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Hey Guys! So, like so many others here, I've decided to create a PLOG (or BLOG) for the creation of my primaris army. Important: I plan to actually try and get around to painting this stuff, unlike my hundreds of standard Blood Angels Astartes. The original goal had been to build the starter set and get those painted, but a nice chap I know offered to trade his Primaris for my Death Guard, which i (unsurprisingly) accepted. I had also ordered a few bits from Bits and Kits too... Anyway, so why do I care about Primaris? For me they look how I've always imagined marines, the proportions look so much better than just about any True Scale marine I've seen, although there are a few that I thing come pretty close. I also am in the minority, in that I like the way the background is going, I actually like the idea that the Imperium isn't on a total back foot for the first time in probably the full 10 millenia since the Heresy! I can totally get behind the idea that a secret project to create better Astartes was sanctioned but because of the bureaucracy and shear inefficiency of the Imperium, such a project could then languish when it was desperately needed. Sure, I get that it's "Just GW trying to sell models", of course it is, its a business. But for me at least, I actually like the way the background is going (WE MOVED FORWARD IN TIME! HOORAY!!). As some of you may know, I've been in the hobby around 21 years now. And I've also been a member of this forum for the since 2004, I've seen so many inspirational things come out of this forum and I'm always greatful for the awesome stuff people come up with! So thanks for that As any of you that came across my old Blood Angels blog, or maybe some of my older porjects even on here will know, I usually like to do fairly substantial conversions, lots of reposing and sculpting. I imagine this project will eventually get more of that too, but for now, I'm focusing on keeping things reasonably simple, so I can get things to a point I'm happy to paint in a reasonable amount of time and (hopefully!) actually get stuff painted. I'll still be doing conversions on things of course, but probably not much in the way of heavy sculpting beyond stuff like hair and little details. The concept for my army, will be the soldiers assigned to 2nd Company to replenish it after the events of Angels Blade/Traitors Hate and then the Devastation of Baal. Once that book (or other helpful sources) comes out, I'll probably do a minor reshuffle to fit whatever official format GW Assigns Primaris in the Blood Angels chapter. I am hoping the info on existing Astartes being 'upgraded' proves to be true, but if not I'll work around it. But I'd like to 'upgrade' my Aphael to Primaris status, probably once I've got the new captain in hand and can work it out. Anyway, so here's what I've done so far! EVERY IMAGE IS CLICKABLE TO SEE A LARGER VERSION What you see above is Four Intercessor squads, Two Hellblaster squads, Three Ancients, Four Lieutenants and a Captain in Gravis Armour. There are also a set of Intercessors, but I cannot finish building those till I have painted the heads and sprayed the bodies. For the Lieutenants, I have built two stock, with a a shoulder pad change on one of them and some BA blood drop bling added to both - didnt bother taking extra pictures of those two. I then have a second ranged Lieutenant with a bit more of an involved conversion: He has a hand from one lieutenant, body from the other, an arm from a lieutenant with the hand from a sergeant, a shoulder pad swap, replaced the pistol on his waist with one from the mk3 kit, head from a hellblaster sergeant. Overall I'm pretty happy that I've managed to make him quite distinctive from the standard two. I then have probably my favourite model so far - Again, the conversion is simple, but I feel it's worked very nicely for pose, leaning forward like he has just completed an arcing slash with the sword. I need to sculpt hair on him still, unsure on exact style I'll go for, probably messy short hair. For the Intercessors, Squad 1: This squad has a few shoulder pad swaps (every squad has a few), Sergeant is close to stock, different right arm (one from a lieutenant, with the bolter from the sergeant, used the sergeant arm, but replaced the hand with one holding a bolter clip from the blood angels tactical squad. Sqaud 2: This unit is almost built stock, just some shoulder pad changes. Squad 3: This squad again had a few shoulder pad changes, sergeant uses a bionic arm from devastators, head is a sergeant head with hair shaved down (he'll stay bald), quite happy with how he looks. Squad 4: This unit is again, fairly stock, simple head swap on the walking and shooting marine, sergeant had a shoulder swap (this was the first unit I built) Next Is Ancient 1 and Hellblaster Squad 2: The Hellblaster squad has every model with a shoulder swap, sergeant uses head from a Lieutentant and has both pads swapped.Ancient is totally stock except for a tiny bit of BA bling added to his belt (one of the scroll pouches). Ancient 2, Hellblaster Squad 1 and Ancient 3: Ancient 2 has a head from assault squad and both shoulder pads replaced. Hellblasters have a couple pads replaced but are otherwise totally standard, Ancient 3 has a bolter arm from a sergeant, head from devastators and a little bling added to his backpack, banner top replaced with a bit from BA tactical kit - I see this Ancient as a marine that was 'upgraded', or if that turns out to not be something that happens, one of the first BA Primaris, along the lines of the Ancient from Dark Imperium Book. And finally, a shot of Everything that is built as it stands: The Gravis Captains back isn't stuck on, so I can paint the helmet easier. It's a stock model, I'm thinking of trying to do a fairly elaborate conversion with the second, but thats low priority for now. So, still to build I have: a third hellblaster squad, a fifth intercessor squad, a second inceptor squad, a second gravis captain and two more lieutenants. I plan to build the Inceptors for sure, but may hold off on the others for now. I will definitely be picking up two Repulsors, a Redemptor, both the regular and birthday Captains, the Librarian and probably just the one set of Reivers for the time being. I personally love the Repulsor, it looks awesome, I'm very interested to see the rules for it, I am excited to see how it plays and hopeful that it'll help with Primaris playability on the table - I recognise that they aren't deemed good currently. The Redemptor looks great, I am interested to see what build options it has, something with a smaller central plate would be good, and I'm really wanting an exposed helmet sat in there instead of the sarcophagus, but think I may be able to convert that using spare BA dread bits anyway. The HQ models all look good, albeit a little unexciting, but they'll also likely be where I focus most of my conversion efforts. The Reivers show great promise in concept, and I absolutely love the stripped down armour, but the poses aren't great, so I'll see what I can do there... a fellow Frater over in the BA forum suggested they might look good with Alabaster Death Masks... and now I need to at least look at that for an option!. Anyway, if you got this far, thanks for reading! C&C welcome as always.

+++INCOMING TRANSMISSION+++ +++FID Indicator - ALPHA+++ +++Via Astropath 7NBS2069LVP1+++ +++Via Astropath 8849042+++ +++Via Astropath 100496-B7+++ +++Thought for the day: Do not wait for death.+++ +++Begin message+++ My noble and revered cousins of the Legio, Attached for your consideration, you will find a datafile containing the summation of the noble and resolute Astartes Chapter, the Sanguine Gargoyles. It is a most esteemed honor to have been entrusted with compiling this Index, with the hope of inclusion in the Liber Astartes. Within the datafile you will find my own annotations; please forgive my additions, but I do not feel my Librarium staff quite captured the soul of my beloved Chapter, and I felt the need to elaborate and explain certain aspects I felt were noteworthy. Once again, I humbly thank you for the opportunity to honor my Brothers in blood and arms of the Sanguine Gargoyles. May the Emperor ever watch over you. Your humble servant, Pellegrino Tempest-wright of the Sanguine Gargoyles +++Begin Datafile+++ Index Astartes: Sanguine Gargoyles "May your soul be cleansed by the rain." Index Astartes Chapter Datafile [INSERT CHAPTER EMBLEM HERE} CHAPTER NAME: .............. Sanguine Gargoyles PRIMOGENETOR: .............. Sanguinius GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... Blood Angels (IXth Legion) FOUNDING: .................. 21st, 991.M35; Ultima, 999.M41 [Rebirth] CHAPTER MASTER: ............ Lucian, Chapter-wright and Master of Pandemonium HOMEWORLD: ................. Fleet-Based, semi-nomadic SEGMENTUM: ................. Obscurus FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ Pandemonium, Forgeship COLORS: .................... Dark stone gray w/ dark crimson right shoulder pad SPECIALTY: ................. Terror, Guerilla Warfare SUCCESSORS: ................ None STRENGTH: .................. Unknown (estimated to be nominal to above strength) BATTLE-CRY: ................ "For Sanguinius!"/"We avenge the Angel!" The steadfast warriors of the Sanguine Gargoyles Chapter stand amongst the ranks of the Emperor's finest, ever ready to deliver His wrath and justice upon those that would seek to subvert the Imperium. Origins The First Millenium When: 992.M35; 21st "Cursed" Founding Why: Strategic Prgonostication Founded as Saviors of the Chalice Captain, Chaplain, Librarian, Sanguinary Priest, five Veterans, Veteran Sergeant and ten Marines permanently seconded as training cadre The Aerie Fortress Monastery on Bowden IV Bowden IV destroyed in Gothic War Battle Barge Light of the Angel used as de facto fortress monastery until new homeworld can be found Friends and Enemies The Mutant Gene-seed manipulation by Mechanicus to remove progenitor flaws appears successful at first, but is later seen to have made genetic flaws devastatingly worse Genetic instability leads to weakening of chapter's forces Death of a Chapter Gothic War - Most of chapter lost in destruction of homeworld Less than 200 battle-ready Astartes left Remaining forces give up on finding new homeworld, decide to embark on crusade until they are destroyed or the chapter is rebuilt A Chapter Reborn Chapter gene-seed is stabilized with help from Mechanicum and Blood Angels' Brother Corbulo Primaris reinforcements from Guilliman's Unnumbered Sons Some Firstborn undergo the Rubicon Primaris, many do not; those who remain Firstborn continue to experience exacerbated genetic mutation New Primaris forged with stabilized gene-seed lift the chapter out of the ashes of death and into Chapter is reorganized to make best effect of new troops and Guilliman's new strategic force organization Voidborne Mechanicus gift the chapter a forgeship Geneseed Progenitor: Blood Angels Purity: Flawed Data archives list the known, stable, gene-seed mutations the Sanguine Gargoyles currently suffer from. No known cure or treatment for any of them has been found thus far: Melanchromic Organ Malfunction [Some Astartes' skin bears grayish discoloration; severe cases have stone like growths over large portions of their bodies.] Mutated Catalepsean Node [This causes what is effectively extreme insomnia; all members of the Chapter suffer this mutation.] Non-Functioning Betcher's Gland [All members of the Chapter suffer from this mutation, as well as calcification of their vocal cords, which appears to be one side effect of the mutation. However, the severity of calcification varies widely from one brother to the next. One might be unintelligible when he talks, nothing but the sound of cascading rocks or rushing water issuing from his throat; another might simply have a rich baritone voice; a third might offer a barely audible whisper.] The Apothecarion and the Ordos Biologis have been unable to decipher why only some members of the Chapter suffer certain mutations while others don't. But hope still remains that a solution might be found, for once every few generations, a battle brother suffers none of the Chapter's genetic mutations. Fleet-Based Fortress-Monastery: Forgeship Pandemonium Recruiting: tithe agreements (demands) from saved worlds/systems as primary source of new recruits; small number of volunteers from within fleet taken as supplemental recruits; kidnapping all children, ages 5-13, from an entire planet as emergency source of recruits (also used as a punishment against a planet in some circumstances) Beliefs & Culture Chapter Beliefs: Revere the Primarch Daily meditations include prayers to Sanguinius for guidance, thanks, and forgiveness "Sanguinius blesses you," "May the Angel guide your body and mind," and "I offer my actions to our father Sanguinius that he might judge my soul," are common benedictions heard throughout the Gargoyles' fleet. Against the forces of the Black Legion, the Gargoyles fly into an almost murderous rage, eager to exact revenge from every single traitor legionnaire. Characteristic Chapter Training: Mens et Manus This chapter believes in building their brother's minds and bodies to peak performance, the better to be ready for anything. Demeanor: See But Don't Be Seen Armor is matte where possible, and appears chiseled from stone rather than forged of metal; overall appearance of statues when standing still Flaw: We Stand Alone Will only request support from other descendants of the IXth Legion except in the most dire of circumstances Will offer aid to those in need, but will disappear without word Will not fraternize with anyone outside the Chapter, even other Chapters of Sanguinius' line; will not even remove helmets around outsiders, except under very exceptional/dire circumstances Angel Graces/Warrior's Virtues The Gargoyles strive to embody the Graces of the Angel and the Virtues of the Warrior. Ever a work in progress, they understand is less about achieving those things, but rather that they continue to better themselves every day. Naming/Cultural Traditions Because of numerous different sources of recruits, the Gargoyles have no standardized naming practices. The chapter utilizes sculpturing and masonry as a way to hone body and mind; their statues are some of the finest in the sector, and numerous humanitarian efforts have been aided by their stone-working. They even apply the practice to their armor, often sculpting leering, howling faces onto their helms and valleys and ridges on their armor to allow water to flow better and create more "natural" sounds when running off them. When not armored, brothers wear a leather jerkin or linen tunic, leather trousers, boots and bracers, a stonemason's belt and tools, and a double-layered linen neck gaiter. Organization Unique Organization Over-Strength 7 Flights (Companies) Each Flight has thirteen Talons (Squads) except 7th, which has the normal ten. 1st Company has unique structure: First seven squads form Veteran Squads (Bladeguard, Sternguard, Terminator, and Vanguard), while the last six form the "command" echelons; Captains and Lieutenants are pulled from 1st Flight ad-hoc to lead Strikes, based on their strengths and capabilities. No Company Captain rank; instead, they are given the title Shisa (function is similar to the Black Templar's Emperor's Champion, but less dogmatic and less exclusive). It is their duty to mentor the Marines in their respective company. Chapter Leadership The Conclave, Chapter Leadership Chapter-wright Lucian, Master of the Pandemonium, [Chapter Master] High Blood-wright Armand, "the Anointed" [Master of the Apothecarion] Soul-Warden Philippe [Master of the Reclusiam] Tempest-wright Pellegrino [Master of the Librarium] Chief Forge-wright Solarus [Master of the Forge] Maester Lamonte [Primary Wing Commander] Maester Bellon, "the Young" [Strike Wing Commander] The Prefecture, Chapter Council Commander of the Arch-Angels; Primus Damascus Master of Reconnaissance; Prefect Zaphiel [2nd Flight Captain] Master of the Marches; Prefect Mercutio [3rd Flight Captain] Master of the Fleet; Prefect Namora [4th Flight Captain] Master of the Arsenal; Prefect Valenti [5th Flight Captain] Master of Relics; Prefect Xorbel [6th Flight Captain] Master of Recruits; Prefect Tovaani [7th Flight Captain] Specialty Restrictions: Limited Tech-Marines Chapter-specific terms Chapter Master - Chapter-wright Techmarine - Forge-wright Librarian - Storm-wright Apothecary/Sanguinary Priest - Blood-wright Chaplain - Soul-wright Sanguinary Guard - Arch-angel Death Company - Revenant Commander - Maester Company Champion - Shisa Captain - Stone-wright Lieutenant - Artisan Sergeant - Mason Brother - Apprentice Dreadnought - Golem Company - Flight Demi-Company - Strike Squad - Talon The Arch-Angels An Arch-Angel, the Gargoyles' Sanguinary Guard After the mutation of the Chapter's gene-seed, and with the chapter in near-ruin, a glimmer of salvation appeared. It took the form of a small number of brothers, seemingly untouched by the ravages inflicted upon their brethren. These warriors formed the core of the Chapter's forces during its dark years of recovery. After the Chapter had rebuilt its numbers enough to venture on its own once more, the Sanguinary Guard changed its name, to honor the warriors who brought the Chapter back from death. Just as with all Chapters descended from the IXth, the Arch-Angels stand apart from the structure of the Chapter's main force. They are the most highly skilled and venerated of the Gargoyles' brothers, each a Chapter legend in his own right, surviving battles against all manner of foe. There are no specific requirements to become an Arch-Angel; instead, spots are awarded based on merit and skill, regardless of rank within the Chapter. Like all iterations of the Sanguinary Guard, the Arch-Angels each bear a Glaive or Sword Encarmine and Angelus Boltgun or Inferno Pistol. Unlike the others, however, they eschew the golden armor of their forebears; instead they color their armor an alabaster white. [It is a curiosity worth noting that, throughout the millennia, a high percentage of brothers unmaligned by the Chapter's gene flaws have gone on to become Arch-Angels. It remains to be seen if there is a correlation between these two occurrences, or if they are merely coincidental.] The Revenants A Revenant, the Gargoyles' Death Company ... Chapter Fleet As a fleet-based chapter, the Sanguine Gargoyles possess a larger fleet than other Chapters might, though not its vessels all are commanded by Astartes. Though not nearly a match in scale, it is reminiscent of the vast fleets of the Great Crusade in regards to its composition. The Gargoyles' fleet is a blend of the Astartes' flotilla, the remnants of Penal Legion Theta-Delta-Beta's troop fleet, a few Explorator vessels from the Adeptus Mechanicus, and a permanent detail from the Order of the Shrouded Martyr (including their Dominator-class Cruiser, the Dominus Irae), plus the swarms of the fleet's attendant ships. The Gargoyles command the battle barges and strike cruisers while the rest of the fleet, with the exception of the Sororitas vessels, is commanded by Imperial Navy personnel. This arrangement between the Chapter and the Navy ensures the Gargoyles can prosecute their enemies as they desire, and the Navy gets to do its job, without either side getting in the other's way. The fleet of the Sanguine Gargoyles is split into three smaller fleets. The Main Fleet makes war, wherever it may take them. Up to five separate, flight-strength campaigns could be supported individually, though it is most often the case that numerous small-scale operations are taking place around one or two larger scale engagements. Additionally, The Rook heads a small splinter fleet, a fast strike force intended to neutralize the most dangerous threats present, or to offer Flight-strength support as rapidly as possible. The last of the fleets, the Fledgling Fleet, traverses the trail of outposts the Gargoyles have set up in their region, termed by the Chapter the "Aeyrie." The members of Seventh Flight see to the Chapter's recruiting as part of their training duties, and they draw aspirants from a handful of such outposts. Combat Doctrine Terror (primary) Lightning Strike/Stealth (secondary) Appearance Standard armor coloration of the Sanguine Gargoyles fair-skinned, but some have patches of stone-like growths; hairstyles vary based on tribe or planet recruited from Livery Prior to their rebirth as the Sanguine Gargoyles, the Saviors of the Chalice wore alabaster white armor with crimson pauldrons and gold detailing and decoration. Following the traditions of their brethren, helmets identified a warrior's squad type, with individual squad markings worn on the right knee pad. The Chapter Badge was worn on the left pauldron, while company markings and personal heraldry were worn on the right. Veteran status was denoted by a golden helm and pauldron trim. After the Ultima Founding and the rebirth of the Chapter, the Sanguine Gargoyles bear new colors. Their armor is a dark, stone gray, with the right pauldron painted crimson. Members of the Librarium, Reclusiam, and Sanguinary Priesthood follow their orders' traditional coloring, with the left pauldron painted the same dark stone gray as their battle-brothers' armor. Flight (Company) is denoted by pauldron trim, and battlefield roles are still identified by helmet color, however squad markings and personal heraldry are no longer worn. Sergeants' helms and right pauldrons are colored the same as the rest of their armor. Lieutenants are identified by a gray helm and right pauldron, while Captains bear an almost-white helm and pauldron. Chapter Badge White wings outstretched behind a golden chalice was the original badge of the Saviors of the Chalice. Since their transformation, the Sanguine Gargoyles' emblem bears only a small resemblance to their original; instead of angel-like wings, stone-gray bat wings spread open, with a crimson skull replacing the chalice. Veterans who wear the chapter badge have the skull colored gold. The Arch-Angels and the Revenants Both of the Blood Angel's unique companies, the Sanguinary Guard and the Death Company, bear visually unique armor colorations from their brothers. This is also the case for the Sanguine Gargoyles' interpretation of them. The Arch-Angels are adorned in sculpted plates of ceramite colored a white marble, evoking imagery of statues from the ancient Achaemid Empire, and their helms and chest detailing are gold The Revenants wear armor colored a pale, ghostly gray, with a deep bronze helm and chest detail. Red saltires are still emblazoned on various surfaces of their armor, and their helms' lenses are also colored crimson. Honored by their brothers for their sacrifice, the Revenants bear gold trim on their pauldrons, conferring the (honorary) status of Veterans on those in this baleful brotherhood. Chapter Arsenal Special Equipment: Blessed Wargear, Modified Jump Packs Dreadnoughts Storm-Golem Carmine, Librarian Dreadnought Dreadnought Force Weapon Frag Cannon Golem Verson, Furioso Dreadnought Frag Cannon Blood Fist with Heavy Flamer Golem-Ancient Quintus; Venerable Hellfire Dreadnought Paired Twin-Linked Lascannons Golem-Ancient Alessandro, Venerable Ironclad Furioso Dreadnought Paired Blood Fists, with Heavy Flamer and Meltagun Draugr; Death Company Dreadnought Paired Blood Talons, with Heavy Flamer and Meltagun Soul-Golem Derceus; Venerable Chaplain Dreadnought Plasma Cannon "Stonefist" Reliquary Angel's Light [Ryza pattern "Sunspite" plasma pistol; badge of office of the Master of the Librarium] Aza'zel [Relic force sword; badge of office of the Master of the Librarium] The Dread Spear [A relic spear of unknown origin, made from a xenos metal with a marble-like appearance; badge of office of the Chapter Master] Stonefist [A Blood Fist crafted using the shattered remnants of Soul-wright Derces' Crozius Arcanum, with a built-in meltagun] Death Masks [I think everyone with clearance to read this will already have knowledge of the death masks worn by those of the Angel's line.] The Fleet Common areas are subjected to constant "rain" from the ships' fire suppression system; this doubles as decontamination, and puts the Marines' minds at ease. Personal quarters have knobs to adjust the flow of the rain for desired strength. Pandemonium Forgeship gifted to the Gargoyles from the Adeptus Mechanicus [Once again, I have added a sub-list below containing the breakdown of the Sanguine Gargoyles' fleet disposition, for your perusal.] Chapter Legends Chaplain Derceus Derceus led his Chapter in many glorious campaigns, slaying hundreds of the enemy’s greatest champions. In the end, he was brought down by the Chapter's enemies, and is a reminder to all Battle Brothers of their holy duty. Brother Alessandro Referred to as Alessandro the Selfless; suffered mortal wounds fighting to recover the bodies of a squad of Initiates and their Sergeant from a Dark Eldar raiding party. Notable Battles & Campaigns ... ca. ~142–160.M41: The Gothic War (Abaddon's 12th Black Crusade) ca. ~999.M41: The Devastation of Baal The Sanguine Gargoyles, though barely a surviving chapter at the time, sent a squad of Marines and a pair of warships to aid in the void battle against Leviathan and its splinter fleets. None of the seconded members survived. Allies & Enemies Chapter Allies Adeptus Mechanicus Adeptus Sororitas (Order of the Shrouded Martyr) Astra Militarum (Wilson's Irregulars) Chapter Enemies Abbadon & the Black Legion Valorous Host Warband Kha'Banda Hive Fleet Leviathan Slaghulk's Killa Mob +++End Datafile+++ +++Closing Thought: Only in death does duty end.+++ +++End Message+++

INDEX ASTARTES: DESERT EAGLES SONS OF GUILLIMAN Renowned for their adaptive warfare and righteous fury, few can resist the overwhelming onslaught of the Desert Eagles in their stride. Serving the Imperium since the earliest conflicts of the Great Crusade has earned the chapter numerous honours, as well as bitter enemies from the ranks of those who fled their advance. The Desert Eagles are proud descendants of Guilliman and honour his name with a storied list of campaigns won over his enemies. In contrast to the measured tactics of their progenitor the Desert Eagles utilise highly responsive advances, shifting entire frontiers of battle to exploit opportunities. This characteristic descends from the forging of the Chapter during the vicious battles against the Word Bearers of Lorgar in the Horus Heresy, when a Chapter of their Ultramarine forebearers were left isolated and betrayed on the deserts of Calth. The resourcefulness of the Astartes in reclaiming critical supplies and positions and their unrelenting nature during those crucial hours earned them the nickname ‘Carrion Eagles’ during the siege by local forces. The brown-and-crimson armour of the Desert Eagles now reflects the desert that defined them over mere hours, as well as the commemorating the lives lost in those cursed sands. A Desert Eagles assault unleashes The Emperor's Mercy upon a Chaos Warband Desert Eagles Astartes with Bolter When the Desert Eagles Chapter was brought into being during the Second Founding, Captain Catius Thassor, a renowned commander of the Ultramarines Legion, was chosen to be its first Chapter Master. Thassor's reputation was steeped in legend from the Battle of Calth, where he led what would become the Desert Eagles chapter against Word Bearers forces in desperate survival on the planet's surface. The savagery of the Word Bearers' assault upon the planet's surface was secondary only the conflicts within orbit. Even as Ultramarines forces were shattered at Komesh the fighting in the deserts of Cuneth grew fierce, where the planned betrayal faltered under sandstorms. Thrice Thassor led the united Imperial forces into the sands to reclaim vital communication facilities to allow their evacuation, splintering the ammassed followers of Lorgar under blinding walls of dust and fire. Such conditions proved fatal for many of the allied Imperial Guardsmen within the deserts, however the loyalist forces made frequent use of their littered supplies as the hours of desperate fighting bore continued. Battletanks and artillery positions were scavenged for shells and explosives, and the Ultramarine defence bore on. Communications reached the loyalist positions of the dire state of Calth, and with it news of impending destruction. The Word Bearers' obliteration of the system had destabilised its integrity, and soon the surface would prove fatal for any who remained on its surface. Thassor's forces turned their scavenged ammunition earthbound, and were able to detonate their way into the nearby subterranean networks where they would continue waging the Underworld War against Chaos forces until Ultramarines fleets returned several years later. By the time Thassor was able to return his Chapter to the Ultramarines Legion less than half of those he had led beneath the desert of Cuneth remained, and himself a hero of the Legion. With the completion of the Codex Astartes by Roboute Guilliman at the conclusion of the Horus Heresy, he commanded his sons to divide into 1,000-member Space Marine Chapters so that no single commander could ever control the power of an entire Astartes Legion again. As the Howling Griffons and Genesis Chapter ventured into the galaxy at the dawning of the Second Founding so to did the Desert Eagles, now united in their brown-and-crimson and once again being led into the unknown by Catius Thassor, Chapter Master of the storied survivors of Calth. The Desert Eagles' homeworld is located on the planet Audax, an Imperial Feral World in Segmentum Ultima. The planet consists of a pair of hive cities, both heavily damaged due to solar radiation, as well as the Desert Eagles' Fortress-Monastery Basilica Solitudinem. Audax's population still resides within the ruins of the two cities, as the remaining landscape of sun-scarred rocks and salt flats proves fatal to those who pass through. Life is fierce within the crumbling towers with scarce resources and even scarcer allies, and attempts to unite the cities by those residing fall quickly due to mistrust and infighting. The Desert Eagles Battlebarge "Heavenfall" hangs in orbit over Audax Watch the full animation here! The present-day Chapter utilises a variety of trials to select neophytes from those that remain clinging to the cities of eons past, their skills honed by the trials of living upon Audax. Representatives of the Desert Eagles descend upon each city twice within a normal human's lifetime and take the most skilled aspirants from the population, forcibly if required. Many that fail the trials are returned as servitors, and are tasked with rebuilding for the remnants of their short life-span. Some have noted that the cities may have yet been recovered if not for the recruitment and removal of their most hopeful youth who now litter the alleyways as glistening mechanised corpses. The method of fighting forced upon those of Audax for survival has served the Desert Eagles suitably over the millennia. Their modus operandi consists of fluid and interchanging attacks conducted by highly trained forces, destroying the enemy before any attack can be properly responded to and never allowing the enemy to force a static engagement. The Chapter emphasises the usage of shifting terrain and resources to their advantage, and each unit has a vital role within the overarching structure deployed. As a result, on some occasions that the tide of battle turned against the Desert Eagles the losses were significant, such as in M36 when they were ambushed by Drukhari forces who were able to interrupt communications systems between the Chapter. Although preferring to keep the foe at arms-length, the Desert Eagles are still capable of engaging in bloody close-combat just as readily as at range, and are readily feared by the enemies of the Imperium. Despite their seemingly indecisive nature when employing tactics, the Desert Eagles disdains the notion of recklessly charging against an enemy without sufficient intelligence of the situation or the surrounding landscape which could be used to their advantage. The Desert Eagles are classified as a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter, and they follow the sacred tome with few variations in terms of organisation. They follow the tactics presented in the Codex, efficiently making use of different standard units, but frequently intermix and alter tactical decisions so that the Chapter cannot be readily countered. The addition of Primaris reinforcements has been received poorly due to their slow uptake of these decisions, a reflection of their Terran upbringing and previous engagements rather than ability. Desert Eagles Shoulder Pad (6th - 10th Company) The Desert Eagles are currently operating at near full-strength and organise their Chapter into 10 companies. In a reflection of the two cities of Audax the Chapter is often divided as two 5 Company forces known as Strikes, with the 1st - 5th Companies' shoulder pads being crimson to denote this whilst the 6th - 10th Companies have brown shoulder pads with a crimson trim. The appointment to Strike Captain is an incredible honour within the Chapter and often precludes appointment to Chapter Master, as a Chapter Master cannot himself lead a Strike as he must focus on the operation of the Chapter as a whole. The Desert Eagles were established in the Second Founding (M31) from a Chapter of Ultramarines that survived the Battle of Calth, and are therefore descended from Roboute Guilliman. They have not experienced any significant issues from their gene-stock and answered Guilliman's call for aid upon his return, though the deviation of their combat doctrine has brought issues when fighting alongside other Astartes forces. PRE-HERESY Chapter Master Catius Thassor - Catius Thassor was a former Captain of the Ultramarines Legion during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, achieving esteem for his service during the Battle of Calth. He became the Desert Eagles' first Chapter Master during the Second Founding and led them to their Homeworld of Audax, establishing the fortress-monastery Basilica Solitudinem upon the planet's weathered surface. POST-HERESY Chapter Master Martellis Riol - Martellis Riol is the current Chapter Master of the Desert Eagles following the death of his predecessor during the early Indomitus Crusade. Riol was formerly the Captain of the 5th Company and inherited Talonstrike, a Master-Crafted spear with attached bolt-pistol that is the pride of the Chapter. He was notoriously besieged by Desert Eagles forces for three days at the peak of one of the few remaining towers on Audax where he had made his lair prior to joining the Chapter, a feat thrice that of any previous aspirant. Utilising the crumbling nature of the ferrocrete building against them he was able to combat the incapacitating weaponry deployed against him in a cruel reflection of the Chapter's tactics. Only the intervention of an apothecary saved him at the conclusion of the siege from dying due to exhaustion, and the legend of his stand spread quickly throughout the Chapter. Strike Captain Adonis Rake - Adonis Rake was a former Captain of the 1st company and Strike Captain in M36, when he led the 1st, 3rd and 4th Companies as a Strike against a significant Drukhari pirate threat. The two forces tactics were each a reflection of the other, however the lightning speed of the forces of Commorragh caught Rake both unaware and unprepared. The ensuing destruction led to the complete obliteration of the Strike, and the loss of experience and resources was a severe hit against the Desert Eagles, who sorely swear vengeance upon those who inflicted their destruction. Ever since the Chapter has favoured younger leaders and highly commemorates exceptional service of an individual, rather than solely years in service. "Fluid/interchanging/responsive tactics" is justification for my terrible choices during actual games of 40k, thought it might reflect nicely in the lore as well. I understand that Calth was an Agri-World prior to the Horus Heresy, and though I haven't read the books covering the Battle of Calth I'm banking on an image of Calth pre-heresy containing what appears to be deserts. If there's any issues I could switch the planet that the desert fighting takes place on, I just imagined that the Battle of Calth would be such a significant and defining moment in the Ultramarines' history that it'd send shockwaves even 10,000 years later in how some chapters function. Full credit for the images goes to two very talented artists on DeviantArt, Kai Lim for the first which was for a series of Soul Drinkers novels, and Algrim-Whitefang for the Astartes image which I combined from a few of their images. I believe the shoulder pad is from the 5th ed. Space Marine Codex? Very easy to find on the various wikis. All were recoloured in Photoshop using Hue/Saturation layers. I've now designed a custom insignia similar to the Necropolis Hawks, however it invokes the look of a saw blade. I enjoy the Flesh Tearers' iconography a lot, and used it as influence here. If you wish to replicate the banners I've used here I'm more than happy to send the Photoshop file through.

