Author Topic: Clan Blood Spirit: Get Off Our Lawn (Read 140583 times)

I admit that I kind of like the term "squashed" as an analogue to the pro wrestling term "squash match" (a one-sided contest meant only to build up the victor, usually a physically intimidating heel, as a badass for later storylines) but I'm not sure it would necessarily apply here.

Kerfuffin(925) · « **Reply #493 on:** 01 May 2021, 16:11:56 »

No. It comes from Warhammer 40k.

Squats were space dwarves. Then all of a sudden they were removed from the universe after 2nd edition (I think). They simply ceased to exist and were never mentioned again.

Middcore · « **Reply #494 on:** 01 May 2021, 16:13:19 »

Quote from: Kerfuffin(925) on 01 May 2021, 16:11:56

No. It comes from Warhammer 40k.

Squats were space dwarves. Then all of a sudden they were removed from the universe after 2nd edition (I think). They simply ceased to exist and were never mentioned again.

Oh, I think I vaguely remember hearing of that.

Wasn't that basically just a retcon though? There wasn't any in-universe explanation for where they went or how they were destroyed?

Kerfuffin(925) · « **Reply #495 on:** 01 May 2021, 16:24:47 »

Quote from: Middcore on 01 May 2021, 16:13:19

Oh, I think I vaguely remember hearing of that.

Wasn't that basically just a retcon though? There wasn't any in-universe explanation for where they went or how they were destroyed?

It was just before my time, and I started playing 40k when I was 8 ;D
So this is all based on reading from after (1999 and on)

Yeah, more or less. But like here in BT there aren’t a ton of fiat retcons without some explanation. Like we can see how the 3SW mechs are impossible to build anymore thing changed. There is nothing like that for squats in 40k. They just disappeared. (All wrong upon more current reading)

And looking again they still exist in universe. They just aren’t supported in the main games (they are in small skirmish game necromunda sort of). So it’s like there is no War of Reaving to explain why they disappeared. Catalyst has said they are going to focus on the factions in the IS and have vague future plans for the Home Clans. So there is something to look forward to there, or you can just playing in a time they still exist. The squats just stopped being supported and disappeared aside from small tidbits in the lore with limited explanation.

Stormlion1 · « **Reply #496 on:** 01 May 2021, 17:18:32 »

It's funny you mention the Squats. GW last year added a Squat character to Necromunda as a Bounty Hunter.

Sjhernan3060 · « **Reply #497 on:** 01 May 2021, 18:35:36 »

Quote from: Stormlion1 on 01 May 2021, 14:41:56

I for one hold out hope. Hope springs eternal.

Same! But no spirit unit that we know of remained even remotely intact?

Wolf72 · « **Reply #498 on:** 01 May 2021, 19:29:40 »

I hate to use this mental image, but if any of have survived on either planet we will have probably gone all "Lord of the Flies". 8)

Stormlion1 · « **Reply #499 on:** 01 May 2021, 19:38:51 »

Quote from: Sjhernan3060 on 01 May 2021, 18:35:36

Same! But no spirit unit that we know of remained even remotely intact?

Intact? No. Dropped off the map? Yes. For one the Blood Guard Keshik never was reported destroyed. Though honestly they probably were during the Steel Viper Annihilation. There may be other units. I like to think that the Blood Spirits search for a Fallback didn't stop with the Colleen System.

Maelwys · « **Reply #500 on:** 01 May 2021, 22:14:54 »

The only thing really needed for the Blood Spirits to have survived is for the Diamond Shark Watch to not be omniscient.

Turaglas · « **Reply #501 on:** 02 May 2021, 06:03:12 »

Yeah, Squats got removed and the de facto explanation was... Tyranids destroying them? There were two attempts to bring space dwarves back in the form of a trade consortium who deals with Tau and Human black market stuff and then the bounty hunter you mentioned.

It's not exactly similar, Blood Spirits were explained in a totally not biased and one sided report by clan members who were jettisoned from the Homeworlds, but they at least have an in depth reason to their destruction. Squats were primarily handwaived and discontinued without reason other than contrived product shift and everyone hated it. It's still possible Blood Spirit stragglers survived and can come back. Or we can have another excuse like the smoked kittens and find out the Adders had them reconstituted following basic filler reason Charlie III. Which is nice, because an isolationist group who is self sufficient and who trains its civilians for defense is a lot more interesting than waiving Space Marine levels of plot armor around as Wolves. I have the same hope that the Rasalhagians will reinvigorate itself outside of the Bears or the Marians will stop being a primitech meme.

wantec · « **Reply #502 on:** 03 May 2021, 08:40:58 »

Quote from: Stormlion1 on 01 May 2021, 19:38:51

Intact? No. Dropped off the map? Yes. For one the Blood Guard Keshik never was reported destroyed. Though honestly they probably were during the Steel Viper Annihilation. There may be other units. I like to think that the Blood Spirits search for a Fallback didn't stop with the Colleen System.

