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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.

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.

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!

The Cogger Hive Guard are the Astra Militarum regiments that hail from the industrial hive world of Cogger. Primarily recruited from the planet's factory workers that fail to uphold their industrial quotes or from the most incorrigible hive gangers, these recruits are rounded up by the hive cities local Adeptus Arbites and forced to undergo neural-conditioning. After being "programmed" with the necessary knowledge and skills needed, they are inducted into the ranks of the Cogger Hive Guard. Cogger Hive Guard The PDF of the Hive World Cogger are made from those factory workers that don’t meet quota or particularly troublesome Gangers arrested by the Arbites, they then go through a variation of mind wipe and are implanted with new memories and training and are used to protect the great Hive Cities. The most promising of these mind-wiped PDF are formed into the regiments of the Cogger Hive Guard. Cogger Hive Guardsmen undergo a variation of mind wiping known as Neural Programming provided by Mjorn Techpriests that is for the mass use of training their soldiers. A subject endures multiple sessions in a Neural Programming tank where they were "programmed" with knowledge and skills needed for the desired occupation. Cogger Hive Guard commanders preferred "obedient" over "improvisational" and use of Neural Programmed soldiers possessing little or no initiative a fodder for the grinding wheels of the Imperial wars. These Cogger Hive Guard are known for the Line Infantry, Armored, and Mechanized Infantry Regiments they produce from the foundries and factories of the Hives on the planet Cogger. Cogger also produces a small number of Penal Legions of those that resist Neural Programming but fill up the over flowing prisons of the Arbites. Those workers who commit minor offenses are given neural programming to quickly render them combat capable and to ensure obedience, at the cost of some of their memories, prior skills, personality, and initiative. They are led by non-programmed officers drawn from the nobility that runs the massive Factorum-Cities. These soldiers form the PDF of Cogger, which are under the direct command of the Planetary Governor, as well as forming the bulk of forces seconded to the Imperium as part of Cogger's Tithe, in the form of Cogger Hive Guard Mechanized Regiments. The second kind of regiment is the Cogger Hive Guard Armored Regiment. Using the Leman Russ Exterminator as it's primary vehicle, it is one of the most common Leman Russ variants, and although it surrenders the ability to effectively combat enemy armour, it is an extremely effective anti-infantry vehicle. The Leman Russ Exterminator is capable of laying down a withering hail of fire. The Exterminator's Autocannon shells can tear through a lightly armoured chassis as easily as they rip through flesh and bone. Though lacking the long range of some other tank variants, the Leman Russ Exterminator is capable of devastating whole ranks of enemy infantry before they have reached the Astra Militarum lines. The final kind of regiment that is produced is more of a way to get rid of the worst scum of the hives. These individuals are those that resist Neural Programming but are the worst kinds of criminals and heretics the Hives produce. Coming from the various prison facilities that each hive has for those that cross the nobility, the Cogger Hive Penal Legions are massed light Infantry given explosive collars and shock cuffs, are transported as mine sweeper support for the regiments in which Cogger Hives pride themselves on. Also those who have committed greater crimes, rather than taking up space in prisons, are subjected to far more intense levels of neural programming, completely washing away their former selves until the subject is barely more than a servitor. These programmed criminals are then sent to the Legiones Penatante for use as cannon fodder. Regimental Recruitment & Training A significant proportion of the Cogger Hive Guard was manned by "culturally challenged" individuals who had undergone neural programming via brain surgery, implants such as aggression inhibitors, and programming tanks. Counseling and drug therapy were also used to help overcome criminal and/or anti-social tendencies. Despite this source of manpower, it was not always sufficient to replace battlefield losses, and instances of law-abiding persons being conscripted and subjected to "programming" were not unknown. In any case, volunteers are few. Recruits and conscripts considered too scrawny or weak for the Cogger Guard are given steroid and stimulant treatments in order to increase their muscle mass. Criminal recruits were given no R&R time. Regimental Combat Doctrine The Cogger Hive Guard Mechanized Infantry is the Militarum Regimentum of the Astra Militarum that fights as mechanized infantry alongside Chimera and Chimerax armoured personnel carriers in defense of the strategically-located Imperial Hive World of Cogger and its surrounding star systems. Cogger, located in the Segmentum Ultima, is a planet blighted and poisoned by millennia of heavy industrial output, though it is also a major manufacturing centre of Autocannons. In addition, Guardsman from Cogger make fine assault troops for fighting in urban and hive city environments as well as heavy industrial zones, chemical sumps, and other such toxic regions. Their equipment and experience with such acrid environments make them invaluable for trudging through all sorts of polluted or otherwise noxious wastelands, from underhives filled with the toxic residue of ancient atomic generators to ruin-filled swamps rife with hallucinogenic flora, quicksand, and near-invisible pockets of lethal gas.

