The Castigators

[Commissar Molotov]

The Castigators

 

 

The Castigators Chapter has existed, in one form or another, since approximately 2005 - making them ten years old! I have been fortunate that they've always been warmly received by the internet, and am proud that they've proven inspirational for other users over the years. This post is intended to serve as a repository for the Castigators as I continue to develop them. For their Index Astartes article, please see below. 

 

 

Castigators Downloads

• The Castigators Mega-File is currently located on Dropbox: here

Castigators Painting and Modelling Threads

• Commissar Molotov's Castigator Army Thread
• The Fabricator General's WIP Castigators thread and his Castigators Strike Force.
• Lunchbox's WIP First-Captain Escalus.
• Iacton's Castigator Veteran Sergeant

Castigators Artwork

• Aerion the Faithful produced Sergeant Caetrus
• SeerBrun's Captain Caphius, Hero-Captain Lycidius, Castigator Chaplain and Castigator Honour Guard
• Cpt Tiberius produced a Chaplain, Captain Malus of the Ninth, veteran, another Chaplain, a Sternguard Veteran, Standard Bearer, Apothecary and many others. 
• Penitent Dreadnought has produced a Scout, Terminators, a  Marine a Veteran and another Veteran. 

 

Castigators Modelling Bits

• Matt Schweitzer (of POP goes the MONKEY) has produced a set of Mk 7 Power Armoured Castigator Pads.
• Plokoone (of Plokoone's Bits) has produced a set of Mk 7 Power Armoured Castigator Pads and a set of true-scaled Castigator pads.
•  

Edited July 9, 2017 by Commissar Molotov

[Commissar Molotov]

Index Astartes: Castigators
"We are the Emperor's will made manifest!"

Origins

P

art of the fourteenth founding of the Adeptus Astartes, the Castigators have earned a reputation as staunch and stalwart guardians of the Imperium in the millennia since their inception. The Adeptus Mechanicus birthed the nascent Chapter from the gene-legacy of Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines, and it is said that a Martian dictate ensured that only the purest progenoid glands were used during their creation. If true, this is an arguably excessive measure considering the exemplary nature of Guilliman's gene-stock. Some fanciful tales further claim that the Genetor-Magi considered and then discarded many perfectly usable progenoid glands in their efforts to create the Castigators.

Chapter Badge'

The reasons for the drastic measures undertaken in the creation of this Chapter may well have their roots in the after-effects of the thirteenth Astartes founding: the so-called 'Dark Founding'. All records relating to this tumultuous event have long since been eradicated or lost within the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the Imperium, leaving behind only supposition and fevered assumption. Those few individuals aware of exactly what transpired during those dark days would seem unprepared to divulge their secrets. Whatever exactly occured, it is clear that the myopic focus upon genetic purity that characterised the founding of the Castigators has affected the Chapter deeply to this day.

The Chapter's first Master was a Black Consul by the name of Barathus. Known amongst his brothers as 'the Castigator' for his fervent desire to purge the enemies of the Emperor for their transgressions, he bestowed the same name upon his nascent Chapter, hoping to inspire the same righteous fury in its warriors.

During the Castigators' first centuries of service, the Chapter maintained an unceasing war against the enemies of the Throne. Barathus was a keen strategist, and he drove his newest warriors to their limits. The world of Rihad witnessed the Castigators scuttling an Orkoid reaver-fleet, the patchwork vessels falling in flames only to be crushed by the gas giant's gravity. On Kessok, the Castigators swore binding oaths to defend its populace from the predations of the Fade-kind, creatures of shadow and smoke that dissipated only once Barathus' terminator elite put their Duskmothers to flame. At the head of the Swordpoint Crusades, the Castigators brought the light of the Imperium to a swathe of Imperial space. Moving from campaign to campaign, the Chapter fought to establish a legacy that would last the ages.

Homeworld

U

pon the height of their xenocidal campaigns against the alien Ryssith, an expeditionary fleet led by the Castigators entered a tumultuous and unstable region known to spacefarers as the 'Howling Stars'. An area of perennial eddies and whirls in the Immaterium, the Stars were a place where the skin of reality had been stretched to breaking point by unnatural forces. Roiling warp storms burst forth to destroy vessels whole and hamper travel still further, and only the most skilled of Navigators could reliably traverse the area. It was on the edges of this benighted expanse that the Castigators found the small and unassuming world labelled on the fleet's star-charts as Losanco Secundus.

The planet was perhaps most notable for its 'tidally locked' orbit, which resulted in one half of the planet being shrouded in perpetual darkness whilst the other basked in permanent light and debilitating radiation. It should never have sustained life - and yet it did. Drawn to the world by a flickering distress signal, the Castigators discovered that millennia ago, an Imperial vessel had crashed onto Losanco's surface. The descendants of the survivors clung the thin strip of land between the light and dark sides, an arid and inhospitable area of perpetual twilight. Their scattered settlements were fortified towns, built mainly from scrap metal recovered from the ruined hulk of their vessel. These established enclaves of human existence were defended by armed militias and sustained by the slowly degrading technologies.

The wastelands were also inhabited by bands of scavengers and reavers. Many were mutated as a result of the radiation - some almost beyond recognition. Highly aggressive, Losancan legends suggested to the inhabitants that one day the Emperor would appear, bringing light and tranquillity to its troubled people and transforming the planet into a verdant paradise. The legends continued that He would only appear when the planet was 'deserving' - which was taken to mean when it was freed from the blight of the 'impure'. The survivors had grown to blame the mutants for their predicament, learning to fear and hate with what had become an almost instinctual loathing for imperfection and disease. Babies showing even the most minor of malformations were hurriedly and quietly killed by their own mothers or families, such was the stigma of giving birth to a mutant offspring. This hatred of mutation extended beyond the physical form - those children that displayed burgeoning psychic abilities were executed in public ceremonies of devotion to the Emperor.

Losancan Hunter'

The plight of the Losancans was dramatic and precarious; they were caught between light and dark, between mutation and freezing doom. Such potent symbolism struck a chord within Barathus. The dichotomy between light and dark and the survivors' struggle against corruption convinced him that they could serve as a potential source of future Castigators. After settling on the periphery of the Howling Stars, the Castigators became responsible for the surrounding sectors of space, chief among them the Dalthus Sector, the Swordpoint Stars and the Taurelian Expanse. Apothecaries and Chaplains of the Castigators have recruited aspirants for the Chapter from across several sectors in order to ensure that the Chapter recruits the strongest, most genetically suitable candidates.

The Chapter's fortress, known as Sanctuary, is buried deep within Losanco Secundus's rocky moon. Hanging heavy within the skys, its pitted surface is studded with arched gunports, the squat shapes of lance-batteries and other defences. Those newly recruited into the Chapter are brought here and are inducted into a legacy of war; surrounded by campaign banners, the armour and accoutrements of long-dead heroes and the spoils of war, neophytes will undergo gruelling biological and genetic testing before being implanted with the gene-seed that will sustain them through a lifetime of combat.

All brothers of the Chapter, whatever their origin, return to the surface of Losanco Secundus. Bringing with them weaponry and basic equipment, they will join the militias that defend the settlements and scour the wastelands. Sand-scarred, hard-bitten, these warriors lead their parties with a steady hand and a commanding voice that rises above the harsh winds of the endless desert. Some are survivors of mutant raids or destroyed settlements; others simply serve from a sense that something must be done to protect their lives. The aspirants are expected to interact with the populace, to inspire them - and to learn of the pernicious danger posed by the impure. For many, it is a humbling experience - that these ordinary men and women endure through faith and determination. It is an experience that they will carry throughout their lives.

As the aspirants fight alongside their mortal counterparts, they will be observed from afar by the Chaplains of the Chapter, looking for any sign of weakness or unsuitability. Those that cannot endure hardship, that cannot thrive amidst despair, will never return to the Sanctuary and join the ranks of the Chapter.

Chapter Cult and Belief System

R

ecruits to the Chapter are strong-willed, used to hardship and driven by a heartfelt desire to root out deviance and impurity. The Chapter's rituals and cults foster this intolerance, seeing it as a virtue. Those that endanger the Imperium should be exterminated - mutants, aliens, psykers and religious deviants are all to be called to account for their activities. The only punishment for those who stray from the Emperor's path is death. The Chaos powers are abhorred by the chapter, despised for their warping touch. Those that have allowed themselves to submit to temptation and fall to Chaos are especially hated by the Castigators. As far as they are concerned, it is unthinkable to allow oneself to stray from the Emperor's path and into the worship of the Dark Gods. Those that submit to the dark powers are weak and must be killed before their heresy can corrupt others. The Castigators are known to have participated in several protracted engagements against Chaos Space Marines, including the so-called 'Harvesters' chapter and the Word Bearers legion, for whom the Castigators harbour a special hatred.

Chaplain Renatus'

It has been noted by Imperial observers that the Castigators grudgingly tolerate both the Astropaths and those of the Navigator Gene. This has led some to criticise the Castigators' belief system as hypocritical. The Castigators roundly refute such allegations, arguing that both institutions were created and sanctioned by the Emperor - just as the Adeptus Astartes were. Whilst some have called the Castigators overly aggressive, narrow-minded, or bigoted, none can deny the fervour with which they go about their tasks. The Castigators have influential allies that allow them to continue unmolested; some traditional and puritan Inquisitors have gone so far as to openly applaud the Castigators, seeing their actions as those of the truly faithful. The Chapter has worked in concert with puritan elements of the Inquisition on several occasions throughout its history, assisting in the prosecution of heretics and the faithless.

In memory of their auspicious founding, every fourteen years those companies not currently engaged in battle meet at the Sanctuary. Battle-brothers, comrades and friends are allowed to meet and honour their success together. Great trophies are brought back to the fortress monastery and relics are paraded in front of the assembled marines. Each and every dreadnought in the chapter is awoken and great prayer services are held to honour the fallen, to remember the great moments of the chapter's history and to reaffirm oaths of loyalty, piety and faith. Captured banners are paraded, the heads of defeated foes exhibited and the manner of their capture and defeat recalled with grim detail. The ceremonies last for fourteen days and then the chapter disperses once more to where they are needed to continue the protection of the Imperium of Man. Neophytes inducted into the chapter during this two-week period are seen as blessed and are usually predicted to become great warriors.

