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Greetings, brothers! I got back into 40k a few years ago and had the idea to start my own Space Marine chapter. The liber article can be found here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/341719-index-astartes-twilight-wardens/. (Long story short, they bear the geneseed of Rogal Dorn (specifics not totally clear atm), their arch-enemies are green-skins and they are based on african cultures, particulary herdsmen like Zulu or Massai.) Some may wonder: "Didn´t you start that thing 4 years ago?!" Well, yes. I might be a horrible hobbyist. Or not. I don´t know. Anyways some things kept me from wholeheartedly continuing the project. It´s not that I didn´t do anything. I passionatly assembled minis for a time. Painting is another matter entirely for me. Though I am a creative person and quite decent at drawing I somehow fear putting a brush in my hand and paint a mini. So only a few got started and eventually even finished. Being your own worst critic doesn´t make things easier, right? As the title says I wanted to finally start this plog to motivate my self to be a less-horrible hobbyist. Of the Twilight Wardens fluff, I am actually quite proud. It isn´t totally set in stone, but that too can be worked on of course. So I make a start in presenting you my build (and some painted minis). Enjoy and I´ll be grateful for any feedback! Cheers, Kyknos

This is an entry for the 2021 edition of the Liber Astartes Swap Challenge. Find more info here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/368832-liber-astartes-swap-challenge-2021-phase-1/ THE DREAD LORDS The Dread Lords were the sole surviving loyalist Space Marine Chapter claiming the Sarment Sector as their home at the dawn of the 42nd Millenium. Their battle honours are great, yet they maintain their hereditary disgrace is a stain greater than may be effaced by the long list of heroic deeds. Summary Founding Chapter = ...Ultramarines (trained by Novamarines) Genesire = ................Roboute Guilliman Founding = ................Unknown Chapter Master = .......Livio Aita Homeworld = .............The Starfort Port-Cullis Main Colours = ..........Burgundy, silver and black Chapter Specialities = Void Warfare and Drop Pod Assault Strength = ................(currently) 763 marines of the line, 92 officers and specialists (287 Primaris) Organisation = ..........Slight Codex Variance History Origins The Dread Lords were once known as the Void Sentinels, Defenders of the Sarment Sector, Guardians of the scholar planet Ephus, and Castellans of the Starfort Port-Cullis. Burning of Ephus The surface of Ephus Prime received too little stellar radiation from the brown dwarf it orbited for life to develop independently there, leading to its primary designation as a dead world: in actuality it was far from being truly dead at the time of the Void Sentinels' implantation, as its peculiar environment made it an ideal location for fragile objects, such as books and scrolls. Given the rare secondary classification of scholar world, Ephus became a bustling centre of academic business - professors, students and sellers of bibelots of doubtful provenance congregating together to learn and record obscure and arcane knowledge. This however all came to an end during a worldwide violent student's uprising. A company of the Void Sentinels descended upon the rioters to reestablish the Emperor's peace; but in the midst of combat, a stray shot from an unknown fighter caused an explosion deep in the underbelly of a series of labyrinthine vaults. Within, were more artefacts which had been hidden away from the weak stellar radiation: caches of ancient munitions dating back to the dark days of the Horus Heresy, preserved for millenia thanks to the particular conditions upon Ephus Prime in full working condition. Among them, thousands of cannisters of one of the most dreaded substances known to Man: Phosphex. The combattants killed outright by the detonation were the lucky ones. The crawling horror ravaged the hab-complexes, incinerating every single being upon the planet; devouring still-screaming corpses as their last breaths were sucked from their melting lungs. To this day, the last dessicated husks piloting the eldest of the Chapter's dreadnoughts are kept far away from bare flames, for the sight brings back terrible memories best forgotten, even by Space Marines. These dire events shook the Chapter to its core, as they took upon themselves the guilt for this atrocity. In penance, the Astartes vowed to undertake a new crusade to wash away their dishonour, staining their armour with the silver flames of Phosphex that burnt Ephus and its population. Then, they took off on their quest through the stars under a new name: Dread Lords. Battles of Shame Following the Burning of Ephus, the Dread Lords pursued a crusade to salvage what remained of their honour. After granting Battlefleet Sarment their ancient fortress-monastery Port-Cullis - a Ramilies-Class starfort immobilised in orbit around Ephus - Chapter Master Bogomir launched their entire armada into the stars for the first time in centuries, in search of their fate and doom. Requesting orders from the Adeptus Administratum in order to take on the most dangerous missions, their penitent crusade lasted for several centuries around the turn of M36. The Dread Lords participated in many a campaign by the side of the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy, the Frateris Templars, and even a few other Space Marine chapters, putting down a widespread series of heretical rebellions against the authority of Terra. Only when envoys from their progenitors, the Novamarines, met them did the truth of these wars transpire: they had in fact been fighting for the despot Goge Vandire as he usurped the true will of the Emperor and Humanity to consolidate his Reign of Blood. The horror they felt at the realisation they had in fact been slaughtering faithful subjects of the Imperium over a period of decades was further enhanced when the Novamarines taught them of the fate of their home sector during the Age of Apostasy: a large chaos incursion had emerged from the Psyphon to overturn all Imperial power there, reducing its population to slavery and slaying any Imperial Guard and PDF regiment that dared stand up to them. Making all haste to return to Sarment, the Dread Lords coordinated a unified strategy for the crusade of reconquest over the forces of the archenemy. Leading a force of seven Imperial Guard regiments, a detachment of the Adeptus Mechanicus, three Imperial Knights and a newly formed chapter which would soon gain its name of War Wolves, their opening play would be at Ephus Prime. Siege of Port-Cullis Master Bogomir's plan was to capture and fortify their ancient seat, calculating this would cut off the Heretics' potential reinforcements from the Warp Storm known as the Psyphon and provide a morale boosting easy victory. They had not anticipated that their oponent at Port-Cullis was in fact the heir to the fleet officer to whom they had handed control of the Starfort all those centuries ago, High-Captain Welton Blackwood. At the invasion of Chaos forces, the high-captain had led a general mutiny of Battlefleet Sarment and established a personal dominion, a piratical tributary loyal to the new Heretic overlords of the Sector even after his daughter Mara succeeded him. Now nicknamed the "Butcher", Blackwood was a canny officer who had grown up on the starfort and knew the battlefield like the back of her augmetic hand, perhaps moreso even than the Dread Lords themselves. And yet, this was a battle the Dread Lords could not - must not - lose. They engaged. While a gargantuan void battle was joined between two Space Marine Chapter fleets and the defenders of Port-Cullis, the Dread Lords launched boarding torpedoes against their own ancestral home. Many were shot out of the void, their wreckage tumbling out and down to crash upon the ruins of Ephus; yet, enough managed to get through the barrage, unleashing their deadly cargo of enraged Astartes upon the crew of the Starfort. As they tore their way through the traitors, more Dread Lords teleported on board - their Chapter Master at their head - bearing hulking suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armour, thereby condemning the paultry defences. And yet, Master Bogomir's instincts told him something was wrong... As the Terminators melted down the Bulkhead doors to the bridge, they discovered the reason that they had felt little resistance: their foe, Blackwood, had not been in command, the pirates' retaliation barely more than an eratic flailing. Seemingly at the same moment, a flotilla burst out of the warp in close proximity to the planet, and greeted a shoal of lighters rising to meet them. Too late, Master Bogomir realised what these represented, and ordered his own fleet to intercept the new arrivals. Unfortunately, the rest of the Heretics' fleet held their line, holding back the Imperial forces just long enough for the flotilla to escape back into the warp. Filled with rage at the escape of their quary, the Dread Lords and their allies reduced the remaining pirates to ash and wreckage, but the cost of the battle would be devastating to the sons of Guilliman. As Master Bogomir inspected the state of his remaining forces, he was forced to contend with the sad evidence: though the Dread Lords were by now an old and established Chapter, the casualties suffered during the Siege of Port-Cullis on top of the accumulated losses during their Penitent Crusade meant that they would need to scale back their participation in the Sarment Crusade, taking a back seat to the Guard and the junior Chapter's involvement. While they would hold Ephus for the remainder of the campaign, and even helped in a few minor void battles, the bulk of the Dread Lords' involvement was done. The Phryx War Following the end of the reconquest of Sarment, a period of relative stability allowed the Imperium to build up their grasp over the worlds there, constructing defences and other infrastructure, fostering re-population programs, and most importantly, conducting a vast campaign to purify any planet The Heretic had set foot upon. In the background, though, the next crisis for the Sector was brewing. Upon the world of Ephus Prime, there remained swathes of documents scattered upon the surface. In a sick twist of fate, the majority of the documents upon the world were left unscathed by the deflagration, as they were stored outside the air-sealed hab-complexes. They were to become a grave town for the memories and teachings In the half-millennium of the Dread Lords' absence from the Sarment Sector, diverse groups of explorers and archaeotechnologists had congregated in the ruins of Ephus, mostly in search of fame and fortune. Some believed the scattered scraps of documents might hold the keys to unknown treasures, others calculated that some of the hidden arsenals may still be intact, concealing deadly weapons to further their own goals. Generally, they would be disappointed, though some perished from the unyielding environment or from clashes with rivals. Mara Blackwood, upon taking control of Port-Cullis, started to systematise the research amongst the rubble. Where few had gleaned any useful information, the Butcher retrieved swathes of knowledge of the Sarment Sector, records that had been mostly overlooked by the treasure hunters. She understood the value of this knowledge, and used it as her primary tribute to her Iron Warrior overlords. When she heard of the fall of the Apostate Vandire though, she knew the days of her dominion were numbered - she descended to Ephus to conduct a last-ditch effort to retrieve any and all documents that could fit in all the lighters she could muster, ready to make her getaway at the moment Imperial Forces appeared in system. As she escaped by the skin of her teeth, she made her way to the small area of space controlled by a fledgling race of Xenos, the Phryx. The Phryx had been largely ignored by the Imperium up until then, as the worlds they controlled were judged too worthless in comparison to the cost of their extermination. The acquisition of the Butcher's treasure trove of extensive records and maps describing the sector in minute detail would change the course of their history and development. In a matter of decades, they were propelled to prominence on the stage of the Sarment Sector, absorbing strategically significant worlds and countering the greatest minds of the imperial defences. In desperation, the governors of the Sector called for help from the Adeptus Astartes, and the Space Marines responded. The Dread Lords had pressed into service hundreds of aspirants from throughout the Sector - with a distinct preference for planets and stations used as recruitment grounds for Battlefleet Sarment - and used this Xenos war as a baptism of fire, unleashing a withering series of attacks against the Phryx homeworlds. There is no doubt in the minds of imperial historians that the Dread Lords' actions were pivotal in turning the tide of the First Phryx War, probably in part thanks to the evolution of their tactics during the Battles of Shame, thus entirely misleading Phryx strategists who believed they had correctly analysed the Void Sentinels' battleplans; what the historians fail to mention is how many of their aspirants the Dread Lords lost during this campaign, as the reckless abandon of their assaults brought down their numbers to barely above 200, further delaying the chapter's restoration to full strength by dozens of years. [?] Borromeanite Conflict Millenia after the First Phryx War, in the waning years of M41, the Dread Lords found themselves in alliance with the Borromeanite Conclave of the Inquisition when these were declared Excommunicate Traitoris. Fighting a defensive battle, the Borromeanite forces were eventually captured or annihilated, with only the Dread Lords allowed to go once more on a Penitent Crusade. Having learnt from past mistakes, Chapter Master Livio Aita requests aid from the Adeptus Mechanicus in refurbishing Port-Cullis, allowing the chapter to take their Fortress Monastery to war for the first time since the Horus Heresy. Homeworld and Fortress Monastery Ephus Prime Ephus Prime is a blasted and desolate world. Once, it was a great centre of learning for the whole Sarment Sector despite its inhospitable surface conditions, its hab-complexes teeming with teachers and students. Since its Burning conducted by the Dread Lords, it has been a dead world in fact as well as in name. Still, it lies at a strategic position for the Imperium, lying at the junction between the Sector and the Warp Storm known as the Psyphon. And who knows: other secrets may still lie burried beneath its surface. Port-Cullis Port-Cullis is the massive Ramilies-pattern starfort the Dread Lords use as a fortress-monastery and the homeport of their fleet. Immobilised and tethered in orbit over Ephus, it has in recent decades been refurbished and taken to war by the Dread Lords in their Penitent Crusade following the Borromeanite Conflict. Combat Doctrine It would seem that since their inception, the Dread Lords have relied heavily on their extensive Chapter Fleet in all aspects of their warfare, whether it be for their propensity for void battles or for Drop Pod Assaults. Their habit of fighting in starships and Space Hulks has also given them a good knowledge of fighting in close confines, making them experts of the skirmish fields classified as Zones-Mortalis. The weapon of choice of most Dread Lords is the holy bolter, which is versatile enough to take on most threats before they can become dangerous in close combat. They distrust plasma weaponry, for this can become deadly for the wielder and his squad mates in tunnels and corridors, though they do not shun it. They utilise flame and graviton weaponry more often because of its extreme efficiency in these scenarios, yet it seems it is more by obligation than choice. Finally, the best marksmen of the Dread Lords are entrusted with meltaguns: range is not an issue generally while fighting in a starship, yet decompression is a danger that Dread Lords feel far more concerned about than the explosions of enemy fire. Though the Dread Lords employ a limited arsenal of battle tanks, they do make greater use of their fallen brothers in Dreadnought form than most chapters: such walkers are often necessary to bring heavy weapons to bear where conventional vehicles would struggle. Appearance Chapter colours The Dread Lords bear armour the colour of the burnt earth of Ephus, variously described as burgundy or murrey, with certain tactical markings in black. This is enhanced with silver-white flames, yet these are unusual among Astartes markings as they are marks of shame as opposed to marks of honour. Upon a neophyte's elevation to the rank of Battle Brother, their armour will bear no flames, and only when they do not perform up to the exacting - even unattainable - standards of the Chapter's Chaplains must they paint these symbols of disgrace. Chapter Badge and markings The Chapter's emblem is a broken twelve-pointed star, encircling a skull. This symbol is repeated on both pauldrons, where possible. Tactical markings are inscribed upon an Astartes' kneepads, company device on the left knee, codex squad marking and number on the right. Chapter Fleet of the Dread Lords The Dread Lords have always had a considerable fleet for a Space Marine Chapter, even compared to some Second Founding chapters. As the Void Sentinels, they were initially meant to be a rapid response force, able to send out flotillas in a matter of weeks to besieged worlds or to intercept enemy movements and reinforcements. Since becoming the Dread Lords though, they have increasingly resorted to seizing enemy ships and converting them to suit an Adeptus Astartes Chapter's needs, the only way for them to maintain a Fleet worthy of respect as their tactics have become ever more aggressive after their many shamings. While Imperial Navy Admirals have voiced its discontent at these confiscations - claiming that the rights to these ships should revert to them - they are secretly content with this so-called Dread Tithe as it means continued aid from the Astartes in question, whether from their fleet directly, or as an honour guard of Dread Lords stationed upon their flagships in the fiercest of engagements. Shattered Star - Chapter Master's personal Battle-Barge Tarist's Vengeance - Garoth Tarist's famous Strike Cruiser. It was renamed in his honour after his sacrifice in the battle of Diamell

LIBER ASTARTES SWAP CHALLENGE 2021 Monday 1st February - Sunday 2nd May [+++] Greetings, fellow Liberites! It is with great pleasure that I bring this announcement to you: after a first edition back in 2010, organised by @captain_shrike and @Ferrus Manus, and a second one over a year ago in 2019, organised by @Brother Cambrius, I am happy to organise the third iteration of this fun, creative event in the hopes that it'll get people writing, modeling and painting! Similar to the previous event, this event will champion the writing of fresh Chapters of Adeptus Astartes or Warbands of the Heretic Astartes. However, if you already have a Chapter/Warband posted here in the Liber and don't feel like creating something from scratch, you may also revisit and update your existing article instead. Now, to make things easier to organise and run, the event shall be divided into two distinct phases. PHASE 1 (2 months, 1st February - 29th March) Participants who enter the challenge must submit an article that describes the history and customs of their DIY Chapter/Warband by Monday 29th March 23:59 in their timezone. Much like Cambrius before me, I am loathe to put a minimum word count requirement on this challenge. The bare minimum should cover the core tenets of your Chapter/Warband, along with a selected history, a colour scheme (using the B&C's very own digital painting tools or GW's Primaris heraldry card), a Chapter/Warband symbol (description or image), and whatever other details you deem necessary for someone to be able to build and paint a model representing a Space Marine from your Chapter/Warband. For examples of what's expected, I'd recommend checking out Cambrius' Avenging Fists and Demolishers, Olis' Seventh Sons, Lysimachus' Paladins of Dercia, my very own Praetors of Denzarr. You can also refer to the following brief list of stuff to include, pilfered from the last event: What's your Chapter's name? What do they look like? What is their personality? What is their identity in the world of 40K? (eg are they heroic knights of honour, shadowy assassins, cold and logical soldiers) If you're still not sure if your Chapter/Warband fits within the above requirements, drop a message here on in my inbox, and I'll get your sorted as soon as I can. As mentioned earlier, you may choose to instead update an existing Chapter/Warband of yours and submit it by the same deadline and following the same basic requirements. If you're a madman like @Brother Argent, you may even submit multiple entries if you so wish. [!] Important note [!] -> when you submit your vow, please also state what type of Space Marine (Firstborn, Primaris, and/or Heretic) you can assemble and paint during Phase 2. This is very important because not everyone has all of the aforementioned options and it would be a shame if someone got lumped with an Ultima-Founding Chapter but doesn't have any spare Primaris to paint, or a Warband but only has loyalist Space Marine bits. Now, if you'd like to post your vow for this event, feel free to use the STC provided below and embellish it as you wish. And here are some snazzy signature banners to show that you're a cool kid competing in this challenge (many thanks to Cambrius for these). 300x100 pixel version: 33x100 pixel version:

