Imperial Agencies outside the military

"In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war!"

Well, that's only half true.  You see, there's a whole universe of people living their lives across the galaxy, and the war-borne nature of the Imperium is a huge inconvenience to that.  In this post, we're gonna take a look at the other huge organizations within the human empire and begin to understand more of the life of an average dude in an otherwise terrible setting...

Adeptus Ministorum
This is the largest of all the organizations in the Imperium.  On every planet and in every community is a massive number of Priests and Clerics.  Their role is to preach the word of the God-Emperor and ensure the strength of faith in every citizen.

There may be one accepted belief in the Imperium, but there is certainly not a single, unified system.  You see, the galaxy is a vast place full of humans of every possible culture and society.  Some planets are 'standard' worlds with basic freedoms and simple life, while others are crowded hive worlds too polluted for anyone to live outside the massive armored tower-cities.  Still other worlds are backwater feral planets with tribes of humans who see their world in 'naturalist' terms and believe more in the power of nature.  It must also be noted that generations of humans are born and die in grand spaceships, moons and asteroids support colonies, and any number of other environments exist where mankind lives.  All these different places must be faithful, and the priests are responsible for every soul wherever they are.

The underlying core of the Imperial Faith is that the immortal God-Emperor united all man acrss the stars and introduced them to a utopia of shared sacrifice and success.  With the great powers that he wielded, he held back the invading enemies of man, from alien to witch, and freed humankind from certain extinction.  Whether he did this as the Sun-God, Warrior-Avatar, or Benevolent Spirit is what makes each world's belief system vary from the next. 

The Ecclesiarchy, as the Adeptus Ministorum is more commonly known, is also responsible for creating more 'local' centers of worship.  Not only does this include Saints and Holy Artefacts, but they also create massive churches and cathedrals, commonly known as Basilicas.  These Basilicas serve to remind the surrounding population of the power of faith, as well as housing artefacts and bodies of Saints worshipped by the people.  In fact, the vast majority of migration in the Imperium is holy pilgrimages to these places.  The Imperial Faith serves as a driving force for the person, a protecting force for culture, and a unifying force for the entire galactic society. 


Adeptus Administratum
The second largest organization in the Imperium, this is the body responsible for the operation of the empire.  It is, by far, the most non-descript of all and yet is probably the most important in the galactic sense.

To this body do the Governors and their attendant staffs belong.  This is where the secretaries, librarians, bookkeepers, accountants, and all other manner of administrators belong.  Each planetary lord is required to govern thousands or millions of these workers, ensuring that his world is able to provide protection for the people and supply the required tithes to the Imperial efforts. 

When a noble wishes to ship goods off-world, it's the Administratum that they must see.  When a civilian needs to acquire permits for work-crews or seeks records for family or business ventures, it's the Administratum they must see.  This organization may not be the most efficient or fastest group, but its importance is far greater than the average person knows.


Adeptus Telepathica
This group is neither large nor well-known, but its role is vital nonethess.  For millenia, the mutation that grants humans psychic powers has become more common.  Here is where the darkness and light of the galaxy converge.

Some humans develop powers that are useful, while most are very dangerous to greater society.  The use of psychic powers simply pulls the stuff of the Immaterium, or the Warp, into the real world.  Shaping this power into effects is how the Psyker is able to manifest these abilities.  Most common of all is the power to communicate across the vastness of space.

Standard communication through real-space would take thousands, or even millions, of years.  The ability to send messages through the Warp allows communication to take hours, days, or weeks, but definitely increases the ability to operate a galactic empire.  Mutual defense would be impossible, otherwise.  The ability to travel and trade would be impossible as well.  In fact, the 'Dark Age' of humankind befell because interstellar communication was impossible.  Luckily, the Emperor determined the need and found the timing coincided with calmer Warp-storms and established an entire empire across the galaxy.

It should also be noted that this organization co-exists with the Inquisition and Adeptus Astronomica.  While some humans develop fantastic powers, they would go unnoticed except in their societies and the need of the Imperium would go woefully unmet.  The Black Ships of the Inquisition visit nearly every planet and collect all Psykers detected by that governor.  Those that are found strong and able are sent to academies and trained to use their arts, where they are then assigned to planetary Administratums and even sanctioned for use by Imperial Guard regimental commanders.  Those that are found weak and unable to control their powers are turned over to the Astropathic Choir, where they will be soul-fed to the Golden Throne, keeping the Emperor's body barely alive and magnifying the holy Beacon.