This is a Early look at what I am trying to develop as a Chapter. Chapter Datafile: Heralds of Ash The Heralds of Ash Date:...............57.M42 Ref:................LBC//TEC7710101 By:.................TechCaptain Re:.................Adeptus Astartes - Heralds of Ash Thought:............"." CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE Heralds of Ash FOUNDING: ..................6TH CHAPTER WORLD: .............Accusation FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........Sanctuary GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...Unknown (Blood Angels Suspected) KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ........."NONE" Primary Data Allegiance: Imperium of Man (Fedelitas Constantus) Chapter Master: Magister Size Estimate: Unknown Specialty: Psychic attack, Predictive Understanding, Religious Purges, Policing Actions, Suppression of Ideological Revolt, Targeted Decimation Battle Cry: " " Colours: The Heralds of Ash are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes created during the 6th Founding, which occurred sometime during the latter years of M33. Suspected of being created from the lineage of the heroic Blood Angels, the Heralds of Ash were one of several Chapter founded in the wake of the notable event known as 'The Year of Ghosts', when the Imperium was beset by extreme Warp activity and daemonic incursions. Only when the honoured dead rose up from their graves to drive back the terrors of the warp that the heart of the Imperium just barely managed to survive. Following this event the High Lords of Terra authorised the raising of a new Founding to help bring about stability and law back to those imperilled worlds that still suffered in the iron-grip of those who followed the Dark Gods. Chapter History In M33, the newfound Heralds of Ash Chapter was ordered to claim their own Chapter planet, after being initially fleet-based. During their search for an unclaimed planet within the Imperium, a charismatic Rogue Trader convinced the Chapter Master to aid in his search for a long-lost relic on behalf of the Ecclesiarchy in exchange for exclusive rights to trade on a lucrative pilgrimage passage, which the Trader believes is on Accusation. A deal was made; the Rogue Trader received the relic to return to the Ecclesiarchial Cardinal of the sector, the Astartes would the planet. Upon landing, a large contingent of Drukhari and Chaos cultists were discovered, and the subsequent combat between the Imperial forces, Dark Eldar, and Chaos heretics was ferocious. In the course of the brutal campaign, the Rogue Trader fell in battle alongside his forces and the Heralds of Ash. To honor him, the Space Marines chose to build their fortress-monastery around the relic's burial site, preserving it for his descendants of his Rogue Trader House to return. The Inquisition, however, suspected the "relic" to be tainted, and outright warned them to stay away, leaving the artifact in the Chapter's care. They stand vigil over its corrupting influence to this day. Around the year 831.M33 (know as the Year of Ghosts) the fairly young Chapter was assigned to a Campaign against a Word Bearer invasion of a Holy world that was created during the War of the Confessor not many years before along side a contingent of Space Wolves, and many others. For a Hundred years the war raged on as not even the dead stayed truly that way. Ghosts and Demons were common sights, but in the end the Heralds of Ash and their allies were victorious but not without great cause. Their Chapter was critically low of personnel and even the Space Wolves were eliminated. When the Inquisition came forth to investigate the war it was decided the best policy was to kill those who were direct witnesses but more so to use the superstitions as a guard against further invasions. The First Chapter Master should have the First Captain undertake a pilgrimage to Fenris, to return the fallen Wolves' gene-seed and relics, and tell of their valor. The Heralds of Ash during the Plague of Unbelief (Unknown.M36) sent out several companies tracking down and eliminating the many false prophets that appeared throughout the anarchic Age of Apostasy, some little more than madmen leading rebel armies, others spiritual demagogues who commanded worlds and armies. Homeworld Accusation's surface is Ashen Wastes full of the graves of the dead and the structures to house them. With nearly every square metre of dirt on Accusation devoted to the dead, even the capital city was considered an extravagance. This world is full of feral Tribes who live outside the processing center cities. Mountains full of Cairns and Tombs fill the world while very large cities act as the points of contact with the greater Imperium. The narrow alleys and passages were steep and cobbled, leading up to the crowning monument -- the heart of the main hive city in both a physical and spiritual sense -- the Memorial Mausoleum. Nestled at the heart of the devotional architecture and adorning the metropolis like a crown was the enormous roof-dome of the sacred vault that dominated the city skyline. A colossal archway-barbican decorated the entrance to the memorial mausoleum. The pillars of the stately sepulchre were thick and tall, and the darkness of the threshold beckoned Imperial pilgrim and cleric alike. The funereal beauty of the Mausoleum was astounding: the intricate scrolling on the wall internments; the silver lettering adorning the floor slabs, recording the names of past pontiffs and cardinals of the Ecclesiarchy; loggia supports and fat sculpted pillars reaching up to the exquisite detail of the Mausoleums domed ceiling. Candles and incense burned from a thousand suspended sconces, and stern statues of Ecclesiarchs already elevated to sainthood by the Imperial Cult adorned the sepulchre space in a ring around a simple block-crypt of obsidian brick. A silver-plated elevator was used to transport clerics and Adepta Sororitas guardians deep below the sepulchre to a small complex of condition-controlled crypt chambers residing behind a thick vault door. A circular gallery spiralled about the sepulchres exterior, made up of marble steps and landings, providing access to the wall-combs, vaultia and the upper stories of the Mausoleum. Imperial mortuary lighters brought an unending supply of the Imperium's noble dead from necrofreighters down to the Accusation surface. The prestige of spending just a century in the precious earth drew cadavers from light years around. Senior officers of the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy, members of of Hive World noble houses, powerful merchant lords, Navigators, other planetary nobility and devoted members of the Ecclesiarchy itself were all buried in Accusations sacred topsoil. Coffins and sarcophagi are dug up for shipment back to the families following the expiration of their leases in an unending cycle of inhumation and exhumation on a planetary scale. Grave niches in the catacombs are reused. A body may lay there for a set amount of time and any more time the buried or relatives are willing to pay for, thereafter are the bones removed and placed in an ossuary or charnel house. A Servo-skull Manuifactorum make up one of the great industries of the world along with a trade in pilgrimages. The tourist and pilgrim industry for people wanting to visit the mausoleums of famous people and saints is booming. Pilgrims have to pay to get to the areas where their mausoleums are, then have to pay to get close to the mausoleum, and then pay extra to go in in the mausoleum. Many pilgrims dont think about how to get back home after having visited the holy sites and stranded pilgrims make up a notable underclass on Accusation. Mausoleums have to be paid for. Those that dont have any tourists or pilgrims paying for them, nor any founds or relatives paying upkeep are abandoned or reused. Cremation happens often and the kind of wood used important. The poorest dead are just thrown into gas crematories while those that have paid a bit more get burned with wood, while the richest get buried for a time unless they were significant enough to get one of the Imperial Organizations to pay. Notable parts of Accusation are plantation forests that are grown only to create good funeral wood. Bones that are still there after cremation is considered blessed and are used to create lesser relics. Fortress-Monastery The Sanctuary is a structure in the center of the ruined city of The Unredeemed that is under the "protection" of the Heralds of Ash. The tower has since become a symbol of judgment by the Heralds of Ash as the city of The Unredeemed was built around it. For over the millennia, the tower cast a great shadow down on the inhabitants of the city which became a site of daily persecutions with the lower class living in tents outside the city and either dying of torture or from starvation and plague. Only the Strongest survive going through the ruined city of the downtrodden to make their way to the Sanctuary and finding none. Their they have to pledge sacrifice and loyalty to even undertake trials to become one of the Angels of Death who were above the prosecuted. The only Sanctuary to be had is being strong enough to grant it to one's self. Chapter Beliefs They deviate significantly from the Codex Astartes. Ash is considered sacred by the Chapter, and when Heralds of Ash Battle-Brothers are called to go to a distant war they perform one last act before leave-taking, a ceremony known as the Shouldering the Burden. This ash is carried in a flask by every member of the Chapter, to anoint every planet that they step foot on in a ritual ceremony called the Sharing the Burden. Knowledge was power but needs to be seen through the lens of the Emperor. They believed there was no discipline their intellect could not master, no secret he could not unlock and make serve their purpose. For the Ashen Heralds, knowledge is salvation, the means to controlling the psychic legacy of their Primarch's gene. Every book was sacred, every writing worthy of study, every document a resource to be drained. The Ashen Heralds are publicly dogmatic, swearing oaths of loyalty and singing the Imperial hymns. They fight for the expansion of the Emperor's realm with diligence. To further this Vision Journeys to understand the future and their connections to it as blessed by the God Emperor. Heralds make use of fire in many of their rituals and ceremonies and believe that they must be cleansed by the pain of fire before every major undertaking or initiative. The Chapter Cult that governs the beliefs of the Heralds, placing great emphasis on self-reliance, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. They hold a firm belief in isolationism, the tenet that only through spiritual meditation and exploration performed alone and in isolation from others can a person gain a true understanding of both themselves and how they can best serve the will of the Emperor. Heralds are an extremely devout group whose faith ventured into fanaticism. They are completely dedicated to the Ecclesiarchy and an ardent followers of the God-Emperor. They greatly emphasized religion in everything they do and act with great zeal in their quest to purge the worlds of "heretics". They are portrayed as a considerably dangerous zealots and are known and feared around the Imperium. They possess an intense proclivity towards the use of torture to "purify" those they saw as heretical and are infamous for using painful and varied forms of execution. They have tried and questioned hundreds using brutal and intense methods of religious interrogation, but only a traumatized few had lived through the treatment. After battle the Chapter keep a great memorial service for the fallen, they expect any allied Forces to participate, and react hostile to any who dont. Most Battle-brothers write death poems before important battles. The Heralds, when possible, treat all the dead on the battle field with proper burials/cremation and death rituals. Be they allies or enemies. The Heralds are usually a quiet, sombre, and melancholic Chapter but have great reveling feasts for the death after battle. They try to keep their hunger and rage in check by doing some form of artistic endeavours mainly calligraphy, death poem writing, gravestone carving, death mask making, scrimshawing, coffin making, sculpting of grave statues or mausoleum planning and making. The Chapters generally battle-brothers rest in specially prepared grave niches. Battle-brothers always carry around candles they light at any graveyard or lone grave they pass, including the ones they dig themselves. Dead battle-brother's remains are used to enhance the arms and armor the fallen use to have. By using the reclaimed carbon from his ashes to make auspex-absorbent material with which to coat repaired armor, or press the ashes into a diamond coating for the fallen's sword, in addition of using the bones of the fallen as pieces for the fallen's weapons like Femurs for buttstocks. Techmarines and Chaplains tell a Marine his predecessors' names, when/where/how they died, how their remains were used to improve the relic arms and armor he is about to inherit, and how his own remains will be used to improve his successors' arms and armor, in a grim ceremony as the wargear is issued. Combat Doctrine The Heralds of Ash have a preference for close-ranged fire fights and use many Melta and Flamer weapons to burn whole swathes of infantry troops and to smash armoured foes. Their coming was nothing less than apocalyptic judgement delivered upon the guilty from on high, as descending from the skies on wings of fire. Against the xenos, no such quarter was given, and the wrath of the Chapter was made manifest as a tide of unrelenting carnage that only gave way once complete extermination had been achieved. The Chapter's tactical doctrines are heavily focused on the use of powerful shock assaults to shatter an enemy's resistance in a single, devastating blow. However, they cannot be counted upon to hold a position in the same disciplined way as the Ultramarines or Dark Angels, as any Marine in the midst of battle could suddenly him to charge forward in an attempt to tear the enemy limb from limb. This often has the benefit of creating victories in the unlikeliest of situations through sheer aggression. Before battle, the Heralds of Ash gather in ritual prayer, chanting hymns and doctrines to affirm their faith in the power of the Emperor burning great effigies of the enemy and invoking blood rights to engage their primal instincts. Once done groups of Heralds charge forth in Berserk fury as remainder pick up the standards and chant holy prayers for guidance and victory to a steady drumming of war. The relentless advance of the Heralds is a terrifying sight, as the monotonous chant and beat of drums can break even the strongest will. The night before battle, the enemy can hear mutterings emanating from all around, echoed in the pounding drums, stretching the nerve and instilling every man with fear. The unshakable belief of the Heralds of Ash, that they alone can save the galaxy. Any victory won over the Heralds of Ash is only won at a terrible cost, as their fanatical attacks will only ever end when all are dead. Groups of Heralds are charged beyond the battlefield with hunting down works of false doctrine and those who purveyed it, consigning both to destruction and eradicating flame. On the battlefield, they are tasked with seeking out those things which gave the foe the heart and courage to fight: charismatic leaders, priests, battle flags and champions. Once singled out, they are destroyed with brutal fervour, often far in advance of their own lines in order to do so, with no thought as to their own survival. Carrion eaters are somehow drawn to the Chapters presence and follow them, partially due to the Chaplains and Judiciars bearing censers burning incense whose scent attracts the beasts. Though none say why this is for it has not been proven the correlation. Chapter Gene-Seed A high percentage of Heralds of Ash manifesting some level of psychic ability. A small, but significant percentage are prone to physical mutation. The rate of fatalities among aspirants is frighteningly high. There are also those who argued that the mental scars suffered by those who survived the change were just as deep, instilling a sense of cause and purpose that manifested as unflinching, unreasoning fanaticism bordering on madness, a certainty which could in mere moments turn to insane fury when that purpose was challenged. A tendency for skin pigmentation to permanently darken and appear Ashen often adopting an unnatural granite-like or ash quality. The Heralds of Ash have a grim determination to do their duty. This is not so much a desire to die as it is an acceptance that death is the only end to the path a Space Marine treads, and everything he does is another step along that path and one closer to his eventual demise. As this condition increases, the Battle-Brother can become more and more fatalistic about his chances. These black moods will not affect his willingness to do his duty nor makes him turn from his brothers, but it can press in upon his squadmates all the same. Primarch's Curse: Holy Path of Destruction The Craving for Battle Deep within the psyche of every Herald of Ash is a destructive yearning, a battle fury and hunger that must be held in abeyance in every waking moment. Few Battle-Brothers can hold this in check unceasingly -- it is far from unknown for Heralds of Ash to temporarily succumb to its lure at the height of battle. This craving is the Heralds of Ash darkest secret and greatest curse, but it is also their greatest salvation, for it brings with it a humility and understanding of their own failings which make them understand their connection to the Emperor as humanity's warriors. Holy Rage The Heralds of Ash suffer from a psychic imprint left upon them they don't understand. This can cause them to go insane prior to or during battle and feel a terrible rage that is almost all consuming. Rather than let them face a slow, insane death, Heralds of Ash will form those who have newly succumbed to the Rage into a special unit known as Breakers. Breakers who has fallen to the Holy Rage are kept awake and not sedated but bound when not in combat. Their ravings and screams are faithfully recorded, since it is believed that there are prophesies and holy insights hidden in them. Wounds appear on the raving and restrained Marines despite there being no sign of the hand that inflicted the wounds, due to the sheer psychic trauma inflicted upon them. Sometimes meditative rituals during which the battle-brother is buried alive and has to claw themselves out when finished are used to try to bring a brother back from the brink of becoming a Breaker. Chapter Recruitment Accusation's society is full of death cults who each practice their own way of sending the enemies of the Emperor's to his judgment and there is a constant shadow war between the cults about whose practice is the true path. Every 10 years all the cults send their best young aspirants to the gates of city of The Unredeemed where they have to first get to the Sanctuary tower. The prospects are told they must enter the catacombs, and fight the undead haunting the tunnels, clearing the way so a Chaplain may conduct an exorcism and banish the traitors' spirits; in truth, they're fighting predators imported from death worlds, as well as aesthetically modified combat servitors, with which the observing Chaplain may see how the prospects fare under stress. Many cult-aspirants die during this time, those that return either do it broken or in honour, those that don't return are either dead or have been found fit to become initiates in the Chapter. The chapter have hidden keeps beneath the deepest/most dangerous catacombs protected by traps, and many passages are too small for full-grown men, those making it so that only the young can get all the way. Once they have come far enough they are captured and given a full mental and physical check, those boys that are show to be physically and mentally fit become initiates, the others are healed, memory scrambled so they dont remember anything. Chapter took over some disused catacombs for use as training sites. To avoid ruffling feathers with the organizations maintaining graves on Accusation, these organizations and the planet's populace are told the catacombs belong to traitors whose crimes and sins weren't revealed until after death, forcing the Administratum to declare them damnatio memoriae. Investigations: Heralds of Ash Date:...............Multiple Ref:................LBC//TEC37ORD56 Re:.................Adeptus Astartes - Heralds of Ash Inquisitional Archive: Noted Artifact discovered by Heralds of Ash on world now designated Accusation has markings of Xenos and possibly other origins. The artifact seems to be indestructible, pursuant of artifact now deceased. Family of the pursuant warned never to claim artifact under Inquisitional authority. Archivists will be dispatched to study artifact under the care of the Heralds of Ash. Cardinal who dispatched pursuant, eliminated. Sizable compensation that was to be awarded upon retrieval has been forwarded to the family but now they are marked as worthy of observation evermore.Investigation Status: Logged

"Emperor's Pointy Sticks, eh? Say, we're not one of those whacky "theme" armies are we?" - Cmdr/Gunner Kren Well, yes and no (but mostly yes). To anyone not familiar with the EPS from the webcomic Turn Signals On A Land Raider, you can check out there "historical documents" using this LINK. I may be incorporating other elements found at the TSOALR site & forum, and I will attempt to steer elements towards a normal sounding space marine chapter - perhaps unsuccessfully, but I'll try. Hey, if there can be angelic names, nordic names, etc why not a naming structure around trees, right? Adeptus Biologica should be represented somewhere! This will very much be a work in progress, as I'm also working on constructing an actual playing force of models. I've never done one of these before, and I'm looking to many others Index Astartes files for inspiration. So, if anything looks familiar style wise it's meant as a compliment not a rip-off. THE EMPEROR'S POINTY STICKS CHAPTER NAME: IMPERIAL SPEARS [Cognomen - Emperor's Pointy Sticks] CHAPTER FOUNDING: 2ND [1/821021M.31], Chapter 313 CURRENT CHAPTER MASTER: Sequoia (Sequoiadendron Giganteum) HOME WORLD: Fleet-Based (Ref: Adeptus Biologis, Forge V'ley, Geodesic Domes) FORTRESS-MONASTERY: Arx Arborvitae FLAGSHIP OF THE FLEET: Dies de Triffids CHAPTER SYMBOL: Brown Pointed Stick with Green Leaf ARMOUR COLOURS: Purple, Skull White, Blood Red COMBAT TRAITS: Cleanse & Purify, Die Standing STRENGTH: Less than 300 BATTLE CRY: "POKE 'EM INNA EYE!" REFERENCES The Octaguide 2.0 by Octavulg Founding of the Emperor's Sticks by SteveC86 Colour Scheme of the Emperor's Pointy Sticks by SteveC86 Army List for the Emperor's Pointy Sticks by SteveC86 Do the Emperor's Pointy Sticks have Traits? by SteveC86 Which Company is featured in the comic? by SteveC86 I'm thinking of drawing inspiration from the Roman Hastati. This will essentially be a vanilla style army (for now). The Hastae Pura was actually an award of merit, referencing a spear without an iron head (pointy stick?). Also thinking of a culture/origin surrounding an Old Earth Biologica ship that either settled on some previously lost world or found floating in space. Thanks for reading, Chapter Master Sequoia, signing off.

Howdy Folks. This list is going to be my next big hobby purchase and I was wondering what people thought? I am doing two versions. One with a Leviathan Dred and one without. ++ The Age of Darkness (Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Army List) [3000pts] ++ + HQ + Praetor Tribune, Legion [580pts] . Master of the Legion . . Justaerin Terminator Squad: 2x Chainfist, 5x Justaerin Terminators, Multi-melta . . . Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod: Frag Assault Launchers + Elites + Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [310pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Power Fist . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [220pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Power Fist . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [220pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Power Fist . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [215pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter . . Power Weapon: Power Sword . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade + Troops + Tactical Squad, Legion [170pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, 9x Tactical Space Marines, Legion . Additional Wargear: Bolters . Tactical Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolter Tactical Squad, Legion [170pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, 9x Tactical Space Marines, Legion . Additional Wargear: Bolters . Tactical Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolter + Fast Attack + Reaver Attack Squad [280pts]: Artificer Armour, Jump Packs, 7x Reavers . 5x Chainaxe . Power Fist . Power Weapon: Power Axe . Power Weapon: Power Axe Xiphon Interceptor [205pts] + Heavy Support + Jetbike Sky Slayer Support Squadron, Legion [225pts]: Multi-melta, 4x Space Marine Sky Slayers . One Sky Slayer may be upgraded to a Sky Slayer Sergeant: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Standard Wargear: Chainsword or Combat Blade Leviathan Siege Dreadnought Talon [405pts]: Dreadnought Drop Pod, Legion . Leviathan Siege Dreadnought: Cyclonic Melta Lance, Heavy Flamer, Heavy Flamer, Leviathan Siege Claw, Phosphex Discharger + Allegiance + and Allegiance, Legion: XVI: Sons of Horus, Loyalist Rite of War: Orbital Assault ++ Total: [3000pts] ++ WITHOUT Dread. ++ The Age of Darkness (Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Army List) [3000pts] ++ + HQ + Praetor Tribune, Legion [580pts] . Master of the Legion . . Justaerin Terminator Squad: 2x Chainfist, 5x Justaerin Terminators, Multi-melta . . . Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod: Frag Assault Launchers + Elites + Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [310pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Power Fist . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . . Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Meltagun Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [220pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Power Fist . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [220pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Power Fist . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade Veteran Tactical Squad, Legion [215pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, Veteran Tactics: Marksmen . Veteran Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, Bolter . . Power Weapon: Power Sword . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Veteran Space Marines, Legion: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chainsword or Combat Blade + Troops + Breacher Siege Squad, Legion [280pts]: 9x Breacher Siege Space Marines, Legion . Additional Wargear: 2x Meltagun, Nuncio-vox, Vexilla, Legion . Breacher Siege Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Melta Bombs . . Power Weapon: Power Sword Tactical Squad, Legion [170pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, 9x Tactical Space Marines, Legion . Additional Wargear: Bolters . Tactical Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolter Tactical Squad, Legion [170pts]: Drop Pod, Legion, 9x Tactical Space Marines, Legion . Additional Wargear: Bolters . Tactical Sergeant, Legion: Artificer Armour, Bolter + Fast Attack + Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Drop Pod [100pts]: Frag Assault Launchers Reaver Attack Squad [305pts]: Artificer Armour, 5x Chainaxe, Jump Packs, Meltagun, 3x Power Fist, 7x Reavers Xiphon Interceptor [205pts] + Heavy Support + Jetbike Sky Slayer Support Squadron, Legion [225pts]: Multi-melta, 4x Space Marine Sky Slayers . One Sky Slayer may be upgraded to a Sky Slayer Sergeant: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword or Combat Blade . Standard Wargear: Chainsword or Combat Blade + Allegiance + and Allegiance, Legion: XVI: Sons of Horus, Loyalist Rite of War: Orbital Assault ++ Total: [3000pts] ++

EDITS AND UPDATES: So I realized something about my chapter after posting this here and asking for name suggestions, and that is that I had presented the theme incorrectly. Especially at fault was the name (Angels Profundum) and the Chapter Symbol (Very Cthulhu-ish). It made my chapter seem much more "undead pirate" than I wanted. I initially wanted this chapter to be more "Royal Navy of the 1800's". So with that in mind I have made appropriate alterations. I know a lot of you guys were cheering for Angels Abyssal, but with the theme correction I decided to go with Storm Angels instead. It gets rid of the faux latin, and feels much more to the point. Anyway, here are updates, and a crap ton of more content. Also changed the name of my Battle Barge. Darn you Mortarion! This will all still need to be expanded on or edited, but please comment away. Suggestions and criticism is definitely welcome. THE STORM ANGELS CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE STORM ANGELS FOUNDING: .................. ULTIMA FOUNDING CHAPTER MASTER: ............ HARIEL CHAPTER WORLD: ............. KARAPASIA FLAGSHIP: .................. THE WHISPER FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ THE HALLS OF DROWNING MAIN COLOURS: .............. TEAL BLUE, WHITE, AND GOLD GENE-SEED: ................. LION EL'JOHNSON PROGENITOR: ................ DARK ANGELS KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... NONE BATTLE CRY: ................ WEATHER THE STORM (ALWAYS SPOKEN OR WHISPERED), WE ARE THE SONG OF THE SEA! (SHOUTED BY A CHAPLAIN) AND THE SONG IS DEATH! (CHANTED IN RESPONSE) "Let the ocean fill your veins with salt. Let death be your song; violent, sudden, and without mercy, but see now, when the ocean does not rage it is still and calm. Never forget this Sayid. The sea is our mother, and if you listen to her whispers she will teach you much." - Then Captain Hariel addressing Sergeant Hamadaar Sayid on the shores of Karapasia ORIGIN In the earliest years of the Ultima Founding at the very onset of the Indomitus Crusade the Storm Angels were founded to guard against daemonic incursions at the very western tip of the Cicatrix Maledictum. With the bulk of the Indomitus Crusade focused eastward towards the core of the Cicatrix Maledictum, Ultramar, and the Imperium Nihilus beyond, the Capital World of Segmentum Pacificus, Hydraphur, was left with no real reinforcements to speak of. To support the Segmentum Fortress and to prevent the rapidly growing losses of the Imperial Navy in the region the Storm Angels were gifted the oceanic feudal-world Karapasia, located to the galactic southwest of Hydraphur. Created using the gene seed of the Dark Angels the Storm Angels were secretly drawn from aspirants born on Caliban by Belisarius Cawl, engineered and trained on Mars, and placed in stasis for thousands of years. When Roboute Guilliman returned to the galaxy to wage his great crusade these new Primaris Space Marines were released from stasis and formed into new Chapters that would spearhead the fight against chaos and drive back the enemies of man. Because of the secretive and reclusive nature of their gene-seed Cawl and Guilliman saw fit to assign The Storm Angels a more remote and stationary duty, rather than to place them at the front of the Crusade. The Storm Angels took to this assignment with great vigor and resolve, duty-bound to support Hydraphur and their local sector, and to stand as a bulwark against the horrors let loose on the galaxy by the warp. In the years following their founding the Storm Angels met with relative success in stabilizing their home sector, although not without great cost to their numbers. Having weathered wave after wave of daemonic incursions and several smaller Ork invasions from the southwest the Chapter was left at only a fraction of their original strength. Although some reinforcements were provided to the Chapter through seconded battle brothers from the Unnumbered Sons, they also began to recruit heavily from their homeworld of Karapasia. Many of the original Storm Angels had felt an affinity with their adopted home, the Chapter leadership included, and had adopted much of its culture. Seeing strength and value in the hardy seafaring peoples of Karapasia Chapter Master Hariel had declared that trials would be held regularly for the local populace. These trials would be similar in nature to the ones practiced on Caliban thousands of years earlier by the Dark Angels themselves. The Storm Angels would eventually return to full strength, with nearly sixty percent of it's members in the last years of the Indomitus Crusade having been drawn from the population of Karapasia. HOMEWORLD The Storm Angels' homeworld is an oceanic feudal-world located to the galactic southwest of Hydraphur in the Segmentum Pacificus. Prior to the arrival of the Storm Angels the planet was relatively peaceful with several great naval powers having established their dominance. While not at full war these naval powers would push and test each other employing massive pre-industrial fleets. These fleets also served to combat the leviathans that dwell in Karapasia's oceans, and to protect the coastal areas from these same creatures. Because the Administratum and Echlesiarchy of Hydraphur have relatively little power in the sector following the Plague of Unbelief in the 36th Millennium the inhabitants of the world only had very little interaction with the Imperium at large, mostly consisting of a payment of manpower to the Planetary Governor (a middle ranking officer of the Imperial Navy Fleet in the Segmentum). With the arrival of the Storm Angels Chapter Master Hariel became the new Planetary Governor. While the Storm Angels do not really interact or interfere much with the local populace of Karapasia their presence is still felt across the planet. Members of the planetary populace, ranging from the greatest Fleet Admirals to the poorest fishermen, frequently make pilgrimages to the Halls of Drowning, the Storm Angels' Fortress Monastery, to pay tribute and honour the Emperor's mighty Angels. Once a year the Storm Angels send out a Press-Gang to test and collect potential aspirants from the populace. This is considered a great honour, and many young men on Karapasia join ship crews to prove themselves on the seas in hope of attracting the attention of a Press-Gang. FORTRESS MONASTERY The Halls of Drowning serve as the Fortress Monastery of the Storm Angels. It is carved into a massive monolithic limestone promontory on a peninsula located in the northern hemisphere of Karapasia. The promontory is filled with carved out tunnels that reach thousands of feet above sea level as well as far into the ocean's depths. Although the Storm Angels are relatively young, and newcomers to the galaxy, they have frequently campaigned and worked together with their fellow Dark Angels descendants the Guardians of the Covenant. This camaraderie has instilled in the Storm Angels a thirst and appreciation for academia and knowledge which has manifested itself in the form of great libraries and learning halls built into the Halls of Drowning. These academies are an extension of the Storm Angels' Librarium and are situated far above sea level near the top of the Halls of Drowning to prevent water damage and corrosion to the sensitive instruments and documents located within. The Halls of Drowning also host vast caverns that serve as docks and open directly into the ocean. When not campaigning off-world many of the Chapter's battle-brothers will engage in training out on the high sea, fighting leviathans or braving the great planetary storms to harden themselves. These docks also serve as planetary launching pads for transportation to and from the Storm Angels' fleet in orbit. BATTLE FLEET The centerpiece of the Storm Angels' space fleet is the battle barge The Whisper, gifted to the Chapter by Belisarius Cawl at their founding. However, despite the nautical culture and history of the Chapter, and likely because of their relative youth, their fleet is very small, consisting of only one Battle Barge (The Whisper), two Strike Cruisers (Song of the Sea, and The Cerulean), two Hunter Destroyers (The Anchor, and The Fog of War), and controversially one Nova Frigate (The Screaming Wake) which was found by the Storm Angels floating at the edge of the Cicatrix Maledictum, retrofitted, and put into service despite some resistance from local Imperial Navy Command. The Storm Angels also maintain several Overlords for planetary operations and deployment. Of special note is that The Whisper and The Song of the Sea are outfitted primarily with Ceastus Assault Rams instead of Drop Pods (likely due to the Storm Angels penchant and preference for void combat and boarding actions). Also of interest is that despite being a successor to the Dark Angels the Storm Angels do not have access to Nephilim Jet Fighters, relying instead on Stormhawk Interceptors and three airwing detachments of Xiphon Interceptors, having pilots who initially trained in Interceptors during the aftermath of the Heresy and having been provided the crafts by Cawl at their inception. CHARACTERISTICS The Storm Angels are a secular Chapter, being adherents to the pre-heresy Imperial Truth, and do not worship the Emperor as a God. Similarly they do not recognize the divinity of Chaos, seeing Chaos instead as sentient warp phenomena, yet no less heretical in their threat to humanity. Despite this they are a very ritualistic Chapter, and their reliance on ritual is often mistaken for superstition by outside observers. Salt and water are of particular importance in Chapter rituals and imagery. Perhaps somewhat uniquely amongst Space Marine Chapters the Storm Angels value silence, a calm demeanor, and tranquility above all else. They often look to the oceans of Karapasia as an example, believing that rage should only be manifested in sudden violent episodes in battle and when prosecuting the enemies of the Emperor, and that when not so engaged the potential for violence should be tempered under a still and calm surface. Being sons of the Lion they have a dour and melancholy nature, and are secretive and distrustful of strangers. Having much closer ties to the Guardians of the Covenant however than their parent Chapter they are more concerned with protecting civilians than is necessarily considered normal for the Unforgiven. Additionally having not been part of the 1st Legion at the time of Luther's betrayal the Storm Angels' concern for hunting the Fallen, while prominent, is not a dominating characteristic of the Chapter's identity. There is particular enmity between the forces of Slaanesh and the Storm Angels. The decadent and corrupt nobility of Hydraphur became a very tempting target for the Lord of Excess and was made much more accessible to the forces of Chaos following the fracturing of the Galaxy by the Cicatrix Maledictum. Because of this the vast majority of daemonic incursions in the sector were Slaaneshi in nature. Unbeknownst to the Storm Angels, their monastic and dour nature make them somewhat antithetical to Slaanesh. The Keeper of Secrets who is spearheading the incursions into the sector is particularly interested in the challenge of corrupting members of the Storm Angels.

