I’d love an Arbites Kill Team. Given the small number of minis needed to play that game, it just feels like it would be the ideal platform for the Arbites to come back to 40k.
They'd kinda work as a Necromunda Gang too. Although I'd imagine like the old Spyrers they'd be pretty powerful so would need to be played as quite small groups.
"I don't ever expect Games Workshop to make these a full, playable army... But I'd love to see them return to the table top in some form." Turns out you just needed to wait two years!
You got a really tight, well edited video here. No wasted space, a good overview from the very beginning of the concept all the way up to the current day. Subscribed and eagerly awaiting your next.
Adeptus Arbites, are basically, the Interpol of the Imperium. Which actually makes them organisation-wise, very different from the beat cops that the Judges they're based on. Would love to see a video on the difference between early Astartes and current Astartes!
@@ArbitorIan Have diferent color paterns the Abites from Necromunda, exist local"police"from the Governor Gerontius Helmawr? I want to make a Adeptus Arbites and other law forces to play in Necromunda, how give it the hive city flavour..?
@@Arkume8Beltz You could play arbitrators in old Necromunda. Proper ones acting on the Lex Imperialis, not a goon squad from Helmawr. They had some funky rules. Most of all, they were outside the normal economy rules. You get a squad of ten, no less and no more. Each start with free gear. Pretty good gear too, carapace armour, bolt pistols, boltguns and special arbites shotguns across the board. They had no territory. They do not work territory. They don't visit the market or pay upkeep. They get free medical. Each time a vacancy from injury, promotion or death happens a brand new arbiter with basic kit gets assigned. They can kick other gangs from territory but does not take it themselves. Each game, you can only bring five models. Once a model has participated in two games, they must sit one out. Models out of the fight are manning the front desk of the fortress and suppressing citizenry. Only when the enemy gang is double the value of the five-man patrol do they leave the precinct-fortress on a ten-man reinforced patrol.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, I can help! At around 11:00 you express confusion about why the Arbiters would be called "Arbiter-General" in addition to other, seemingly inferior ranks. It's because the use of "General" as a suffix has historically denoted someone with a broad, rather than a specific, remit as opposed to the modern use of General which denotes a very high rank. So it's "General" as in "General purpose" as opposed to "General Custer".
I agree. I didn't even hear about zoats before the black fortress model. Then they showed in TW:Warhammer so i figured that they were also inherited from fantasy. Them being quasi tyranids is a bit silly though
Yeah, that might be a really interesting one as it crosses over between 40k and Fantasy. I was toying with Slaan too. And the fact that...well...it won't be a LONG video bumps it up the list a bit!
@@ArbitorIan Oh would you being doing Fantasy videos as well? If you have the knowledge base or just the wont to research it then a video on Chaos Dwarfs would be simply divine
@@shikmaru1999 next week the FANTASYING begins! Full stupid mid 90s 5ed Fantasy fun. But yeah, Chaos Dwarfs is actually a really good idea. And pretty concise. Its on the list!
Zoats were with the old Tyranid lore originally. Blackstone and necromunda or killteam would be great way to reintroduce or give a taste of the old classic alien races. Firmir, squats, Slann..etc....
Adeptus Arbites also had Andy Chambers' "Chapter Approved" army list for 3rd Edition in Citadel Journal 29. And there was a really cool Adeptus Arbites Precinct House conversion guide and scenario in 3rd Edition Codex: Cityfight. And Forge World had Repressor and Sentinel Powerlifter, which were described to be also used by Adeptus Arbites in Imperial Armour. Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness also had Adeptus Arbites profiles in Ordo Malleus army list.
I think these could be cool as a “citizen of the imperium” army, essentially make an army that would be rebelling against either a planetary invader, the inquisition, or at a Tyranid attack. Have these models in the astra militarum as locals who are helping the army.
The shira calpurnia series is why i like the arbitors. Like a way cooler version of the judges from judge dredd. The setting of those books were great. Wasnt so grand in scale it gives you headaches to imagine. It gives alot of insight into the upper and middle parts of a hive city.
Man, you can immediately spot a Jes Goodwin sculpt from a mile away. If it still holds up today, it's almost definitely a Goodwin sculpt. The man's a legend.
One of my favorite forces in 40K that never got any real love, sadly. Well, not up until 2003. I took a very long hiatus from the hobby until 2014. I had scores of these minis. I loved them so much I even made rules for them for our games of "Beer" Hulk and Space Hulk Games around 98-03.
Helping a friend build his first army in 40k and listening to your videos in the background. This just makes me sad we got squats. I would have loved the arbites to get an army instead.
Ian, it's mid 2023 as I write this, but I hope you pause and take a bow Sir. It is incredible how much your insights continue to shape my love for 40k and, consequently, despite all the drama surrounding stock availability, I continue to buy from GW. I often think that, without what you contribute, I may well have given up years ago. Thank you, because I love my war games; more so, now I am retired.