Destroyed in the Steel Viper Annihilation is very likely. Page 150 of Wars of Reaving says the Spirits lost almost half their attacking force in the landings on New Kent. Page 154 says by the end of the Viper Annihilation the touman was in shambles. The next page says that duty on Strana Mechty became not an honor, but viewed as punishment. Eventually only solahma were assigned there. Strana Mechty was the traditional assignment location for the Blood Guard Keshik as far back as the assignment table in FM Crusader Clans and repeated in FM Updates. The entry in FM:U said that even the constant siege & fighting on York was not enough to reassign them.

All of these taken together I think says the Blood Guard Keshik was lost in the landings on New Kent. But it's not official

Turaglas · « **Reply #503 on:** 03 May 2021, 13:41:36 »

Most unfortunate.

Stormlion1 · « **Reply #504 on:** 03 May 2021, 16:42:55 »

Quote from: wantec on 03 May 2021, 08:40:58

Destroyed in the Steel Viper Annihilation is very likely. Page 150 of Wars of Reaving says the Spirits lost almost half their attacking force in the landings on New Kent. Page 154 says by the end of the Viper Annihilation the touman was in shambles. The next page says that duty on Strana Mechty became not an honor, but viewed as punishment. Eventually only solahma were assigned there. Strana Mechty was the traditional assignment location for the Blood Guard Keshik as far back as the assignment table in FM Crusader Clans and repeated in FM Updates. The entry in FM:U said that even the constant siege & fighting on York was not enough to reassign them.

All of these taken together I think says the Blood Guard Keshik was lost in the landings on New Kent. But it's not official

The issue is was this was the Khans personal Keshik. You would think they would have gotten a mention of some sort of being destroyed.

Middcore · « **Reply #505 on:** 03 May 2021, 16:48:07 »

Quote from: Stormlion1 on 03 May 2021, 16:42:55

The issue is was this was the Khans personal Keshik. You would think they would have gotten a mention of some sort of being destroyed.

While I agree with you in spirit, I'm pretty sure there were multiple units better known than the Blood Guard Keshik during the Jihad era that were ruled destroyed by TPTB going "Oh, we forgot they were there, guess they're dead."

Walrus Gumboot · « **Reply #506 on:** 04 May 2021, 08:35:20 »

The Blood Spirits died by bleeding inches starting with the Burrock Adsorption campaign. It was glorious and thorough (and don't think it's reaching that if half the surviving touman died as shock troops in a combat drop in the Viper annihilation, a number of commands died too and listing them all would be pedantic from an editorial viewpoint). I'd read anything that covered it (and I believe I have, except if there was something included in the "Mechs from Heaven" scenario, which I only know from hearsay*) but it would also be fantastically depressing.

*Bear in mind the hearsay is pretty good; it's supposed to be a scenario that covers the incident when the Diamond Sharks lost a Potemkin group making one last supply run to the Blood Spirits; the ship was destroyed, the dropships had to run the Star Adder blockade, and the cargo got scattered on York?

Stormlion1 · « **Reply #507 on:** 14 May 2021, 19:48:18 »

One other thing that stands out that might show some of the Blood Spirits survived. In the WoR books as a Clan is destroyed there logos on the side of the page is removed. Only three Clans do not have them removed. The Wolverines gets covered in rubble, the Burrocks gets shattered, and the Blood Spirits which is shot up and marred but still visible.

Trajan Helmer · « **Reply #508 on:** 14 May 2021, 21:57:45 »

Quote from: Stormlion1 on 14 May 2021, 19:48:18

One other thing that stands out that might show some of the Blood Spirits survived. In the WoR books as a Clan is destroyed there logos on the side of the page is removed. Only three Clans do not have them removed. The Wolverines gets covered in rubble, the Burrocks gets shattered, and the Blood Spirits which is shot up and marred but still visible.

I agree with this but also wonder if that may have been due to plans that may never surface. It has been about ten years since WoR came out, after all. Lots of things have changed.

Stormlion1 · « **Reply #509 on:** 15 May 2021, 05:07:01 »

Quote from: Trajan Helmer on 14 May 2021, 21:57:45

I agree with this but also wonder if that may have been due to plans that may never surface. It has been about ten years since WoR came out, after all. Lots of things have changed.

Also true. But in the last ten years the Homeworld Clans have gotten little exploration. Who knows what could be planned or was planned?