In recent games I’ve started using my Catachan Jungle Captain model (Arnie as I call him) as a counts-as stand-in for Straken. Makes sense to me, with the power fist and the bad-ass paintjob.
However, this left me with a lack of a model to use as Marbo, the Human Lictor. So what did I do next?
Relying on the same Predator/Rambo themes that GW have clearly lifted, I mean have been inspired by, for the Catachan range, it struck me that the old Last Chancer ‘Shiv’ model is channelling the ghost of Billy and thus a suitable model for Marbo (I’m not too keen on the official one).
And I’m not the only who thinks so! Sandwyrm has long used his Shiv model as Marbo, and is painted to fit into his Tallarn theme.
I’ve painted the Shiv model in quasi-Catachan colours to distinguish him from my normal grey & black Cadians. His arrival on the battlefield is always hotly anticipated by my opponents (and they rejoice every time he gets killed by his own demo-charge, which happens a lot more frequently than you would expect even with BS 5!) Apt really, as I would say the Cadian 512th's Marbo is as effective as the real Billy from Predator!
At 65 points, Marbo is a real bargain and a lot of fun to play, even just for the psych-out factor. Despite the use as a suicide bomb/free KP unit, I have also found that his Ripper pistol – assault with poisoned weapon-hit & run-repeat combo to be quite a useful harrassing tactic, and thus my opponents always seek to quash Marbo wherever they find him (wisely enough).
Yup. Love the fun of playing Marbo. He's usually pretty successful for me, and has never yet killed himself...however, last game he did lamp his demo charge smack-bang in the rear of a vital wave serpant...only to roll a 1 to penetrate!
ReplyDeleteFor the record, he's never survived a turn's revenge attacks, but then I always try to place him behind the enemy, so they're forced to delay their advance to neutralise him.
Nice model choice!
Thanks Drax! Good advice re: placing.
ReplyDeleteMy Marbo never survives a turn's shooting without going to ground (to gain a 2+ cover save, which has been stacked with stealth & obviously he's popped up in cover). Rapid firing bolters usually finish him off though!
I have found that if my opponents are foolish enough to charge him and fail to finish him off though, his poisoned attacks, combinined with hit & run, baffles my opponents to no end (usually take out at least 2 MEQs).
Still, Marbo's low toughness and strength are his only downsides!