqdefault.jpg (41 KB, 480x360)
41 KB
41 KB JPG
>>61929224
so are those the hrud or these guys?
>>
>>61936096
I mean I like your idea too, either works for me, the viewing window with an adorable monster inside is nice, although it does kind of go against the "as well protected as a land raider" sort of thing.
>>
>>61936177
Yes and yes. GW initially had them as space Skaven and eventually shifted to bendy slime people. Honestly I am okay with either interpretation.
>>
File: fraal.jpg (622 KB, 1290x1643)
622 KB
622 KB JPG
>>61923742
>The Fra'al - Highly psychic and technologically advanced race, they even got their own battleships. I imagine them to be the Greys of 40k.
Wait, what
>>
>>61935602
>Dracolith
>theocracy
>The Church
Are these space vampires?
>>
>>61935602
Are we sure the Nekulli aren't a strain of Kroot?
>>
>>61936228
I just like the concept of rat people in space. The bendy slime guys are alright too though.
>>
File: floating nautilus.png (170 KB, 771x721)
170 KB
170 KB PNG
>>61936195
I was thinking maybe the nautilus design would work better as a flyer kinda like a blimp but idk
>>
>>61936436
Oooh I like that. Maybe not a full fledged flyer, but just a hover tank. I envisioned (and made the rules for it) as a slow vehicle, but it could just be so heavy that it just slowly meanders over the battlefield instead of zooming across the battlefield like other race's skimmers.
>>
>>61936436
>>61936484
An idea I had for the long ghee waker sort of thing
>Automated
>Vaguley Bacteriophage shapes
>”head” is a giant crystal that project blinding lights that debuff enemy shooting.
>The weapons are mounted somewhere
>>
I'd love to have some more alien-aliens in 40K. Does anyone have any fun suggestions from other settings?


Also:
From the last thread
>Possible Thyrrus vehicles
>a giant disco ball of death
>A diorama of a previous really awesome battle with a moment of total and complete amazeballs cool frozen in time. The moment when your great great uncle dropkicked a Zombie Tyrannoaurus in the face. Damaging it might release the Tyrannoaurus
> special effects AFV - creates terrain pieces
>An IFV the size of a golfball. Capacity 20+
>for no reason, hoverboards
>special effects unit - summons weird and wonderful critters.
>A hovering auditorium full of poets reciting stuff
>firework artillery
>An entire marching band
>flyer that deploys clouds of different coloured smoke - and huge bombs
Now with a new favourites
>Mantis Shrimp Walkers
>a pirate ship -because the narrative demands it
>something that looks suspiciously like a D6
>>
File: Dne.gif (578 KB, 480x270)
578 KB
578 KB GIF
>>61936484
Maybe have it work kind of like how octopodes, squids, and naultilus do and give it a slow, bobbling hover speed but the ability to do very fast jets in single lines for short bursts? I could see it working well with the ability to go for casualties by throwing all power to thrusters and ramming a land raider.
>>
>>61937032
I mean when it dies it explodes hilariously, so maybe one turn they can increase their speed by x5 (from 5" to 25"), alternatively maybe just have it as a special strategem

>Jet Propulsion (2 CP)
Select one Prismatic Nautilus, it may now move up to 25" instead of 5".
>>
>>61936552
Forgive my awful phone posting.
Another vehicle idea, this being in the fast attack category was the Mantis Shrimp >>61936977 mentioned.
>Very fast
>Can scuttle over difficult terrain
>Beam rifle mounted on the "face"
>Two melee weapon options: anti-infantry claws or anti-armor "punchers"
>>
Yo stats anon, if you want I can add you as an editor to the google doc
>>
>>61930028
So I was thinking about the Rangdan and the idea brought up in last thread of them being biosynths and their masks being weapons platforms, and it made me think of a fun option for a specialized type of unit similar to the Legion of Everblight Incubus from Warmahordes: The Pennanggalan.

The general idea is that you can have one and you keep them undeployed, but then when a Rangdan unit dies you can as a reaction replace it with the Pennanggalan, which in this case visually is the enemy shooting down a Rangdan only for the mask to detach and rocket out of the body, bringing with it a writhing mass of biosynth cables and weapons extracted from the husk of a corpse that remains. And then the enemy has to deal with a flying Rangdan war-mask trailing behind prehensile cybered-up organs attached to weapons systems.

I'd also think that a really cool way to get across themes for the Rangdan would be to play up the nature of the Rangda as a witch and master of black magic. Have their biosynth tech-sorcery be the kind of thing they can hex people with or impart curses with, sending in virus-bots to afflict enemy soldiers or branding an enemy unit with a fear-inducing mark that eats at nearby morale.

Also, the long tongue should totally be a Rangdan melee weapon, one that punches through things to sample genetic information and drain blood.
>>
>>61938052
> a flying Rangdan war-mask trailing behind prehensile cybered-up organs attached to weapons systems.
Interesting. So would the mask be sort of hooked up to a combat platform? The mask itself is a separate organism yeah? I also like the idea of some organs or something dangling around, as Leyak (The things Rangda was the queen of) were essentially floating heads with entrails trailing behind.
>ave their biosynth tech-sorcery be the kind of thing they can hex people with or impart curses with
Again, I like this. But maybe it is less warp/sorcery focused, and more straight up hyper advanced technology like those virus bots you mentioned. Something so advanced it's borderline sorcery, and uber-heretical to the AdMech
>Also, the long tongue should totally be a Rangdan melee weapon
Yes
>>
>>61936977
I think some of those kinda miss the point, the thyruss don't engage in traditional arts but are more like performance artists where their "show" is their fight and they try their best to look cool while doing it
>>
Well I thought of an idea for a flyer based on the sea creature theme.
>Manta ray shaped bomber, extremely thin, flies like a manta swims, very slow for a flier
>Can drag its "stinger" on the ground, any unit it flies over takes d3 melee hits even if it doesn't charge them or assault them
>Two cephalic fins are lascannon equivalents
>Extremely tough for a flier of its cost
Mostly a hard to kill harassment vehicle, fly over enemy units to fuck them up a bit and shoot a couple of lascannons, it won't win you the game most likely but d3 melee hits and 2 lascannon shots a turn will add up if your opponent does kill it, which will be difficult.

As for the mobile stage, maybe make it more shrimplike than caterpillarlike.
>>
File: carlyn-lim-polong1.jpg (369 KB, 1200x763)
369 KB
369 KB JPG
>>61938249
Hah, I looked it up and the Leyak are basically a more specific regional variation on the Pennanggalan, but the idea is the same: A flying head with organs attached, trailing behind. I'd think maybe we could have both though, considering that Rangda is the queen of the Leyak in her own myth. Maybe Leyak on their own are the flying mask weapons platforms, whereas Pennanggalan are Leyak that are surgically implanted into a host body to act as a normal soldier until death. Maybe call them a variation, like Pennan-Leyak?

Either way, very specific techno-magic sounds good to me. We could even tie it in with the Obliterators in some ways, as fellow melders of flesh and machine, though I think the Rangda should definitely have a cleaner, more Combine/Gigeresque aesthetic to how they show biologic and mechanic melding. Less exposed muscle and warped flesh, more tubing and pipes and off-color skin separated by seams.