Before each battle, the force gathers together in prayer to affirm their faith. The higher ranks of the chapter - especially Captains and Chaplains - are known as skilled orators and they put these skills to good use, rousing a righteous fury in the hearts and minds of those beneath them. When the chapter fights, it is sustained by a deeply-held belief that they are the guardians of humanity. It is their divine duty to defend the Emperor's flock, and they will not accept failure in what they consider to be the holiest of all endeavours.

Battlefield Doctrine

I

n no small part due to the legacy of the Black Consuls, the Castigators have adhered closely to the tenets of Roboute Guilliman's Codex Astartes throughout their history. War is the reason for the Chapter's existence, and the Castigators seek to prepare for it well.

http://i.imgur.com/WzIHXPJ.jpg

Ancient Rhetoricus, Bearer of the Crimson Standard'

As Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes, practical issues dictate the Castigators' tactical orthodoxy to a degree. The limited numbers of the Chapter ensure that they are not used as a blunt instrument like the numberless masses of the Imperial Guard. The Castigators could be considered a predominantly attacking force, mounting and executing rapid, overwhelming assaults that ensure the Space Marines always maintain the initiative. Indeed, the Commanders of the Chapter would accept a traditional battle only on the most favourable of terms, or if necessity dictated. Drop-podding troops and thunderhawk-deployed vehicles can rapidly assault the enemy. Tactical and Devastator squads can suppress the enemy with skilled gunfire before the Chapter's Assault Marines descend upon them. Faced with such decisive force, the enemy simply cannot resist.

When called upon to defend ground, the Castigators raise icons of faith and sacred standards high before planting them into the ground, vowing to make the enemy pay a heavy price for each step taken. They will grimly fight to the last whilst inflicting as much damage as possible upon enemy forces, asking no quarter and giving none. The Castigators are ferocious warriors, known on occasion to fight to the last man rather than admit defeat. Battles against the chapter are always bloody and hard-fought, simply because the Castigators refuse to retreat unless their commanders order such. As part of their defensive strategy, the Castigators will attempt to disrupt their attackers. Assault forces undertaking skillfully-executed raids can cause huge amounts of damage before rapidly disengaging. Scouts can sabotage enemy materiel or assassinate prominent leaders, even going so far as to teleport the Chapter's Terminators into an enemy camp to brutally decapitate them.

Because of the chapter's unflinching bravery, even the Collegiate Strategos has paid tribute to the Castigators, its annals acknowledging them as one of the finest examples of the Imperial maxim 'death before dishonour'. The Castigators are determined, stubborn warriors, determined to struggle to victory whatever the cost. Whilst some have criticised the Castigators for their tactics, the Chapter has - thus far successfully - refuted these statements, claiming that rather than single-mindedly fighting their way into certain death, they judge their fights well to ensure that the enemy is eradicated. To the Castigators, a wasteful death is pointless, but a justified death is the greatest honour.

Chapter Organisation

T

he Castigators' adherence to the Codex Astartes has led to the Chapter adopting a conventional ten-Company structure. The first consists of the Chapter's veterans, the most skilled warriors who have received additional training, particularly in the use of Terminator armour. The Chapter possesses only twenty-one venerated suits of Terminator Armour, and these are worn by the greatest warriors in the chapter. When not in use they occupy positions of honour in the First Company's Chapel of Heroes. Should a Terminator fall, the techmarines will painstakingly repair the armour so that it may see battle again. The first company typically disperses to fight alongside the battle-companies, allowing the more experienced warriors to impart their wisdom to their brethren.

The second, third, fourth and fifth companies are the battle-companies, each with a mixture of tactical, devastator and assault squads. With such a variety of squads, the Battle Companies are highly flexible and tactically adaptable. Indeed, a typical force deployed by the Castigators will be centred around a Battle-Company, with attached elements from other Companies.

The sixth and seventh companies are tactical reserve companies; the eighth and ninth are assault and devastator reserve companies, respectively. The Reserve Companies often fight support of their brethren in the Battle-Companies, reinforcing battle lines, launching diversionary attacks or countering enemy assaults. In addition, the Marines of the Reserve Company can be transferred into the Battle-Companies to replace casualties sustained. The Castigators' tenth company, the scout company, is small when compared to other chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, mainly due to the chapter's extremely thorough recruitment processes. Much like the first company, the scouts almost never fight as one force. Instead they are assigned to the battle companies where they can gain experience alongside their elders.

Brother Jonas'

Librarians
The newly-created Castigators chapter had a number of Librarians, drawn from the Black Consuls. During their initial ten-year crusade, the Castigators also recruited a number of psychically-gifted initiates from the worlds they fought upon. As the original Librarians died out, and the Castigators continued to recruit from a world where the pyschic population was eradicated, the chapter began to absorb the Losancan belief system. They could no longer countenance 'witches' sullying the chapter's name, and as such the responsibility of keeping a record of the chapter's history was given to ordinary brother-marines who adopted the role of 'Librarian'. Now each of the Castigators' brother-marines will undertake a period of service in the chapter's Librarium once every decade, working to duplicate ancient texts and to pass on the stories of the Castigators' past. These 'Librarians' accompany Company Captains, recording the chapter's history, recounting tales of battles fought throughout the millennia, and learning lessons from the actions of others. This allows every battle-brother to be intimately familiar with the chapter's history of warfare.

Techmarines
Like the majority of Space Marine chapters, the Castigators honour ancient pacts with the Adeptus Mechanicus that stretch back millennia to their very founding. Those amongst the Castigators with an affinity for technology are dispatched to Mars, where they are initiated into the Martian tech-cults. This is acknowledged as a necessary process - without the techmarines, the Adeptus Astartes would be left unable to tend to the machine spirits, to observe the rites that ensure continued operation of their wargear, or to repair damage taken on the field of battle. But the process comes at a lamentable price - the loss of battle-brothers to the worship of the Omnissiah. The techmarines are mysterious and capricious, aloof and distant. Their inscrutable ways are not easily understood by most of the battle-brethren. Indeed, some of the more zealous factions among the chapter distrust the techmarines. To them, the worship of the Omnissiah is at best dangerous, and at worst heretical. It is a duty of the Chapter Master to ensure that these ideological tensions are defused and that no blood is spilt. It is said that some of the Castigators' techmarines struggle their entire lives to resolve the differences between their chapter's creed and the dictates of the Liber Mechanicus.

Gene-seed

Y

ears uncounted of rigorous gene-screening practices have inculcated an obsession for genetic purity within the Castigators. Having descended from the Black Consuls, the Brothers of the Chapter take pride in the fact that they can trace their genetic lineage back to Roboute Guilliman of the Ultramarines. The Ultramarines themselves are renowned for possessing the purest of all loyalist legions' gene-seeds, and that purity has been inherited by their successors.

The Castigators' Apothecaries demand absolute and total excellence in maintaining that purity. The Apothecarion ensures that only the strongest and healthiest of recruits are selected to become marines. The trials for neophytes are particularly stringent, and the Apothecaries take great care to ensure that the gene-seed does not develop flaws or mutate in any way. Any neophytes that exhibit signs of mutation are dissected as subjects of study in an attempt to determine what went wrong. Progenoid glands extracted from dead marines may not be implanted if there is any suggestion that they may be tainted.

This unyielding thoroughness means that the Castigators replace losses at a slower rate than in most marine chapters. As the forty-first millennium draws to a close, there have been few occasions when the Castigators have been at full chapter strength. The Castigators contend, however, that their rigidly maintained purity makes them more than a match for their foes.

-----

Index Astartes: Castigators
"We are the Emperor's will made manifest!"

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/mnesimache/Vocates/Castigators.gif

Origins

P

art of the fourteenth founding of the Adeptus Astartes, the Castigators have earned a reputation as staunch and stalwart guardians of the Imperium in the millennia since their inception. The Adeptus Mechanicus birthed the nascent Chapter from the gene-legacy of Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines, and it is said that a Martian dictate ensured that only the purest progenoid glands were used during their creation. If true, this is an arguably excessive measure considering the exemplary nature of Guilliman's gene-stock. Some fanciful tales further claim that the Genetor-Magi considered and then discarded many perfectly usable progenoid glands in their efforts to create the Castigators.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/mnesimache/Castigators/castigatorbadge9yf.jpg

Chapter Badge'

The reasons for the drastic measures undertaken in the creation of this Chapter may well have their roots in the after-effects of the thirteenth Astartes founding: the so-called 'Dark Founding'. All records relating to this tumultuous event have long since been eradicated or lost within the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the Imperium, leaving behind only supposition and fevered assumption. Those few individuals aware of exactly what transpired during those dark days would seem unprepared to divulge their secrets. Whatever exactly occured, it is clear that the myopic focus upon genetic purity that characterised the founding of the Castigators has affected the Chapter deeply to this day.

The Chapter's first Master was a Black Consul by the name of Baraquiel. He was known by his men as 'the Castigator', and was possessed with a fervent desire to purge the enemies of the Emperor for their transgressions. When given command of the nascent Chapter, he bestowed the name 'Castigators' upon it, hoping to inspire the same righteous fury in its warriors.

During the Castigators' first centuries of service, the Chapter maintained an unceasing war against the enemies of the Throne. Baraquiel was a keen strategist, and he drove his newest warriors to their limits. Moving from campaign to campaign, the Chapter fought to establish a legacy that would last the ages. The world of Rihad witnessed the Castigators _________________________________. On Kessok, the Castigators swore binding oaths to _______________________.

Homeworld

A

t the height of their xenocidal campaigns against the alien Ryssith, an expeditionary fleet led by the Castigators entered a tumultuous and unstable region known to spacefarers as the 'Howling Stars'. An area of perennial eddies and whirls in the Immaterium, the Stars were a place where the skin of reality had been stretched to breaking point by unnatural forces. Roiling warp storms burst forth to destroy vessels whole and hamper travel still further, and only the most skilled of Navigators could reliably traverse the area. It was on the edges of this benighted expanse that the Castigators found the small and unassuming world labelled on the fleet's star-charts as Losanco Secundus.

The planet was perhaps most notable for its 'tidally locked' orbit, which meant the time it took to rotate on its axis and the time it took to orbit its star were exactly the same. This peculiarity resulted in one half of the planet being shrouded in perpetual darkness whilst the other basked in permanent light and debilitating radiation. It should never have sustained life - and yet it did. The Castigators were drawn to the world by a flickering distress signal, picked up by chance by the fleet's augurs. It appeared that millennia ago, an Imperial vessel had crashed onto Losanco's surface. The descendents of the survivors clung to a thin strip of land between the light and dark sides, an area of perpetual twilight known as the terminator. Though arid and inhospitable, it was the only area on the planet where life could survive.

