How many of you use fluff in determining your army?

[Red Geist]

I've been playing High Elves since I started fantasy probably close to 4 years ago, been in the hobby for longer than that too. I'm really big on lore, especially drawing from outside sources to augment the themes of the fluff.

These are Samurai inspired High Elves. Each unit is filled with converted models from the ground up, and it performed well at a tournament, but this isn't the painting and modelling subforum, so I'll just leave these two links for reference.
https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... e=550FADD0

https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... e=55190695

I just wrapped up reading the End Times: Khaine, and I noticed that much of my own figures, while they had a great theme, didn't attach itself to the Warhammer lore very well. I want to try and dial it back and have minis that look like they fit in the warhammer universe, characters too. However, without too much of a spoiler the future for High Elves and all Elves in general is very uncertain. Their ancestral homeland is kinda... well I don't know how high elf culture will survive after the End Times. What will it look like?

Anyway, my question is to those players and painters, how do you incorporate fluff into your armies? Do you try to recreate forces from famous battles? Do you try to write your own lore, complete with named characters and unique looking proxies for existing units? How do you do it, and how does it effect how you build and paint?

[Rabidnid]

Anyway, my question is to those players and painters, how do you incorporate fluff into your armies? Do you try to recreate forces from famous battles? Do you try to write your own lore, complete with named characters and unique looking proxies for existing units? How do you do it, and how does it effect how you build and paint?

Just kit bashing for the most part. I'd been playing DE for a very long time (9 years) and wanted a change, so I moved to high elves. At the time none of the various Elf histories impressed me that much, so I made my own and based it on the shadowlands. A Nagarythe colony on the south coast of Araby that predates the sundering. At the time the 7th ed army book was out so my army was based on swordmasters and archers being the urban regiments while the PG were the sandmen - mystics from the desert with some magic themselves - reavers were road wardens who guarded the trade routes and various critters from the desert like my mini manticore eagle copnversion and 3 harpies a base eagles who strayed into the colony hanging on to DE ship rigging.

With the 8th ed book that all changed, now the army is the urban regiments (silverhelms), sandmen, road wardens, Naffatun (sisters) and bolt throwers. There is a small unit of gate guards (spearmen) who turn up occasionally just because I had a box of black guard to convert into something.

[Red Geist]

Will you do anything different now that high elves and dark elves coexist? Your old army now can fight side by side with your High Elves. Will you try to merge them into a cohesive theme?

[Rabidnid]

Will you do anything different now that high elves and dark elves coexist? Your old army now can fight side by side with your High Elves. Will you try to merge them into a cohesive theme?

I will see. If I still had a pile of the old metal executioners they would get a run, but for the most part I'm happy with my list. Doomfire warlocks are another possibility, and I should be able to make a suitable model to reflect the desert origins. Sorceresses and running dark magic again would be nice.

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Hi Red Geist,

I always use official background as a reference point. But I try to get some of my own simply because I think it is also part of the hobby. ET series in general and ET: Khaine in particular have some examples of regiments and characters you can use as inspiration. In the same way as a particular color scheme in army books is more like a guideline then stories should be as integral parts of your army as miniatures, conversions and painting style.

I haven't read the ET: Khaine yet (but it has just arrived!) so I am not sure about the details yet. It seems I have even more reasons to stay an Outcast than I had before. So called leaders led to another civil war and to the utter destruction of Ulthuan. Isn't it bitterly ironic that it was not Chaos but Elven "king" that destroyed the homeland?

I don't plan to include any new units yet, still have some unfinished modelling/painting projects involving HE. But I might just steer the army fluff towards mercenary force or anti-Chaos one (and one does not exclude the other). Need to read the books first and then will see how the rest of the End Times story shapes up before I make any further decisions.

Cheers!

[Red Geist]

Hi Red Geist,

I always use official background as a reference point. But I try to get some of my own simply because I think it is also part of the hobby. ET series in general and ET: Khaine in particular have some examples of regiments and characters you can use as inspiration. In the same way as a particular color scheme in army books is more like a guideline then stories should be as integral parts of your army as miniatures, conversions and painting style.

I haven't read the ET: Khaine yet (but it has just arrived!) so I am not sure about the details yet. It seems I have even more reasons to stay an Outcast than I had before. So called leaders led to another civil war and to the utter destruction of Ulthuan. Isn't it bitterly ironic that it was not Chaos but Elven "king" that destroyed the homeland?