Finally, within this organization is the tiny body known as the Navis Nobilitae.  This is the group of families that have the unique psychic mutation that creates the three-eyed navigators.  This group of humans is able to 'see' in the Warp and even detect the holy Beacon, known as the Astronomicon (named after the group that feeds it).  They are as secretive as the Inquisition itself, and therefore won't be discussed here.

Adeptus Arbites
Here is the organization that ensures lawlessness does not break out on planets.  The Arbites are the peace-keeping force that searches for heresies, mutinites, and planetary plots of destruction and mayhem.

Although they are not 'military' as such, the Adeptus Arbites recieve better training and equipment thna the average Imperial Guard soldier.  Their armor and weapons are made to withstand great amounts of punishment and give it back out.  Their normal foes are as low as simple hive-ganger and as great as Renegade Governor's personal bodyguards.  Toss in the occasional monsters and mutants, all too common in the massive Imperium, and the need to be so effective in combat is obvious.

Take note that the Arbites are not the same as police or constables in normal society.  The Arbites are responsible for Imperial Law, enacting operations to ensure the galaxy is safe from every planet's risks to it.  The Arbites' authority is derived from the High Lords themselves, allowing them to investigate the very planetary government they are there to protect.  Should a Governor ever decide to become independant and renegade from the Imperium, it is the Arbites that will be his first enemy.  The Adeptus Arbites are cop, judge, and executioners given form in practice and authority.  In order to ensure the purity of this practice, newly-trained Arbites are always stationed to worlds sectors from their own, to ensure they are always brutal and objective when meeting out the Emperor's law.

It must be understood that each planet does still have its own law enforcement agencies.  Some planets have citizen-constables, noble-supported personal militias, and even powerful family elders.  The most prominent planets use Enforcers, local law-enforcement agencies that closely mirror the Adeptus Arbites.  However, their realm of influence are very different, and even Enforcers are subject to the judgement of local Arbites.


Adeptus Mechanicus
This organization is special insofar as it's not officially a part of the Imperium.  Little do most people know, the Emperor granted the Mechanicus freedom and autonomy in return for weapons and technology.  The Imperium and Mechanicus is 'allied' for a greater cause, but they are not the same.

The Adeptus Mechanicus is the culture that grew on Mars for thousands of years before the ascension of the almighty Emperor on Terra.  When he began his expansion, marching legions of steam-punk warriors into space, he found the red planet controlled by a technologically-advanced people who controlled machinery well beyond his wildest dreams.  Once the inital friction between the two forces had abated, the Imperial armies were outfitted with fantastic weaponry, advanced starships, and great techonology that mankind had long since forgotten about or lost.  In return for their autonomy, the Fabricator-Generals of Mars agreed to supply and upkeep this technology.  For this advancment of thousands of years, the Imperium need only turn over all newfound archeotech to the Mechanicum.

Since mankind had long-since forgotten and lost all the technology they had discovered and created for 50 millenia, working machines were given a spiritual reverence.  In fact, the Adeptus Mechanicus themselves imbued all technology as being holy, and their society revered the Omnissiah above all.  Semi-sentient computers, blessed machinery, and holy weapons became a lifestyle and faith.  So much so that the Mechanicus people seek to replace organic body parts with machinery and change their rational thinking faculties to binary, ridding themselves of the failings of the human body. 

Every organization of any repute in the galaxy has Adeptus Mechanicus agents in thrall.  Not only are these tech-priests necessary for the upkeep of all the gear that makes the empire operate, but their presence allows the expansion and discovery of the empire of technology.  Without the Adeptus Mechanicus nearby, great war engines would never be shared across the breadth of the Imperial armies, citizens would never have the opportunity to learn how to care for their equipment, and the planetary Lords would cease to have the power over the masses that they often enjoy.  Unfortunately the inhuman behaviours of the tech-priests often creates conflict and antipathy in normal humans, usually for good reason.



There are many more organizations that bear mentioning, but these are the big ones.  I hope to produce another blog for them, but I'm sure that'll be far in the future.  In the meantime, enjoy the universe and always feel free to let me know what you think!

Things to come in 6th edition?

Of the greatest archetypes in the universe, none is as emulated as the wise-cracking Detective-type.  In fact, entire RPGs are based on this theme!  But I digress.  This post is to discuss quickly some things I recently noticed and may infer through my detective skills...

