Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-117.192.179.237-20131224182556/@comment-66.206.224.153-20140126043539

I really dislike Kaldor Draigo's defeating Mortarion. The CM of the Grey Knights is taken out, and Draigo goes into beast mode and carves that CM's name onto said Daemon Primarch's heart? Draigo alone should really not have a chance against a being that can probably kill a squad of space marines without touching them (toxins, contagions) and has the strength and resilience of a primarch. To me, this goes beyond Draigo being an underdog and pulling out the surprise victory. This is a poorly concieved character being inexplicably unstoppable and OP.

I don't think this is what the Grey Knights should be. Just because one of the most powerful daemonic champions in existence takes out their leader doesn't mean one of their number should suddenly "rise to the occasion" and be able to curb-stomp him. Under normal circumstances, a Grey Knight should not be able to engage a daemon primarch (pretty much the embodiement of death, decay and disease in this case) and win. No.

I don't care if their geneseed is derived from the emperor. Some threats are simply too much. Grey Knights must not be the deus ex machina of the Imperium, but its staunchest defenders. The Grey Knights need to be fallible, but maintain an unshakable conviction that the Imperium and humanity can and will endure.

Peace Among the Stars

The Grey Knights inherited from their primarch (it's the emperor) the most fundamental aspect of their psyche: hope. Hope that humanity will one day win its ultimate victory over the archenemy, that one day, there will only be peace. Their bodies may be torn apart by daemonic claws or ruined and desecrated by the power of Nurgle, but their faith remains, no matter what is taken from them.

The Grey Knights are, therefore, the true "spiritual lieges" of all space marines, for the Astartes are no longer the dread crusaders of old; they now fight, as the Grey Knights do, to keep the unceasing tempest of emotion and noise that is the extant human race.

TL;DR - I refuse to acknowledge the exploits of Kaldor Draigo as ever having happened!

I agree with several posters who have named the Blood Angels as the best close-combat chapter. As for individuals (imo)... Arjac Rockfist A.K.A. Grimnar's Champion needs a mention!