Other Rangdan ideas in the same kind of vein would be a Manananggal assault unit that could separate off its torso to act as a longer ranged flyer, and a Polong-based support/debuff unit that looks like a humanoid figure within a tube of blood that commands swarms of Pelesit-like drones to drain enemies and transfer their vitality to allies.
>>
>>61929993
That's a lot of nostrils
>>
File: image.jpg (64 KB, 400x388)
64 KB
64 KB JPG
>>61938753
Sounds good as a Thyrrus flying unit. Maybe instead of a manta ray shape, we could model it after an Opabinia. Just replace the trunk beak with a wildly inaccurate plasma flamer and give it an ability to drop colourful smoke bombs to confuse the enemy.
>>
File: image.jpg (282 KB, 825x714)
282 KB
282 KB JPG
>>61937089
It seems kinda wasted to just tuck all of the tentacles into the gun like that. Maybe they can work as an electric mine flail, whipping wildly hitting both friends and foes alike who are too stupid to stay clear off it.
Then wen it dies, the gun falls off with the thing desperately trying to ram an enemy tank, grabbing it with the tentacles and then explodes.
>>
>>61938819
Well the question is if the Rangdan should have "host" bodies or if they would just be sufficient with their own "mask" body.
Something I was thinking:
>A Rangdan itself is the mask creature
>Individual Rangdans are sapient, however they benefit greatly from "merging" with another creature.
>Through merging, the two consciousnesses become one, attaining a higher state of mental being
>This process can take decades, and as such, only mature Rangdan have fully merged
>The body of the "host" is usually melted down into materials to make more Rangdan, while the grey matter is processed into Rangdan Queens
>In combat, the Rangdan have specialized combat units they hook themselves into (Something akin to the myth of the detaching head). The "Mask" hooks into the platform and controls it, which protects it's vital organs and systems from damage.
>If the platform is destroyed, the Rangdan will detach an can fight independently.
I agree they should be a lot more integrated with their technology as opposed to Obliterators. But just as a side note, I don't think they should be Chaos affiliated.
The last part you mentioned sorta confuses me, but maybe I'm not reading right.
>>
>>61935619
after reading the perturabo hammer of olympia book I pray for the day we get a hrud codex. they were entertaining as fuck in that book
>>
File: Manananggal.jpg (49 KB, 700x525)
49 KB
49 KB JPG
>>61939702
Ah, that last part is a bit clumsily worded on my end, but it's two more ideas for Rangdan units based on other southeast-asian creatures of a similar kind (namely blood drinkers and other vampire-like things). The Manananggal is a monster that appears as an old witch an can detach its upper body to grow wings and fly through the night, sneaking in through windows to use its elongated probiscus-tongue to suck the hearts out of fetuses still in the womb. The Polong is a malaysian spirit used in curses and black magic that is created by putting the blood of a murder victim inside a bottle for two weeks, before invoking the spirit with a ritual. It then does the bidding of its master in exchange for more regular feedings of blood from them. It's also very similar to the Pelesit, which is another blood-fed spirit that lives within a bottle, only resembling what is basically a demonic grasshopper. I figured it could be cool to mix the two into something as a unit.
>>
>>61939781
Shit that is actually really cool, both ideas. I could see those working. But the detaching torso could be an issue for how to count it model wise.
>>
>>61936412
they aren't slime guys they just rot super fast and so does their clothing
>>
>>61939822
I was thinking of it more as a weapons platform in a way, where it could leave behind a token to represent it's "legs" which would then act as something like a stationary turret, while it's body became a flying scout unit. When you have both the legs and torso together, they're a stronger unit overall, but being able to separate them gives it options.
>>
>>61939839
Hmm, I guess that could work. A bit unconventional but I like it
>>
File: Fra'al abduction.jpg (578 KB, 1600x1016)
578 KB
578 KB JPG
(Begin log)
Inquisitor,I have compiled the data on the Fra'al and their incursions (what little there was). The Fra'al are as inscrutable as they are malicious, yet their Incursions (or visitations as some put it) are rather repetitive. Below is the average order of events between the start of activity and total depopulation.

:Day 001 Anomalous gravitic signatures are detected and written off by planetary authorities.

:Day 002-014 Report of strange things in the sky, intricate glyphs cut into fields, missing or mutilated pets and/or livestock spread system wide.

:Day 014-021 Strange phenomena intensified; Humans are now among the vanished and vivisected, Astropathic communication grows difficult.

>(1of3)
>>
>>61939479
The reason I chose the manta is that it is slow moving and appears slow and peaceful. Imagine seeing a 30 foot wide colourful manta looking ship "swimming" through the air. Then suddenly it begins dragging its stinger on the ground as it approaches you, tearing up ground and people. Then this still slowly and majestically swimming plane opens up with two laser cannons or some shit blasting apart tanks and troop transports.
>>
i'm>>61940009 keep thread up til morning. plz I need sleep.
>>
File: 40-Manta-Ray-Mouth-1.jpg (81 KB, 1258x708)
81 KB
81 KB JPG
>>61940305
Not to mention manta ray mouths are fucking terrifying and could be great as some kind of main sonic cannon or bomber bay or something. I really like the idea of the stingray tail dropping to the ground and just carving furrows through the battlefield as it glides overhead too.

>>61940332
I'll keep bumping it, I kinda want to try my hand at drawing some of the ideas in this thread.
>>
File: artrequest1.png (1010 KB, 800x1000)
1010 KB
1010 KB PNG
>>61940495
If you're interested in the Rangdan stuff I had actually compiled some reference images for myself. Or do the Thyrrus stuff, I dunno.
But whatever you do, drawfaggotry is always greatly appreciated
>>
>>61940495
like a Tau manta but it's an actual manta
>>
>>61939563
All tanks can fight in close combat now. The tentacles would likely be represented as a close combat weapon. Maybe give the tank a high number of attacks on its own and give the tentacles a special rule that prevents units it is fighting from falling back.
>>
>>61940596
>Prevents from falling back
A sort of neurotoxin maybe? Nautilus aren’t venomous I know, but I’m sure it’s something
>>
>>61940839
I mean the tentacles grabbing them keeps the enemy from falling back. The tentacles would have rules like
Strength U, AP -, D1, any model in combat with a nautilus cannot fall back.
>>
>>61941151
Well said statsanon
Well, I have to sleep. Hopefully we keep this place poppin till the morning so we can keep having (Heretical) fun
>>
What models would you guys use to represent some of these races?
>>
>>61936412
I didn't know how much I wanted Skaven in Space until I saw this picture!
>>
>>61941249
what a dumb faggot you are
>>
>>61941257
I'm neither gay nor particularly stupid.
>>
>>61935602
also don't forget the hrud literally eat time
>>
>>61935602
>Nicassar
They're long flying space bears. Not Tentacle monsters.
>>
>>61935602
the slann (not slaan) are descendants of the old ones
>>
>>61935602
the Nicassar look like bears
>>
>>61936288
yeah it's mislabeled

>>61935602
that's a Vampyr, not a dracolith
>>
>>61923742
the Hrud are not space skaven
>>
>>61935602
you missed the Tarellians
>>
>>61941444
They used to be. But then Xenology retconed all of that.
>>
>>61942153
The only place that seriously suggests that they might be skaven is an article for Inquisitor that used to be on the Specialist games website, and suggests using rat ogre miniatures to represent them.

That is all. They may have been intended to be skaven but there is too little unambiguous material for it to matter.
>>
>>61940009
What happens to those who got abducted but are returned by the Fra'al?
>>
File: RoadsidePicnic.jpg (26 KB, 220x321)
26 KB
26 KB JPG
>>61942386
Every planet the Fra'al visited latter falls to complete anarchy and rebellion. The abducted imperials are implanted with unstable mechanical organs that randomly activate to cause major havoc.

Most of their "simple" tech are sold to rogue traders, chaos cultists, and even Tau resistance just for the lulz. And sometimes they just dump a shitload of experimental weapons on Tau, Orks and Imperial worlds, Roadside Picnic style, then stand from afar laughing their asses off when the planet gets inevitably attack by the Mechanicus for tech heresy or fuck up the dumping grounds with weird anomaly.
>>
>>61922470
I was reading the stuff on the Rangda, and it's interesting stuff. But I have to ask how the Osseiovores, the immense Titan-grade Rangda that the Emperor invented the Ordo Sinister Psi-Titans to combat, would work within that system.
>>
Best xenos coming through:
>The Rak'Gol are vicious xenos marauders and a relatively new threat within the Koronus Expanse of the Halo Stars adjacent to the Calixis Sector, encountered first in the dim stars past the Alenic Depths a little more than a standard century ago. Striking from the blackest reaches of the Alenic Depths, the violent and cruel Rak'Gol have become the byword for death and terror in the Koronus Expanse. Horrific, eight-limbed monstrosities, twisted and warped, the Rak'Gol seem to exist only for slaughter, descending on voidships and isolated colonies like a plague, and disappearing again into the cold depths of the void. Though the underlying impetus for the Rak'Gol's seemingly random attacks remains a mystery, those who suffer their predations rarely live to tell the tale. A xenos breed of which little is known for fact, they take the appearance of rough-hewn and irregular stone reptilids, eight-limbed and over three metres long. Chalky white in colour and mantis-like in bodily arrangement, Rak'Gol warriors favour cybernetic augmentation to increase their abilities and replace lost limbs. Their point of origin remains unknown, as does the motivation for their sporadic attacks on human-held worlds and vessels, other than to slaughter indiscriminately and steal minerals and weapons. Their rasping, screeching language remains incomprehensible, and no successful communication between the Rak'Gol and humanity has been recorded; no Rak'Gol has ever been captured alive. Indeed, even their name is taken from children's stories of mythical monsters from the settlement of Footfall's slums, legends which they superficially resemble.
>>
>>61942651
There is enough fluff on their units that you could make a whole Rak'Gol Codex rather easily. Carvers, Marauders for Troops, Abominations and Renders for Elites, Broodmasters and Techno-Shamans for HQ.
>>
>>61942651
Man, now I really wish for a Rak’gol army for Kill Team
>>
File: Rak'Gol_Render.jpg (187 KB, 696x752)
187 KB
187 KB JPG
>>61942708
Indeed. I for one would definitely start playing 40K if they released them as an army.
>>
>>61943229
I sure as fuck wouldn't cause I'm not a scalie
>>
The Slaugth also have enough stuff mentioned in the Dark Heresy books to build a conceptual faction off of. Your leadership would be the Slaugth themselves, and then the rest of your army would consist of vassal constructs of assorted varieties all based around the basic Slaugth vassal concept- vertical and wormlike either floating or with spidery legs, and a horrible mix of flesh and machine. Necrotic weapons all around, and fanged mouths and pincers giving some backup melee capability. Haarlock's Legacy has mention of a melee hovertank with a lamprey mouth and pincers.
>>
File: 1298394115096.jpg (1.5 MB, 1008x720)
1.5 MB
1.5 MB JPG
>>61942651
>>61943229

>Battlefleet Gothic video game exists
>There will never be a Rak'gol Fleet dlc

A damn shame.
>>
File: Liz Biz.png (937 KB, 533x815)
937 KB
937 KB PNG
>>61943235

You don't have to be a scalie to like Rak'gol.