"Men die, monsters die, only the glory of Heroes lives forever." - Talhonic proverb Early History: "Harken, Brothers; for I will sing you a tale of glories old, and heroes remembered!" - Kordran, Song-Brother of the White Hawks 4th Company, on the eve of the Battle of Kyband, 989.M40 http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@iakk7_hh8gh.i3rau@@@@@@@hUDtY@hbUc8@@..@_@@_@@@_@@_hI3Z8_hI3Z8@_@@@@_@@@hCmX3hcXvU@@@@@@_@@@@@@hcXvU@&grid=TRUE A typical Battle Brother of the White Hawks, sans adornments Born of the line of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman in the latter days of the Fifteenth Founding, the White Hawks began life as a crusading Chapter. Given a mandate to 'protect Imperial interests' and sent eastward, the Hawks found themselves taking part in a number of battles where their timely arrival tipped the scales in favour of Imperial victory. Parades and celebrations in the wake of the White Hawks and their battle companies became a common sight over the next several centuries, as the white-armoured marines fought against every foe they could find. Be it orks in murky jungles or sprawling caverns, or Chaos Space Marines on ashen deserts and airless moons, the White Hawks never refused a battle, and they were happy to bask in the praise of the Imperial citizens on the worlds that enjoyed their assistance. Though they achieved a respectable tally of victories, the Chapter didn't really come into its' own until the closing days of M37. A council of Inquisitors, with the blessing of the High Lords of Terra, selected the White Hawks to join a group of other Chapters in the permanent defence of a particularly perilous area of space called the Glastheim Rifts. This 'Silver Circle' of Space Marine Chapters would surround the Rifts and the worlds that bordered them, keeping the threat of xenos raiders out and penning the heretics within the Rifts in their self-appointed hiding place. The Inquisitors pressing the issue maintained that doing so would 'decisively protect Imperial interests in the area', and thus satisfy the Chapter's reason for creation. Grudgingly, the White Hawks deferred to the Inquisitors' demands. They felt certain that being assigned a homeworld would do little to interfere with their crusades. Thusly assigned to the south-east of the Glastheim Rifts, the White Hawks set about looking for suitable worlds to draw recruits from. One in particular stood out - the mountainous, feudal death world of Talhon. Humans there dwelt in ancient stone cities, their walls thick and their towers perpetually manned with archers. The reason for this was abundantly apparent; monsters roamed the wild lands all over the world. From the fearsome, dragon-like Goliandr in the mountains, to the armoured Barghrex and winged Astraptors in the forests, and innumerable others besides, voracious carnivores made up the bulk of the wildlife on Talhon. The people of Talhon were hardy and resilient, and trained from youth to fight and hunt these monsters, and in doing so, produced excellent potential recruits for the White Hawks. The Chapter set up a Fortress Monastery, dubbed the Hawk's Eye, atop a sturdy cliff in an isolated mountain range, and began inducting recruits as fast as they could find them. The people venerated their "sky warrior" guardians, recognizing them as scions of The Emperor and Angels of Death. But just as the Hawks left their mark on Talhon, so too would their new homeworld leave its' mark on the White Hawks. It is unknown if the Chapter's hypnoindoctrination procedures simply became flawed over time, or if the Chapter willingly adopted as much of Talhon's culture as it eventually did. Regardless, within a century of settling on Talhon, the White Hawks had taken on many of Talhon's superstitions and the traits common to it's native warriors. Notably, Talhonic warrior culture makes much ado of sagas and songs of ancient days and heroic battles, and its' adherents are typically equally at home boasting and bragging about their exploits in their homes and holds as well as stalking and battling their prey in the wilds. These traits have all bled into the Chapter over time, and a typical Battle Brother of the White Hawks will come across as brash, headstrong, boisterous and borderline arrogant in comparison to other Space Marines. Those that rise to leadership positions are not only the best fighters and tacticians in the Chapter's ranks, but also the ones with the most capability to keep the egos of their brothers in check. In addition to cultural adaptation, the physiology of Talhonic natives, when combined with the genetic augments that create a Space Marine, lends itself well to high levels of hardiness and stamina , even by the standards of Space Marines. While the warriors of many Space Marine Chapters are more than capable of fighting for days at a time without cease, reports of the White Hawks doing so with nary a sign of fatigue are not unheard of. The White Hawks themselves, previously used to adulation and celebration in the wake of their victories as errant crusaders, found they had little time to spare for either with the frequency and suddenness of enemy attacks on the worlds around the Rifts. The absence of this, coupled with the natural Talhonic love of sagas and songs concerning heroic deeds, left the Hawks somewhat unsatisfied with what they considered "guard duty" around the Rifts, and the Chapter has been known to send Battle Companies on distant crusades on several occasions, taking part in such diverse conflicts as the war in the Lauss Rift, or the Ensorcelled Stars Campaign. Combat is a constant around the Glastheim Rifts, and the systems around Talhon have come under increasingly violent threats as the centuries have gone on. In the final decades of M41, the White Hawks found themselves often battling isolated splinters of an unidentified Hive Fleet that seemed to lack any real focus, seemingly picking its' targets at random and attacking worlds without any kind of rational reason to do so. This Hive Fleet - dubbed Hive Fleet Goliandr by the Hawks - has grown to recognize the white-armoured Space Marines who keep attacking it, and the creatures under its' thrall now tend to fly into berserk rages when confronted by Space Marines in battle. Alongside this, Dark Eldar raids by the Kabal of the Shattered World have grown in frequency and daring over the last century, and a Chaos Warband calling themselves the [REDACTED (FOR THE MOMENT)] have made increasingly numerous sallies from the Glastheim Rifts to do battle with the White Hawks on a dozen worlds. In spite of constant war on many fronts, the White Hawks remain undaunted by their current, precarious situation. No matter the number of foes or the power they claim to wield, the White Hawks intend to weather the onslaught and come out the other side fighting, as they always have. Recent History: "You call this 'the age of nightmares and monsters'? We're the White Hawks! Don't you know what we do to nightmares and monsters?" - Captain Barodian Greystorm, in response to Lord Breiss of the Hatecrowned at the Battle of Kryndaia, 233.M41 The dawning years of the 42nd Millennium proved a difficult time for the White Hawks. From their position in the Glastheim Rifts, the entire Silver Circle bore witness to the distant creation of the Cicatrix Maledictum, an unnatural tear in space itself. Almost in concert with this horrifying event, uprisings began all over the Glastheim Rifts. The heretics dwelling in the Rifts sought to overthrow and destroy the Imperium's hold on the area, putting aside their own rivalries and squabbles for power in the face of finally destroying their hated foes. The White Hawks committed entirely to repelling this threat, deploying en masse on battlefields all over the Glastheim Rifts. It was during this time that the Indomitus Crusade arrived in the Rifts, bringing much needed reinforcements in the form of Primaris Space Marines and the means to create them. While the other Chapters of the Silver Circle - notably the Warminds and the Brotherhood of Crows - seamlessly integrated the newcomers into their ranks, the White Hawks were more than a little bitter about what they saw as 'replacements'. - Excerpt from 'Warsongs of Talhon, translated' Even the fiercest storms abate in the end When the enemy falters, we will still stand Raise your shields, sons of Talhon, be strong Let your swords sing in the gale, a deathsong Be resolute now, stand fast, endure 'Ere the storm breaks, let the Hawks fly once more! Indeed, Hawks who had trained, fought and bled to be the best they could be for the Imperium over the lastfew centuries were hardly delighted to see these 'New Brothers' presented as the Chapter's future. Only the accompanying news that the risen Primarch himself had ordained these reinforcements and seen fit to accommodate them in his own forces kept the White Hawks from shunning the Primaris marines entirely. It became commonplace in the following years for Non-Primaris (or 'First-Generation') Hawks to airily dismiss the accomplishments of their New Bothers, pinning any of their successes solely on their 'Cawl-given enhancements' rather than skill or daring, and denying any claims they truly shared the warrior spirit the Chapter is known for. Over time, however, the Primaris marines' stoic endurance of these taunts, their adherence to the Chapter's traditions, and their willingness to prove their worth in battle to their Older Brothers gradually won the grudging respect of many within the Chapter. In more recent times, enmity has given way to a more amicable rivalry. Both First-Generation and Primaris Marines strive to outperform each other in battle and make sport of the other's efforts at heroics, but without malice or bitterness. With the exception of slowly integrating the New Brothers into the Chapter, the coming of the Great Rift and the Indomitus Crusade overall did little to change the day-to-day life of the White Hawks. Though the heretics from within the Rifts were dealt a serious blow by the unexpected reinforcement of the Indomitus Crusade, the surviving traitors continue to scheme and weave insidious plots against the Imperium, striking wherever the capricious whims of their foul deities direct them to. Elsewhere, the myriad xeno threats that seek to prey on the worlds under the Hawks' watch muster their forces and prepare for war. The Kabal of the Shattered World used the distraction caused by the Rift-wide heretic uprisings to launch a raid on Talhon, burning a city to the ground and abducting several thousand men and women as prisoners. Hive Fleet Goliandr's splintered hordes wander closer to the Rifts, their maddened, howling ships disgorging swarm after swarm of feral, frenzied monsters on the worlds unfortunate enough to be in their paths. It is a time of great peril for all around the Glastheim Rifts, and surely only a matter of time before repercussions from events in the larger galaxy are felt keenly by the Chapters of the Silver Circle. But until then, the White Hawks endure. Homeworld: "On Macragge they train youths in schools to make soldiers of them. On Talhon, we teach our young to slay monsters, and make heroes out of them!" - Captain Ambrose the Wild, White Hawks 1st Company The world of Talhon is rugged and perilous in equal measure. The cities scattered across its' landmasses are bustling with life, safe behind the towering, thick stone walls that border them. The walls are buttressed, battlemented, reinforced with technology far beyond the level of the native humans there. In some places, the ruins of ancient gun emplacements can be seen, most if not all of the metal of which has long ago been taken and melted down for weapons or armour. Here and there, ancient buildings still stand, their original use long forgotten, now repurposed as shrines to The Emperor. Talhon's people are largely dedicated to the simple matter of survival in a world where nearly every creature outside of the cities is a deadly predator. Children are trained from infancy to not only survive monster attacks, but how to fight back against creatures many times their size and strength. Recruits for the Chapter must prove their mettle by successfully hunting deadly monsters as part of a group, monitored discreetly by members of the Tenth Company. Interestingly, the Chapter allows females an equal chance to participate in these trials - those that pass are inducted into the Chapter as serfs, and once fully grown are essentially granted the right to select any man on Talhon as their mate, to better increase the chances of the next generations producing viable recruits. The traditions of Talhon greatly influence the White Hawks. Perhaps the most obvious one is the taking of trophies from defeated enemies - this practice quickly became a rite of passage enacted by recruits who would take trophies from monsters they slew. Scales, pelts, horns or fangs - anything that could potentially channel the slain beast's power, hardiness or fury. These trophies were invariably added to the nascent marine's power armour upon graduation from Scout. Many veteran Marines boast multiple pelts or decorative scale armour attachments for their armour, taken from defeated beasts on many worlds. This gives the Chapter a savage, feral appearance quite unlike the rest of the Silver Circle. Coupled with this is an inherited tradition of placing great importance on the humble Combat Knife. Special hunter's knives are used by the warriors of Talhon to finish off 'worthy' enemies, as doing so is thought to amplify one's own warrior spirit. The White Hawks are known to execute defeated enemies with their knives for roughly the same reason, another custom that is looked upon as proof of the Hawks' primitive and uncivilised mindset. Beliefs: "My ancestors are smiling at me, traitor - can you say the same?" - Last words of Brother Ingrad, White Hawks 3rd Company, at the fall of Veir's Gate, 155.M38 A key element of the White Hawks' mindset is their admiration for heroes of long-gone days, such as the loyal Primarchs and those who fought beside them. These heroes are known across the length and breadth of the Imperium for their valour, and the Hawks seek to emulate the great warriors of olden days by fighting unceasingly against the enemies of mankind. So although they are quite well-known in the systems around the Glastheim Rifts, the White Hawks yearn to achieve the same level of prestige and respect afforded across the known galaxy to far more decorated and venerable Chapters, such as the Ultramarines, or the Imperial Fists. Though such a goal is certainly admirable, and the Hawks certainly pursue it with dedication, virtually everyone outside of the Chapter can see how utterly unattainable such lofty ideals are. For the White Hawks, however, this is simply considered the ultimate test of endurance - to withstand whatever the galaxy throws at them until their names are sung in admiration even in the halls of Macragge and Holy Terra. It is to be noted that even crushing defeats have little impact on the Chapter's overall psyche. The Third Company was utterly destroyed in early M38 by attempting to defeat the Nurgle Warband called the Hollow Knights in a war of attrition. When the Imperial Guard embarked on a victorious campaign against the traitors two years later, the Hawks were quick to laud the bravery of the Guard, but also to claim that the Hawks had successfully blunted most of the traitors' strength, enabling the victory. A battle in M41.989 on the desert moon of Akrilla against Hive Fleet Goliandr's mad hordes saw a similar result, the Sixth Company losing four fifths of its' strength in pitched battle with tyranid warriors after a failed decapitation strike on what was thought to be the enemy's leadership. The Hawks nevertheless touted this harrowing slaughter as a victory, albeit quietly. The White Hawks do, of course, have Librarians to record the Chapter's history and deeds. But whether born from their own obsession with proving themselves, or simply inherited from Talhonic traditions, the Chapter developed their own system of recording their victories and defeats in the form of songs and sagas. The marines most capable of composing suitable verses are given the unofficial rank of Song-Brother, and it is their duty not only to fight beside, but to observe the valour of their brothers in battle, that it may be recorded in verse and remembered until the day The Emperor lives again. It is common practice, on the eve of a great battle, for many sagas and songs to be recited, to better remind Battle-Brothers of the glories that may await them if they prove triumphant, or to remind them of past battles with hated enemies. On the subject of Librarians, the White Hawks are known to be openly wary of their psychically-gifted kin. Their superstitious nature makes them simply view psychic power as 'magic', and most non-psyker White Hawks simply regard their gifted brothers as dangerous, different, and something to be wary of. One lingering annoyance prevalent in the Chapter is that they are yet to be chosen to sire a successor Chapter, in spite of millennia of honourable service in the Imperium's name. Given that every other Chapter around the Glastheim Rifts is suffering from a degree of mutation in their geneseed, the Hawks assume the High Lords of Terra are simply being unnecessarily cautious about potential geneseed degradation. The White Hawks venerate both The Emperor and their Primarch, Roboute Guilliman, as ferocious and resolute warriors. To the Hawks, both Emperor and Primarch embodied the virtues of warrior-kings, unflinching in the face of danger and strong enough to dominate any battlefield they strode onto. The White Hawks seek the chance in every battle to demonstrate the inherited might of their great ancestors, felling great and powerful enemies and thus ensuring the defence of the realm. According to some rumours, the Primarch himself visited Drakon Primus, homeworld of the Brotherhood of Crows, whilst the White Hawks fought unnoticed all across the Glastheim Rifts. The notion that their own Primarch may have completely ignored the White Hawks is a thought that many Hawks struggle with. The current prevailing thought is simply that Guilliman, if he was truly at Drakon Primus, knew perfectly well that his own sons didn't need his presence to guarantee their victory. As a further note, while the homeworlds of three Chapters of the Silver Circle suffered direct attacks during the heretic uprisings after the 13th Black Crusade, none ventured near to Talhon. The White Hawks are quick to brag how the traitors were too scared to attack Talhon, but some of the more dour amongst the Chapter take the wildly unpopular view that even the Chapter's most hated adversaries don't consider them worthy of the attention. Battle Doctrines: "If you see your False Gods when you die, tell them to try sending their best after me next time!" - Captain Anaxam Five-Blades, White Hawks 4th Company, before slaying Dark Apostle Gexeras Vold during the First Prontera Crusade, 810.M39 Since their inception, the White Hawks have favoured bold, aggressive tactics. Many of their early victories involved them appearing to reinforce Imperial forces already in battle, and the White Hawks quickly learned the value that sudden reinforcements could have not only in the physical sense, but on both allied and enemy morale. To this end, the Hawks favour what some derisively call the "Big Entrance" approach to combat - deploying conspicuously via Drop Pod or Thunderhawk right into the thick of the battle, whenever the chance to do so arises. Furthermore, the Hawks have a long-standing tradition of bellowing challenges and taunts at enemies, even in the midst of bloody melee. This tradition is thought to have originated from further attempts to amplify their effects on morale - encouraging allies and scorning enemies in equal measure. Proudly following the teachings of their Primarch, the White Hawks will make use of diverse strategies and tactics, especially in the early stages of battles. A notable trend in the Chapter is for the White Hawks to focus their early strategies around taking out the largest and strongest enemies as soon as possible - whether to better illustrate their skill-at-arms or as another blow to an enemy's morale tends to vary from battle to battle. Another near-constant in the Hawks' methods of war is for hard-fought battles to eventually devolve into gruelling tests of endurance, mostly in close quarters combat. The White Hawks will gladly admit to making use of their prodigious vitality to simply outlast enemies in battle when more decisive tactics fail to find purchase. Though such tactics can prove costly in lives against suitably deadly or numerous foes, the White Hawks proudly point to a significant number of their victories that were earned through sheer unyielding stubbornness, knives in hands, long after ammunition had run out on both sides of the conflict. It is little surprise, then, that Assault Squads and Vanguard Veterans play key roles in the White Hawks' doctrines, sweeping across the battlefield and bringing the fight to the enemy no matter where they try to hide. Terminator Squads are often tasked with eliminating the strongest foes, their indomitable armour preserving them from all but the heaviest firepower, while Bike Squads and Predator tanks focus on isolating larger targets for the Terminators or other veterans to do their work. The inclusion of Primaris marines into their doctrines has had little overall effect on the methods of the White Hawks, although it is noted that even the Primaris marines carry knives into battle, much like their Older Brothers. Assault Intercessors, Outriders and Aggressors feature prominently in the battle doctrines of the Hawks, the latter often deployed via Repulsor to work with, or in place of, Terminator squads. Reivers join the Assault marines in the Hawks' mobile attack tactics, their affinity for disorienting and panicking enemies working well with the relentless charge of the older Hawks. Organisation: "Welcome to the Fourth Company, brother. If you're hungry enough for glory, then this is where your saga truly begins." - Sergeant Egram, White Hawks 4th Company The Chapter Symbol of the White Hawks. While largely adherent to the dictates of the Codex Astartes, there are several of differences in how the White Hawks apply their gene-father's teachings when compared with more traditional Chapters. While the Chapter boasts both a Veteran Company and a Scout Company, in practice both companies are virtually never fielded as a complete unit, instead operating in task forces alongside one of the Battle or Reserve Companies. Furthermore, in the traditions of Talhon, it is considered very unlucky to count something broken or intentionally divided alongside or before things that remain whole or intact. Given how much of their homeworld's traditions influence the Chapter, it is perhaps little surprise to see the White Hawks name their Veteran Company as the Ninth Company. The First Company is instead simply the first of four Battle Companies. Fifth to Eighth Companies act as Reserve Companies, in Codex-approved fashion, and the Scout Company remains the Tenth Company. Since the Codex originally made no provision for the inclusion of Primaris marines, the White Hawks simply incorporated the New Brothers into the Battle and Reserve Companies. The Veteran Ninth has only a handful of Primaris brothers in its' ranks; partly as a result of the Hawks' early dislike of the new marines, and partly as a result of comparative inexperience. Geneseed: "Our Primarch is famed for his wisdom, but we never forget that his hands, too, held bolter and blade." - Chaplain Braxas Ferredun, White Hawks 1st Company The White Hawks proudly trace their lineage to Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines and author of the Codex Astartes. The Chapter's geneseed has remained stable in spite of the radiation from the Glastheim Rifts, which the White Hawks have long taken to symbolise their gene-father's approval of the Chapter and their deeds. Though the Chapter was slow to truly adopt the use of Primaris marines, the White Hawks have gradually committed more and more recruits to the path of the New Brothers, resulting in a roughly equal split between First-Generation and Primaris marines amongst new recruits. Battlecry: Call: "For The Emperor!" Response: "Let the Hawks fly!" This warcry is often repeated several times, with "For The Emperor" sometimes replaced on subsequent recitations with "For Talhon", or "For The Primarch", or other such cries. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= EDIT: 23/12/2019 I can call this version 1.1 at this point, I think! Adjusted to give the Hawks roughly 7% more backbone when confronted by the Inquisition before taking Talhon as a homeworld. Hopefully it's a worthy read - any thoughts, comments, barely-contained-disgust or accusations of completely dropping the ball with the Hawks yet again are welcomed and encouraged, so... What d'you think?