The plight of the Losancans was dramatic and precarious; they were caught between light and dark, between mutation and freezing doom. Settlements had been scattered across the terminator, fortified towns built mainly from scrap metal recovered from the ruined hulk of their vessel. These established enclaves of human existence were defended by armed militias and sustained by the slowly degrading technologies.

The wastelands were also inhabited by bands of scavengers and reavers. Many were mutated as a result of the radiation - some almost beyond recognition. Highly aggressive, Losancan legends suggested to the inhabitants that one day the Emperor would appear, bringing light and tranquillity to its troubled people and transforming the planet into a verdant paradise. The legends continued that He would only appear when the planet was 'deserving' - which was taken to mean when it was freed from the blight of the 'impure'. The survivors had grown to blame the mutants for their predicament, learning to fear and hate the mutants with what had become an almost instinctual loathing for imperfection and disease. Babies showing even the most minor of malformations were hurriedly and quietly killed by their own mothers or families, such was the stigma of giving birth to a mutant offspring. This hatred of mutation extended beyond the physical form - those children that displayed burgeoning psychic abilities were executed in public ceremonies of devotion to the Emperor.

Losancan Hunter'

Whilst the militias tend to the settlements, keeping them safe against the depredation of the mutant scavengers, a somewhat rarer breed of brave and pious warriors take it upon themselves to eradicate the mutants' blasphemous scourge from the planet's surface. A loose brotherhood, these roving bands of Mutant Hunters are not tied to any particular settlement. Instead they roam the wastelands, stopping at towns to resupply, to pray at the Emperor's shrine and to barter for goods. Sand-scarred, hard bitten, the Hunters evoke fear and respect in equal measure. Hardened by their lives, they lead their parties with a steady hand and a commanding voice that rises above the harsh winds of the endless desert. As they rest, they will be joined by new recruits, hungry for vengeance and retribution. Some will be survivors of mutant raids or of destroyed settlements. Some may have simply had a religious awakening, a sense that something must be done. Young and impressionable children revere these rugged warriors for the terrible sacrifices they have made in giving up their lives and venturing into the deserts.

Losanco's potent symbolism struck a chord in Baraquiel's soul. The dichotomy between light and dark and the survivors' struggle against corruption convinced him that they could serve as a potential source of future Castigators. He ordered a series of rigorous tests to confirm their genetic purity. Once he received the results, the Chapter began construction of a Fortress-Monastery buried deep within the moon of Losanco Secundus. Through their interactions with the local populace, the Losancans came to see them as grim emissaries of a God-Emperor that had turned His face away from an impure galaxy, leaving His finest warriors to oversee His domains. The Castigators are fully aware of the native legends and have even fostered them to promote hatred of the mutant.

As the hunters go about their work, they are often observed by the Chaplains of the Castigators. These ebon-armoured giants will on occasion approach the parties. Any youths travelling with the Hunting Parties will be carefully appraised for their suitability to join the Astartes. The Chaplains will provide the hunters with weaponry and basic equipment that can be traded or used to make their lives that bit easier. In return, those children that meet the Chaplains' stringent standards will be taken. These new recruits then begin the next phase of their lives. The Castigators' Fortress-Moon, known as Sanctuary, hangs heavy in the sky. Its pitted surface is studded with arched gunports, the squat shapes of lance-batteries and other defences. It holds the legacy of the Chapter's millennia-long history. It is here where the records of the Chapters' actions are kept, where the trophies won by the Chapter are stored, and where its Marines train.

A large part of the fortress is given over to places of worship; indeed, each Company maintains its own extensive Chapel. These massive structures provide both a place of worship and a record of war. Campaign banners and Company standards drape the walls; the armour and accoutrements of long-dead heroes remain displayed so as to inspire the living. Many of the chapels hold the spoils of war. Every marine whose body has been recovered is laid to rest within the Chapels' crypts. These sacred tombs are also where the Dreadnoughts of the Chapter are allowed to rest; remaining alongside their dead comrades until the chapter calls them into service.


Battlefield Doctrine

R

oboute Guilliman's Codex Astartes is considered a holy text by the Castigators, and the Brothers of the Chapter hold themselves to the same high standards as the Ultramarines, adhering faithfully to its dogma. War is the reason for the Chapter's existence, and the Castigators seek to prepare for it well. Before each battle, the force gathers together in prayer to affirm their faith. The higher ranks of the chapter - especially Captains and Chaplains - are known as skilled orators and they put these skills to good use, rousing a righteous fury in the hearts and minds of those beneath them. When the chapter fights, it is sustained by a deeply-held belief that they are the guardians of humanity. It is their divine duty to defend the Emperor's flock, and they will not accept failure in what they consider to be the holiest of all endeavours.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/mnesimache/Castigators/CastigatorAncient.gif

Ancient Rhetoricus, Bearer of the Crimson Standard'

Ancient Rhetoricus
As Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes, practical issues dictate the Castigators' tactical orthodoxy to a degree. The limited numbers of the Chapter ensure that they are not used as a blunt instrument like the numberless masses of the Imperial Guard. The Castigators could be considered a predominantly attacking force, mounting and executing rapid, overwhelming assaults that ensure the Space Marines always maintain the initiative. Indeed, the Commanders of the Chapter would accept a traditional battle only on the most favourable of terms, or if necessity dictated. Drop-podding troops and thunderhawk-deployed vehicles can rapidly assault the enemy. Tactical and Devastator squads can suppress the enemy with skilled gunfire before the Chapter's Assault Marines descend upon them. Faced with such decisive force, the enemy simply cannot resist.

When called upon to defend ground, the Castigators raise icons of faith and sacred standards high before planting them into the ground, vowing to make the enemy pay a heavy price for each step taken. They will grimly fight to the last whilst inflicting as much damage as possible upon enemy forces, asking no quarter and giving none. The Castigators are ferocious warriors, known on occasion to fight to the last man rather than admit defeat. Battles against the chapter are always bloody and hard-fought, simply because the Castigators refuse to retreat unless their commanders order such. As part of their defensive strategy, the Castigators will attempt to disrupt their attackers. Assault forces undertaking skillfully-executed raids can cause huge amounts of damage before rapidly disengaging. Scouts can sabotage enemy materiel or assassinate prominent leaders, even going so far as to teleport the Chapter's Terminators into an enemy camp to brutally decapitate them.

During protracted campaigns, the Castigators have been known to establish firebases (also known as Castellum) from which they can operate. Whilst such circumstances are relatively rare, as the Brothers of the Chapter would prefer to remain mobile (and can typically rely upon the vessels of the Castigators' fleet) these bases can provide a venue to repair, rearm and supply the forces, as well as providing a solid redoubt from which to assault their foes.

Because of the chapter's unflinching bravery, even the Collegiate Strategos has paid tribute to the Castigators, its annals acknowledging them as one of the finest examples of the Imperial maxim 'death before dishonour'. The Castigators are determined, stubborn warriors, determined to struggle to victory whatever the cost. Whilst some have criticised the Castigators for their tactics, the Chapter has - thus far successfully - refuted these statements, claiming that rather than single-mindedly fighting their way into certain death, they judge their fights well to ensure that the enemy is eradicated. To the Castigators, a wasteful death is pointless, but a justified death is the greatest honour.

Chapter Organisation

I

n accordance with the Codex Astartes, the Castigators maintain ten Companies of Marines. The first consists of the Chapter's veterans, the most skilled warriors who have received additional training, particularly in the use of Terminator armour. The Chapter possesses only twenty-one venerated suits of Terminator Armour, and these are worn by the greatest warriors in the chapter. When not in use they occupy positions of honour in the First Company's Chapel of Heroes. Should a Terminator fall, the techmarines will painstakingly repair the armour so that it may see battle again. The first company typically disperses to fight alongside the battle-companies, allowing the more experienced warriors to impart their wisdom to their brethren.

The second, third, fourth and fifth companies are the battle-companies, each with a mixture of tactical, devastator and assault squads. With such a variety of squads, the Battle Companies are highly flexible and tactically adaptable. Indeed, a typical force deployed by the Castigators will be centred around a Battle-Company, with attached elements from other Companies.

The sixth and seventh companies are tactical reserve companies; the eighth and ninth are assault and devastator reserve companies, respectively. The Reserve Companies often fight support of their brethren in the Battle-Companies, reinforcing battle lines, launching diversionary attacks or countering enemy assaults. In addition, the Marines of the Reserve Company can be transferred into the Battle-Companies to replace casualties sustained. The Castigators' tenth company, the scout company, is small when compared to other chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, mainly due to the chapter's extremely thorough recruitment processes. Much like the first company, the scouts almost never fight as one force. Instead they are assigned to the battle companies where they can gain experience alongside their elders.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/mnesimache/Castigators/BrotherJonas1.jpg

Brother Jonas'

Librarians
The newly-created Castigators chapter had a number of Librarians, drawn from the Black Consuls. During their initial ten-year crusade, the Castigators also recruited a number of psychically-gifted initiates from the worlds they fought upon. As the original Librarians died out, and the Castigators continued to recruit from a world where the pyschic population was eradicated, the chapter began to absorb the Losancan belief system. They could no longer countenance 'witches' sullying the chapter's name, and as such the responsibility of keeping a record of the chapter's history was given to ordinary brother-marines who adopted the role of 'Librarian'. Now each of the Castigators' brother-marines will undertake a period of service in the chapter's Librarium once every decade, working to duplicate ancient texts and to pass on the stories of the Castigators' past. These 'Librarians' accompany Company Captains, recording the chapter's history, recounting tales of battles fought throughout the millennia, and learning lessons from the actions of others. This allows every battle-brother to be intimately familiar with the chapter's history of warfare.