Also had a soft spot for the Arbites - when I sold most of my miniatures 15 years ago I kept my Arbites squad. They didn’t do much in games alongside my Blood Angels but it added a bit of variety!
I thought they were used like that, as auxiliaries to other imperial forces. The arbites army list they published was not a fully functional independent army but a couple arbites squads could show up with other imperial bodies. There's usually an arbites force on any planet after all.
Thanks for the video, really enjoyed it. It’d be interesting to hear the history of genestealer cults within the 40K lore and later the tabletop. Not many armies have transitioned from the lore to the tabletop in quite as grand a fashion as the genestealer cults did, so it’d be interesting to find out how that transpired over time.
in one of the Warhammer Crime books set on Varangantua a local planetary enforcer/cop is surprised and greatly alarmed when he is kidnapped and interrogated in secret by an arbitrator, who then 'secretly' gives him orders to continue his investigation and keep and eye out for any internal enforcer corruption that might try and hinder his investigation, -the enforcer later thinks he is being used and the arbitrator is ready to let him die so long as he provides him with further evidence of some greater conspiracy, beyond the normal scope of the unusually gruesome murder he is investigating.
In old Necromunda, each ten-man arbites gang/squad would have one dog handler with a very specific piece of gear, a cyber-mastiff. A bionic attack dog. The army list Andy Chambers made for arbiters had some vehicles. Of course arbiters could ride big heckin' judge Dredd bikes. They could mount up in a chimera and other normal transport vehicles.
Yeah, I've been wanting to field Arbites in 40k for 15 years now. Having them released via an Agents of the Imperium style codex supplement would be incredibly neat.
What else was in Agents of the Imperium? I know there was all sorts of loose supporting cast who could show up. You could get tons of preachers, if you wanted little 5-point scrubs who boosted morale and pewed with a laspistol. For a few extra, they could even have a rosarius.
In 89 I started playing 40k. Eldar was my army of choice. Shuriken catapults had the same range as a bolter, hit a tiny bit weaker but had following fire. Carapace armor was as good as power armor in most instances, and the improved leadership traded for toughness made them a solid army. WD number whatever came out (big dragon on the front) and added Aspect Warriors. Now the army I’d purchased was kinda crap, I needed Dire Avengers and Dark Reapers and Howling Banshees… So I spent more money. I was 15 in 1990 so this wasn’t easy to do. But I equipped myself with 25 Avengers and a couple Exarchs and got a Farseer and… I did this dance up till 3rd edition. Tapped out to ‘adult’. Thanks for these. It’s nostalgic and cool af and I don’t have to go spend $85 for 5 pieces of ‘ralladium’ or whatever the hell it’s called nowadays. You got a new sub here.
This is the most informative and comprehensive Adeptus Arbites video I've seen on youtube, very nice work! You've done a great job outlining their structure and role within the Imperium. I think too many people compartmentalise their role down to "space cops" without really understanding their function. I cannot help but get the feeling this is why they've slowly been relegated to background lore where they once stood on the tabletop. We need more lore scholars like yourself to tell people why the Imperium needs the Adeptus Arbites, how they differentiate from Inquisitors, and how they're more than just planetary beat cops. Their role in Imperial governance and enforcement might be paramilitary in nature, but their ready access to arms and armour is one of the greatest among all the Imperium's armed forces. Enough so they at least shouldn't remain relegated to 'general PDF' in casual mention.
2 years later, now we have a full model range out for them *and* they're the best cheap unit to bring for holding objectives as an attachment for a 1000+point game for your Imperial Armies (35 points!!!). Basically great Military Police unit for screening and objective holding in large games as their point to value ratio is one of the most balanced in the entire game. I like to think of it as whomever is there to save the planet is simply recruiting the local Arbites for assistance.
@@nightfire734 Yep. the fanatic release in 2004 wasn't arbites actually but necromunda enforcers. Back then the fluff stated that they were equipped basically the same so it was easy to use the models for either purpose. That's actually what I did. I used them for the 3rd edition 40k arbites army I had. Also used them for necromunda since i played both games though.