Do you need to be sexually attracted to mushrooms to play orks?

Hmm, actually, don't answer that question.
>>
File: TPK Express.jpg (82 KB, 793x1049)
82 KB
82 KB JPG
>>
File: image.jpg (169 KB, 812x930)
169 KB
169 KB JPG
>>61943235
You should be
>>
>>61943499
I would
>>
Just finished Xenos: Eisenhorn.

Are the Saruthi essentially 5 legged Eldar?
>>
>>61943499
Bad touch BAD TOUCH
>>
>>61926739
They also originate from "Blood Moons". I could imagine the Thexians to be the Vampire Counts of 40k.
>>
>>61944105
okay no

the Vampire Counts of 40K are:

The Vampyrs
The Night Lords
The Blood Angels and their successors
The C'tan
and probably also the dark eldar to a good degree

you can't turn a stone over without finding a bunch of space vampires hiding underneath
>>
>>61944239
The C'tan is more like Nagash.
>>
>>61944105
The Thexian has always started out as xeno traders. The closest fantasy counterpart to them is the Dogs of War or Estalia.
>>
>>61942641
Well we mentioned that the Rangdan Queens were essentially massive, mobile factories made into stylized statue things. Maybe the giant Titan sized ones could be something similar, or a collective of larger masks? Maybe even some sort of other Xeno tech since they’re implied to have a multiracial empire.
>>
File: Rangdan Warrior.jpg (706 KB, 1323x1565)
706 KB
706 KB JPG
>>61940523
Alright, after a long, sleepless night, here's the kind of thing I was thinking of when it came to the general Rangdan warrior. I figured with the whole "Possessing Mask" motif and their own particular focus on biosynthetics, there can be a huge variety sizes and shapes in the units they use, so long as they keep to the recurring mask aesthetic that unifies them. I figured the regular Rangdan warriors are big, hulking augmented brawlers with collapsible plasma/lighting/whatever guns inbuilt into their synthetic limbs, and with a strange, kind of half-jumping half-running style of motion to them, hopping and clawing over terrain.

Also their tongues are bladed, and extend like the whip-sword in Pacific Rim because *fuck* is that a cool visual.

>>61946253
Ooh, maybe fold in some aspects from giant buddha or asura statues and have them be massive statue-shrines, covered in masks. Either way, the Rangdan Queens being objects of worship, visually, is a great idea.
>>
>>61947037
I like it, good job mate.
>>
>>61947037
not professional-looking enough, doesn't make the most of its source of inspiration
>>
>>61947037
That’s fucking metal as fuck dude
I Blanch’d myself
>>
>>61947037
Holy shit anon, great work!
>>
>>61947296
no it's not "fucking metal" and no it doesn't look reminiscent of Blanche

Why is it that I rarely ever hear metalheads describe things as "fucking metal" but there's always some random fuck on /tg/ (not other nerdy boards, just /tg/) describe non-metal things as "fucking metal"?

Can someone explain the mindset behind that phenomenon?
>>
>>61947368
Dude, calm down
It’s a cool looking piece ok. You don’t need to sperg out over terminologies.
>>
>>61947391
And neither do you need to gush over it. But you still went ahead, did what you felt like doing and so did I.
>>
>>61947483
And he didn't come across as a gigantic faggot, you did.
>>
>>61947483
>>61947368
>>61947213
I think you lost your way, this isn't /v/ mate.
>>
>>61947483
>getting poorly defined artistic definitions and descriptions wrong in MY Bhutanese Lungfish Wrangling Board?
>It’s more common than you’d think!
>>
>>61947037
Would you willing to make a picture of another xeno species like the Fra'al, the Thexians, the Xenarchs or the Barghesi?
>>
>>61947640
I'll definitely try, but I probably won't be able to get one done today. I was thinking Barghesi might be fun, though I know very little about them or really the other three. If I end up not finishing it before this thread dies, I'll post it in a drawthread for everyone.
>>
>>61947525
Doesn't matter who comes across as what, though. What matters is that he's being very unfair, but I'm not.

>>61947562
very sad too
>>
>>61947640
>>61948237
Barghesi are basically just those edgy sparkledogs with exposed skulls and lots of teeth
>>
>>61948315
Sparkeldogs?
>>
>>61948315
The ones that people put antlers on and call wendigoes?
>>
>>61948656
basically yeah

>>61948484
how underage do you have to be not to know what a sparkledog is? I know they aren't a big gawking subject anymore but come on
>>
File: Fra'al air raid.jpg (1.05 MB, 1600x1016)
1.05 MB
1.05 MB JPG
>>61940009
(2of3)
:Day 21-28 Warp travel is rendered impossible due to gravitic disruptions to the Astronomicon. Intra-system transports and defenses begin to be lost or destroyed.

:Day 28-35 Interplanetary transit and orbital defenses non-existent, Planet-side transport slowed by Fra'al raids and fear thereof.

:Day 35-42 Transport between population centers ceased, any who leave are exterminated or abducted
>>
>>61944105
There were some talk about making the Thexians into the Cathrago of 40k and that they once threatened a big part of the Imperium. The Pale Wasting during the Nova Terra Interregnum would fit as the Great Thexian Conquest and destabiliation of the Imperium.
The blood Moons of Thexian stem from the Ghoul Stars and from the Ghoul Stars the Pale Wasting came from. If the Thexians truly are the Pale Wasting then they are responisble for the destruction of 11 Space Marine Chapters.
>>
File: eternauta the hand.jpg (563 KB, 1600x1183)
563 KB
563 KB JPG
>>61921097
THEM from Eternauta would fit right into the 40k universe.
>>
>>61938753
>>61937104
>>61936164
Statting these three units
Snipers
>M 4", WS/BS 3+, S 3, T 4, W 1, A 2, Ld 8, Sv 4+
>1-10 guys armed with Incineration Rifle
>Can be equipped with locomotion engines to increase speed
>Less than 20" S:4, AP:-1, Range: 60 inches, Heavy 1, D1
>20-50" S:6, AP:-3, Heavy 1, D1
>50-60" S:8, AP -5, Heavy 1, D1d3
>Obviously incineration rifles are sniper rifles and can target characters even if they aren't the closest models.
Snipers who want to be as far from the enemy as possible, shit at close range, decent at mid/long range, and great at very long ranges.

Manta Ray
>M 24", WS 5+, BS 4+, S 7, T 7, W 12, A 6, Ld 7, Sv 3+
>Equipped with a stinger and two beam cannons
>Stinger is Str:+1, AP:-2, D1
>Can be equipped with a terror siren (looks like the giant filter feeding mouth of a manta ray) which decreases the leadership of all enemies within 12" by 1
>Any unit it passes over but doesn't assault suffers 1d6 hits from its stinger
Pretty straightforwards, tough but underwhelming damage, but the flyover hits will add up and the -1 to leadership if you buy the terror siren can prove useful.

Mantis Shrimp
>M 12", WS 4+, BS 4+, S 6, T 6, W 10, A 6, Ld 7, Sv 3+
>Is equipped with either piercing claws or hammering claws, and a beam rifle
>Piercing Claws are S:+2, AP: -4, D2, +2 attacks when used
>Hammering Claws are S:x2, AP: -5, D1d6, any damage roll of 6 allows you to roll an extra die for damage (no exploding dice)
Hammering claws should knock off about 8 wounds from a land raider in a single turn on average, piercing claws are obviously worse against vehicles but can one-shot terminators more reliably and due to extra attack is better against everything that has 2 wounds or less (and some things with more than two wounds).

Thoughts?
>>
>>61949069
Lookin’ good. Should the snipers be classified as troops, elites, or heavy support though?
>>
>>61949936
Certainly not troops, probably elites. Mantis I would classify as FA even if it is pretty tough and hard hitting for FA because it is very mobile compared to the rest of the army, which mostly lacks such speed meaning it will be a difficult slot to fill.
>>
File: Fra'al depopulation.jpg (682 KB, 1600x1016)
682 KB
682 KB JPG
>>61948794

:Day 43 Depopulation begins,orbital fire strikes hives, bastions and Manufactora, largest centers targeted.