Techmarines
Like the majority of Space Marine chapters, the Castigators honour ancient pacts with the Adeptus Mechanicus that stretch back millennia to their very founding. Those amongst the Castigators with an affinity for technology are dispatched to Mars, where they are initiated into the Martian tech-cults. This is acknowledged as a necessary process - without the techmarines, the Adeptus Astartes would be left unable to tend to the machine spirits, to observe the rites that ensure continued operation of their wargear, or to repair damage taken on the field of battle. But the process comes at a lamentable price - the loss of battle-brothers to the worship of the Omnissiah. The techmarines are mysterious and capricious, aloof and distant. Their inscrutable ways are not easily understood by most of the battle-brethren. Indeed, some of the more zealous factions among the chapter distrust the techmarines. To them, the worship of the Omnissiah is at best dangerous, and at worst heretical. It is a duty of the Chapter Master to ensure that these ideological tensions are defused and that no blood is spilt. It is said that some of the Castigators' techmarines struggle their entire lives to resolve the differences between their chapter's creed and the dictates of the Liber Mechanicus. These tortured souls keep their distance from their beloved battle-brothers that hate them so, seeking solace among the lobotomised servitors and the machine-spirits that inhabit the chapter's equipment.

Chapter Cult and Belief System

T

enacity and zealous passion are qualities valued by the Castigators. Life on Losanco Secundus ensures that the Chapter's recruits are strong-willed, used to hardship and driven by a heartfelt desire to hunt and destroy deviants and mutants. The chapter fosters this intolerance for mutants in its recruits, regarding them as an abomination against the Emperor, to be exterminated with extreme prejudice. The threat of the mutant is so great that the Castigators put themselves, and their greatest prize - their purity - in harm's way to battle the enemies of the Emperor. Much like the people of Losanco Secundus fighting mutants, the Castigators sacrifice all that is dear to them to rid the Imperium of a greater taint. It is a thankless task, but the Castigators undertake the challenge willingly.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/mnesimache/Castigators/Renatus2.png

Chaplain Renatus'

The Chaos powers are abhorred by the chapter, despised for their warping touch. Those that have allowed themselves to submit to temptation and fall to Chaos are especially hated by the Castigators. As far as they are concerned, it is unthinkable to allow oneself to stray from the Emperor's path and into the worship of the Dark Gods. Those that submit to the dark powers are weak and must be killed before their heresy can corrupt others. The Castigators are known to have participated in several protracted engagements against Chaos Space Marines, including the so-called 'Harvesters' chapter and the Word Bearers legion, for whom the Castigators harbour a special hatred.

The Castigators are known to adhere to philosophies that could be compared to Inquisitor Goldo's principles of Monodomination. They are utterly ruthless and unforgiving when it comes to those they perceive as aiding the enemies of the Imperium. Mutants, aliens, psykers and religious deviants are all to be called to account for their activities. The only punishment for those who stray from the Emperor's path is death. The Castigators are utterly devoted to this belief and have in the past even been openly hostile towards loyalist Space Marines they have perceived to have a mutated or debased gene-seed. They utterly refuse to work alongside aliens such as Eldar or Kroot.

Whilst some have called the Castigators overly aggressive, narrow-minded, or bigoted, none can deny the fervour with which they go about their tasks. The Castigators have influential allies that allow them to continue unmolested; some traditional and puritan Inquisitors have gone so far as to openly applaud the Castigators, seeing their actions as those of the truly faithful. The chapter has worked in concert with puritan elements of the Emperor's Inquisition on several occasions throughout its history. It is not uncommon for such Inquisitors to work with militant cults in the Imperium such as the Redemptionists to create frenzied mobs and stir up hatred, intolerance and xenophobia amongst planetary populations. These beliefs are similar to those of the Castigators, and this has lead to them aiding such cults at the urging of an Inquisitor.

Above all, the Castigators revere the Emperor for His sacrifice and for all He had to endure to ensure that humanity survived the dark days of the Horus Heresy. He surrendered more than most can even imagine. Many of the chapter's marines commit acts of self-mutilation in an attempt to further their own spiritual growth. These acts are overlooked by the Chapter's commanders, as they encourage piety. The pain is welcomed, and is a small price to pay for understanding even a small sliver of the Emperor's suffering and sacrifice. The Castigators look upon the Chapter's Dreadnoughts with awe. This is in part because chapter reveres these warriors for the heroic deeds they achieved in life, and also because they echo the Emperor Himself - their bodies are shattered but still they continue to fight the enemies of Humankind. Their courage, determination and tenacity are an example which every marine in the chapter strives to emulate. The ancient warriors encased within these sarcophagi can prove devastating on the field, and company Captains often seek their counsel before committing their forces.

It has been noted by Imperial observers that the Castigators grudgingly tolerate both the Astropaths and those of the Navigator Gene. This has led some to criticise the Castigators' belief system as hypocritical. The Castigators roundly refute such allegations, arguing that both institutions were created and sanctioned by the Emperor - just as the Adeptus Astartes were.

In memory of their auspicious founding, every fourteen years those companies not currently engaged in battle meet at the Sanctuary. Battle-brothers, comrades and friends are allowed to meet and honour their success together. Great trophies are brought back to the fortress monastery and relics are paraded in front of the assembled marines. Each and every dreadnought in the chapter is awoken and great prayer services are held to honour the fallen, to remember the great moments of the chapter's history and to reaffirm oaths of loyalty, piety and faith. Captured banners are paraded, the heads of defeated foes exhibited and the manner of their capture and defeat recalled with grim detail. The ceremonies last for fourteen days and then the chapter disperses once more to where they are needed to continue the protection of the Imperium of Man. Neophytes inducted into the chapter during this two-week period are seen as blessed and are usually predicted to become great warriors.

Gene-seed

Y

ears uncounted of rigorous gene-screening practices have inculcated an obsession for genetic purity within the Castigators. Having descended from the Black Consuls, the Brothers of the Chapter take pride in the fact that they can trace their genetic lineage back to Roboute Guilliman of the Ultramarines. The Ultramarines themselves are renowned for possessing the purest of all loyalist legions' gene-seeds, and that purity has been inherited by their successors.

The Castigators' Apothecaries demand absolute and total excellence in maintaining that purity. The Apothecarion ensures that only the strongest and healthiest of Losanco Secundus' populace are selected to become marines. The trials for neophytes are particularly stringent, and the Apothecaries take great care to ensure that the gene-seed does not develop flaws or mutate in any way. Any neophytes that exhibit signs of mutation are dissected as subjects of study in an attempt to determine what went wrong. Progenoid glands extracted from dead marines may not be implanted if there is any suggestion that they may be tainted.

This unyielding thoroughness means that the Castigators replace losses at a slower rate than in most marine chapters. In recent years there have been few occasions when the Castigators have been at full chapter strength. The Castigators contend, however, that their rigidly maintained purity makes them more than a match for their foes.

-----

With many thanks to Rogue Trader for his help, here's my fluff once more... I think this is the fourth version...

<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>The Castigators</span>

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/6553/castigator6jy.jpg
Data-File: Battle-Brother of the Fifth Company, Second Squad, Adeptus Astartes Castigators.

Origins
The Castigators have carved their name into the annals of Imperial History on numerous occasions. Their name is spoken with respect by friend and foe alike. They have participated in many glorious campaigns, including the Zarathustran Crusade, the Cleansing of the heretical Cult of the Silver Blade, and a hard-fought campaign against a triumvirate of heretical systems in the Symien Expanse.

Staunch and stalwart guardians of Humanity, the Castigators were created in the fourteenth great founding of the Legionnes Astartes. As with fully two-thirds of all Space Marine Chapters, the Castigators were formed from the gene-seed of Roboute Guilliman's Ultramarines.

All records of the thirteenth founding, the so-called "Dark Founding" have since been lost. Few know exactly what transpired during this period of Imperial history, and fewer still divulge their secrets. Whatever happened, when the fourteenth founding occurred, great care was taken to ensure the genetic stability of the nascent chapter. Only the purest progenoid glands were used - an almost excessively paranoid measure considering the exemplary nature of Guilliman's gene-stock. This focus on genetic purity appears to have deeply affected the Castigators to this day.

Once the chapter was founded, the Adeptus Mechanicus gifted them with two newly-crafted Battle Barges, the Imperius Excelsis and the Gladius Veritas, in addition to a number of Strike Cruisers. The Castigators struck out into the Ultima Segmentum to find a homeworld.

Homeworld
After a decade of campaigning, the Castigators found a home on the world of Losanco Secundus. The time taken for the planet to rotate on its axis and the time taken for the planet to orbit the system's star were exactly the same. This odd situation meant that one half of the planet was shrouded in perpetual darkness, and the other bathed in permanent light. The most populous portions were on the dark-side, whilst the sunward side was basked in debilitating radiation. Those cursed individuals that existed in the eternal day were mutated almost beyond recognition. Even the dark side was barely habitable by normal standards. The populace was subjected to intense cold. Many of the dark side's highest points were swathed in ice.

Life was - and to this day, is - a struggle against the elements for survival, a struggle that ensured only the strongest survived. The humans in the dark live in a primitive feudal society, with only moonlight for illumination during the grim, unforgiving blackness.

From an early age, the people of Losanco Secundus were taught to fear and hate the mutants. Even from an early age they had an almost instinctual loathing for imperfection and disease. Malformed babies were killed rather than be left to survive, suffocated often by their own mothers or family members. This hatred of mutation extended beyond the physical form - those children that displayed burgeoning psychic abilities were killed in public ceremonies of devotion to the Emperor.

Legend tells that one day the Emperor will return to Losanco Secundus, bringing light and tranquility to its troubled people, and transforming the planet into a verdant paradise. The legends continue to say that He will only return when the planet is freed from the blight of mutants and witches. Only then will the people be deserving of the new world that he will create for them. Because of this legend, the populace blame the mutants for the fact that they have to live on the dark side. Small bands of brave and pious individuals often lead expeditions to the bright-side to try to eradicate the mutants' blasphemous scourge from the surface of Losanco Secundus. Although these primitive individuals have no concept of radiation, they know that should they spend too long on the bright side, they will weaken and die. Only the hardiest (some would say most fool-hardy) undertake such missions. The Castigators are fully aware of the native legends, and even foster them, simply because they help promote hatred of the mutants

The chapter's Chaplains were impressed by the faith of the people of Losanco Secundus. After a series of rigorous tests to confirm their genetic purity a base was constructed on the planet's moon. The marines came to be seen as terrible angels, ferocious emissaries of the God-Emperor that watches over them all the time. The emissaries take the greatest and most promising children away to be judged by the God-Emperor; those that travel to the light-side to fight the mutants. During their hunts they are secretly observed by the Chaplains of the Castigators. If they are found worthy, they will become one of His angels and serve Him.

