The Conclave

The Ordos Majoris - Hobby, Painting and Modelling => The Dark Millennium => Topic started by: Nevermore2010 on November 01, 2011, 07:08:15 PM

Title: Request for information on Phantine
Post by: Nevermore2010 on November 01, 2011, 07:08:15 PM
Unfortnatly I havent read Guns of Tanith or Double Eagle (i plan to, but i'd like to make a start without having to read 2-3 books first lol). But i'm planning to use a character from the Phantine Aircorps. However i dont know much of the current history, or the political and military make up of Phantine.

If anyone can give me a cliff notes version of the planet that would be good :)
Title: Re: Request for information on Phantine
Post by: Kaled on November 01, 2011, 08:11:44 PM
Have you tried Lexicanum?

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Phantine_Air_Corps
Title: Re: Request for information on Phantine
Post by: Nevermore2010 on November 01, 2011, 08:52:11 PM
I've read that artical, however the link to the main Phantine page doesnt work. I was hopeing that someones read the books and could tell me if the mention what kind of social structure exists there. Is the Military in charge, or is it run by a government, or even a monarchy? Are all the people of the planet excelent pilots or just those who are in the Air Corps? Anything is useful in helping to flesh out a backstory. I wanted to use a Phantine pilot because Glavians are over used.
Title: Re: Request for information on Phantine
Post by: Heroka Vendile on November 02, 2011, 01:12:48 AM
The over-arching government of Phantine is never really touched upon IIRC, what with the planet at war and all.
My understanding / educated guess work would be that because the population all live in cities perched atop isolated mountain ranges above the deadly smog clouds (the Scald I believe they call it), that each city is fairly independent and perhaps Hive-like in general organisation (there is a map of one of the cities in Guns of Tanith).
Being Phantine does not automatically make you an excellent pilot (that'd be racial stereotyping :P ) - but being a pilot from Phantine means you've had to train in deadly conditions where presumably only the best will ever earn their wings.

Phantine itself receives little mention in Double Eagle btw, which picks up the stories of a couple of non-Tanith characters from both Honour Guard (8th Pardus Armoured) and Guns of Tanith (Phantine Air Corps). Double Eagle is, I think, set roughly concurrently with events in Sabbat Martyr, but don't quote me on that.
Title: Re: Request for information on Phantine
Post by: Molotov on November 02, 2011, 06:19:09 AM
Quote from: Nevermore2010 on November 01, 2011, 08:52:11 PM
I wanted to use a Phantine pilot because Glavians are over used.

So instead of one Abnett-world of pilots, you want to use another Abnett-world of pilots?

You'd be far better off making up a world of your own!
Title: Re: Request for information on Phantine
Post by: Ynek on November 02, 2011, 08:49:55 AM
Quote from: Molotov on November 02, 2011, 06:19:09 AM
You'd be far better off making up a world of your own!

I agree with Mol on this one. After all, that's pretty much what Abnett did when he created the Glavians and Phantine. Also, this would give you the creative freedom to make a pilot to suit your own needs and creative flair.

However, I understand that using a character archetype that already exists, or has some grounding in established WH40k literature, has some appeal. It opens up the 'get out of argument free card' option of saying: "They exist. They're in books X, Y and Z." Not to mention the subtle kudos that veteran gamers and hobbyists might offer when you mention the obscure character archetype. ("This is my Ambul," for instance, would get a certain reaction from people who remember them in Rogue Trader, that you would not get from newer gamers, unless they had read the Ciaphas Cain books.)

The short version is that they are both valid strategies. I just prefer Molotov's suggestion of creating your own pilot-planet.
Title: Re: Request for information on Phantine
Post by: Nevermore2010 on November 02, 2011, 06:35:27 PM
In all honesty i was halfway through making up a planet for my pilot to come from when i stumbled across the referance to Phantine... it was so close to my own made up planet that I figured SOMEONE would come along who'd read the books and just go, total rip off. So instead I decided to use the Phantine. I'd quite happily argue viability of a planets history and how good the pilots would be, but since the world i wanted already existed i figured... half the work and less arguments about a fictional universe is probably an easier route lol. Thanks for giving me your view as someone who has read the book Heroka. It should give me a place to start.