:Day 44 Swarms of large atmospheric craft begin carpet-bombing cities and deploying hordes of Fra'al warriors and mutant shock troops (which upon examination, often have traces of the DNA of the missing, human and animal)

:Day 45-47 Ever smaller population centers are attacked. the lucky ones meet their ends from Fra'al weapons or mutant claws, the unfortunate are taken aboard Fra'al ships, never to be seen again.

:Day 48 less then two Terran months have pasted since the Fra'al selected the system and it is now picked completely clean of human life.


(Closing statement)
The Fra'al aren't especially dangerous because they scour worlds of human life and subject those they capture to fates far worse then death. No,they are almost unique in the galaxy because we know so damn little about them. We know not were they come from, how they hide from our sensors, why they vivisect some, mutate others and simply destroy others still...

We what Hive Fleets do with harvested biomass, we know what the Dark Eldar do to their captives, we know of Necron social structure for Terra's sake, but with the Fra'al...

WE

HAVE

NOTHING

(End log)

(Thought for the day :Foolish are those who fear nothing, yet claim to know everything)
>>
File: Fra'al Peon.jpg (21 KB, 580x773)
21 KB
21 KB JPG
Now for a Fra'al image dump.
>>
>>61950004
I like this, a nice bit of writefaggotry really can give someone with no lore a nice bit of character
>>
File: Fra'al fodder.jpg (78 KB, 1024x1325)
78 KB
78 KB JPG
>>
File: Fra'al warrior.jpg (46 KB, 700x700)
46 KB
46 KB JPG
>>
>>61950031
Possible inspiration: the flatwoods monster
>>
File: Fra'al Shock Mutant.jpg (372 KB, 1024x891)
372 KB
372 KB JPG
>>
File: Fra'al Primary.jpg (366 KB, 1300x776)
366 KB
366 KB JPG
>>
>>61947037
You got an art page or something my guy?
>>
>>61950319
I do! It's itsxhotime.tumblr. I use it as a storage place for the art I post on here or in other places.
>>
>>61950960
Nice
>>
>>61948237
The Bargehsi are from the Grendl star, so a nordic inspired look would be most fitting, it is said that they have great genetic potential.

The Thexians are from the Ghoul Star and possibly the masterminds behind the Pale Wasting, so a undead biomorphic look would be best. Space Biomorphic Carthagians.

The Fra'Al are 40ks version of the Grey and>>61950004
>>61948794
>>61940009
already gave us a good insight how the Fra'al may come over the humans or other species.

The Xenarch is a warp-worshipping crystal lightning shooting race, I would go with a mix between the Crystal Being of Star Trek and the evil guys from Krull. They are a very 80s evil fantasy race.
>>
File: Xenarch3.jpg (91 KB, 618x870)
91 KB
91 KB JPG
There is some Xenarch art that I think is pretty decent, however I like the one depiction with a more pyramidal head
>>
>>61951191
>and possibly the masterminds behind the Pale Wasting
Do you have any source for that?
>>
Can we talk about based Loxatl lizard mercenaries with gun vests?
>>
Formalized a few Thyrrus strategem ideas from the previous thread.

Rainbow smokescreen (1 CP): Play this strategem on a THYRRUS unit at the start of your own movement phase, until the start of your following movement phase subtract one from all hit rolls against this unit during the shooting phase.

Blinding lasers (1 CP): Play this strategem on an enemy INFANTRY unit at the start of your own movement phase, until the start of your following movement phase the targeted unit has -1 to all hit rolls for shooting.

Full power to weapons (1 CP): Play this strategem on a THYRRUS unit at the start of your own shooting phase, all weapons in that unit may fire a second time but are treated as overcharged, overcharged weapons are treated as super overcharged, and super overcharged weapons inflict 1d6 mortal wounds to their unit on a to hit roll of 1, allocating wounds to the model that fired first.

White noise machines (One use) (2 CP): Play this strategem at the start of your own movement phase, until the start of your following movement phase your opponent cannot use any strategems.

Final dance (2 CP): Play this stratagem on a THRYSUS INFANTRY unit at the start of the fight sub-phase, every model in the unit (including those killed) gets a second fight sub-phase, but for each model roll 1d6, on a roll of 1 the model takes a mortal wound.

This was someone else's concept that I edited because it seemed illogical to make the enemy more lethal and then when they shoot at you they take mortal wounds for killing your guys, I just made it extend the charge range, thematically maybe it is something like they start the final dead sprint charge early giving the enemy more time to shoot them in the open, but they will reach them sooner.
Heedless Charge (1 CP): Play this stratagem when a THRYSUS INFANTRY unit declares a charge on an enemy unit, the unit charging can add 3 inches to its charge distance, and the enemy unit adds 1 to all rolls to hit with their overwatch attacks.
>>
>>61928617
This. The numbers of humans are probably only rivaled by the numbers of Orks, and even then I get the impression you'd have to count the grots down to the last snotling before it was a dead heat, or else the Orks would be a much bigger threat even without unified leadership - they're belligerent, they're innate fighters, they have crazy-good tech when it works, and they can survive massive trauma and amputation - even decapitation - without issue for several days.

The numbers of minor Xenos are just... small. There's hardly any Tau compared to the number of Orks or humans or even Eldar (possibly excluding Dark Eldar, but only because they have cloning). The fact that 8E had to push the Tau to literally the other side of the galaxy is a big step up for them, but also testament to the fact that they're the poster child for minor Xenos - locked into little territories surrounded by the Imperium or the major Warp storms, with very little effect on the galaxy as a whole. Tarellians would be a better Codex - at least they're nomadic. Or Kroot, even, though nobody really much liked Kroot enough to play them when they had that FW list.

Even the Eldar have always been nomadic - albeit in Craftworlds - right from the start. The Genestealers of RT, the original Hive Fleets too - all floating around in space where you can encounter them, not stuck to a territory. Dark Eldar - Commorragh is a place, sure, but it's one that thanks to the webway can be literally anywhere. Tomb Worlds are all over since time immemorial.

Minor factions need to be widely spread, and "we're all brothers in Chaos" doesn't really cut it as an explanation of why the Scatheophyges of Kakar 22 are dickin' about around Ultramar and Cadia too. Limited population = limited resources. Territory = concentration of resources. Whether or not we all understand it in supply chain terms the fact is we all feel it - it's wrong when it's wrong. In conclusion Tau a shit.
>>
>>61935602
What I really want is for just a piece of fluff to outright admit that there are Tarellians AND Talerrians, and they hate each other.

Also Slaan, but only if they were a fully dignified faction with multiple at-odds internal divisions - not just like the Necrons, but actual different levels of regression to feral. Some are techbarbarians, some are godlike with powers and tech that make the Eldar look like Whiteshields without a command squad or commissar facing down 1:1 numbers of Harlequins backed up by Harlequin Titans. Some are just feral. Rocks and spears and takin ur woman for spawn time, eye in heaven rise, must spawn soon. And different psychic disciplines and rules, even, for the different psykers each faction level gets, different levels of internal alliance (like if a feral faction worships Chaos, it won't ally with another feral faction that doesn't, but the more sophisticated factions will consider it under advisement).

It'd be hell to rules without it turning into 6E Chaos Daemons-levels of roll tables and 2E Wargear Cards levels of what the fuck is going on with inventories, but man, that is the only way to do Slaan properly. They're not just a dead empire like the Eldar or Necrons, they're the leftover fragments of something greater, like if the Emperor had never reunited humanity and all the bad shit happened for 10000 years anyway.

Also, those little crayfish bastards that work for the Tau on plasma devices. And the ability to cross-breed Genestealers with nonhumans like back in the day, but without the roll tables and bullshit.
>>
>>61953124
Looks good, looks good
>>61949069
>>61940495
So would these guys have a sort of bio-synth aesthetic as well?
>>
>>61954470
I like to think of something like the War of the Worlds tripods. They are fully mechanical, no flesh (at least not the vehicles) but move in very smooth lifelike ways. So the manta is a highly advanced ornithopter and "swims" through the air the mantis shrimp scuttles along the ground, etc.
>>
>>61955251
Hmm. I like that.
Would having an Elite/HQ option that repairs vehicles/heals units be a good idea? Call it like a surgeon or Artisan or something
>>
>>61953280
I can see your point, agree with it, and say that you're right from a logical standpoint, but that doesn't change that I think the constant masturbation to Humanity and Astartes being the peak of everything ever is the most boring shit ever.
>>
I was the OP from last thread, giving this a bump before sleep. Who knew a joking thread would evolve into this.
>>
>>61950031
Fra'al Peons are the lowest form of Fra'al and seem to be little more than organic automata,slaved to the will of higher forms

>>61950108
Fra'al Fodder are the lowest form to see combat (Peons being "civilians" if that term can even apply). Sent in swarms rivaling Imperial guard conscripts in number,they are armed with Rad-Kite* Pulsars and minimal Planar Shielding**

>>61950145
Warriors are the "officers"(Although Controller is more accurate) of a Fra'al incursion directing the fodder some unknown combination of telepathy and alien science. With a full layer of Planar Shielding**, psychic barriers and either Psy-staves or Rad-Kite* weapons

>>61950158
Shock Mutants are exactly what they sound like,Organics (be they Fra'al, Human or something else) mutated into hulking Shock troops. As large as custodians, nearly as powerful and thankfully only slightly less rare. they are equipped with heavy armor of unknown composition,thick multi-layered Planar Shielding** and either a Heavy Rad-Kite* weapon or what has been call an Impulse Devastator***(not to mention their huge energy sheathed claws)

>>61950179
Fra'al Primaries are the closest thing they have a "leader". Despite their frail appearance and lack of armament They are, without question the most dangerous Fra'al variant yet encountered. Psykers of a power unseen perhaps since The God-Emperor walk the stars. They can drive armies to madness, rip Bastion from the earth and distort the Astronomicon with their mere presence. Their destruction will shatter an incursion but will likely require Anti-Titan weapons or the intervention of the emperor's talons.