THE LIBER ASTARTES SWAP CHALLENGE 2019 - PHASE 1 First off, my apologies for the delay in posting these, peeps. Unfortunately I was called into work on my day off today so I have had to construct this after getting home. Greetings Brothers and Sisters of the LIBER! Here we stand, the time has come for the first event of the newly refurbished and fine tuned Liber Astartes Swap Challenge (or LASC for short, because yay acronyms!)! Welcome to Phase 1. This event is designed to display some comradely fun and a little bit different from the Swap events of old, if you are venerable enough to remember them. The LASC event will champion new writing of fresh Chapters of Space Marines, or alternatively, updating and refining/completing Chapter articles you have made here on the B&C. Jonny: So, Brother Cambrius, how does Phase 1 work? Well, Jonny, here's the answer: PHASE 1 (September 3rd - October 31st) In Phase 1, starting today, participants must submit a 'complete' DIY Chapter article by November 1st. Jonny: So what counts as Complete? By complete, I want to see an article that covers the basics on your Chapter to define who they are, what they do and what are they like to really help the person who will be creating a miniature from your Chapter in Phase 2. If any articles are not up to the bare minimum standard, their participation may be removed from the event to be fair for whoever would have been given their Chapter in the Miniature Swap. If you want to get a scope on what is needed at the bare minimum, you could look up some examples from Forge World entries on Chapters, which aren't a full codex or article entry, but really define the Chapter succinctly. Another good example are the mini IAs I have constructed over the years like the Avenging Fists and Demolishers. In a nutshell, what I want to see in your submission at a bare minimum is the following: Who are your Chapter What do they look like What is their personality What is their identity in the world of 40K? (eg are they heroic knights of honour, shadowy assassins, cold and logical soldiers) With the inclusion of Chapter Tactics in the new Codex, I would love to see what your submitted Chapter(s) would utilise as per their character and well. More detailed articles are most certainly encouraged as Phase 1 is all about creating and improving your Chapter with input from everyone else. If your Chapter's history is listed in a Painting Log in the Hall of Honour or Works in Progress, you are more than welcome to participate as well, but it would be recommended you collate your written bits into a thread/article/IA in Liber Astartes so whoever has your Chapter in Phase 2 can find the details they need. Jonny: Can Renegades and Chaos Marine Warbands participate? Yes, you can submit a Chaos/Renegade IA article in Index Traitoris if you wish to, but be aware that there will need to be a least 1 corresponding participant who is able to build and paint Chaos Marines to do so. If you do intend to submit a Warband, it'll be worth drumming up participation amongst your fellow Chaos Marine collectors to ensure you'll have a variety of CSMs to possibly get in Phase 2. Jonny: Can someone submit more than one Chapter into this event? Absolutely! The absolute maximum for this event will be 3, to ensure you do not burn out in trying to write more than 3 Chapter entries over the next two months and in painting your miniatures. If you fail to complete an extra entry or entries by November 1st, then you will only be required to create 1 miniature in Phase 2. If you submit more than one Chapter entry and it is completed by November 1st, you will be expected to honour as many miniatures as well (eg you submitted 3 Chapter entries, you will need to build and paint a miniature form 3 Chapters swapped to you in Phase 2). Jonny: Can older articles be submitted into this event? Yes they can! For crustier Liberites like myself who have written multiple articles and entries over the years, with the release of the new Codex and the whole Primaris addition and progression of the 40k Universe, this opens up a fantastic opportunity for older hands to revive articles and update them to the current timeline. Are they destroyed, reborn with a large amount of Primaris, still the same but with newer responsibilities or moments of triumph/despair that have defined the Chapter's psyche and doctrines? All of this is fresh meat and fluff to chew and play around with. Jonny: Can we submit Xenos and non Space Marine entries (eg Astra Militarum etc)? Xenos and Non-Powered Armoured Factions will not be included in this event. This event is solely focusing on the Space Marines of whichever flavour you desire. Sorry my gribbly and vanilla-human friends, but this event as mentioned in the title is the Liber Astartes Swap Challenge, otherwise it'll get a little too complicated trying to get correct swaps for factions and races etc. Articles must include an image of the chapter's heraldry and symbol (this can be done by including an image or images using a miniature you have painted, or the Space Marine Painters here on the B&C, or the GW Primaris variant). The pledge to participate in this event is as follows: "I <INSERT NAME HERE>, VOW UPON THE HONOUR OF MY CHAPTER, THE <INSERT CHAPTER NAME HERE>, TO WRITE ABOUT A DIY CHAPTER IN THE LIBER ASTARTES BY NOVEMBER 1ST TO A COMPLETE STANDARD. I VOW TO ALSO COMPLETE 1 MINIATURE OF A CHAPTER RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO ME BEFORE JANUARY 1ST 2020. SHOULD I FAIL, I SHALL WEAR THE SIGNATURE OF SHAME UNTIL I HAVE REDEEMED MYSELF IN THE EYES OF THE LIBER." Participants must also include which Space Marine models they are able to build and paint for Phase 2, to ensure those who may not have Primaris marines don't get an Ultima Founding Chapter in the Swap. For your article entries in the Liber Astartes/Traitoris, please include "LASC 19" in the title of your Thread so participants know that the entry you are writing is involved in this challenge. Here's an example of a vow: If you are participating, you can put one of these Banners into your signature (it's worth checking that the addition won't break the Forum's rules on Signature sizes in case you need to re-jig your Signature in full): If you complete this event with an article and miniature of the chapter swapped to you, you can proudly wear this signature: And if you should fail to complete a miniature or article in time of the deadline for Phase 1 or Phase 2, you will be required to carry this banner of shame: There will also be other banners made for particular participants of note in this challenge, whether it is through very active feedback and help for their fellow Liberites in constructing their Chapter entries, or were insane enough to submit up to 3 entries. I will also be constructing a Redemption banner for those who may have fallen to the wayside in this event, but manage to complete a miniature within the month of January 2020. More on that as we get closer to Phase 2. +++++ This event is all about participation and aiding your fellow Liberites in the creation of their Chapters and encouraging camaraderie. Be polite and constructive with each other when adding opinions/suggestions/questions to entries submitted to help improve or refine them. And well, that is it. Good luck everyone and here's to a great event! Cambrius

UPCOMING EVENT: SEPT - DEC 2019 "THE LIBER ASTARTES SWAP CHALLENGE" Greetings Brothers and Sisters of the LIBER! So for those of the Adeptus Astartes persuasion, it has been a very busy month with the release of a new Codex and Supplements, including the return of Chapter Tactics to really allow us Liberites to really go and have fun creating our unique Chapters of Space Marines. As a result and to help drum up further activity here and display some comradely fun, I am resurrecting an old event first championed in my old days by "Captain_Shrike" before "Ferrus Manus" took up the responsibility of the DIY Chapter Swap. Now this event will be a little bit different from that event of old if you are venerable enough to remember. This event will champion new writing of fresh Chapters of Space Marines, or alternatively, updating Chapter articles you have made here on the B&C (for older hands like myself I will likely follow this route. Jimmy: So, Brother Cambrius, how will this work? I am so glad that you asked me, Jimmy! So here is the planned breakdown of what will happen in 2 phases: PHASE 1 (September 3rd - October 31st) Participants must submit a complete DIY Chapter article by November 1st. By complete, I want to see an article that covers the basics on your Chapter to define who they are, what they do and what are they like to really help the person who will be creating a miniature from your Chapter in Phase 2. If you want to get a scope on what is needed at the bare minimum, you could look up some examples from Forge World entries on Chapters, which aren't a full codex or article entry, but really define the Chapter succinctly. Another good example are the mini IAs I have constructed over the years like the Avenging Fists and Demolishers. More detailed articles are most certainly encouraged as Phase 1 is all about creating and improving your Chapter with input from everyone else. Jimmy: But, Brother Cambrius, what about those Liberites who have submitted articles or have made an army of one of their numerous Chapters over the years and may not want to start afresh with a new Chapter? Jimmy you really are asking so many pertinent questions, aren't you? Well fret not Liberites! With the release of the new Codex and the whole Primaris addition and progression of the 40k Universe a while back, this opens up a fantastic opportunity for older hands to revive older articles if they desire and update them to the current timeline. Are they destroyed, reborn with a large amount of Primaris, still the same but with newer responsibilities or moments of triumph/despair that have defined the Chapter's psyche and doctrines? All of this is fresh meat and fluff to chew and play around with. I'll be doing this myself with some of my older Chapter(s), depending on participation. Jimmy: What about those who make Index Traitoris articles on Chaos Marines and Renegades? Can they take part? Well Jimmy, yes they can! But numbers will be vital in ensuring they will have a partner who we can swap their Warband/Chapter with and can produce an appropriate model. If numbers are insufficient, the Moderati team will look into a work around. Now then Jimmy, it is clear you have been influenced by the foul notions of the Warp to even ask such a question, so off to Servitor indoctrination for you... Jimmy: Wait, what?! Moderati, no! Nooooo! -Ahem- Now, where were we? Articles must include an image of the chapter's heraldry and symbol (this can be done by including an image or images using a miniature you have painted, or the Space Marine Painters here on the B&C, or the GW Primaris variant). Participants must also include which Space Marine models they are willing and able to build and construct in the Vow they will submit when the event begins on September 3rd, as not everyone has Primaris marines yet, which would be a little awkward if they got an Ultima Founding Chapter. PHASE 2 (November 1st) It is at this point Chapter IA/Articles/IT submissions for this events are cut off and each participant is randomly assigned a chapter through a PM to build and paint a model of.You will have up to January 1st 2020 to complete their model(s). Participants will need to submit an image of their WIPs and Completed miniatures in the respective threads created at the start of Phase 2 in WIPs and the Hall of Honour, with direct links in the LIBER to these in the opening post of the Chapter Swap event thread. Further details on this phase will emerge as we get closer to the date when I construct the Phase 2 Master Post for participants. +++++ And that is it as an introduction! Plenty of details there for you to chew over and start planning possibly. But if you are making a fresh IA for this event, remember this does not start until September 3rd when the post to make your vows is uploaded to the Liber. For now, review your creations and armies and plastic, and see what you can possibly submit for this fine event. Oh, and there will be Banners for this event as well, and possibly some unique titles for specifically active participants as well. That's all for now! See you soon. Cambrius

The Taurans A Collaborative Chapter Creation Project (CCCP) What is the Collaborative Chapter Creation Project?: The Liber is an oddity in the B+C. Most forums on the board have a core community of posters who contribute to make the place more welcoming - somewhere you want to return to. The Liber is far more disparate. It serves as a melting pot of ideas that some frater dip into and then leave as soon as their urges are satisfied. This is even more the case since the fourth edition Codex: Space Marines. Sometimes it seems the Liber's function is to help people flimsily justify their killer trait combination with a smattering of fluff. But this shouldn't - must not - denigrate in any way the committed few who return to the Liber day in and day out for very selfless reasons - to help other people, to improve the sense of community here on the board. The Liber is a very vital part of the B+C, a resource that cannot be matched on any 40k forum. Writing is an art that deserves to be cultivated here just as painting, converting and modelling are. Those of you who have been around the Liber for a while will remember the original Collaborative Chapter Creation project, spearheaded by Ferrata - this project culminated in the Imperial Castellans IA article, and showed just what the Liber can do as a community - and that's what this project is about; an attempt to foster a sense of community. Everyone can participate, from hardened Liberite veterans through to those just passing through. So, what's the project about? Well, following the example set by Ferrata, the objective is to take a chapter named by GW. It's possible they may have a colour scheme; they may have a few short mentions in official GW publications. Equally, they may not. The Liber then works together, throwing ideas around to create an IA article of comparable quality and length to official GW literature. Something we can all be proud of. What do I hope to achieve? Well, I hope to improve activity in the Liber, I hope to create something interesting that people are proud to participate in. Obviously the ideal situation would be if someone chose to collect an army of the chapter we create. It might also give some of the newer Liber-ites an insight into how experienced DIYers go about chapter creation. Where can I find other CCCP projects? - CCCP 1: Original Thread / IA: IMPERIAL CASTELLANS (c.2005-6) - CCCP 2: IA: WAR BEARERS (c.2006) - CCCP 3: IA: DARK SONS (c.2008) - CCCP 4: Prior Discussion Thread (2017-) How can I help? Dive in and join the discussion! We're a friendly bunch, and we're in need of help! Anything is valuable, from discussion about background, to artwork or fluff! I look forward to seeing you contribute!