An arbitrator gang in old Necromunda played a little different. Arbitrators don't have turf. Or they have a single piece of turf, the precinct-fortress the squad mounts patrols from. The arbitrators had their upkeep paid and in case an arbiter was retired from wounds, killed or promoted up the ranks and out of the squad (as all gangers were when they capped out their level) you got a free replacement with the basic kit. They are effectively outside the economy system, one arbiter at a time can sit in the medical room free of charge. They might loot stuff from gangers they arrest but they never go to the market, never work territory, never pay upkeep. Instead of freely recruiting juves and gangers, the enforcers come in a standard squad of ten. One of whom is a sergeant/gang leader, a couple can carry support weapons and one is a cyberdog-handler who controlled an 11th model (technically a piece of gear), a cyber-mastiff. The downside was that only half the full squad would be out on patrol, meaning you normally had five enforcers during a skirmish unless the opposing gangs were high-level. After two patrols outside they had to sit out a shift manning the front desk at the precinct. If the enemy gang was double the value of the arbitrators, they would roll out the entire garrison. They have no juves and no specialist characters, they are only defined by holding a piece of special gear. They all got basic gear from the administratum and lord Helmawr instead of having to root around on the underhive market for starter equipment. The entire gang had carapace armour, the heaviest stuff you could get in a Necromunda game plus respirators and photo-visors in the helmets. Lowered their Initiative, but at least they all had effective armour. They had bolt pistols, boltguns and enforcer shotguns across the board or suppression shields and powermauls. The cyber-mastiff was a bit beastly in close combat but didn't have any ranged weapons.
I would really love if you did a video like this for my favorite faction, the Sisters of Silence! Also I just want to add, this type of information is really scarce or hard to come by in an organized way. Like, scans, dates of releases, it's hard to get a real sense of the history of things with Warhammer sometimes. I really enjoyed this. :)
Great Video, but there was an updated Arbites list in Citadel Journal 29, so as to update it to the new 3rd Edition. It also has the 'Chapter Approved' logo on it, so it was legal to use with your opponents permission. But anyway awesome vid, new sub right here!
Yep! It was actually the only chapter approved army list that was ever in citadel journal. All the other lists in there required your opponent's permission to use.
I absolutely LOVE this. I remember them from my youth and Rogue Trader, even had some squadrons for our RPG playing style. Returning to WH40K about a decade ago I found they had sadly disappeared.
I love 40k lore, but I can't get to read everything. Love your work as it is complete yet not overly confused with lots of details! As for a suggestion I'd say: enough with the Imperium. I want to know the story of the Tyranids! :D
If not a full codex army, as you said, if Arbites were part of Codex Inquisition to bulk it out that would be amazing! I like the idea of dual Heavy webber (perhaps with an anti-overwatch) Immolator-type Rhinos full of Suppression shield and Shock maul Arbites… A new Arbites Bastion would be a cool new fortification too…
oh wow, memories! i remember going in to a gw in about 98ish and having to order a squad of these over the phone from mail order, im sure ive still got those awesome metal models somewhere
My favourite thing in the Calpurnia novels was the fact that she was originally from Macragge, and she had this low-key "you people are all LUNATICS" vibe when things weren't neat and tidy. She also knew she didn't have to take shit from anybody.
Glad I found your channel. The history of 40k/GW can be as interesting as the lore. I'm getting back into the hobby now after some 15 years - any novel recommendations apart from that Eisenhorn series?
Whatever pronunciation you settle on Ian, someone is going to consider it wrong. Probably myself haha. Since I’m addicted to your narrative/lore content I’m going through your old content. God help me when that runs out.
There was actually a chapter approved army list for 3rd/4th etc editions in citadel journal for Adeptus Arbites. It was the only chapter approved army list ever released in the journal which meant you didn't need your opponent's permission to use, it was as official as any other rules released in the main rulebook at the time.
10:06 - This is a holdover rule from 2nd edition 40k. In 2e shotguns were template weapons which meant even if you missed it would deviate and could hit something. Since cover and concealment were so useful in 2e, it was better to fire a volley of shotguns at concealed targets but if they were in the open a targeter was the better option. With the rules changes, shotguns got nerfed hard.
Thanks! So, contentious subject, right? 😂 I always pronounced it AH-bites, which I know is wrong, so I tried to train myself out of the habit for this. I haven't studied Latin since I was at school, but I thought that end 'es' is always pronounced like either 'mess' or 'fez' but definitely not like 'cheese'. And then the middle syllable is up for grabs - in most latin-derived languages (like Italian) that would be a soft I like in 'bit' not 'bite'. And not sure where the stress lands. So I ended up with either 'AH-bi-tez' or 'ah-BEE-tez'. But I may well be wrong in all of that, I'm not an expert by any means! Maybe I should find a Latin teacher and do a video!
@@ArbitorIan They pronounce Arbites in the Ciaphas Cain audio books. In the latest one, Amberlee discusses the difference between Arbites and Enforcers.
Great video been slowly building my own arbites army over the years I don't mind the new models specially since I found a head swap on shapeways that is more like the original helmet
Love your videos. I don't play the tabletop game but I've played some PC games, I'm reading Horus Heresy books and I might play one of the pen & paper games at some point. Especially for the pen & paper games it's great to have videos like this that can shed some light into general lore :)
Arbiters should be mentioned more in the lore. The Imperium doesn't sound as bad when you hear how planets are basically self-governing. Having a space FBI to come in and enforcing law galaxy wide would make things more grim dark.