I don't plan to include any new units yet, still have some unfinished modelling/painting projects involving HE. But I might just steer the army fluff towards mercenary force or anti-Chaos one (and one does not exclude the other). Need to read the books first and then will see how the rest of the End Times story shapes up before I make any further decisions.

Cheers!

Thanks for all the input. I'm mainly finding the use of fluff to determine the look of new miniatures because my local community is very WAAC, and while they know warhammer fluff, they tend to care not for how it influences their modelling and painting. They favor the bombastic and the bizarre over fluff. This creates hysterical armies, at least two people in the community have spectral ghosts for their Ogres (titan forge Ogres washed and drybrushed an eerie green), and there is a worshiping of alligators. 28mm model gators are proxies for two armies in my local store, one owned by the store proprietor and the other by another patron. We also have rainbow skinks, cotton candy colored dark elves, and blue tomb kings, to name a few.

These are all owned by people I would consider to be my mentors, and their playing skill is not in question, for they are all superior to me. I am looking for a way to have my miniatures stand out like their armies, but will a less simple connotation than "Samurai high elves". I take extraordinary time in painting and converting characters, so they feel just as high quality and as detailed as the unique character models that GW sells. My angle is more that its an army that is unique, but also looks to fit into the warhammer lore.

And when you get to the end of the book, you may share my uncertainty for the future of the high elves. This troubles me and doesn't help me plan ahead in terms of fluff.

[RE.Lee]

My army has a quite detailed backstory and a number of named characters, who pop up leading the army from time to time. The story doesn't have much effect on how I paint/model my miniatures - they're just elves living in the Black Peninsula after all. When making army lists I'll often use units available to a particular commander at the time - for example my cavalry commander El-far-Andil, fighting the first battle of my Leesburg campaign will have a considerable number of knights at his disposal.

[CaledorRises]

Anyway, my question is to those players and painters, how do you incorporate fluff into your armies? Do you try to recreate forces from famous battles? Do you try to write your own lore, complete with named characters and unique looking proxies for existing units? How do you do it, and how does it effect how you build and paint?

I do the famous battles one. Personally I am currently trying to shape my army and buy units so that it matches (as much as I can within reason) Eltharion's Stormraker Host from End Times: Nagash. The background of that army and the way that it fought just really drew me in, and it does have my favorite High Elf Character of all time in it: Eltharion the Grim. Although I will definitely not leave my dragons behind. That's why I'm hoping, whenever I get End Times: Khaine to come in, to build a Caledor themed army under Imrik (NOT MALEKITH I DO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT TRAITOROUS MURDEROUS PIG AS THE KING).

[Red Geist]

I saw that there was a space to write fanfic in this forum and I have tons of material that helps me construct armies, but they are pre-end times. I'll see if I can write something new there. Trust me, Malekith being king is not the big problem. There is something more troublesome that concerns me.

[Honourblade]

Hey guys, new to the forum, love this topic!

I made my own fluff when I started playing a year and a half ago, my army is the Highborn Guard, a group of Naggarothy nobles following Prince Highborn, who fight along side the Shadow Warriors, I recently modified my list to accommodate for The End Times, so now my list contains Imrik (As prince highborn) and The Incarnation of Life (His wife).

My End Times Fluff is that we tried to stop the Dark Elves crossing the Shadowlands and after sacrificing full 3 3rds of his forces prince Highborn was ordered by Malikieth to lay down his arms, he refused and has pulled out of Ulthuan and is now fighting along side his new Brettonian, Empire and Dwarf allies, and the few remaining Vampires loyal to the Empire who did not answer the call of Nagash (I play Triumph & Treachery a lot, so my Vampire Lord is my Merc, and he is me in the game), so yeah, my army is all elitist, Silver Helm core, Swordsmasters, the few White Lions that remained with Highborn, and a few Caledorian Princes, as well as an Ancient Frost Phoenix, I have like 30 pages of fluff written, I write it when i get stuck on the train and stuff, I enjoy it and the people at my local do, so yeah

[Red Geist]

Hey guys, new to the forum, love this topic!