Dear Liber, more than half a year later, kindled by the upcomming 8th Editon, I took the time to go through my Index Astartes for my Chapter the Thousand Fists, and finalize the texts. I can't remember when or why, I came up with writing it as letters from an Apothecarius of the Thousand Fist to an Apothecarius of the Scythes of the Emperor, but that's the form it has now. Probably it's because, the whole reason for coming up with a homegrown chapter is, it have an own background to start writing more stories about. I'll be publishing a new letter every day in this thread (five are already written two others half way done and I have content for a ninth). As always: Please be kind, when it comes to orthography (English is not my first Language) and thanks in advance for any Feedback. I sincerly hope you enjoy it, your humble servant, Filius P.S.: Thanks everyone, who already helped me. I wouldn't have come so far without the people in this most amazing place of the Galaxy in the 40th Millennium. Thanks a lot! P.P.S.: I skipped that "publishing a new letter every day" thing. I'l just publish them here, when they are ready.

After talking to Augustus about this army(and how to pronounce b'raass) and not having any pictures to show him I figured I might as well start a blog. So here we go! When brother falls upon brother, We become Wolves again Sentenced to death for his psychic powers and loyalty, Crysos Morturg finds himself in command of several dozen Astartes and a few warmachines from the 14th and 16th legion. Mounting a deviant defence against the traitors descending upon them from orbit. The section leader himself: Crysos Morturghttp://i.imgur.com/m9RVji7.jpg A relatively straight forward kitbash based on the limited edition Herald. The backpack is from the red scorpion librarian. An as of yet unnamed Death Guard siege breaker. http://i.imgur.com/NjwRspU.jpg Wielding a Powerscythe and Boarding shield. The scythe is made from the a Talos claw and the handle from the Magos's axe. Right arm is actually a cut up lefty. Head from the Khorne terminators with the chaos star filled in. Contemptor Dread http://i.imgur.com/7cmrALy.jpg The lascannon is just the MM with barrels from the razorback(which were a HORRIBLE cast, even FW would be ashamed of that much mold slippage.) 10 man Breacher Squad http://i.imgur.com/UlK01Vd.jpg 2 Graviton guns, sergeant with plasma and powersword, when joined by the siege breaker these guys can put out a crapton of dangerous terrain templates. A common theme throughout my army is the veritable treasure trove of bits I accumulate. Heavy support squad http://i.imgur.com/UBx2s1p.jpg 5 Heavy bolters, mostly because I had those laying around, but you can never have enough of them right?(Couldn't get all 5 into focus so you'll have to settle for some mediocre photoshopping.) Last but not least, the centrepiece of this army: A Macharius Vulcan "reclaimed" from the Istvaanian armouries. http://i.imgur.com/DmsRqFT.jpg Sponge weathering on the body is mostly done, really happy with how my first tank paintjob is turning out. Not pictured but already assembled, though not yet based, are a painted squad of Sons of Horus Luna Wolves Tactical marines and 5 Justaerin terminators. Lastly I'll leave you with a teaser for things yet to come: The Luna Wolf Centurion will have an interesting choice of retinue. Any guesses?

Hidden Content THE SANGUINE GARGOYLES CHAPTER NAME: .............. Sanguine Gargoyles GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... Blood AngelsPREDECESSOR: ............... Sanguinius FOUNDING: .................. 21st [991.M35] CHAPTER MASTER: ............ Commander Ambrogio HOMEWORLD: ................. Levidan Destroyed [CRUSADING CHAPTER] FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ Battle Barge Angelus Fortis; Battle Barge Golden Spear COLORS: .................... Dark gray, w/ left shoulder painted red SPECIALTY: ................. Blitzkrieg assaults KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... None STRENGTH: .................. Under strength BATTLE-CRY: ................ "By the blood of our brethren!" "They stand sentinel among the stars, stoically enduring their unending vigil. Yet when a world is threatened they hurtle from above, falling upon their foes with terrible vengeance, and a fury born of The Angel." -Unknown Imperial Citizen <<First letter of first word>> Initial paragraphs cover the general background of the Chapter, starting with an overview of the Chapter's earliest history and some pivotal events later history.>> <<description of the Chapter's homeworld>> <<A paragraph or two on the Chapter's organization (short paragraph if Codex-adherent, longer if the Chapter has some degree of deviation)>> <<Paragraphs to describe the key distinguishing characteristics of the Chapter>> <<Paragraph to describe the Chapter’s fleet and combat organizations>> <<Paragraph to describe the Chapter’s heraldry and appearance>> Brother Nero in Power Armor Sanguine Gargoyles 3rd Battle Company, 7th Tactical Squad Captain Baldassare in Terminator ArmorCommander, Assault Squad Baldassare Sanguine Gargoyles 1st Veteran Company, 1st Assault Squad <<description of the Chapter's combat doctrine>> <<description of the Chapter's gene-seed source, mutations, and defects>> <<description of the Chapter's interaction with the Legio>> <<Battle/Operation/Campaign Name>> [###.M##] <<A few paragraphs to describe the battle/operation/campaign and why it was notable for the Chapter>> <<Battle/Operation/Campaign Name>> [###.M##] <<A few paragraphs to describe the battle/operation/campaign and why it was notable for the Chapter>> <<Battle/Operation/Campaign Name>> [###.M##] <<A few paragraphs to describe the battle/operation/campaign and why it was notable for the Chapter>> COMBAT SQUAD DONATO 1ST VETERAN COMPANY Captain Mikael DonatoCommander, Vanguard Assault Squad Donato Sanguine Gargoyles 1st Veteran Company, 3rd Assault Squad <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother's name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>> <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother's name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>> <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother’s name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>> <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother's name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZcKJ5IvmrU “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” Victorian Hewgo the Miserable, Frank playwright M02 There are times when I wish that I had never witnessed what I have seen, when the sorrows of glories past are too much to bear for my mortal soul, and I break down in tears. Then there are the moments when my memory wanders to heroic sacrifices no longer known by anyone but me, acts of valor that would fill anyone with pride, and I regain something of my ailing strength once more... My name is Jern Zonalf, and though my part in the tale that I will tell is small and humble, it is important that you know who I were, and why I saw the deeds that I will speak of. I was born in the 183rd year of the Great Crusade, in Jermani on Terra itself. I was a weak and sickly child, and it was no surprise that the chance to become an Astartes passed me by, nor was it unexpected that I was deemed unfit to serve as a soldier when I came of age. There, but for my skill with pen and quill, could my life had taken the path of a common laborer. With these talents I was trained as a Remembrancer instead, taught to follow in the footsteps of the Legiones Astartes as they spread the Emperor's Light across the Galaxy and to document their deeds for the generations to come. Glory and adventure beckoned, and thus it was with great expectations that I boarded the ship that would take me from the cradle of Man and into the darkness of space. I was young then... Not this withered husk of a man clinging to the last threads of his life, racing time as he tries to pass his knowledge on before closing his eyes for good. I will try to find the strength to speak for the voiceless dead a final time, but if that fail, know this. Once there was hope, once there was a golden future for Man. Once there was a time of heroes... So, this is it. Time has come for MrBear to join the numerous others onboard the Heresy Train. Some of you might already know me for (slowly) painting Night Lords over in the 'Works in progress' section, and if you're not among those: Nice to meet you brothers and sisters! Whether or not you already know me, this is the culmination of my growing interest for the Heresy era of our hobby. It's going to be an erratically updated project where I'm aiming to build my first 'gaming' army for 11 years. That's right, last time I gamed with far future post humans was back in 2005. I've kept up painting through the years but never built a 'proper' army in all that time, I've simply been a collector. These last couple of years though, I've become more and more interested in the Horus Heresy, and when BaC was released I seriously started to consider a 30K army. I finally gave in, and I've decided that now is as good a time as any to start. With loyalist Sons of Horus as my chosen path. A couple of important things you'll need to know though: First, I am slow. Don't expect frequent updates, full of painted stuff. Second, I am a very 'background oriented' guy, meaning that I enjoy giving my guys and units backgrounds, and I really don't care much for unit efficiency or 'killer combos'. 'Interesting' characters and units pretty much always comes before powerful but 'less interesting' ones when I paint stuff. It also means that I haven't got a planned list on what to paint, or when to paint it. I have a rough idea on what I'm going for, but that will probably change along the way if past experiences are anything to go by... I can already hear people going: 'Yeah, that's all very nice. But what about models?!' Not much to show yet to be honest, but I have a couple of things prepared: These are the tester models I've painted. A bit darker than most Sons of Horus I've seen, but not as far off as they might seem in this picture (I don't have a light box), and I'm going to add some weathering on future models aswell (as in the picture above) so the guys that's going to be part of the army will have a suitable look. Speaking of those guys though: Everything is just tacced together at the moment, so poses aren't final. I'm probably going to do some minor conversions on a couple of these guys as well. No sculpting though, I'm terrible when it comes to using green stuff. That's it for now really. I hope to start painting during the week, and if I'm lucky I'll have some pictures showing progress in a few days. Cheers!

GENESEED (PREDECESSOR):- Dark Angels* FOUNDING:- 23rd Sentinel Founding CHAPTER MASTER:- Grand Master Sephalion CHAPTER WORLD:- Etzabaidat FORTRESS MONASTERY:- Eternal Task MAIN COLOURS:- Iron Grey, Crimson SPECIALITY:- Naval Boarding BATTLE CRY:- Nos vero per bellum/We are cleansed through battle CURRENT STRENGTH:- Full strength (~1000, exact figure unknown) KNOWN DESCENDANTS:- None *See Geneseed, below. Formed during the 23rd Sentinel Founding (Late M.37 or early M.38, depending on sources), the Angels of Contrition are a Dark Angels successor Chapter that have developed a focus on ship-to-ship boarding actions and naval combat. The Chapter maintains a nominal presence on the feudal world Etzabaidat, although outside of recruiting purposes the Chapter remains fleet based. Formed in response to dire portents foretold by the Emperor's Tarot, the Angels of Contrition have made a name for themselves tackling Space Hulks and other Chaos vessels ejected from the Warp near the Eye of Terror in large-scale boarding assaults. The Angels of Contrition wear grey armour, with crimson hands and details; their badge is a downward pointing crimson sword, flanked by two crimson blood drops. Already reeling from six Black Crusades launched by Abaddon, the Imperium's grip on the Segmentum Obscurus was tenuous enough by the middle of the 37th Millennium. The Emperor's Tarot was consulted time and time again, and each reading came with the same dire portents: plans beyond the comprehension of the Imperium, an attack that would leave them trailing in it's wake, confused and bloodied. A rapid reaction force was ordered into creation by the High Lords of Terra, and not long afterwards the Angels of Contrition were created as part of the 23rd Founding. Created from the gene stock of the Imperium's most resolute warriors, the Dark Angels, the Angels of Conviction were given a sizeable fleet, a powerful armoury, a world from which to recruit, and a particular goal: to patrol the Segmentum Obscurus, responding to any confirmed reports of Chaos activity outside of the Cadian Gate, to meet the foes that slipped through the net cast by the Astartes Praeses. It is unsure whether or not the Angels of Contrition were created in time to try and halt the 8th Black Crusade - since accepted as the cause of the readings that led to the creation of the Chapter – but they have nonetheless continued their patrols of the wider Segmentum Obscurus, meeting the forces of Chaos wherever they can be found. Since their inception, the Angels of Contrition have also taken on the more sinister duties of the Unforgiven, hunting down the Fallen that betrayed their progenitor Legion millennia ago. Over the thousands of years since, the Angels of Contrition have forged themselves a reputation of an aloof, distant Chapter that rarely interacts with outside organisations other than the Dark Angels and their other successors. Nonetheless, they have explored and destroyed scores of Space Hulks, and fought in numerous campaigns against the forces of Chaos. Notable victories include the destruction of the Infernal, a Chaos Repulsive-Class Grand Cruiser, in 422.M39; a dozen defeats of Chaos raiders in the final actions of the Gothic War; and their finest hour to date, the assault on the daemon-infested Space Hulk Eternal Perdition in 961.M41, in which the entire Chapter deployed to the Space Hulk, battling through a horde of Nurgle cultists and daemons to destroy the gigantic vessel. The Angels of Contrition have a recognised homeworld in Etzabaidat, a tribaliustic feudal world in a far-flung system on the edges of the Segentum Obscurus. Etzabaidat is a planet split into two distinct environments; the lowlands are a desert wasteland spotted with the ruins of a bygone age, barren and inhabitable, plagued by great seas of radioactive gas that are blown about the planet in swirling storms. Meanwhile, the population of Etzabaidat is divided into a series of city-states known as Hiri-Handiko (high cities), each occupying a separate mountain or mountain range, living off the arable highlands that rise from the tides of gases like islands. Status in Etzabaidat's cultural system can be measured by the location of one's holdings: the wealthy and elite populate the highest reaches of the townships, furthest away from the toxic clouds below, and the population grows poorer as the settlement descends towards the planet's lowlands. With living space on Etzabaidat limited, slums often spring up outside the boundaries of the mountain city's walls, forming sprawling settlements of their own perched precariously on steep slopes. In line with the strains put on their society and the measure of socio-economic status, those who inhabit Etzabaidat worship the stars; each one, they say, is another brave soul ascended above the hellish climates of their homeworld. The emphasis on the cultural ideal of the Lgoera (the ascension) – a belief that only through sacrifice can one provide for themselves and others, an idea in keeping with the planet's limited resources - leads to communities that have tight-knight family institutions. Unlike many feudal worlds, the farmers and providers are found among the nobility rather than the lower class, with especially those producing food to sate the ever-burgeoning populations of their cities given a high status within society. The culture of self-sacrifice also can be seen in Etzabaidat's military traditions, with family members bartering their service and lives in order to secure resources for their families. The city-states are locked in an eternal conflict that consumes the planet; a conflict born of necessity as much as pride or hatred. The farmlands of Etzabaidat are not in abundance, and the planet can only able to support a limited population; wars are fought as much as a method of controlling population growth as they are about trying to acquire more of the limited farmland of the planet. Battles are fought, invariably, as a series of hellish sieges, defending armies largely unwilling to commit their forces to the deadly lowlands, whilst the attacking force tries to force it's way to higher ground before the unpredictable radioactive storms bear down upon them. Occasionally more conventional field battles break out on the lowlands, but prolonged engagements are rare; the lowland atmosphere makes them and unreliable gambit at best, leading to a history of rushed, violent wars. Numerous alliances are formed, usually lasting only as long as the short wars that follow them before dissolving again, and many are shorter still. The Chapter does not maintain a base on the planet itself, preferring to distance itself from the planet's occupants and instead holding a small installation on the largest of Etzabaidat's sixteen moons. All of the remaining moons have been turned into either orbital weapons platforms to defend the planet should it ever come under attack, or docking stations the Chapter uses to make repairs to it's fleet when it returns to the world for recruiting. The natives of Etzabaidat see the Angels of Contrition as Altzairu Aingeruak, steel angels from the stars that come when the most promising of the planet's young warriors ascend to the heavens above, to gain eternal glory in an endless battle that is the reward of those who live proud lives. Etzabaidat culture has a strong emphasis on the pride of the family unit, and so to have a member of the family ascend with the Altzairu Aingeruak is seen as significant proof of the family's worth and esteem, enough in itself to provide a stepping stone into nobility. Despite having an official homeworld, the Chapter is for the most part fleet-based, as befits the task issued to them upon their creation. The Battle Barge Eternal Task functions as the Chapter's mobile fortress-monastery, accompanied by two other Battle Barges (Repentance and Cleansed By Fire) and ten Strike Cruisers, along with numerous Escort vessels. The Hildako The nature of the rapid and brutal ways of war on Etzabaidat have led to a culture among the planet's aspiring warriors of the Hildako-Bizidunak, the dead that walk. Part fuelled by the belief of the honourable death that wars bring, and in part an acknowledgement that to war on Etzabaidat is to invite death upon oneself to an almost-certain degree, those who join the Hildako-Bizidunak give up rights to all their possessions; going so far as to give up their name to be henceforth referred to simply as 'the Hildako', seen no longer as a person but as a living spirit of war. This is done in a raucous funeral ceremony (the Hiltzen) that concludes with the tattooing of tribal masks on to the faces of the newly-made Hildako, marking them among the ranks of the already lost; for to be Hildako is to have forfeited more than your clothes, home, or name; it is to have forfeited your life. Those who pledge themselves to the Hildako-Bizidunak are pledged their city-state, promising to fight for their kin whenever called upon in the deadly battles of Etzabaidat. They take up serrated curved blades known as a Zizalia, going to war clad in nothing but tribal markings painted upon their bodies in ash. In return, their families are provided with food and land until their next generation comes of age; their lives pay for the guarantee of life for their families. It is considered a great honour in Etzabaidat society to join these warrior groups, ensuring sustenance for their families, and freeing up living space and resources from others. The need to tightly regulate population and the benefits conveyed on the family for having a member join the Hildako also has the effect of family members being pushed into the order at absurdly young ages, with many of Etzabaidat's wars being fought by those barely in their teens – or younger. The youngest Hildako in records was the equivalent of six Terran years old. The Chapter's recruits are taken exclusively from the ranks of the Hildako, with the youngest and fiercest of the Hildako-Bizidunak providing the Angels of Contrition with their numbers. Their tattooed faces make for fearsome visages, and their promise to give up their lives for those they lived with on Etzabaidat now becomes a solemn oath to do so for the entire Imperium. Having relinquished their name upon induction into their fearsome order, those Hildako that prove themselves fit to join the Angels of Contrition take a new assumed name; many of the Chapter's recruits choose names styled after the heroes of their original legion, the Dark Angels, leading to names that are often at odds with the warrior's actual heritage, and many of the Chapter's other naming conventions. Since their founding, the Angels of Contrition have assumed a role that focuses on sudden overwhelming displays of strength, which coupled with their fleet-based nature, has gravitated them towards a specialism in large-scale boarding actions of enemy fleet vessels or orbital platforms. They focus on close-range anti-infantry weapons, favouring plasma weapons and flamethrowers; only rarely do the Chapter find themselves facing enemies at range or with significant amounts of heavy armour support, making long range weaponry such as lascannons and missile launchers a rare sight throughout most of the Chapter. Notably, the Chapter's Assault Marines also forgo jump packs, which are obsolete in ship-to-ship boarding actions; they will deploy via drop pods when engaging ground forces. This focus on naval warfare and boarding actions also extends to the way in which the Chapter's Reserve Companies organise themselves, with no Scout Company to speak of; new recruits, labelled Initiates, fight alongside full Battle Brothers in mixed units known as Probator Squads. The Angels of Contrition favour the use of Caestus Assault Rams when boarding hostile vessels, with the Caestus' magna-meltas able to pierce the thickest Space Hulk's armour to leave boarding points for successive waves of Thunderhawks and Stormravens carrying reinforcements. Despite their fleet-bound nature, the Angels of Contrition still maintain a fully-equipped Ravenwing equivalent, the Ghostwing. This fast attack element often forms the core of any efforts made by the Chapter to hunt down the Fallen, along with spearheading any assaults on ground forces that may have retreated from space after assaults by the Angels of Contrition. The Ghostwing also can operate as a scouting force in lieu of the Scout Company in ground engagements. The Chapter armoury operates with more limited tank support than many Chapters; some vehicles are used alongside Ghostwing forces, but generally they are unsuited to boarding actions, and as such the Chapter maintains only a minimum of armoured vehicles. Should the Chapter find itself fighting on a more conventional battlefield, the Chapter employs numerous aircraft from it's fleet to provide ground forces forces with mobility and fire support. The Angels of Contrition do, however, have a strong contingent of Dreadnoughts, with thirty four of the venerable warrior machines as of the start of the 13th Black Crusade – including three of the uncommon Mortis-pattern Dreadnoughts. Unlike the other Chapters stemming from Lion El'Jonson, they also make use of Ironclad Dreadnoughts to provide armoured close-range support, along with flights of Stormraven gunships to ferry these venerable warriors to battle. Straying in places from the guidelines of the Codex Astartes, the Angels of Contrition are for the most part organised in the same manner as many Chapters of the Unforgiven. They are currently led by Grand Master Sephalion, who rules over the Chapter's Inner Circle; consisting of the ten Company Masters, Master Chaplain Alazar, and Master Librarian Tharzial. The 1st Company of the Angels of Contrition, known as the Bloodwing, functions in the same manner as the Deathwing of the Dark Angels; the Angels of Contrition's 2nd Company, the Ghostwing, is their equivalent to the Ravenwing. The 3rd, 4th and 5th Battle Companies are formed in the same manner, a mix of Tactical, Assault and Devastator squads, like any Codex adherent Chapter. The Angels of Contrition's 1st Company, named the Bloodwing, are the Chapter's equivalent to the Deathwing of the Dark Angels. Always found at the forefront of any attack, the Bloodwing (so named for the blood-crimson they paint their armour) are the finest warriors the Chapter has. Unlike the Deathwing, the Bloodwing is not solely comprised of Terminator squads; originally well-equipped with Tactical Dreadnought armour to suit their main occupation, the Bloodwing lost over half it's number during the assault on the Space Hulk Eternal Perdition in 961.M41, with no chance to reclaim the suits before the Space Hulk was destroyed following the overloading of the ancient reactor system at it's core. Forty three suits currently remain to the Chapter, those that survived the Eternal Perdition and the handful of suits that have been obtained since. The rest of the Bloodwing deploys in Veteran squads much like more conventional Chapters. In place of the 2nd Company found in Codex adherent Chapters, the Angels of Contrition operate a Ghostwing that functions largely like the Ravenwing of the Dark Angels. Armoured painted pure white where the rest of the Chapter sports a dull grey, the Ghostwing lead any ground engagements the Angels of Contrition find themselves in, much like the Bloodwing do for boarding actions. When examined closely, it is apparent between the Bikers and the Pilots of the Ghostwing, the Company is kept over-strength, allowing the Ghostwing to strike with the same speed and overbearing force on the ground that the Angels of Contrition utilise in ship-to-ship combat. In purely naval engagements, the Ghostwing often act as attack craft pilots or commanders, working alongside the Chapter's techmarines. Much like the Ravenwing, the Ghostwing hold a position of great honour among the Angels of Contrition that know their true purpose; their function as a rapid attack force means that it often falls on them to chase and capture or destroy any of the Fallen the Chapter come across. There is one main structural difference between the Angels of Contrition and other Dark Angel successor Chapters, found among the reserve companies of the Chapter. Being a Chapter primarily formed for the purpose of large-scale naval boarding actions, the Angels of Contritions have little need for a Scout Company; dedicated scout squads are seen as unnecessary in the tight confines of a Space Hulk, where stealth has less importance than a traditional battlefield; quick application of force is more useful than stealth, as every moment spent on the unpredictable vessels adds to the risk of the Hulk dropping back into Warp space. Instead, the 6th Company has become the Chapter's Assault Reserve Company, and the 7th the Chapter's Devastator Reserve Company. The 8th, 9th and 10th Companies form the Chapter's Tactical Reserve Companies, each formed of Probator Squads, a mix of Tactical Marines acting as both mentors and assessors to Initiates in a similar manner to the Crusader Squads of the Black Templars. In Lion El'Jonson, the Angels of Contrition revere the first among the Emperor's sons, and one of his staunchest supporters. They consider Lion El'Jonson being the first found Primarch to be more than simple coincidence; Lion El'Jonson was destined to be the first among Brothers, and as such is held above the other Primarchs. This has led them to hold a slightly distasteful view on Chapters descended from the other legions, many of whom who they view as noisy upstarts that waste time boasting whilst the Sons of the Lion act. This has earned them no friends among the Astartes outside of the Unforgiven. Like many of the Dark Angels successors, the Angels of Contrition are seen as a very insular Chapter among other Imperial organisations, including other Space Marines Chapters; their fleet-based nature and preference towards naval warfare only serves to heighten this, as they rarely find themselves working in concert with any of these outside organisations. Their view of the Emperor as not a God, but simply the one amongst mankind who best knew the value of sacrifice – the trait held most esteemed in their roots on Etzabaidat – further serves to isolate the Chapter from the wider Imperium. Considering themselves honoured to have joined the descendants of the First Legion, the Angels of Contrition fully embrace their role as one of the Unforgiven, using their fleet-based nature to rapidly redeploy according to any rumoured sightings of one of the Fallen. This, along with their proximity to the Eye of Terror and their experience in destroying Space Hulks and other corrupted ships, has left the Chapter well-versed in combating all forces of the ruinous powers. Their time spent battling Chaos forces has left the Angels of Contrition with a deep-seated mistrust of Abhumans and Radicalists, and they have in the past refused to work alongside forces containing abhuman detachments, or with certain members of the Ordo Malleus who might employ less than pure means in combating the forces of Chaos. It is not only in this that the Angels of Contrition are considered haughty; they rarely interact with their homeworld, considering themselves to have completed their Lgoera and having escaped Etzabaidat's petty struggles. The Chapter embrace the belief of their homeworld that they are the Altzairu Aingeruak, largely keeping to their star-bound fleet, and although their duties require it, the Chapter often express a mild distaste for formulaic ground warfare, prefer to arrive from the stars in trails of exhaust fumes and flames, ending fights rapidly and violently before withdrawing once again to their fleet; this continues even during protracted wars, with the Angels of Contrition often neglecting to deploy permanent ground forces, rather acting as a rapid reaction force striking repeatedly from orbit. A consequence of their roots on Etzabaidat is the Angels of Contrition's somewhat aberrant views on the conflicts the Imperium sees itself drawn into. On a planet where life is often thrown away in bloody battles for little gain, the lower levels of Eztabaidat society have developed a belief that only through testing oneself in the most extreme circumstances can mankind better themselves. Being drawn largely from the poorer classes more likely to nominate family members to the Hildako, the Angels of Contrition carry this belief with them; that only through war can mankind learn to flourish and take it's rightful place as ruler of the stars. This view, while earning them no allies among forces they consider weak and unworthy (which accounts for most Imperial forces outside of other Chapters of the Unforgiven), has earned them some respect amongst Inquisitors who follow the Isstvanian school of thought. It always find the Angels of Contrition all too-willing to engage in the hostile environment presented by many warped Space Hulks, often when the far safer option would be to destroy these vessels through a simple massed bombardment; more pragmatic Chapters view this as needless risk-taking and glory hunting, where the Angels of Contrition view it as a necessary test of their skills. Squads within the Angels of Contrition are viewed in a slightly different manner than might be the norm among the Astartes. Owing once more to the Chapter's roots on Etzabaidat, where upholding of the family unit is seen as the highest virtue, Angels of Contrition squads hold closer bonds than most, almost becoming family units in their own right. Much like the honour bestowed upon a family by one of it's members joining the Hildako, a member of a squad that ascends to the Bloodwing confers significant honour not only on the Marine in question but also the squad from which he came from. Conversely, Angels of Contrition have been known to be driven into a terrible frenzy considered unseemly by some of their Space Marine brethren, should one of their squad members fall in battle. Another belief stemming from their base among the Hildako is the Chapter's liberal use of Dreadnoughts – whilst a select few are piloted by heroes of the Chapter who were dealt mortal blows, the majority of these machines are piloted by talented recruits selected shortly after they have ascended to the ranks of a full Battle-Brother. Being Hildako, they are already considered as dead by the standards of Etzabaidat, and so have already satisfied the chief requirement most Chapters have placed on being eligible for internment in a Dreadnought. This is a large part of the reason why, despite the dangerous engagements the Angels of Contrition engage in, they still have a larger contingent of Dreadnoughts than most Chapters. It is speculated that they trade relics found on Chaos vessels and Space Hulks with the Adeptus Mechanicus in return for an increased number of Dreadnought chassis for them to make use of, along with an increased number of Terminator armour suits and fleet assets; although this has never been directly proven, the Chapter does sport an unusually powerful fleet for a comparatively new Chapter, and has a larger than would be expected contingent of Techmarines tending to it's powerful armoury. Relics of the Chapter The Angels of Contrition have a number of relics and objects that they consider as sacred. Like their parent Chapter, the Angels of Contrition have three sacred standards - the Standard of Penitence, the Standard of Reproach, and the Standard of Castigation - gifted to them upon their founding by the Dark Angels, alongside the ancient Fire Raptor gunship Divine Providence that often accompanies the Ghostwing to battle. These standards are usually carried into battle by the three Battle Companies, filling the Brothers around them with purpose and wrath. Each Company bears some marker or emblem of their devotion to the 1st Legion, usually carried into battle by servitors or serfs alongside the Company Master (in the case of the Ghostwing, it is carried by a Spiritshroud – the equivalent to a Darkshroud of the Ravenwing). The Grand Master of the Chapter carries two badges of office: the first, and the most sacred of the Chapter's relics, is an ancient scarred shield known as the Untiring Vigil, said to have been carried to battle by one of Lion El'Jonson's closest retainers on Caliban during his youth. It is carried by a Watcher in the Dark, an ever-present shadow to the Grand Master, and signifies the relationship between the Angels of Contrition and their founding legion. The second badge of office is the Grim Confession, an ornate double-bladed glaive wreathed in crimson arcs of energy, that features an inbuilt plasma-blaster of a long forgotten design. It is suspected that the weapon may be an altered design of a Nemesis force weapon; the Angels of Contrition refuse to explain where they might have obtained such a weapon, although it is not outside of the realms of possibility that it could have been salvaged from one of the many Space Hulks they have boarded. The Angels of Contrition are thought to be descended directly from the Dark Angels Chapter, although given they are part of one of the more recent foundings, this may not be entirely accurate; rumour often link them to either the Angels of Absolution or the Guardian of the Covenant, although when questioned directly the only answer the Angels of Contrition is that they are “descendants of the first legion”. The Chapter's gene-seed has no significant defects, as is the norm with descendants of the Dark Angels. Recruitment Recruitment on Etzabaidat is a simple process; the Chaplains of the Chapter, unarmed and unarmoured, will descend upon the city-states of Etzabaidat accompanied by retinues of serfs. A great ritual known as the Arima Galdu Topaketa (the Gathering of Lost Souls) will be organised, during which the Chaplain will watch as the the serfs form a tight unit, and are set upon by any of the city's Hildako that choose to participate (this is usually all of them; Hildako are not known for their fear of battle, no matter how outmatched). Many of the young Hildako suffer terrible damage or death at the hands of the older, stronger serfs, but those that show particular resilience or resolve are paraded through the city before being shepherded away to the Chapter's recruiting station within Eztabaidat's moons. Although there is some pattern to who is chosen for recruitment, with fortitude favoured over direct strength, there is a lack of defined criteria that only serves to heighten the mystical awe those of Etzabaidat hold the Angels of Contrition in. Imperial observers have called this practice barbaric due to the high possibility of death among the hopefuls, but it continues as one of Etzabaidat's stranger rituals. The Angels of Contrition usually fight in cold silence, eschewing the bombastic battle cries of other Chapters. Their motto is said to be Nos vero per bellum! - “We are cleansed through battle!” - which comes from the response to the Chaplain's pre-battle litany of Sanguini, ignis, et in morte - “In Blood, In Fire, and in Death”. Grand Master Sephalion Hailing from the Hildako of Hiri-Handiko Barazimor, the young warrior who assumed the name of Sephalion was already widely-known as a fierce and grim youth before he was picked as a potential recruit for the Angels of Contrition. As a child, he was easily excitable, quick to laugh and anger, and seemed a peculiar fit for the Hildako. His wild nature came to the fore during his Hiltzen ceremony, during which he blinded a man who questioned his worthiness in a savage and bloody duel despite the man being twice the age of the wiry youth. Shortly after, Barazimor went to war with a nearby rival, Jolthaki, and the child went with them. The armies were not heard of again – not until the child returned, a year to the day after the army departed from Barazimor, the only survivor. Gone was the expressive, fiery youth; a sullen, grim-faced thing came back, that refused to speak of what had occurred on the toxic wastes below, and would often be found thrashing about in his sleep, caught in an unspeakable nightmare. Many tried in vain to persuade the child to answer to what had happened during the battles below, but he refused to speak a word. When the Angels of Contrition next sent a delegation to Barazimor for recruitment, the child fell into a sudden fit before attacking the Chaplain present, stabbing the colossal warrior in the leg with his Zizalia and kicking and biting those who tried to subdue him, terrified that the fearsome Chaplain would kill the poor mad creature in retaliation. Impressed by the child's ferocity and undaunted nature, the child was instead taken away by the Angels of Contrition, marked for greater things. Sephalion's dour nature has carried with him, exacerbated by the secretive and pious nature of the Dark Angels successors. A formidable warrior, his resolve drove Sephalion to greater and greater feats until, in 951.M41, he was inaugurated as the Grand Master of the Angels of Contrition. Sephalion led the Chapter in it's greatest victory, a Chapter-level assault on the Eternal Perdition, during which he personally fought and killed a Great Unclean One in the assault of the ancient reactor core of the Space Hulk. Following the assault, Sephalion led the Chapter in two hundred and fifty-nine days of prayer, one for each life they had lost aboard the Eternal Perdition, to cleanse the Chapter of any lingering taint. In recent years, Grand Master Sephalion has been haunted by the nightmares that ailed him as a youth. Convinced that these dreams have some sort of prophetic value, the Grand Master has become even more of a recluse, spending larger periods of time in fervent prayer and self-reflection. Guiding the Angels of Contrition against the forces of the 13th Black Crusade, some of Sephalion's recent behaviour is beginning to mark him as erratic even among his most ardent followers; the recent decision to gift the Grim Confession to Interrogator-Chaplain Alazar (a weapon carried by the Grand Master of the Chapter for thousands of years) and recent bouts of fatalism have the Grand Master currently under close scrutiny even among his own Chapter. Interrogator Chaplain Marzuviel Interrogator Chaplain Marzuviel was the most prominent of his order to serve with the Angels of Contrition. Having served the Chapter from the early years of M38, Marzuviel rose quickly through the ranks of the Chaplaincy, the strength of his faith glossing over a nature often said to have been bloodthirsty to the distant extremes of acceptable behaviour among the Astartes. Despite this cruel streak (or perhaps because of it), Marzuviel holds the honour of having been the only Interrogator Chaplain within the Chapter to have forced the repentance of more than one of the Fallen in his lifetime. Marzuviel was present for the Assault on Koram, when the Angels of Contrition were part of a multi-Chapter task force aiming to retake the planet that had fallen to Chaos. Marzuviel led the Angels of Contrition's forces in an assault on the orbital defence stations surrounding the planet, and although the stations were taken, they came at a heavy cost; almost all of the two hundred-strong task force perished, and Marzuviel himself was gravely wounded after being cut off from his forces and surrounded, fighting his way free but sustaining a number of mortal wounds in the process. He was interred in one of the Chapter's Dreadnoughts, a source of knowledge and guidance to the Interrogator Chaplains that have served the Chapter since his internment. In battle, Marzuviel is often to be found leading his brother Dreadnoughts of the Bloodwing, venerable warriors all, in sudden and savage assaults against the sternest resistance. Brother Haephus, 3rd Battle Company, 1st Squad Veteran Sergeant Barbariel, 3rd Battle Company, 1st Squad Sergeant Ekias, 5th Battle Company, 4th Squad Company Master Laraziel, 9th Tactical Reserve Company Unknown Initiate, colour scheme designation 'Probator' Unknown, colour scheme designation 'Ghostwing' Unknown, colour scheme designation 'Bloodwing' Chapter Badge Angels of Contrition Chapter emblem Chapter Banner Angels of Contrition Chapter banner