The Omega Cohort Date:.......... 022.45M42 Ref:................LBC//DAI By:.................Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch Re:.................Adeptus Astartes - Omega Cohort Thought:............From the Shadows we Strike The Omega Cohort is a Sentinel Founding Chapter, founded to stand watch against the enemies of the Imperium in Segmentum Tempestus. They are a successor of the Raven Guard, and unfortunately seem to have inherited the chapter's poor luck with genetics. Details are, as customary, in the full report. Origins of the Omega Cohort Founded in late M37, the Omega Cohort was part of the Sentinel Founding, established to shore up the defenses of Segmentum Tempestus against the orks that had plagued the sector in the previous centuries. The first marines of the chapter (and what would eventually become its command cadre) arrived in-system with a massive Imperial force, and descended on the planet with a vengeance. Massive Imperial guard forces were supported by Omega Cohort scouting and sabotage elements, as is tradition for Raven Guard successors. Many Omega Cohort squads found human rebellious elements living in slums undiscovered by orks, and armed, trained, and incorporated these rebels into their plans. After six months, the vast majority of orks were destroyed, their warboss killed, and nearly all orkish infrastructure--inasmuch as they can have infrastructure--was destroyed. Feral orks remained, but they were few and far between enough to not be a bother. Imperial construction crews descended upon an abandoned hive in an overgrown forest, where the chapter established its fortress monastery. Over time, as the mutation in the Black Carapace became apparent, the chapter burrowed deeper underground to get away from noise and clamor of the surface. Geneseed Author Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch is the commanding officer (Daimyo, by chapter tradition) of the Dawn Blades Second Company, and renowned across the chapter for successfully penetrating the Necron tomb world of Seranon to retrieve several Adeptus Mechanicus Magi, at great cost to his company and in spite of the burning enmity between the chapter and the Adeptus Mechanicus. He also succeeded in stealing several pieces of Necron technology for study and analysis by chapter Techmarines and Legio scientists. The moniker 'Phaeron' was added to his title after this feat, in mocking of the Necrons he had defeated--he was their Phaeron, their master. A capable swordsman and a skilled tactician, he fought for four decades in the Dawn Blades Samurai Company before ascending to the rank of Daimyo following the death of the Second Company's previous commander. He visits the Legio Fortress on occasion, though how he is capable is currently unknown by the Legio, as his Strike Cruiser was last noted on the far side of the Noctis Aeterna. The Omega Cohort suffers from two genetic mutations, either one of which on its own would be debilitating, but which combined are nearly catastrophic, made worse by the fact that if a marine has one, he has both--they are linked to the same organ--the Black Carapace. The first of these is a very poor acceptance rate for the Black Carapace, which has resulted in the chapter having a low number of true, full-blooded marines (known within the chapter as Silent-Speakers for reasons which will soon become apparent) and a very large number of what any other chapter would consider aspirants, but are for all intents and purposes Marines, with the lone exception of they lack the Black Carapace (who are known as Whisperers). The second mutation--synesthesia-- is linked to the nervous system, and only manifests in those recruits who have lived through the acceptance of the Black Carapace. It appears as a light in the marine's vision whenever he hears any noise. Minor noises, such as a heartbeat or breathing, create flashes on the edge of his vision. Louder noises, like voices, are reported as creating spots of light, as if the marine had looked at the sun for too long, or stared into a flashbulb. Very loud noises, including gunfire and vox-speakers, flood the Silent-Speaker's vision with light, which while it does not damage his eyes does blind him. While inconvenient, annoying, and occasionally debilitating, it does not damage their eyes. As such, unless a marine was so fortunate as to avoid the mutation (and few in the chapter are, with an incidence rate of greater than 95 percent) the Silent-Speakers communicate with each other and the Whisperers by Astartes battle-sign, helm text communication, and written word. This has led to a tradition of vows of silence upon successful implantation of the Black Carapace, regardless if the Silent-Speaker is afflicted or not. This vow is only excepted for the Chapter Master, Chaplains, and the recruit training cadre, and the Chapter Master has the option to not break his vow (though the current Chapter Master, Nykodai Tigumedes, has chosen to do so as he is not afflicted). Organization In total, the chapter operates approximately 7 companies--1st through 6th, and 10th. The chapter's veteran company (who denote themselves with white vambraces to honor their parent chapter) is made up of roughly 80 percent Silent-Speaker marines, simply because marines who go to battle in armor tend to live longer. The rest of the company is a unit dubbed Umbra Recon, a large squad of Whisperers who have achieved the ultimate capabilities of stealth in the chapter. They are the eyes the Chapter Master depends upon in order to execute high-danger reconnaissance, eliminate critical targets, and generally see but be unseen. No one save the Chapter Master and Umbra Recon themselves know where they are at any given time, even when at the monastery--such is their skill that no one else in the chapter can find them, unless they want to be found. The second company is also made up of almost entirely Silent-Speakers, with the exception of two attached recon squads from 6th company and the Whisperer assigned as the captain's Lieutenant. It numbers about 100 marines, counting the attached squads of 6th company. Third, Fourth, and Fifth are battleline companies mainly composed of Whisperers, though specialists like Librarians, chaplains, and some of the captains are Silent-Speakers, with Whisperer assistants. Sixth Company is not a true company in that it never operates as a single unit except in times of the entire chapter deploying together. Instead, it operates much like a typical reserve company, attaching squads to the other companies to provide reconnaissance and sabotage support. It has a captain but no other officers, and depends on the company it supports for medical, spiritual, and psychic support. The Recruit Company functions exactly as normal as it would in any other chapter, save that it only has one full-blooded marine in it, the Senior Instructor Sergeant, who never deploys except on training operations. Homeworld The Omega Cohort, once they were founded, overtook the recovering hive world of Septim Regin, which had been ravaged by orks, and renamed it the Omega Colony. They settled on the world and began holding recruitment trials almost immediately, recruiting from the Imperial insurgent forces that had resisted the ork invasion and occupation for nearly a century before the chapter was established. For a hive world, the planet is--or at least was--remarkably temperate due to a century of no industrial output, and abandoned hives sprawl for miles, often close to the edges of not-yet-exploited and feral-ork-infested-forests. Recruits spend a month in the wilderness surrounding the fortress monastery to reach it, where they are taken in and tested for compatibility with the geneseed, and then again for compatibility sans Black Carapace, to determine whether there is any value in training the recruit. Those who are not compatible with any organs are conscripted as chapter serfs, as is Astartes tradition. Orbital defenses consist of several platforms manned by these serfs, as well as the Omega Shield Platform which orbits directly above the fortress monastery, armed to the teeth with hundreds of point defense batteries and missile silos to intercept enemy ships and projectiles. It is also equipped with a powerful void shield generator, shadowing the fortress monastery with layers of shielding as well as its numerous weapons (It also functions as their orbital resupply dock. I chose not to point out the inherent weakness in putting so many valuable eggs in one basket, if only because I knew I would be ignored. Even a Tyranid invasion hadn't been enough to shift the platform from its position, though many of the smaller platforms fell victim to the swarms. What would a 10th legion successor's opinion matter in the face of such evidence?). The world itself produces copious amounts of wargear for the chapter, including parts for both power armor and carapace armor, weapons, munitions, rations, and the countless other war-materials any Space Marine chapter needs to wage war. More complex systems like tanks, aircraft, and specialist armors are produced by a nearby forge-moon, which owes its current survival to the chapter after it was nearly invaded by orks from the then-infested planet of Septim Regin as well as defending it against Tyranid invasions. Combat Doctrine The Omega Cohort operates as many Raven Guard successors do, with large stealth operations supported by veteran Astartes. The only major difference is that these operations tend to be more carefully planned than normal, as more lightly-armored troops require that the enemy be eliminated in order to prevent mass casualties. They are not always successful, which gives rise to the chapter's high attrition rate for Whisperers, but on the whole it is an effective stratagem. When protracted battles, such as sieges, are expected, the chapter tends to employ long-range weapons to whittle away at the enemy, be they attacking or defending. It should be noted that the Omega Cohort's Silent-Speakers, while they don't appreciate being in voidships overmuch due to all of the sounds that a ship generates at all hours of the cycle, do appreciate the quietness of space, and if given the chance will leap for the opportunity to take a boarding fight to the hull of a ship to be in the silence of the void. 1st company especially, with access to both Terminator and Centurion armor, takes advantage of this every chance they get (occasionally even disregarding the optimal solution for a moment of true, blessed silence).Those Omega Troopers who do not have the Black Carapace, and are not currently deployed as scouts, will don full-body carapace armor to provide themselves better protection against enemy fire. The armor is provided by a trusted manufactorum on the Omega Colony, which has commensurate resources allocated to it to account for its increased importance. Interaction with the Legio The Omega Cohort currently does not have any members attached to the Legio, though I suspect they could be convinced. They would likely attach a Whisperer, given the rarity of a marine who has managed to both survive the implantation of the Black Carapace and be fortunate enough to not be plagued by synesthesia (as of now I believe the current count is two, the chapter master and the main recruit trainer). Now that I hear rumors of Primaris marines reaching the Cohort, however, and reinforcing them with untainted genestock, it is quite possible that a Primaris Omega trooper would be detached to the Legio, possibly accompanied by a Whisperer as tradition dictates (all representatives of the chapter are either Whisperers or Silent-Speakers accompanied by Whisperers as a translator). In either case, it my hope that they join the ranks of the Legio, if nothing else to learn how to properly interact with other Imperial institutions. Notable Personnel Chapter Master Nykodai Tigumedes: lord of the Omega Cohort and Imperial Governor of the Omega Colony, Nykodai Tigumedes is a grizzled campaigner and veteran of three centuries of war against the enemies of Man. Direct ruler of the chapter planet, he is more often than not found in the planetary capital, where the chapter maintains an office for administrative duties. However, when needs demand it, he leaves the care of the planet in the hands of his Whisperer and strides to war in a hybrid of Terminator and Centurion armor, armed with twin Assault Cannons and a rack of missiles. (Having seen this used to great effect against a rather large feral ork tribe, I can personally attest that this is one of the most destructive and fearsome wargear loadouts I have ever seen in the hands of a single Astartes). He is fortunate enough to not have synesthesia, a stroke of fortune that allowed him to live long enough to become the Chapter Master. He does not keep the vow of silence, as he is permitted, but he is noted to be a naturally quiet individual. Senior Instructor Sergeant Alexios Siris: While not a captain, Senior Instructor Sergeant Siris is unquestionably the one in charge in the 10th company. He oversees all recruit training, and is the initial judge of worth whenever a recruit arrives at the fortress monastery. A Silent-Speaker who is not silent, the Senior Instructor Sergeant is one of the loudest, most foulmouthed marines in the chapter, which he uses to great effect for motivating his recruits. Personal Notes and Addenda I have observed that the Omega Cohort has evolved something of a death cult. They have a belief that the God-Emperor of Mankind cursed them for some past misdeed, as the genetic mutations only arose a few centuries after the founding of the chapter (Having scoured their history, I have not found anything that gives me the impression of a great misdeed, as their past is nigh impeccable, but I do not claim to have the breadth of knowledge or wisdom that the Solis-Imperator does). As such, their chaplains preach a belief of death in service, glory to the God-Emperor, and an overall theme that they are worthless except for service. Silent-Speakers willingly subject themselves to what any self-respecting chaplain would call rants without their helmets, allowing for their vision to be flooded with light, in what I am told is an approximation of the God-Emperor's brilliance. Whisperers, and any guests in attendance of their services, have massive floodlights shined upon them to simulate the experience that Silent-Speakers undergo (as I learned to my own chagrin. The light was enough to wash out my augmetic before it could compensate.). With any luck, fresh gene-stock from the Ultima Crusade will rid the chapter of its belief and its curse, but only time will tell. In lieu of personal armor for a Whisperer to affix service studs to, medallions are instead awarded to marines in the chapter. They are permitted to carry two medallions onto the field of battle, whichever they decide hold the most significance for them, whilst the rest remain in the marine's quarters, displayed however the marine sees fit. Every marine, upon completion of recruit training, is issued the God-Emperor's Challenge coin, to represent their acceptance of the God-Emperor's call to serve their fellow man. Any Omega Trooper without his God-Emperor's Challenge coin on his person is ridiculed and mocked for having misplaced what is viewed as the physical manifestation of the God-Emperor's will, and the marine's willingness to stand up and fight. Other medallions may be awarded for various accomplishments throughout a marine's lifetime, and often accompany official Imperial awards like the Marksman's Honor. Chapter Icon: Admin/notes: 10/15/19: Only partially filled out for now, but I'm paranoid that I'll lose my work, so I'll be coming back to this later (maybe even later today, but we'll see). 10/17/19: partially updated to reflect discussion. 10/18/19: partially updated to reflect discussion, and added image 10/22/19: updated the rest of the unfilled sections, added Personal Notes and Addenda and Notable FIgures10/23/19: added color scheme and rearranged doc slightly (many thanks to the good Chapain for fixing my code!)