Liberites! Though I've made a handful of posts since returning to the hobby already, it hasn't quite felt real until preparing to submit an IA again, and it makes me happy to be doing so. While Tau have always been my main army, and I quite enjoyed creating my new force's Index Xenos, no 40k background inspires and excites me as much as that of original Adeptus Astartes chapters, and that goes for the creations of others as much as my own. I'm glad to be involved in the hobby again, and I don't plan on letting it go anytime soon. Anyway, enough from me; for your entertainment: The Depthwatch Edit: A semi-formal pdf version is now available in the downloads section HERE. The Depthwatch Chapter Risen From the Unknown There exists only a small, albeit dedicated, sect of Imperial scholarship that still gives credence to stories of the Depthwatch Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. Though a number of references to marines bearing the armor and heraldry associated with the Depthwatch exist, they are only that: references. No reputable accounts, much less recordings, have been found that would truly confirm that the Chapter existed. It has only been through the sponsorship of a small and relatively insignificant dynasty of Inquisitors that the search for information regarding the Chapter still continues. There is still much debate within their circles, but the majority belief among these scholars and Inquisitors is that the Depthwatch was created during the 24th Founding and came to be stationed in the Segmentum Tempestus, where most of the myths originate, and which aligned with the need for fresh Imperial defenses at the time. It is generally assumed that the Chapter must have restricted itself to patrolling reaches of empty border space, regions that might make tempting openings for xenos incursions. This fits with the few existing records of materiel requisitions to the region for which any notation on the recipients has been lost. Many of those searching for the truth behind the Depthwatch have long held the belief that somewhere in the galaxy, its progenitor may still hold records that would finally solve the puzzle, but between the reticence of many Astartes to allow Inquisitorial interference in their affairs, and the lack of any hint even to what genetic lineage the Depthwatch bore, no search has yet proved fruitful, and the trail has long been cold. The search has recently been rekindled, though, following reports of the bodies of Primaris marines vanishing from the battlefields where they fell, and the strange Astartes that always seem to be present when it happens. The Blasphemous Truth, whispered from tomes in the Black Library Home World It would be a great triumph for those pursuing knowledge of the Depthwatch to ascertain even what might have been their home sector, let alone a home world. In the past the stories and legends attributed to the Chapter have originated in the Segmentum Tempestus, and new attention has been brought to the region as separate forces of multiple space marine chapters, including the Champions Eternal, the Wolfspear, the Moritficators, and the Raven Guard have raised claims of unidentified, but ostensibly loyalist astartes, absconding with the bodies of fallen Primaris marines. With the voice of the Raven Guard involved, more groups within the Inquisition have begun to take interest, while the Champions Eternal have vowed to find and punish the desecrators themselves. Turn the pages. Go deeper. Recruitment Who or where the Depthwatch recruited to their ranks is impossible for Imperial scholars to know, given the much more fundamental questions that they still cannot answer. If some feudal world ever contributed its youth to their ranks, no record of it has been uncovered, though not for lack of trying. Read, mortal, know the truth hidden by the Empyrean. Combat Doctrine Collected myths and songs associated with the Depthwatch paint a picture of a force focused on ambush tactics. Epics, their origins lost to oral tradition, tell of "star sailors" who made use of celestial bodies like asteroid fields and nebulae to strike unexpectedly at invading enemies. More than a few of the tales describe them striking from all directions, always seeking to remove any chance of retreat in order to utterly destroy their foes, rather than simply repel them. That truth is dark should come as no surprise. Organization