Index Astartes CHAPTER NAME: ..............THE KNIGHTS VINDICANT FOUNDING: ..................26TH [738.M41] CHAPTER WORLD: .............N/A FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........MONUMENT OF AWE GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...BLACK CONSULS [uLTRAMARINES] KNOWN DESCENDANTS: .........NONE "May our deaths be glorious, that our foes remember our wrath." Harlan Skorus, Master of Sanctity; to Battle Brothers at the Battle for Talacra Prime. The Knights Vindicant are a Space Marine Chapter, created as descendants of the Black Consuls Chapter, and through them the Ultramarines Legion, during the 26th Founding. Originally intended as a replacement Astartes Praeses Chapter for the destroyed Black Consuls, the Chapter instead was diverted to patrolling the Eastern Fringe in the wake of Hive Fleet Behemoth's attack on Ultramar. The Chapter notably suffered heavy losses battling Hive Fleet Vritra twice between 992.M41 and 001.M42 and functioned at minimal strength for just over a century, until being brought back to full strength by absorbing Primaris Greyshields from the Indomitus Crusade. The badge of the Knights Vindicant is a black eagle head over white crossed swords. Their colours are silver with blue. On most marines, the blue is displayed on the shoulder pads, kneepads, helmet, belt, and backpack. The Company colour is displayed on the left shoulder pad trim, and also on the chest decoration. Veteran marines also paint their helmets gold, the colour of the 1st Company. Colour scheme for Librarians, Chaplains, Apothecarions, and Techmarines are according to Codex Astartes. The Knights Vindicant battle cry is Memento Ira!/Remember our wrath! “Security breeds complacency, and we will know no rest.” Brother-Captain Maekor Eltas of the 1st Company, addressing new recruits, 102.M41 Originally intended as a Crusading Chapter, the Knights Vindicant were fleet based. The Battle Barge Terrible Vow served as their mobile fortress-monastery, and recruits were taken from whichever suitable worlds they were granted recruiting rights to. This led to the Chapter's new recruits having a variety of cultural and societal beliefs, a lack of any one domineering cultural bias ensuring the Chapter has not had reason to deviate from the Codex Astartes. As the Chapter has largely been based near the Eastern Fringe since its inception, most of those who are not founding members of the Chapter hail from this area of Imperial space. For a brief period between the Poriphon Wars against Hive Fleet Vritra at the end of M41, the Knights Vindicant based themselves on the Ocean Planet of Talacra, forming a floating Fortress-Monastery from the ruins of their destroyed flagship, the Battle Barge Terrible Vow. The planet was abandoned when overrun at the start of the Second Poriphon War however, and the Chapter once again resumed its spacefaring nature, basing itself across Darina’s Fire and Excisor, their two remaining Strike Cruisers. The arrival of a Torchbearer fleet bearing reinforcements in 102.M42 also brought with it the Battle Barge Monument of Awe, which now serves as the Chapter’s headquarters. Having spent the prior 120 years defending the Barus Sector, they have been granted access to a number of recruiting worlds within this sector; primarily, the feral world of Obol in the Har Myrae system, where the Chapter has taken it’s recent stock of aspirants for assessment and induction. “From my vigil on the Watch Fortress, I looked on, helpless, as my Brothers fell to the Great Enemy. By the Emperor's divine will, I have been given a chance to change what I could not. We will not end, not yet.” Brother Antedes, Venerable Dreadnought; during a council held by the remaining Knights Vindicant following the end of the Poriphon War. The Chapter was founded as part of the 26th founding, in 738.M41, primarily using the geneseed of the all-but extinct Black Consuls Chapter. The Chapter's founding leader was Oris Antedes, a Black Consul who had been serving as a Watch Captain of the Deathwatch; the Chapter's recruits were initially trained by Antedes, the few remaining Black Consuls he could muster, and a detachment of the Ultramarines Chapter. Although originally intended to patrol the Cadian Gate, the Knights Vindicant were instead diverted to the Ultima Segmentum almost as soon as they had reached battle strength due to the incursion of Hive Fleet Behemoth. Although not arriving until after the major battles had been fought, the Knights Vindicant worked in concert with numerous other Chapters and Imperial forces in hunting down any remaining elements of Hive Fleet Behemoth. The Knights Vindicant then started on a long patrol into the Eastern Fringe. Encountering numerous Tau colony worlds, they won significant victories over the Tau at the Battle of Madragast VI (796.M41) and the Irusci Insurrection (802.M41). Chapter Master Antedes was gravely wounded during the Irusci Insurrection and was interred into a Dreadnought, as the Chapter continued it's crusade into the Eastern Fringe under Chapter Master Molon. Of note, they defeated a sizable Ork Waaagh! under Warboss Grazgar Rendklaw at the Battle for Isadoni (845.M41); and the Dark Eldar Kabal of the Wild Light, defeating them on the surface of the moon Maroch (878.M41), before destroying the Kabal aboard their fleet in a mass boarding action led by the young Captain Indrus Baeloc and the 3rd Company (879.M41). Since the victory over the Kabal of the Wild Light, the Knights Vindicant were involved in a score of minor conflicts of little note, up until the outbreak of the Poriphon War. The Poriphon Wars Whilst on route to Sotha to assist the forces battling Hive Fleet Kraken in 992.M41, the Knights Vindicant had stopped to resupply in the little-known Poriphon system when a splinter of Hive Fleet Kraken was discovered on the outer edges of the system. Dubbed Hive Fleet Vritra, it rampaged through the outer planets of the system before Captain Indrus Baeloc, with the help of four regiments from the Heralic Armoured Infantry, managed to halt the Tyranids on Heral. The war spread to consume Talacra, another planet in the system, where the Chapter sustained grievous losses including most of their fleet, hundreds of Marines and most of their Command staff, including Chapter Master Molon, in an effort to destroy the bulk of the Tyranid threat.[/background] The Hive Fleet was eventually destroyed with the intervention of Battlefleet Barus, although not until Heral had been abandoned and subjected to Exterminatus. The Knights Vindicant suffered catastrophic losses in the war, with little more than a hundred Space Marines and only two of it's Captains surviving the battles with Hive Fleet Vritra, alongside the losses of much of their armoury and all but two Strike Cruisers of their fleet. From 993.M41, the Chapter based itself on the planet Talacra in the Poriphon system whilst it tried to rebuild, forging a floating Fortress of the remains of the Battle Barge Terrible Vow. The Knights Vindicant also took responsibility for combating the unexpected resurgence of the Tyranid threat on Talacra; a very small number of Xenos having seemingly survived the bombardment of Talacra that ended the Poriphon War, seeming to grow in numbers despite efforts to eradicate them. Chapter Master Indrus Baeloc did all he could to deflect requests for the Chapter's presence elsewhere by the Imperium in the period up to 999.M41, fueling speculation that the Knights Vindicant were a crippled Chapter; some onlookers going so far as to cast aspersions as to the stability of their gene-seed. In the dying days of 999.M41, the Second Poriphon War broke out. Without notice, the Terrible Vowcame under attack by swarms of Tyranids rising from the deep; having evidently spent years breeding and adapting to their underwater environment. The Knights Vindicant fought a bitter battle, desperately holding out until less than a Chapter’s worth of survivors could be evacuated from Talacra aboard their Strike Cruiser, Darian’s Fire. Those left were led to the nearby agri-world Ymirica; also experiencing a resurgence of Hive Fleet Vritra that nearly overwhelmed the local PDF and Heralic Mechanised Legion regiments stationed there since the end of the First Poriphon War. Under Baeloc’s leadership, Ymirica was also kept safe, and Vritra was defeated for the second and final time when an artillery company attached to the 212nd Heralic Armoured Infantry sacrificed itself to destroy the Bio-Titan at the core of the Xenos swarm. Age of the Dark Imperium With the fall of Cadia and the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum, what was left of the Knights Vindicant were set to policing the wider Barus Sector by Baeloc, knowing that with limited numbers they balanced on the precipice of extinction. Spreading themselves thin in order to bolster as many Imperial defences as possible, they forged a legend as heroes of the sector as new battlefields came alive one after the other, foes of the Imperium seeking to capitalise on its weakness and confusion. Over the next century, the Knights Vindicant would notably lead the defence against numerous attempts of the minor Tau Pa’shel sept to encroach on outlying planets of the sector, and were instrumental in the defeat of Waaagh! Gurgor, Indrus Baeloc slaying the Ork warboss himself after the remnants of the Chapter launched a lightning strike on Gurgor’s personal retinue of Nobs. Meanwhile reinforcements trickled in; but with the Imperium in Chaos, they did not come quite as fast as the Chapter lost its strength. Small losses across numerous battlefields added up, and when the Torchbearer ship finally found the Chapter battered and bloody in the wake of Waaagh! Gurgor, just seventy Knights Vindicant and a handful of tanks remained. Under these circumstances, Baeloc had no choice but to willingly accept almost an entire Chapter’s worth of Greyshield Primaris marines under his leadership, retiring or recommending obsolete vehicles to the Deathwatch in return for an armoury of Impulsors and Repulsors, and receiving a new Battle Barge and two new Strike Cruisers for it’s fleet. One last tragedy would strike, however. In order to integrate themselves with their new Brothers, the remaining Knights Vindicant held a council in which they decided as one to all submit themselves to the Rubicon Primaris. Perhaps the Rubicon was as dangerous as first feared, or perhaps the naysayers of late M41 had been correct when they doubted the worth of the Chapter’s geneseed. Regardless of the reason, over half of those who had survived over a century of almost endless combat died undergoing the arduous surgeries required. “Strike not without purpose; strike hard, and strike fast, and find your next foe before the first realises he is dead. Brother-Captain Orstan Larentes of the 2nd Company, Battle of Hive Fraxxis Largely adherent to the guidelines laid down in the Codex Astartes, the Knights Vindicant have a preference for surgical armoured strikes; not the overwhelming force of those such as the Aurora Chapter, but using their mobility to strike with speed and precision against key targets in tactics reminiscent of the White Scars. This developed through the Chapter's link to the Black Consuls and their favoured tactic of mass Drop Pod assaults, through an approach of heavy armoured assaults. Although the Chapter lost much of it’s armoured strength in the years following the Poriphon Wars, these too have been replenished by a large stock of Primaris Repulsors and Impulsors, in return for the Chapter offering what few tanks remained to them for service in the Deathwatch. The Chapter has even benefitted from a detachment of the Astraeus super-heavy grav tank which form the core of its armoured strength. “Some days it is hard to remember all that Vritra took from us. Some days it is hard to forget.” Carve Sorris, Chief Apothecarion; from conversation logs with Chapter Master Baeloc. Recent reinforcements have led to a period of re-adjustment within the Knights Vindicant, operating at full strength for the first time in over a century. Indrus Baeloc retained those of the Chapter who survived the Rubicon Primaris in key command positions across all companies, relying on those he knows the abilities of whilst assessing the leadership and prowess of his newer Greyshield recruits. Reverting to a Codex-compliant structure, there are few differences of note from standard Chapter organisation. Owing to the Chapter’s doctrine of focused armoured strike, each Company will have a core of vehicles dedicated to it, rather than being assigned from the Chapter’s armoury. This allows vehicle crews and squads a closer bond, and the Knights Vindicant infantry and armoured elements are known to work particularly efficiently in concert. The armoury in the meantime retains the battle tanks of the Chapter, assigning detachments of Repulsor Executioners and Astraeus tanks as they are required. The 1st Company, usually expected to consist of Chapter veterans, does not yet have considerably more combat experience than the rest of the Chapter. Due to the recent influx of Greyshield reinforcements, admission to the 1st Company is currently fluid; two squads have been picked of the most aggressive Primaris, forming them into Excelsor-units who enter battle carrying Eviscerator Chainswords. The remaining strength of the 1st Company is made up of 10 Parimaris marines each nominated from the 2nd through 9th Companies, who are technically slightly overstrength as a result. It is expected that in time, identification of a 1st Company ‘core’ will form and this practise will cease as units are permanently absorbed into the 1st. Where traditional Chapters might have the 10th Company consist of Scout initiates, the Knights Vindicant operate theirs as a Vanguard company. New recruits are expected to gain experience in Battleline, Close Support and Fire Support roles in this Company, before being moved into one of the other Companies to gain more specific, in-depth experience as normal. “Gulliman held the Imperium together as it threatened to shatter in the wake of his predecessor. I must do the same.” Indrus Baeloc, Chapter Master; from conversation logs with Chief Apothecarion Sorris. Chapter Master Indrus Baeloc Formerly Captain of the Knights Vindicant 3rd Company, Indrus Baeloc was instrumental in the Chapter's defeat of the Kabal of the Wild Light in 878-879.M41, and further distinguished himself in the battle against Hive Fleet Vritra. Despite their inevitable defeat, Baeloc's rearguard held the planet of Heral long enough for Battlefleet Barus to arrive and destroy the Tyranid ships in orbit before they had a chance to consume the planet. Baeloc assumed leadership of the Chapter following the First Poriphon War, and was instrumental in saving the system from a resurgent Vritra in the Second Poriphon War of 999.M41-001.M42. A solid warrior and an exceptional tactician, favouring lightning strikes against key targets, Baeloc was forced to spend his forces as efficienlty as possibly across the Barus sector, watching his brother's numbers dwindle with every engagement. Leading the Imperium to victory against numerous incursions from the Pa'shel Tau, and marshalling the defence against Waaagh! Grugor before slaying the Warboss in combat, Baeloc has become something of a hero to the local militarum regiments. With a new influx of Greyshield Primaris finally putting the Chapter back at full strength, Baeloc has set about defending the embattled Barus sector with a renewed ferocity. Venerable Brother Antedes Originally of the Black Consuls, Ores Antedes was serving with the Deathwatch at the time of the Black Consul's destruction at the Siege of Goddeth Hive. Antedes had risen to the rank of Watch Captain through various tours of service at Indomitus Point Watch Fortress, and had resigned himself to life as a Black Shield before he was offered the opportunity to head a new Chapter. Antedes served as Chapter Master of the Knights Vindicant until suffering a mortal injury in an ambush by a Tau Crisis Suit team during the Irusci Insurrection of 802.M41, and was interred within a Dreadnought. Antedes has continued to fight alongside his brothers, providing heavy fire support with the pin-point accuracy that he had become known for. Brother Antedes was one of just two Dreadnoughts that survived into M42, and with centuries of experience, has become one of Baeloc's most valuable advisors. Known for his fierce temperament, in recent years Antedes has been content to see the Knights Vindicant re-established a a full-fledged Primaris Chapter, knowing as he freely admits that it will make him one of the last of his kind. Venerable Brother Cantekles The second of the two Castaferrum dreadnoughts to still exist in the Chapter, Cantakles' scroll of honour is not quite as long as Antedes, but he is a redoubtable foe no less. Armed with two twin-linked autocannons, he is most often found reinforcing the fire support elements of any force he is attached to. Stoic where Antedes is fiery, Cantakles offers little interaction with his brothers until they reach the battlefield, where he truly thrives. Carve Sorris, Chief Apothecarion Carve Sorris has served in his post since before the First Poriphon War, where much of the Chapter's geneseed was lost. Facing the monumental task of keeping a Chpater most thought doomed to inevitable loss from becoming extinct, Sorris had been prone to bouts of severe melancholy. However, sis demeanor has been tempered in recent years by the introduction of the new Primaris reinforcements, and he expresses a warm, if sometimes intrusive, curiosity towards them. 1st Company Captain Maekor Eltas Previously a Sergeant in the 1st Company, most often found leading a detachment of Terminator-clad warriors, Eltas recieved a sudden and unexpected promotion after his predecessor fell tackling an infestation of Genestealers. He has taken to the role well, using any opportunity he can to remind the new influx of Primaris marines of the storied history of the Chapter, and casting a keen eye to identify any aspirants he thinks suitable for the vaunted 1st Company. 2nd Company Captain Orstan Larentes A veteran of many battles, Larentes has led units since the first engagements against Hive Fleet Vritra. One of Javas Varantis' trusted sergeants, he took over command of the 2nd Company after Varantis fell in battle with the Warboss Grugor. Known for being even-tempered, his mood has been soured somewhat by the Rubicon Primaris, a difficult transition leaving him with intermittent pains in the head. 2nd Company Lieutenant Gor Nayvir Seen as the most promising of the Greyshield recruits, Gor Nayvir is a veteran of the Indomitus Crusade. A noted veteran of the Battle of Ophelia VII and the Cleansing of Pyros, he was quickly identified as a future leader of the Chapter, quickly adapting his favoured tactic of overlapping static gunlines to the Knights Vindicant's more mobile approach. Knights Vindicant Chapter Banner. Knights Vindicant Brother Argo, 2nd Company, Squad Firaxes (M41)

