The latest designer notes on Ascention and ascended careers led me to an amusing thought. Allow me to introduce you to a special duties mobile taskforce of the Ordo Hereticus: Public Security Section Nine!

Inquisitor Daisuke Aramaki

Interrogator Motoko Kusanagi

Sage Ishikawa (Cogitator master and researcher)

Judge Batou (Ex-Guardsman turned Arbitrator. Lead Investigator)

Arbitrator Togusa (Investigator)

Desperado Pazu (Ex- hiveganger, investigator)

Storm Trooper Borma (Spotter, demolitions, heavy weapons)

Vindicare Saito

Guardsman Azuma (recruit)

Guardsman Yano (recruit)

Sadly both Tachikoma and Fuchikoma fall solidly into heretek territory...

Commence bliss mode.

I thought I was the only one on these boards who thought Ghost in the Shell was one of the perfect Inquisitorial investigation team archetypes!

For those unfamiliar with Ghost in the Shell, I would recommend giving it a go immediately. It's a Manga series (3 movies, 2 TV series) that charts the assignments of a group of covert government investigators in a cyberpunk style Japanese city in the (relatively) near future. The team specialises in high powered "cyber crimes" and also carries out covert wetwork on behalf of the government. The group really does operate like a classic RPG gamer team, with a tough guy, computer expert, sniper, investigator etc etc. Each character has a genuine "arc" and is often portrayed as advancing in terms of skills, cybernetic enhancements etc etc - much as RPG gaming characters do.

It's a complex, multi layered series, which, like many classic Japanese animations doesn't really make much sense when you think about it, but which is nevertheless outrageously excellent.

What I've always thought about GitS with relation to 40k is that it's quite similar to Necron's. Uploading their consciencness into cyborg bodies and going around with arachnid style AI robots. Of courseby the time you add the fact that they wanted space undead (and good for you GW) they didn't end up looking very similar so I've no idea if the designers had it mind at the start.

But that's an aside, the tachicoma are only heresy because in the manga they are completely AI. If they were custom servitors or even actual remote control robots that would be fine. Especially if Proto is a Magos.

ZillaPrime said:

Just add a mind-wiped servitor brain and reboot system. Tekheresy no more.

Polaria said:

Sadly not quite there yet. No way are their chassis of STC design...

ZillaPrime said:

Are you sure? There is no telling what lies in the not-yet-recovered parts of STC... and as long as there in no xenotek involved its not that heretical.

I was wondering when someone would get around to doing the GitS guys in Dark Heresy. I actually statted them out in Shadowrun, where they were a state security force for the Japanese Imperial State, and they were a long time enemy of my players, who were being hired to steal/destroy/etc property of various corps, all of which were secretly working with the Japanese Imperial State to develop new automated all-terrain spider-tanks

This is made of so much win and awesome.

Still working on Black Lagoon myself. >.>

Black Lagoon?!?

You must put them up when you make them. Black Lagoon and GitS are honestly two of the only (other than Studio Ghibli) animes I actually care about/can stomach/bother to watch.

Really? You don't like Rogue Trader Bebop with Arbitrator/RT Jet, Sage Ed, Assassin Spike, and Archmilitant Faye?

Black Lagoon is great but it always struck me as 'inspired' by Cowboy Bebop. GitS is probably my favourite anime.

Let's not forget Captain Harlock en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Harlock, anime's own Rogue Trader.

Hellebore

Tachikoma and Fuchikoma could be dark age tech. As long as someone dont do Tin Tin and the Smurfs I'll be a happy camper.

Hellebore said:

Bebop is alright. I just find it a little bizarre for my tastes. GitS and BL are oddities in themselves, I honestly generally don't like anime.

miss dee said:

Dark Age AI robots? They would pressumable be on a bit of a kill all humans gig that might make them unsuitable for work in the Imperium Authorities.