These are updated rules for Captain Sevruk, utilising the 5th edition Blood Angels Codex.
Background
Sevruk was one of the first Captains of the 12th legion from the Recruitment world of Bodt to have reached the rank, as opposed to the existing Terran ethnicity of many in the legion. Over the years he carved a name for himself as being utterly ruthless, often at the forefront of any attack and, even amongst the others of his legion, was regarded as being a shining example of ferocity and mercilessness.
It was on the barren and unforgiving landscapes of Talmasci IX that he would cement his rise to captain amidst a welter of blood and offal. Surrounded by the corpses of his slain cohort he faced the brutal orcish overlord of that world, a behemoth even by greenskin standards, atop a crude but towering orcish fort. With bestial cunning the orc declined Sevruk's challenge of combat, and instead raised his primitive flamethrower and doused the exposed chest and face of the marine in promethium. Sevruk's cried in agony as his skin boiled and eyes burst in their sockets, and the orc warlord, snickering all the while, turned to his horde to howl in triumph. But his victory cry proved premature as Sevruk, somehow still alive and guided by some innate sense, flung himself at the orc, and in a single motion raised the orc above his head and cast him from the battlements to shatter on the ground far below. The body of Sevruk was recovered by the legion apothecaries, and despite all predictions he lived, a complex bioneural interface from the mechanicum of Mars ensuring that he would see and fight again.
Sevruk showed no misgivings at all about the changes Angron brought to the Legion, and he was among the first to encourage the use of neural implants within the legion. This is shown by his personally selected guard who always have the modifications made. Although his accompanying marines usually suffer massive casualties in being the first into the breech, such a posting is seen as a great honour. The sight of Sevruk and his beserker guard howling in rage with chainaxes spinning as they charge is a fearsome sight indeed.
Sevruk was one of the first Captains of the 12th legion from the Recruitment world of Bodt to have reached the rank, as opposed to the existing Terran ethnicity of many in the legion. Over the years he carved a name for himself as being utterly ruthless, often at the forefront of any attack and, even amongst the others of his legion, was regarded as being a shining example of ferocity and mercilessness.
It was on the barren and unforgiving landscapes of Talmasci IX that he would cement his rise to captain amidst a welter of blood and offal. Surrounded by the corpses of his slain cohort he faced the brutal orcish overlord of that world, a behemoth even by greenskin standards, atop a crude but towering orcish fort. With bestial cunning the orc declined Sevruk's challenge of combat, and instead raised his primitive flamethrower and doused the exposed chest and face of the marine in promethium. Sevruk's cried in agony as his skin boiled and eyes burst in their sockets, and the orc warlord, snickering all the while, turned to his horde to howl in triumph. But his victory cry proved premature as Sevruk, somehow still alive and guided by some innate sense, flung himself at the orc, and in a single motion raised the orc above his head and cast him from the battlements to shatter on the ground far below. The body of Sevruk was recovered by the legion apothecaries, and despite all predictions he lived, a complex bioneural interface from the mechanicum of Mars ensuring that he would see and fight again.
Sevruk showed no misgivings at all about the changes Angron brought to the Legion, and he was among the first to encourage the use of neural implants within the legion. This is shown by his personally selected guard who always have the modifications made. Although his accompanying marines usually suffer massive casualties in being the first into the breech, such a posting is seen as a great honour. The sight of Sevruk and his beserker guard howling in rage with chainaxes spinning as they charge is a fearsome sight indeed.
During the assault on the Gedren system, towards the end of the Crusade, Sevruk was instrumental in bringing about the demise of the Fief-Overlords. Personally spearheading the assault on Gedren Prime, arriving amongst the drop pods of slain Legion-troopers, his body guard were all but massacred by the criss-cross of devastating laser weapons. Undeterred, he tore into the giant abhumans sent to finish him, and reduced their psychic handler to giblets of quivering flesh with his chainaxe. As the laser beams continued to fly, he ignited his jump-pack, smashing through the ballistrade of the fortress walls and casting the horrified defenders from the parapet. He then, aided by a Captain of the Space Wolves legion, used a wall-mounted defence weapon to blast the turret from an approaching transport bearing reinforcements. It was said that after the battle, not a sliver of white or blue was still visible on his armour, so intense had been the bloodshed.
After commendation for his role in the compliance of Gedren Prime, Sevruk and his 11th company were placed under the command of Borya, Commandar of the fleet of the 591st Expedition. Their objective, the Konos System.
Special Rules
Honour of the Legion: Withdrawing from the fight is simply unthinkable for any marines fighting alongside Sevruk. Any World Eater squad he is part of is fearless.