"Veneratio vestri loricatus, ut is dat vos vita; vacuus is, vos intereo; per is, vos vadum victum." - Blessing of the Aegis, given by Techmarines of the Angels Adamantine before battle F ollowing the tragic slaughter at Mackan during Abaddon's 7th Black Crusade, A.K.A. the Ghost War, the Blood Angels were in dire need of replacements, and there was concern that the Blood Angels might not be able to recruit enough replacements before the next large-scale conflict began. Thus, the High Lords of Terra decreed that the Blood Angels gene-seed be used during the 22nd Founding to create new Chapters (the Emperor's Angels being another Chapter created from this gene-seed at this Founding). There was initial concern over this decision, as the Adeptus Mechanicus' previous attempt to use the gene-seed occurred during the previous Founding, known as the Cursed Founding, resulting in the Lamenters. While the Lamenters themselves experienced no physical mutation, psychosis, or thoughts of heresy, and in fact were seemingly blessed by the apparent lack of the Flaw which had cursed their Parent Chapter as well as their fellow Successor Chapters, they did experience horrendously bad luck, the likes of which few have ever seen; this was especially true when it became evident that even they weren't immune to the effects of the Red Thirst and the Black Rage. Because of the fact that the effects of the Flaw were so delayed in the Lamenters, and that there were no apparent physical mutations, there was hope that the same would occur within the new Chapter, and that whatever bio-engineering had been done to the Blood Angels gene-seed might eventually lead to a cure. Unfortunately, this hope was soon eradicated when it was eventually found that, not only was the new Chapter still prone to the effects of the Flaw, but for some unknown reason, some Veterans of the Chapter seemed to be even more prone to the effects, succumbing to the Red Thirst and the Black Rage far quicker than their Brothers once the onset begins. It is believed, at least within the Chapter, that this is because their honoured status brings them closer to Sanguinius, and thus makes the visions brought on by the Rage much more powerful and difficult to cope with. Because of this, Veterans are kept in special restraints when being prepared for the Death Company. T he Homeworld of the Angels Adamantine is Archurus, a mining/industrial world found in the Ultima Segmentum. Orbiting Archurus are four moons: Tiberius, Picarus, Siskem, and Janeus. Relatively barren in terms of vegetation, Archurus makes up for this with mountains as far as the eye can see in every direction. Its moons, while sharing the Adamantium-rich mountain formations (in lesser profile) as their primary, each have a vastly different climate and ecosystem, including a wide variety of animal species, most native to their respective habitats: Tiberius consists of thick jungles, Picarus is a vast desert, Siskem is covered with snow and ice, and Janeus is almost entirely made up of water. It is unknown how four satellites can vary so greatly in climate from one another and their primary, though it has been rumored that some sort of ancient terraforming process was launched on Archurus millennia ago, with each moon being a separate testing ground. Collectively, the four satellites are often referred to as "The 4 Moons". Archurus and The 4 Moons Found within the mountains across Archurus and its moons are extremely dense pockets of Adamantium, the main export of the Angels Adamantine's homeworld, and the namesake of the Chapter. While the varying climates and hazardous fauna and flora on the moons of Archurus make mining more difficult than on the planet itself, they also provide efficient testing grounds for various combat tactics for the Chapter, as well as unique and challenging hunting grounds. *NOTICE: Due to integration of Primaris forces and subsequent Company restructuring, Organisation section is under revision.* M uch like their Parent Chapter, the Angels Adamantine are a Codex-Adherent Chapter. However, there are a few slight differences. Unlike most Space Marine Veteran Companies, the 1st Company is made up mostly of Veterans in Terminator Armour (similar to the Deathwing of the Dark Angels chapter), with Venerable Dreadnoughts and Furioso Dreadnoughts in support. You will rarely find a Veteran Marine of the 1st Company clad in anything but Terminator or, Emperor forbid, Dreadnought armour, unless they have been killed, or have been assigned to the Death Company (a fate which is equal to death). The 2nd through 5th Companies, or Battle Companies, are organised much in line with the Codex Astartes, with exception being that all 5 Companies deploy in a 5-2-3 squad configuration (5 Tactical, 2 Assault, 3 Devastator), rather than the standard 6-2-2. This is mainly due to their fondness for increased firepower. Due to their equal fondness of increased protection, they also forgo the use of Land Speeders and Bikes, preferring to relinquish use of those vehicles to the 10th Company (Scout Company) and use Rhinos, Razorbacks and Land Raiders instead. The 6th through 9th Companies, or Reserve Companies, are also quite similar to their standard counterparts, with the exception of the 7th Company retaining 10 Devastator Squads rather than Tactical Squads. Another slight difference from other Codex-adherent chapters is that the 7th and 8th Reserve Companies are made up entirely of Centurions, Devastator and Assault, respectively. This is again in keeping with their love for protection and firepower, as is the practice of replacing Land Speeders and Bikes with Rhinos, Razorbacks, and Land Raiders just like the Battle Companies, in keeping with their love for armour and protection. The 10th Company, or Scout Company, is essentially the same, though they make extensive (and exclusive) use of Bikes and Land Speeders. The Death Company, aside from occasionally unleashing Terminator Squads on unfortunate foes, is essentially the same as in the Parent and fellow Successor Chapters. Though rare in occurrence, whenever a Terminator Death Squad is deployed, the Chaplain in charge of the unit will almost always don Terminator Armour themselves, mainly because their primary focus is to steer the Terminators in the general direction of the enemy at the outset of the deployment, which proves rather difficult to do (at least safely) in anything lighter. The Angels Adamantine employ a larger contingent of vehicles than most other chapters (due to their penchant for armour and firepower), especially siege vehicles such as Vindicators, Whirlwinds, and Ironclad Dreadnoughts. Included, of course, are the normal vehicles found amongst most chapters, such as the Predator tanks, Dreadnoughts, Land Speeders, Bikes, Land Raider variants, Thunderhawks and Stormravens, as well as chapter-exclusive variants such as the Furioso Dreadnought and Baal Predator. There are even a few Furioso Librarians within their ranks. Due to the rather sizable number of vehicles deployed by the Chapter, Techmarines are rather prevalent throughout. Though not their true official title (as is the case with the Iron Fathers of the Iron Hands Chapter), many within the Chapter refer to them as "Sanguinary Tech-Priests", or more commonly, simply "Tech-Priests"; however, true Tech-Priests are connected with (and adepts of) the Adeptus Mechanicus, whereas Techmarines, though trained by the Adeptus Mechanicus and a part of the Cult Mechanicus, are first and foremost Space Marines (a fact they prove repeatedly upon the field of battle). It is claimed they receive these titles due not only to the way they manage to effect efficient repairs whilst fighting off tides of the enemy, but also to the way they manage to inspire their Battle-Brothers towards the utter defeat of the enemy. This is often done much to the surprise of Battle-Brothers from other Chapters, many of whom are at least somewhat distrustful of the Cult Mechanicus and its members, including brethren Techmarines. Veteran, Battle, Reserve and Scout Companies: http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/vetmarine.jpg Angels Adamantine 1st Company Veteran (8th Squad) http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/marine.jpg Angels Adamantine Tactical Marine (7th Squad) All companies (excluding the Death Company) within the Angels Adamantine follow the same colour scheme, and each squad within each company follows the same colour scheme as well. The overall colour scheme is essentially an inverted form of the colour scheme of their parent Chapter, the Blood Angels. The majority of the Chapter is clad in black armour to signify the death of their beloved Primarch, with the eyes and helmet grills being coloured bright red, to signify the rage that churns inside them and the blood thirst they shall quench by the enemy, respectively (the exception being the 1st Company; being comprised entirely of Veterans, their eyes and grills are coloured white to signify them being blessed enough to receive powerful visions of their Primarch and speaking ruination upon the enemy in His name, respectively; they also signify squads with gold rather than red, and have various other gold adornments on their armour); also, any skulls or wings are painted a bone white colour. Each squad within each company is designated by having a different section of their armour painted bright red (e.g. the 7th Squad in each company has the lower section of their right leg painted red; the 9th Squad has the lower section of their left arm; etc.). Scouts, since they do not wear full power armour, instead paint the corresponding sections of their carapace armour or nylon fatigues. Scouts tend to wear almost entirely black, with the exception of skulls being painted bone white and their squad designation being in bright red. This is to help them conceal themselves when on a mission. http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/vetterm.jpg Angels Adamantine 1st Company Terminator (8th Squad) http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/scout.jpg Angels Adamantine Scout (6th Squad) http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/vetsergeant.jpg Angels Adamantine Veteran Sergeant (9th Squad) http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/apoth.png Angels Adamantine Sanguinary Novitiate Sergeants also follow this scheme, but are designated by their right shoulder armour (and any skulls) also being painted bright red, while Veteran Sergeants also have a gold trim on the shoulder plate and often other pieces of armour or weapons. Apothecaries (known as Sanguinary Priests or Sanguinary Novitiates) are designated by their helmets, right shoulder plates, Exsanguinators, and parts of their backpacks being painted white; Techmarines adhere to the scheme as well, being designated by the familiar deep red color normal to the full armour of Techmarines being displayed on their helmet and right shoulder plate. Librarians are designated in a similar fashion, having only their right shoulder plate, greaves, helmet (when worn) and psychic hood being painted the traditional blue colour. Chaplains within the Chapter are essentially the same as in most other chapters, except that their skull mask or helm (or Death Mask) is always painted the same gold colour as the armour worn by company Captains. http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/chap.png Angels Adamantine Chaplain http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/librarian.jpg Angels Adamantine Librarian http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/captain.jpg Angels Adamantine Captain Captains within the Angels Adamantine bear a slightly different scheme than that of the rest of the Chapter; while their armor is still mostly black, it is adorned with shining gold in several places, so as to not only stand out amongst the throngs of friends and foes alike amongst the battlefield, but also to show honour to Chapter Master Dante of their parent chapter, the Blood Angels, as well as the Sanguinor, their Primarch Sanguinius, and the Emperor, all of whom are (or at one point were) glad in gleaming golden armour, and also to display their status as honoured veterans and leaders amongst the Chapter. Also, as every Captain is himself a Veteran of the Chapter, the eyes of their helmets are also coloured white for the same reason as the 1st Company, though the grills are painted black to symbolize the Captain speaking death upon the enemy as they are slain. All vehicles and Dreadnoughts have separate sections painted red similar to individual squads, though this is used to designate which company they belong to. Death Company: http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/dcjump.jpg Angels Adamantine Death Company Marine w/ Jump Pack Death Company Marines wear what is essentially an inverted form of the colour scheme used by the rest of the Chapter. The Chapter uses bright red to symbolize the forthcoming bloodbath. They also prefer to blacken the eyes and grills of Death Company helmets to symbolize the darkness that has consumed them, which they then turn loose upon their enemies. They also retain the crosses used to symbolize the wounds of Sanguinius, only they are painted black, and are instead used to symbolize the mental wounds left upon all Sons of Sanguinius by the Flaw, which are unleashed during the Black Rage. Death Company Transports and Dreadnoughts are painted in a similar fashion. In both instances, the colour schemes are intended to not only instill fear in the enemy, but also to underline their ferocity as a Chapter. B esides being gruff and relatively crude (often taken as simply being rude or ill-mannered), the inhabitants of Archurus and The 4 Moons tend to share the creativity and love of beauty that is so trademark of their progenitor; however, rather than working with metal and stone (ironically), they tend to work more with sound and vibration. As the Blood Angels are known as master artisans, the Angels Adamantine are known as maestro musicians. Both this and their brusque manner can be attributed to long hours working in the various mines scattered around the planet and its satellites. Most able-bodied men and women, once old enough (the working age tends to start at 12, but can vary from province to province), are tested on their aptitude to see where they would be most beneficial. The vast majority become miners, but this is certainly not seen as shameful or deserving of derision; just the opposite, in fact. Here, mining deep in the mountains is considered an honorable profession, both due to the risks involved, and the importance of the materials recovered. There are many long lineages of miners, some going back to the earliest days of colonization nearly a millennia ago. There are many that are considered heroes to the miners, a few that are looked upon as an Astartes might look upon their Primarch, or even their Emperor. They are the ones that saved fellow miners from collapsed tunnels, or helped defend the planet or its moons from xenos attack, or even stood up against oppressive governments (when the Angels Adamantine were too preoccupied to handle the issue themselves). While their curtness is often seen as a result of a simple lack of manners, it is actually (for the most part) caused by time constraints and efficiency; more precisely, a lack of time to get things done and the necessity for being as efficient as possible with the time given. Working in the mines is a hazardous job, partly because of the rapid pace at which everything flows. Miners don't have time to offer up a lengthy explanation for what they need done, so they are often straight to the point, and can get a bit agitated when they have to repeat themselves, which can (and often does) result in a loud and abrupt slew of profanity erupting from them towards a seemingly incompetent colleague. Because of this near-constant stress relief, however, they also tend to be very jovial in nature, both in and out of the mines; practical jokes are not only common among the people, but often celebrated. There's even an annual holiday devoted to them. Another result of long hours spent in the dark underground caverns is an appreciation for music of all varieties; not only a fondness for listening, but also for creating. Throughout the mines scattered around Archurus and its moons, and even within a single one, you can find a myriad of musical tastes and skills; from someone whistling a campy tune to another tapping out a complex rhythm with their tools. You'll also find many of them, as well as those who happen to work above ground, applying these attributes to actual musical composition using a myriad of instruments and electronic synthesizers. Brother Liam of the 2nd Company actually composed the official battle anthem for the Chapter, which is often played over loudspeakers mounted on Rhinos and other transports at the start of an assault (sometimes, drop pods wired with myriads of speakers are dropped), combining with the churning of tracked vehicles and dreadnoughts, the roaring of Land Speeders and jump packs, and the shouting of orders and litanies to create a cacophony of noise that can only be described as the sound of inevitable doom. Another long-standing tradition, one that perhaps predates all others, is the hunt. While hunting is an integral part of many of the societies that the various Astartes Chapters draw their Recruits from, relatively few seem to truly enjoy the experience as much as Archurians; still fewer enough to claim trophies and proudly mount them on display. This reverence for the hunt and the penchant for obtaining physical rewards from their prey not only seems to remain with those chosen to be Initiates for he Angels Adamantine and carry over during their transformation into Space Marines, it actually seems to further augment their mental acuity, reflexes and fighting ability beyond that of what the specialized training and implants can do. They often tend to choose and retrieve trophies and affix them in the midst of battle, adorning the armour of both their vehicles and themselves with the remnants of their fallen enemies, whether it be weapons, equipment, sigils, or even parts of the cadaver itself. These serve as both proof of their might and valor, as well as a visible warning to and intimidation of their enemies. These attributes combine with the strength and toughness built working in the mines to create the ideal candidates for ascension to the ranks of Space Marine within the Angels Adamantine. Sturdy enough to withstand even the most brutal assault, the sensibility and pragmatism to resist the alluring entrancement of Chaos daemons and xenos psykers, and the energetic compassion to see and appreciate the innate good in things, especially that of the Emperor and all that is protected in His name. W hile the Angels Adamantine, like every other Adeptus Astartes Chapter (save, of course, for the loathsome Traitors), have a Holy reverence towards the Emperor and pledge their lives to His service, the Chapter holds a similar (if not equal) veneration for their Primarch, Sanguinius. In fact, it is rumoured that the Angels Adamantine are the most zealous of any of their Brother Chapters in their devotion to the Primarch, with the possible exception of their Parent Chapter, the Blood Angels. Of course, many of these rumours seem to originate within the Chapter itself, though this fact does not in any way lessen the ferocity with which the Chapter fights in the name and memory of their fallen Primarch. http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/tedski82/WH40K/traitor.jpg Traitor Space Marine of the Black Legion One of the main axioms associated with this solid and unwavering affection is the need to seek out and destroy every Traitorous Space Marine in existence, especially those of the Black Legion (formerly known as the Sons of Horus, and before that the Luna Wolves), as they were not only the one of the first Legions to turn against the Emperor, but they were also the most loyal Legion to Horus (as he was their Primarch), the most despised Traitor of all, and the one who brought their own Primarch to his final end upon the Traitor's own flagship. It is said that, for a brief moment before he died, Horus was redeemed by the Emperor himself and the forces of Chaos cast away from him; however, for the Angels Adamantine (as is also likely amongst many other Astartes, especially those borne of Sanguinius, though not to the degree as is shown by the Chapter) the enticement of their beloved Primarch towards the forces of Chaos, and his subsequent death by the hand of Horus himself after he refused, are crimes that are wholly unforgivable. While the fact that the Emperor managed to save his most celebrated Son from the grip of Chaos just before his death is a testament to the power and divinity of the Emperor, Marines of the Chapter are often upset by the fact that they are not able to seek vengeance upon the one who broke the body of their beloved Primarch, and thus have pledged to seek out and destroy all those who aligned with him and made it possible for him to commit his treacherous acts of heresy, the foremost of which being the murder of Sanguinius. Because of this, any time there is mention or evidence of Chaos Space Marines on the offensive, the Angels Adamantine are one of the first to seek to respond, often turning their focus from the task at hand to seek out and destroy the Traitorous Legions, especially if it is even rumoured that Traitors of the Black Legion are present. Their ultimate goal, besides the eventual destruction of every Traitor Legion in existence, is to seek out and destroy Abaddon the Despoiler, once Second-in-Command to Horus, and the present Warmaster in charge of not only the Black Legion, but of all Traitor Legion forces throughout the Imperium. The Chapter feels that, with Horus ultimately redeemed and his body destroyed long ago, it falls to Abaddon to answer for the sins of his master. There are many differing explanations, even within the Chapter itself, as to what causes this seemingly-singular reverence of their Primarch; some Chaplains claim it is due to the Primarch's favoring of the Chapter's goals to attain vengeance in His name; some Apothecaries claim it to be the cause of undetected mutations in the gene-seed, in effect granting the Chapter a closer sense of oneness with their Primarch than most other Chapters. And indeed, there are Librarians who say that there is a definite strong connection to the "True Emperor" through the Warp, and whatever the true reason, there is no doubt that the Angels Adamantine will continue their crusade to rid the Imperium (and any other areas they can reach) of its most vile and hated enemies, who just happened at one point to be some of its most beloved saviours, until they are completely extinguished from the galaxy. One rumour, however, stands above all the rest; that the Chapter Master, Riconas, is actually the natural-born son of their primarch, Sanguinius. It is claimed that, before the Exalted Emperor came to Baal and Sanguinius subsequently left to join Him on his quest, the Primarch had fallen in love with one of the women in his tribe, and shortly before the Emperor's arrival, had secretly consummated their union and conceived a son. The child was born with an apparent psychic connection to not only his father, but the Emperor as well; thus they both knew at once when the child was born, though they (and the boy's mother) were the only ones who knew of his true lineage. The boy grew much in the same way that Sanguinius Himself did, which surprised all but his mother. Once he was of age, he made his way to Angel's Fall on Baal Secundus for the Time of Challenge. He managed to complete the trials and ascend to the ranks of the Blood Angels, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become a Veteran Sergeant in the 3rd Company (at the time under the command of Brother-Captain Erasmus Tycho). Once Brother Tycho fell to the Black Rage, Sergeant Riconas was considered for his replacement as the commander of the 3rd Company; however, not long after Tycho's induction into the Death Company, Macom, Chapter Master of the Angels Adamantine (and close friend and half-brother of Riconas), fell in battle against one of the Tyranid swarms comprising Hive Fleet Leviathan. Much of the chapter's command structure, and much of the chapter itself as a whole, had been systemically wiped out over the course of a long and brutal campaign against the Tyranids, thus there were no viable candidates to replace Macom as Chapter Master. Upon hearing of his death and the state of the chapter, Riconas requested a special audience with Dante and the Council, who were convening with the Chapter Masters of the various other successors to discuss their options for the chapter. He told them that he had had visions of himself rebuilding and leading the Angels Adamantine in a glorious campaign against the Tyranids in defense of his homeworld. Most of the other Chapter Masters, as well as some within the Council, scoffed and chuckled at this remark, but Dante remained silent and, once the guffawing had ceased, looked to Mephiston, and then to Corbulo. Mephiston confirmed that he had the same vision; Corbulo added he had foreseen that Riconas could somehow be the answer to the ever-present curse of the Flaw. This caused everyone in attendance to look around in wonder, before deliberating and finally concluding that Riconas should take command of the Angels Adamantine and rebuild the chapter. Dante offered any available resources of the Blood Angels to help, as did the other Chapter Masters (though a few did so reluctantly). Mephiston, apparently able to feel Riconas' connection to the Emperor and their late Primarch, realised his true lineage, as did Corbulo, through careful study of Riconas' blood; but they also knew that, at least for now, it must be kept a secret, for not everyone was ready for the truth to be revealed. They also knew that, in their most dire hour, the truth would reveal itself. B ecause of the devastating losses faced at Mackan during the Ghost War, there was genuine concern over whether the Blood Angels would be able to rebuild their numbers soon enough for the inevitable return of Abaddon, and thus during the 22nd Founding, the gene-seed of the Blood Angels was called upon to be used in the creation of a number of new Chapters. While some of these Successors were the subjects of varying experiments, some of which were continued from the previous Founding (the Emperor's Angels being a prime example, as further experimentation and tampering with the gene-seed occurred during their conception), the Angels Adamantine were created using the same modified gene-seed that had produced the Lamenters during the previous Founding. This was perhaps still technically part of a larger experiment, with the Chapters created using this version of the gene-seed a form of control; regardless, there were still scattered concerns about the use of any gene-seed used in the previous Founding, known as the Cursed Founding. These were largely drowned out by the arguments that simple bad luck, such as had occurred with the Lamenters, was in no way a factor of the modification to the gene-seed, and that the fact that the effects of the Flaw were so delayed in the Lamenters was proof that the modifications had had some level of success. Fortunately, there have been no as-yet reported signs that further modification of the gene-seed bears any ill effects for the recipients. W hile the deeds of the Chapter are many and glorious in a variety of ways, certain events stand above most others. As with their Parent Chapter, the Angels Adamantine pride themselves on their ability to record and catalogue the history of the Chapter. 900.M37: 22nd Founding/A New Chapter Begins - After the Blood Angels sustained heavy losses on Mackan at the hands of Abaddon the Despoiler during the 7th Black Crusade, the High Lords of Terra decreed that the Blood Angels gene-seed be used to create new Chapters during the 22nd Founding, the Angels Adamantine being one of them. Captain Manco of the Blood Angels' 5th Company, the Daemonbanes, was chosen along with a select number of Veterans from among their ranks to create the Chapter leadership. Manco was given total control over the formation and organisation of the Chapter, and having served on a number of occasions with Brothers of the Salamanders, Imperial Fists and Iron Hands Chapters, he had noticed and kept note of various tactics that he liked from each Chapter; he ultimately combined these various tactics, including the relentlessness of heavy weapons and siege warfare made famous by the Imperial Fists, the resolute toughness and persistence of the Salamanders, and the overwhelming force and inspiring command of armoured might favored by the Iron Hands.Thus, the revised Codex for the Chapter came to favor heavy armour and overwhelming firepower in stark contrast to the assault and close-quarter tactics favored by their progenitor. Manco had also been on detachment with units from both the White Scars and Raven Guard Chapters, and had noticed their penchant for speed and stealth using their Bikes and Land Speeders, and thought that giving exclusive use of these vehicles and tactics to the Scouts of the 10th Company would provide them with both speed and protection while on the field, as well as valuable skills that would transfer with them and serve them well in compliment to their siege combat skills upon becoming full-fledged Space Marines. Thus, the Angels Adamantine, along with several other new Successor Chapters for the Blood Angels, were created; however, the fates of most of these Chapters are wholly unknown; a few have either been completely destroyed, or disbanded and merged into other Chapters. A few more, such as the Angels Adamantine and the Emperor's Angels, still exist in varying degrees of strength; the rest, however, have simply vanished from existence, assumed obliterated without record or lost to the ravages of the Warp. 769.M39: Olympic Wastes/Faith In All Things - Chaplain Garris is dispatched to the Dead World Olympia at the head of a Resolution Force after the Chapter receives reports of renewed Chaos activity there. Olympia, the former homeworld of the traitorous IV Legion, the Iron Warriors, was turned into a Dead World after the Iron Warriors detonated their own missile stockpiles when it was determined they could no longer hold out against the combined assault of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists Chapters. Since then, the world has been considered Perdita, or lost, by the Imperium. However, recent reports tell of gathering forces of Chaos, mostly Traitor Space Marines, apparently attempting to locate and retrieve something from the decimated former Fortress-Monastery of the Iron Warriors. Whatever they're trying to uncover, it certainly can't be good for the Imperium. He is to rendezvous with a detachment from the Blood Ravens Chapter led by Captain Aptimus, but his Thunderhawk comes under intense anti-aircraft fire as it nears the landing zone, and is forced to retreat back to the Battle Barge Redactor in orbit. Garris makes contact with Captain Aptimus and, with the help of a squad of Blood Ravens Scouts marking the area, decides to make planetfall via Drop Pod with a Command Squad and 3 Devastator Squads near the LZ to take out the anti-aircraft batteries, so that his Thunderhawks can land the rest of his forces. The pods plummet towards the planet, landing with a deafening impact amidst a guard detachment of Iron Warriors and Alpha Legion Chaos Space Marines, crushing a few and knocking most of them to the ground. A few Havocs managed to maintain their balance, and attempted to ambush the passengers of one of the Drop Pods, but were promptly sniped down by the Blood Raven Scouts that had been infiltrated nearby. As the Devastator Squads emerged from their Drop Pods, they deployed and opened fire on the enemy batteries with Lascannons and Multi-Meltas, reducing them to piles of slag in moments, while the Command Squad set about eliminating any remaining guards, with the help of the Blood Raven Scouts. Just as it seemed they had finally secured the landing zone, a vile, horrid screeching cracked across their vox systems, causing several of them to instinctively yank their helmets off; but the sound permeated the air, as though there was nowhere you could go to escape it. Just then, several squads of Slaaneshi Noise Marines of the Emperor's Children, formerly the III Legion, appeared on a ridge overlooking the landing zone. Suddenly, Chaplain Garris realized what the Chaos forces were there for: an ancient artifact of Slaanesh that was discovered amongst the rubble after the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists routed the Iron Warriors and forced them to destroy their own stronghold; but before the artifact could be retrieved, it let out a devastating sonic blast that killed the Astartes closest to it instantly as their heads liquefied inside of their helmets, and severely stunned several more, before vanishing in a flash of brilliant light. Despite searching for several weeks, the artifact could not be found, and was presumed lost to the Warp. As he came to this realization, Garris noticed the ridgeline filling with the silhouettes of Chaos Marines from all 3 traitorous legions. Then, with a thunderous roar backed by the cacophonous blaring of the Noise Marines' weapons, the traitors started charging down the hill from several directions. Garris called to his Command Squad and the Devastators to form a defensive line between the LZ and the oncoming horde, and ordered the Blood Ravens Scouts to find an elevated position and call back to their Command for reinforcements. Once they were in place, Garris ordered the Devastators to open fire once the enemy was within range; as the enemy neared, the first to open fire were the Plasma Cannons, launching searing-hot blobs of plasma into their ranks like artillery. Those hit directly by the blasts were instantly vaporized, while those in the blast area fared little better, many of them melting into heaps of flesh and ceramite slag; those that were fortunate enough to survive the initial blast were thrown hundreds of yards in every direction, many of them losing limbs or dying upon impact. Unfortunately, this did little to slow the onslaught, and the Lascannons opened up next, each laser blast burning clean through several Chaos Marines; but each Brother could only get a couple of shots off before the enemy was close enough for the Heavy Bolters to open up, churning fist-sized bolts into the closing traitors and blowing them apart. As they got ever-nearer, Garris ordered his Command Squad to open fire, leading off with his Relic Combi-Plasma Carnifice. The Blood Ravens Scouts started picking off Sorcerers and Champions as they appeared, and just when it seemed as though they would be overrun, a barrage of cannon and bolter fire strafed the enemy lines, bringing the advance to a grinding halt. As Garris looked up, he saw 2 Thunderhawks flying in a crossing pattern above him, one his, the other belonging to the Blood Ravens. It would seem the Scouts made contact, and not a moment too soon. As they circled around for another run, Garris could see the enemy starting to muster and re-form their ranks; he called to Brother Hytak, the Company Champion for the 3rd Company, to lead them into the fray once the Thunderhawks had made their second pass. Brother Zykol, a Veteran of the First Company, and Sanguinary Novitiate Ferrun would take the flanks, and Brother Gyjun, Ancient for the 3rd Company, would bring up the rear, holding the Company Banner aloft. The Devastator Squads would stay back and provide support while also holding the LZ. Once the Thunderhawks made their pass, Garris bellowed the charge order, and they charged towards the enemy, Hytak leading the way with his Thunder Hammer Remembrancer and Storm Shield Bastion of Will. As they approached the enemy lines, roaring balls of plasma flew over their heads and landed in the midst of the traitor forces, decimating many of them. With the rest of the squad providing supporting fire, Brother Hytak plowed into the enemy ranks, his hammer and shield annihilating enemies in swathes. Suddenly, Garris noticed a blur of motion to his right, and barely a moment later dodged to his left just in time for the blur to be stopped motionless by Bastion of Will. The blur suddenly became the shape of a vile blade writhing with intense Warp energies, being held by a Champion of Slaanesh. As Garris looked at Hytak, the Champion gave him a reassuring nod, before knocking the cursed blade away and turning to bring Remembrancer to bear in one swift motion. He left Hytak to battle and continued into the fray with the rest of his squad; as they brought down one traitor after another, it seemed that the battle was turning in the favor. That is, until the traitors started to part, revealing squads of Noise Marines, led by a Noise Champion. The Champion was entombed in what appeared to be Terminator Armour, though he had obviously long been fused with the armour in a twisted and grotesque display, several parts of "him" bizzarely mutated into what appeared to be giant amplifiers. As the squad turned their focus on the Champion, he let loose a barrage of deep sonic pulses that felt as though they would shatter everything, down to the very bones inside the Space Marines themselves. The other Noise Marines joined in, their various weapons screeching and thumping at various frequencies. Thankfully, with their love of all things musical and their ever-persistent motivation to push the boundaries of musical and tonal creation, the Artificers of the Angels Adamantine had managed, through necessity, to find a way to dampen intense sonic vibrations at all known frequencies and incorporate it into their armour; this allowed the squad to hold fast where many other Astartes would have fallen. As the Noise Marines closed in, Garris slowly raised his Crozius, and upon uttering the Sacred Litany of Rebuking, released a powerful blast of energy from it, knocking back the Noise Marines and killing several of them. No longer under the suppression of their sonic weapons, Brother Zykol jumped up and started eradicating the rest of them, and the rest of the squad followed suit. No sooner were they back on their feet than Raptors descended from the skies, slamming right into the middle of them, scattering them in all directions. As Zykol stood and started to fire on them, one of them leapt to him and cut him down with one swift motion of their chainsword, before being obliterated by a plasma blast from Carnifice. As the rest of the squad regained their footing and took down the remaining Raptors, Ferrun ran to Zykol to tend to him or, at the very least, recover his gene-seed. Miraculously, Zykol was still alive, despite taking a direct blow to his chest; but his body, though physically intact, was quickly being ravaged by a toxin that had been applied to the Raptor's chainsword. Ferrun had to act quickly to keep the poison from reaching his hearts and his brain, but he managed to save him, if only barely. With the Noise Marines and the Raptors mostly defeated and Brother Hytak returning to the squad, having dealt with the Champion of Slaanesh, the remaining Chaos forces started to retreat, including the Noise Champion, who seemed puzzled as to how the Loyalist Marines could withstand his barrage. Knowing why it was that the traitor forces were there, Garris knew he couldn't let the servant of Slaanesh escape; after ordering Brother Gyjun to assist Novitiate Ferrun in getting Zykol back to the LZ, he and Hytak left in pursuit of the Chaos Champion. Since the traitor was clad in Terminator Armour, it wasn't long before they caught up to him; Hytak charged and swung Remembrancer as hard as he could at the traitor's legs, bringing him to a halt. The traitorous Terminator swung his mutated arm at Hytak, who promptly blocked it with his shield, only to be immediately blasted point-blank by the Champions sonic weaponry, sending Hytak reeling backwards. Garris opened up on the back of the Slaaneshi Champion with both barrels of Carnifice, but both bolter shell and plasma blast bounced off the armour as though they were pebbles. The Champion turned and assaulted Garris with a sonic blast, knocking the weapon from his hand. At that point, Garris started chanting a sacred litany and, focusing every ounce of energy and power he had, leapt at the traitor and swung his Crozius full-force at the Champion's head, the impact so tremendous that it broke the Crozius in half at the handle and sent a shockwave out in every direction, knocking Garris to the ground. The impact also mangled the Champions sonic weaponry to the point that the daemonic powers within starting building quickly and violently, causing the Champion to vibrate at rapidly-shifting frequencies until he exploded in a violent outburst of noise and gore and Warp energies. As he gathered himself, Garris looked over to Hytak, who was also getting to his feet, shaking his head. They both heard the roar of engines overhead, and looked skyward to see several Thunderhawk Gunships heading for the landing zone. The rest of the Resolution Force was finally making landfall. Garris and Hytak looked at each other and gave one another a nod, and then returned to the LZ as the last of the reinforcements were arriving, and they were loading Brother Zykol onto the Thunderhawk to return to the Redactor ; Brother Ferrun said that Zykol would make it, though would likely need to be interred within the sarcophagus of a Venerable Dreadnought, as his body was too badly damaged by the foul toxins laced onto the traitor's chainblade. Garris then found Brother Hyperlex, Master of the Machines and head Techmarine for the Chapter, and asked him to repair his Crozius. Hyperlex told him that it could be replaced, but Garris refused; this one had a special meaning to him, especially after this day, so Hyperlax welded the Crozius back together the best he could. Once the last of his forces had offloaded, Garris thanked the Blood Ravens Scouts for their assistance, and told to return to their detachment; he then contacted Captain Aptimus and made plans to rendezvous at a strategic location near the destroyed Fortress-Monestary, and informed him of the traitors' plans. Once together, he and Aptimus planned out the utter annihilation of the remaining Chaos forces, as well as the Slaaneshi artifact. He knew that they must succeed, before the foul traitors could complete their task....and summon a Keeper of Secrets. He had witnessed such a creature once before, and still could not believe the things it drove those around him to do. He could not allow such a beast to be conjured, no matter the cost. 420.M40: Space Hulk Grimlok/Brotherhood Redefined - Veteran Sergeant Tuvo of the 1st Company leads a squad of Assault Terminators to assist a detachment of the Deathwing, led by Sergeant Benko of the Corvus Malleus, a Dark Angels Successor Chapter, in investigating a Space Hulk that suddenly appeared from a warp storm in the Prism system. Little is known of the system, as all information regarding it seems to have been expunged from Imperial records, save for 2 short entries that name a single planet, Prism (thus the working name of the system), as well as an apparent Successor Chapter of the Ultramarines called the Rainbow Warriors who, at least at one time, claimed the planet as their Homeworld. While exploring the massive hulk, the Angels Adamantine separate from the Deathwing to cover more ground, planning to rendezvous on the other side of the ship; shortly thereafter, they are set upon by Genestealers and Genestealer Cultists. The squad manages to fend them off long enough to start making their way to the rendezvous point, but is ambushed along the way by even more Genestealers, this time led by a Broodlord; they again fend off the horde, their Storm Shields taking the brunt of the attacks while their Thunder Hammers obliterated anything that dared get too close; but Sergeant Tuvo is wounded in the process. They manage to reach the rendezvous, only to be confronted by yet another Genestealer horde, this time led by a Lictor and a Tyranid Warrior. As they attempt to make a stand, Sergeant Tuvo is mortally wounded in one-on-one combat with the Tyranid Warrior, but manages to take it down with one final swipe of his Lightning Claw. Just as it seemed the Tyranid horde would overwhelm them, Sergeant Benko and the Deathwing emerged into the chamber, storm bolters and assault cannon wiping away huge swaths of Genestealers and Genestealer Hybrids; this gave the beleaguered Angels some reprieve, until suddenly the Lictor appeared out of nowhere, pouncing on Benko and knocking him across the chamber, away from his Brothers. The Lictor started ripping his armour apart piece-by-piece, while he struggled in vain to land a meaningful blow upon the beast's hide. The Deathwing fought to get to him, but he was on the other side of the chamber, and the xenos were too many. The Angels Adamantine were themselves bogged down, though much closer to Benko, and suddenly Brother Worta saw an opening; he charged the Lictor with his Storm Shield held firmly in front of him, slamming into the beast and knocking it into the wall of the chamber. As it regained its footing, the beast lunged at Worta, who blocked the assault with his shield and guided the xenos over his head, back in the direction of his embattled Brothers; but as it flew over his head, the beast ripped the shield from his grasp and flung it down the corridor, far out of reach beyond the pulsating throngs of xenos warriors. As it landed, it reached out and ripped one of his pauldrons from its mounts and tossed it into the melee; as it grasped to find another hold on his armour, Worta let loose an ear-piercing howl that stunned the creature, if only briefly; but it was enough for him to let loose the fury of the Red Thirst. He raised his Thunder Hammer and slammed it into the beast's side, sending it reeling across the chamber. Then, with another phantom howl, he charged the beast and, with every ounce of strength he could muster, brought his Thunder Hammer down upon its head, vaporizing it instantly in a crackling blue haze and covering himself and everything nearby in a shower of gore and mucus. With all of the Synapse Creatures nearby vanquished, the Genestealers started to turn on one another. Worta noticed this, and thought it was strange for a Genestealer brood, as they normally seem to function fine devoid of Synapse Creatures, but the thought was fleeting, as he immediately turned his focus towards his Brothers, who had managed to battle their way to the still-living Benko with the remaining Deathwing Terminators. As they encircled the fallen Sergeant, they prepared to fight to the last, when suddenly a hatch on the other side of the chamber exploded open, and a tide of Greenskins from the Deathskulls Clan flooded into the chamber, apparently unaware of the presence of both the Astartes and the Tyranids. Though they noticed the Terminators first upon entering the chamber, the Orks immediately realized the Tyranids were the immediate threat and opened fire with their Shootas and Burnas; this only worked against the Orks, however, as the Genestealer horde suddenly seemed to regain its composure and turned upon the Orks en masse. As the two xenos forces clashed, Ork 'Ard Boyz and Meganobz started entering the chamber through the destroyed hatch and joined in the fray. As they slaughtered one another, Worta saw a path open up to another hatch that, upon scanning with the Auspex built into his armour, appeared to lead back to the entry point, and was relatively clear of xenos. As they appeared to be focused on one another, he rallied the remaining Astartes and had them collect their fallen Sergeants before pushing to the hatch; after battling past the few Genestealers that were hiding in the passageway, they managed to return to the entry point and board their respective ships, leaving the xenos behind to eradicate one another. It is soon after both squads return that the Angels Adamantine fleet is invited to rendezvous with the Corvus Malleus fleet; it is aboard the Battle Barge Repentance that the entire squad, including the fallen Sergeant Tuvo, is honoured for their sacrifice, and for saving their venerated Sergeant Benko, who would go on to be interred within the sarcophagus of a mighty Venerable Dreadnought. It is noticed that, though the Terminator squad is in full armour, Brother Worta's armour is missing a pauldron, as well as a Storm Shield. In recognition of saving the life of their Sergeant, Worta is given the Storm Shield and pauldron from the armour of Sergeant Benko to replace his missing pieces. This is an extremely rare honour, indeed, as the Deathwing are known to be extremely protective of their sacred artifacts, especially the armour of the Deathwing, and giving it away is simply unheard of. This event would prove to be the beginning of a burgeoning camaraderie that would be strengthened through many more cooperative actions involving both Chapters. 998.M41: Third War for Armageddon/New Blood - While the Blood Angels send a detachment led by Erasmus Tycho to Armageddon to defend it against Ghazghkull Thraka, the Angels Adamantine were busy pressing back the emerging tendrils of the Hive Fleet Leviathan; during a ferocious battle on the Tomb World Bellicas, Chapter Master Macom narrowly defeated a Hive Tyrant in single combat, but was mortally wounded in the process, perishing soon after. With the vast majority of the Chapter's command structure obliterated during the long, violent campaign against the Tyranids, there were no viable replacements for Macom to be found within the Chapter itself; Veteran Sergeant Riconas of the Blood Angels' 3rd Company, upon hearing of the death of his friend and fraternal brother, requested a special audience with Dante and the Council, as well as the other Successor Chapter Masters. While he was originally determined to be the natural successor to Captain Tycho after his fall to the Black Rage during the battle for Armageddon, it was determined, after much deliberation, that Sergeant Antargo should be promoted to Captain of the 3rd Company, and Riconas should instead be instated as the new Chapter Master of the Angels Adamantine, and that any and all available resources from their brother Chapters would be made available to help rebuild. 999.M41: Hive Fleet Leviathan/A Primarch Returns - Unfortunately, the Angels Adamantine and their newly-appointed Chapter Master wouldn't have much time for rebuilding, as the Hive Fleet Leviathan was becoming an ever-more present threat; as news reaches Baal that the worlds of the Cryptan Shield have been overrun, Commander Dante leads a force comprised of the 1st and 2nd Companies of the Blood Angels, as well as Brother Corbulo, Captain Karlaen of the 1st Company, Mephiston, and the bulk of the Flesh Tearers Successor Chapter, on a rescue mission to the Cryptus System. While they are successful in aiding the remaining defenders, they must destroy one of the worlds in the system to do so, and soon realise they have only slowed the coming onslaught, not stopped it. While returning to Baal to prepare the homeworld's defenses, Dante puts out a call to all Successor Chapters to come to the aid of their Parent Chapter in their time of need; still rebuilding from the terrible losses obtained from earlier skirmishes with the xenos threat, Riconas leads what little forces he can to aid in the defense of his home system. Just as all hope was thought lost, as the Sons of Sanguinius were beset on all sides not only by Tyranid xenos, but also daemonic horrors, a large Imperial fleet appeared in orbit above Baal Prime; it was led by none other than Roboute Guilliman, revered Primarch of the Ultramarines Chapter and their Successors. He brought with him reinforcements the likes of which the embattled Space Marines had never seen; they were known as Primaris Marines. Created both before and after the resurrection of Guilliman by the Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl under the orders of the Primarch, this new generation of Space Marine was developed to be bigger, faster and stronger than their predecessors, created using the genetic material of the Primarchs themselves. This proved to be exactly what was needed not only for the Angels Adamantine at a time when rebuilding was crucial, but for their brother Chapters as well, both as a boost in numbers and morale. *Unfortunately, this is all I have time for at the moment; I will endeavor to return and complete it soon.*