Hey y'all, this is my content page for my custom chapter <Knights of Damascus> for the 2019 LASC! I'm still working through a lot of my fluff and origin story so bear with me! I will be continually editing this over the next few weeks (I hope not) and will hopefully have this finished soon. All comments and ideas are appreciated! +++++ KNIGHTS OF DAMASCUS I've included the armor paint schemes for both standard Astartes and primaris marines (this is an earlier founding chapter with Primaris reinforcements). The squad markings are Codex Compliant with the standard assault, elite, troop, and heavy support symbols. And the standard marine armor: "Where there is uncertainty, I shall bring light. Where there is doubt, I shall sow faith Where there is shame, I shall point atonement Where there is rage, I shall show its course My word in the soul shall be as my bolter in the field" - Litany of Devotion Chapter: Knights of Damascus Founding Chapter: Salamanders Founding: Twenty Third Founding Chapter Master: Alistair Kingsblade Homeworld: Relicta Fortress Monastery: The Black Citadel Colors: Dark Brown, white, and gold Specialty: Siege Warfare, Guerilla Warfare, Close Combat Battlecry: "Bellum vocat, exaudi nos! For the Emperor!" 1. History The history of the Knights of Damascus begins among the many unlisted chapters created in the Twenty Third Founding. The Knights were gifted the feral desert world Relicta as of their Founding and were given rights to recruit from the surrounding worlds. Relicta is located on the edge of the Veiled Region amidst a cluster of Death World's. The planet itself is about the size of Neptune. Relicta's own surface is a desert wasteland covered in crags, caverns and gigantic rock formations. The planet was once home to a species of burrowing sand wurms spanning almost a kilometer in size, now near extinct due to a Pre-heresy purge of the aggressive species long before the Knights set foot on Relicta. These sand wurms are responsible for the vast subterranean tunnels that span a majority of the planets surface and in rare and almost always fatal encounters, can be found nesting deep within said tunnels. However, also deep within these subterranean tunnels are vast wells of water, a treasured and valuable resource to the scarce tribes of humans that roam the bitter wastes of Relicta, known as "Reliceans" (Re-lee-shins). They took to the style of their Founding Chapter, the Salamanders, for organization and recruitment methods. The chapter was founded with many ancient Terran values instilled alongside those of their parent chapter, the Salamanders. These values focused on the honor and brutality of war and are exemplified in the Knights' use of single combat and guerrilla warfare when outmatched. They hold nothing back, but will seek out worthy opponents to strike down. These values are also seen in the forging process during recruitment of Aspirants. The chapter's name derives from the Ancient Terran conducts of Old orders of warriors that once fought on the face of Terra. The Knights of Damascus' sigil is that of a sword embossed on a shield, sharing the focus of ancient warrior conduct tradition of wielding sword and shield against thy foe. Among the traditions of the Chapter is dueling, sparring, and the earning of a "sword-name". A Battle-Brother usually earns his sword-name after exemplary combat action or heroic circumstances. It is considered a great honor to have earned ones sword-name and the process of receiving one, the Rite of the Accolade, is treated with the utmost reverence and regard. One to have received the Accolade is considered to have sacrificed beyond their mortal limits for the Chapter and their brothers. Those deemed worthy undergo the Rite. They are presented before the Chapter Master, the High Chaplain, and the Master Librarian to be dubbed with their sword-name. Their Fortress Monastery, the "Black Citadel", is made out of a strange dark ore found on Relicta, "night-stone" as it is known to the native Relicean tribes. Close in strength to adamantium and nigh unyielding once folded and forged in fire with Terran Steel. The Fortress is and was crafted and shaped into and by this metal, creating large subterranean tunnels and catacombs underneath the Citadel ranging miles deep. This metal is mined and used in the recruitment process of the Chapter. The Knights faced much adversity first settling on Relicta as its feral tribes (a source of recruitment for the Knights) was the focus of many Dark Eldar raids before the persistent defense of the Knights of Damascus drove them out. They waged war in the early centuries of their founding against such forces and were found victorious, although their recruitment process suffered greatly and their growth was largely diminished in comparison to other Chapters.The Chapter, despite this, has had a healthy development with several successful campaigns with minimal losses. However, due to their seemingly ruthless nature and high combat tendency, the Knights are a prize the Blood God seeks for his own. NOTABLE ENCOUNTERS In the late M38, two companies of the Knights of Damascus laid siege to an Eldar Maiden World (unknown to them) after losing contact with a scouting force sent to investigate the planets surface. The Knights landed to discover a planet seemly void of life. After finding the long dead and desecrated corpses of their scouting force and combing the jungles of the Maiden world, the Knights discovered deep catacombs filled with the corpses of thousands of Exodite Eldar destroyed by an army of daemons. The daemons had come through an old webway portal slaughtering the Eldar and proceeded to beset the caught off guard Knights of Damascus. They held against the tide slowly but surely retreating until a massive roars erupted from deep within the catacombs. A Khorne Bloodthirster, Khax'dra had caught the scent of his new quarry, and launched a new wave of assault against the dwindling Knights'. After two days of a grinding retreat, The Knights of Damascus force numbering no more than 30 marines escaped due to the sacrifice of the Captain Sovrain of the 2nd Company, who challenged the Bloodthirster in single combat, his sacrifice buying the precious moments needed to escape. The Knights of Damascus returned in full force, laying siege to the daemonic world. They launched a full on offensive, seeking to cut the head from the snake, Chapter Master Uther challenging Khax'dra as Captain Sovrain had before. Chapter Master Uther held fast under its blows, parrying strikes and slicing his blade into the Bloodthirsters thick legs. Eventually the Bloodthirster was brought to its knees where Uther and the Wardens of the Inner Table proceeded to cut it to pieces, ending its blasted existence for a time. In a matter of days, the Knights had pushed back the forces of Khorne and closed the webway gate, preventing any more forces from coming through. With the geneseed of their fallen brothers returned, Chapter Master Uther declared the planet 'Exterminatus'. In M39, while pursuing an unknown faction of Chaos Space Marines laying waste to many worlds in a nearby sector, the flagship of the Knights of Damascus, Caliburnus, is ambushed by a band of World Eaters Legionnaires. The Legionnaires, led by Warlord Dravix the Crucifier, launch an all out boarding assault and manage to carve a bloody path to the bridge where Chapter Master and his retinue of three Company champions and elements of the 1st Company awaited them. Chapter Master Uther Drakehand is cut down in his fight against Dravix. The Champions, seeing the plight of their Lord, circle Warlord Dravix like wolves and engage in a flurry of battle, parrying, lunging, and striking the Chaos Warlord. Howling in anger, Dravix lashes out at his combatants, skewering one champion with his sword and smiting the other down with his armored fist. In a desperate move, the 3rd company champion, Alistair, attacks the warlord breaking his sword from his grip only to be thrown down by the Chaos Warlord. As the Warlord gloated over him, Alistair found the grip of Dravix's fallen sword and plunged it into the Chaos Warlords primary heart, before carving his way through Dravix's second heart. With their Warlord defeated and the 1st Company holding fast, the warband retreats, leaving the Caliburnus and the Knights wounded, but very much alive. Alistair is given the sword-name "Kingsblade" and is unanimously promoted to the position of Chapter Master. +++++ "War remembers only the victorious. Remember the dead, brothers. Without their sacrifice, we would have no victory." - Chaplain Aurelius Stonefist 2. Organization and Tactics The Knights of Damascus embrace the Codex Astartes readily, their traditions benefiting greatly from the discipline of the Codex. They adhere to standard Codex organization. Although there are minor deviance's such as the inclusion of the Inner Table, a tribune of the best and wisest warriors the chapter has to offer, one from each Company to act as representatives of their company and Captain - and in dire circumstances, serve as the Chapter Master's Honor Guard. The Champions are also eligible for the seat of Captain or if the Chapter sees fit, for the position of Chapter Master. The Chapter's main color is a dark brown with white and gold details. Upon recruitment, the Chapter's Chaplain encourage brotherhood and comradery between initiates. This creates iron bonds of brotherhood as they proceed through the trials of becoming a Battle Brother. When an aspirant makes it to the final trial of joining the Chapter, he is charged with forging his own Terran style long sword out of the dark metal that makes the Dark Citadel, should all else fail in battle, the sword will serve him. Upon completion, the aspirant is to duel another initiate in single combat - a battle between brothers, with the victor proceeding fully into the ranks of the Chapter. Due to the resilient nature of the metal and unrefined techniques of the aspirants in making their swords, the blades have a high tendency to break mid-duel. This gives either victor a possible advantage and a victory possibly more hard fought. Most aspirants are left with no choice but to crush their brother asunder wave upon wave of bare-fisted blows. This harsh and selective recruitment method instills two lessons to be learned: First, war can only have one victor; and secondly, there is no victory without sacrifice. Fallen aspirants are treated with honor and are buried outside the Black CItadel with the utmost respect. This burial ground is known as the "Last March". The Chapter's Techmarines are then responsible for forging the remnants of the two swords (whether whole or broken) into a new blade worthy of an Adeptus Astartes. The fallen aspirants name is inscribed upon the new blade as a constant reminder of what was sacrificed. Afterwards, the Aspirant receives Gene-seed and is inducted as an Initiate of the Chapter where they are assigned to the 10th Company. The Chapter places much emphasis on skill with a blade of all kinds, preferring power swords and relic blades above other combat weapons. However, it is not unheard of to see members of the chapter wielding thunder hammers and the like. Due to their close comradery and consistent practice with close combat weapon drills, Battle Brothers are competent close combat fighters and are skilled in the execution of combat squad tactics. The Chapter keeps a well maintained balance of utilizing small squads for guerrilla warfare and full-company deployment when in defense or laying siege. Notable Elements of the Knights of Damascus: Notable Members: - Captain Sovrain, 2nd Company Captain (KIA) - Chapter Master Alistair Kingsblade (2nd Chapter Master), successor to Uther Drakehand - Chapter Master Uther Drakehand (1st Chapter Master) (KIA) - Sergeant Urien - Deathwatch, Kill Team "Warden" - Chaplain Aurelius Stonefist Chapter Fleet: - Caliburnus, Battle Barge - Avallonis, Battle Barge - Cavalon, Strike Cruiser - Sangreal, Strike Cruiser

Brother Veneo of the Fourth Company, Fifth Tactical Squad Chapter: Vanquishers Founding: 4th Homeworld: Caeron Geneseed: Imperial Fists (Crimson Fists) Organisation: Codex Chapter Master: Coras Brenen Chapter Symbol: Silver Clenched Fist Against All, We Endure The Vanquishers are a chapter that live and fight under the tenets of endurance and vigilance, taking the trait of stubbornness and purity from their Primarchs legacy. Masters of urban warfare, fighting in the treacherous conditions of densely built battlezones are their forte in combat, such as Hive Cities, industrial facilities and to a smaller degree, in the cramped conditions of void warfare. Renowned for rarely retreating until the last glimmer of hope for victory is lost, the Vanquishers always seek to find a weakness to exploit and turn the tide of a battle. Endurance is the tenet above all else the Vanquishers strive for, ensuring that they outlast their foes through superior firepower and combat skills, no matter how long or protracted the campaign. This has sometimes led to the chapter receiving shocking losses in ill-fated campaigns, including their near annihilation in 398.M35 to WAAAGH! Gullzag on the Hiveworld, Azura Secundus, with only two hundred and twenty Vanquishers emerging from the apocalyptic clash, which ended the Orks systemwide rampage. But the amount of victories snatched from the jaws of defeat by this tenacity has provided the Chapter's greatest victories, such as the sundering of the Red Surge in 501.M38. The battle brothers of the Vanquishers maintain a supremely high level of discipline both on and off the battlefield, it is regarded by some that their level of discipline is only matched and surpassed by their primogenitors, the Imperial Fists. Legacy and History A byword for urban combat and endurance across the Segmentum Solars southern region, the Vanquishers were forged from the Crimson Fists in latter years of 32nd Millennium, replacing the heavily depleted forces from the galactic wide rampage of the Orks after the War of the Beast. The chapter were dispatched to the Southern fringes of the Segmentum Solar to defend and eradicate the lingering Ork presence still left from the brutal warfare centuries prior. Captain Vasperon of the 5th Company was placed with the honour and responsibility of building the new chapter, ready to counter the Greenskin threat that was making its presence more felt through the Fidel Sector. Vasperon was a warrior who prided himself and his Company on pure will and unyielding vigilance for incoming threats when on and off the battle field. This would be a major part in the creation of the Vanquishers personality and combat doctrine, as they grew in number and capability over the early years of the 33rd Millennium. Having successfully ended the threat of the Ork presence and building Waaagh! within the systems of the Fidel sector, the Vanquishers sought to find a planet on which to settle and build their forces to become a fully grown Astartes chapter. Located in the heart of the sector, the chapter settled upon the planet of Caeron, which was once a vibrant Hiveworld that served as a mustering point for the Expeditionary Fleets during the Great Crusade. When the Horus Heresy and subsequent events of the Scouring took place, the planet fell to the hands of the traitor Legions, until the Imperial Fists retook the planet in a cataclysmic campaign that rendered the planet a husk of its former habitability. A single Hive named Blackring, built after the Scouring now circles completely around Caerons equator, which remains the only viable area for humanity to survive with relative ease upon its surface; as to the north and south of Blackring, vast irradiated tundra wasteland spreads to Caerons poles, with long abandoned and crumbling hive cities and infrastructure scattered across the hemispheres, almost impossible to reach by conventional means due to the violent storms and lethal environment created from the apocalyptic fighting during and after the Heresy. It is from these crumbling metropolises that the Vanquishers train their recruits to become the masters of tight combat in urban environments. Astartes of the Vanquishers often exceed the standard level of marksmanship with their firearms as a result of the drills performed within the ruins and environment beyond Blackring as sniper and breaching teams. The Vanquishers Fortress Monastery, named The Perpetual Sentinel is based upon Caerons singular moon, Derev, which also serves as the planets shipyard for trade and military repairs and deployment. The Fidel sector and surrounding space has been an active region for the Vanquishers to constantly protect from incursions, as Ork empires slowly rebuild in a perpetual echo from the War of the Beast. The constantly hidden threat of the Agonys Lash kabal of Drukhari have also notably persisted across the edges of the sector, where the twisted Xenos have conducted repeated raids over the millennia on Imperial worlds and vessels within the region, despite the ferocious counter-attacks led by the Vanquishers when they receive their distress calls. The Fidel Sector is populated by a number of key worlds on the southern edge of the Segemtum Solar, including a handful of Forgeworlds that the Vanquishers hold pacts of honour to protect when requested and thus the chapter hold a cordial relationship with the Martian forces, including the Titans of Demi-Legio Fluctus. The sector also contains vital shipping lanes, including the relatively calm crossing of the Cinder Gap, located in between the colossal asteroid fields of two shattered planetary systems, created millions of years prior from an unknown force. The Gap provides a stable thoroughfare for resources to be transported towards Terra and the inner planets of the Imperium and it is the Vanquishers duty to protect it. In the 39th Millennium, a fresh chapter of Astartes were created in reinforcing the Vanquishers in protecting the Cinder Gap from raiding pirates of Drukhari and other threats. Forged from Sanguinius sons, the fleet based Emerald Tears became a closely bonded brother Chapter to the Vanquishers, the Tears aggressive close-combat oriented warfare complimenting the methodical practices of the sons of Caeron. The Galactic Schism As the final years of the 41st Millennium waned out and the Astronomican grew weaker, the Vanquishers found themselves severely hard pressed as Ork empires grew in power within and beyond the Fidel Sector, notably WAAAGH! BlakkHamma, requiring a major splitting of their forces to multiple war zones, including the deployment of their Tactical Reserve Companies to stem the growing green tide. The Cicatrix Maledictum's tear across the galaxy only added a nuclear payload into the fire as uprisings, dangerous psychic awakenings and Chaotic incursions sowed the seeds of outright warfare and anarchy across the many systems the Vanquishers protected. As the attrition of these campaigns began to wear the Fidel Sectors Imperial forces numbers down, rebellions and uprisings began to appear from the desperation of the citizens being forgotten and Xenos incursions became increasingly prevalent. Requests for reinforcement fell upon deaf ears on Terra as the madness of the Warps new tear split the Imperium in half. As the Blood Angels called for aid at Baal, the Emerald Tears sought to answer; but as the tides of the Greenskin overwhelmed the Vanquishers forces, leading to dire casualty numbers, the Tears chose to send only two squads to Baal. Seeing the value of keeping the Fidel Sector safeguarded due to its proximity to Terra and the supplies travelling through, the rest of the Emerald Tears remained to reinforce and aid the Vanquishers. Fall of the Emerald Tears In spite of their heroic and selfless decision to remain and protect the Fidel Sector alongside their beleaguered brother Chapter, the fate of the Emerald Tears ended in tragedy. In a cataclysmic scenario of a dangerously weaponised Ork Space Hulk, dubbed Krump Krooza heading for the vast population centre of the Hurst Cluster, the Tears fought to the last on the Hulk to prevent its true power ruining the region. It became a bitter irony that the Indomitus Crusade would arrive scant years later, too late to reinforce the honoured fallen sons of Sanguinius, but the Vanquishers honoured their passing in carrying marks of the emerald teardrop upon their armour for those who had fought beside them, carrying their name in memory and in the wargear recovered in the wreckage of the Krump Krooza. When elements of the Indomitus Crusade finally arrived to relieve the beleaguered forces of the Vanquishers, the reinforcement and introduction of the Primaris marines and new vehicles and weaponry initially was seen as an affront to the proud chapter that emphasised and holds strong on the tenets of endurance. The Primaris were perceived as a replacement and a concern that the first-born Astartes were now being forgotten and seen as no longer worthy to carry their duties. But over time and through counsel with the Primaris that were tasked with reinforcing the Vanquishers, it became abundantly clear that this was an enhancement to the chapter and the displays of fortitude and sheer will of their new brethren proved they were true sons of Dorn and the Vanquishers. Over time the numerous threats began to reduce in the Fidel Sector and a fresh chapter of Primaris marines, the Viridian Angels took up the burden of the fallen Emerald Tears. At the current era, the Fidel Sector has much left to cleanse and purify from the Great Rifts formation and Noctis Aeternam, but the Vanquishers continue to look ahead to face the challenges and endure all that the enemies of the Imperium can muster. Combat Doctrine and Organisation Command Retinue Chapter Master Coras Brenen - Lord Protector of Caeron Captain Marek Tarren 1st Praetorian Company Master of the Crusade Captain Sontor Arral 2nd Perpetual Company Master of the Fortress Captain Fernann Cohr 3rd Tenacious Company Master of Arms Captain Elias Draeg 4th Resilient Company Master of the Fleet Captain Valdor Antana 5th Dauntless Company Master of the Marches Captain Synas Castor 6th Steadfast Company Master of the Rites Captain Deinar Orhon 7th Resolute Company Master of the Trials Captain Kaspar Gehr 8th Relentless Company Master of the Breach Captain Argus Salazar 9th Perennial Company Master of Bombardment Captain Martel Kydio 10th Hidden Company Master of Recruits "Urban warfare is the ultimate test of a warrior's skills. To fight in the claustrophobia of ruined buildings, where danger waits around every passage, every corner, from above your head and beneath your feet. An Astartes must be as vigilant as his spirit can muster. His weapons must be gripped tighter, always ready to strike. His reaction times must reach a point rivalling the preternatural. We have been raised to fight in this environment. In the ruins of Ashenhive, Skyreach and Tridenthaven, every son of Caeron has honed their skills against each other and the cruel monsters within the shadows of the once almighty buildings. The battles of legends may be imagined upon open fields, but we fight the reality of the ultimate test of combat." - Veteran Sergeant Alato Karvan of the Resilient Company to a White Talons veteran, during the defence of the Felwinter Hive Complex. A staunchly Codex chapter, the Vanquishers loyally follow its tenets and rarely divert wildly from its teachings, with exceptions to the name of certain ranks and a Captains title in some of the Companies befitting their style of warfare. The Vanquishers prime talents in prosecuting urban warfare or combat in similar confined environments will often see them deployed wars and campaigns that desperately require their expertise. In more protracted campaigns, the chapter will often seek to ensure that the enemy is forced or directed into combat within such environments to increase the Vanquishers advantage over them. But when called for, the chapter are more than capable of fighting in the open battlefields beyond their favoured urban confines, some of their finest victories in combat have been executed in these moments, such as the Second Sunrise Assault during the Lauss Rift Campaign. With the advent of the Ultima founding, the Vanquishers adapted to the newer armour and armaments quickly. The Chapter now ensure that within their Company structure, the Lieutenants are one Primaris and one First-Born Astartes to keep stability and balance and share the capabilities of both styles. Wallbreaker Formation The Vanquishers utilise a number of unique formations to breach well-fortified enemies in urban campaigns. One that has become synonymous with the chapter is the Wallbreaker Formation to breach bunkers and buildings. Company Veterans carry vast storm shields, first used for ship to ship campaigns during the Great Crusade and wield storm bolters and special weapons to clear out the enemy, after having been breached an entrance from a heavy weapons squad or vehicle. In recent decades, Hellblasters have been a very popular option for breaching, with their veteran brothers leading them in to clear the enemy out, with the Hellblasters ensuring no heavier resistance stems the oncoming wall of ceramite. In the tight confines of these urban environments, none can escape their wrath. Having moulded their combat style to capitalise on fighting in the cramped and unpredictable nature of urban and industrial environments, alongside dealing with the Ork menace that constantly threatens the Fidel sector as it rebuilds; the Vanquishers often deploy weaponry designed for this purpose, including the use of flamers, meltas for breaching buildings and combi variants there-in. The chapter boasts a high number of heavy vehicles as well, designed to aid them in their campaigns in combat on industrial and hive worlds, this includes a plethora of Vindicators and Land Raider Redeemers. The newer Phobos pattern of armour for their brethren has been greatly accepted and utilised strongly to befit their tight confined of urban warfare and the use of Infiltrators and Incursors has become a norm for the newer Primaris sons of Caeron alongside their Scouts to gather intelligence and commit more covert operations before attacking in full force with their armoured might. Whilst they do possess the exotic and powerful plasma weaponry, it is not fielded as often, due to the nature of the Vanquishers more prevalent combat campaigns in the tight confines of urban conflict, where plasma weaponry can pose a danger to the wielder and his brethren should it overheat. But for Astartes that carry the responsibility or choice to wield plasma weaponry into combat is seen with a wary respect by their kindred. With the addition of the Hellblasters to their formations, the view on Plasma weaponry remains the same, but the level of respect for their newer brethren to wage war with such powerful and dangerous weaponry continues to be looked upon with great respect. To wield such destructive power at your own risk, to ensure that the enemies of the Vanquishers are eradicated is a sacrifice worthy of Dorns legacy. Astartes of the Vanquishers typically eschew adorning their armour with overtly ornate decorations, viewing them as hindrances in the tight confines of urban warfare. Some exceptions are however included, such as the Iron Halo and cloaks of Office for Captains. Typically, a battle-brothers honours are laser-etched and painted into their armour as an honour shield, which can be placed wherever they deem fit. Veterans who wield Storm and Combat Shields place the honours onto their weapons instead, displaying their honours without hindering their armours movement. Having been founded in the earlier millennia of the Imperium after the Horus Heresy, the Vanquishers still hold a large amount of older marks of weaponry, armour and vehicles that were gifted to them by their primogenitors and the Mechanicum. Some very rare, near singular examples of the ancient super-heavy battle tanks from the Heresy and Scouring, such as the Sicaran and Fellblade also reside within the armoury deep beneath the soil of Derev. These sacred armaments and relics are suitably revered by the Techmarines and chapter at large and the choice to deploy them into campaigns is typically only sanctioned by the Chapter Master or Master of the Forge. The Vanquishers possess a fair amount of the newer Mark VIII Errant power armour from the Adeptus Mechanicus Forges, with their other armour often including up-armoured additions to aid them in combat. Often, they also add additional sensors and scanners to their armours systems, to ensure they have the best upper-hand in urban combat. The Mechanicus sometimes rankle at the adjustments made to the sacred suits, but the Vanquishers history in saving Forgeworlds from destruction and the reverence they hold for their older relics from their founding era have stayed the Mechanicus abhorrence to such changes. +++++ Additions required to update for completion: BELIEFS FURTHER PRIMARIS TACTICS Well, here's my first submission into the Swap Challenge, as somehow these guys have never graced the halls of the Liber previously, despite being around for nearly 10 years! As mentioned, still bits to update to deem it complete since I first wrote it aeons ago. As always, input/suggestions/critiques/fluff-maulings are as welcome as ever! Cambrius