Horrifying Violence: Sevruk exemplifies the ethos of the world eaters. The impact of a cohort of marines charging into the foe is akin to an express train, as the marines hack and slash with unremittant fury. Any World Eater squad he has joined may re-roll to hit on the turn that they charge. If Sevruk is leading his berserker squad, they may also re-roll to wound.
Blessed: Despite spearheading countless assaults, and suffering wounds which would have killed even other Astartes, Sevruk has somehow managed to stay alive, something which unfortunately can not often be said for his guard. Some call it the blessings of the gods of battle, others just blind luck, but whatever the cause Sevruk has survived far longer than he has had any right to. Confers 4+ inv. save (equivalent of Rosarius).
Shadow of the Primarch: Units which are part of Sevruk's assault plans are hand-picked for their fearsome melee abilities and aggression, and even tactical and heavy support cohorts have been known to get stuck in and assault the enemy at close range. If Sevruk is in the force, all units will use the 'Red Thirst' rule on a 3 or less, rather than the usual 1 on a D6.
| WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD | SV | |
| 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 2+ | |
Horrifying Violence: Sevruk exemplifies the ethos of the world eaters. The impact of a cohort of marines charging into the foe is akin to an express train, as the marines hack and slash with unremittant fury. Any World Eater squad he has joined may re-roll to hit on the turn that they charge. If Sevruk is leading his berserker squad, they may also re-roll to wound.
Blessed: Despite spearheading countless assaults, and suffering wounds which would have killed even other Astartes, Sevruk has somehow managed to stay alive, something which unfortunately can not often be said for his guard. Some call it the blessings of the gods of battle, others just blind luck, but whatever the cause Sevruk has survived far longer than he has had any right to. Confers 4+ inv. save (equivalent of Rosarius).
Shadow of the Primarch: Units which are part of Sevruk's assault plans are hand-picked for their fearsome melee abilities and aggression, and even tactical and heavy support cohorts have been known to get stuck in and assault the enemy at close range. If Sevruk is in the force, all units will use the 'Red Thirst' rule on a 3 or less, rather than the usual 1 on a D6.
Wargear
Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Jump Pack, Frag & Krak Grenades, Chainaxe
Chainaxe: Sevruk has extraordinary strength even for a marine. Although he has weilded the same weapon since becoming an astartes, his phenomenol strength means that it cleaves through the thickest of armour, literally hacking apart anything that stands in his way as he swings the weapon 2-handed in a giant figure of eight. Counts as a 2 handed power weapon that strikes at Str 6, successful invulnerable saves against the weapon must be re-rolled.
Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Jump Pack, Frag & Krak Grenades, Chainaxe
Chainaxe: Sevruk has extraordinary strength even for a marine. Although he has weilded the same weapon since becoming an astartes, his phenomenol strength means that it cleaves through the thickest of armour, literally hacking apart anything that stands in his way as he swings the weapon 2-handed in a giant figure of eight. Counts as a 2 handed power weapon that strikes at Str 6, successful invulnerable saves against the weapon must be re-rolled.
Final Notes
I wanted Sevruk to be a proper attempt at the 'counts as' rule, and for people to look at the miniature and understand why he confers the bonuses of the 'Astorath the Grim' character, offers no armour save, and is hard to kill!
I wanted Sevruk to be a proper attempt at the 'counts as' rule, and for people to look at the miniature and understand why he confers the bonuses of the 'Astorath the Grim' character, offers no armour save, and is hard to kill!
With the new Blood Angels Codex, Lemartes (the previous ruleset utilised for Sevruk) has seen a slight change in rules, but most importantly he no longer counted as an HQ unit. As a Captain and therefore in charge of his own contingent of marines, I felt that the rules for Astorath would be more fitting. His force of troops would act as the 'Spearhead' of a World Eaters assault, featuring the most aggressive and fearsome assault troops and smashing into the enemy without pause, as is the World Eater way :)
For his unit itself, combined with a squad of Berserkers (Blood Angel Death Company) they inspire great fear on the tabletop for anyone who has ever faced a charge from them in a game, potentially one of the most powerful close combat unit in the game! I think this ties in nicely from what we know about Berserkers in the background information of the World Eaters.
For his unit itself, combined with a squad of Berserkers (Blood Angel Death Company) they inspire great fear on the tabletop for anyone who has ever faced a charge from them in a game, potentially one of the most powerful close combat unit in the game! I think this ties in nicely from what we know about Berserkers in the background information of the World Eaters.
