Black Templars stealing from Monty Python?

[IBBoard]

I've just been reading the latest White Dwarf (the article about Matt Hutson's Black Templar army) and noticed a reference to the "Holy Orb of Antioch". Now a quick Google for it shows that Antioch was a real-world Crusade location (hence why it's in the Black Templars Codex) but it also turns up a description of the wargear item in question.

Interestingly it is a short range assault weapon with a blast template. It is really easy to wound models and has high AP and an auto-glance feature (note: no specifics or GW legal get upset )

Anyway, can you say "Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch"?!

[solidzaku]

Could be worse, the next Chaos Codex could bring in a new unit called the "Chaos Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog"

[IBBoard]

That'd be major rip-off though - definate legal case! At least Antioch is a real place.

I know GW quite heavily 'borrow' for real history, but the 'Holy Orb' thing seemed a little excessive on the 'using inspiration' front.

[IBBoard]

I've just been talking to TGSC on MSN and we've worked out the special rule that'll come with the next Black Templars special character they create. It'll be one of the following:

• It's only a flesh wound
• 'tis but a scratch
• For they shall know only flesh wounds

[MadMaffMan]

How about new wargear........The Holy Band-aid Dispenser.

And i don't mean the mega charity event...

[IBBoard]

Can you imagine the havoc if it was Band Aid the charity event? Especially if it was Band Aid 20!

Oh the horror, choosing between too many bad hair dos and shoulderpads or all the useless pop acts of modern day

[Librarian Rannos]

How about a special Black Templars rule called Holy Roman Empire's Doom Reign[or Franks's or whatever]???!!!The rule should be something like:"this rule can be used/activated once per batle.Anytime during the Black Templars' player turn,the player can select this ability of his general and activate a hand-held doom's-day
device and claim the match as even.Only for Force cmds.Cost:10pts"!!!

[TGSC]

How about a special Black Templars rule called Holy Roman Empire's Doom Reign[or Franks's or whatever]???!!!The rule should be something like:"this rule can be used/activated once per batle.Anytime during the Black Templars' player turn,the player can select this ability of his general and activate a hand-held doom's-day
device and claim the match as even.Only for Force cmds.Cost:10pts"!!!

I don't get it

[Simguinus]

Somehow, you can just see a Black Templar Commander turning to his Librarian and demanding that Brother Maynard bring forth the Book of Armaments and the Holy Orb....

[IBBoard]

Yeah, it's one thing taking inspiration from various real world cultures, but Monty Python just lets the whole thing down by feeling a bit fake

[Simguinus]

Yes, 'cos there's a difference between inspiration, and even knowing references, and outright copying. Jack Yeovil's (or Kim Newman, depending on how you want to refer to him) novels from both Warhammer and Dark Future continually referenced poular culture - things like Drachenfels quoting 'Dracula' when he meets the adventurers who've come to kill him, or Jeffrey Archer being Conversative PM in 'Demon Download' (still gives me a chuckle ). These are funny, knowing references.
The Goff Rok Band, now that was amusing...giving the Black Templars the Holy Hand Grenade is just plain daft.

[IBBoard]

Dark Future is kinda different though, since it's actually supposed to be Earth in the future (or possibly the past now - I can't remember the date).

As for Dracehnfels, I don't remember him quoting Dracula Maybe I just put it down to 'Vampire speech'!

The Goff Rock Band and other 2nd Edition Ork things were funny, but I think I prefer the newer style. Keep it gritty and gothic, with a small amount of Orky 'it dont work boss' humour (like Super Stikkbombs blowing the big mek up), but comedy with Marines just doesn't work.

[Simguinus]

It's the past now, since Comeback Tour was set in 1998 (May the 8th 1998, to be specific, and I can remember that cos it's my birthday).

Arguably, 40K is supposed to Earth in the far, far, future, so references such as I described within DF are perfectly acceptable, things like the Captain of the Dock Watch in Beast in Velvet being called Dickon (which makes him Dickon of the Dock Watch, which is pretty close to Dickon of Dock Green *groan*), which is funny in a sort of roll-your-eyes kind of way.

The Drachenfels quote is "welcome to my house, enter freely, go safely and leave a little of the...". Constant never gets to finish this as Menesh lamps him with a sword, possibly out of an aggrieved literary sensitivity

I agree, whilst the Rok Band was amusing, it's better to keep that kind of thing to minimum. Although I disapprove strongly of things like *shudders* 'Oooge Choppas'...and much prefer the Kombi-weapons as presented in WD13? with the drawings by the Pen-Runtz and the mishaps table.

Marines aren't comedy, and shouldn't be. Except wherein you can get a joke out naming your marine.

[IBBoard]

I thought it was Dixon of Dock Green. I know a lot of WH names are very real world-esque, but I never actually noticed that one

As for 40K, it's still based around Earth, but by the 41st millenium I think we'd have forgotten most references. At least by 1998 Monty Python would still have been a 'recent reference', and Jeffry Archer was (although he was probably in prison ). Somehow real world references like that, unless they're something majorly important like a generic reference to the Crusades or some other huge even, just don't seem right in the universe.

[Simguinus]

Agreed, but subtle references, like the White Scars being nomadic warriors, and their Primarch just happens to be called Jaghati Khan. Or the Call me Ishmael... story in Necromunda about the Sump Spiders. Things which have generic 'resonance' without being daft. Monty Python is just not on, its too commonly referenced in the general gaming community already, and smacks of silliness for sillinesses sake - an excess which some Ork stuff is definitely guilty of.

And yeah, it should have been Dixon of Dock Green. Cf Robo-Dixon in Demon Download...