( See next post for notes)
>>
>>61957578

(notes)

*Rad-Kite: Radioactive Volkite, basically a combination of an Rad-cleanser and a Volkite weapon. will melt you now and later.

** Planar Shields: Flat slabs of solidified energy arranged into overlapping plates to protect from attacks or the elements.

***Impulse Devastator: A weaponized Particle Accelerator that blasts a target with a wave of Super-Heavy Isotopes and Quark-Gluon Plasma.
>>
One last note
With the Eldar their sorcery can be mistaken for technology, With the Necrons their technology can be mistaken for sorcery....

But with the Fra'al you can't tell where the sorcery ends and the science begins.
>>
>>61957578
>>61957636
>>61957769
I like it. Simple, but effective.
>>
File: image.jpg (177 KB, 1280x720)
177 KB
177 KB JPG
>>61947037
Nice dude. Just a little nitpick, but it's kinda strange seeing an Imperial guard fighting a Xeno race from the Great Crusade era. Maybe a Space Marine or a Solar Auxilia would be more fitting.
>>61947640
>>61948237
I've always envisioned the Thexian to look like a Polymorph from Ben 10 but with guns. A pile of extremely corrosive goo that can control its shape using gravity stabilizers. Their weapons should also be gravity based but they can use all of their mercenary's weapons.
>>
>>61948946
Man that was a great comic. Sad that the author got purged before he could make the 3rd volume.
>>
>>61958129
Ah yeah, I didn't remember they were Crusade era xenos. Guard happened to be a good size comparison for how I pictured them though. For the next one I'll see what I can put together for something a bit more accurate.
>>
>>61958631
>>61958129
Eh there were also IG equivalents for that time weren't there? Like there were countless militias and PDF in that time. Seeing how many things haven't changed in 10k years, I don't think it's absurd to assume there was something probably similar to standard IG equiptment
>>
>>61958129
A weird idea, but I like it. Could play into their diplomacy by taking shapes and forms that are pleasing to other races.
>>
>>61939364
For a hired gun
>>
>>61929993
I think theres actually stats for Loxtal or something. There’s an image of a sort of DnD like monster manual page for it
>>
>>61957769
To add something to the Fra'al as well, the Battlefleet Gothic supplements did mention that their navy and capital ships are dangerous but rarely seen so we can confirmed that these depopulation campaigns only happens when the planet greatly resist their activities, or actually have the gall to shoot down their scouts. Maybe they do it to restock their army of mutants.

I think most of their interaction with other races should be for subversion and trolling. Like selling experimental tech to Rogue Traders, Chaos cultists, gene stealers,... Or kidnapping hivers, experiment on them and then throw them back to fuck with the locals.
>>
If there is anything the Thyrrus list seems to be missing I’d love suggestions. I’ll be continuing to work on points assignment, but could use advice there too. So far this has been a fucking awesome thread
>>
>>61958653
Yup, the IG equivalent back then was the Solar Auxilia I mentioned (there are troops recruited from conquered worlds, the solar system troops still have the majority at the end of the Heresy) before Guilliman went full retard and split them up into the guard and the navy.

Their armor and lasguns are much better that today but with a slower rate of fire.
>>
Why are there no fuckable xenos in WH
>>
>>61959322
>imperial guard equivalent were the SA
>not the IA
what you smoking bro
>>
>>61952943
Sure, they are part of the Thexian Trade Empire not? The Borlac and the Nicassar (who also are part of the Tau empire) make part of the empire. The Loxatl were pretty cool in the Sabbat Crusade.
>>
File: image.jpg (731 KB, 1476x1158)
731 KB
731 KB JPG
>>61959833
Shit. My mistake.
>>
>>61959620
Every xenos is fuckable, it only depends on how fucked up you are.
>>
>>61960790
They also serve along the Bloodpact right? Which is weird considering they don’t worship chaos.
>>
>>61963912
They were just mercenary. There are a lot of xenos mercenary like the Nekulli and Kroot.
>>
>>61964399
Yeah, it’s just odd that anything that is associated with Chaos to not get insta-corrupted because “muh khayos wins”
>>
>>61959620
>What are Eldar for
>What are Thyrrus tentacles for
>What are fleshlight squigs for
>>
>>61965160
>Eldar
No way fag!
>>
>>61938819
>>61939702
>>61939781
>>61939839
Okay, based on these ideas I can get a pretty rough draft of the Rangdan hierarchy

>There is only one Rangdan queen - a living Dyson Sphere (with 4 faces on it surface) that surrounds their original system. It constantly spews out Ranga Leyaks and builds warships to transport them.

>Everysingle Rangdan Leyaks are semi-sentient drones that only become sapient by merging with a host. Their long tongue is the most integral part of this, not only used as a very potent mellee weapon (their serrated edge have a matter-disrupting field not too different from Imperium power weapons), the tip of the tongue is a two-pronged biomechanical probe allowing the Leyak to offer the victim a choice: merge with it therefor becoming higher being or die

>If the victim accepts its offer and has a strong consciousness, the merging will begin and the amalgam is now considered as a Rangdan warrior. Its strength, speed and intellect are heightened and the body soon grows to astartes-size (the variety comes from different species of hosts)

>If the victim resists or has weak willed, the Leyak will tear apart the host's consciousness leaving behind a Manananggal - very intelligent but basically useless as anything but controlling heavy weapon platforms

>When the experience mining/merging has been completed (merging will only take a few months but experience mining will take years). The Leyak will leave the body to be recycled and find a new host

>After the higher state of being is achieve through hundreds of hosts, the Leyak can finally permanently fuse with a perfect host made from the recycled bodies and become a mature Rangdan Cerabvore. This is the elite troops/commanding units for their army. Extremely strong and highly customizable.

Every infantry unit higher tier than a Warrior can cast techno-curse and nano-hex that infect the enemies, slowly eating away their morale and make them into loyal servants and willing host.
>>
>>61965204
They created a god of orgies, Anon, sex is all they're good for.
>>
>>61965327
The Rangdan army focus on powerful elite infantry supported by glass-canon style weapon platforms. When their troops/vehicles die, the Leyak
>>
>>61965327
>>61965918
I like the sound of this
>>61965445
Eldar a shit though
>>
>>61965918
Cont and Manananggal can fly off as completely separate units.

Their techno hex might be the reason why one of the lost Primarchs and his Legion were purged. They were the first to respond to the Rangdan threat and then got assimilated.

Goddamn glitchy captcha.
>>
Can we post again?
>>
File: hrud2.jpg (50 KB, 589x421)
50 KB
50 KB JPG
>>61967018
Sure
>>
>>61929480
>10 legions
>100,000 each
Use your brain anon
>>
File: sanctioned xenos.jpg (131 KB, 441x698)
131 KB
131 KB JPG
I like this guy, too bad rest of his race was wiped out.
>>
>>61967285
Who/What is that?
>>
>>61967466

Bonty hunter in Necromunda, or something. Some inqusitor give him license to work in Imperium. He is also also blatant ripoff from Predator franchise.
>>
>>61967900
They has me wondering: how does the sanctioned Xeno system work? Where do they get the paperwork? Can any species be approved? Do inquisitors and Rogue Traders respect their Xeno mercs? How do you denote approved Xenos?
>>
>>61968249
>Where do they get the paperwork?
From the Adpetus Adminstratum or the Inquisition. In RT there are some Administratum Ordinates in Port Wander provide the service, having been recruited for such a purpose by interested Inquisitors, whose purity is tested on a regular basis to monitor potential contamination. Their identities are not widely known, and the service itself must be specifically requested, as they will not offer it otherwise.
As far as I understand the only force that can sanction a xenos is the Inquisition or Adminstratum agents who are trained to do so.
>Can any species be approved?
I doubt that, xenos horrifcus or any xenos that is a extremis or terminus threat are to be purged immediatly.
>Do inquisitors and Rogue Traders respect their Xeno mercs?
That can happen sometimes, some Rogue Traders or Inquisitors take a liking on their Kroot companion.
>How do you denote approved Xenos?
All Sanctioned xenos have a mark on their face or hand that proofs that they are sanctioned. but that mark alone is not as important as the person that vouches for the xenos. This employer and master of the xenos is given assorted documentation that informs the authorities that they are not allowed to harm the xenos. A xenos is never free, a sanctioned xenos has by its nature a human master and only this human master can protect the xenos from normal imperial policy. And even then this sanction does not protect the xenos from imperial fanatics. The Arbites, the Adepta and local authorities may not be allowed to infringe on the xeno but the imperial cults can.
>>
>>61965327
>>61965918
>>61966110
This all seems good to me, and I especially like the idea of them being high-powered infantry specialists. In terms of gameplay I'm kind of picturing them following a similar idea in their specific units to the Ogre Kingdoms in a way, having individual units as dangerous, tanky, and hard to deal with but overall small in number.