This is the master thread for the completed miniatures for the LIBER ASTARTES SWAP CHALLENGE 2019 (LASC 2019), where participants in The Liber have written an article about their Astartes Chapter/Chaos Warband and have been swapped with another participants' own creation to create a single miniature before the end of January 1st at 23:59 GMT The participants and swapped chapters/warbands assigned are as follows: Participant Swaps: Brother Cambrius: Grey Ravens (P) (COMPLETED) Link Messor: The Strigoi (COMPLETED) LINK Messor: Imperial Shields (COMPLETED) LINK Ace Debonair: Angels of Decay © (COMPLETED) LINK Ace Debonair: Apseros Astra (P) (COMPLETED) LINK Chaplain Dosjetka: The Soul Takers (COMPLETED) LINK Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch: The Argent Fists (P) (COMPLETED) LINK Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch: The Star Leopards (COMPLETED) LINK Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch: Knights of the Forge (P) (COMPLETED) LINK Brother Argent: The Scything Claw © (COMPLETED) LINK Brother Argent: Wings of Dawn (COMPLETED) LINK Brother Argent: Shadow Lords (P) (COMPLETED) LINK Brother Argent: Dawn Blades (COMPLETED) LINK MARK0SIAN: White Hawks (COMPLETED) LINK Kelborn: Knights Oracular (COMPLETED) LINK Aothaine: The Sunder Aothaine: Legion of the Iron Lion WarriorFish: Champions Eternal (COMPLETED) LINK Inquisitor Van Horn: The Praetorian Sword golfdeltafoxtrot: Ashen Blades (P) (COMPLETED) LINK Berzul: Vanquishers (COMPLETED) LINK Zepheniah Adriyen: Thunder Coyotes (P) Trokair: Celestial Knights (COMPLETED) LINK jbaeza94: Knights of Damascus (COMPLETED) LINK Bruce Malcom: Praetors of Denzarr Brother Lunkhead: White Talons © (COMPLETED) LINK Smirnov: Omega Cohort AHorriblePerson : Oblivion Hunters © (COMPLETED) LINK Watcher: Iron Heralds (COMPLETED) LINK Frostbit3: Voidborn (COMPLETED) LINK So stay tuned, peeps, we will have plenty of activity here soon. Please do feel free to provide feedback and encouragement to these superb Fraters who have taken part. Cambrius

This is the master thread for the works in progresss for the LIBER ASTARTES SWAP CHALLENGE 2019 (LASC 2019), where participants in The Liber have written an article about their Astartes Chapter/Chaos Warband and have been swapped with another participants' own creation to create a single miniature before the end of January 1st at 23:59 GMT The participants and swapped chapters/warbands assigned are as follows: Participant Swaps: Brother Cambrius: Grey Ravens (P) (COMPLETED) Link Messor: The Strigoi (COMPLETED) LINK Messor: Imperial Shields (COMPLETED) LINK Ace Debonair: Angels of Decay © (COMPLETED) LINK Ace Debonair: Apseros Astra (P) (COMPLETED) LINK Chaplain Dosjetka: The Soul Takers Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch: The Argent Fists (P) Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch: The Star Leopards Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch: Knights of the Forge (P) Brother Argent: The Scything Claw © Brother Argent: Wings of Dawn Brother Argent: Shadow Lords (P) Brother Argent: Dawn Blades MARK0SIAN: White Hawks Kelborn: Knights Oracular Aothaine: The Sunder Aothaine: Legion of the Iron Lion WarriorFish: Champions Eternal (COMPLETED) LINK Inquisitor Van Horn: The Praetorian Sword golfdeltafoxtrot: Ashen Blades (P) (COMPLETED) LINK Berzul: Vanquishers (COMPLETED) LINK Zepheniah Adriyen: Thunder Coyotes (P) Trokair: Celestial Knights (COMPLETED) LINK jbaeza94: Knights of Damascus Bruce Malcom: Praetors of Denzarr Brother Lunkhead: White Talons © Smirnov: Omega Cohort AHorriblePerson : Oblivion Hunters © Watcher: Iron Heralds (COMPLETED) LINK Frostbit3: Voidborn So stay tuned, peeps, we will have plenty of activity here soon. Please do feel free to provide feedback and encouragement to these superb Fraters who have taken part. Cambrius

THE LIBER ASTARTES SWAP CHALLENGE 2019 - PHASE 2 Well here we are, Phase 1 is done and dusted, consigned to the annals of the Liber's history. Now, onto Phase 2, building and painting! Here are the results after Phase 1, and it was a sterling effort from those who participated, with only 3 marked as incomplete out of 30 submissions. Those who have passed are as follows, congratulations my fellow Liberites! Brother Cambrius Messor x2 Ace Debonair x2 Chaplain Dosjetka Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch x3 Brother Argent x4 MARK0SIAN Kelborn Aothaine x2 WarriorFish Inquisitor Van Horn golfdeltafoxtrot Berzul Zepheniah Adriyen Trokair jbaeza94 Bruce Malcom Brother Lunkhead Smirnov AHorriblePerson Watcher Frostbit3 Utter insanity from Brother Argent to complete 4 submissions as we had to call in his reinforcements! But to everyone, well done on your completions, I hoped to complete 3 myself, but as is the way, real life got in the way of such lofty aspirations. But sadly, there are those who did not reach the mark and as such, are bound by their vows to carry the signature of shame below, either with no article submitted or an insufficient amount of detail required: Rikev Cryptix Slave To Darkness But fret not, there can be redemption for you! If you can complete your article and submit a miniature of your chapter, I will offer you a unique signature and the mark of shame shall be expunged. Jonny: So, Brother Cambrius, how does Phase 2 work? Welcome back, Jonny! Here's how it works: Participants who have successfully completed Phase 1 will be assigned a Chapter/Warband at random from their fellow participants' submissions. (The list will be below) Depending on submissions created and passed, participants will be assigned as matching number Chapter/Warbands to build and paint 1 model of ALL PARTICIPANTS ONLY NEED TO BUILD 1 MINIATURE EACH OF THE SWAPPED CHAPTER/WARBAND(S) ASSIGNED TO THEM. This can be any matching model that would befit the swapped Chapter/Warband. Models are to be of an infantry model, this can be of any stripe in standard power armour All assigned Swaps are to be completed by 23:59 GMT on January 1st Please post progress in the following linked threads: Works in Progress / Hall of Honour YOU CAN UPDATE/IMPROVE YOUR SUBMITTED ARTICLES, AS PHASE 1 IN COMPLETED. But please, don't be that Frater who deletes and rewrites everything whilst your swap partner works on a miniature. As mentioned before, if you complete this event with an article and miniature of the chapter swapped to you, you can proudly wear this signature: So, here are the swapped Chapters/Warbands for Phase 2! Participant Swaps: Brother Cambrius: Grey Ravens (P) (COMPLETED) Link Messor: The Strigoi (COMPLETED) LINK Messor: Imperial Shields (COMPLETED) LINK Ace Debonair: Angels of Decay