I made my own fluff when I started playing a year and a half ago, my army is the Highborn Guard, a group of Naggarothy nobles following Prince Highborn, who fight along side the Shadow Warriors, I recently modified my list to accommodate for The End Times, so now my list contains Imrik (As prince highborn) and The Incarnation of Life (His wife).

My End Times Fluff is that we tried to stop the Dark Elves crossing the Shadowlands and after sacrificing full 3 3rds of his forces prince Highborn was ordered by Malikieth to lay down his arms, he refused and has pulled out of Ulthuan and is now fighting along side his new Brettonian, Empire and Dwarf allies, and the few remaining Vampires loyal to the Empire who did not answer the call of Nagash (I play Triumph & Treachery a lot, so my Vampire Lord is my Merc, and he is me in the game), so yeah, my army is all elitist, Silver Helm core, Swordsmasters, the few White Lions that remained with Highborn, and a few Caledorian Princes, as well as an Ancient Frost Phoenix, I have like 30 pages of fluff written, I write it when i get stuck on the train and stuff, I enjoy it and the people at my local do, so yeah

What shall you do now that Ulthuan is no more?

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

I saw that there was a space to write fanfic in this forum and I have tons of material that helps me construct armies, but they are pre-end times. I'll see if I can write something new there. Trust me, Malekith being king is not the big problem. There is something more troublesome that concerns me.

And that would be? I must say I am already concerned a lot about the future of HE. I am half way through ET: Khaine but I don't mind the spoilers.

[Honourblade]

When my men fled those loyal to Prince Highborn came to his banner and his navy pick up as many as they could, some of the supporters brought valuables and during the turmoil Prince Highborn, his Champion Jester, and most of his royal guard broke into the Phoenix Tower in Lothern and stole as much history and magical items as possible, among them was the Cloak of Beards, after fleeing Ulthuan Jester told Highborn to set course for a Krazak that swore loyalty to King Grudgebearer but was a friend to Jester, having saved the king of this Krazak and his son once years before in a Dark Elf ambush, they requested to meet the high King, which was permitted only because Jesters friend, the Dwarf king of the Krazak, spoke for him, upon meeting the High King prince Highborn present him with the Cloak of beards and asked forgiveness, the Grudgebearer removed there names from the Grudge Book and gave Prince Highborn the Original Phoenix Crown, they now live with and protect the dwarfs as equals, having helped and generated new allegiances and fixed old ones with the nearby Empire settlements and a Brettonian outpost, and have sworn to help defend them, Jesters vampires help patrol the boarders and scout the areas constainly against both Undead and Daemon attacks, and yeah..

My guys basically swore on the Phoenix Crown to defend what they could until there last breath, protecting the last of there great races history, and protecting the other races, Jester has even been given free reign in all the settlements under this new coalition of survivors. They see him as a divine protector of there new realm, and he will do anything to make sure no other races shall spill what little life and history they have left, even going as far as engaging Great Daemons head on, and attacking full Battalions of Warriors on his own..

There is too much to write here but that is the jist of it

[Red Geist]

I saw that there was a space to write fanfic in this forum and I have tons of material that helps me construct armies, but they are pre-end times. I'll see if I can write something new there. Trust me, Malekith being king is not the big problem. There is something more troublesome that concerns me.

And that would be? I must say I am already concerned a lot about the future of HE. I am half way through ET: Khaine but I don't mind the spoilers.

The vortex is shut, and with it the only tether keeping Ulthuan afloat. The continent shatters and sinks into the sea. All elves flee on vines from the Oak of Ages summoned by Alarielle and ships that survived the final battle. All Elves now live in Athel Loren as one race. So everything that made High Elves enticing to me, the speed, skill, and grace that Lord of the Rings elves had, but also the power and authority. The elves may have been a dying race, but they had cities, fortresses, a fleet, they were a world power. That is now all GONE. This is a big step back for my favorite faction out of both warhammer games. What are they to do now? Hide in the trees like Wood Elves? That's not what I want! I liked the idea of the High Elves having a strong governing presence to back up their arrogance and general snobbery. Even if my own fluff flavored them as an altruistic people or having generally kind hearts, now they have no economy, a handful of ships, and no cities.