The Fortress-Monastery of the Castigators, known as the Sanctuary, is buried deep within the moon of Losanco Secundus. It is here that all the records of the Castigators' actions are kept, where the trophies won by the chapter are stored, and where the marines of the chapter train. A large part of the fortress-monastery is given over to the Chapel of the Sacred. It is here that every marine whose body has been recovered has been laid to rest. This sacred crypt is also where the Dreadnoughts of the chapter are allowed to rest alongside their dead comrades until the chapter calls them into service.

Combat Doctrine
For the most part, the Castigators fight as one would expect from a successor of the Ultramarines; by following the dogma of the Codex Astartes as laid out by Roboute Guilliman himself. As a result, the chapter is flexible and can respond to almost any battlefield situation that may arise. Before battle, the force gathers together in prayer to affirm their faith. The higher ranks of the chapter - especially Captains and Chaplains - are skilled orators and put these skills to good use rousing a righteous fury in the hearts and minds of those beneath them. When the chapter fights, it is sustained by a deeply-held belief that they are the guardians of humanity. It is their divine duty to defend the Emperor's flock, and they will not accept failure in this, the holiest of endeavours. As battle is joined, icons of faith and sacred standards are raised high and then planted into the ground, the chapter vowing to not take a single step backwards.

Because of the chapter's unflinching bravery, even the Collegiate Strategos has paid tribute to the Castigators, it's annals acknowledging them as one of the finest examples of the Imperial maxim 'death before dishonour'. The Castigators prefer to fight to the last man rather than surrender or admit defeat. Battles against the chapter are always bloody and hard-fought, simply because every single last marine must be eradicated before enemy forces can press on.

Organisation
The Castigators adhere to the Codex Astartes for the most part, although slight adjustments have been made over the millennia. There are ten companies; the first consists of the chapter's veterans, the most skilled warriors who have received additional training, particularly in the use of Terminator armour. When not equipped as Terminators the Veterans fight as a tactical company, using the skills they have learnt over centuries of war to better combat the foe. The first company has only rarely fought together; instead they typically fight alongside the other nine companies, allowing the more experienced warriors to impart their wisdom to their brethren. The Captain of the first company is also the Castigators' Chapter Master.

The second, third, fourth and fifth companies are the battle companies, each with a mixture of tactical, devastator and assault squads. The chapter seems to have little in the way of armoured vehicles, preferring to utilise Dreadnoughts instead. The Castigators have a higher proportion of dreadnoughts than is usual amongst Space Marine Chapters. The ancient warriors encased within these sarcophagi can prove devastating on the field, and company Captains often seek their counsel before committing their forces. The chapter reveres these warriors for the heroic deeds they achieved in life, and also because they echo the Emperor Himself - their bodies are shattered but still they continue to fight the enemies of Humankind. Their courage, determination and tenacity are an example which every marine in the chapter strives to follow.

The sixth and seventh companies are tactical reserve companies; the eighth and ninth are assault and devastator reserve companies, respectively. These companies also have the honour of serving alongside dreadnoughts. It is here that these ancient warriors can impart their wisdom to educate their kin. The Castigators' tenth company, the scout company, is small when compared to other chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, mainly due to the chapter's thorough recruitment process. Much like the first company, the scouts almost never fight as one force. Instead they are assigned to the battle companies where they can gain experience alongside their elders.

Because the populace of Losanco Secundus ferociously eliminate all psykers from the populace, the Castigators have no librarians. Those initiates that manifest psychic powers are taken away by the chaplains never to be seen again. Because of this, the responsibility of keeping a record of the chapter's history is given to ordinary brother-marines. Each of the Castigators' marines undertakes a period of service in the chapter's Librarium once every decade. They work to duplicate ancient texts and to pass on the stories of the Castigators' past. These marines record the chapter's history, recounting tales of battles fought throughout the millennia.

Every fourteen years, those companies not currently engaged in battle meet at the Sanctuary. Battle-brothers, comrades and friends are allowed to meet and honour their success together. Great trophies are brought back to the fortress monastery and relics are paraded in front of the assembled marines. Each and every dreadnought in the chapter is awoken and great prayer services are held to honour the fallen, to remember the great moments of the chapter's history and to reaffirm oaths of loyalty, piety and faith. The ceremonies last for fourteen days and then the chapter disperses once more to where they are needed to continue the protection of the Imperium of Man. Neophytes inducted into the chapter during this two-week period are seen as blessed and are usually predicted to become great warriors.

Beliefs
The harsh lifestyle of Losanco Secundus's people ensures that they are strong people, used to hardship and skilled at hunting and destroying deviants and mutants. The chapter fosters this intolerance for mutants in its recruits, regarding them as an abomination against the Emperor, to be exterminated with severe prejudice.

Chaos is abhorred by the chapter, despised for its warping touch. Those that have fallen to chaos are despised and hated - to the Castigators, it is unthinkable to allow oneself to stray from the Emperor's path and into the worship of the Dark Gods. Those that submit to the dark powers are weak and must be killed.

The Castigators adhere to philosophies that are very close to Inquisitor Goldo's principle of Monodomination. They are utterly ruthless and unforgiving when it comes to those they perceive as aiding the enemies of the Imperium. Mutants, aliens, psykers and religious deviants are all to be called to account for their activities. The only punishment for those who stray from the Emperor's path is death. The Castigators are utterly devoted to this belief and have been openly hostile even towards Space Marines they perceive to have a mutated or debased gene-seed. They utterly refuse to work alongside aliens such as Eldar or Kroot.

Whilst some have called the Castigators overly aggressive, narrow-minded, or bigoted, none can deny the fervour with which they go about their tasks. Traditional and puritan Inquisitors have gone so far as to openly applaud the Castigators. They see their actions as those of the truly faithful. The chapter has worked in concert with the Holy Orders of the Emperor's Inquisition on several occasions. It is not uncommon for puritan Inquisitors to work with militant cults in the Imperium - such as the Redemptionists - to create frenzied mobs and stir up hatred, intolerance and xenophobia amongst planetary populations. These cults' beliefs are similar to those of the Castigators, and this has lead to them aiding such cults at the urging of an Inquisitor.

The Castigators revere the Emperor, for His sacrifice and for all He had to endure to ensure that humanity survived the dark days of the Horus Heresy. He surrendered more than most can even imagine. Many of the chapter's marines commit acts of self-mutilation in an attempt to further their own spiritual growth. These acts are overlooked by the Chapter's commanders, as they encourage piety. The pain is welcomed, and is a small price to pay for understanding even a small sliver of the Emperor's suffering and sacrifice.

It has been noted that the Castigators tolerate both the Astropaths and those of the Navigator Gene. While at first this seems almost hypocritical, the Castigators reply that both were created and sanctioned by the Emperor - just as the Adeptus Astartes were.

Gene-seed
The Castigators trace their lineage back to Roboute Guilliman of the Ultramarines. The Ultramarines are renowned for possessing the purest of all loyalist legions' gene-seeds. The purity and excellence of Guilliman and his legion have been passed on to their successors.

The Castigators' Apothecaries demand absolute and total excellence. Great stead is placed on health and purity, and the Apothecarion makes sure that only the strongest and healthiest of Losanco Secundus' populace are selected to become marines. The trials for neophytes are particularly stringent, and the Apothecaries take great care to ensure that the gene-seed does not develop flaws or mutate in any way, ensuring that the chapter's purity is ruthlessly maintained. Any neophytes that exhibit signs of mutation are usually inducted as serfs or used as subjects of study in an attempt to determine what went wrong.

This thoroughness means that losses are replaced slower than in most marine chapters. In recent years there have been few occasions when the Castigators have been at full chapter strength.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Commissar Molotov

[--Lord_Panthro--]

Extremely good fluff!!! :devil:

Y cant i write like that?? ;)

very informative and well described. Cant wait to see some models (if u plan to do any)

 

congrats

 

 

Panthro

[SCC]

RT even mentioned that he might be able to sneak a Castigator into the next Legio B+C story.  :devil:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Given the high quality of that IA, if he doesn't, I will B)

 

Because of the chapter's unflinching bravery, it has been rumoured by Imperial Strategists that the forces of the Castigators have never been routed, preferring instead to fight to the last man rather than surrender or admit defeat.

Imperial Strategos wouldn't rumour anything, these guys are far too precise for that kind of thing. Perhaps you could change this statement a little to something along the lines of 'nowhere in any Imperial history is there mention of a Castigators force being routed, preferring instead to fight to the last man rather than surrender or admit defeat.' or something along those lines. Perhaps 'Even the Collegiate Strategos (or some other such august body) has paid tribute to the Chapter's unflinching bravery, it's annals acknowledging them as one of the finest examples of the Imperial maxim 'death before dishonour/defeat' or something similar, again, expanded as you see fit to suitably cover the martial skills of the Castigators.

 

Whilst some have called the Castigators overly aggressive, narrow-minded, or even idiotic, none can deny the fervour with which they go about their tasks.

Idiotic just doesn't seem to be the right word to be, perhaps overly dogmatic, zealous, bigoted/prejudiced or something similar might be used in it's place?

 

My only other comment would be that 2 weeks every 30 years seems like a very short time to celebrate the doings of 1000 Marines, perhaps something like 25 days every 25 years? Or I guess 14 days every 14 years would tie in better what with them being 14th Founding and all and would give them more time to properly commemorate the fallen and the exploits of the living brethren too...

 

Those minor issues aside, a great big ;) for this IA, I too look forward to seeing the army of a battlefield someday...

[Commissar Molotov]

RT even mentioned that he might be able to sneak a Castigator into the next Legio B+C story.

[Commissar Molotov]

Edited above.

[Rogue Trader]

I'll try editing it though to please both of you.

Make sure it pleases you, not us :)

[Race Bannon]

Most impressive :)

 

Wasn't (is?) the Emperor a psyker?

[Aurelius Rex]

Sorry for the Threadomancy, but I could not let this IA slip off into oblivion without mention. ;)

 

This is a very well written IA, with an excellent eye for detail and some nice dramatic flourishes that make it stand out. I think the essence of a good chapter, and therefore of a good IA article is a strong central theme that is followed through and reflected in every aspect of the chapter. The strong, uncompromising, overzealous (bigotted!) nature of the chapter was followed through well, and integrated into the universe of 40K and of the Astartes.

 

One thing I would comment on are the geneseed... their overzealous nature would to me indicate that they were more like the Black Templars than the more level-headed Ultramarines... I know they have a few missing implants, but that could be the reason that they are so crazy about geneseed purity now. ;) It might be an interesting psychological wrinkle to investigate, as people and organisations are far from rational, or even consistent.