Like their recruitment methods, the scant information that researchers have gathered over the centuries is not nearly enough to support guesses as to how the Depthwatch was organized. Like knowledge, survival demands sacrifice. Beliefs Occasionally the debates that take place about the chapter broach the subject of their beliefs, more specifically their loyalty, but the discourse is only questions, never answers, and from decade to decade popular opinion sways on whether this lost chapter was traitorous or true. Reality and belief, eternally intertwined. Gene-seed The genetic origin of the Depthwatch is as lost to the Imperium as the rest of the Chapter's history, a subject of endless discussion among the tiny faction of scholars that still defend the Chapters existence. While a few go as far as to try inferring lineage from the scant descriptions of the Chapters character, most others deride anything less than verified genetic data, something that most researchers have given up ever finding. The same seed engenders both truth and lies. Chapter Tactic Warrior Apparitions Unnatural mist and improbable pools of water seed the battlefield moments before the Depthwatch arrives. Their sudden appearance, and the strange occurrences that seem to accompany them keep their enemies off balance until it's too late. When resolving an attack with a ranged weapon against a <Depthwatch> unit more than 12" away, the unit counts as having the benefits of cover. Enemy units within 3" of a unit with this tactic suffer -1 to their Leadership. Memory woven from the recollections of Men and Aeldari

INDEX ASTARTES The Praetorian Sword Chapter "Fire and death to the daemon, the heretic, and the xeno. Liberation and hope to the beleaguered Servants of the Emperor. This is our calling and our oath, unto the last breath of the last warrior." - Chapter Master Mericus Bellerophon CHAPTER INDEX Primogenitor Legion: XIII Legion, UltramarinesPrimarch Primogenitor: Roboute Guilliman Founding: Classified (WARNING =][= REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE INQUISITION =][= WARNING) Chapter Master: Mericus Bellerophon Home world: Fleet-based Chapter Monastery: Battle Barge - Fury of Terra Strength: 1,000 Line Astartes (approximate number) Specialty: Rapid strike and purgation Heraldry: Skyward pointing gladius over a flaming agemo Chapter Colors: Sea Blue and Steel Battle Cry: Fury and Fire * PRIMOGENITOR space for text HISTORY In many ways, the Praetorian Sword is a Chapter out of its place in time. Descended directly from their beloved Primarch's XIII Legion, many of it's brothers remember the golden era of empire, and struggle to make peace with being thrust into an era of darkness, and hopelessness. But, they are Guilliman's finest and will take the fight to the Emperor's enemies no matter where or when they are. Origin At the end of the Horus Heresy and as part of the Scouring, Roboute Guilliman sends out several retribution fleets with broad mandates to seek and destroy surviving Chaos forces and enclaves, and to assist loyalist forces and civilians as necessary. One of these fleets, Retribution Fleet Praetor is under command of Chapter Master Mericus Bellerophon, former Invictarus Suzerain commander and part of Guilliman's inner circle. While escorting a civilian refugee fleet to safe Imperial space, they are ambushed by a combined Chaos fleet which immediately sets upon the civilian ships. Bellerophon, immediately understands that his choices are limited. If he turns and fights he can destroy the Chaos fleet, but at the cost of the refugee fleet. He can run, but the Chaos forces will simply follow, and like a pack of wolves pick off the weaker civilian ships one by one. The only viable option is to have a portion of his fleet turn and fight a holding action, allowing the bulk of the fleet time to escape. Fleet Master Marcus Voyen (Bellerophon's closest human friend) volunteers to lead the holding action. Bellerophon knows that Voyen is the best man for the job and that it is also a suicide mission. He will never see his friend or the ships of the holding squadrons again. Voyen launches his desperate little fleet into a savage attack against the Chaos forces, while the bulk of Fleet Praetor and the refugee fleet escape into the warp. In their death run, Voyen's forces smash the Chaos fleet and Bellerephon's rage and hatred of Chaos is fueled