The Primarchs [spoilers in tags]

[Lupe]

The World Eaters blasted Prandium? Do you mean the Word Bearers?

Wait a second here... It is possible that the World Eaters will actually wreak havoc on Prandium in Betrayer. After all, Lorgar and Angron are heading for a new assignment, into Ultramar, at the same time the bulk of the Word Bearers are engaging the Ultramarines at Calth.

So, the character's remarks on the destruction caused by the World Eaters is real, and one of the reasons that particular location was chosen to simulate a battle against that particular legion.

[Kiro]

Wait a second here... It is possible that the World Eaters will actually wreak havoc on Prandium in Betrayer. After all, Lorgar and Angron are heading for a new assignment, into Ultramar, at the same time the bulk of the Word Bearers are engaging the Ultramarines at Calth.

So, the character's remarks on the destruction caused by the World Eaters is real, and one of the reasons that particular location was chosen to simulate a battle against that particular legion.

Lorgar and Angron aren't going to Ultramar, they're just terrorising Ultima Segmentum.

[BrainFireBob]

I think a number of posters missed the subtext of that story.

Guilliman provided the Codex Astartes- now presented as a mathematical model of war- to some of his captains; then personally commanded other Ultramarines in a mimicry of his brother's preferred tactics/styles of war to see how robust the book was. The "World Eaters" at "Prandium" were Guilliman and half the UM in red-painted armor against the other half using wargame tech.

Guilliman has studied all of them in detail, recall.

Fallout seemed to be that the book was solid, but not sufficient to stop the insight of a Primarch/insufficient against Horus and his style of waging war, but effective in general. There's also the trust issue on behalf of the officers.

Apparently, Guilliman is targetting splitting his forces instead of using the Ultramarines as a hammer. By releasing the codex, he's providing his captains with Guilliman-light to make decisions for them.

The nod in Primarchs to his having seized control of elements of the Iron Hands is a nice touch- it may be read as him bleeding the Iron Hands fighting the traitors where critical while training his UM to be the most effective loyalist weapon of the war.

[Scribe of Khorne]

So far read Reflection, and Lion.

I enjoyed Reflection, though I think Mr. McNeill has a bit of a tendency to go on a bit of a soap box tirade if you look at some of the dialogue from Fulgrim in this, and the Emperor in Last Church. Still an entertaining read with some cool descriptions, and shows the mindset of the degenerating legion. I really like the idea that they are becoming obsessive, and its an effort to maintain focus as sensations become too much for them to resist focusing on.

Lion I enjoyed as well, more so then the other works by Mr. Thorpe. I think I have realized now that its his dialogue that I find to be the weakest portion of books, for some reason his style just doesnt sit with me. He said "X" then I said "Y", just seems very stiff? I do enjoy however his internal dialogue with the characters, and found his descriptions to also be well done. I like where its going with Lion becoming more and more paranoid and distrustful, and wonder what kind of conflict we will see between the angels and ultra's. I also liked how he made the Lion feel like more of a Primarch then Corax in Deliverance Lost. A good effort here I felt.

[MajorWesJanson]

The nod in Primarchs to his having seized control of elements of the Iron Hands is a nice touch- it may be read as him bleeding the Iron Hands fighting the traitors where critical while training his UM to be the most effective loyalist weapon of the war.

I saw it as him taking them over after Ferrus Manus was killed, and the Iron Hands starting to fragment. Guilliman just grabbed as many as he could to keep them organized and keep them loyal.
It also ties into the rumor about the UM absorbing the remains of the two lost legions. It could be Guilliman's initial plan to absorb the Iron Hands into the Ultramarines, but changes his mind later and decides to split the Legions down instead.

[Sqallum]

what is the VR gear?
Thanks

[MajorWesJanson]

what is the VR gear?
Thanks

Las Guns and Flak Armor

[Xisor]

I love you. That was an excellent interpretation, and it's answered something that's been on my mind.

Make that a ménage a trois. A perfect reading, I'd say.

[Kiro]

The nod in Primarchs to his having seized control of elements of the Iron Hands is a nice touch- it may be read as him bleeding the Iron Hands fighting the traitors where critical while training his UM to be the most effective loyalist weapon of the war.

Which story was this in?

[RadiO]

what is the VR gear?
Thanks

It just seems to be like real life MILES gear - the weapons fire blank rounds, but the act of firing the weapon triggers a laser beam which simulates the flightpath the bullet would actually take. Dunno how it works with flamers - maybe they used pyrotechnics to simulate the flame.
Although some of the simulations in that story may not be that high-tech. There's that bit during the Air Assault segment against the "Salamanders" where a Thunderhawk hoses down a Landing Zone, and Ventanus mentions that he didn't feel the guns on the ship firing, despite the defenders of the LZ being wiped out. So it may be that an adjudicator on the outside just worked out the probable casualties from a T-Hawk strafing run, and then told some of the defending "Salamanders" that they were "dead" over comms.

[shadowhawk2008]

Which story was this in?

The Lion by Gav Thorpe.

[Sqallum]

It just seems to be like real life MILES gear - the weapons fire blank rounds, but the act of firing the weapon triggers a laser beam which simulates the flightpath the bullet would actually take. Dunno how it works with flamers - maybe they used pyrotechnics to simulate the flame.
Although some of the simulations in that story may not be that high-tech. There's that bit during the Air Assault segment against the "Salamanders" where a Thunderhawk hoses down a Landing Zone, and Ventanus mentions that he didn't feel the guns on the ship firing, despite the defenders of the LZ being wiped out. So it may be that an adjudicator on the outside just worked out the probable casualties from a T-Hawk strafing run, and then told some of the defending "Salamanders" that they were "dead" over comms.

Ah, ok. Thanks

[Satan]

I didn't get the reference at the end of the AL story.

The "other" suit of battle armour in Omegon's Cabin looked unadorned and plain? My first thought from that was the Grey Knights...

[Kalarn]

Same here - description of it sounded very much like Garro's armour and it's hidden rune.

[Satan]

Same here - description of it sounded very much like Garro's armour and it's hidden rune.

That. And

Janus...?

[BlackLegion]

I wonder

Is the Nemiel killed the same Nemiel from the previous HH Dark Angels books?
And Fulgrim killed Eidolon but Index Astartes I implies that he still lives.

[Kiro]

I wonder

Is the Nemiel killed the same Nemiel from the previous HH Dark Angels books?
And Fulgrim killed Eidolon but Index Astartes I implies that he still lives.

Possibly because Index Astartes is outdated now?

[BlackLegion]

Aw no that would be to far fetched...

[Nazguire]

Would have preferred that Eidolon lived, as he has history in the IA as mentioned. Would have been good to constantly see him and Lucius play off each other for influence within the Legion. Eidolon always seemed to me to be someone who was playing catch up (even though he was the first to be implanted) and that Lucius truly embodied the new ideals that Fulgrim believed in. So, just like Nemiel, a death just for death's sake. Unless the BL authors have plans to resurrect him somehow, which is doubtful.

[Lupe]

Oh, come on...

Would it surprise anyone if Slaanesh brought Eidolon back to life just to spite Fulgrim? Or because he found his completely unwarranted ego pleasing? Gods have a way of showing off their power, and besides, this is a good way to show the fringe benefits of siding with Chaos... Top notch health insurance...