 

The other thing was that it would be interesting to see if there has been a downside to their overzealousness... It would be interesting to see any fallout from this characteristic in the way other chapters see them. My chapter has strong links to the =][= and like their 'parent chapter' the Crimson Fists they have destroyed chapters classed renegade. This has meant a lot of tension with chapters suspicious of the =][= like the Unforgiven chapters and the Celestial Lions. It might be interesting to see if other organisations or chapters treat the Castigators with fear or loathing, or even how they interact with Librarians of other chapters. :)

 

I notice your homeworld has the same rotation quirk as mine (and Mordian), but I am thankful that it was dealt with in a different way from how I have written about Mycenae, so no need for me to do a major re-write. :P

 

Overall, great work. :P

[Commissar Molotov]

Wasn't (is?) the Emperor a psyker?

Well, that's one example of the doctrinal hypocrisy which is streaked throughout the Imperium and the Ecclesiarchical cult. The Emperor is, of course, a psyker, and the single greatest Human psyker ever to have lived. Through his grace, and his strength of will, humanity has survived. Even to this day the power of the astronomican protects shipping. The Castigators give thanks for that.

 

Those psykers that are not sanctioned are a danger to humanity. They are pretenders, mere flickers before the great light of the Emperor. But by accessing the warp they are dangerous. And so the Castigators move to eliminate that danger.

 

The lack of librarians is for the most part, the by-product of the chapter not inducting any psychic humans. The people of Losanco Secundus have very particular views on genetic purity and mutation, and these views have been carried over into their service as Space Marines. Accordingly, they have a very coloured view of the Imperial Cult and the way things should be.

--------------------

 

Rex:

 

No problem regarding the threadromancy, I always appreciate comments.

 

Whilst the overzealous nature reflects more on the Black Templars, they are Ultramarines successors for good reason. The Templars are overzealous for other reasons. They are crusaders, fighting back those that trespass on the Imperium. The Castigators, however, were from the start manipulated. In an effort to correct the mistakes of the 13th Founding (whatever they were), they were created from the purest gene-seed and the most hardy initiates. That pure gene-seed can only come from one primarch - Guilliman. The emphasis on purity, both of the soul and of the body, has become an obsession of the chapter.

 

Their overzealousness will obviously have caused the Castigators enemies. I think in a way the Castigators relish it. Those that will not stand with them to purify the Emperor's lands have declared themselves to be an enemy. The Kroot, the Tau, the Eldar, those races that offer the hand of friendship exist only to subvert the Emperor's purpose, to disrupt the plans He has for them.

 

The Castigators adhere to philosophies that are very close to Inquisitor Goldo's principle of Monodomination. They are utterly ruthless and unforgiving when it comes to those they perceive as aiding the enemies of the Imperium. Mutants, aliens, psykers and religious deviants are all to be called to account for their activities. The only punishment for those who stray from the Emperor's path is death. The Castigators are utterly devoted to this belief and have been openly hostile even towards Space Marines they perceive to have a mutated or debased gene-seed. They utterly refuse to work alongside aliens such as Eldar or Kroot.

 

Whilst some have called the Castigators overly aggressive, narrow-minded, or bigoted, none can deny the fervour with which they go about their tasks. Traditional and puritan Inquisitors have gone so far as to openly applaud the Castigators. They see their actions as those of the truly faithful...

 

Those 'other chapters' will obviously not appreciate being told that they're mutants and the like. I'm sure that there have been skirmishes and bad blood between the Castigators and other chapters in the past.

 

Also, whilst traditional Inquisitors might applaud the Castigators, free-thinking ones might well not.

 

Thanks for your thoughts, Rex. I hope to see more comments soon. :)

[Commissar Molotov]

Okay, it's 6.42am and I haven't slept all night. Having an abundance of free time on my hands, I've been thinking about some stuff.

 

The Castigators send marines to Mars to be inducted into the machine cult. When they return, they are cold and distant. The Castigators hold them in suspicion. WHile acknowledging the need for their skills, the devotion shown by Techmarines to the Omnissiah is treated with suspicion and even outright hostility by some of the more zealous members of the chapter. As a result, the Techmarines live in isolation, surrounded by their beloved machines.

 

Rogue Trader doesn't seem to agree with this. He thinks that my marines wouldn't treat the techmarines with hostility, especially not since they rely upon them to keep the chapter's equipment in working order.

 

I countered this by saying that it's only the most zealous marines. The worship of the Omnissiah would not be approved by them.

 

Your thoughts would be welcomed.

 

Also, with some of my models, when I started working on the theme of a 'punishing' chapter, I gave them an almost industrial theme. There's a few models with chains and chainmail. These have mainly come from the Khorne Beserker Sprue.

 

Looking at the new Black Templar sprues, all the weapons are chained to the marines. The Templars, apparently, chain themselves to their weapons so they can keep fighting. Obviously, these chains would tie in to what I've been doing already. I'm aware the amount of 'chained weapon marines' will increase exponentially after the release of the plastics, so I was considering a different theme. Perhaps the chains are to show how the marines are bound to their duty? I wasn't sure. Again, all thoughts welcomed.

 

Please give me some long, decent, and thought-out comments. It's only through reasoned argument and criticism that my work can improve.

Edited August 6, 2005 by Commissar Molotov

[Librarian- Melechor]

A great read there! Quite inspiring.

About the chains, i think the "Being bound to your duty" would fit in very well with your chapter. Good job! :D

[Commissar Molotov]

SCC's IA:BC is what I'm aiming for. My article has come out at approximately 2,300 words. SCC's was 4,900, with another 1,200 for box-outs and justification for the chosen traits.

 

I'm trying desperately to improve the article, but I've looked at it so many times that it's turning into a blur. I really need constructive comments, criticism, even if it's pedantry about sentence structure.

[SCC]

Rogue Trader doesn't seem to agree with this. He thinks that my marines wouldn't treat the techmarines with hostility, especially not since they rely upon them to keep the chapter's equipment in working order.

 

I countered this by saying that it's only the most zealous marines. The worship of the Omnissiah would not be approved by them.

I think the way around this is to make more of an issue of their perceived split loyalties. One way to do this would be to mention the TMs don't take part in worship with the rest of the Chapter at the feet of the Chaplains but perhaps they combine their worship of the Omnissaiah and Emperor in their own temples. This would give the most zealous non-TMs more reason to be suspicious and would also increase the aloof factor of the TMs.

 

The Brazen Claws have a similar split in that their TMs are also considered outsiders, as do the SW for that matter, but whilst these Marines are uncomfortable with their TechMarine brethren they aren't hostile as such, more wary than anything. Perhaps moderating the Castigator's views a little wouldn't hurt, otherwise you need to add more fuel to the fire to justify actual 'hostility' rather than suspicions and discomfort...

 

The worship of the Omnissiah would not be approved by them.

Specifically on this point the AM and the Adeptus Ministorum reached a concord that the Omnisaiah was essentially a facet of the Immortal Emperor that allows these two organisations to tolerate each other. Most SM Chapters with issues with TM would probably reach a similar agreement IMO. Otherwise they'd have problems with any version of the Imperial Cult that conflicted with theirs, which would essentially be every other doctrine which could prove problematical, no? :D

 

SCC's IA:BC is what I'm aiming for. My article has come out at approximately 2,300 words. SCC's was 4,900, with another 1,200 for box-outs and justification for the chosen traits.

 

I'm trying desperately to improve the article, but I've looked at it so many times that it's turning into a blur. I really need constructive comments, criticism, even if it's pedantry about sentence structure.

Thanks for the namecheck there Molotov ;) Nothing wrong with a shorter IA than 5-6K words though, in fact, in many ways it might be better, being a quicker, easier read for your average Joe...

 

That said IA:BC evolved over close to 12 months and there were several dormant periods where looking at the IA was the last thing I wanted to do, sometime it's best to step away, take a deep breath and get some perspective. I believe RT and AR will back me up on that having similar experiences with their respective IAs too.

Edited August 6, 2005 by Several Concerned Cricketers

[Commissar Molotov]

That's certainly a good point. I was considering that perhaps those marines chosen to be sent to Mars are those that don't fit into the chapter? Those slightly less dogmatic and zealous to begin with, which might exacerbate things when they return. I figure that if one of my overly-religious marines went to Mars, they'd likely cause a lot of problems and offend the adepts, something no chapter can afford. So by sending the outsiders, they prevent them from affecting squad dynamics.

 

I think that suspicion would likely be preferable to outright hostility, though.

 

------------

Specifically on this point the AM and the Adeptus Ministorum reached a concord that the Omnisaiah was essentially a facet of the Immortal Emperor that allows these two organisations to tolerate each other. Most SM Chapters with issues with TM would probably reach a similar agreement IMO. Otherwise they'd have problems with any version of the Imperial Cult that conflicted with theirs, which would essentially be every other doctrine which could prove problematical, no?

 

Well, the Castigators do get worked up over versions of the Imperial Creed that do not tally with their extremist version. Whilst I understand that the Adeptus Mechanicus justifies its worship of the Omnissiah by claiming it's a facet of the Emperor, I still think that the Castigators would be rather wary of it.

Edited August 6, 2005 by Commissar Molotov

[SCC]

Fair comment but:

I was considering that perhaps those marines chosen to be sent to Mars are those that don't fit into the chapter?

Would a Chapter like the Castigators really produce Marines that don't fit into the Chapter? Indoctrination, hypno-therapy and training would ensure that each Marine was a zealot and even a lesser zealot would still be likely to offend the AM sooner or later.

 

Well, the Castigators do get worked up over versions of the Imperial Creed that do not tally with their extremist version. Whilst I understand that the Adeptus Mechanicus justifies its worship of the Omnissiah by claiming it's a facet of the Emperor, I still think that the Castigators would be rather wary of it.

Fair enough, in that case I'd probably note that at some point pragmatism has to take over dogmatism and perhaps insert a sidebar of AM-Castigators relationships with comments to the effect that though the organisations distrust each other they both recognise that the other also does the Emperor's work (and by default the Omnissaiah's too).

 

Perhaps have a clear thinking or early Chapter Master make an accord with Mars specifying that the Marines sent to train with them get only a minimum of religious indoctrination and a maximum of technical training. Whilst this might make them less proficient than other TechMarines it would make them compatible with the rest of the Chapter. Perhaps this could be reflected in a lack of artificer armour, plasma cannons and other similar 'high-tech' gear, or perhaps Castigator's TMs just take longer to fix stuff or produce plainer, less devotional equipment...