WARNING: The following Chapter should not be taken utterly seriously. Liberites looking to take a Chapter utterly seriously should not continue to read this thread. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The High Lords' Great Shame: The Sons of =][=DELETED=][= "Oh. Oh, yes. I see. That is actually a rather serious mistake, isn't it?"- unknown former High Lord of Terra http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hd3IG_i8y3o.iakk7@@@_@@@i6hFq@hnsaQ@@__@@@@.@@@.@@._._@@@@@@@@@@hCmX3hnsaQ@@@@@@@@@@@@_hnsaQ.&grid=TRUE A Battle-Brother of The Sons of =I=DELETED=I= Origins & History: "Sometimes I think the High Lords of Terra cause as many problems as they solve. This is starting to look like one of those times." - Inquisitor Cela Ropplethwaite The Origins of the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= are considered lost to time, space and mortal man. They simply seem to have appeared as though from nowhere in the midst of the Fourth Founding, and are a standard issue, mostly uninteresting, Codex-adherant Chapter. However, careful research and assembling of thousands of tiny fragments of evidence would suggest the truth behind the birth of the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= are due to one of the biggest and most embarassing mistakes in the Imperium's history. It seems that during the Fourth Founding, whilst drawing up the list of geneseeds to be used in the creation of the chapters, an un-named Magos made a small but vital error - stating geneseed was to be sourced from the XI Legion, The =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= rather than the IX Legion, the Blood Angels. The form is undoubtedly signed by one of the High Lords of Terra, who presumably also missed the numerical flaw nestled deeply amidst the complex forms. With the signature on the document bestowing it the highest form of legality within the Imperium short of the Emperor's personal blessing, the resultant Chapter was, apparently created from the geneseed of the Primarch =][=DELETED=][=, tasked with the mission of defending the =][=DELETED=][= Sector in the Segmentum =][=DELETED=][= from Ork attack, and sent to claim a homeworld. It was only with the advent of the Chapter's first geneseed tithe that the High Lords' attention was brought to the mistake. What happened next is recorded only in fragments of information mostly gleaned from ancient rumours and hearsay, but the limited evidence points to the High Lords (perhaps out of guilt for their mistake - though the truth may never be known) cutting a deal with the young Chapter - in exchange for never talking openly about their Primarch or Legion of origin, even under the threat of exterminatus or even if doing so would save the Imperium, the Chapter would simply be deleted by the Inquisiton - any reference to themselves or anything affiliated with the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= would be removed from all official records and never mentioned again under any circumstances. Since the alternative was for the Chapter to be deleted by the Imperial Navy fleets that swarmed around their homeworld like heavily armed vultures, the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= cordially agreed to the High Lords' considerate offer. To this day, the =][=DELETED=][= Sector is reportedly seldom under attack, even in a galaxy rife with warfare, and any xeno or traitor forces that venture in are apprently dealt with by either local PDF, lost in 'warp storms', or smashed by, apparently, civic-minded asteroids which are seemingly bent on the protection of Mankind. Beliefs: "Well I could tell you about that, Inquisitor, but then you'd have to kill me." - Chapter Master Edan Vane 'The =DELETED= Crusade Perhaps the most defining victory of the Sons of =][=DELETED=][=, the =][=DELETED=][= Crusade was fought primarily against Orks invading the =][=DELETED=][= sector, home to the Forgeworld =][=DELETED=][=. The Sons of =][=DELETED=][= were able to destroy them after weeks of bitter combat by =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, which left the Orks demoralised and easy to take apart in a series isolated skirmishes across the sector. The momentum of the Crusade carried the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= into the neighbouring =][=DELETED=][= Sector, where battles with the Dark Eldar left the Chapter short of =][=DELETED=][=, forcing them to =][=DELETED=][= through more conventional means, until such time as the =][=DELETED=][= could be restored. Inquisitor Kafri Moto, who was tasked with monitoring the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= at the time, was 'left utterly speechless' by the dedication and valour shown by the Sons of =][=DELETED=][=. The Sons of =][=DELETED=][= have seemingly inherited their Primarch's belief that =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=. Possibly as a result of this, marines spend much of their limited free time engaged in =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, leading to a =][=DELETED=][= mindest that clearly influences the Chapter's every action. The Chapter looks at the Emperor as a great man, a true guardian of human-kind, who, they believe, shared in their Primarch's aspirations to =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, and a similar =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= for all of mankind, a belief that would be very controversial were the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= not bound by honour and their ancient accord with the High Lords to never discuss it with outsiders under any circumstances. The relationship between other factions of the Imperium and the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= is an unusual one. Requests by the Chapter for more supplies are dealt with anonymously and with minimum fuss, shipped in quietly by forgeworlds throughout the Segmentum. The Inquisition keeps close tabs on the Chapter, although discreetly, and the Imperial Church keeps a respectable distance from them at all times, especially in light of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=. Imperial Guard, Navy and of course other Astartes forces seldom encounter the Sons of =][=DELETED=][=. Those that do are often told that the Chapter's name and honours are presently being witheld as part of the terms of a long-term Penitent Crusade, and instead are referred to as =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= for the duration of any alliances. Homeworld: "It's... er... very average. Like, really, uh... nondescript. Why, what's your homeworld like?" - Captain Gralen VonBracht of the Sons of =][=DELETED=][=, talking to Captain Bravius of the Genesis Chapter The Sons of =][=DELETED=][= took the planet of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, a =][=DELETED=][= world in the =][=DELETED=][= sector, as a homeworld. The people of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= are =][=DELETED=][= by nature, a quality that gives them a temperament that the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= value highly, stating that it is easier to teach a recruit combat skill than it is to teach a =][=DELETED=][= outlook. The Chapter's Fortress Monastery, the =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, is a vast, ancient construction, occupying a prominent position on the =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=. A recruit's first trial is to reach the gates of the Fortress-Monastery unscathed, having passed through the =][=DELETED=][= and =][=DELETED=][= with a combination of courage, skill, and =][=DELETED=][=. Organisation: "It always surprised me that =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= wasn't in the Codex Astartes. I'm not entirely sure how the other Chapters wage warfare without it!" - Veteran Sergeant Victor Locksley The Sons of =][=DELETED=][= are adherents to the Organisational doctrines suggested by the Codex Astartes, with the exception of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, a virtually unique practice that follows doctrines from the XI Legion itself. How the Chapter became aware of this is debatable, although some evidence suggests the Chapter's geneseed is capable of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, which has only prompted Inquisitors to monitor the Chatper more closely.. In fairness, the Chapter sees the wisdom in masquerading as purely codex-adherant when in the presence of other Astartes, a facade that has so far helped preserve the terms of their agreement with the High Lords and keep their origins from exposure. Combat Doctrine: "What's that face for? You look like you've never seen an Astartes =][=DELETED=][= an enemy before!" - Sergeant Harris Grey Primarch =][=DELETED=][= was noted as a firm proponent of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= warfare, preferring to =][=DELETED=][= the enemy with =][=DELETED=][= and the use of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= where required. His Sons have apparently inherited their father's ideals of warfare, frequently employing their =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= to =][=DELETED=][= the enemy in spectacular fashion. Although by no means is this their only method of bringing about the death of enemies, and the Chapter is more than capable of =][=DELETED=][= foes with all the standard tactics and doctrines common to Astartes. Geneseed: "This is the sacred, prized legacy we inherited from our Primarch... and a whole lot more trouble than it's worth." - Apothecary Armand Sinclair As the Sons of =][=DELETED=][= descend from the Primarch =][=DELETED=][=, they inherit the XI Legion's geneseed and all it's distinctions. The =][=DELETED=][= Organ works somewhat erratically, and the =][=DELETED=][= barely functions, but much like their Primarch the Chapter has the distinctive traits of =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][= and of course =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=, the latter of which serves as an obvious visual indication of whose lineage they bear, at least to the few who study such things. Battlecry: =][=DELETED BY THE INQUISITION=][=! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= So, there we have it. The Sons of =][=DELETED=][=. What do you reckon, guys? Worth a read, or have I =][=DELETED=][= up again? EDIT: =][=DELETED=][= those typos! GRAAAAARRRRGGHHHH!!! etc.

In the Urn, Awaiting Cremation: The Ash Phantoms Origins Opening Notes, Memoirs of Hasheel Having been granted the Chapter Master's blessing on the condition that I do not leave the fleet, I begin my record of the Ash Phantoms. The Regimental Commissar on Murkaia said that the Chapter was strange. There was an uncomfortable shift in his eyes when he spoke of them. The way they would stare, the repeated, identical vox transmissions. I doubt even I would have known what to make of them. But I never would have expected this. It is no wonder the trail goes cold with them. The ill-fated nature of the Ash Phantoms’ known history, and their particularly grim outlook has led some to believe that they bear the “Curse” of the 21st Founding. At the very least the Chapter has its constant struggle for survival in common with much of the 21st Founding. Other clues, specifically fragments of surviving service records, and redactions with the seals of unknown Inquisitors, suggest that the Chapter may have been founded during the Dark 13th Founding. Credible histories of the Chapter are scant, and the Chapter has intermittently been completely lost to the Imperium at large, even presumed destroyed, only to appear fleetingly in the records of a Guard detachment or another Astartes strike force from whom they answer a call for aid. Only recently, due to the efforts of a curious Inquisitor, has earnest documentation of this Chapter begun. For their part, the Phantoms look past the dismal fate that looms persistently before them, towards what glory they can purchase for the Emperor with their blood. Many of them are resigned to the not the idea that they will never know their history, due in large part to a catastrophic genetic flaw. The Catalepsean Node produced by their gene-seed is flawed in such a way that it interrupts the normal activity of the cerebrum, destroying the marine’s ability to form new memories, and in the worst cases, shutting the brain down entirely. Though they diligently submit tithes in the hopes of finding a cure, or shedding some light on their origins, all they have been able to ascertain for sure is that their genetic material comes from the White Scars. Home World Mysteries to Themselves, Memoirs of Hasheel The only records they appear to have are associated with visions of the Librarium. They are full of endless, vague references that could mean anything, few attached to actual events. The most tempting to the Chapter itself, and of course to me, is that of the home world they supposedly once had. But no real evidence exists in their records to confirm the veracity of that belief. They do not even know the secret they keep. The Chapter is largely confined to it’s small fleet, which stays closely connected, lest the flaw separate them forever. This is the only home the Phantoms know, but there are long-running rumors of an ancestral home world which have proved a subject of frequent debate among them. The belief hinges on ancient references made in their records to “the urn” from which they came. What few Chapter records have endured little more than cryptic notes left by Librarians centuries past, some little more than gueses, and all fighting against their affliction to leave the Phantoms with some sense of legacy. The notion that a homeworld might exist, a place containing records of their early history, or perhaps even untainted gene-seed, is one that almost every marine entertains, for at least as long as they can remember it. The Chapter’s Librarium is perpetually divided between trying to prove the existence of a home world and quelling the rumor and its distraction once and for all. Recruitment Refusal to Fade, Memoirs of Hasheel Since learning the extent of their condition, I have wondered to myself why they insist on preserving their dwindling line. I do not raise the question to them, as I have my doubts that I would survive such a line of questioning, but also because I cannot say for certain they are wrong. On one hand, is such an existence not a waste of Imperial resources? On the other, the Emperor gave them life, and they have come this far enacting His will. And of course, I can’t let them fall before I’ve found what I need. The flaw never ceases to exact its toll on the Phantoms. Losses in almost any given engagement far outstrip the average of what almost any other chapter experiences, while sudden and unpredictable brain death, often among the eldest marines, chips away at their numbers even off the battlefield. On top of already staggering casualties, each brother in the Chapter is only one faulty vox transmitter from being forgotten in the area of operations and being listed MIA. The only counter the Phantoms have against their attrition rate is aggressive recruiting. Even here, though, the Phantoms face obstacles. The unease they tend to instill in those unfamiliar with their peculiarities, especially civilians, makes willing recruits difficult to come by. On the other hand, forcefully abducting recruits puts them at risk of censure at best and an excommunicate traitoris edict at worst. At the best of times, they have only been able to steady their numbers, but not grow them, and now their recent association with the Inquisitor Hasheel has made the Phantoms all the more cautious about how and when they recruit. If any notification has reached the Phantoms of the Ultima Founding or the advent of Primaris Astartes, it has failed to be recorded and, apparently, been forgotten. Consequently, there are no Primaris units or equipment in the Chapter as it stands. Combat Doctrine Still Angels of Death, Memoirs of Hasheel I understand now what Commissar Gelbright meant. Their genetic issue manifests clearly in their method of war. They are among the more brutal Astartes I have seen in combat, and with no apparent sense of self regard. They throw themselves headlong into melee, perhaps assured that by doing so they won’t hesitate in battle when their flaw strikes. Though I now have context for their repeated call-outs, they remain somewhat disconcerting, like a battlefield of violent echoes. I believe I will be able to use it to my advantage. Muscle memory is the only art that the Ash Phantom’s truly know. Though they remain formidable in combat, their inability to recall the points of finesse of anything from martial technique to a tactical maneuver result in decidedly brutal conflicts. For this reason the Chapter eschews weapons that require more careful control. Power mauls and thunder hammers are taken in lieu of swords, and flamers and heavy bolters see more use than lascannons or sniper weapons. The Phantom’s seek to end battles quickly and decisively to protect their numbers, but the finer reflexes that would be necessary to pilot the rapid transports that would complement this strategy are beyond them. Bike squadrons are their risky compromise, granting them speed and maneuverability, if not to the degree they would like, and at the cost of exposure and more limited access. Most marines begin and end each engagement on foot. The minimal use of transports stems not only from the inherent challenge in piloting them, but also from the delayed reaction a battle brother may suffer upon emerging into the battlefield as his memory fades. A marine already on the battlefield is much more likely to continue fighting without missing a beat. The frequent use of flamers and plasma guns is a side effect of the battle brothers often finding the enemy closing the distance without being able to remember how. The Chapter’s heavy support comes primarily in the form of Predator tanks, which are much more forgiving than faster vehicles when the flaw strikes. Despite having a pair of Dreadnought sarcophagi, no marine has ever been interred, due to a simple, brief note in their records warning succinctly: “No Dreadnoughts.” Organization Self Injury, Memoirs of Hasheel Completely unheard of, a Chapter led by initiates. I can see the lines along which they reasoned, now that I understand their affliction better, but I am inclined to believe that they would reconsider their organization if they could but remember what happened to the 8th Company, or the battle at Udonanai Hive. It is clear from these wasteful losses that the Phantoms strive on borrowed time. I can only hope to finish my work before that time expires. The Ash Phantoms attempt to follow the Codex Astartes as one of the few forms of guidance they can rely on. The Chapter has only five companies to field, though the Scout Company sees very little combat and it is there that first signs of divergence from the Codex become apparent. Uncharacteristically for a Chapter of Astartes, the Ash Phantoms’ Scouts are held in equal regard with full battle brothers, and are perhaps disproportionately regarded as the Chapter’s legacy. About three fourths of the Chapter’s initiates serve in the Scout Company. The remainder, always chosen from the most promising recruits, form the Chapter’s leadership. The Chapter Master, Company Captains and many of the Sergeants are young marines, chosen for demonstrating the greatest balance between natural skill and lasting memory. Their lack of experience is viewed by the Librarium as a necessary cost for maintaining that vital command structure. However, the inexperience of these young marines has cost the Phantoms dearly on multiple occasions. As marines grow older, they descend the ranks and are sorted by the skills they retain. As a result their Devastator and Scout veterans are exceptionally skilled, but are accompanied by some of the youngest Sergeants to ensure their skills are applied to the right targets. No marine has been known to have any conflicts with demotion, though this is likely because no brother remembers being demoted. The battle brothers of the Chapter identify each other by rank only, both on and off the battlefield; though some marines can remember the names and faces of brothers that came from the same recruitment and training pool, it is otherwise fruitless to try learning the identity of their brothers. Beliefs Acceptance, Memoirs of Hasheel Total resignation is the only way to describe their attitude towards their condition. I was personally surprised how aware they are of the costs their condition has incurred on the Chapter. Rather than a chain of despair, these beliefs are an anchor for them. They see it simply as their lot, that has no bearing on the Emperor’s Will. Though I am inclined to think them forsaken, I cannot help but respect this commitment. If only they’d let me speak with the recruits, before the subtler details of their philosophy are lost, philosophy which may illuminate part of that which I seek. The body of the Chapter Librarium is small, as Psykers have proven more likely to succumb to the most severe symptoms of the flaw. The Chapter’s records are likewise limited. Current Librarians surmise that attempts to record the Chapter’s contemporary history were abandoned centuries ago. Instead, they took heavily to divination. Though it is frequently impossible to distinguish between visions of the past, present and future, they could at least be recorded in real time. The interpretations of these cobbled together visions make up the bulk of the Chapter’s histories. From among these emerged the first rumors of a Chapter Homeworld, and each time they are reviewed the debate rekindles, some elements calling for expeditions to pursue every lead that could uncover this lost world, while other elements bristle at what they perceive to be a false hope that should be striken from their history. The factions maintaing both positions are as impermanent as any Ash Phantom’s memory.There is another dark facet to the Librarium’s methods. The Chapter maintains the bare minimum of serfs required to support their operations, as visions of the Librarium, both modern and ancient, have cast a pall of doubt on the loyalty of serfs. The matter has occasionally become so serious that it has resulted in a complete purge of the Chapter’s serfs. It has never been established what decetion they are guilty of or what threat they pose; the Phantoms simply cannot accept the risk from the humans closest to them, who can remember things that the Astartes cannot. The Chapter’s recruits and scouts hold special importance to and spend a great deal of time with the Librarium. The last memories that the Phantoms hold onto are those prior to beginning the implantation process, so as much as possible of the Chapter’s identity and knowledge is imprinted on them before then, and because of their longer memories, they are better able to help the Librarium focus its efforts over time. The Chapter’s enduring beliefs revolve around their duty to the Imperium. Great honor is viewed in a martyr’s death, and it is considered a noble release from their affliction. To complete this release, after a marine’s progenoids have been extracted, his body is burned in his armor by means of incinerators built into each suit. Until another marine dons the armor, it will hold the ashes of the brother who died in it in a very literal sense. The ashes will still be inside when the new marine first puts it on. Over the centuries the original blue and orange trimmed suits of armor have acquired gray stains, concentrated around the hands, feet and torso where the ashes often filter out. Unable to form any sort of significant attachment to their own brothers, and resigned to the fact they will neither remember nor be remembered, the Phantoms exhibit an eerie level of detachment both on and off the battlefield. They are equally somber regarding the Imperium at large, content in knowing they have a very simple role to play, and this at least, they could never forget. Gene-seed Private Examination, Memoirs of Hasheel They would surely kill me if they knew I had taken a gene-sample, but it was worth it. My preliminary analysis shows markers that one does not find in stable White Scars genes. Some of them are familiar to me, but not from that legion. Others don't seem natural at all, though. Each discovery is a confirmation of my suspicions I must check the Librarium again. The secrets lost to the Ash Phantoms, left by my forebears, are ever more within my grasp. The Chapter’s genetic material is almost completely whole, save for the corruption of the Catalepsean Node. The level of degradation varies from marine to marine, lapses occurring anywhere between every few hours to every couple of days. Initiates suffer the least, some able to recall anything from an entire week or more, while the most veteran marines may lose their memories in a matter of minutes. To the brothers of the Ash Phantoms it makes little difference, for once gone, the past is lost forever. Battle-cry If a war cry existed at some point, it has been lost to the Phantoms.