We all know that GW loves to drop hints for upcoming releases well ahead of time.  Remember the Dreadnought's cameo in a battle report all those years ago?  It was months before the plastic version was finally released.  Remember that crazy writing that randomly appeared in White Dwarf waaaaay back in '01?  It turned out to be a Tau message to the Imperium, and the Tau were introduced to 40k a few months later.  Have you noticed the Azrael image on the spine of the last few months' White Dwarfs?  Obviously, this means Dark Angels will be getting some love soon.

In fact, it seems that the rumour-mill has pounded the idea of the new starter box contents being Dark Angels and Chaos Space Marines.  To steal from this unconfirmed source, the contents are apparently as follows:

Dark Angels
-Terminator Captain
-10 Tactical Marines
-5 Terminators
-3 Bikes
Chaos
-Sorceror
-5 Possessed
-5 Chosen Marines
-10 Cultists

Now I don't think this is a very strong balance between the two forces, if this turns out to be true, but then look at the current starter kit.  Or the one before that.  And before that.  Yeah, balance is not the key to a starter kit.  In any case, here's my source (and even they claim it's not reliable, so take it with a bit of salt):  http://apocalypse40k.blogspot.com/2012/04/flyers-gw-2012-release-schedule-6th.html

So what have I gleaned from this?  If true, this means that a)Cultists make it into the Chaos Marine codex!  Yay!  As a Word Bearer, I find this to be completely welcome and even well past-due.  b)Chosen may become beefed-up Troops or just damned amazing!  and c)Possessed may actually become useable in smaller games, which would mean a reduction in points-cost or even simple abilities (i.e. no stupid roll to gamble on goodness).  As far as the Dark Angels, well...  they're Dark Angels, so what is there to say?  They've been the same for decades now, so no surprises there.

So there's some cool clues for ya.  But, much like an infommercial- THERE'S MORE!!!

If anyone has taken the time to pick up the White Dwarf this month, there's some cool bits in there.  Go grab your magazine (at least the three of you that still bother to pick one up each month, that is) and open to page 75.  You'll notice it's the start of the 'Death Worlds' mini-dex with a few scenarios.  These scenarios may hold some clues you may not have noticed...

Pg 78- Scoring units...  In the current edition, only Troops are scoring.  However, these scenarios allow for all infantry, jump infantry, cavalry, and bikes to count as scoring.  Is this for a single scenario?  Nope.  I would venture to guess that 40k 6th Edition may redefine 'scoring' units as this list.

Pg 80-84-  Deployment/First Turn...  Notice that all three scenarios require the players to deploy differently than the current rules.  In the current game, one player sets up their whole army at once and then usually goes first.  But these scenarios require players to take turns deploying one unit at a time and then to roll off to see who goes first.  I feel like 6th ed. may be returning to this format for game setup.

Pg 80-85-  Deployment...  See how all three scenarios are split length-wise?  Now I don't know if this means that the three basic versions of setup for these scenarios means that all 6th edition games will be this way, but it is an interesting situation that there are now three distinct types of deployment zones, all using the same pattern.  Most specifically, check out the pg. 85 deployment, with the table split into 6 sectors.  Not only do I think this is actually brilliant, but it does fit quite nicely with the Realm of Battle tables.  Wouldn't it be obvious to use this as a potential deployment instead of the common 'table quarters'?

Now, check out the battle report starting on page 86.  This is definitely stretching, but you never know...

Pg 87- Army Lists...  Notice how small these armies are?  I'm not saying that this is gonna be normal, but is 6th edition gonna go down in points for the main focus?  We know most gamers out there have gazillions of points and thousands of models, and we know that new hobbyists have a hard time getting into the hobby because the Hobby Centers no longer recruit as well as they used to, but also (and much more obviously) because the price to collect an army has shot upwards to almost unaffordable.  How should GW fix this so they continue to grow the business in the future?  Why not drop the size of games so the cost isn't as high and 'noobs' are not-so-easily discouraged to get into it?