Also, idea for a a Rangdan "swarm" unit, in the event that a player wants to field some kind of numbers, and also give options as a kind of fodder unit to keep larger armies like Tyranids from completely overwhelming a Rangdan player by sheer numbers.
I'm thinking they would be partially-functional or otherwise incomplete Leyaks controlling corpses using their tubing and bio-probe tongue. Perhaps they could come as a result of creatures that were either completely too weak to even survive the merging process, leaving behind a corpse to be used for simple tasks. The actual Leyak, if it's a regular one, leaves the body and the body is then outfitted as what is basically a biosynth servitor. In terms of actual in-game units, these would be there to be bodies you could throw at the wall, simple, cheap, and not particularly effective.
>>
File: IMG_0043.jpg (113 KB, 600x800)
113 KB
113 KB JPG
>>61959263
The Fra'al could be the Collecters of 40k. Little more then myths to all but a few, trading alien tech for unique specimens. Albinos from nocturne,children of psyker fathers and pariah mothers, 300 right handed ogryns etc.
>>
>>61969400
Sounds good, every army needs a little chaff to throw into the grinder.
>>61969460
>Weird ayys collecting random shit for inexplainable reasons in exchange for dangerous and unstable tech
I like this
>>
>>61968611
Huh, that’s pretty cool. Honestly I like the idea of some eccentric Rogue Trader becoming chummy with a bunch of weird Xenos he’s hired half for his entertainment and half for their effectiveness in combat
>>
File: 1407999578191.png (558 KB, 782x668)
558 KB
558 KB PNG
Suck my cock captcha
>>
>>61965327
>>61965918
>>61966110
Just a thought if we ever get around to stating these guys: they should also be playable in HH
>>
>>61970631
What book?
>>
>>61972845
Not sure actually. I found it in an archived thread while looking for Loxtal art. I feel like those stats would work pretty well for them.
>>
>>61935512
>Giant window in front so that their death is as soectacular as possible.

Sounds about right, they do like it flashy
>>
>>61965327
As an aside, it's mentioned that the Emperor won by 'Breaking the Labyrinth of Night', which implies he unshackled the Void Dragon from Mars and used it. If in this version the Rangdan Queen was a Dyson Sphere, then having that Dyson Sphere taken over and self-destructed by the Void Dragon's ability to instantly ovetake any technology and subsume it could explain how the Rangdan were finally destroyed. You could imagine the horror of the Void Dragon consuming the Rangdan Queen and making it kill itself.
>>
>>61953457
i like that idea of the Slaan, very interesting
>>
>>61973818
That would probably be the single most terrifying thing to see in the entirety of 40k
>>
>>61965327
>Rangdan possessing/taking over people
well I guess that's where the II and XIth primarchs ended up
>>
>>61974266
Join the collective brah
>>
>>61974266
I though only one of the legions was involved in the Xenocide, and that the XI were destroyed somewhere else?
>>
>>61935602
I wish WH40K was more about this instead humans and human like aliens.
>>
>>61975534
Some more Xenos would be fun, but I can understand logistically why they are less prevalent in 40k. Maybe if they did more with the Great Crusade and gave us some more "Humanity battling impossible odds and ancient Xeno empires" I'd be happier
>>
>>61975534
By 8th edition we can see that GW has entirely become disinterested in making the setting better and focus on just selling Space Marines to dumbass kids.

Now we only have 3 factions: Rowboat and his team of edgy donut steel OCs, Chaos and their team of incompetent faggots who only win using GW’s boner for them, and xenos. It’s fucking depressing to see.
>>
>>61973818
I basically make the Rangdan queen based on that fact alone. Something so big and with a huge production speed that they manage to destroy multiple Titan legions and kill/assimilate a lost primarch but also null to warp power so that the Emperor couldn’t just use his bullshit psyker powers to beat.
>>
Minor updates to the Thyrrus Codex. Added in the three units made with the help of StatsAnon. Not much else at the moment. Trying some fluff ideas in a separate document, but as of this moment nothing much to report.
I'm wondering, would /40kG/ be a good place to ask for advice on points cost? On one hand it could be helpful, on the other hand they also shitpost more than anything else in my experience.
>>
>>61976388
Maybe its not even a null to warp power so much as it is a combination of crazy huge production numbers and the fact that the Rangdan could be if not nulls, then completely ambivalent to the warp. They're so much machine inside their biosyth bodies that if the host originally had psyker potential, they don't really now and they don't really care either.

>>61973818
Fuck that's a cool idea.
>>
>>61977525
I have this image of the four faces of the Sphere slowly distorting into screaming faces of pure, unmitigated terror that would drive any mortal man who saw them insane, before morphing into the skull faces of the Necrontryr. And then the sphere starts to come apart.
>>
>>61977587
Spoopy
>>
Life’s for Rangdan: the “Slaugh Murder-Minds” are a result of the unique slaugh physiology being unable to interface with Rangdan technology. So instead, a specialized system is used that creates a highly powerful, but largely immobile and defenseless, psychic entity
>>
In the book Sons Of The Hydra what is that xeno guy supposed to be? Zoat? Slaan?
>>
>>61975476
II and the XIth were both there, at least at one point
>>
Don't forget that the slaugth are all untouchables.
>>
It would be but the slightest bump on its noggin!
>>
Zoop
>>
File: sussurus3.jpg (186 KB, 400x416)
186 KB
186 KB JPG
So after the Rangdan and Thyrrus, who else do you think would work well for a proper full codex? I think figuring out a proper Hrud or Fra'al setup would be good, or maybe the Xenarchs for a bit of a different take on a Xenos army. It could be fun figuring out Xenarch psykers, which I picture as being based on resonance and musical themes, to play off their nature as crystals.

I dunno, they remind me a lot of a weird niche D&D monster, the Susurrus, which is a strange crystalline abberation who's body naturally produces a sound that calms and dazes undead when wind passes through it. Some kind of crystal chime effect for some of the Xenarch warp-sorceries could be really cool, maybe even with interpreting the Chaos Gods as the "Four Choirs" and with each individual daemon that makes up the greater god as an individual singer in that choir.
>>
Story:The_Shape_Of_The_Nightmare_To_Come_50k_section18

The future of the xenos in SONC is interesting.
>>
File: Hallucigenia.jpg (103 KB, 610x423)
103 KB
103 KB JPG
>>61976430
Do we have a Thyrrus transport unit yet and what does it look like? Last thread some anons want it to look like a colourful caterpillar while i think it should look like a Hallucigenia combine with intricate flowing patern similar to their guns since it would look more squid like.
>>
File: imperialduty.jpg (468 KB, 762x1000)
468 KB
468 KB JPG
>>61959620
>>
>>61982246
This is what I want from moving the setting forward: Keep armies the same but with some updates (chaos wins but it's a hollow victory, the Imperium fragmented but hope still exists, eldar being only haft-dead, weird shit running amok), add more development to the minor bits of lore, while retaining the original ridiculous grimderp tone