"To Pierce the Veil - see beyond any deception! This is your duty, above all others!" - Chaplain Garrel, Knights Oracular 10th Company, during a speech to recruits, M39.687 Early History: Imperial Records "We have foreseen a great war coming to this world - but fear not! The Knights Oracular will defend you!" - Epistolary Aradin, Knights Oracular 3rd Company, to the Governor of Paralbos, M38.041 http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hvOE9_i8TzJ.hPbn6@@@@@@@hBWPW@hCmX3__..@@@@@@@@@@@_._.@@@@@@@@@@hCmX3hk8Yt__@@@@@@@@@@@hk8Ytiakk7&grid=TRUE A Battle Brother of the Knights Oracular Imperial records first detail the existence of the Knights Oracular in the later years of M37, arriving in the region of space called the Amgyne Sphere, in the Ultima Segmentum. However, the exact date of the Chapter's creation is a matter of some debate amongst scholars. Some insist the Chapter must have been birthed in the 22nd Founding, whilst others insist the Chapter was the sole true success story of the 21st Founding. What is certain, however, is that the Knights Oracular have, from their very first appearance, been locked in an unending war with the vicious, reptillian alien species known as the Khuurladh. Taller and more muscular than typical humans, with long, snapping jaws, cruel fangs, and thick natural scale armour, the Khuurladh are heinous agressors, endlessly raiding Imperial worlds for slaves or supplies. They typically favour large infantry squads, augmented with cybernetics. These raiders take to the field in vast hosts, wielding horrific hook-bladed swords, a sleek, xeno burst-laser weapon called the "Optrica" by Imperial Militia, or two-man teams who have surgically grafted themselves to larger, more deadly weapon platforms. Resilient and ferocious, the Khuurladh are exactly the sort of malevolent alien entity that Space Marines are well-suited to do battle with. Chapter Symbol Appropriately for their name, the Knights Oracular have, over the centuries, become quite adept at predicting the movements and tactics of their hated enemy, allowing them to intercept the Khuurladh raiders and stave off the worst of their predations. On world after world, the Knights Oracular would fight off the voracious xenos, earning a heroic reputation that gradually spread all across the Amgyne Sphere. The turning point in the campaign was undoubtedly the defence of the Forge World, Vaanatar, wherein the Knights Oracular appeared in the planet's orbit in time to prevent even a single Khuurladh from making planetfall, through daring and audacious exploits of voidborne combat. Their initial campaign culminated in a devastating assault on Ineffar, the homeworld of the Khuurladh. After a brutal siege battle that lasted almost a full week, the Knights emerged victorious - not a single living Khuurladh remained on Ineffar. In a move that was one part defiant statement and one part memorial to all those whom the Khuurladh had slain, the Knights Oracular chose to establish a Fortress Monastery on Kryptis, the moon of Ineffar. Such was the esteem that the Chapter was held in by the worlds who had seen them stave off the Khuurladh's attacks, that great migrations of people came to Kryptis, building their cities inside great eco-domes that soon dotted the empty moon's jade-green surface. It was a matter of mere decades before the Knights began to recruit from the Krypthian population, and their numbers began to grow. Finally stable in their new home, the Knights Oracular vowed to protect the Amgyne Sphere, come what may. ==+++ Signal Received +++== =-=- Krypthian Datalock .833. Detected -=-= ==&&=-Parsing Information-=&&== ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= ==+++ Clearance Requested +++== >> ENTER: Oraculus Dominatus ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= ==+++ Clearance Granted +++== .-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-. ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= Recent History: Imperial Records "The Knights Oracular were created to give people something to believe in! That is our mission!" - Atributed to Chapter Master Barantin, M41.070, during the battle of Bramigar However, problems for the Knights Oracular were just beginning. The Khuurladh proved to have survived the destruction of their homeworld, becoming a nomadic warhost bent solely on vengeance and annihilation. They launched a fierce attack against Krypthis, then at other worlds all around the Amgyne Sphere. On top of the resurgence of their most hated foe, the arrival of duplicitous Dark Eldar pirates and relentless Ork Waaaaghs in the Amgyne Sphere served to test the mettle of the Knights Oracular even further. Furthermore, the Inquisition - perhaps unduly - began to question how the Knights Oracular had been so effective at countering the activities of the Khuurladh, and began to pry into the Chapter's affairs. However, the Knights proved to be up to the challenge, meeting all alien threats in fearless combat. Wherever the vile xenos struck, there too would be the Knights Oracular, fighting ferociously in the defence of the Imperium, an unwavering shield against the darkness. Not even the most paranoid of Inquisitors could fault the dedication of the Knights Oracular. However, on the Hive World of Bramigar, at the dawn of the 41st Millennium, the Knights Oracular found themselves at the centre of a horrible revelation. Fighting alongside Inquisitor Jonessan against what seemed to be a typical Khuurladh horde, the Knights found themselves betrayed - several amongst their number were seen to command the aliens, setting them on their own forces and resisting all but the most spirited and ferocious attacks. But the Knights - led by no less a figure than their beloved Chapter Master Barantin, rallied together and won the day regardless, their cunning and skill-at-arms driving the traitors into retreat. However, Chapter Master Barantin had fallen in combat with the treacherous Captain Karek, whose blade lay stuck through the back of the heroic Chapter Master. It was quickly discovered the traitors had been part of a fiendish ruse by Alpha Legion spies, who had sought to overthrow and discredit the Chapter by supplanting them after harassing them with innumerable attacks by their Khuurladh servants. In the aftermath, a conclave of Inquisitors levied a Penitence Crusade on the Chapter, sending fully half of the remaining Knights Oracular in pursuit of their betrayers, heading towards the Eye of Terror. The Chapter accepted these terms unflinchingly, knowing in their hearts that atonement was required for their lack of vigilance. Those Knights that remained in the Amgyne Sphere pledged to hunt down and eradicate every single traitor marine that dared to show themselves in the Sphere. Even in the Dark Millennium, this promise holds true. The Knights Oracular display a level of ferocious hatred for their betrayers that can be frightening to behold, and will never show mercy when faced with one of their former 'brothers'. ==&&=-Parsing Information-=&&== ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= ==+++ Clearance Granted +++== .-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-. ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= Beliefs: Imperial Records "We die, so that the Imperium lives on." - Last words of Brother Feriex, at the battle of Ephera, M39.893 The Knights Oracular place the defence of the people of the Imperium above all other concerns, even their own survival. No matter how ferocious the foe, or how great their numbers, the Knights Oracular fight with every ounce of strength they can muster to protect humanity. They believe it is the Will of The Emperor to do so, and to die fulfilling His Will is the greatest death that one can achieve. The Chapter displays an absolute hatred of their long-time enemies, the Khuurladh, and of the Alpha Legion forces that once infiltrated their ranks. Seeking out and destroying these two vile forces is what drives the Chapter's vigilant watch over the Amgyne Sphere. The Knights Oracular take pride in their heroic reputation, and their armour is often replete with hard-earned decorations. Purity seals, campaign markings, banners and capes are commonplace amongst sergeants and veterans. ==&&=-Parsing Information-=&&== ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= ==+++ Clearance Granted +++== .-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-. ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= Combat Doctrine: Imperial Records "Wars are won with knowledge, conviction and decisive action." - Sergeant Makaran, Knights Oracular 8th Company, M41.550 The Knights Oracular largely conduct warfare according to the doctrines of the Codex Astartes - flexibility and adaptation to battlefield circumstances are the hallmarks of their methods. The Chapter's Librarians specialise in the divination of enemy movements, both on a tactical and strategic scale, all-but ensuring the Knights have an edge that can be levied even against the most dangerous of foes. Even in battle, the Chapter's librarians are known for their powerful displays, especially against the Khuurladh, where their power can disable or destroy entire squads with a single, powerful strike. The Knights Oracular have been so constantly at war with the Khuurladh that the Chapter at times seems to run the risk of becoming overspecialised, sometimes appearing to struggle in adapting their typical approaches to combat with Orks, traitor Space Marines, or Dark Eldar. ==&&=-Parsing Information-=&&== ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= ==+++ Clearance Granted +++== .-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-. ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= Organisation: Imperial Records "The Codex Astartes doesn't support this action... but we do have contingencies in place for such occasions." - Captain Ebreck, Knights Oracular 9th Company, M39.076 The Knights Oracular maintain a broadly Codex-Adherent structure, keeping ten Companies of a hundred Space Marines. Howerver, if the parameters of a mission or campaign call for an adjustment to the Codex-approved approach, the Knights Oracular do not hesitate to embrace the challenge. The Chapter is badly under strength after the betrayal at Bramigar, and the subsequent Penitence Crusade issued unto them. The Knights Oracular are currently roughly five hundred in number, excluding the first generations of Primaris Space Marines that the Chapter has recently adopted. Though the Chapter was given the means to create Primaris Marines, they were not directly given Primaris reinforcements. The Knights Oracular have accepted this gift humbly, knowing they can use to protect the Amgyne Sphere more capably than ever through its use. ==&&=-Parsing Information-=&&== ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= ==+++ Clearance Granted +++== .-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-. ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= Geneseed: Imperial Records "We see through all deceptions. We are the Knights Oracular, and our justice is swift!" - Brother Jaranse, Knights Oracular Fifth Company, M41.790 Though no official records confirm the primogentor of the Knights Oracular, their geneseed tithes submitted to Forge World Vaanatar most closely resemble that of the Ultramarines, with little to no genetic degradation. Obvious ties to their gene-father are present in other aspects of the Chapter, however: chiefly the Knights' flexible, pragmatic approach to warfare, and their noble dedication to the protection of the Imperium and its people. ==&&=-Parsing Information-=&&== ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= ==+++ Clearance Granted +++== .-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-. +++ Pierce The Veil, Brother +++ ..=..=..=..=..=..=..= +++>> Oraculus Dominatus <<+++ .-.--==Message Concludes==--.-.

The Vhohv are the most elusive enemy I have faced in all my days as an Inquisitor. They swear no allegiance to any cause but their own, let alone been heard utter a single word. No faction has ever claimed them as allies. Their appearances within the Imperium vary wildly, from decades to mere days between encounters. Their methods of travel are untraceable; they use neither The Warp, Webways, or gravity compressions as the Tyranids do. Their weapons are clearly plasma based, but use an energy frequency which does not allow for plasma. Their presence leaves absolutely no trace. Even in death, they disintegrate into apparent nothingness. They do not show up on any advanced sensors, and can only be tracked visually or by basic radar. All the leads I have found within Imperial records have ended nowhere. All the people and locations that have been suspected to be under their influence have turned up nothing. Even now, I hesitate to define their machinations as Chaos, Xeno, or even of AI origin. And yet, when one looks at their offenses, they are tantamount to mere thieves. All of their encounters have resulted in the theft of relatively worthless items, which have been easily replaced. Tubes, gears, blank powerchips, a bolter magazine or two; these things are not worth the effort the Vhohv have gone to obtain them. And while they have appeared in extremely secure areas of Imperium and have fought viciously to escape, their use of force is not excessive. They only return fire at those who shoot at them first. They have adeptly avoided shooting Imperial citizens who have been caught in skirmishes with Our Emperor's forces. They've even gone as far as to deal with unarmed citizens who have actively blocked their path by picking them and just holding them in the air until they are finished with their task, then setting them gently down, completely unharmed. The lengths they go to avoid collateral damage is baffling and only seems to hamper whatever goals they seek. I sometimes wonder if they are one of the most inefficient or the most efficient enemy the Imperium has ever had. But, regardless of their peculiarities, they are linked to the Imperium in some way. They pantomime our vaulted Space Marines in form and function, and all their equipment has direct parallels to ours. Whether this is intentional or not means nothing: this is their main weakness. I will exploit it. The Emperor's light reveals all, and by my hand, the Vhohv will answer to me. - Inquisitor Talnikon Morax SKETCHES FINISHED PIECES [WIP] Hello! This thread will be about the development of my mystery faction: The VHOHV. I will be posting write-ups, sketches, final pieces, and comics pertaining to my faction, as well as welcoming any comments, suggestions, and ideas you may have! As of now, my biggest question is where to post the final drafts when this faction is completed. Liber Astartes? Chaotica? Xenos? Somewhere else? Let me know!

The Liber has always been a jewel in the crown of the Bolter and Chainsword - so many of us have enjoyed the feeling of creating something that can exist and thrive within the 40k universe. Whether a custom Space Marine Chapter, an Imperial Guard regiment of renown or a mysterious Eldar Craftworld, creating background has been as integral to the hobby as converting, modelling or painting. Over the years the Liber's posters have participated in many group projects - projects such as creating the Imperial Castellans, the War Bearers and the Dark Sons, to say nothing of the Liber Cluster. With the expansion of the Bolter and Chainsword and the inclusion of Xenos, the Liber has restructured in order to accomodate the huge range of potential DIY projects, from Chaos Warbands to Sisters Warbands. And thus, the Liber Unity Project is born! The project consists currently of five threads: Collaborative Chapter Creation Project IV Collaborative Astra Militarum Creation Project Collaborative Adepta Sororitas Creation Project Collaborative Xenos Creation Project Collaborative Warband Creation Project B+C posters are in the midst of creating a Space Marine Chapter, a Chaos Warband, a Sisters Order, a regiment of the Imperial Guard and a new Xenos threat. The plan is then to create a campaign that links all five forces into a narrative. But we need your help! The collaborative projects are an opportunity for you to make a difference - from giving your opinion on others' ideas to contributing writing or artwork. Currently, the Space Marine thread has a poll up to choose from four potential Chapters - the Celebrants, Brotherhood of a Thousand, Tauran and Night Watch. We would welcome your input!

The Liber Unity Project With the Bolter and Chainsword diversifying to include the many armies and fans of the 40k universe, we have an opportunity to explore grand ideas. Many of you will have seen the fourth Collaborative Chapter Creation Project, which is currently underway in the Liber Astartes sub-forum and which is exploring bringing an official (but unloved) GW Chapter to life. My plan is this - we take that concept and expand it further. I will be creating threads in each of the sub-forums for us to create a DIY Chaos Warband, a DIY Xenos Race, a DIY Sisters Order and a DIY Imperial Guard recruiting world. Between now and December, we will create these forces, before detailing a campaign in which these forces feature. Rather than a situation where we have multiple DIY Chapters in one place, we will instead show the breadth of the Liber, and how all parts of the 40k universe can be explored and detailed. This first post will serve as an opportunity to collate our progress and (in the latter stages of the project) to coordinate our progress as we detail the campaign. Collaborative Chapter Creation Project IV Collaborative Astra Militarum Creation Project Collaborative Adepta Sororitas Creation Project Collaborative Xenos Creation Project Collaborative Warband Creation Project In the short term, if you are reading this and want to participate - then by all means, get involved! Spread the word and help showcase the best of the Liber's creative spirit!

The Liber Thought Experiments return for the 8th Edition! Many of us are wondering about the lore this edition introduces, and how it will affect our DIYs. The purpose of these experiments will be to think of these additions in a positive light, to find that element in the new lore that you can enjoy and incorporate. Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with these Thought Experiments, the intent here is not for you to force a change upon your DIY. These experiments exist in their own little bubble, for you to play around with your DIY and perhaps come to an understanding you might not have originally had. How much of these experiments you take outside of the bubble and apply to your “official” DIY is entirely up to you. How you tackle these experiments is also entirely up to you. You can post rewritten sections of your DIY article, a short story with a related narrative, or even just a stream of consciousness as you ponder the experiment and your DIY. For ideas and examples, check out the previous Thought Experiments thread. Each experiment will last two weeks, and will be divided into three broad sections that will tackle the new lore and other changes to the B&C. List of Experiments ​Primaris 1: Look to the East Primaris 2: Is Blood Enough? Primaris 3: Coexistence Ultima 1: The 27th Founding Ultima 2: The Unnumbered Sons Xenos 1: Aeldari of Ynnead Xenos 2: Necron Tombworlds & Dynasties Xenos 3: Asuyrani of the Craftworlds Xenos 4: Greenskins

Hey there, with the coming release of the 8th edition and the new setting of the Dark Imperium and all of its manifold opportunities, we already see some attempts of creating Primaris only chapters. While sitting in traffic, I thought about the different possibilities of creating such chapters and how they would interact with their brothers and the wider Imperium itself. Therefore, this is my attempt of writing down some things and questions, which we could / should consider while working on Primaris chapters. With some feedback and discussion, this might evolve into a guideline or a template, who knows? :) What do we know thus far about the Primaris? made from the geneseed of every loyal Legion it seems that Cawl took recruits from the respective homeworlds they were put to stasis for 10K, thus they might not know anything of what happened in the meantime there might be great differences between the Primaris (who are somehow the 30K equivalent of their 40K brothers in terms of ideology and way of thinking) and the Astartes Marines about 30% "better" than the average Marine equipped with better and more advanced wargear still likely to getting corrupted by Chaos, though they are said to be more resilient to such powers after the Indomitus Crusade: 10 chapters joined RG, rest was either formed into separate chapters or reviving lost ones or allocated to depleted Astartes chapters there is the slight chance of Cawl using even traitor and Lost Legion geneseed (if he haven't done it already in secret) Things to consider about the interaction between Astartes and Primaris marines: I - Dark Angels Would the Inner Circle accept Primaris into their ranks? Will they inform them about the Fallen or would they distrust them because of their relationship with RG and Cawl? Would a Primaris chapter even participate in the hunt for the Fallen? How would a Primaris chapter deal with all the secrecy and distrust within the Legion of the Unforgiven? Would a Primaris chapter adapt the Unforgiven's structures or would they stick to the Codex? V - White Scars No real idea except the usual: How will they interact with each other? Relying on other ideas :) VI - Space Wolves Will the Primaris suffer and turn into Wulfen as well? Will the independent loving Space Wolves accept their new brothers? Bjorn once said that the Hardening (attempt of creating SW successors) was a major mistake, which would not be approved by Russ. Furthermore, Harald Deathwolf and others were suspicious about their Wulfen brothers priory. Will the Primaris be any different? Will they recruit from Fenris as well? Will we maybe see a more Viking-ish, crusading, fleet-based chapter? Who approved taking Fenrisians to turn into Primaris? Did Cawl that in secret or did he had a bargain with Russ or one of his Jarls? VII - Imperial Fists same with the White Scars Only question I got would be: Will the Primaris be as masochistic as their brothers? IX - Blood Angels 4 words: Black Rage & Red Thirst How do the Primaris deal with them? Executions? Locking their affected brothers up? Will they be helpless? Did Cawl inform them about it? Will the Primaris be the Blood Angels' salvation? X - Iron Hands "Flesh is weak" - Does this count for the Primaris as well? How will they react when meeting their cyborg-ish brothers? Seeing their new, improved brothers, will the Iron Hands get even more obsessed with improving themselves? Or will they maybe abandon their path of steeling themselves? XIII - Ultramarines How do the Ultramarines feel when looking at their new brothers? Do they feel obsolete? Thunder Warriors 2.0? Calgar doesn't feel good since RG awoke. Will they still follow his (somehow) radical word? RG got 10 Primaris chapters right away. Will he tread them better than his "old" sons? XVIII - Salamanders Will the Primaris join their brothers quest of obtaining Vulkan's artifacts? Or will they rather concentrate on real threats? Will they be caring as well? Do they react to certain radiation? Will the Salamanders augment their own ranks with Primaris Marines or will they form a successor chapter? XIX - Raven Guard As far as we know, is the Primaris genessed fixed and stable. Does that mean, we got Raptor-ish Raven Guard Primaris? Will they be pale as well? Corax was known to be very caring for mankind. Will his Primaris sons follow this route? Things to consider about traitor and Lost Legion Primaris: Traitor Legions Do the Primaris know of their heritage? Where did the recruits came from? Did Cawl took some of the Legion's homeworlds or a different stock of people? Will they follow the same path as their corrupted brothers? Will they make use of the same combat doctrine? We've seen the Minotaurs being very close to the 30K Iron Warriors or the Red Scorpions being obsessed with purity like the 30K Emperor's Children Will certain flaws affect them like the flesh change? Cawl did not got rid of the Blood Angels' and Space Wolves' flaws. How would they react if they found out about their heritage? Would a Night Lord traitor recognize his Primaris brother via warp shenanigans? How do the Dark Gods see the Primaris? Another tool for their eternal war? A serious threat to themselves? Lost Legions Do the Primaris know of their heritage? Would anyone except Cawl know about their geneseed's source? Lost Legion Primaris might be a wildcard but still, they could turn out into a good basement for individual, innovative chapter concepts. That's all for now. Hope this will help some in creating their new, 8th edition chapters. :) Don't hesitate to share your thoughts. There are (most likely) a lot of other questions and things which need to be considered as well. :) cheers, Kelborn