Pg 89- the Battle itself...  In the entire three-page battle report, the Tyranids assaulted into combat twice, while the Space Wolves only did so once.  But here's the kicker- on this page it seemed that both players got their respective move and shoot phases in order and then charged at the same time.  I may be reading too deeply into an abridged report, but the impression I got from this is that a turn works like this:  Player 1 moves then shoots, player 2 moves then shoots, player 1 assaults, player 2 assaults.  Maybe GW is gonna use an 'integrated turn sequence' where each player gets to act in each phase of the game before moving to the next phase.  Wouldn't that actually be kinda cool?

Do I know this stuff to be even a possibility?  No I don't.  Do I think or hope these extrapolations will be true?  Nope, it's not scientific.  I make no judgements until the new edition's book is IN MY HANDS.  That's why I haven't looked at the online version of the 'leaked rulebook' and why I haven't called my 'Fortress Monastary' and badgered my many sources.  I simply refuse to fall for the rumour-mongering.  But I can't help but point out certain observations.  After all, my service to the Imperium taught me that clues are everywhere, if you just know where to look...  :-)

Whiners should be turned into Spawn!

It has been years since GW put out the latest version of the Chaos Space Marine codex.  It replaced one of the most broken army books ever written, but that hasn't stopped the skads of haters over the years. 

I have been playing this awesome game since Clinton was President of this country, and I've had the honor of seeing EVERY army get their love over and over.  Add to that my time in the Emperor's service and I can tell you that my own Power Armor has taken every kind of shot the less-controlled gamers out there can throw.  One of the many has been the incessant whining about the CSM book.

In second edition, the game saw a great Chaos codex- thicker than any other and packed full of great artwork and fluff!  Then, the much-ridiculed third edition was released and the Chaos Marines were given their 'pamphlet', just like everyone else.  Unlike everyone else, however, this pamphlet/codex worked for Chaos.  The Ultramarines were terrible, the Eldar were useless, and the Orks didn't even know they were an army for the longest time.  But all this came as hindsight and, eventually, GW produced addendum codices and Chapter-approved articles which helped flesh the armies out.  For Chaos Marines, this equalled ridiculous 'up-gunning' in the form of Legion rules.  Oh how frustrated I was, as a Word Bearers player, that the background and army-themes changed to better fit the models.  But alas, it was cool and really allowed the CSM to exhibit that customary theme they so desparately craved.

Then came the days.  GW released 4th edition and the greatest of all Chaos codices.  This book was packed full of options- so much so that tournament-organizers such as myself had to judge those army lists separate from the rest of the pack just to dedicate the necessary time to check everything!  Daemon Princes were broken, Bloodletters were beyond broken (even at 28 points or whatever they were at that time), and the Legion rules found in the back of the book were redonkulously broken.  This book was so powerful that tournaments in the entire tri-state area I was in were dominated by the Chaos ilk.  This book was stupidly good, but at least it was fun and could be beaten.

Now is the days of 'woe-is-me' from all those Chaos players.  No longer do Legion rules exist.  No longer do Chaos Marines 'pop out' Bloodletters with little the enemy can do other than die.  No longer does the Chaos player simply need to show up to almost always win. 

You see, GW released the newest book just before 5th edition was revealed.  The codex showed a distinct format of 'simple and good'.  No longer was there supposed to be an entire science to understanding the army-building, but instead focussed on the playing IN the battle itself.  It wasn't the only book to get this format, either.  Check out the Dark Angels and Eldar books.

So let's talk about what the gripes people have brought to me are and how I answer all those:

My army sucks because I'm a moron!!!

• The units aren't as good anymore!  Apparently, Berserkers being WS5 and with Furious charge (while rockin' 4 attacks on the charge) doesn't make up for the lack of 'choppas'.  Apparently, Raptors are useless even though they're nothing but special-weapon-wielding Assault Marines for only 20 points, which was cheap before normal Space Marines dropped in cost.  Apparently, Daemon Princes aren't as good as Lords, despite being waaaay cheaper AND with better stats!  See a theme here yet?
• Chaos Marines are no good compared to everything else!  Yeah, because being cheaper than loyalists, with a higher Leadership (making up for not having ATSKNF) and being armed with bolters AND close combat gear is terrible, right?  Second only to Grey Hunters, they are the most versatile troops in the game!
• There's no options in this book anymore!  Let's see, of all the options in the 4th edition version of the army, players took the same things that are now listed in the 5th edition codex.  In other words, GW did little more than remove the overpowered 'daemonic gifts' and leave the common options in the book.  Did I mention this was the new format when that codex was released?  Also, every single unit in the book has tons of options as it is.  Did Lords lose their Daemonc Mounts?  Nope.  Did Terminators lose any weapon upgrades?  Nope.  In fact, they gained Lightning Claws!  For cheap!!!  Again, most common options, in.  Stupid overpowered Daemonic crap, out.  Easy.
• They can't take real Daemons anymore!  Of all the daemons that Chaos could take, it was Bloodletters or Plaguebearers that were seen on the battlefield.  I must admit that the 'summoning' rules mixed with Daemon Banners and holding Bloodletters were so broken that it frustrated the hell outta me (see the pun I did there?).  That being said, GW wanted to make an all-Daemon army, and they could only do that if CSM no longer used them.  Who would use all Daemons when they don't have armour, transports, or heavy weapons if the CSM book gave you all those PLUS the warp-spawns?!  In addition, there is a great reason from a 'fluff' standpoint- When the Chaos Gods look to send help to their forces in the Material Realm, they'll send their best to help the poor Cultists and they'll send their average to help their nigh-unstoppable Renegade Marines.  What help do the Legions need?  Not much...

