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The Cardinal Guard Low Gothic: Cardinal Guard High Gothic: Astartes Praecipus Founding Legion: VII, Imperial Fists Founding: 22nd Founding (“Nexus Founding”) Current Chapter Master: Attico Diomedes Homeworld: Cathea, Ultima Segmentum Fortress-Monastery: Basilica Fidelum Colors: Red (primary); White, Black (secondary) Specialty: Deep Strike/Drop Assault, Independent Unit Operations Strength: 874 Marines (est. M41.789) Battle Cry: “Rapture Beckons!" / "Your Time Has Come!" Recorded History Hailing from the Ecclesiarchy's upheaval following the Age of Apostasy, the Cardinal Guard were deployed from their genesis in the 22nd Founding (M36) with the explicit purpose of defending a cluster of worlds previously entrusted to the considerable might of the defunct Frateris Templar. The Decade Worlds - named for the ten Cardinal Worlds they hosted - had become prey to the very same Frateris Templar forces which had previously guarded it. Quickly dispatching from their muster, the Cardinal Guard immediately undertook a four-year crusade to free these worlds, eliminating the pirate element and establishing both a home-world and numerous fortress-postings throughout the Vivarian Sector. From the 22nd Founding to the 42nd millennium, the Cardinal Guard have played both military and cultural roles, emphasizing their defense and reinforcement of the Eccleshiarchy’s cherished strongholds in the region. Whereas other, mightier chapters of the Adeptus Astartes have shirked a quasi-political role, the Cardinal Guard have taken a strong stance towards the Imperium and the Imperial Faith, allowing themselves to be regularly utilized as living icons of the God-Emperor. Where records can be located, the Cardinal Guard boast a proud history of nearly 4,000 years of service, on fronts both infamous and obscure. Fighting Doctrine The Cardinal Guard, as observed and recorded with some detail, retain near-Codex strength, often meeting a nine-company quota of fighting marines and boasting a healthy scout company - though recent martyr actions have set the chapter back by nearly two full battle-companies. The chapter’s primary means of attack, and their most practiced, is the “deep strike” action, wherein the chapter often deploys from a sizeable drop pod and gunship landing, inserting of marines in pivotal locations to fight behind forward lines, often without re-supply or support - a battle dogma gleaned from brutal mountainous terrain of the home-world, and suitable to densely packed Hive Cities and war-torn battlefields alike. Like so many of the varied chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the backbone of the Cardinal Guard is the Tactical Squad - organized in tight five-man formations - capable of clearing enemy encampments, disrupting supply lines, securing hive-blocks, and clearing the zones mortalis that so often compose the Cardinal Guard’s battlefields. The Tactical Marine, at the heart of these squads, is commonly armed with the ubiquitous load-out of the Adeptus Astartes; his bolter, bolt pistol, gladius, and a compliment frag and krak grenades. Wielding Cathean-born tenacity and trans-human ingenuity, a lone Cardinal Guard is capable of engaging enemy forces, safeguarding Imperial civilians, assessing situational integrity, and communicating with allied forces, all while planning his next action - a testament to any space marine’s incredible abilities. Chapter Culture The Cardinal Guard, by dint of their origins, first combats, and the worlds they are charged to defend, have developed synchronously with the post-Thorian Ecclesiarchy. The Decade Worlds, first enraptured by the Confederation of Light, then later held in the iron fist of Vandire's Frateris Templar, reestablished themselves as beacons of Imperial Faith in the Ultima Segmentum. Some scholars suggest that some trappings and practices of the heretical Confederation of Light still remain, hybridized and now inseparable with the mainline doctrine of the Temple of the Savior Emperor. The Cardinal Guard are true believers of this particular creed and uphold a bizarre Chaplaincy to reflect their faith. In addition to the Codex Astartes standard ranks, the Chapter also maintains a third, semi-formal rank, an unspoken pre-requisite to promotion to the battle-ranks of Sergeant or Captain. The sub-rank of "Velocitari" is earned through