even brighter by the death of his friend and so many of his ship crews. It is a hatred that will burn hot until the day he dies. Upon entering the warp, the fleet encounters a storm of power and ferocity unlike any they had ever experienced. Many ships are lost and huge portions of the fleet are separated in the storm. As the surviving squadrons exit the warp they are scattered throughout the galactic rim. But that is not the worst of it. Navigators and ship cartographers inform the Chapter Master that the stars are wrong. His ships have not only been flung to the far reaches of the galaxy but the far reaches of time as well. It is estimated that they are almost ten thousand years in the future. After many battles and long searching over more than a century, Bellerophon is finally content that he has made contact with all surviving elements of his fleet. He has lost many ships along with over five thousand Astartes, and countless freemen and civilian refugees. Also, through an extensive intelligence network he and his Librarius have established, he has a clear view of what has become of the Imperium. They are truly in a dark age, in every sense of the word. At the end of what would later be known as the First Tyrannic War, and after furious battle with the Tyrannid invaders on the edges of Ultramar, Bellerophon makes contact with Macrage and meets with Marneus Calgar in secret. Once convinced of the truth behind Bellerophon's fantastic tale, the two Chapter Masters confer and make plans for the inevitable confrontation with the Inquisition. For Calgar and the Ultramarines, meeting Astartes from the XIII Legion is a miracle. To actually speak with brothers who stood with the Emperor and the Primarch, who witnessed the Emperor's dream made manifest and then sundered by Horus' treason is nothing short of a wonder for them. For the Inquisition, it is nothing short of the ultimate nightmare. To actually have eye witnesses to the Horus Heresy walking in the Imperium is intolerable. The Inquisition arrives in force with elements of Battlefleet Ultima, demanding the surrender of Bellerophon, his Astartes, and all freemen and civilians under his authority. The inquisitorial forces are faced by ships of the Ultramarines, the Ultramar Defense Force, and elements of Retribution Fleet Praetor. Inquisitor Aegottub'g tells Chapter Master Calgar that more forces are on their way. Calgar smiles and assures the Inquisitor that they most certainly are. Numerous warp portals appear at the Mandeville Point and swarms of Primogenitor war ships pour through and take up battle positions behind the Imperial naval forces, weapons locked. After long and tense deliberation, a compromise is arrived at. Under supervision of the Ultramarines Chapter, Bellerophon and his people will submit to inspection by the Inquisition and the Grey Knights. Once cleared, the forces of Retribution Fleet Praetor will be divided into five groups that will form the nucleus of five new chapters of Astartes. The new chapters will then take charge of all accompanying freemen and civilians who will be bonded in servitude to the chapters for life as will their children and children's children in perpetuity. Secret charters are issued, and all are sworn to silence. Thus is born the Praetorian Sword, one of five new Space Marine chapters to bring the Emperors Light to the darkness. The 41st Millennium and the Coming Storm space for text The 42nd Millennium and the Dark Imperium space for text Timeline space for text CHAPTER ORGANIZATION Descended directly from Roboute Guilliman's XIII Legion, the Praetorian Sword Chapter brings a unique perspective to Space Marine operations. At the time of the Dark Imperium there were still a few who remembered the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. They were there when their beloved Primarch was still writing his Codex and a time before the Chapters. Still, loyal to the ideals and logistical acumen of the Lord Commander of the Imperium, they are a Codex compliant chapter. But they remember his most important if not controversial directive, "Do whatever is necessary to win." Per directions from the Codex, the Praetorian Sword Chapter is divided into ten companies, each containing one hundred Battle Brothers. Each is lead by a Battle Captain and retinue chosen from or by the Chapter Command. These Command Squads are made up of the Chapter's