In old Necromunda the arbiter gang/patrol would work like an outside force. They are not part of the normal underhive economy. They do not directly obey lord Helmawr, even though they support his rule. It was recommended that the ref pick missions with their job in mind. They never control turf, any time they kick a gang off turf it becomes a productive, policed part of the general hive population.
I really love what Dark Heresy did with/for Arbites! I wish was easier to know how to say Arbites!! I've got miniatures for a new Judge Dredd game and I use them in various 40k RPGs frequently. Great video, Arbiter Ian. What career track do you see yourself taking in the Adeptus Arbites?
It would be interesting to see an overview of the recent 40k crime novels series. Those go into a huge amount of detail about the workings and nature of law enforcement in 40k.
Arbites actually pre-date Rogue Trader and GW's Judge Dread game. They were a part of the Laserburn line, and in those days were very blatant rip-offs of 2000AD's Judges. They even had the bikes.
Saw the shout out by Snipe and Wib and really like the videos and tone. Great retrospective and share both your soft spot for them and that being a bit strange based on them being authoritarian enforcers. Thanks for mentioning Crossfire, that came out when I had dipped out the hobby so never knew about and will be giving it a read. Just cut I don't have my old 90s Arbites models any more... Btw can I suggest you doing a similar video on Genestealer Cults and particularly the old limo model era of the cults.
I’d love an Arbites Kill Team. Given the small number of minis needed to play that game, it just feels like it would be the ideal platform for the Arbites to come back to 40k.
Not to mention giving you the option of running those models as Agents of the Imperium in 40K.
They'd kinda work as a Necromunda Gang too. Although I'd imagine like the old Spyrers they'd be pretty powerful so would need to be played as quite small groups.
You could run the Palanite "gang" for Necromunda
Now there's been some time since you left this comment you could proxy the star striders or imperial navy killteams with arbites minis
Wish granted
That "straightjacket" to be hung from the side of the rhino was borrowed from Terry Gilliam's Brazil.
"I don't ever expect Games Workshop to make these a full, playable army... But I'd love to see them return to the table top in some form."
Turns out you just needed to wait two years!
You got a really tight, well edited video here. No wasted space, a good overview from the very beginning of the concept all the way up to the current day. Subscribed and eagerly awaiting your next.
Adeptus Arbites, are basically, the Interpol of the Imperium. Which actually makes them organisation-wise, very different from the beat cops that the Judges they're based on.
Would love to see a video on the difference between early Astartes and current Astartes!
Yeah, I think this is a really good idea. Though the provision title is 'Why Space Marines are BAD PEOPLE and why we keep forgetting that'. 🤣
that is a very interesting comparison!
@@ArbitorIan Have diferent color paterns the Abites from Necromunda, exist local"police"from the Governor Gerontius Helmawr? I want to make a Adeptus Arbites and other law forces to play in Necromunda, how give it the hive city flavour..?
@@Arkume8Beltz You could play arbitrators in old Necromunda. Proper ones acting on the Lex Imperialis, not a goon squad from Helmawr.
They had some funky rules. Most of all, they were outside the normal economy rules. You get a squad of ten, no less and no more. Each start with free gear. Pretty good gear too, carapace armour, bolt pistols, boltguns and special arbites shotguns across the board.
They had no territory. They do not work territory. They don't visit the market or pay upkeep. They get free medical. Each time a vacancy from injury, promotion or death happens a brand new arbiter with basic kit gets assigned. They can kick other gangs from territory but does not take it themselves.
Each game, you can only bring five models. Once a model has participated in two games, they must sit one out. Models out of the fight are manning the front desk of the fortress and suppressing citizenry. Only when the enemy gang is double the value of the five-man patrol do they leave the precinct-fortress on a ten-man reinforced patrol.
@@SusCalvin Thanks to the info,that give me ideas to play..:)
Came here from Snipe and Wib calling attention. Loved the video. Really appreciate the depth and completeness.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, I can help! At around 11:00 you express confusion about why the Arbiters would be called "Arbiter-General" in addition to other, seemingly inferior ranks.
It's because the use of "General" as a suffix has historically denoted someone with a broad, rather than a specific, remit as opposed to the modern use of General which denotes a very high rank. So it's "General" as in "General purpose" as opposed to "General Custer".
Thanks! That makes a lot of sense!
General practitioner
Oi ! I painted those Necromunda Arbites for GW back in the day. So cool to see them again decades later. 😊
Zoats would be a great topic for an episode. Love what youve made so far!