 

Alternatively Castigator's Marines could train with a slightly heretical faction on Mars who believe more in tech and less in the Machine-God. There have been examples in older fluff of folks (Grimm the Squat comes to mind from the =][= War trilogy, as do Squat Engineers in general) who realised that the religious jiggery-pokery of the AM wasn't perhaps as necessary as they said it was. Again this type of AM adept would provide training more compatible with the Castigator's ways...

 

Also check my earlier post I edited it while you were typing with regards to IA articles in general :D

[Commissar Molotov]

It's difficult to portray the Castigators without making them seem like they're unthinking religious bigots 100% of the time. I imagine that they would be pragmatic to an extent. They know that without technology they cannot carry out the task that they've been entrusted - cleansing the Imperium.

 

Do note, however, that I said "would be rather wary of [worship of the Omnissiah]" rather than "would threaten military action against the Adeptus Mechanicus." The Castigators tolerate the Adeptus Mechanicus because they work in the service of the Imperium. But they could at least call the Emperor the Emperor, darn it! ;)

 

Good point regarding the conditioning marines undergo. Considering I'd been preaching about it in the Tau marines thread, I should have considered it.

 

I'm not so sure if the Adeptus Mechanicus would allow a regime with less religious indoctrination, however. For them, technology only works because every ritual is fulfilled. They've lost so much technology that they keep what they have by rigorously following the instruction booklets. :D

 

I do like the idea of a lack of technological sophistication - with the Castigators getting the job done with traditional, reliable equipment. I did imagine the Castigators as producing rather baroque, devotional equipment, but they would perhaps rely more on flamers than plasma guns, for example.

[SCC]

Do note, however, that I said "would be rather wary of [worship of the Omnissiah]" rather than "would threaten military action against the Adeptus Mechanicus." The Castigators tolerate the Adeptus Mechanicus because they work in the service of the Imperium. But they could at least call the Emperor the Emperor, darn it!

Thousands of years of mistrust, suspicion and wariness could all too easily turn into open confict though ;)

 

I'm not so sure if the Adeptus Mechanicus would allow a regime with less religious indoctrination, however.

Perhaps, perhaps not. There are indications howver that the AM is as riven with factions as the =][= though. The second Arbites Calpurnia novel, I forget the name, has an AM Adept with an heretical bent who seems far more pragmatic than dogmatic for example. In addition there are plenty of Adepts curious about how Xenos tech works who view the religious part of the AM as less important than their orthodox brothers, plus of course the forces of Chaos somehow keep their gear working without the aid of the Machine-God (though I grant the Chaos Gods, mutations and the vagaries of the Warp could easily account for that).

 

Oh, and a suggestion for re-kindling the fluff fires - paint up a Castigator! And maybe even enter him into the AoD while you're at it :D

[Commissar Molotov]

Castigators Blog :D

 

After discussion with RT, I am working on an AoD entry. Veteran Brother Fautor will be ready by the twenty-eighth.

 

---------------------

 

With regards to the factions, I'm fairly well versed on the Adeptus Mechanicus. I know that the Xenarites, for example, are very interested in Xenos technology, whilst more puritan Adepts would not countenance such blasphemy.

 

I'll just suggest that there have been occasions when marines sent from the Castigators have caused offense on Mars, which has lead to tensions. Both have their own standpoint, neither are willing to change their position, and so both grudgingly work together.

[SCC]

I'll just suggest that there have been occasions when marines sent from the Castigators have caused offense on Mars, which has lead to tensions. Both have their own standpoint, neither are willing to change their position, and so both grudgingly work together.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't they say that a good compromise leaves both sides unhappy?

 

Sounds like a good compromise to me :D

[Akrim]

How do you make those custom color marine pics?

[Commissar Molotov]

How do you make those custom color marine pics?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Heh, thanks for the useful comments about my chapter. :D

 

Linky-dink

Edited August 12, 2005 by Commissar Molotov

[Talock]

Great read! it s been said but it has strong fluff and i love how you went with the fourteenth and great care was taken after the 13th because the high lord hate thing out of their hand like the dark times of the 13th

[Akrim]

Pah, another band of Imperial fools for slaughter to the chaos gods! :D

 

Seriously tho, it's an interesting read but very clean cut fluff...I like to hear more of the actual army, how they fight, famous battles they've partaken in, their characters, etc.

 

Not bad start, I think you just need to add more, the background is all cool.

[Commissar Molotov]

The Castigators

"We are the Emperor's will made manifest!"

 

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2555/castigatorbadge9yf.jpg

Data-File: Chapter symbol, Adeptus Astartes Castigators.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/Cpt_Tiberius/Cas_Ancient_Base_lr2copy.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/Cpt_Tiberius/Castigator_chappy_revised.jpg

 

 

Origins and Founding

Staunch and stalwart guardians of Humanity, the Castigators were created in the fourteenth great founding of the Legionnes Astartes. As with fully two-thirds of all Space Marine Chapters, the Castigators were formed from the gene-seed of Roboute Guilliman's Ultramarines. In the millennia since their inception, the chapter has carved its name into the annals of Imperial History on countless occasions, ensuring their name is spoken with respect by friend and foe alike. Many glorious Imperial victories can be attributed to the Castigators, including the Zarathustran Crusade, the cleansing of the Symien Expanse and the eradication of the Cult of the Silver Blade.

 

It is clear to all that the Castigators are loyal and true servants of the Emperor. They are possessed with a purity of purpose that reflects the chapter's genetic purity. When the Adeptus Mechanicus created the Castigators, only the purest progenoid glands were used - an almost excessively paranoid measure considering the exemplary nature of Guilliman's gene-stock. Indeed, many perfectly usable progenoid glands were considered and then discarded by the Genetor-Magi.

 

The reasons for these measures would seem to be rooted in the thirteenth Astartes founding, the so-called 'Dark Founding'. All records of the thirteenth founding have long since been eradicated or lost, leaving behind only assumption and supposition. Few know exactly what transpired during this period of Imperial history, and none seem prepared to divulge their secrets. Still, it is clear that the Imperium's focus on genetic purity appears to have deeply affected the Castigators to this day.

 

The Chapter's first Master was a Black Consul by the name of Baraquiel. He was known by his men as 'The Castigator', and was possessed with a fervent desire to purge the enemies of the Emperor for their transgressions. When given the command of the nascent chapter, he bestowed the name 'Castigators' upon the marines, hoping to inspire the same righteous fury in his men.

 

Once the chapter was founded, the Adeptus Mechanicus gifted them with a newly-crafted Battle Barge from the forges of Mars, the Imperius Excelsis. Other craft were donated by established chapters such as the Ultramarines. The Castigators headed deep into the Ultima Segmentum on a campaign to prove their worth as servants of the Emperor.

 

Homeworld

After a decade of campaigning, the Castigators found a home on the world of Losanco Secundus. The planet was a celestial anomaly, one of only a handful of planets in the Imperium known to have a 'tidally locked' orbit. The time the planet took to rotate on its axis and the time it took to orbit the system's star were exactly the same. This odd circumstance meant that one half of the planet was shrouded in perpetual darkness whilst the other basked in permanent light and debilitating radiation. The planet should never have sustained life. But it did.

 

It appeared that millennia ago, an Imperial vessel had crashed onto Losanco. The descendents of those few survivors clung to the barely habitable dark-side, subjected to intense cold. Many of the planet's highest peaks were swathed in ice. Life was an unending struggle against the elements for survival, a struggle that ensured only the strongest could survive. Food was scarce, grown by dim moonlight in areas where streams of warm air reached the dark-side.

 

By contrast, those few cursed individuals that existed in the eternal day were mutated almost beyond recognition. Losancan legends suggested to the dark-siders that one day the Emperor would appear, bringing light and tranquillity to its troubled people and transforming the planet into a verdant paradise. The legends continued to state that He would only appear when the planet was 'deserving' - when it was freed from the blight of mutants and witches.

 

The dark-siders had grown to blame the mutants for their predicament, learning to fear and hate the mutants with an almost instinctual loathing for imperfection and disease. Malformed babies were killed rather than be left to survive, suffocated often by their own mothers or family members. This hatred of mutation extended beyond the physical form - those children that displayed burgeoning psychic abilities were killed in public ceremonies of devotion to the Emperor. Small bands of brave and pious individuals would often lead expeditions to the bright-side to try to eradicate the mutants' blasphemous scourge from the planet's surface. Although these primitive individuals had no concept of radiation, they knew that should they spend too long on the bright side, they would weaken and die. Only the hardiest (some would say most fool-hardy) undertook such missions.

 

This dichotomy between light and dark struck a chord in Baraquiel's soul. Their eternal fight against corruption convinced him that they could serve as a potential source of future Castigators. He ordered a series of rigorous tests to confirm their genetic purity and then began the construction of a base upon the planet's moon.

 

The Losancans saw the Castigators' actions and came to see them as terrible angels, ferocious emissaries of a God-Emperor that watches over them all the time to ensure they carry out their divine task - the purification of their homeworld. The Castigators are fully aware of the native legends, and have even fostered them simply because they help promote hatred of the mutants. Those children amongst the bands that travel to the light-side to fight the mutants are secretly observed by the Castigators' Chaplains. If one is found worthy, the Chaplain will approach the warband and take the child to become one of His angels.

 

The Fortress-Monastery of the Castigators, known as the Sanctuary, is buried deep within the moon of Losanco Secundus. It is here that all the records of the Castigators' actions are kept, where the trophies won by the chapter are stored, and where the marines of the chapter train. A large part of the fortress-monastery is given over to places of worship; indeed, each company maintains an extensive chapel. These massive structures provide both a place of worship and a record of war. Campaign banners and company standards drape the walls; the armour and accoutrements of long-dead heroes remain displayed to inspire the living. Many of the chapels hold the spoils of war. It is here that every marine whose body has been recovered has been laid to rest. These sacred crypts are also where the Dreadnoughts of the chapter are allowed to rest; remaining alongside their dead comrades until the chapter calls them into service.