wisest and most valiant warriors, heroes in every sense of the word. The Chapter Master leads this mighty force with leadership and support of his Chapter Command, Armourium, Apothecarion, Reclusium, Librarius. The Chapter sails into battle aboard the mighty void-worthy fighting ships of the Chapter Fleet. The powerful weapons of the fleet ensure that the Chapter's most potent weapons, its Astartes are supported and delivered on target by the fleet's many drop pods and transports. Further support is had from the tanks, artillery, interceptors, fighter craft, and gunships of the Armourium. Chapter Command space for text Armourium space for text Reclusium space for text Apothecarion space for text Librarius space for text Fleet Command space for text Servus Civis space for text Companies of the Chapter VETERANS In the 1st Company you will find the Chapter's most seasoned veterans. They possess martial skills, and tactical and strategic wisdom possessed by only a few outside of the company. These are skills hard won. These warriors have spent decades and In some cases, centuries fighting the Emperor's enemies. When fighting as a whole, the 1st Company is a mighty force to be reckoned with. However, the Veteran Company seldom fights as a company. Individuals and squads are more often found lending their martial skill and knowledge to individual strike forces, battle-line companies and reserve companies. Spread over multiple war zones, Veterans of the 1st Company are a considerable force multiplier. The 1st Company BATTLE COMPANIES The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Companies comprise the Chapter's Battle Companies, and are the mainstay of the Praetorian Sword's fighting force. Strike Forces are primarily drawn from the Battle Companies. While the Praetorian Sword is known and feared for it's massive chapter assaults, it is still rare to see more than one Battle Company in a war zone, as one is usually more than sufficient to crush an enemy. Except for the 1st Company, it is in these Battle Companies you will find the Praetorian Sword's most experienced battle-forged Astartes. The 2nd Company The 3rd Company The 4th Company The 5th Company RESERVE COMPANIES In war zones across the Imperium, as Battle Company casualties increase or more fire power is needed to dislodge an enemy, the Squads of the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Reserve Companies are called in. It is seldom that the Reserve Companies fight as cohesive units. Due to the vast distances from the Fleet Proper that Strike Forces and Battle Companies normally engage in battle, individual Reserve Company Squads are more often than not, embedded with these more experienced battle groups where they can be called on at a moment's notice. Battleline Reserve Companies The 6th and 7th Reserve Companies are each made up of one hundred Batttleline Astartes, divided into ten squads. It is in these Battleline Companies that young Astartes truly put into practice all they have learned since their early days as Neophytes. Here, they not only fight in fully functional battleline squads, but learn to fight from Bikes, Land Speeders, and the primary battle tanks of the Chapter, the Predator and Repulsor. Astartes are not simply super soldiers, fighting in squads and from formations of light fast attack vehicles and chapter tanks, but like the knights of old, individual warriors of legend. It is from the 6th and 7th Companies that each Space Marine executes his first individual special missions and quests. These missions range from ambassadorial missions, representing the Chapter at the inauguration of a new planetary governor to delivering a primitive Imperial world from the predations of insidious xeno or corrupted foes that they are ill equipped to defeat or even understand. From these two companies, individual Space Marines become true warriors and enter the ranks of the Battle Companies. The 6th Company The 7th Company Close Support Reserve Company The one hundred Battle-Brothers of the 8th Company constitute the close support reserve force of the Praetorian Sword Chapter. This company is made up entirely of war hardened Space Marines from battle-line squads of the Chapter's Battle Companies. They are specifically chosen for their aggression and close combat skill and forged further in the techniques of shock attack and close quarter killing. Many Chapter and