How do you handle imperial vs. imperial battles?

[Inquisitor Gray]

I always liked the idea that the =I= did things that they saw as necessary,but any other person would see as a evil crime. For example, you could go after any Imperial group by saying that both of you fought in some battle recently, and saw some crazy warp beast, or maybe saw a new heretic sect, and now that they have been beaten, you need to make sure the other group does not go blabbing about it. Or you could even be more evil, and say you are actually trying to get your own attached IG group killed along with your once ally, and figured having them fighting each other is the quickest way. That way you are both working for the Imperium and are evil.

[Gotthammer]

Hah. You think that's difficult? Try justifying Necrons Vs. Necrons.

Short circuit?

No disassemble!

[Battlegrey]

How did I justify Imperial versus Imperial battles?
I didn't. I started a Xeno side collection instead.

[Fellend]

Thanks for the replies

I think people have slightly misunderstood me though, or I didn't get it across well enough. I meant to ask what is a good reason for loyalists to fight each other without one of them being "the bad guy?" It's tough.

It's easy to say "the marines are good, the inquisitor is a heretic" or whatever, but then the poor =I= player never gets to be the good guy, which is probably one of the reasons he picked that army in the first place. If I wanted my guys to be traitors I would have collected chaos instead of loyalist, and the same goes for my friend's marines.

It's just hard to think of reasons loyalists would fight where they are both still truly loyal. Mistaken identity is pretty much it.

In my campaign I play Black Templar and my friend play IG. (our other two friends play Tau and CSM) It all started with the BT hunting Tau and the Tau making a planetary assault on the IG world. BT contacted the IG saying you are now our meat shield, help us kill Tau.
The IG commander objecting to being "enlisted" by BT refused saying that he will kill ANYONE that tries to land on his planet. This includes me.
I see this as traitorious and criminal incomptence as Tau has managed to get a foothold on a Imperial Planet thanks to him being obnoxious. So I decide to invade trying to avoid the IG as much as possible but killing them if they get in the way.

This all works out great because his Imperial Guards are near enough numberless. He has several factions, there's his Personal Commander (Oppenheimer) that has secret orders to defend some ancient relic on the planet and refuses to let anyone get near. He has his traitor Colonel Spiers that has gone over to worshipping Khorne and sides with the CSM when needed and he has his Elite Sergeant, the lone survivor of a CSM ambush who now believe that Oppenheimer is insane and the only true way to win is to ally with the Black Templar.

Thus he can side with anyone he wants without ever actually ruining the fluff. Remember, I might only have 200 Space Marines, but the IG has millions upon millions of soldiers.

[Fellend]

So basically what you're saying is that the Ultramarines are perfect in every way?
I wholeheartedly agree sir!

"You got banished by the Ultramarines? What did you do, turn left on the excersing field while everyone else turned right?" - Iron Warriors leader to Cpt Something Ventris in the ultramarines novel.

[Renegade]

But playing BT against Imperial is easy. *Points finger* "They are tainted, Kill Them All!" even if its other BT.

Imperial vs Imperial is not that hard, and neither player needs be the "bad guy" per se. Just have them operate from another persective of "good".

In the 41st millenium, there is no peace, only WAR! Yay!

[Subject Keyword]

Short circuit?

That made me, to put it in vulgar terms, "bust a nut" laughing.
Thanks. You busted my nut.

Honestly, I'd imagine that'd be a fairly boring battle.

You would imagine correctly.

[druchi]

Not really with Deep striking onoliths veil of darkness and all those yummy goodies!

[Magos]

Considering both Imperial Factions I have are rather mysterious, it works out. My Death Spectres are probably up to something, and dont want to talk about it.

The Ad Mech are against anyone who stands in their way of aquiring technology.

[Subject Keyword]

Considering both Imperial Factions I have are rather mysterious, it works out. My Death Spectres are probably up to something, and dont want to talk about it.

The Ad Mech are against anyone who stands in their way of aquiring technology.

Do I ever stand in the Ad Mech's way, Magos?
Remember that epic battle on the air-hockey table where you plasmafied my *** to death in, like, the first turn? That hurt.

And I know what your Spectres are up to. They're making a cake that says
"Ding Dong, Daniels Gone."