I agree. I didn't even hear about zoats before the black fortress model. Then they showed in TW:Warhammer so i figured that they were also inherited from fantasy. Them being quasi tyranids is a bit silly though
Yeah, that might be a really interesting one as it crosses over between 40k and Fantasy. I was toying with Slaan too. And the fact that...well...it won't be a LONG video bumps it up the list a bit!
@@ArbitorIan Oh would you being doing Fantasy videos as well? If you have the knowledge base or just the wont to research it then a video on Chaos Dwarfs would be simply divine
@@shikmaru1999 next week the FANTASYING begins! Full stupid mid 90s 5ed Fantasy fun. But yeah, Chaos Dwarfs is actually a really good idea. And pretty concise. Its on the list!
Zoats were with the old Tyranid lore originally. Blackstone and necromunda or killteam would be great way to reintroduce or give a taste of the old classic alien races.
Firmir, squats, Slann..etc....
wow I just checked your channel and you're less than a week old it feels amazing to find such a new Creator please keep it up you're doing great
Adeptus Arbites also had Andy Chambers' "Chapter Approved" army list for 3rd Edition in Citadel Journal 29.
And there was a really cool Adeptus Arbites Precinct House conversion guide and scenario in 3rd Edition Codex: Cityfight.
And Forge World had Repressor and Sentinel Powerlifter, which were described to be also used by Adeptus Arbites in Imperial Armour.
Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness also had Adeptus Arbites profiles in Ordo Malleus army list.
They felt a bit like imperial agents. They are allies of other armies of the imperium but not a full army themselves.
And in Witch Hunters it aws stated that the models can be used as equivalents to inquisitorial stormtroopers, suggesting they'd have the same stats.
I think these could be cool as a “citizen of the imperium” army, essentially make an army that would be rebelling against either a planetary invader, the inquisition, or at a Tyranid attack. Have these models in the astra militarum as locals who are helping the army.
"...though at the time space marines were more hypnotized psychopaths, than 8 foot tall warrior monks." lol
I get goosebumps when i remember the epic last stand against genestealers in Warhammer monthly.
The shira calpurnia series is why i like the arbitors. Like a way cooler version of the judges from judge dredd. The setting of those books were great. Wasnt so grand in scale it gives you headaches to imagine. It gives alot of insight into the upper and middle parts of a hive city.
Also the best rhino armor is heretics in straightjackets
Wow, I used to collect and paint these when I was a kid, but I never read any of books...think I might pick 'Xenos' up! These videos are great btw. 👍
Man, you can immediately spot a Jes Goodwin sculpt from a mile away. If it still holds up today, it's almost definitely a Goodwin sculpt. The man's a legend.
One of my favorite forces in 40K that never got any real love, sadly. Well, not up until 2003. I took a very long hiatus from the hobby until 2014. I had scores of these minis. I loved them so much I even made rules for them for our games of "Beer" Hulk and Space Hulk Games around 98-03.
The Arbites are an interesting part of the Warhammer Universe. Thanks:)
I'm loving all these videos of wider 40k law, especially the civilian angle. Keep up the good work!
Helping a friend build his first army in 40k and listening to your videos in the background. This just makes me sad we got squats. I would have loved the arbites to get an army instead.
Arbiter Ian is becoming one of my favorite 40k channels on UA-cam. Keep up the great work and remember, The Emperor Protects!
Ian, it's mid 2023 as I write this, but I hope you pause and take a bow Sir. It is incredible how much your insights continue to shape my love for 40k and, consequently, despite all the drama surrounding stock availability, I continue to buy from GW. I often think that, without what you contribute, I may well have given up years ago. Thank you, because I love my war games; more so, now I am retired.
Also had a soft spot for the Arbites - when I sold most of my miniatures 15 years ago I kept my Arbites squad. They didn’t do much in games alongside my Blood Angels but it added a bit of variety!
I thought they were used like that, as auxiliaries to other imperial forces. The arbites army list they published was not a fully functional independent army but a couple arbites squads could show up with other imperial bodies. There's usually an arbites force on any planet after all.
Thanks for the video, really enjoyed it. It’d be interesting to hear the history of genestealer cults within the 40K lore and later the tabletop. Not many armies have transitioned from the lore to the tabletop in quite as grand a fashion as the genestealer cults did, so it’d be interesting to find out how that transpired over time.
in one of the Warhammer Crime books set on Varangantua a local planetary enforcer/cop is surprised and greatly alarmed when he is kidnapped and interrogated in secret by an arbitrator, who then 'secretly' gives him orders to continue his investigation and keep and eye out for any internal enforcer corruption that might try and hinder his investigation, -the enforcer later thinks he is being used and the arbitrator is ready to let him die so long as he provides him with further evidence of some greater conspiracy, beyond the normal scope of the unusually gruesome murder he is investigating.
WD169, I remember it well...
So well that I'm reading the flavour text in my head.
Like Squats, these should be brought back and expanded...You could have judges & dog units, 40k cop cars etc.