Company Champions have come through the ranks of the 8th Company. The 8th Company Fire Support Reserve Compnay When Strike Forces and Battle Companies require additional heavy weapons' support, the Battle-Brothers of the 9th Fire Support Reserve Company are called on to rain fire and death upon the enemies of the Emperor. For the one hundred Battle-Brothers that constitute the 9th Company, this is their first experience as full fledged Astartes. When a Neophyte of the 10th Company receives his Black Carapace and Power Armor as a recognized Space Marine, he enters the ranks of the 9th Company. It is here he receives his initial training in heavy weapons use and deployment, as well as basic infantry tactics. It is in these ranks he also tastes front-line combat for the first time. The 9th Company THE NEOPHYTES AND THE VANGUARD It is in the ranks of the 10th Scout Company that young Neophytes are forged into and receive their initial training and indoctrination that will transform them into the Emperor's Angels of Death, the most feared warriors in the galaxy. Under the watchful eye of Brother Captain Paulus Romulus, Master of Recruits and Master of the Vanguard, the Scout Sergeants of the 10th Company train Neophytes in the arts of reconnaissance, stealth, sabotage, sniper operations, and other special operations. Whether through hypno-indoctrination or practical field operations, young Scouts learn all the skills necessary to act as the eyes, ears, and weapons of the Chapter behind enemy lines. The 10th is also the home of ten Vanguard Squads of the Praetorian Sword Chapter. The Vanguard are the Chapter's elite reconnaissance and special operations warriors, dealing death and terror to the enemy from the shadows. Whether elites of the Vanguard Squads or raw neophyte Scouts, all of the 10th Company are vital elements in the Chapter's war efforts. The 10th Company CHAPTER FLEET Being a fleet-based chapter, the Praetorian Sword boasts a sizable fleet with a large variety of vessels for both combat operations and support. It is a veritable warp capable Chapter World. From huge Battle Barges and Forge Tenders to small Scout Sloops and Supply Transports, whether a combat or support vessel, all ships of the fleet have one single mission, support Space Marine combat operations. Battle Fleet Once part of the vast ancient Retribution Fleet Praetor, the Battle Fleet of the Praetorian Sword is made up of for all practical purposes, the prototype ships-of-the-line of modern Space Marine battle fleets. These ships are a mix of rebuilt and repaired Crusade era ships to newly built (new for them) post Horus Heresy fighting vessels. Gone however, were the vast sculptured elegant ships of the Crusade. These fighting ships were a leaner, more practical and angry breed of starships, rechristened with names befitting a fleet designed specifically to deal out the Emperor's mercy and justice. Although from an earlier era, Astartes and Imperial Navy crews of the 41st and 42nd millennium recognize the lines of modern Battle Barges, Strike and Vanguard Cruisers, Gladius Frigates, Hunter Destroyers, and Nova Frigates. Lance Frigate Controversy When the five new Astartes Chapters were created, the still vast Praetor fleet was divided up between the chapters, each in accordance to it's mission and needs. Many ships of the former Retribution Fleet however, were now forbidden to Space Marine chapters. These mighty battleships, heavy cruisers and other ships-of-the-line were offered up to the Imperial Navy, which gladly accepted them. Conspicuously missing from the intended Imperial Navy manifest were the bulk of the large number of lance frigates that Fleet Praetor was known to have. When queried on this subject, Chapter Master Bellerophon shrugged and noted that each squadron of the new chapter fleets possessed one proto-Nova Frigate. He commented that being fleet based in nature and not relying on Imperial Naval support for many operations, the Astartes fleets would require a small number of ship killers for fleet defense. In actuality, Bellerophon deeply distrusted Imperial Navy High Command and their ties to the Inquistion. He considered both groups to be duplicitous and Machiavellian. The Nova Frigates were not only a vital part of fleet operations but a deterrent against any overt moves against the new chapters by the Inquisition or their Imperial Navy "lackeys". He