Instead we got Age of Sigmar 2: Rowboat Boogaloo
>>
>>61982253
I personally would prefer something more stout, maybe like a sea pig.
>>
>>61984395
A sea pig with huge spikes sounds pretty metal.
>>
>>61978928
That's pretty awesome, the Slaugth could be the Rangdan most avid supporters. They hope that by reviving their dead masters they can also get a chance at merging like other species.
>>61982215
The Slaugth, Q'orl and Thexian has enough information to become full fledge armies as well. But an army of crystal beings is kinda promising since we have never seen an alien like that in 40k before.
What kind of play style do you think they have?
>>
>>61935915
That one had a rat-tail too
>>
>>61976430
Well, I would have gotten more results if I had talked to a brick wall than /40kg/. Not surprised really.
>>61982253
Yeah, there is. It’s in the google doc if you check. It’s called a mobile stage just because I wasn’t sure what to call it.
>>
>>61935619
I realise this is late but what the fuck are they? I've never seen them before; they remind me a bit of the old-school enslavers but they're obviously different.
>>
>>61971864
Weren't they all wiped out during the heresy or are they still out there?
>>
>>61947368
>t. metalloid
>>
>>61987380
They were gone by the time of the Heresy, but I meant more in that HH players could do Great Crusade scenarios with their Heresy Era armies
>>
>>61982215
>Resonance and music
That’s actually a ducking awesome idea. A bunch of crystal chime people sounds fun
>>
>>61985226
I think the Xenarch should have a more regimented play style by far than the Rangdan or the Thyrrus. They have specific castes, actual groups of units, and a whole recurring theme of organized and stratified combat. Like crystals, they keep their shit orderly.
>>
File: Jyggalagconcept1.png (3.22 MB, 1000x2314)
3.22 MB
3.22 MB PNG
>>61985226
>>61988874
Maybe they could have psychic powers that use some sort of flowchart. For an example if you want to use a strong psychic shooting attack, you would have to have used some other, weaker/different power on last turn (or before in same game phase).
>>
>>61990099
Why do I feel like Jyggalag is the perfect representation of what the Xenarch should be? Worshipers of chaos and connected to dark powers but highly ordered and rigid. Fits for crystal people I suppose.
I like the flow chart idea, sounds pretty interesting. Could also fit their idea of order and balance.
>>
>>61990216
Because jyggalag is a fantastic piece of design, and also great for Chaos-but-not-chaotic, a niche that hasn't been particularly explored much by Games Workshop as a whole.
>>
>>61992110
How would you get it to work then? I don’t really know much TES lore. Can you explain what he’s all about?
>>
>>61990099
cross-turn rules are worse than resolving character tarpits

stuff like Furious Charge is fine (because it only really refers to one turn, and it's clear whether or not it applies in subsequent turns) but when you're putting down markers next to units or actually running a notebook so everyone can keep track it's more an exercise in database management than a roleplaying game
>>
File: TESIVSI_Concept_Jyggalag.jpg (1.34 MB, 2269x2458)
1.34 MB
1.34 MB JPG
>>61992230
Jyggalag is the Daedric Prince of Order and represents logic, exacting detail, and being so much of a bad motherfucker that all of the other daedric princes conspired to stop him from curb stomping all over their own planes of oblivion and trapped him as Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. Every so often, he breaks free of his shackles, summons his knights of order, torches the Shivering Isles (Sheogorath's daedric plane) and then falls back into being Sheogorath, who has to recreate it all from scratch. Naturally, both sides fucking hate each other.

The real thing with Jyggalag though that makes him so interesting is that his nature is based entirely upon order and law. He wants a universe where everything works as it should, makes sense as it should, and is willing to smack people out of the way if they impede that. The idea of a Chaos faction who actually ascribes a notion of order or structure to Chaos could be really cool, especially if they blame humans for the whole "The warp is a writhing mess of bullshit" thing.

He's also got an awesome silver crystal aesthetic.
>>
>>61992419
Was there any mention of what chaos entity the Xenarch worship? Because if so we could make them worship a minor chaos entity of order and perfection
>>
>>61992509
There wasn't anything in particular, but here was my take on the idea of them worshiping chaos in a non-standard way.

>The Xenarch have worshiped the Chaos Gods since the earliest points of their civilization, being naturally attuned to the warp.
>They see each god not as a single entity, but as a Choir, a vast voice made from the endless emotions that go into creating the warp. Each greater daemon is a Voice, each lesser daemon a Note, in the grand song of the universe.
>Xenarch emotions themselves are ordered and clear things, each emotion distinct and palpable, all the better to fuel the warp. When they are angry, they are angry and nothing else. When they are happy, they are happy and nothing else. Their emotions are clear and resonant, and can refract off each other to strengthen their sorcery.
>Coincidentally, this gives them a weird relationship with the Eldar, because they think the Eldar's emotional potency and the events that led up to the creation of Slaanesh were the absolute coolest shit, and despair at the Eldar refusing to feel so brilliantly again.
>They believe that the universe has a destined path that it should follow, a great Song that, while allowing for deviation, is clear and deliberate in how it should be. The more the universe works towards that song, the better it will be.
>As such, they loathe humanity because their chaos, their messy and base emotions, their endless hatred and spite, has twisted their Song into Discordance. The song still works, but it is muddled and messy and filled with sour notes.
>So they're here to fix it.
>>
>>61992693
>A chaos faction that aren’t complete debauched edgelords and heathens
>Actual interdasting concept behind their worship besides murderfuckkill
>A plan that isn’t totally retarded
Anon I’m gonna have to ask you to stop, this clearly would never work in 40k
Really thought this is brilliant. A non retarded chaos faction at last
>>
>>61992693
I love the idea of the zenarch being incapable of even comprehend chaos in anything but vibrations and tunes. The “choir” to them is nothing but gibberish to other species - not even following any pattern or flow just complete chaos. Their worship of the chaos gods comes from their past as a fragile species attacked from all sides and can be easily shattered with an exact resonant frequency. After they’ve pledged their loyalty to chaos, their crystals constantly vibrate with white noise that cancels out their weakness with resonance.
Kinda reminds me of Rot Lop Fan - an alien that the very idea of light and colors is incomprehensible but he still manage to join the green lanterns anyway.
>>
>>61992851
>A chaos faction that aren’t complete debauched edgelords and heathens
>Actual interdasting concept behind their worship besides murderfuckkill
>A plan that isn’t totally retarded
We already have that in the form of the Blood Pact. And yes, they are awesome.
>>
>>61993241
Rot Lop Fan is the best, and that whole comic where he gets his ring is amazing. The idea of trying to approximate "Green" but as a note is wonderful.
>>
>>61992693
Expanding on this idea a bit, I think a cool way of showing Xenarch sorcery would be to have it go off an idea someone posted earlier in the thread of "resonance". Like for example, a single sorcerer could cast a warpbolt, but could also channel their warpbolt to resonate with others, using their actions to all cast a single warpbolt that would be significantly improved. I'm thinking it would be easiest rules-wise, to have each of their warp abilities have four "steps", each with a requisite number of casters to get to that step, and that extended cast spells could have the ability for sorcerers to jump in on it to buff it up.

Additionally, the concept of resonance could be a cool way of how their units work, with their units working best the more of them there are and the closer they are together, working off of each other to improve via their own psychic fields. The more damage they suffer, the more erratic and less ordered they become. They want to overwhelm the enemy with the power of their song and the pureness of their voice, before the opponent can muddle out the key notes of their music.
>>
>>61994325
I like the premise of needing other units to amplify attacks. That’s sounds like it could be fun for army builiding - different unit combinations result in different attacks
I feel like that could play into their society and culture as well. Xenarch are seldom alone, preferring clans which will resonate with them both for protection and comfort.
>>
>>61994949
So lets say then too that Xenarch units attached to a specific Chaos God has their own flavor they put on the harmony when they're part of it. A large enough group of Nurgle-flavored Xenarchs (What would they call the chaos gods anyway? What would each choir be named?) would instill extra toughness or wounds to the rest of their unit, by the virtue of harmonizing with the greater choir of Nurgle lurking in the void and imparting some of that essence of despair.

Alternatively, they could have interesting twists on the general effects of the chaos gods based on their own interpretations of them via the Choir. Instead of Nurgle granting resilience and toughness via necrotizing flesh, the Choir of Nar'kul focuses on Nurgle's essence as the god of despair and placidity, slowing enemy units or granting their own units the ability to still their bodies to avoid bleeding out, or their snipers the ability to stop their own bodily processes to make the perfect shot without autonomic interference. Tzeentch could be the god of hope first and foremost, focusing on manipulating luck and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, perhaps using a similar mechanic to AoS's Tzeetch stuff's cheat dice. Khorne could be the god of Honor, or perhaps if not bloodshed then combat, focused on imparting precision, clarity, and and speed over strength and brutality. And Slaanesh as the god of Creativity or Passion could deal with focusing the already clear and powerful emotions of the Xenarchs to a razor edge, putting Slaanesh as the Xenarch equivalent of a sorcerer god, born from the warp as an ascendant being from the act of purest emotional power from the Eldar.
>>
>>61996353
That actually sounds really cool. Would it be a deal like with HH Thousand a Sons where you pick one of the chaos gods for each squad, with each having a bit of psychic power.
>>
>>61996353
So you would say they tend to reflect the more positive sides of Chaos?
>>
>>61996353
Should they have good transports and teleportation shenanigans? From the Xenarch theme of resonance and needing certain units close to each other, having a way to move units quickly so they can Resonate in a way that produces what the situation calls for sounds important to them.

For example, Unit X resonating with Unit Y results in anti-tank shots. Unit Y is on the right flank and Unit X is on the left flank. A Land Raider is approaching the right flank, does it make sense to try to use a transport to bus Unit X to the opposite flank so it can resonate with Y and take down the Land Raider? Can transports even do what I described in this edition of WH40K?
>>
>>61996680
I could see that. I think their resonance buff shouldn't max out on a single unit, giving the option to have more potent resonance by playing an army focused on a single Choir, or by going for versatility with multiple Choirs and getting weaker buffs overall. By synthesizing complementary buffs and figuring out combinations that work to a particular playstyle, you create the Song that makes up your particular army.