[Honourblade]

The vortex is shut, and with it the only tether keeping Ulthuan afloat. The continent shatters and sinks into the sea. All elves flee on vines from the Oak of Ages summoned by Alarielle and ships that survived the final battle. All Elves now live in Athel Loren as one race. So everything that made High Elves enticing to me, the speed, skill, and grace that Lord of the Rings elves had, but also the power and authority. The elves may have been a dying race, but they had cities, fortresses, a fleet, they were a world power. That is now all GONE. This is a big step back for my favorite faction out of both warhammer games. What are they to do now? Hide in the trees like Wood Elves? That's not what I want! I liked the idea of the High Elves having a strong governing presence to back up their arrogance and general snobbery. Even if my own fluff flavored them as an altruistic people or having generally kind hearts, now they have no economy, a handful of ships, and no cities.

Join my Highborn Guard!

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

And that is why I want to see how End Time series really ends. And if it is going to be transferred to 9th edition and if yes, in what way.

As you say, merging all Elves robbed each one of them of their distinctive background and flavor that led many people to pick their particular favorite.

I guess we have to wait a little to see if we can still reshape our own, personal background.

[RogueSun]

The vortex is shut, and with it the only tether keeping Ulthuan afloat. The continent shatters and sinks into the sea. All elves flee on vines from the Oak of Ages summoned by Alarielle and ships that survived the final battle. All Elves now live in Athel Loren as one race. So everything that made High Elves enticing to me, the speed, skill, and grace that Lord of the Rings elves had, but also the power and authority. The elves may have been a dying race, but they had cities, fortresses, a fleet, they were a world power. That is now all GONE. This is a big step back for my favorite faction out of both warhammer games. What are they to do now? Hide in the trees like Wood Elves? That's not what I want! I liked the idea of the High Elves having a strong governing presence to back up their arrogance and general snobbery. Even if my own fluff flavored them as an altruistic people or having generally kind hearts, now they have no economy, a handful of ships, and no cities.

Playing Devil's Advocate - this could actually reforge the Elves into an even stronger world power. It will take them time to rebuild of course but 2 important things to note about that 1) Time moves MUCH differently in Athel Loren than in other parts of the world. There are numerous stories about parties getting lost and re-emerging 1000 years later claiming they were only gone for half a day. Or parties being gone for half a day and emerging 60 years older than when they left. 2) Elves perceive the movement of time differently due to their immortal nature. For all we know the Elves could already have built their new homeland into thriving kingdom.

It's also worth noting that this unification of the elves could save the race from declining. You've essentially just tripled the population of the Elves and with it diversified the gene pool significantly. I'd actually like to see the Elves ascend to something along the lines of the Thalmor in Skyrim. They have consolidated their power and now they can start expanding their territory via diplomacy and force. Their kingdom is just as isolated as Ulthuan since no sane individual will willingly venture into Athel Loren. The surrounding lands are devastated by war, so the elves are in a good position to make their kingdom the most predominant part of the world. And this time they're actually part of it, not just an isolated island no one can find.

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

But the "unification" was far from peaceful. How many of HE and DE really survived? How much was lost in terms of knowledge when Ulthuan sunk? The wounds do not heal quickly either, I actually wonder if they stay together for long when old and new enmities are combined while they don't have the luxury to live in separate lands either.

[RogueSun]

But the "unification" was far from peaceful. How many of HE and DE really survived? How much was lost in terms of knowledge when Ulthuan sunk? The wounds do not heal quickly either, I actually wonder if they stay together for long when old and new enmities are combined while they don't have the luxury to live in separate lands either.

It was absolutely far from peaceful, but forcing them together is probably going to do more good than 6000 years of them trying to kill each other from afar has. I mean, the HE lost their homeland, as did the DE. They're probably just going to be sick of fighting at this point and too busy mourning the loss of their homes/culture/etc. to continue to harbor resentment. Not to mention too busy trying to stop Chaos from destroying the whole world. Plus, the entire reason for the resentment was a lie to begin with, which they're going to have to come to terms with. It's not going to be an easy transition, but I honestly don't see the elves ripping themselves apart after this. Things can only get better.

[Red Geist]

But the "unification" was far from peaceful. How many of HE and DE really survived? How much was lost in terms of knowledge when Ulthuan sunk? The wounds do not heal quickly either, I actually wonder if they stay together for long when old and new enmities are combined while they don't have the luxury to live in separate lands either.