The Alpha Hounds Space Marines Chapter Intercepted Inquisitorial Report regarding subject 'Alpha Hounds'. "I have my doubts whether or not these 'Hounds' can be relied upon or trusted in a time of Imperial need. Should our Lords on Terra call, the Chapter is beyond lethargic to answer. Citing the Emperor against them seems to be the only way to direct them with any kind of haste." -Unknown Inquisitor Available Imperial records have proved mostly reliable regarding the Alpha Hounds Chapter. Their creation was a standard issue order from the High Lords of Terra during the first years of the 26th founding. Their purpose at that time was to keep at bay any enemy forces in the tail of the Sagittarius Arm, which were initially limited to Chaos raids attempting to strike through the frequent warp storms of the region. There is but one noticeable hole in the Chapter’s history that Imperial records cannot fill, which regards their homeworld. The Hounds themselves appear to have these records, but no one outside the Chapter has ever been permitted to see them. Within three hundred years of their founding, the threats they faced evolved into something more substantial with the first expansions of the xenos Tau Empire. Because of the tenacity of the Tau in defending their worlds, the Chapter’s primary objective has become patrolling the border space to prevent them from gaining new foothold worlds and expanding further. This has also brought them into conflict with splinters of the Tyranid Hive Fleet Gorgon. Though they keep largely to themselves, the Chapter has been regularly sighted patrolling assigned space, from the coreward stars of the Tau Empire almost to the end of the Sagittarius Arm. The Triplex Phall forgeworld reports regular supply requisitions from the Chapter. Full Circuit "These systems are backwater, forgotten and unattended by the Imperium. With this last jump here, we have our course; a route to the Arm's end that follows endless night and offers free reign." -Fyvush Feyne The unfortunate mutation of the Alpha Hound gene-seed has at least complemented its fleet based nature, which allows them to avoid the would-be blinding light of a homeworld's sun. The fleet maintains patrols along a series of subsector to subsector planetary systems that has taken Chapter Librarians and Navigators the better part of a century to compile, and completed by a Navigator called Fyvush Feyne. The course, named the Feyne Circuit in his honor, consists of planets used as staging grounds and supply caches, largely uninhabitable and lost in shadow for most of their respective day periods. The Circuit also includes three asteroids which have been equipped to move, providing variables in the course that only the highest ranking Hounds can know. The Alpha Council considers this an essential precaution as all untithed gene-seed produced by the Chapter is kept in the facilities along the Circuit. While each of these 'Night World' bases is fortified, the defenses don't amount to much more than a few orbital defense guns and sensors for tracking activity in each system. The protection of the Night Worlds depends largely on the proximity of the fleet, and secrecy. The Battle Barge called Bastion Alpha houses the Chapter's monastery. Despite receiving supplies from multiple sources, the prolonged campaigns favored by the Hounds quickly drain these resources, and without the stockpiles on the Circuit, the Chapter would be regularly exposed with no means of retaliation, making the Feyne Circuit a necessary supply line asset to defend. Obscure archival footnotes mention a homeworld for the Chapter. Though older navigational charts note the planet as an agri-world, more recent visitors report the planet as destroyed. Cracked nearly in three, the few ruins still visible have clearly been the subject of intense orbital bombardment. No Imperial reports detail what transpired there, and the death of that world is remembered only by the Alpha Hounds. The history kept by the Alpha Hounds tells that less than a century following their founding the Chapter was drawn away from its wards by a chaos fleet, allowing the world to be invaded. The invasion forces did not count on nearby Imperial Navy elements, who notified the Hounds as they engaged the invaders, advising them to make the long journey back. Before long, the commander of the Naval forces began to report that the battle was going poorly, the planet was falling, and exterminatus was beginning to look like the only option. The Hounds still on the planet said otherwise, certain the world could be saved. The Chapter Master and his council of leadership petitioned more than once for more time to bring reinforcements, citing the loyalty of the natives and their faith in the Imperium, but were answered with silence. Sacrificing no more time to leave the Warp for reports, the fleet made all haste towards home. When they emerged from the Immaterium over the homeworld, they found a burning husk. An indelible mark was left on the young Chapter, but in the Emperor’s eyes and their own, they were still bound to serve…and so pressed on. However, not even the Hounds kept any record of what became of the Naval elements that oversaw the death of their homeworld. Rite of Passage Finally, an opportunity. Two of the Kroot had separated, leaving the camp to forage. Waiefei's long wait was ending. Sighting through the Stalker's scope, he led the pair for fifteen seconds til they were just out of sight of the camp. At their next step, he squeezed the trigger with trained precision. The bolt bored through the nearer Kroot's skull, then clipped the further Kroot's shoulder. Instantly adjusting, Darius fired again before the howl of pain could sound, his tactical display registering near simultaneous weapons discharges from his brothers hidden around the camp. The hunt was on. The Alpha Hounds see the honor of living and serving as a Space Marine as a privilege to be earned, not only for new recruits, but for the Chapter as a whole. If a mission should fail, or an engagement is lost and the Alpha Council determines that it stains the Chapter's honor, recruitment will cease until the Chapter distinguishes itself once more. Recruits are usually gathered as willing payment from worlds aided by the Hounds. They are brought to the Circuit for trials and training. The primary qualifications of character for Neophytes are loyalty and ingenuity, and the most frequent challenges throw groups of recruits into lethal situations such as the hunting grounds of nocturnal predators, or squad versus squad combats in different settings. Given few, if any resources, and only each other to depend upon, those recruits who demonstrate a willingness to sacrifice for their would-be brothers and can adapt to their surroundings on the fly are the only ones who have a chance at beginning the implantation process. These groups are often permanent, and the final test of the Initiates before joining the Scout Company is a test of their strength and prowess, and ability to hunt together. Alone on a shuttle, the team of recruits is dropped on a world occupied by the Tau's Kroot allies. Sometimes the Chapter has withdrawn forces to allow the Kroot to establish a presence, only to recover the lost ground with the Initiates. Each team must hunt down and consume a Kroot hunting party, which is usually twelve to fifteen Kroot in strength. If the squad succeeds without casualties, their trials are complete and they are fully inducted into the Chapter. Some initiates follow the Hound tradition, tracking the enemy by use of the Omophagea and forcing the Kroot to isolate themselves before picking them off rapidly, in small groups. Other Initiates are satisfied simply tracking the party, and then falling on them in a frontal ambush. These particular marines tend to become powerful close combat fighters, but are historically rare. After consuming the first kill, the interaction between the Kroot genetic material and the flaw in the Omophagea invariably begins a lifelong desire for Kroot flesh. While not as drastic as in other Chapters with similar gene flaws, the Alpha Hounds have never taken a Kroot prisoner, giving them the honor of dying on the battlefield before the battle-brothers prepare and eat them, usually in camps on the same battlefield. The tradition of Kroot hunting as the final Rite is believed to have supplanted the original indoctrination ritual of apex predator hunts. The change is a reverence to a battle during the Chapter's first encounters with Tau, in which a Kroot kindred ambushed and destroyed almost half a company of marines. Under the direction of their Shaper, the Kroot began consuming the fallen marines, but fled at the first sign of reinforcements. One squad sergeant alone, Brother Anton Windhark, was rendered unconscious, but survived the ambush and witnessed the Kroot feeding on his brothers' flesh. The following night, without orders, the vengeful sergeant tracked down and slaughtered the entire kindred save for the Shaper, who beheld the marine's first bite into the Kroot that had eaten his brothers, before being reduced to slag by Windhark's plasma pistol. Since then, Kroot are viewed as the ultimate prey and the Chapter relishes every encounter with Tau for the chance to scourge the Kindreds. The induction ritual itself is a subdued occasion. Successful recruits go under the Apothecary’s blade once more, and the second bone in the middle finger is removed and replaced with an alloy substitute. Following the operation the neophyte carves his name and the date of his induction into his bone and presents it to the presiding Chaplain. The bone is dipped in adamantium and placed on a chain, to be worn at all times. Over time Alpha Hounds will gather other bones, mostly from foes, but sometimes from brothers, on which to inscribe the deeds of battles and campaigns. These hang from the same chain, forming part of each brother’s legacy. Second Campaign against the Orks of Fi'rios "A riff from the heavy bolters on that hillside, NOW! Jameth, make it rain, brother!" The swarming Orks retreated from the blistering bolter fire behind a rubble-strewn hill, waiting for an opening. What they saw instead were the red tongues of flame falling towards them from the sky, ready to seal them in against any hope of escape. Though a fleet based Chapter, the Alpha Hounds have a marked preference for ground combat, and haven't developed the advanced boarding skills of other fleet based Chapters. They regard their fleet only as their essential conveyance through the void, and respect their original fleet elements as such. Captured ships or those taken as payment are not afforded such respect, mostly due to how rarely these ships mount the weapons or defenses needed to be useful to Astartes. This mentality has led to many of the fleet's lesser vessels often being treated as expendable and used in highly unorthodox maneuvers, including abandonment as battlefield debris or fireships, blockade running, and ramming enemy fleets. If it is possible to draw an enemy force into a land battle, the Hounds will choose a sunlit world over fighting in the confines of a ship's belly. While their tactics frequently make unpredictable changes, the constant is their preference for catching the enemy by surprise and attacking at night. Ambushes, troop lures, and trap laced fortifications are a regular part of Alpha Hound warfare. It can be noted that scouts are frequently at the fore front of an attack, pulling the main force behind them. Leading scout squads are often given the honor of the first shot fired at the enemy, and these first strikes are often combined with simultaneous drop pod assaults, and low altitude Thunderhawk strikes. The most planning goes into capitalizing on the confusion sown by the sudden loss of leadership and the element of surprise. Frequent maneuvers include 'Black Out' attacks aimed at cutting off enemy visibility to allow friendly forces to redeploy, 'Crush' ambushes meant to catch the enemy between two or more units, and 'Base Dropping', a shock and awe strategy that drops a heavy fire base made up of tactical marines, Terminators and Dreadnoughts into the heart of the enemy formation in an effort to scatter them and sweep them as they flee. The normally superior reflexes and enhanced senses of a Space Marine are all but nullified for the Hounds by the glare of sunlight, due to the oversensitive nature of their Occulobes. In daylight conditions, their reactions are hardly any better than a unit of Imperial Guardsmen, or even the Tau they so frequently fight. The battle-brothers of the Alpha Hounds appear to revel in extended campaigns; the longer lasting, the better. Kill markings are considered irrelevant, replaced by campaign marks distinguishing consecutive weeks or months of successive battles. With years at a time spent pursuing enemies across worlds with little time for concentrated maintenance, Hounds marines have made numerous modifications to their weapons and equipment, few of which would be sanctioned by a sane techpriest. These modifications are most commonly based on adapting to the environment of the world where the battle group is fighting. They are also skilled at using their surroundings to complement their weapons, or turning the environment itself into an exploitable asset instead of using specialized gear. The Chapter has trouble maintaining both its Terminator armor and Jump Packs units, and these are rarely seen on the battlefield. Called to serve Him "You are not the Imperium's marines, you are not the tools of Terra. You are the Emperor's Angels of Death, and you will trample His foes beneath your feet and rend them as you go over! We are the Alpha Hounds, and our crescendo will burn the galaxy clean in the Emperor's name! -Chapter Master Moonstride The Alpha Hounds stand at approximately nominal strength and are codex adherent, their only particular variance being the Chapter Command, or Alpha Council, composed simply of the Chapter Master and the Masters of the Companies. It is unknown how or if the companies not on the council are represented, but the will of the Council is unquestionably accepted by all. Neophytes spend at minimum the first ten years of their services as Scouts, integrated into the Battle Companies and rotated whenever a Reserve Company steps in to relieve their attachment. Likewise integrated are the Assault specialists. Because the Chapter so rarely deploys its few jump packs, the Assault marines can afford to go into battle with their brothers, where they not only lead charges, but excel at flanking on foot and serving as decoys for drawing the enemy into the open. The Devastator company remains separate, according to the Codex. The Chapter’s Devastators tend to be the loudest and most abrasive marines, to the degree that it is part of the reason they remain a separate company. It is also noteworthy that the Devastators have more experience with drop pod maneuvers than any unit in the Chapter, with the possible exception of its Dreadnoughts. A Cause for the Lost Sighing, the gray-headed Librarian closed his tome before answering his brother. "No, Sinef, they cannot know or understand that their Imperium is dead. They will never recognize this as the true root of their misery. That is why we watch over them. They have lost their Master as much as you and I." -Cheif Librarian Morianton The Alpha Hounds Chapter cult has never been observed, but what contact Imperial agents have had has made note of the regular absences and gatherings of Chapter members between combats, suggesting that whatever rituals the Chapter does maintain are regularly attended. While as a whole the Chapter appears to be of acceptable demeanor, their attitude towards serving the Imperium leaves much to be desired. The Chapter has never ignored or refused an order from Terra, but in handling local requests for assistance the Hounds have been known to refuse aid without the promise of payment, sometimes going as far as demanding control of a planet's warp worthy ships. Behind closed doors the Chapter Cult is a startlingly somber body, despite the usual boisterousness of its adherents. The Hounds praise one thing only, and that is the Emperor. Here any similarities with the Ecclesiarchy and most similarities with other Astartes beliefs end. The Hounds recognize the Emperor as a Champion of humanity, but a lost one. While they don't dispute that the Emperor may be sustaining his life from century to century, they have no delusions of any distant return or reawakening of their Master. They see their lives as gifts, fruits of the Emperor's labor and recognize no other hand, in giving thanks for their existence. Any semblance of ‘faith’ is seen as wasted. Older Chapter members know the root of this belief to be the result of the tragedy that destroyed the world meant to be their home. It could be said that the Chapter was reborn from this event. The once eager and obedient Hounds took to their fleet, and became lethargic to answer the call of Terra. If faith in the Imperium were of so little value, they would treat it as such. Likely because of this, the Alpha Hounds privately believe that the Imperium died with the Emperor, and is now an empty shell. In the eyes of the Hounds, the Adeptus Astartes exist only to soften the blow for the rest of mankind when the truth strikes them. Only out of respect for the Emperor do the Hounds follow any orders from the High Lords. For governments and leaders both military and civilian, however, they have no regard other than perhaps mild suspicion. While their responses to local requests for aid are justifiably frowned upon, they would never cruelly abandon a world in need, and have sometimes appeared without request to aid a planet in danger. They always, however, demand payment. The payment is always proportional to the planets resources, and is sometimes no more than commissioning a team of locals to collect the bolt casings from a battlefield, just so that they can appreciate the Space Marines' efforts. In truth, the Hounds have a grain of pity for the rest of humanity, even more lost than they without the Emperor. Great respect and reverence is also afforded to the Chapter’s dead. Simple tombs are maintained on several of the Night Worlds where the remains of the fallen are interred. The adamantine bone removed in the induction ritual ensures that something of each brother can endure even the most extreme destruction, and every chain is paired with a plaque displaying the date of the marine’s death. The Alpha Hounds have developed a strong relationship with, and faith in, the families of the Navis Nobilite, and greatly respect the Navigators in service to the Chapter, and these connections have contributed to nuances in the Chapter's beliefs. Some of the principles used by the Navigators are magnified in Alpha Hound beliefs and doctrines. They study the terrain more often than they study the enemy, knowing that while the enemy may change on the eve of battle, the battlefield itself is likely to remain the same. There are scouts in the Hounds who are rumored to know entire planetscapes from memory. As the Navigators say, the better one knows the territory, the more rapidly to traverse it. This study usually takes the place of prayers in the daily routine of other Adeptus Astartes, as well as a major part of the Chapter's tactical indoctrination. The Blind Lead Better So this was war by the light of day. It was truly hellish. Doing all he could not to squint at the filtered light that passed his optics, Brother-Sergeant Miantono fired a burst at the distant Tau squad, barely noting in time the battlesuits moving towards the right flank. Squad Uncas had fallen, then. Miantono rallied his marines, "Incoming on the right flank! Sergeant Requias, prepare your squad to spring a Crush on inbound battlesuits! Let us not leave Captain Longrun to clean up after us!" Cursed be this world and its xenos defenders, he thought as he caught himself squinting. With another five hours til nightfall, their position could not be lost. Records and tithes show that the Alpha Hounds were formed using the gene-seed stock of the Shadow Wolves, who also provided the cadre of warriors that trained the Chapter, making the Alpha Hounds marines of Dorn's lineage. Near the beginning of the Chapter's history, failed attempts by the Apothecarion to restore the flawed organs of Dorn's sons led, as it so often does, to further issues with the Chapter's gene-seed. Already lacking the Betcher's gland and Sus-an Membrane, the Hounds now suffer other defects as well. Most grievous was the mutation of the Occulobe, which has become the blessing and the curse of the Alpha Hounds. The organ has now become dramatically more sensitive, with the naked eye of a Hound able to see the landscape of a moonless night as if it were clear daylight, but barely able to stand the true light of day. Without the modifications made to the optics of their helmets, the Alpha Hounds would be useless on a sunlit battlefield. They can only adapt by seeking to strike first, at night, and inflict as much damage as possible before dawn. Very few individuals outside the Chapter can claim to have seen the face of a Hound. Another mutation has also been introduced through the Chapter's initiation rituals. After the discovery of the Tau, the tradition of hunting the deadly game of one of the Night Worlds was replaced with the more challenging task of hunting the Tau's tribal allies, the Kroot. Successful marines are required to consume the Kroot's flesh, but whether due to the tampering of the Apothercaries or the Kroots' own malleable DNA combining with the workings of the Omophagea, the Alpha Hounds now have something of an addiction to Kroot. Battlecry: Chaplain/Sergeant:"Rend the heel!" Battle-Brother:"Tear the throat !" Notes -Minor changes

CHILDREN OF THE STORM The Sons of Tempest consider dying in service a sin. They do not worship martyrs or honor their dead they scorn them, for only the living may continue to fight in the Emperors name. Chapter Name:......... The Sons of Tempest Progenitor:........... Unknown Founding Chapter:..... The Marines Eternal Known Successors:..... None Founding:............. 23rd M38 Chapter Master:....... Prosperus Homeworld:............ Miranda III Tempest Fortress-Monastery:... Ariel Colours:.............. Prussian Blue with White Trim Chapter Symbol:....... Hurricane Viewed from Above Strength:............. Approx. 720 Origins "To mourn is to celebrate atrocity." -- Chapter Master Prosperus The Sons of Tempest were products of the 23rd Founding besides such chapters as the Imperial Harbingers and the Nova Warriors. Having lost a devastating number of chapters between M36 and M37, the High Lords of Terra conceived a new founding that would remain on near permanent crusade. The Sons of Tempest were organized into self-sufficient companies, similar in structure to the Marines Errant, rather than as a strict codex chapter. No records remain of their progenitor chapter, the Marines Eternal. It is not known whether this resulted from circumstances surrounding the chapters formation or their founding chapters destruction, but the Sons of Tempest developed a dogma intolerant of death in the Emperors service. Fallen brothers are treated as sinners rather than martyrs by the chapter. This position has kept them at odds at times with the Ecclesiarchy and their brother Astartes, most particularly the Star Phantoms. The Sons of Tempest actively purge the records of fallen marines, so much of their history has been lost. Those seeking information beyond the chapter's living history must look to organizations they served alongside. For example, Imperial Guard records show that the Ork warlord Nagrim Skarzod was defeated by the Sons of Tempest in 112.M38 and can confirm the Chapter took part in actions in the Melmoth System following the discovery of a Genestealer Cult on the hive world Bertram. In another instance, unsealed documents from the Ordo Xenos report the detection of an Eldar craftworld in the Ulthar System in 294.M39 and its ultimate destruction with the aid of the Sons of Tempest in 327.M39. However additional records, if they exist, remain classified. History Ancient Martolus We accomplished what we came for and moved as shadows through the Xenos temple. It was not until we reached our extraction point that we were ambushed. I took my share of them, but they plunged their talons deep as they fell upon me. And then came darkness. Moments short and faded dimly made their way through the black. The bodies of my brothers in sin lying about me. The ceiling of the Thunderhawk. Adrianus hovering above me, his narthecium purring. When it was over, they let the Deathwatch claim me. I am cursed to remain interred in this metal husk. I am cursed to remember my failure. I have come to share my stories with those who would hear them, as it is my final service: to remember and be cursed. Ancient Martolus of the Deathwatch Formerly a Son of Tempest As a result of their permanent crusade, the Sons of Tempest have achieved a great deal for a relatively young chapter. While they do not share the fame of some of their brother chapters, they have forged a respectable record of service since their chapter's founding. The current Chapter Master, Prosperus, has served for over 800 years and most of the history is known from his tenure. Prosperus took command of the Chapter during the suppression of the Macharian Heresy in 412.M41 following the death of his predecessor. Eight of the Chapter's companies had been deployed in that campaign where they served notably beside the Star Phantoms, the Marines Malevolent, and the Magma Dragoons. Following their first joint actions, a violent conflict nearly erupted between the Star Phantoms and the Sons of Tempest over the issue of martyrdom. Chaplains from both forces engaged in furious discussions for two weeks before circumstances forced them to disengage. The chapters have since ceased all communication. The Ork Warboss Toofrot invaded the subsector Montaigne in 533.M41. When three companies of the Sons of Tempest eventually arrived to reinforce the Imperial positions, the Orks had achieved total control of several systems. With the support of the Imperial Navy, the Sons of Tempest dislodged the greenskins planet-by-planet over the course of 30 years. Infighting eventually tore the Ork warband apart on the plains of Davenant after the death of Toofrot. Allied commanders are on record having complained the campaign would have been completed in half the time if the Astartes had not insisted on outrageously risk-averse strategies throughout the engagement. The Sons of Tempest took part in the Pepys Crusade towards the beginning of the next century. After the Arch Heretic Garrick lead the Pepys Sector in open revolt, four companies of the Sons of Tempest and a myriad of other Imperial forces were sent to suppress the heresy. The campaign opened with the Purge of Dryden, where the chapter was responsible for the deaths of half the world's population. This was soon followed by the Massacre at Dorinda after the captain of the tenth company ordered the mass killing of civilians for their disloyalty. While the Sons of Tempest spearheaded the efforts of this campaign, the honor of Garrick's ultimate demise was claimed by a conscript of the Windsorian 609th Regiment. In the aftermath of the First Tyrannic War, the chapter committed seven companies to hunting down splinters of Hive Fleet Behemoth. In the first engagement with the Tyranids, the entire Sixth Company was lost after their Strike Cruiser was destroyed above Orgel VII. The Sixth Company was never reformed and is remembered as a great stain on the chapter's history. Their loss has earned a particular enmity for Tyranids throughout the chapter. At the end of the Second Tyrannic War, the chapter dedicated three companies solely to tracking and destroying splinter fleets of Hive Fleet Kraken. Because of their experience, the Deathwatch have taken to recruiting Sons of Tempest regularly for their experience with the Tyranids. There are currently 8 brothers serving with the Deathwatch. Following the Night of a Thousand Rebellions in 992.M41, the chapter sent four companies to reclaim the Imperium's lost territories. However, five years into this campaign, with the advent of the Third Tyrannic War, the chapter recalled three of those companies prematurely to engage Hive Fleet Leviathan. In all, six companies are dedicated to eliminating the Tyrannid threat, including those that remain hunting remnants of Hive Fleet Kraken. Homeworld Father Salvectus, Chaplain of the Third Company It was obvious afterwards, that there was no course of action except to execute the Planetary Governor. Father Salvectus did it himself. He walked into the Governors office, introduced him to his replacement, and then put a bolt in his head. I suspect the new Governor will be much more accommodating than his predecessor Extracted testimony from a formal inquiry into the death of Governor Willem Jordain VI. A single ocean spans the entirety of Miranda III, the chapter's homeworld and the only habitable planet of the Miranda System. Locally, the planet is referred to as Tempest because of the constant, torrential storms. The inhabitants of the planet reside on floating colony ships and harvest kelp fields on the ocean floor. These colonies are designed to withstand the constant assault of brutal weather while housing hundreds of thousands. The chapter's fortress-monastery is located on Ariel, the sole moon of Tempest. Ariel's surface is composed of a dark basalt and is without an atmosphere. Aspirants are trained and assigned companies on Ariel, where weapons and munitions are produced for the chapter and where the Chapter Master resides with his honor guard. While the majority of the chapter remain permanently fleet-borne on their company's strike cruiser, the Chapter Master remains stationed on Ariel except in extreme circumstances. Despite the planets Adeptus Non tithe status, regiments of Imperial Guardsmen are frequently drawn up and deployed to the deadliest warzones to facilitate recruitment for the Sons of Tempest. The chapter recruits exclusively from the children of Tempests veterans, taking them from birth to Ariel in order for them to be tested and trained. Few of these children survive the induction process and fewer are successful. In the last trial before initiation, aspirants are dropped without equipment into the oceans of Tempest and stranded for days in order to weed out the weak. It is not uncommon for all the participants to drown. Beliefs "There is nothing heroic in death." -- Chaplain Veneratus in his final communication to the Star Phantoms Raised by chapter serfs from birth, the Sons of Tempest are extremely disciplined and loyal. Bred in them is a respect for caution, composure, and cold logic. Those who grow to know the Sons of Tempest learn that they are faithful and dependable servants of the Emperor, if they can see past their more unorthodox beliefs. To the Sons of Tempest, the Emperor is venerated as the founder of the Imperium and Father of the Astartes, but He is also celebrated for His undying service. Even restricted to His throne on Terra, He continues to shine the light of the astronomican, the Imperium's greatest treasure. Members of the chapter typically refrain from discussing the Primarchs with other chapters, as they believe them to be failed creations, with most of them missing or slain and this controversial viewpoint has spoiled relations with several of their brother chapters. Perhaps the most important aspect of the chapter's identity are their views on death and martyrdom. Death is seen as a way of avoiding responsibility. As the dead can no longer serve, dying is viewed as an act of extreme disloyalty a cowards way out. This has been a constant point of contention with would-be allies as the belief in martyrdom is fully integrated throughout Imperial dogma. While they have not been censured for their beliefs, they have a particularly difficult time working besides other Imperial organizations. Purging chapter records of the deceased also complicates such matters. Other Astartes tend to have long memories, rich with the traditions of their forebears, so it can lead to issues when the Sons of Tempest have no recollection of shared exploits or ancient grudges. Combat Doctrine "Disgraceful. They leave us to carry on the task without them." -- Captain Valente of the 9th Company Strategies implemented by the Sons of Tempest are reserved and conservative. The priority of commanders is always to keep brothers under their command alive. Assaults are typically planned with special attention reserved to deployment and extraction. While this leads to precision execution, it has often led to delayed action and missed opportunity. Famously, after arriving to reinforce the Lion Warriors during the Felidane Heresy of 890.M40, the Sons of Tempest did not deploy any forces for first year of their involvement due to their overly cautious nature and the constantly shifting situation on the ground. Taking the inaction as a grievous insult, the Lion Warriors now refuse to participate in any campaign involving the Sons of Tempest. The Sons of Tempest are most effective mounting defenses or slow advances due to their meticulous and careful nature. In a planetary assault, their first action is generally a mass assault to establish a foothold followed by reinforcement of that position. They are known to be able to turn even the most exposed positions into elaborate fortifications. Organization While the Sons of Tempest still look to the principles of the Codex Astartes for their basic organization, they were conceived as a crusading chapter. The chapter is organized into nine self-sufficient battle companies. Each of these companies have their own strike cruiser and generally operate alone rather than jointly with other companies. Their forces remain fleetborne until they return to Ariel for reinforcement or supplies, which often means decades of separation. It is extremely rare for the entire chapter to be gathered in a single location and this has probably happened on only two or three occasions since the chapters founding. As autonomous fighting forces, companies retain their veterans and scouts rather than separating them into their own organizational structures. The most senior brothers of a company are assigned command of five marine fire-teams, or fraternities, which arm themselves according to the mission at hand. In order to keep larger stores of geneseed, a company is generally made up of 80 marines and considers itself to be at full strength if it can field 15 fire-teams. Initiates are folded directly into a unit, though they do not see combat until their progenoids have matured. The Honor Guard on Ariel, led by the Chapter Master, is composed of a veteran from each company. It is the responsibility of the Astartes remaining on Ariel to defend the fortress-monastery and train initiates before they are assigned to companies. Members of the Honor Guard represent their companies serving on a council to advise the Chapter Master. Geneseed Though the betcher's gland is present in the Sons of Tempest, it has become non-functional as a result of a defect in their geneseed. This is not an uncommon mutation, but nonetheless the chapter appears to be under particular scrutiny by the Adeptus Mechanicus. Possibly as a response to the destruction of their founding chapter, the Sons of Tempest are especially careful with their stock of geneseed. Initiates do not see combat until their progenoids have been fully matured and extracted. Novice marines thus spend an extra ten years training before they are assigned to combat missions. In addition to this, each company stores half of its own geneseed stores separate from the rest of the chapter. These stockpiles are typically housed in the vaults of a companys strike cruiser. Battle Cry Intent The intent of posting this IA has been to find and remove inconsistencies that may exist between this article and the actual canon. The goal of this project is to create a chapter that fits perfectly in the 40k setting. Harsh criticism and clarifying questions are welcome. Thunder! Author Frater Micius is currently based out of Framingham, MA. He has been involved with Warhammer 40,000 since the end of 2nd Ed fielding SM, IG, and Ork armies. His terrible luck on the battlefield is the stuff of legends. The Sons of Tempest have been his pet project since 2011.

The Sons of Unity Space Marines Chapter Origins It is a well-documented truth that during the foundings following the 21st a great deal of extra care was taken to ensure not only the purity of the genetic material used in producing new Chapters, but also to guarantee the faith and worth of recruits. Too long had the worlds of the Imperium waned under the ever growing xenos menace. Chaos continued to spread while the Emperor's Angels of Death spent their precious blood to stem its advance. During the next millennium, countless marines fell in glorious combat, defending mankind. The weakened reaches of the Imperium needed to be reforged and made strong again. So during the 23rd founding when orders were handed down from the seats of Terra to raise a new Chapter in the Dominion of Storms, Imperial agents could hardly have been happier to receive the reports of the Rho system. At the head of a coalition of smaller systems they call the Systems Alliance, the Rhoans claimed that their world could bring honor to a Chapter as its home world. Further investigation by a joint commission from Terra and Mars confirmed the hive world's claim. At the heart of the Dominion of Storms, Rho was ideally placed to house a Chapter of Space Marines. In the following decades preparations were made, and geneseed sought after. Here, problems began to occur. The initial batch of gene-seed, which records indicate was supplied by a successor of the Salamanders, vanished enroute to Rho, leaving no trace. After this the Chapter whose tithe had now been lost refused to provide any more genetic material. Between the late hour of the founding and the sheer volume of Adeptus Astartes already raised, support for the ordained Chapter started to dwindle. It was then that the gene-seed of the zealous Shadow Wolves fell into consideration. A proud example of Adeptus Astartes of Imperial Fists stock, the Shadow Wolves were more than willing to sire a Chapter, and from their stores a supply was formed. The Chapter's Master of the Forge was chosen to lead the training cadre, and with the blessing of the High Lords and the Emperor, the force set out to answer the needs of Man. Arriving on Rho, the training cadre found a world truly ripe for the birth of an Adeptus Astartes Chapter. The people of Rho were united, but had done so through their militancy. They had spawned a deeply disciplined and stringent society, and formed chains of command as much in their social structure as in their local military force, which until then had been largely devoted to supplying and manning nearby Guard formations. Provided with the great honor and responsibility of a Chapter of Space Marines reinforced their ideals, and they looked upon their world as truly blessed by the Emperor. Their education was strongly infused with military doctrine, their environment produced hardy children, and their dedication to the Emperor was unquestionable. Stefan Hacaitus, the new Chapter Master, made sure to personally oversee the first selection of recruits, and as they stood at attention beneath his calm gaze, he announced to the initiates and their people the name of their protectors. They would honor the symbol of their people, and be known ever after as the Sons of Unity Chapter. As the attending crowd exploded into cheers and celebration, the compliment of Neophytes overpowered them, bellowing the first sounding of the Chapter Battlecry, led by their Sergeants: "Strong alone! Stronger together!" History Throughout their history, the Sons of Unity have become known not only for their skill with combined arms, but also for the stigma of cooperating with xenos on numerous occasions. Specific records are spotty, but show that in nearly any instance where multiple factions have joined battle and a xenos foe has extended an offer of alliance in favor of crushing a common enemy, the Sons of Unity have accepted, and there have even been rumors that the Sons themselves have been the first to open communication. Such rumors are stifled where possible, but their shadow remains. As can be expected, there have been times when this has backfired and it has cost the Chapter dearly. On one particular occasion the Chapter allied with the elusive Eldar, whose Craftworld was hastening through their space to fulfill its own enigmatic objectives even as a tide of Orks descended on the system. Whatever the Eldar sought, it appeared they could not afford a long campaign against the green horde, and offered to aid the Sons of Unity in cleansing their home system. The Eldar, following their own unintelligible battle plans, were nearly impossible to coordinate with and despite successfully putting down the Ork threat, the companies involved suffered heavy losses. When Sergeants of the Sons of Unity attempted to detain the Eldar after the battle for debriefing, they were cut down as the Craftworld sought to continue its mad pace out of the system. In retribution the then Chapter Master, Davian Androssen, engaged the Eldar navy and cut a swathe to the Craftworld itself. Eventually the Eldar escaped with their fleet all but decimated, but not before again inflicting painful casualties on Unity forces and subjecting more marines to the Sleeping Death. Androssens masterful maneuvers with the fleet earned him the nickname Admiral among the locals. At the same time, systems belonging to other nearby xenos faction, and even former allies, began to foolishly entertain ideas of expansion. The danger posed prevented the Chapter from pursuing full justice on the Eldar. The efforts of the local xenos were eventually halted by Unity QRFs, and in the atmosphere of bloodlust, certain voices within the Chapter called for the exterminatus of these lesser races, but Androssen would not permit an action that would completely extinguish a race without an edict from the High Lords of Terra themselves. Admiral Androssens fame spread throughout fleets and navies in nearby sectorsbut his authority within the Chapter was irreparably cracked. It wasnt long before Androssen stepped down, but his legacy continues to be felt as the Sons of Unity became markedly more adept at employing Thunderhawk formations after transposing the his tactics.The consequences of the Eldar incident and the xenos incursions that followed were the defining challenges of the next Chapter Masters career. Despite being relatively new to the Veteran Company, Brother Kahoku, another very skilled void strategist, was elevated to lead the Sons of Unity. Special Hatred of Chaos (Reapers) Mistrust of Successor Chapter Home World Rho is an ocean hive world the Dominion of Storms, roughly between Tangar and Jhenna. There are a few small landmasses composed only of bare rock, and from and around the largest of these are the hive cities created. Contrary to most hives, the more luxurious portions(Or what passes for it among the spartan Rhoans) are deeper in the rock, beneath the waves, and include many transparisteel halls and rooms branching out into the deep, some of which are actually quite ornate. Above these, just out of reach of the tides and waves are the usual manufactorums and industrial districts, with the higher portions of the hives dominated by defensive bastions. On and below the water's surface the Rhoans employ gargantuan craft that house, train, and deploy their military forces. The largest of these constitute mobile planetary defense platforms whose ability to disappear beneath the sea have made the planet quite a fortress in its hostile sector. Indeed, all of Rhos most vital tech, its leadership, and most Sons of Unity facilities are hidden beneath the planets oceans. The Fortress Monastery of the Chapter is known as the Valley Citadel. The only valleys on the planet are the underwater trenches, and it is in the widest of these that the bulk of the Citadel is housed. Protected from direct attack by melta-type depth charges and torpedo emplacements, and guarded against indirect approach by one of the planets defense platforms and a suite of early warning and targeting systems housed on Rhos moon, there are few better defended strongholds for lightyears. The Apothecarion is separated from the Monastery, making use of multiple of the Rhoans submarine housing craft to stay spread out and hidden among the many other trenches crisscrossing the ocean floor. Rho is not without mysteries of its own, though. Artifacts have been uncovered in a number of places beneath the surface indicating that the system, or at least the planet was inhabited long before the humans' first arrival, though any actual record of a civilization has yet to be discovered. Recruitment All recruiting for the Sons of Unity is done on Rho, though it isn't required that recruits be native. The other systems in the Alliance frequently send children of Imperial Guardsmen to the planet for teaching and training, and these have the same opportunity to become recruits, though they must pass the same stringent tests to do so. While not always as successful as the native children of Rho, all the worlds of the Alliance have provided valuable lifeblood to the Chapter over the millennia. Gone Fishing Its said that the current Master of the Arsenal, Urdnos Rex, was confronted by a deep sea Parauc-Uda as he descended. Long, lithe monsters whose throats are lined with teeth as keen as a chainswords, and maws large enough to engulf a marine whole, they are the dominant predators on the planet, only hunted by the humans when they become a danger to their ships. If record is to be believed, Rex escaped the creatures first lunge and destroyed one of its eyes with his stone. Leaving the writhing beast to finish his task, the great fish came after him, catching up as he laid hands on the gauntlet. A deadly dance ensued as Rex retreated towards land and air while the Parauc continued to strike and harass him. Meters from the surface the beast made one final lunge at the very moment Rex discovered the use of the omni-blade contained in the gauntlet which he used to spear the predator through the other eye. That Rex returned to the surface with a dead Parauc-Uda in tow is indisputable, and he frequently makes himself present at trials to tell the tale. The process is grueling, as with any other Space Marine recruitment programme, and plays largely into the world's ocean surface. A common test sends the recruits to one of the few beaches on the planet with a more or less steady descent rather than a drop off, and entrusting each with a stone large enough only to weigh them down. Stripped of any equipment or protection, they are required to navigate along the sea floor, allowed to return only after retrieving a relic of the Chapter placed there for the purpose of the test. Participants are frequently forced to defend themselves from the marauding ocean life using only the boulder given them and their wits, or if the recruit is fortunate enough to be making the return journey, he may taste the might of the Astartes using the power armor gauntlet each successful aspirant must retrieve, equipped with the digital weapons unique to Unity Marines. Successful initiates join the Scout company for a minimum tour of ten years, during which they are exposed to the doctrines of the other specialist companies and assessed for transfer. Combat Doctrine Sons of Unity warfare is, naturally, cooperative warfare, units and brothers working in close coordination with one another to dismantle a threat. To speed the process along, the Chapter employs swift strikes, often by surprise and tends to use more force than is generally deemed necessary. This doctrine stems from the old maritime actions of the Rhoans, where a victorious battle depended on the speed with which a force could bring to bear its armaments, or, if possible, a surprise maneuver on the open water. To these ends the Sons of Unity make extensive use of their Assault Marines and advance their Tactical squads using Rhinos. There is a high proportion of vehicles in the Sons' companies as is common amongst Dorns successors, simply because those marines who are native Rhoans are well adapted to being inside a plasteel shell with a deck of some kind beneath their feet, and are well known for their attunement to a vehicle's machine spirit. Ranged and armored combat is preferred by the Sons, though the importance of hand-to-hand is not lost on them. As skilled tacticians, Unity Marines recognize that the best application of a close assault is to wipe out an enemy unit already withered by concentrated fire. The combined arms of tactical squads and ranged heavy support of devastator squads have a valuable place in every applicable Sons strategy. The principle shortcoming of the Chapter's combat operations, at least as viewed by outsiders, is how easily they allow those operations to be interrupted by extractions and rescue missions. Every marine of the Sons of Unity is loathe to leave a fallen brother behind; to do so is more than a dishonor to a fallen comrade, but to his squad, his company, and tantamount to friendly fire in severity. Preservation of troops is favorable to noble last stands, a philosophy adopted as much from the Shadow Wolves as the Rhoans for whom it has historically been considered an act of the highest depravity to leave someone, even an enemy, to drown in the ocean's waves. Rarely are Unity tactics applied to pitched warfare. Instead, commanding officers are expected to analyze every combat situation when possible to determine the best approach and timing for a precision attack, and the Chapter is not above well placed ambushes or small team infiltrations, though these must be performed by Scouts. Plans are made based on an ideal force size, and then usually a smaller secondary detachment is added to provide backup. Among the Sons, those functionaries frequently referred to in other chapters as serfs often include high ranking military officers and strategists from Rhos upper echelons, who volunteer service, often permanently. Their roles vary from simply receiving and prioritizing orders and requests from the surrounding systems and Terra, to occasionally even aiding in the strategic planning of attacks. Organization Current Chapter Master: Atlas Shepard Masters/Company Captains: Master of Sanctity: Thane Krios- As devout a Chaplain as can be found in such a dark galaxy, Thane lives for his brothers. He ensures that penances are not only paid, but that every marine understands that any sacrifice they make is of no consequence if it is not in the service of the Emperor and His people. If its not a suicide mission Here, The Forge Masters finger highlighted a part of the Tau ship below the engines, Its an emergency induction port, meant to deliver coolant to the reactors should they go critical, though it should be empty right now. Talius explained. The glowing orange halo of his servo-skull adjutant dimmed as it let the hologram flicker and fade, and when Zorah spoke again the Chapter Master was sure he heard a smile in his voice, Time it right and youll get in undetectedjust behind their battlesuit deployment bays. Forge Master: Talius Zorah- Forge Master Zorah is among the most proficient engineers in the Imperium, said to be able to assemble almost any piece of STC equipment, even tanks, without the aid of a template. With an extensive knowledge of the workings of multiple ship classes, both Imperial and Xenos, Zorahs expertise has proved a valuable tactical resource on many occasions. Apothecarion: Mordin Solus - Chief Apothecary Solus rarely leaves Rho, and is almost always at work with his prot