>>61997658
I wouldn't say "positive" more than just "more ordered". Khorn is still and uncompromising and lethal arbiter of death. Nurgle is still the god of despair and hopelessness and stagnation. Tzeentch if the god of hope, is still the god of false hope as well as real hope, capricious and mercurial. And Slaanesh as the god of passion is driven by them, forever seeking new ideas and dreams and magics, and therefore abandoning its followers at its own whim. They aren't any less dangerous, but they're a bit less evil overall. More stable, more something that a species and society could develop around.

I figure they kind of treat the Choirs as dangerous, powerful, and sublime in the classical sense. Natural phenomenon that inspires awe and trepidation and worship, and their belief in the idea of the Great Song that all the universe should follow is built out of the ideas of what to do to work with the Choirs and have all the universe thrive under their song.
>>
>>61997790
I like the idea of the “Great Song”
Do they believe other races can partake, or is it a “only we know the True Tone, the rest must be silenced!”
>>
>>61998124
I think that they would believe that other races CAN, as evidenced by the Eldar creating Slaanesh and therefore an entire new Choir, but I also think that they believe themselves to be "conductors" of the song. It's their job to organize the music of the universe, to silence sour notes and promote the harmony that would allow a world in tune with the great Choirs of the warp. They'd be not necessarily violent, but very controlling and authoritative. Probably it's a spectrum though, with some groups of Xenarch believing that their tone is the only true one, and others believing in tonal synthesis with other races instead of simple dictation.

Unfortunately, humans became a big, big problem. Their effect on the warp makes Chaos progressively more chaotic to the Xenarch, throwing in sour notes and muddled tunes, and throwing the whole song out of whack in a manner that makes it the biggest problem the Xenarch face. Some Xenarch use this as an example of why they should just exterminate everyone else, since if humans managed to do *this* what the hell would happen if we let anyone else stay around? The main counterpoint to that of course, is the Fall of the Eldar, but its a hotly debated topic.
>>
>>61998290
Nice! I like these guys, they seem like a more logical chaos faction. Not completely “kill all everything” which is nice. The whole resonance and song thing is awesome
>>
File: 40k skaven 1.jpg (54 KB, 720x354)
54 KB
54 KB JPG
>>61936412
>>61941249
Here, have this concept art.
>>
File: 40k skaven 2.jpg (44 KB, 720x416)
44 KB
44 KB JPG
>>61998730
>>
File: 40k skaven 3.jpg (49 KB, 720x508)
49 KB
49 KB JPG
>>61998740
These three are all I have, and sadly I don't know what book or article they came from originally. I remember seeing a fourth image somewhere that talked about how high-ranking Skaven carry around Warpstone-based hookahs to get high on whenever they feel like (as seen in the first image) while the rank-and-file huffed the fumes from their guns instead.
>>
Bump
>>
>>61998772
>Warpstone Hookahs.
I dig it. Honestly I can totally see 40k Skaven taking on a more Ottoman Empire feel with their aesthetic, to provide contrast against the walls of skulls and aquilas that is the empire. Some deliberately Byzantine themes to contrast the Imperium with their nature as the "the worst parts of humanity"
>>
A quick bump to keep this lovely thread alive while I sleep, so I can hopefully post some art for it tomorrow.
>>
>>61998730
>>61998740
>>61998772
I sorta like the idea, but at the same time just taking armies from one game and slapping them into others seems kind of lazy to me. But then again, what do I know.
>>
>>62001822
Chaos Daemons are literally copy/pasted between Fantasy and 40k, and most of the early races were Games Workshop taking their fantasy races and putting them IN SPAAACE.

And in any case I'm fairly certain those sketches predate Skaven being introduced into Warhammer at all, what with being part of Jes' original original concept work for them from 1991.
>>
>>62002377
True, my point stands invalidated.
>>
>Xenarch society is highly communal, as Xenarch find comfort in the resonance of their kin. As such, Xenarch planets are often dotted with infrequent, but densely packed cities. Titanic crystalline spires reach into the heavens, while hab-blocks dig deep into the ground. The oldest of Xenarch words are converted into planetwide cities, their surfaces an endless plane of twinkling crystal.
>Of the few reports of Xenarch worlds describe a continuous, hypnotic singing that seems to resonate from the planet itself. Within their cities, all things seem to shimmer and vibrate with the constant resonance of Xenarch bio-energy. Even the streets sing softly. The sky is often bright as day, even in the darkest of nights. If it were not the work of vile Xenos, it would almost be beautiful.
>Despite their insistence on the perfection of “the Great Song,” the Xenarch permit the existence of some Xeno races within their Empire. With the exception of some races (most especially Humans), the Xenarch believe all life can contribute to the Great Song. However, they also believe that as the conductors of the Great Song, they are allowed to take whatever actions are necessary to ensure that the many notes are sweet and harmonious. Many within Xenarch space are subjected to continuous genetic modification and “tuning,” weather they consent or not.
>>
>>62003599
>Due to their unorthodox biology, the Xenarch do not display any concept of gender or sexuality. New Xenarch are produced by a process involving the combined psychic resonance and bio-electricity emission by several other “elder” Xenarches. Xenarch names consist of a series of tones, each name is unique and increases in complexity with social status.
>Social status is determined by factors such as number of facets, clarity of the body, color, tonal purity, psychic sensitivity, and adherence to the Choir. However as a highly ordered society, the Xenarch recognize individuals of merit, and as such Xenarch created of lower status may rise in rank based upon their worthiness.
>>
>>61969400
Maybe a heavy support unit could be a Barong? He’s the mythological counterpart of Rangda, and looks like a giant lion thing. So maybe a widespread mobile weapons platform
>>
File: Stronghold.jpg (50 KB, 939x509)
50 KB
50 KB JPG
Battlefleet Gothic made me wish we had more on the Demiurg. I know they're just dwarves in SPESS but their ships look fucking awesome.
>>
>>62003599
>Despite their insistence on the perfection of “the Great Song,” the Xenarch permit the existence of some Xeno races within their Empire. With the exception of some races (most especially Humans), the Xenarch believe all life can contribute to the Great Song.
I like your homebrewing but it is said that the Xenarch are a isolationist xenos species so that part wouldn't fit into canon. Still good work.
>>
>>62005941
Good point, I forgot that
>>62005708
I feel like most Tau allies could use proper fluff
>>
>>61935602
That make quit a bunch of insectoid enslaver there, competition for the human labour must be rude.
>>
>>61935602
Why is the Nicassar here a squid but other art shows polar bears and shit?
>>
>>62007778
I think the polar bears thing came from someone at GW saying they were like flat polar bears. Note that the bears thing might not be meant literally, Nicassar are known to hibernate for extended periods of time, and that might be where the comparison to bears rose from.
>>
File: nicassar-1-1.jpg (43 KB, 800x691)
43 KB
43 KB JPG
>>62008045
Huh, weird. I like the little squid guys some people drew, they're cute
>>
>>62008177
Daww
>>
>>61923742
Why have I never heard of the Q'orl before?
A empire of mind-slaving buggers sounds awesome.
>>
>>62009911
Like most minor Xenos they suffer from NPC Syndrome. They're hardly developed, and mostly there for the big dudes to beat up on. That's why we're here, to share what we love about minor Xenos and try and fluff them out a bit for fun.
Speaking of which, we're about to hit the bump limit. Is there any more interest in continuing this (Especially the Thyrrus stuff)
>>
>>61973464
The window was actually meant to be like a balcony where they can show off from but my drawing skills betrayed me
>>
>>62010062
I think this thread is pretty legit, some great ideas here, we just need some drawfags and writefags before it fades away or devolves into shitposting. The Thyrrus codex is cool but I think it should become a general minor xenos thing.
>>
>>62010264
I think the original idea was to flesh the Thyrrus out a bunch since we already had a few units, and then make what would function as killteams for each Xeno as doing complete codexes would take ages
>>
>>62010062
>>62010264
>>62010289
In that case, let's start another then? See if we can either finish up the Thyrrus codex or put together the start of some of the kill teams.
>>
>>62008177
Agreed Anon, though I've got a think for cephalopods the little bastards are just fascinating.
>>
>>62010377
Anyone wanna start it? I’m the OP but I’m at work
>>
File: TheWrithingWorld.jpg (91 KB, 510x804)
91 KB
91 KB JPG
>>61943309
I´m always wondering if one of the slaugth planets are "that" one inside of the screaming vortex
>>
>>61953457
maybe these fucker lies all around (both close and open) star clusters and the very edges of the halo zone





Delete Post: [File Only] Style:
[Disable Mobile View / Use Desktop Site]

[Enable Mobile View / Use Mobile Site]

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective parties. Images uploaded are the responsibility of the Poster. Comments are owned by the Poster.