The most bizarre thing occurs on the final page, like every end times book. Araloth goes into a different dimension at the behest of his love, Lileath. He will go make a new world apparently. Is that how 9th edition is supposed to start? A whole new planet altogether?

You can't have a wargame where the good guys can live in peace, because that means the chaos armies would have to be defeated. I get that. I liked where it was now (pre-End Times) where Ulthuan and the cities of men and dwarves were bastions in their own right, time and again assailed by evil, but eventually repelled. Now we run the risk of this game becoming like Malifaux, where there are no good or lawful factions. I don't want to be a part of that, but I won't leave the hobby either. It's a troubling conundrum.

Also it does not mention surviving ships or any of the Black Arks.

[Honourblade]

Also it does not mention surviving ships or any of the Black Arks.

Ulthuan sunk beneath the sea, its magic gone.. So that means the Black Arks went with them.. At least that is what i would think..

[Domine Nox]

I am very much a fan of the fluff, but not a fan of recent developments. However I am willing to use the new lists in a different take. I've always had an Avelorn themed force led by the Everqueen. So now I can do Host of the Eternity King with Allarielle Avatar of Life, and use Witch Elves painted up in Avelorn colors and call them Battle Maidens, make the Cauldron of Blood be a Scrying Pool of Power, and I can now include actual wood elf units that complement the theme. But I'm still going to treat it as a pre-end times Avelorn army, just with more options.

[CaledorRises]

For those of you with Imrik led lists, here is a new GW model coming out that should be suitable for Minaithnir (sp?). Just mount Imrik on top and you have what he should look like.

https://www.facebook.com/BastionSaper/p ... =1&theater

[Honourblade]

Hmm.. Wet dreams.. I like it, I am using a Forge World Dragon, the one that Empire chick rides

[Red Geist]

For those of you with Imrik led lists, here is a new GW model coming out that should be suitable for Minaithnir (sp?). Just mount Imrik on top and you have what he should look like.

https://www.facebook.com/BastionSaper/p ... =1&theater

Yeah that Smaug is going to be $500. I think the best choice right now is the FW Carmine Dragon, it's taller so it can fit on a chariot base properly, and it's still available from Forge World I think since it comes with a character that is still legal unlike Monstrous Arcanum which they are trying to sweep under the rug along with Storm of Magic.

[Honourblade]

Yeah that Smaug is going to be $500. I think the best choice right now is the FW Carmine Dragon, it's taller so it can fit on a chariot base properly, and it's still available from Forge World I think since it comes with a character that is still legal unlike Monstrous Arcanum which they are trying to sweep under the rug along with Storm of Magic.

Thats the 1 I am using, but for extra laughs the FW models doesnt come with a base, and Imriks Dragon is on a 40mm Monster base, which means any conversion you make for him, can also be on this kind of base, it is a small exploit which I am using on mine, I do have a large base to click it into though at tournaments that get picky and make rules up

[henrypmiller]

How much was lost in terms of knowledge when Ulthuan sunk?

Don't worry, the tower of Hoeth was actually a rocket ship and blasted off just as the water reached the foot of the tower and saved all the elven knowledge...All part of Teclis great plan.

For those of you with Imrik led lists, here is a new GW model coming out that should be suitable for Minaithnir (sp?). Just mount Imrik on top and you have what he should look like.

https://www.facebook.com/BastionSaper/p ... =1&theater

Great model. Why would you release it in finecast? I would have paid the extortionate amount if it was plastic.

[Shadeseraph]

It was absolutely far from peaceful, but forcing them together is probably going to do more good than 6000 years of them trying to kill each other from afar has. I mean, the HE lost their homeland, as did the DE. They're probably just going to be sick of fighting at this point and too busy mourning the loss of their homes/culture/etc. to continue to harbor resentment. Not to mention too busy trying to stop Chaos from destroying the whole world.

To be fair, the conflict between races wasn't really resolved. The war in ET:K addresses it transversally: it switches from HE vs DE to Asuryan vs Khaine. While both gods were fairly important in their respective cultures, they are in no way the only part of them, and those cultures clash quite a lot. As long as there is a bigger threat, I'm guessing they'll be busy enough to leave their differences aside, but if the threat recedes even a little bit...

