Fluff Masters Clan

[numberofthebeastxxx]

FLUFF MASTERS CLAN

Fluff: For those super-noobies out there fluff is basically all the background and stories of the various GW hobbies.

Who We Are: The fluff-know-it-alls of LO. Between us we can answer any question about fluff you may want to ask. At the moment we are mostly 40K but we invite fluff masters from other hobbies to join and help out their own group of questioners.

Our Purpose: Inspire the discussion of fluff as well as sharing with others our knowledge. We the fluff masters will have an answer for all those "stupid" fluff questions that usually take up a lot of space in the fluff section without really being of any purpose to anyone but the member asking the initial question. A fluff waste-disposal if you will.

Originally Posted by Grephaun

Being a Fluff-Master is more than a fancy title, it’s an obligation to go forth in the world and preach to others the necessity of proper, well-researched fluff. It takes a certain dedication to become a Fluff-Master; if you don’t want to be a part of the clan and its mission to save the forum from all bad fluff, then why take the test? If you merely wish to test your knowledge, there's a Fluff Competition in the 40k Army Fluff subforum that could need new input. No test will make you a true Fluff-Master anyway; only those willing to help others improve their fluff and share altruistically of their accumulated wealth of fluffy knowledge are truly worthy of the title.

Current Members: Numberofthebeastxxx (me, president/founder/fluff-know-it-all), Grephaun (super-mod/fluff-know-it-all award winner), Xerxes (fluff-know-it-all/testmaster), and ze_poodle (fluff-know-it-all).

And those members that passed the test to be fellow fluff master know-it-all's:

Warmaster Phthisis (1st new member to pass the test)
darkreever
Addoran
Kelnor
matthiastheprophet
Astral Claw
Lord Yossanrion
Dark Lioness (1st fantasy fluff master)
Grey
Impending Slaughter
gingerninja (2nd and current fantasy fluff master)
Da Mighty Camel
Ebon Hand
nexus-star
crimson tears
Helbrecht
TehDarkPredator
LordLink
FabricatorGeneralMike
Adrian MalSeraph (currently has the award for most fluff tests taken)

My Position: As president/founder I would like all current and future members to know that this position was accepted with very much humility. I encourage all members to speak their mind and disagree with anything I say in a democratic fashion. I will by no means be running the club; I want everyone to contribute to all aspects of the clan. ^_^

Member To Do List:
0. Let me know if I need to add anything to my above statements.
1. Figure out the base requirements needed in order to admit new members to in.
2. Over-All Rules and Regulations need to be established.
3. Figure out if we can make ourselves more than 40k oriented, or if to do this we should wait till we bring in fluff masters from other hobbies. (I myself am not comfortable enough with my warhammer fantasy knowledge to answer questions but I can answer for other hobbies such as necromunda and anything to do with 40k of course.)
4. Make a really cool banner all members may display.
5. Answer any and all incoming questions/concerns from members and non-members.

Numbers 0-2, and 4 have been accomplished. We still need more fluffers who specialise in other games (such as fantasy). #5 never ends of course...

[Xerxes]

In response to item #1, we need a test, everything that a fluff know-it-all should know, so at least we have a common grounding of knowledge, and we can all answer the basic questions that regularly crop up.

For rules, as know-it-alls, we need a commitment to keep up to date with knowledge specific areas; if, as was suggested, we have Fluffmasters for specific topics, they need to be able to keep up to date with their specific area. Anyone wanting a specific position should have at least the latest addition of the codex concerning their race, if we are to split it by race, along with a working knowledge of current events involving said races (EoT, Armageddon3 etc), as these can be considered to be the most "canon" fluff for those races involved as well as for those campaigns.

Beyond that, I'm not sure. We need to have humility as a basic point though; despite our titles, we should be accepting of other people's knowledge (and also lack thereof).

[numberofthebeastxxx]

I'm not sure how we could assemble a test that people can't just cheat on by going on the net for a day and looking up all the answers. We'd have to assemble some really hard to find questions, just in case they decide to cheat. Maybe when I have some time I'll make a banner for us.

Also, I can't get in touch with poodle, he doesn't accept e-mails or pm's.