never denied having more in reserve for "refit and repair purposes", but declined to state how many. When Imperial Navy representative repeatedly "requested" that the lance frigates be turned over to them, Bellerophon's response was always the same, "Molon labe." To date the Imperial Navy has declined his offer. Battle Fleet Operations space for text Lupos Operations space for text Task Force 34 space for text Fleet Order of Battle Battle Barges (3) Fury of Terra (Flagship) Gladius Resplendent Retribution's Hand Strike Cruisers (5) Warlight Don Cesare Avatar of Justice Indominable Patavius Reckoning Vanguard Cruisers (3) Herald of Vengeance Cor Ira Silent Sword Gladius Frigates (11) Hunter Destroyers (11) Nova Frigates (?) Rudense Class Rapid Insertion Craft (6) (Primaris) Faustus Scout/Interceptors (6) Notable Fleet Engagements space for text COMBAT DOCTRINE space for text BELIEFS space for text GENE-SEED space for text CHAPTER HERALDRY AND LIVERY Heraldry space for text Livery http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hr48R_h22PO.hhWEq_._____ia3h6@._@__@@@@_@@@@@@____@@@@@@@@@@.._@@___@@__.__@iakk7&grid=TRUEWhen Retribution Fleet Praetor set sail in pursuit of Horus' fleeing allies, it was made up of mostly hastily repaired and refitted ships.Gone were the colorful and beautifully ornate vessels of the Crusade. The newly refitted ships-of-war were a lean and angry breed, armored and armed to deal out justice and retribution. Hastily painted, the blue of Ultramar was seen only on the heavily armored shoulders where the coats of heraldry were fastened. All else was liveried in defense gray. By the end of it's journey, Praetor's ships were battered and scared. Much of the ships' colors were burned down to bare metal. Ultramars' proud colors were faded and tired. Chapter Master Bellerophon decreed that the colors of the Praetorian Sword Chapter would memorialize these scars. Thus, sea blue and steel were set down in the new charter. SUMMARY space for text *Special thanks to Brother Cambrius for the Space Marine image ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I would like to start this thread off with a Unification War salute to Brother Kelborn and Chaplain Dosjetka, who inspired me to get off my duff with their most recent DIY threads http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/356531-chapter-creations-initial-concept/ and http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/356527-dos-latest-attempt-at-a-diy-chapter-initial-notesthoughts/ respectively. Let me start off with a little background story I've been a Ultramarine fan (fluff, army, all of it) since first discovering 40K millennia ago. I pretty much dived into the hobby, building and playing a small Ultramarine army and amassing and designing a larger force (about three companies strong at the time and growing) and having a good ol' time reading as much 40K fiction that I could lay my hands on...… but something changed I had been enjoying Graham McNeill's adventures of Uriel Ventris for some time and looking forward to what looked to be the conclusion of the final story arc. So, after finishing Marnius Calgar Kills the Ultramarines..... errr…… I mean Chapter's Due and hurling it across the room. I said to myself, "Self, things aren't looking too good for your Ultramarines" Then it hit me, "Old son, they aren't your Ultramarines. They're GW's Ultramarines, and they can do whatever they want with them..... as is their right." I then realized that if I was going to invest a lot of time and treasure in a Space Marine army, I wanted to have some agency over them and their story. "Better go create your own chapter, Self." I then proceeded to dump my Ultramarines into a tub of "Dip" and stripped off all of the paint and started anew. Then I placed my freshly purified Space Marines in stasis boxes and I contemplated their future. Now I still loved the Ultramarines (they are BLUE you know ) but I didn't want to create a carbon copy chapter. I wanted to challenge myself a bit. I wanted to incorporate some of the characteristics of the Ultramarines, only edgier and darker. I also wanted to incorporate the large amount of FW Heresy era armor and weapons I'd amassed into the chapter army and story. Over the years I came up within the tiny cracks of time between career and raising a family, background and structure for a chapter I call the Praetorian