In old Necromunda, each ten-man arbites gang/squad would have one dog handler with a very specific piece of gear, a cyber-mastiff. A bionic attack dog.
The army list Andy Chambers made for arbiters had some vehicles. Of course arbiters could ride big heckin' judge Dredd bikes. They could mount up in a chimera and other normal transport vehicles.
Yeah, I've been wanting to field Arbites in 40k for 15 years now. Having them released via an Agents of the Imperium style codex supplement would be incredibly neat.
What else was in Agents of the Imperium? I know there was all sorts of loose supporting cast who could show up. You could get tons of preachers, if you wanted little 5-point scrubs who boosted morale and pewed with a laspistol. For a few extra, they could even have a rosarius.
In 89 I started playing 40k. Eldar was my army of choice. Shuriken catapults had the same range as a bolter, hit a tiny bit weaker but had following fire. Carapace armor was as good as power armor in most instances, and the improved leadership traded for toughness made them a solid army. WD number whatever came out (big dragon on the front) and added Aspect Warriors. Now the army I’d purchased was kinda crap, I needed Dire Avengers and Dark Reapers and Howling Banshees…
So I spent more money. I was 15 in 1990 so this wasn’t easy to do. But I equipped myself with 25 Avengers and a couple Exarchs and got a Farseer and…
I did this dance up till 3rd edition. Tapped out to ‘adult’.
Thanks for these. It’s nostalgic and cool af and I don’t have to go spend $85 for 5 pieces of ‘ralladium’ or whatever the hell it’s called nowadays. You got a new sub here.
This is the most informative and comprehensive Adeptus Arbites video I've seen on youtube, very nice work!
You've done a great job outlining their structure and role within the Imperium.
I think too many people compartmentalise their role down to "space cops" without really understanding their function. I cannot help but get the feeling this is why they've slowly been relegated to background lore where they once stood on the tabletop.
We need more lore scholars like yourself to tell people why the Imperium needs the Adeptus Arbites, how they differentiate from Inquisitors, and how they're more than just planetary beat cops.
Their role in Imperial governance and enforcement might be paramilitary in nature, but their ready access to arms and armour is one of the greatest among all the Imperium's armed forces. Enough so they at least shouldn't remain relegated to 'general PDF' in casual mention.
Great video. I had a 5-man squad of the second edition Adeptus Arbites minis because they were just so cool to look at.
2 years later, now we have a full model range out for them *and* they're the best cheap unit to bring for holding objectives as an attachment for a 1000+point game for your Imperial Armies (35 points!!!). Basically great Military Police unit for screening and objective holding in large games as their point to value ratio is one of the most balanced in the entire game. I like to think of it as whomever is there to save the planet is simply recruiting the local Arbites for assistance.
That second run of Arbites seem incredibly rare, I have never seen them and it seems like just the shield goes for about $20 on ebay.
Those were actually enforcers for necromunda. Equipped similarly but not actually arbites. They answer to Lord Helmawr, not the imperium.
@@rosssinodis5382 There were metal enforcers before plastic ones?
@@nightfire734 Yep. the fanatic release in 2004 wasn't arbites actually but necromunda enforcers. Back then the fluff stated that they were equipped basically the same so it was easy to use the models for either purpose. That's actually what I did. I used them for the 3rd edition 40k arbites army I had. Also used them for necromunda since i played both games though.
Keep it up with the great work! you'll become one of the greatest 40k youtubers out there without a doubt!
This is great! I actually searched for 40K lore and months later finally more info on the space police.
An arbitrator gang in old Necromunda played a little different.
Arbitrators don't have turf. Or they have a single piece of turf, the precinct-fortress the squad mounts patrols from. The arbitrators had their upkeep paid and in case an arbiter was retired from wounds, killed or promoted up the ranks and out of the squad (as all gangers were when they capped out their level) you got a free replacement with the basic kit. They are effectively outside the economy system, one arbiter at a time can sit in the medical room free of charge. They might loot stuff from gangers they arrest but they never go to the market, never work territory, never pay upkeep.
Instead of freely recruiting juves and gangers, the enforcers come in a standard squad of ten. One of whom is a sergeant/gang leader, a couple can carry support weapons and one is a cyberdog-handler who controlled an 11th model (technically a piece of gear), a cyber-mastiff. The downside was that only half the full squad would be out on patrol, meaning you normally had five enforcers during a skirmish unless the opposing gangs were high-level. After two patrols outside they had to sit out a shift manning the front desk at the precinct. If the enemy gang was double the value of the arbitrators, they would roll out the entire garrison. They have no juves and no specialist characters, they are only defined by holding a piece of special gear.