• Finally, the most important and common complaint of all- I can no longer do my themed list anymore!!!  Man, it must suck to not be able to use Khorne Berserkers and Bikers to back up that Khorne Lord...  Oh wait, you can!  Seeing as Cult Troops are still troops, this isn't an issue.  What's really missing is the bonus to summoning for 'sacred numbered' squads.  Well, waaaaaah!  The ability to still represent a chosen Chaos God or a basic Legion is still there.  If anyone should be angry, it's me!  I play Word Bearers.  First, we lost our cultists to the damned Alpha Legion, but we gained Daemons and Dark Chaplains.  Then we lost all of it.  If any armies suffer from this sudden 'lack of theme', they're the Undivided Armies- Word Bearers and Alpha Legion!  Black Legion, Night Lords, and Iron Warriors lost little or nothing at all.

At the end of the day, I get so tired of the cry-babies.  I have been an avid Ultramarine player for years and always pooped on, yet I didn't start whining until this year.  And that whining was in response to Chaos players whining about their book.  I like theme.  I like specific Legions/Chapters being awesome at what they do.  But I'm also a lover of the game for the story, not the rules.  And until my Ultramarines become something other than the worst Chapter in their own book, and my Word Bearers become something other than red Black Legion, I'm gonna tell all the whiners out there this:

Anyone who continues to whine about this deserves the final fate of all failed champions-  Spawn-hood!!!

The Word is Lord!

 As promised, I would start painting soon.  I had the urge and my crippled left arm wasn't enough to stop me, so here's some work!

I mentioned before that GW seems to be focussed on Dark Angels and Chaos, so I decided to start working on the greatest of all Chaos Legions- the Word Bearers.    I love Terminators, so it only made sense for me to have HQs in that armor, plus Chaos looks good in the big, bulky plate! 

Here's my Warlord:

Some of you are looking at it and saying, "But Jay, they can't have a single Lightning Claw and a Power Axe!"  Yeah, I don't care.  This model looks cool as hell and it sorta gives me some leeway in-game:  I can claim it as a Daemon Weapon OR two Lightning Claws if my opponent is willing.  More than anything, I just thought it looked cool and besides, who knows what the new codex will allow?

Now we know that any Chaos army has Warlords, but what makes the Word Bearers unique?  Simple:  Chaos Chaplains (or Dark Apostales for you nutters out there)!!!  I decided, many moons ago, to convert one up and use him for the sake of uniqueness.  On top of that, you guys know that I'm super pro-fluff, so I was more or less compelled. 

Here's the Dark Chaplain:

Again, I'm sure some of you are staring incredulously at this guy and wondering, "Jay, why would you have TWO Lords in one army?"  Fret not, friends, for this is NOT a Lord.  Since GW saw fit to remove the option of Dark Apostales from my army list (and I wasn't too bent out of shape, but that's a different discussion), I decided to use my Chaplain as a Sorcerer.  Think about this- who would master the power of the warp better than the warrior who preaches it?  Yeah, now you get it.  And yes, that means his Dark Crozius is a Force Weapon...

I have to admit, it felt good to paint.  My injuries didn't slow me down nearly as much as I thought they would and Chaos can be a blast to paint if you're motivated enough to do it.  Let me know what you guys think and expect more from the painting bench on this side. 

Happy Hobbying!