 

Battlefield Doctrine

The Castigators fight as one would expect from a successor of the Ultramarines; by following the dogma of the Codex Astartes as laid out by Roboute Guilliman himself. As a result, the chapter is flexible and can respond to most battlefield situations that may arise. Before each battle, the force gathers together in prayer to affirm their faith. The higher ranks of the chapter - especially Captains and Chaplains - are skilled orators and put these skills to good use rousing a righteous fury in the hearts and minds of those beneath them. When the chapter fights, it is sustained by a deeply-held belief that they are the guardians of humanity. It is their divine duty to defend the Emperor's flock, and they will not accept failure in this, the holiest of all endeavours. As battle is joined, icons of faith and sacred standards are raised high and then planted into the ground, the chapter vowing to make the enemy pay a heavy price for each step taken.

 

Because of the chapter's unflinching bravery, even the Collegiate Strategos has paid tribute to the Castigators, its annals acknowledging them as one of the finest examples of the Imperial maxim 'death before dishonour'. The Castigators are ferocious warriors, known on occasion to fight to the last man rather than admit defeat. Battles against the chapter are always bloody and hard-fought, simply because the Castigators refuse to retreat unless their commanders order such.

 

Some have criticised the Castigators, claiming that such tactics waste valuable manpower and resources. The Castigators have - thus far successfully - refuted these accusations, claiming that rather than single-mindedly fighting their way into certain death, they judge their fights well to ensure that the enemy is eradicated. To the Castigators, a wasteful death is pointless, but a justified death is the greatest honour.

 

Chapter Organisation

The Castigators adhere to the Codex Astartes for the most part, although slight adjustments have been made over the millennia. There are ten companies; the first consists of the chapter's veterans, the most skilled warriors who have received additional training, particularly in the use of Terminator armour. The chapter possesses only twenty-one venerated suits of Terminator Armour, and these are worn by the greatest warriors in the chapter. When not in use they occupy positions of honour in the First Company's Chapel of Heroes. Should a Terminator fall, the techmarines will painstakingly repair the armour so that it may see battle again. The first company typically disperses to fight alongside the battle-companies, allowing the more experienced warriors to impart their wisdom to their brethren.

 

The second, third, fourth and fifth companies are the battle-companies, each with a mixture of tactical, devastator and assault squads. Castigator battle-forces have been often observed to use far more Dreadnoughts than equivalent forces of other chapters. This is in part because chapter reveres these warriors for the heroic deeds they achieved in life, and also because they echo the Emperor Himself - their bodies are shattered but still they continue to fight the enemies of Humankind. Their courage, determination and tenacity are an example which every marine in the chapter strives to emulate. The ancient warriors encased within these sarcophagi can prove devastating on the field, and company Captains often seek their counsel before committing their forces.

 

The sixth and seventh companies are tactical reserve companies; the eighth and ninth are assault and devastator reserve companies, respectively. These companies also have the honour of serving alongside dreadnoughts. It is here that these ancient warriors can impart their wisdom to educate their kin. The Castigators' tenth company, the scout company, is small when compared to other chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, mainly due to the chapter's extremely thorough recruitment processes. Much like the first company, the scouts almost never fight as one force. Instead they are assigned to the battle companies where they can gain experience alongside their elders.

 

The newly-created Castigators chapter had a number of Librarians, drawn from the Black Consuls. During their initial ten-year crusade, the Castigators also recruited a number of psychically-gifted initiates from the worlds they fought upon. As the original Librarians died out, and the Castigators continued to recruit from a world where the pyschic population was eradicated, the chapter began to absorb the Losancan belief system. They could no longer countenance 'witches' sullying the chapter's name, and as such the responsibility of keeping a record of the chapter's history was given to ordinary brother-marines who adopted the role of 'Librarian'. Now each of the Castigators' brother-marines will undertake a period of service in the chapter's Librarium once every decade, working to duplicate ancient texts and to pass on the stories of the Castigators' past. These 'Librarians' accompany Company Captains, recording the chapter's history, recounting tales of battles fought throughout the millennia, and learning lessons from the actions of others. This allows every battle-brother to be intimately familiar with the chapter's history of warfare.

 

Like the majority of Space Marine chapters, the Castigators honour ancient pacts with the Adeptus Mechanicus that stretch back millennia to their very founding. Those amongst the Castigators with an affinity for technology are dispatched to Mars, where they are initiated into the Martian tech-cults. This is acknowledged as a necessary process - without the techmarines, the Adeptus Astartes would be left unable to tend to the machine spirits, to observe the rites that ensure continued operation of their wargear, or to repair damage taken on the field of battle. But the process comes at a lamentable price - the loss of battle-brothers to the worship of the Omnissiah. The techmarines are mysterious and capricious, aloof and distant. Their inscrutable ways are not easily understood by most of the battle-brethren. Indeed, some of the more zealous factions among the chapter distrust the techmarines. To them, the worship of the Omnissiah is at best dangerous, and at worst heretical. It is a duty of the Chapter Master to ensure that these ideological tensions are defused and that no blood is spilt.

 

It is said that some of the Castigators' techmarines struggle their entire lives to resolve the differences between their chapter's creed and the dictates of the Liber Mechanicus. These tortured souls keep their distance from their beloved battle-brothers that hate them so, seeking solace among the lobotomised servitors and the machine-spirits that inhabit the chapter's equipment.

 

Chapter Cult and Belief System

The harsh lifestyle of Losanco Secundus's people ensures that they are strong, used to hardship and skilled at hunting and destroying deviants and mutants. The chapter fosters this intolerance for mutants in its recruits, regarding them as an abomination against the Emperor, to be exterminated with extreme prejudice. The threat of the mutant is so great that the Castigators put themselves, and their greatest prize - their purity - in harm's way to battle the enemies of the Emperor. Much like the people of Losanco Secundus fighting the mutants of the day-side, the Castigators sacrifice all that is dear to them to rid the Imperium of a greater taint. It is a thankless task, but the Castigators undertake the challenge willingly.

 

The Chaos powers are abhorred by the chapter, despised for their warping touch. Those that have allowed themselves to submit to temptation and fall to Chaos are especially hated by the Castigators. As far as they are concerned, it is unthinkable to allow oneself to stray from the Emperor's path and into the worship of the Dark Gods. Those that submit to the dark powers are weak and must be killed before their heresy can corrupt others. The Castigators are known to have participated in several protracted engagements against Chaos Space Marines, including the so-called 'Hands of Hashut' chapter and the Word Bearers legion, for whom the Castigators harbour a special hatred.

 

The Castigators are known to adhere to philosophies that could be compared to Inquisitor Goldo's principles of Monodomination. They are utterly ruthless and unforgiving when it comes to those they perceive as aiding the enemies of the Imperium. Mutants, aliens, psykers and religious deviants are all to be called to account for their activities. The only punishment for those who stray from the Emperor's path is death. The Castigators are utterly devoted to this belief and have in the past even been openly hostile towards loyalist Space Marines they have perceived to have a mutated or debased gene-seed. They utterly refuse to work alongside aliens such as Eldar or Kroot.

 

Whilst some have called the Castigators overly aggressive, narrow-minded, or bigoted, none can deny the fervour with which they go about their tasks. The Castigators have influential allies that allow them to continue unmolested; some traditional and puritan Inquisitors have gone so far as to openly applaud the Castigators, seeing their actions as those of the truly faithful. The chapter has worked in concert with puritan elements of the Emperor's Inquisition on several occasions throughout its history. It is not uncommon for such Inquisitors to work with militant cults in the Imperium such as the Redemptionists to create frenzied mobs and stir up hatred, intolerance and xenophobia amongst planetary populations. These beliefs are similar to those of the Castigators, and this has lead to them aiding such cults at the urging of an Inquisitor.

 

Above all, the Castigators revere the Emperor for His sacrifice and for all He had to endure to ensure that humanity survived the dark days of the Horus Heresy. He surrendered more than most can even imagine. Many of the chapter's marines commit acts of self-mutilation in an attempt to further their own spiritual growth. These acts are overlooked by the Chapter's commanders, as they encourage piety. The pain is welcomed, and is a small price to pay for understanding even a small sliver of the Emperor's suffering and sacrifice.

 

It has been noted by Imperial observers that the Castigators tolerate both the Astropaths and those of the Navigator Gene. This has led some to criticise the Castigators' belief system as hypocritical. The Castigators roundly refute such allegations, arguing that both institutions were created and sanctioned by the Emperor - just as the Adeptus Astartes were.

 

In memory of their auspicious founding, every fourteen years those companies not currently engaged in battle meet at the Sanctuary. Battle-brothers, comrades and friends are allowed to meet and honour their success together. Great trophies are brought back to the fortress monastery and relics are paraded in front of the assembled marines. Each and every dreadnought in the chapter is awoken and great prayer services are held to honour the fallen, to remember the great moments of the chapter's history and to reaffirm oaths of loyalty, piety and faith. The ceremonies last for fourteen days and then the chapter disperses once more to where they are needed to continue the protection of the Imperium of Man. Neophytes inducted into the chapter during this two-week period are seen as blessed and are usually predicted to become great warriors.

 

Gene-seed

The Castigators are able to trace their lineage back to Roboute Guilliman of the Ultramarines. The Ultramarines are renowned for possessing the purest of all loyalist legions' gene-seeds, and that purity has been passed on to their successors.

 

The Castigators' Apothecaries demand absolute and total excellence in ensuring this purity is maintained. Great stead is placed on health and purity, and the Apothecarion makes sure that only the strongest and healthiest of Losanco Secundus' populace are selected to become marines. The trials for neophytes are particularly stringent, and the Apothecaries take great care to ensure that the gene-seed does not develop flaws or mutate in any way. Any neophytes that exhibit signs of mutation are usually inducted as serfs or dissected as subjects of study in an attempt to determine what went wrong. Progenoid glands extracted from dead marines may not be implanted if there is any suggestion that they may be tainted.

 

This (arguably excessive) thoroughness means that the Castigators replace losses at a slower rate than in most marine chapters. In recent years there have been few occasions when the Castigators have been at full chapter strength. The Castigators contend, however, that their rigidly maintained purity makes them more than a match for their foes.

 

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/4526/castigator071ff.gif

Data-File: Veteran Sergeant of the Fifth Company, Adeptus Astartes Castigators.

 

-----------------------

Acknowledgement and Thanks go to: The Literati; Aurelius Rex, Brother-Librarian Akritedes, Joker, Nine Breaker, Rogue Trader and Several Concerned Cricketers. The Illuminati; Captain Seato/Penitent Dreadnought, Cpt_Tiberius and Tubal.

Edited December 8, 2006 by Commissar Molotov