They all got basic gear from the administratum and lord Helmawr instead of having to root around on the underhive market for starter equipment. The entire gang had carapace armour, the heaviest stuff you could get in a Necromunda game plus respirators and photo-visors in the helmets. Lowered their Initiative, but at least they all had effective armour. They had bolt pistols, boltguns and enforcer shotguns across the board or suppression shields and powermauls. The cyber-mastiff was a bit beastly in close combat but didn't have any ranged weapons.
I would really love if you did a video like this for my favorite faction, the Sisters of Silence!
Also I just want to add, this type of information is really scarce or hard to come by in an organized way. Like, scans, dates of releases, it's hard to get a real sense of the history of things with Warhammer sometimes. I really enjoyed this. :)
Great Video, but there was an updated Arbites list in Citadel Journal 29, so as to update it to the new 3rd Edition. It also has the 'Chapter Approved' logo on it, so it was legal to use with your opponents permission. But anyway awesome vid, new sub right here!
Yep! It was actually the only chapter approved army list that was ever in citadel journal. All the other lists in there required your opponent's permission to use.
I absolutely LOVE this. I remember them from my youth and Rogue Trader, even had some squadrons for our RPG playing style. Returning to WH40K about a decade ago I found they had sadly disappeared.
I love 40k lore, but I can't get to read everything. Love your work as it is complete yet not overly confused with lots of details! As for a suggestion I'd say: enough with the Imperium. I want to know the story of the Tyranids! :D
They with forever be R-Bites. Love the counts as army. Nice 👍
If not a full codex army, as you said, if Arbites were part of Codex Inquisition to bulk it out that would be amazing! I like the idea of dual Heavy webber (perhaps with an anti-overwatch) Immolator-type Rhinos full of Suppression shield and Shock maul Arbites… A new Arbites Bastion would be a cool new fortification too…
You summarize this stuff very well. Fluid but dense with information.
oh wow, memories! i remember going in to a gw in about 98ish and having to order a squad of these over the phone from mail order, im sure ive still got those awesome metal models somewhere
I love the idea of spending victory points to get backup.
This is great, love the more fluffy models - maybe the fact we won't get army rules frees the designers up a bit?
regarding the intro, Ian really does use the most alternative pronunciations of anyone on the internet lol
My favourite thing in the Calpurnia novels was the fact that she was originally from Macragge, and she had this low-key "you people are all LUNATICS" vibe when things weren't neat and tidy. She also knew she didn't have to take shit from anybody.
Enjoying the content so far. I predict great things for you and your channel. 🙂
Glad I found your channel. The history of 40k/GW can be as interesting as the lore. I'm getting back into the hobby now after some 15 years - any novel recommendations apart from that Eisenhorn series?
Horus Rising, Legion and Descent if Angels from the Horus Heresy novel books, as well as The Last Church short story.
You, sir, get a "like" for that intro alone! Well done, my friend. Well done. 🤙
Whatever pronunciation you settle on Ian, someone is going to consider it wrong. Probably myself haha.
Since I’m addicted to your narrative/lore content I’m going through your old content. God help me when that runs out.
Dude I watched your videos all night and plugged them on Facebook. Amazing content.
Nice to see someone else having a soft spot for the arebytees 😁
well, that joke in the intro won my sub
yep
There was actually a chapter approved army list for 3rd/4th etc editions in citadel journal for Adeptus Arbites. It was the only chapter approved army list ever released in the journal which meant you didn't need your opponent's permission to use, it was as official as any other rules released in the main rulebook at the time.
Really making me want to finish my half-painted arbites conversion...
10:06 - This is a holdover rule from 2nd edition 40k. In 2e shotguns were template weapons which meant even if you missed it would deviate and could hit something. Since cover and concealment were so useful in 2e, it was better to fire a volley of shotguns at concealed targets but if they were in the open a targeter was the better option. With the rules changes, shotguns got nerfed hard.
Veeeeeery interesting. Excellent video.
Now its the time to expand this video with the Exaction Squad for Kill Team 2021.
Great video. All this time I assumed it was pronounced "Ah-bye-tees". As if it was a Latin word.
Thanks! So, contentious subject, right? 😂 I always pronounced it AH-bites, which I know is wrong, so I tried to train myself out of the habit for this. I haven't studied Latin since I was at school, but I thought that end 'es' is always pronounced like either 'mess' or 'fez' but definitely not like 'cheese'. And then the middle syllable is up for grabs - in most latin-derived languages (like Italian) that would be a soft I like in 'bit' not 'bite'. And not sure where the stress lands. So I ended up with either 'AH-bi-tez' or 'ah-BEE-tez'. But I may well be wrong in all of that, I'm not an expert by any means! Maybe I should find a Latin teacher and do a video!
@@ArbitorIan wow thanks for taking the time to step me through it! Every day's a school day.
...Next question "ti-ranid" or "TYE-ranid"?