study and ordination into the Ecclesiarchy, specifically the Order of St. Vivarius - in essence making all ranking brothers of the Chapter priests of the Adeptus Ministorum, if only in a secondary capacity. Though largely celebratory, it is not uncommon for Sergeants and Captains of the Cardinal Guard to celebrate the rituals of the Imperial while on Crusade or patrols of the Decade Worlds, much to the relish of the Ecclesiarchy, who benefit from the spectacle and legitimacy brought by such participation by the Emperor's Angels. Cathea Imperial records of Cathea place it in the Ultima Segmentum, southeast of the Perfidian Gap warp storm, a theta-class world of icy forests and caustic climate, unsuited for proper colonization, but home to a persistent race of man, long ago crash-landed on the death world. Having survived the amniotic climate, hazardous fauna, and sub-zero temperatures, the population was eventually visited by the founding company of Chapter #446, who would buillt their fortress monastery and recruited from the world’s youth - to great success. To Imperial scholars, it is not entirely clear how or why the chapter settled upon Cathea, it defies belief that such a boon would fall under the chapter’s provenance by luck alone. The Legacy of Rogal Dorn The Cardinal Guard stand with the sons of the Dorn, as stalwart as any other chapter, and have answered the call of the Imperial Fists without hesitation or delay on countless occasions - including summons to the Feast of Blades, an event at which the chapter has rarely claimed any great honor - winning only once, on the 725th Feast. It is unknown, even to the most privileged scholars, if the Cardinal Guard are pledged the Last Wall, or if chapter command is yet to be elucidated of such rites. The dangers of the Cicatrix Maledictum, such that the galaxy has been cleft in two, greatly diminishes any such pledges if they exist, and leave the Cardinal Guard under the hierarchical leadership of Commander Dante, of the Blood Angels chapter.

Theoretical Following a few years of what I can only describe as 'bumbling around' in the hobby - jumping around and enjoying dalliances in Heresy, 40k, Kill Team, Age of Sigmar, Battletech, etc - my buddy and I decided it was time to 'lock in' and commit to some hard-and-fast hobby and gaming, preferable in a system that wouldn't change its clothes on us as soon as we finished slapping paint on our models. I did a deep dive into some of the older editions of Warhammer, looking for an edition that hit a sweet spot of completed-ness, nostalgia, and ease of play. I came up in (what's now) 1st Edition Horus Heresy, and was leaning towards diving back into that system, but the mere task of tracking down rules across several black and red books seemed like a chore, and the uphill struggle of building new armies for a game at 3,000pts wouldn't have us on the table anytime soon. Enter 4th Edition. Cheap books, smaller armies, and locked in a past that won't be altered. I picked up a smattering of books: the core rules and codexes for Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines, and Eldar. The older books are a treasure, and I'm reminded of HH's USR's, tables, and vehicle systems. We agreed to construct two forces from the same codex (Space Marines), and got to work hammering out some 1,000pt lists. The Dramatis Personae While my opponent opted for the ever-popular Salamanders, I decided that this would be the right time to finally get my on-again-off-again homebrew, the Cardinal Guard, onto the tabletop. For the purposes of list-building, a codex-compliant, by-the-book chapter. For the purposes of the hobby, a chance to flesh out the concept practically. Looking into the far future, I want to smash out some Wraithhost style Eldar, as well as some World Eaters - and my opponent's love of green doesn't just extend to Space Marines. Practical The wonders of the at-home STC device - a bevy of creators online, the ability to 3D-bash custom parts, and keeping it on a budget. I'm no master painter and firmly abide by the 3ft principle - get the models on the table, characterful from that angle and distance. What To Expect 50yd Target: hobby progress on our armies as we build to 1,000pt and later 2,000pt sizes. 100yd Target: game reports, what we like and don't about 4th Edition, and musings. 300yd Target: more armies, more games. Standby for more.