[Warmaster Phthisis]

I'm interested in joining. Ever since I started playing Warhammer 40k back in 1995 Ive been absolutely enthralled by the stories and background and I have quite a library of GW publications including all the 3rd edition codexes, some of the Black Library books (although my collection of these is mercurial as I trade novels I finish with my gaming buddies), and event though I started at the very beginning of 3rd edition I have a copy of Realms of Chaos and the original Rogue Trader. As far as my fluff knowledge goes, I feel that I have a pretty good grasp of the 40k universe and its history, although I have to admit that I ignore a lot of fluff produced by the Black Library because it doesnt seem to me like it all fits the GW published fluff (except Dan Abnett of course!).

There are some areas that I'm fuzzy on, such as the Age of Apostasy and such. But there are other areas that I'm strong on, such as Death Guard history and some obscure things like pirates, navigators,the inquisition, and some stuff about the Eldar and Orks. I'll volunteer to be a guinea pig for your fluff test, although if the questions are too obscure I dont know how I'll do. I think that being in this group would be fun for me because I'd learn a lot of the obscure fluff from those of you that know it and think I could contribute in some areas.

One thing that I'm particularly good at is the tactical and strategic dogma of the Imperium and the many races of 40K. I may not be so good at telling you what such and such a general said at such and such a battle in the 34th millenium, but I could tell you how all the Space Marine Chapters and Traitor Legions persecute campaigns according to their idiums, how the Imperial Navy and Imperial Guard deploys and fights, what the various non-battlefield units listed in the campaign codexes do and how they do it, or tell you how the Tau or Orks or Eldar or any other race persecute campaigns and use their equipment. I love tactics and strategy! Also, as a sociology major I have particular interest in the social structure of the Imperium in 40k and how the government is run and operated, and so I can probably answer many questions about Imperial society that those well versed in 40k history may not know.

Anyway, I am hereby formally requesting membership. ^_^

[numberofthebeastxxx]

Originally Posted by Warmaster Phthisis

I'm interested in joining.
...
Anyway, I am hereby formally requesting membership.

Well, I've read through a lot of your posts in the fluff section and you are indeed strong in the areas you mentioned. I will officially test your qualifacations to join in the traditional Fluff Masters Clan way! erm... a test! ^_^ I will confer with my fellow members and assemble a small number of questions for you. Given your knowledge I don't see any problem for you to pass. I'll pm you the test a little later. Good Luck! :cool:

[ze_poodle]

I do indeed accept emails, but I haven't checked my PM's in about three months. Sorry about that. Let's get this show on the road.

On the subject of an entrance test, we should find questions whose answers cannot be found on the Web. Like Grephaun's mind-boggler that I managed to answer solely on a hunch. Is that fluff competition still going, by the way?

Should we open positions for specific fluff experts (experts on Primarchs, on weaponry, on IG, on aliens) and the like? We could write FAQ's for people who are new or confused about certain aspects of fluff. Sort of like fluff primers.

[numberofthebeastxxx]

Ok, I've sent everyone a pm to assemble a draft test to offer Warmaster Phthisis. As soon as you guys reply I can send him the test.

On the subject of faqs, I think that would be a great idea. But I think we first need to find out what areas people want to know the most about or are the most confused over. To do this im going to start a thread in the fluff section asking what area people would most like to see explained or gone over. That way we can assemble an faq based on this. me have to be wary not to break any copyright laws however.

[Kelnor]

I would like to join. Although english isn't my native language and i may have problems with the grammar, i have a good knowledge about the Warhammer40k fluff and i can also provide a good amount of knowledge in warhammer fantasy fluff. If this would be useful, i am also quite experienced in Battletech, Starwars and Shadowrun.

I started with Warhammer40k around 7 years ago and due all my years as a ScienceFiction/Space Opera fan, i have never found a universe so fascinating and colorful. My
main point of interest is the Imperium, second is Chaos. I am not so good in Tau matters, i basically know that they exist.

Anyway, i am waiting for the test

[numberofthebeastxxx]

Well I can send you and the warmaster the test as soon as my fellow members contribute their questions... So far they are being kinda slow... :mellow: If they don't send me a pm in the next couple days then I'll just make a test myself I guess. Sorry for the lack of progress.

[Kelnor]

No problem with that, i have patience.