Indicies Partialus This a collection of semi-formalized concepts for Chapters that haven't yet evolved into full IA's, but for whom I would still like to paint a model or two, and so I felt worth sharing. Even though they won't immediately be developed, feedback is still quite welcome. Contents: Emerald Crests Baal Pythons Children of the Skull Chapter Datafile: Emerald Crests (aka the Hikiri) Primary Data Founding 4th Progenitor Legion Dark Angels Known Descendants Emerald Scions [Lost] Homeworld Delta-Nu Farore Allegiance Loyalist Notable History A highly secretive Chapter, even for the Unforgiventhe Emerald Crests now keep to themselves because they have no other choice. Once a ceaselessly crusading Chapter, the system they call home in the Kiri subsector has become pockmarked by warp storms that make navigating in or out of the sub-sector nigh impossible, rendering the Chapter almost immobile, and largely forgotten. They maintain deep ties to their homeworld, where they are known by the natives as the Hikiri, or Men of the Star Forest. What Imperial contact has been made with them in recent years tells that they spend most of their efforts fortifying and defending the homeworld from the constant chaotic incursions caused by the seething warp in the region, and go to great lengths to keep the knowledge of this evil from the natives. Any admonishment or request to aid other sectors is denied with the repeated claims of the desperate need to protect an artifact on the homeworld. What this artifact might be is unknown. For millennia they have trusted only one marine at a time, always a Captain, with their hunt for the Fallen. Becoming mere legend on the Homeworld and in the Chapter, his name is ritually removed from Chapter records. The mandate of this lone warrior includes aiding any fellow Astartes in need throughout his quest, and the only other law by which he lives is that he never use his name again, and it is common for these chosen marines to refer to themselves as Links to the Kiri. Each piece of gear and armor, as well as his weapons are heirlooms of the Chapter, of origins unknown. Perhaps most important among these is the Servo-skull that records the deeds of every Link for the Librarium of the Crests. Known as Navigator, and suspected indeed to be housed in the skull of a great navigator, the Servo-skull is something of a guide and familiar to the lone avatar. Icon and Colors ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Index Astartes http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b257/alienbastard89/sonspious.png The Sons Pious of Fe Calada Space Marines Chapter Origins Established during the 7th founding, the Sons Pious were formed to crusade through the galactic south central region of the Ultima Segmentum in a broad arc below their home system, and were raised during some of the darkest hours of the early Black Crusades. According to Imperial record, the founding hadn't been underway long when an Ultramarine strike force came upon the Bol system. There were flames across the sector, and none were higher than at Fe Calada, the hive Capital of the subsector. Daemons and Chaos legionairres were rapant over half the planet, and only one of its hive cities still stood. The planetary defense forces had been barely holding for months. The arrival of the Ultramarines was seen as the answering of prayers to the Emperor, and it saved what was left of a planet otherwise condemned to exterminatus; despite the noble efforts of the Space Marines, they were spread thin, and while conventional victory was possible, the cost promised to be high. Here the record mists and embelishments take hold. It is said that as the presiding Master of the Fleet looked down on the last burning hive, hand hovering over the command rune that would seal the planet's fate something appeared on his monitor. At the height of tallest spire a daemon writhed, hurling oily blue flames into the swirling melee below. There was a fluttering movement in the darkness of the arch behind it, and in the next moment a crackling blade erupted from its chest and it was shorn in half. Casting aside the ruined form, a PDF corpsman stepped into the light, planting the banner of Calada for all its defenders to see. The sight stayed the Fleet Master's hand, and despite the staggering losses, the defenders prevailed. When finally the threat was ended, and only the loyal remained, the Caladans and the Ultramarines looked out on bittersweet victory. The Space Marines were needed elsewhere to end the Crusade, but they would not forget the blood spilled for Fe Calada, neither would the Caladans forget the blasphemy of Chaos on their world or the noble sacrifices made there. The reports of the battles were prominent during the founding that followed, and with a recommendation from the Ultramarines a commission went through for a Chapter assigned to Fe Calada. When the Ultramarines returned to the planet, it was as both creditors and benefactors. They came to collect the blood owed the Astartes and the Emperor, but also to gift the Caladans with the power to pursue justice for their crippled world. To the great disappointment of the Astartes at large, the new Chapter retained the Caladans' faith in the God-Emperor, calling themselves the Sons Pious, and were reported as exclaiming, "If we are become the Angels of Death, we can only serve a God!" Home World Fe Calada was once a a brilliant example of Imperial might, a veritable jewel in the crown of the Imperium. Though it endured harrowing trials during the Heresy and the age that followed, it survived, along with many of its sister systems in neihboring sub-sectors. Emerging from the Heresy, the bright and glorious halls of the Emperor's time were dimmed, but by no means lost. The Caladans rebuilt their world, sure that the God-Emperor would protect them such heresy in the future. The faith they'd had for centuries kept them, strengthend them...until they were undone from within. It's unclear when or how, and the Caladans claim it came from offworld, but at some point a cult appeared in the dark, and not of the Emperor. Over the course of many years it festered and grew, but was careful never to pierce the light. It's a mystery how it was coordinated, but in a single day ten thousand Caladans were massacred, sacrificed to create a warp rift that rendered a fifth of the planet uninhabitable for more than seven thousand years down to the present. The warp disgorged a host of Tallomin's demons, and traitor Astartes with them. The bloodshed that followed led to the creation of the Sons Pious, but Fe Calada was left an irrevocable husk of its former glory. Its hives crumbled, and desolate, many of its inhabitants mutated beyond humanity. Most of these disappeared into hiding during the war, but have since emerged into the urban wasteland that remains as a plague on the human Caladans. With only their faith to cling to, they continue to fight for their world and the God-Emperor. The Sons Pious have never intervened, nor do the Caladans want them to. They few their fight for survival as penance, and the Pious view it as a forge for worthy recruits. In the rubble of the once great hive Paolus Santium lies the Morumbi, the only thing unbroken on the planet, and the Fortress Monastry of the Sons Pious. The great wall surrounding it was built only to ward off the mutants, as the natives maintain a respectful distance from their guardians at all times. The Morumbi is a huge ellipse, and fortified to withstand the most intense of seiges, whether groundside or orbital. In its center is great arena where the Chapter conducts its live fire exercises. Beneath that is the Librarium, from which the Chapter's scribes and Librarian's rarely leave and where the Chapter's records are meticulously maintained and religiously guarded. Another level down are the Tombs of the Angels, where the ashes of the fallen are kept under cerimonial guard. The Chapter armory isn't large, but it is well maintained and serves its purpose. The force that maintains the Morumbi is small, largely Chapter serfs, the vast majority of both Battle and Reserve companies deployed at any given time. Combat Doctrine The Pious are generally adherents to the Codex where tactica are concerned, with a preference for ranged combat. Favoring the tradional patterns of weapons, war machines and tactics, they also make extensive use of their reserve companies, continuously maintaining fresh troops on the front lines. The Chapter fleet is relatively small, maintaining just enough ships to deploy however necessary, but the Sons Pious prefer ground combat and rely on the fleet only to deliver them as swiftly as possible to the enemy. Uncommonly for a Chapter of Astartes, the Sons Pious exel at pitched warfare rather than the rapid strike ops Space Marine forces usually deploy for. They will frequently entrench alongside local PDF forces and fight for extended periods to accomplish not only their own mission, but to see to the success of the local forces as well. Organization Every tactical squad is a close group that is rarely separated. As a result, even more than in other Astartes formations, a Pious tactical squad is only as strong as its weakest link, making purity of body and mind of the utmost importance. Squads are thus carefully organized so that the strengths of its members compliment the inevitable flaws that still tie them to humanity. A unique feature of the Sons Pious organization is the fluidity of its command structure. No position of leadership within the Chapter is considered permanent, regardless of how long the marine in question may live. Even the Chapter Master has been absorbed back into the ranks on three occasions, another chosen to carry the mantle after, and Captains change with even greater frequency. Because so many marines, even the youngest among them, have leadership experience the Chapter frequently contributes members to the Deathwatch. The current Chapter Master, Tele Santana has led the Chapter for four centuries. Due to its fighting style the Sons Pious haven't been able to grow past eight full companies since their first campaign as a full Chapter. Beliefs The Caladans were and are strict adherents to the Imperial Creed, even despite the horror inflicted on their world, and despite the young age of Space Marine recruits, they are already thoroughly indoctrinated when chosen. The belief in the God-Emperor has made the concept of Space Marines as Angels of Death more than idea to the Sons Pious. They recognize the Saints of the Imperium, and consider them as the epitome of humankind, but to be elevated to a Space Marine is to surpass humanity. The Pious only recognize their own remaining flaws as post-humans as inevitable. Only the God-Emperor could be perfect. After the progenoids are extrated from a fallen marine, he is cremated inside his armor, the ashes entombed in the depths of the fortress monastry, the Angel believed to have returned to his God. On rotations back to Calada marines frequently spend time meditating in the tombs, believing that their brothers and ancestors can guide them and prepare them for the wars still to come. Gene-seed Thus far the only genetic anomaly among the Sons Pious is the failure of the Neuroglittis. This lost tracking capability has fortified the Chapter's preference for open, pitched war. Battle-cry With the fury of Saints and Angels! Salve Imperio! Raised as Counter (Chaos Corinthans) 1st Chapter Master Squad Sergeant of parent Chapter Imperial Glory deed of legend (excommunication of Corinthians) Feral Homeworld; Urban (Ruined) Distant Rulers Navigator associations/hate CSM

WAR 'TIL DEATH: THE STEEL DOGS CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE STEEL DOGS FOUNDING: .................. 8TH [M.34] CHAPTER WORLD: ............. KELL FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ CAVES OF CANEM GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... IMPERIAL FISTS KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... NONE We are the Emperor’s hounds, to lie at the Emperor’s feet – Commander Simeon Ward, On Fealty The Steel Dogs were created in the Eighth Founding to serve as part of the Astartes Praeses on the northern border of the Eye of Terror. Greatly honored by such an important responsibility being granted to them, the fledgling chapter took their duties as a sacred charge from the Emperor. They saw their mission and even their home world as sanctified by Him on Earth - the Emperor had shown them the way and given them the tools to carry out His word, and they worked ceaselessly to be worthy of such an honour. Over the centuries and millennia following the chapter's founding, reports returned to Terra of pirate bands hunted down, heretical covens rooted out, and Chaos raids driven off in ferocious space battles. On dozens of worlds, the Steel Dogs died so that the people of the Imperium might live in safety, each of them thanking the Emperor for the opportunity to fall in His service and that of humanity. They dedicated themselves to serving the Imperium and its people, and their dedication was rewarded with victories and accolades. The chapter's home world of Kell was their particular pride. Though many chapters would have remade the world in their own image, the Steel Dogs recognized that the planet had endured the corrupting forces of Chaos for millennia without ill effect. Any world which could do so when the Eye of Terror loomed in its sky could hardly be anything other than pure. Indeed, being entrusted with such a prize was an honour to the chapter as much as to the planet. The Steel Dogs thus trusted that the Emperor's benevolence would guide Kell, as in the centuries before they arrived. They founded their Fortress-Monastery in tunnels on Kell's moon, Avren, and interacted with the planet only in emergencies or when recruiting. The Astartes Praeses are the watchmen on the walls of the Imperium, and the the Steel Dogs were ever-conscious of the responsibilities of their position. Other chapters have the freedom to pursue glory, to seek out enemies, and to embrace the challenge of the fight, but the Astartes Praeses have no such luxury - at least, not in the minds of the Steel Dogs. The proper place of a Steel Dog was to die defending the Imperium from those who would do it harm, not to win glory and honor and a place in history. This belief was reflected in the chapter's recruitment, and where other chapters took the greatest warriors from their home worlds, the Steel Dogs took those whose strength lay in their humility and dedication to duty. While these policies served the chapter well for many centuries, the Steel Dogs eventually noticed that their recruitment intake was declining. Where once they might have taken a hundred aspirants, they would now take fifty - and those numbers were sinking ever lower. It soon became clear that while the recruits were as physically strong and capable as before, their spiritual strength was lacking. The tests of character and morality which ensured that only the worthy and the pure became Space Marines of the Emperor were as effective as ever - it was the people who had changed. These weaknesses did not stem from the tendrils of Chaos - the people of Kell had not abandoned the Emperor. The population had simply turned away from the self-sacrifice, humility, and strength of spirit the chapter demanded. Boys longed to be Space Marines so that they could earn glory and be mighty warriors, not so they could serve the Emperor and protect Mankind. They wished to be masters, not servants. Steel Dogs by slaine69 The chapter was disturbed by this. The people of Kell had seemingly abandoned the Emperor-sanctified ideals by which the chapter lived. Debate raged over what to do. To intervene in the lives of the population was unthinkable - morality imposed would be no morality at all. It was impossible to abandon their home world for another - it would be a stain on their honor, a violation of the duty with which the Emperor had charged them. To reward weakness by taking those not worthy of being Space Marines would be an even greater stain. But something had to be done. With heavy hearts, the Steel Dogs resolved that if the weakness of the people was all there was, then that was what they would use. In the chapter's next recruitment cycle things were different. The tests of morality and purity were gone. All those who were strong enough, quick enough and deadly enough were welcomed into the Scout Company. The chapter took more recruits in one cycle than they had in the previous three. The successful aspirants were rewarded with feasts and celebration lasting almost a month, before beginning the process of becoming a Space Marine. A full five years later, the Tenth Company’s Strike Cruiser slipped into orbit above a small, feudal world whose name has since been lost to time. Battle-hardened, the Scouts aboard were now stronger, faster, and more deadly than any normal man. The Captain of the Tenth assembled them in the hold of their Strike Cruiser, where he exhorted them with tales of their victories and of the triumphs they had won. He told them that as a sign of the Emperor’s trust in his new Space Marines, the planet below would belong to them for the next month, for it had been lax in its service to the Imperium. It was up to the new Steel Dogs to instruct the population in the proper duties of an Imperial subject. They would receive the final surgeries to activate their Black Carapaces over the next three days, and on the fourth day they would descend to the world below to show the people what it meant to be a Space Marine. That night, as each Marine lay on the cold tables of the Apothecarion, Librarians of the chapter probed their minds, showing them visions of the world below, and whispering questions in their minds of being a Space Marine of the Steel Dogs truly meant. Primed by their Captain's two-edged exhortations, the recruits' answers varied - some dreamed of meditation and training, some of debauchery and vice, and all too many of violence, dominion and murder. Only a few dreamed of service and the stalwart defense of those who cannot defend themselves. When the new Space Marines woke from their surgeries, they were irrevocably divided into two groups. Those few who chose to defend the people rose as normal Space Marines, the Angels of Death who are humanity's most capable guardians. Many were not so blessed. They found that their will was no longer their own - arcane devices buried within their skulls and the strictest of chemical conditioning now kept them firmly under the control of their officers. For their sins, they were to be condemned to an eternity trapped within their own minds, released only to fight the enemies of the Imperium. They would never ascend the ranks, only serve and die for the chapter and Mankind, faceless giants in power armor bound to the will of their commanders. Such was the punishment for those who sought power for themselves, and not for the service of the Emperor and his people. Such is the punishment today. Organisation A true son of the Emperor does not need to be told to do what is right – he knows. And those who do not must be punished for their ignorance. –Captain Thaddeus Fetladral Though the Steel Dogs' new recruitment methods granted them an influx of new soldiers, it required adjustments in the methods of the chapter. Originally, the Steel Dogs favored relatively subtle battle plans, relying on deception, surprise, ingenuity and any manner of other dishonorable tactics to counter the often superior numbers of Chaotic forces. The chapter was less concerned with immediate glory than with their greater duty to defend the Imperium and contain the forces of Chaos within the Eye of Terror. The damnati, as those who fail the final test are known, are mistrusted and viewed with contempt. Since they are not promoted (or even seen as competent by some commanders), the chapter thus has a correspondingly smaller pool from which to draw its specialists and officers, and the Steel Dogs have modified their tactics to compensate both for this and for the perceived unreliability of the majority of their troops. The chapter's battle plans still use their original tactics where possible, but they are often forced to rely on the massed infantry of the damnati and use their subtler stratagems as complements to that hammer blow. Methods of utilising the damnati on the battlefield often bear a marked resemblance to the older combat styles of the Space Marine Legions, the methods of which are still contained within the Codex Astartes. Where modern Marines rely on extremes of skill and precision, the ancient Legions relied as much on weight of numbers and excessive firepower. It is these tactics the Steel Dogs have been forced to embrace. Supplementing direct confrontation with their traditional subtler strategies has allowed the Steel Dogs to continue to engage larger Traitor formations, but the Battle Companies are almost constantly reinforced by elements from the Reserve Companies in order to provide the necessary numbers to support such directness. This has spread the Chapter thin across their areas of responsibility, and they now endure a frenetic pace attempting to deal with the increasing number of threats with correspondingly reduced resources. The command staff of the Steel Dogs have become relatively inexperienced due to the smaller cadre from which they can be drawn. The chapter does its best to ensure that all receive superlative instruction to compensate for this, and much of that education involves the specialized art of commanding the damnati. One of the first things Steel Dog officers learn is how to phrase orders so the damnati do what the officer intends – and, perhaps more importantly, so they do not do what the officer does not intend. There have been several occasions in the chapter’s history where poorly phrased orders have granted the damnati license to turn their weapons on their officers - and the damnati have done so. The presence of the damnati has also provoked several formal organisational changes from the chapter's prior methods. First, the damnati are not granted the formal rank of Brother - instead, they are simply Marines, and are only addressed as such. Captain Esca Blackblood, Lord of the Second, Seneschal of Devlin Captain Esca Blackblood is unique among the Steel Dogs. As leader of the Second Company, his service has been exemplary. But it is his origin that makes him singular – Esca is the only officer in the Chapter who failed the test of morals at the end of his tenure as a Scout. For seven years, Esca served as a damnati in Josen’s Squad of the Second Company. When holding an isolated village outpost during the campaign on Garibaldi’s World Sergeant Josen and his deputy, Brother Shepherd, were both killed by Eldar raiders. Conventional wisdom in the Chapter would have it that a squad of damnati left leaderless should be forced to follow their last orders until finally relieved – Josen’s Squad should have been annihilated. Instead, Esca took command. Seizing his dead Sergeant’s comm array, Blackblood coordinated the defense of the village and its people, then lead a counterstrike against the raider base in the nearby wastelands. Though many of the Eldar escaped into the Webway, the destruction of the Webway gate left Garibaldi’s World safe from the Eldar, and concluded the campaign successfully. Victory was sweet, but the dilemma of the victorious Esca Blackblood was a difficult one for the Chapter. Though skill at arms is no sign of the moral capacity to be a true servant of the Emperor, Blackblood had gone out of his way to ensure that the village under his squad’s protection was exposed to as little danger as possible. Furthermore, it became evident upon inspection that his various control implants had all become almost completely non-functional. Esca had done what his duty to the Emperor demanded without compulsion. In light of these circumstances, Esca was reluctantly confirmed as a sergeant. Despite the nervous view taken of him by the Chapter command staff, casualties among his superiors and skill at command saw the young sergeant rise to captain soon enough. Blackblood’s skill and frequently demonstrated dedication to the good of the Imperium have caused some in the Chapter to whisper concerns that the Chapter’s methods of selection may be prone to error. However, none have yet dared to air these concerns publicly. In the mean time, the Second Company and its captain serve the Emperor with strength and purity equal to that of any other company of the Steel Dogs. Second, the chapter's First Company now serves as Field Police, with a squad seconded to each Captain of the chapter at all times. They serve to watch over the damnati and provide each Company with a contingent of reliable and capable soldiers to execute difficult missions and serve as bodyguards and support if necessary. This has resulted in the First Company no longer fighting as a cohesive formation - its banner has hung furled in the Fortress-Monastery for centuries, and its various ceremonial posts are rarely filled. Third, the chapter's Scout Company remains quite separate from the Battle Companies. Scouts do not speak to full Marines other than their officers, and the company rarely deploys alongside other chapter forces. This is intended to keep the Scouts from becoming aware of the moral test which lies ahead of them, and so far has proved successful. Instead of supporting other companies, the Scouts serve to deal with situations that are not worth the commitment of full Marines, deploying in a fashion and circumstances similar to that of the regular companies. Finally, the chapter's rank structure now includes several deputies and redundancies, such as the resurrection of the position of Lieutenant, which attempt to alleviate some of the difficulties inherent in the chapter's officers' relative lack of experience. The chapter's Cult has evolved greatly over time. Initially dedicated to the Emperor as creator of the Imperium and of the Space Marines, the ever-present threat of Chaos has clarified in the chapter's mind the perfection of what the Emperor wrought. Equally, the tendrils of the Great Enemy have warned the chapter of the dangers of even seemingly-innocent changes to doctrine. Within a few centuries of their founding, the chapter had become firmly convinced of two things - the perfection of the Emperor and that which He had sanctified with His approval, and the danger of change, which all too often serves as first innocuous entrance of Chaos. Many Dornian successors are conservative by nature, and many fervent in their devotion to the Emperor, but the Steel Dogs have become unusually so, especially as the lights of the Imperium grow ever dimmer and more twisted dark forces spill forth from the Eye of Terror. The damnati have, if anything, driven the chapter further in this direction, as the changes they force triggers an instinctive defense of the chapter's other doctrines. Some Imperial observers have expressed surprise that the chapter chose to create the damnati rather than die with honor, but this overlooks the third principle which drives the Steel Dogs - their dedication to their duty as part of the Astartes Praeses. The chapter sees that duty as a personal charge from the Emperor, and as time has gone by and their fervency grown, so has their willingness to do anything, sacrifice anything, destroy anything, so long as their duty is fulfilled and the Imperium kept safe. The damnati do not represent an abandonment of the chapter's beliefs - only demonstrate the extent to which the chapter will compromise those things they hold dear to protect that which is even more important. SELECTED BATTLES "My strength is as the strength of ten, for my heart is pure. My strength is as the strength of a hundred, because they did not see me coming. It is better to sacrifice personal honor and win, than sacrifice the honor of the chapter by losing." – Captain Esca Blackblood Esca Blackblood by slaine69 The Etherway Engagement [274.M37] The Dark Eldar are one of the most vicious enemies humanity has ever faced. Though others match them for capability, few match them for sadism. When their presence was reported in the Arc-Royal system but no raiding took place upon the system's planets, the Steel Dogs' Fourth Company was sent to investigate. Though it took several weeks, eventually a chapter scout ship discovered what had drawn the Dark Eldar forces to the area. The system's cometary cloud held a Dark Age of Technology colony ship, the Etherway, almost impenetrably armored and still inhabited. Even barely functional, these ships are still valued prizes for the Adeptus Mechanicus, and their inhabitants often make excellent recruits for the Imperial Guard, Marine chapters, or, if nothing else, the ranks of a local Forge World's servitors. The Dark Eldar were still searching for a way in when the Steel Dogs came upon them. Though the chapter managed to drive off the raider's ships, many Dark Eldar remained on the hull of the massive station. The chapter was not yet experienced in the use of the damnati, and so the operation's commander ordered his Marines into a prolonged hunt across the surface of the structure. Its baroque design and the lack of gravity made the prenaturally quick and subtle Dark Eldar even more dangerous than usual. Though the damnati served the chapter well in the battle across the Etherway's surface, standing firm where even other Space Marines might have hesitated, their tenacity was tempered by inflexibility. The damnati could beat the Dark Eldar - until their officers fell, when they would be surrounded, outmaneuvered, and destroyed. Eventually, they were ordered to open areas on the Etherway's hull. The Strike Cruisers then raked remainder of the colony ship's surface with their point defense systems. Though not dangerous to full warships, these weapons were more than sufficient to eliminate the remaining Dark Eldar raiders. Though the Dark Eldar were annihilated, many of the damnati and their officers lay dead. The Chapter's high command took stock of this, and the Steel Dogs' tactical principles were revised, trying to balance the need to face dangerous and subtle enemies with the inflexibility of the damnati. In many ways, each battle the chapter has faced since has reflected this - where the commander finds this balance, the Steel Dogs triumph. Where he fails, so do they. The Battle of Thrycross [698.M38] Triumphs are rare in the histories of the Astartes Praeses. Far more common are pyrrhic victories, desperate last stands, and the crushing of rebellions which flare up again as soon as the Space Marines have departed. Though it is the Black Crusades which draw the attention of Imperial historians and responses from across the Imperium, the raids and isolated attempts at conquest of various Chaos warbands are a constant thorn in the side of the Imperial forces that defend the Eye of Terror. One of these conquest attempts involved the warband of Khulloth Von Strang, a Slaaneshi prince who had marauded, debauched and depopulated his way through half the outer worlds of the Thrycross system before the Steel Dogs' Fifth Company arrived. The two forces met in battle on Thrycross itself, a maze of chasms and caverns, and a running battle raged through them. The Fifth Company had begun the battle understrength and without their usual supporting elements, and the deceptive wiles of the Slaaneshi adherents proved capable of overcoming even the powerful conditioning of the damnati. A handful even attempted to turn their weapons on their officers, though most simply collapsed into catatonia or robotically followed their last orders. Still, the confusion this engendered in the ranks proved fatal to the coordination of the various elements of the Steel Dogs’ assault. Though they dealt fearsome casualties to the Chaotic warband, they were driven back toward Thycross' capital. Finally, Lieutenant Takeshi St. Veir, the surviving senior officer, ordered the remainder of the company to retreat to the capital, remaining behind to challenge the members of the warband to single combat in a large canyon outside the capital. The Lieutenant was slightly surprised when six of the Chaotic Champions accepted his challenge. Though he defeated the first three, the poison of their weapons and the foul emanations of Chaos slowly broke his strength, and the blade of the fourth separated his head from his shoulders. However, even before his lifeless body had slumped into the dust, the walls of the canyon erupted in fire and smoke, and avalanches buried all but a few members of the warband. The remainder of the PDF had planted charges throughout the canyon while the Steel Dogs fought the warband, and the death of St. Veir triggered them, annihilating Von Strang's forces - including Von Strang himself. The surviving handful of Chaotic warriors were easy pickings for the PDF and the remainder of the Fifth Company. Though it cost them greatly, the Steel Dogs had discharged their duty as Astartes Praeses. The Battle of Port David [143.M40] The world of Port David lies near the edge of the Eye of Terror, and assaults upon it were frequent. When the Steel Dogs' Third Company responded to a distress call from Port David, they were expecting something unusual, as Chaos so often provides, and they were not disappointed. Most assaults on Port David came from offworld, but the most recent assault had been coupled with several of the planet's nation-states siding with Chaos. While some strife between the various constituent nations of the planet was not uncommon, this was unprecedented. Equally odd were the tactics and methods of their opponent - Grand Captain Inquis Longtooth, who led a force of surprisingly well-trained and equipped Beastmen reinforced by elite Chaos Space Marines. The battles at Port David were studied by the chapter for a thousand years afterward. Captain Phelan Aeacid of the Third was perhaps the brightest tactical mind the chapter had seen, and Longtooth a canny opponent. Longtooth’s forces outnumbered the Marines by hundreds to one, and massed ground attacks should have been suicidal. But Aeacid moved his forces as though they were ghosts, using his air superiority to move his troops from deployment to deployment, always striking where the enemy was weakest. Enemy maneuvering encountered minefields and booby-traps. Small squads mimicked conventional Space Marine tactics while larger forces massed elsewhere. If the enemy was foolish enough to respond, the massed force struck the remaining enemy troops and broke them. Though not as flexible as other marines, the superior forces the Steel Dogs could bring to bear meant that wherever they struck they were victorious. Longtooth’s forces bled, but so did Aeacid’s. Each battle cost soldiers that could not be replaced, and the Port David PDF was virtually useless, fractured with suspicion and mistrust in the wake of the initial uprisings. Indeed, Imperial analysts have since questioned whether Chaos corruption was not responsible for much of this intransigence. Regardless of its cause, the result was that the Steel Dogs were poorly supported against a much larger force, whose numbers seemed to be eternally swelled by traitorous locals, eager to win plunder in the service of the Dark Gods. Though they managed to drive Longtooth's forces back into their friendly cities, Aeacid decided that the only solution to their dilemma was to strike those enemy cities that lacked effective garrisons, in hopes of sparking rebellion and discord within the enemy's ranks, and (if nothing else could be done) depriving the enemy of their base of support by destroying city infrastructure and forcing Longtooth to either lose support or dedicate resources to maintaining them. In the confusion that would result, the Steel Dogs might be able to get the upper hand. Likewise, a strike against their former allies would revitalize the PDF. Unfortunately, things proceeded badly. Aeacid was killed by a sniper almost immediately upon entering the city. Most of the PDF was slaughtered, and those who were not either surrendered or switched sides. The remaining Steel Dogs quickly realized that the situation was untenable, and withdrew, but several squads of damnati were left behind in the city. Local intelligence sources later reported seeing some of those same damnati serving as lieutenants in Longtooth's forces. Though the Third Company did its best to salvage the situation, all but one of the cities surrendered to Longtooth, most without even a token fight. The Third oversaw the evacuation of the last city's population offplanet, then withdrew themselves, leaving Port David in the hands of Longtooth and Chaos. Steel Dogs by Greyall * * * Hauled out of the Legio Imprint, both for my own convenience and because the files are down for a little while. Feedback welcome. Greyall's image was unfortunately omitted because the article's not really long enough to fit it.