@@ArbitorIan They pronounce Arbites in the Ciaphas Cain audio books. In the latest one, Amberlee discusses the difference between Arbites and Enforcers.
@@joec9958 GW did do a how to pronounce Warhammer words in WD. It's pronounced like tyranny not tyrant.
Check out how is judge in latin...
Arbites just announced!
Great video been slowly building my own arbites army over the years I don't mind the new models specially since I found a head swap on shapeways that is more like the original helmet
Ein großartiges Video mit tollen Informationen über meine geliebten Arbites. Ich hoffe sie kommen irgendwann wieder als Modelle.
I'd love to have an arbites unit just stuck into the IG with their big shields and a couple of special weapons. Just slightly more durable guardsmen.
Or in a custodes army, being a scout contingent that can journey away
@@jossypoo There's arbites on most imperial planets, so you could run a story where the local cops showed up to help out with the fight.
I enjoyed the video. Pretty comprehensive on the subject with good editing/pictures to go with them. You've earned a sub!
Given how integral the Adeptus Arbites are to the citizenry of the seemingly-endless Imperium of Man, these are a much underused element. The Lerr!
The retrospectives are awesome
All of your videos are great! Really impressed with how you’ve hit the ground running
Looking forward to seeing the kill team box
I think the contribution of 2000ad story nemesis the warlock to 40k needs recognition
Love your videos. I don't play the tabletop game but I've played some PC games, I'm reading Horus Heresy books and I might play one of the pen & paper games at some point. Especially for the pen & paper games it's great to have videos like this that can shed some light into general lore :)
Just came across your channel, your research and source material are amazing! Consider me a fan of your channel and a new subscriber!
Loving your content! Great start, keep it up!
Now they get a lot of love by means of the Warhammer crime novels, which I can quite recommend....
That Arbiter General lady looks like Judge Anderson
It was probably based on her knowing GW! LOL!
I remember the old Arbites models from the 90s
How about a video on the blades of 40K. Show off your favorite models, some cool lore, and changes in rules
holy crap I was just wondering about this on your channel. thanks!
Arbiters should be mentioned more in the lore. The Imperium doesn't sound as bad when you hear how planets are basically self-governing. Having a space FBI to come in and enforcing law galaxy wide would make things more grim dark.
In old Necromunda the arbiter gang/patrol would work like an outside force. They are not part of the normal underhive economy. They do not directly obey lord Helmawr, even though they support his rule. It was recommended that the ref pick missions with their job in mind. They never control turf, any time they kick a gang off turf it becomes a productive, policed part of the general hive population.
It would be awesome if Mr. James Workshop slipped the Arbites into the Agents of the Imperium rule.
I really love what Dark Heresy did with/for Arbites! I wish was easier to know how to say Arbites!! I've got miniatures for a new Judge Dredd game and I use them in various 40k RPGs frequently. Great video, Arbiter Ian. What career track do you see yourself taking in the Adeptus Arbites?
Apologies! I mean Arbitor Ian!
Good old Fischig! Love the channel so far keep up the good work 💪🏻
Another fantastic explanation. Loving these - subbed. Thanks for sharing
Found your channel yesterday and loving your videos! I want more!
Massively hatted is something I aspire to be.
It would be interesting to see an overview of the recent 40k crime novels series. Those go into a huge amount of detail about the workings and nature of law enforcement in 40k.
I was thinking the same thing throughout the video.
"Barbaretta and her cyber-mastiff" - a Barbara Woodhouse reference?
They're back!
Arbites actually pre-date Rogue Trader and GW's Judge Dread game. They were a part of the Laserburn line, and in those days were very blatant rip-offs of 2000AD's Judges. They even had the bikes.
Saw the shout out by Snipe and Wib and really like the videos and tone. Great retrospective and share both your soft spot for them and that being a bit strange based on them being authoritarian enforcers. Thanks for mentioning Crossfire, that came out when I had dipped out the hobby so never knew about and will be giving it a read. Just cut I don't have my old 90s Arbites models any more...
Btw can I suggest you doing a similar video on Genestealer Cults and particularly the old limo model era of the cults.
Is this video going to explain, what an arbitorian does? :P
Thank you for sharing!
Do you also have a video on the evolution of the space marine? Hypnotized psychopaths seems intriguing.
It's on the ever-growing list!!
They are the law ! Que that massive Anthrax riff
When I think of Arbites the Israeli Defense Forces and their police come to mind. Them crossed with Judge Dredd.
I had that 1994 Arbites squad! Man I wish I had kept them.
Great video!
guess your wish got granted as they're one of the latest Killteam units!
No way I'd assumed they'd come back in Necromunda '18! At least I know why you chose your screen name now.
Over the decades I have amassed a decent amount... but I couldn't figure out what you said you run them as at the end of the video...