"The Day of Fate awaits, regardless." - Motto of the Warminds, translated into High Gothic Early History: "Whatever else happens next, we fight and die as we must. Our duty demands nothing less." - Captain Janten, Warminds 2nd Company, before the siege of Derestonia Secundus http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hvgwP_i8y3o.hxCHu@@@@@@@hXbsb@hCmX3@@i3CYqi3CYq@_@@@@@@@@@_._.@@@@@@@@@@hCmX3.@@@@@@_@@@@@@.iakk7&grid=TRUE A typical Battle Brother of the Warminds Created in the Eighteenth Founding to protect the worlds on the north edge of the spatial anomaly the Imperium calls the Glastheim Rifts, the Warminds claim proud descent from the lineage of the great Primarch Corax of the Raven Guard. And since their inception, the Chapter has seen their own extinction ever drawing closer and closer. Life around the Glastheim Rifts is a constant war of survival. Between xenos invaders, heretic cults and seccessionist raiders, there are no shortage of foes for the Warminds to fight again. The Orks of Waaaagh [-REDACTED-] in particular have proven to be a constant nemesis, coming back to make merciless war again and again no matter how many times they are vanquished. The xenocide campaign against the Inferash Tribune and their Prismatic Battleships ended in an Imperial victory, but at a heavy cost in lives to the Warminds, who lost most of their Second and Sixth Companies in the process. And though the worlds of the systems around the Glastheim Rifts are filled with hardy populations of humans, the geneseed of the Raven Guard is notoriously unstable. Very few recruits drawn from these worlds were found to survive the transformative process of becoming a Space Marine. Radiation from the Glastheim Rifts - a constant, broiling Warp Storm of frightening intensity and unpredictability - no doubt played a significant factor in decreasing the stability of the Warminds' geneseed even further. The Warminds took the view that this was the judgement of Corax and the Emperor, a test of the Chapter's worth. Their demise was, perhaps, inevitable, but the Warminds would strive to make Primarch and Emperor proud of them, so that they would go to their forebears' side in death and be welcomed gladly. After a few bleak decades with barely any recruits coming into the battle-worn Chapter, the Warminds finally found the former agri-world of Geffen to produce recruits with a greater rate of survival. Concerned about their Chapter's future, the Warminds established a Fortress Monastery on this world to better protect it. Over time it became increasingly commonplace for brothers of the Warminds that had been recruited from Geffen to develop psychic powers. Though the population itself showed no real signs of psychic potential beyond the average, the varied mutations in the Warminds' geneseed seemed to bring about this particular benefit. And yet, this boon brought with it more problems. Not all Warminds who developed psychic powers were able to fully control them, and those that could not were faced with inevitable descents into madness, despair and death. The Apothecarion and Librarium struggled to find a solution for this problem, and eventually hit upon a complex surgical procedure that completely eliminated the psychic potential of an afflicted brother, at the cost of removing that Space Marine's capacity to feel or display any real depth of emotion. This procedure, which the Warminds called the Quelling, served to save brothers who would have otherwise become another casualty that the Chapter could ill-afford. The Quelled were found to have lowered initiative compared to their other brothers, adapting more slowly to sudden changes in battlefield circumstances and being less able to orchestrate plans. Thus, the Quelled were barred from high office of any kind in the Chapter, and their armour marked with white shoulders to denote their status as Quelled. The Warminds became more and more convinced of their own certain demise. Each death brought the Chapter closer to extinction - an event the Warminds referred to as the 'Day of Fate', the final judgement of the Chapter and their legacy by The Emperor himself. In the latter half of M37, the Warminds were one of the Chapters drafted into the accord known as the Silver Circle - an alliance of Space Marine Chapters around the Glastheim Rifts who were forever tasked with the vigil of keeping the Rifts in Imperial control. The Warminds were, notably, the only Chapter willing to work with their new brothers-in-arms from the very beginning. Though the Warminds were chronically under-strength, they made a point of sending forces to reinforce their brothers where the fighting was thickest, gradually drawing their fellow Chapters together under a bond of shared victories against the enemies of mankind. It was, perhaps, this gamble of soldifying the kinship between the Circle that allowed the Warminds to survive as long as they did. When Waaaagh [-REDACTED-] launched a series of attacks on the Geffenia system itself in M39, both the Brotherhood of Crows and the Champions of Athlum sent battle companies to assist the Warminds in breaking the system-wide siege. In M40 the Stonebound came to the aid of the Warminds as they battled the last desperate remnants of the Inferash Tribune, their swift actions preventing the activation of the Inferash's deadly Armageddon Bombs on the hive world of Balsamo. Nevertheless, at the close of the 41st Millennium, the Warminds are all but depleted. With little more than two hundred active Space Marines left alive in the Chapter, they still fight on defiantly, with stealth, steadfast discipline and psychic might, warding off the myriad threats that beset them. Though the Day of Fate looms large, and total extinction beckons, the Warminds do their duty as best they can, and fight in defence of humanity, determined to go to their end as warriors and earn their place beside The Emperor. Recent History: "If this is not a sign from The Emperor, then surely nothing is." - Chaplain Daoadus, Warminds 3rd Company The dawn of the Dark Millennium was a time of great upheaval and transformation across the entire galaxy. Few Chapters, however, found their situation so completely changed as the Warminds did. With the awakening of the Cicatrix Maledictum came a drastic upswing in the level of Chaos activity around the Glastheim Rifts. Heretical cults that had been painstakingly seeded on over a hundred worlds in the immediate area of the Rifts simultaneously sprang into cruel action, staging uprisings, assassinations, and open rebellions across far too many fronts for the Space Marines to counter-act. The return of Waaaagh [-REDACTED-], this time as a three-pronged attack against the systems surrounding Geffenia, further stymied the Warminds' ability to fight off the heretics. Fatalism gripped the Chapter more tightly than ever - surely the Day of Fate had finally come, for every battle, every campaign prosecuted by the Warminds resulted in painful losses to the already-dwindling Chapter's numbers. But everything changed when the Indomitus Crusade arrived. A large force of Adeptus Mechanicus envoys and their Skitarii bodyguards, reinforced by over two hundred Primaris Space Marines, seven full regiments of Imperial Guard and the mighty Knights of House Tanzia swept across the Geffenia system and it's neighbours. This intervention force paused in their advance only to leave the Warminds with the new technology needed to recruit Primaris marines of their own, complete with verifiable proof the technology was approved by no less a figure than Roboute Guilliman himself. In desperate need of recruits, the Warminds took a chance on the Primaris marines. The results were astounding - the acceptance rate of the geneseed was increased a hundredfold, to the point that more than half the initiates who underwent the implantation survived the process. Furthermore, the psychic potential of the Chapter still persisted, albeit slightly less potently than before. Some amongst their number still require Quelling, and a few amongst the Chapter worry that the number of Quelled amongst the Primaris marines is rising over time. In current times, the Warminds are still experiencing something of a resurgence. Numbering above six hundred marines for the first time in centuries, over half the Chapter's number are Primaris Space Marines. Squads of Intercessors, Incursors and Infiltrators make up much of the Warminds' core forces in battle, supported as always by the enduring pre-primaris Warminds. The Chapter's mentality is currently divided on whether or not they have survived the Day of Fate and been found worthy, or whether this is merely an interlude before judgement falls upon them once again. Homeworld: "When all your life is a desperate struggle against death, war eternal holds little to surprise you." - Brother Yuandor, Warminds 10th Company Geffen used to be a large and important agri-world that supplied several systems with produce, but the fate of the planet was altered forever when a group of xeno-pirates attacked it in M32, sowing terror and death with biological weaponry on a massive scale. Now the world is largely desolate, its' population huddled around the few surviving farm-clans and the healthy land they own, or forming raider gangs in the skeletal remains of the world's once-great cities. The farm clans war often over farmable land, and food is often scarce even for the most powerful clans. Alliances are formed and broken and formed again amongst the clans, and no power base lasts forever amongst the people of Geffen. Sudden attacks by the wily and ruthless raider gangs of the Dead Cities happen whenever the raiders' food runs low. The Cities are large, desolate and forbidding, filled with traps to snare unwary wildlife - or would be hunters - while the Raiders dwell in the dark and isolated ruins to keep out of the weather. Cannibal cults will break out infrequently in situations where the population of a clan far exceeds the amount of food they can produce. This is one sin that the Warminds simply do not tolerate, however. When a cannibal cult is discovered, the Chapter's psykers will invariably root out those involved in such morally corrupt activity, publicly execute them, and burn their corpse in a ritual pyre. The Warminds take recruits from both the farm-clans and the raiders, as youths from both factions are equally likely to display the mix of strength, ferocity and cunning that makes a great Space Marine. The term 'Day of Fate' comes from an old Geffenic fable about how those who die are judged by The Emperor, and the worthy are fated to serve at His side evermore. The Warminds' Fortress Monastery, known also as the Temple of Souls, is built in the centre of the largest wasteland, far from the population centres of Geffen. With artfully constructed rooms and barren but carefully tended stone gardens given over entirely for meditation and study, it is said to be a place of learning and philosophy as much as a fortress. Beliefs: "What we leave behind after death is the true measure of our life's worth. We must leave His Imperium stronger for our efforts." - Chaplain Sonamus, Warminds 6th Company Perhaps due to their entire existence essentially being a struggle to simply survive, the Warminds are a Chapter given over to much dwelling on death and the impermanence of all life. The Warminds are also certain that The Emperor judges his sons at the moment of their death, and so are determined to fight as relentlessy as Space Marines should, to not only prove their individual worth, but to demonstrate the worth of their Chapter to Him. As far as the Warminds are concerned, the protection of Humanity is the foremost duty of Space Marines. The Chapter will willingly enter into battles or campaigns that will take a heavy toll on their numbers if it means preserving the lives of Imperial citizens. Even when a battle inflicts heavy losses on the Warminds, they are unflinching in their resolve, and press onwards to the next battle to preserve the people of the Imperium. Whenever a Warmind is slain in battle, the Chapter does feel the loss keenly, in part due to their inability to easily replenish their losses, and in part due to the psychic connection much of the Chapter shares. However, the grief carries also a portion of pride; as another marine goes to The Emperor's side and displays the valour and convictions of his brothers. In accordance with an old Geffenic tradition, slain battle-brothers are interred into a tomb below the fortress monastery, clad entirely in white and wearing a white, snarling mask to frighten off any predatory evil spirits that dare approach. The Chapter is known to make much use of modified helmets made to resemble these death masks, albeit coloured gold rather than white. These helms are often passed down through generations of Warminds, and are strictly only worn into battle, for they are said to connect the wearer to the warrior souls of the Warminds who have gone before them. The white shoulders of the Quelled are symbolically tied to the death mask tradition; for most intents and purposes any brother who undergoes the Quelling is largely treated as already dead by his brothers. Though the Warminds do not look with favour on the Quelled, they preserve and continue to use the ritual surgery that creates them whenever a Battle Brother loses control of his power for two reasons. Firstly, the simple logistics of being unable to replace every battle brother who fails to master their gifts. Secondly, every enemy attack that targets one of the Quelled is an attack not spent against a 'honed' Warmind. The Chapter must survive and fight until the Day of Fate - even if it means relying on the Quelled to do so. Outside of battle, the Warminds appear to be somewhat distant and philosophical in demeanour. It is thought that to some extent this calm, contemplative persona exists as a means to disguise the altered nature of the Quelled. On the battlefield, however, the Warminds, though disciplined, channel the hatred and rage of true Space Marines in combat. They do not shy away from battle once it is joined, as such behaviour would mark them as unworthy to their Primarch and Emperor. The Chapter's steadfast devotion to the putting the defence of Humanity first, beyond all other concerns, has earned them much respect from other Imperial forces in the north of the Glastheim Rifts. Regiments and Battlefleets alike, not to mention the PDFs of over a hundred worlds, proudly carry banners or campaign markings dedicated to the battles fought alongside the Chapter's forces. Of the Chapters in the Silver Circle, the Warminds are by far the most effective at rooting out the insidious chaos cults planted on Imperial worlds by the heretics from within the Glastheim Rifts, thanks largely to their psychic gifts. This success rate has earned the Chapter, if not the favour, then the grudging respect of the Order of the Iron Tower - an order of Adepta Sororitas whose Mission Fleets patrol Imperial Space around the Rifts, and typically express a strong dislike of Space Marines. It is also this well-documented reputation for earnest and unwavering devotion to the Imperium that keeps most Inquisitors from taking much unneeded interest in the Warminds. There are innumerable other threats around the Rifts that require the investigative eyes of the Inquisition, and the Warminds, in spite of their oddities, are simply not considered a high priority. Battle Doctrines: "If you Aeldari were half as foresighted as you claim, you'd have seen that coming." - Codicier Dolmaan, Warminds 2nd Company, to the dying Farseer Trygerd Swiftmind The combat doctrines of the Warminds echo their primogenitors the Raven Guard, with a focus on stealth and ambushes, and use of rapid engagements, misdirection and feints. Where a protracted battle is unavoidable, the Warminds make use of armour to help minimize risks to their numbers - Land Raiders, Vindicators or Dreadnoughts are often employed to protect, support, or clear a path for infantry, their durable armour and high firepower forcing enemies to react to their presence rather than focus on the Space Marine themselves. The Warminds make use of Assault Marines, Stormhawks, and Scouts to support the flanks of larger offensives, each bringing the ability to pressure enemies in different ways, and open up new avenues of attack. Typically, the Warminds field very few Vanguard Veterans, preferring to destroy their enemies with firepower. Sternguard veterans, deployed by Stormraven where practical, are used to turn the tide of battle when the Warminds would otherwise falter. But perhaps the largest deviation from their ancestors is the significant psychic power that the Warminds channel in battle. Most Battle Brothers (save for the Quelled) are capable of low-level psychic powers, such as manipulating light or dust to throw off an enemy's aim, or increasing the perceived weight of their wargear, to throw them off-balance. These powers are further complemented by the close-combat doctrines of the Chapter. Some of the martial techniques used by the Warminds can come across as needlessly elaborate or showy in comparison to the more utilitarian techniques of other Chapters. But as befits sons of Corax, this is further misdirection - the flowing movements and flourishing strikes are designed to mislead an enemy and buy the Warmind using such arts vital moments to muster their focus or gauge their enemy's reactions. In extreme situations, sometimes even standard battle-brothers of the Warminds can demonstrate impressive psychic powers, and tales of Warminds in desperate situations turning aside the strikes or shots of powerful enemies with nothing but their mind are far from unheard of. Organisation: "Our numbers are few, but our spirit remains strong." - Brother Ralhaw, Warminds 1st Company Though each Company is chronically under-strength, the Warminds adhere to the organisational tenets of the Codex Astartes, their number divided into ten Companies as per regulation. The most notable difference in how the Chapter arranges itself is in its' Librarium. With so many burgeoning Psychics in the Chapter, the Librarium is divided into twelve ranks to better detail the psychic strength of their brothers. Only high-ranking Librarians are required to wear the Codex-approved blue to denote their status. In essence, only these high-ranking Librarians are permitted to carry out the traditional duties associated with the role in other Chapters, but the lower ranks are functionally more aware of these duties and what the role of Librarian requires. Leadership roles within the Chapter still fall to Captains and Lieutenants, rather than the Librarium, but it is not uncommon for Librarians to offer advice if they have any to share. The Quelled are spread throughout squads, in the company of their more psychically-capable brothers who offer direction, protection and guidance to their wayward kin. Not all squads bear members of the Quelled, and very few squads have multiple Quelled in their ranks. Devastator and Tactical squads make the best use of the Quelled, where their unnatural calm and limitless patience are stronger advantages. The coming of Primaris marines has seen the Warminds integrate the newcomers into the ranks of their existing companies, symbolically unifying the past and present of the Chapter. Much use is made of Vanguard marines and Phobos armour within the Chapter's ranks, as befitting scions of Corax. Geneseed: "Our Primarch and our Emperor will seek to test your worth exhaustively. From this point on, your fate is in their hands." - Apothecary Zusang, Warminds 10th Company, about to begin implantation of the geneseed on a new recruit As noted earlier, the geneseed of the Warminds is equal parts blessing and curse to the Chapter. The geneseed of the Raven Guard has long been known for it's numerous discrepancies compared to other, more stable lineages, and the further mutations caused by proximity to the Glastheim Rifts have exacerbated the inherent difficulty in finding viable recruits. The singular positive trait is that most recruits into the Chapter, even the very rare recruits from worlds other than Geffen, eventually develop a degree of psychic power. Though the Warminds have often requested fresh stocks of Raven Guard geneseed to be delivered to them, the closest Forgeworld capable of providing such deliveries lies a long way away, on the opposite side of the Glastheim Rifts. Fleets heading from this Forge World have a difficult and perilous road ahead of them to reach the Geffenia system, not least due to the predations of the heretics and renegades who dwell within the rifts themselves. As such, actual shipments of fresh geneseed arriving at Geffen are a very rare occurrence indeed. Worse, the radiation surrounding the Glastheim Rifts does not take long to effect the fresh shipments once they arrive, resulting in continued difficulties with recruitment for the Warminds. The coming of the Indomitus Crusade and the introduction of Primaris geneseed essentially resolved many of these issues for the Warminds, giving them a much higher success rate in inducting new recruits. However, experiments have shown success rates amongst recruits taken from worlds other than Geffen are still extremely low, being only marginally improved from before. Battlecry: "The Day of Fate Dawns!" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= EDIT: 21/11/2019 Another update! I can't let the White Hawks have all of the fun now, can I? All thoughts, opinions, C&C, scathing mockery etc welcome!