Plus, the entire reason for the resentment was a lie to begin with, which they're going to have to come to terms with. It's not going to be an easy transition, but I honestly don't see the elves ripping themselves apart after this. Things can only get better.

In no way the reason was just the supposed lie. Malekith could be the chosen of Ass-uryan, for all we care, but he still started a coup d'etat going against the established, legitimated government. I've said so plenty times already, but governments, being a social construct, are legitimated by the people subject to them, not by some abstract entity that doesn't make its wishes known.

And heck, even if Ass-uryan had stated his preference from the start, I would still have followed Caledor I against Malekith. Malekith's later actions only legitimated even further the choices made at the time.

[Francis]

Talking about the End Times and army background, here is something I threw together after I read End Times:Khaine.

The Sun was shining from a clear sky and turning the sea golden, as a strong breeze filled the sails of the Swooping Griffon making the Eagleship dance across the waves like one of the fabled shadow dancers of Loec. Its captain, Lord Erthror of Tor Achare was standing in the forecastle, enjoying the wind and the salty spray of the sea. He knew that despite its size, his ship could catch all but the fastest Druchii corsair, and no human ship could ever match her grace and agility.

Yet for all that, the Swooping Griffon was a warrior. Three batteries of Eagle Claw bolt throwers lined each of her sides, and a massive Dragon’s Claw bolt thrower constituted her forward armament. More than two hundred and fifty elven soldiers called her their temporary home, enough to raze a small city, or carve an army of norsemen twenty times that size into bloody ruin, if used correctly. The Swooping Griffon was the power of the Elven Empire made manifest.

Or she would have been, if she hadn’t been packed to the brim with refugees. All of what had remained of House Jadehill in Chrace were now aboard her, and Erthror would rather face the four great powers stark naked than take his ship into battle with all these civilians aboard. Luckily, the seas seemed to be devoid of foes, devoid of anything really. The only exception to the emptiness was the other elven ships he had spotted these last days. All of them filled with elves fleeing the destruction of their homeland, and all of them heading south towards the colonies. Towards safety and freedom.

While the loss of Ulthuan still hurt horribly, Erthror had made his home in the colonies for more than a century, and he was pragmatic enough to realise that this large influx of refugees would finally make them strong enough to fend for themselves. Safe in the south and free from the predations of the Druchii, elven power would grow. Grow until the string of pearls that was the southern cities and fortresses had become an unbreakable chain of ithilmar, and then the world would once again feel the wrath of the firstborn race.

Still work in progress and I have got a lot more planned.

At any rate, as others have said, the colonies are more than willing to take in all displaced elves.

"Why not travel to the famed City of Spires or join the brave garrisons at the Fortress of Dawn and Citadel of Dusk? The cities of Tor Elasor, the Tower of the Sun and the Tower of Stars are always looking for brave new warriors to join their navies. And whether you decide to Guard the Gates of Calith or settle to farm the wide plains of Elithis, be sure that the colonies have something for everyone (this add was sponsored by Tor Elasor's Office for Immigration)" .

[Viale]

My army is based on the lost colony of Tor Arabak on the shores of the Badlands, my general is Prince Anouilh Vialeen whose claim is sacrosanct but otherwise lives in Lotheren with his loyal nobles whose numbers have just swelled to 15(I just painted 5 more Silver helms)

My main opponents are Dwarfs, Bretonnia, Chaos Dwarfs, Vampire Counts and Empire. That is also the order I've played them and it has helped me shape my background even further

My main and most frequent opponent plays dwarfs. This has led to me deciding that Tor Arabak is actually an old dwarf/elf city, meaning both races have a claim on it(this is why our armies clash so often)

My Silver Helm champion has earned the name bretonnibane due to his incredible ability to survive charging bretonnian champions and then defeating them.

Recently I've been playing an all core army backed up by shadow and metal magic and this has led to a narrative about the mysterious shadow mage assisting the citizen militia in various elven outposts/colonies.

I mainly build my story/fluff on the battles I've played but still with roots in the High Elf fluff. for example I always write my defeats as victories, to build on the elven arrogance. And I've decided that my fluff/narrative is stuck in the pre-end times warhammer world.

So all in all I create my own fluff but with strong ties to the High Elf grand narrative of fighting for the purity of the world...My guys are the good guys goddamit.