Sword. The following is a rough draft for my DIY chapter. My ultimate goal is to build a chapter size force with an accompanying codex. Concept Draft: Hidden Content Chapter Name: Praetorian Sword Founding Chapter: Ultramarines Founding: Classified by the Inquisition (Project 1619) Secret Founding: One of five chapters created from the survivors of Scouring era XIII Legion Retribution Fleet Praetor, originally presumed lost in the warp. Founded under official charter as an Astartes Chapter in 747M41, after the First Tyrannic War. Chapter Master: Mericus Bellerophon Homeworld: Fleet-based Fortress Monastery: Battle Barge Fury of Terra Colors: Sea Blue, Brushed Steel Strength: Unknown Specialty: Rapid strike and purgation Battle Cry: Fury and Fire Culture: Spartan with Ultramarine sensibilities. Astartes represent the Spartan warrior class, supported by a human bondsmen society, governed under the general principles of Hebraic codes of conduct towards bond servants and slaves. Order of Battle: While generally codex compliant, the chapter maintains an auxiliary support force of armor and flyers. Recently, an eleventh company was added, consisting entirely of Primaris Marines. Chapter Personality: Known for high aggression in battle, the Praetorian Swords are brutal and merciless warriors. It's Chapter Master has executed more than one world without hesitation or remorse. Signature Weapon and Marking: Upon elevation from neophyte each Astartes receives a Gladius and his left pauldron is engraved with "XIII". Inspiration: Greek and Roman histories Hebraic slave culture Imperial Roman Legion and Naval Forces structure and traditions The Iliad - Homer Masters of the Sea trilogy - John Stack Macro and Cato series - Simon Scarrow Legio XVII - Thomas Timmes Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield Know Thyself and Sons of Wrath - Andy Smilie The odd XIII Legion and Ultramarines story - Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill, Nick Kyme, Robbie MacNiven, Guy Haley, and Ian St Martin Hidden Content IA: Praetorian Sword http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hr48R_h22PO.hhWEq_._____ia3h6@._@__@@@@_@@@@@@____@@@@@@@@@@.._@@___@@__.__@iakk7&grid=TRUE [summary Place Holder] BASIC DATA: Primogenitor Legion: XIII Legion, Ultramarines Primarch Primogenitor: Roboute Guilliman Founding: Classified (=][= Inquisitorial File 1619 =][=) Chapter Master: Mericus Bellerophon Homeworld: Fleet-based Chapter Monastery: Battle Barge - Fury of Terra Known Descendants: [Place Holder] Colors: Blue and Steel Symbol: Gladius (upturned) over an Agemo (stylized with a laurel on the inside curve) Specialty: Rapid strike and purgation Battle Cry: Fury and Fire That's it for now. I'll add more detail as time allows. Looking forward to comments and critique...… I think

THE DEATH’S REDEEMERS http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q578/kydoimos2/Deaths%20Redeemers%20tactical%20marine_zpsdsvxcsxt.jpg CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE DEATH’S REDEEMERS FOUNDING: .................. 22nd CHAPTER WORLD: .............PRAXIDIKA VII FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ THE EMPEROR’S EYE GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... THE DARK ANGELS KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... NONE "LIGHT SHALL PREVAIL" The Death's Redeemers were created as a standing force, designed to strengthen and defend the Astartes dominion over the extreme south-east border of the galaxy. Situated in the Segmentum Ultima, based on the world of Praxidika VII directly south of the prosperous kingdom of Ultramar, they’re facing the Exodite worlds created by those Eldars who chose exile rather than decay and death. A successor of the famed Dark Angels chapter, the Death's Redeemers were zealous hunters of the Fallen in their early history. However, they see themselves more like defenders of the ideals of the Imperium now rather than a force belonging to the secretive successors chapters of the Dark Angels. They are therefore dedicated Marines, fighting for the glory of the Emperor, who believe that His grand design, embodied by the Great Crusade, must not be forgotten as it is too frequent in these grim days. A still young chapter, they nevertheless have gained the respect of their peers by showing their utter determination in eradicating the enemies of the Imperium of Mankind and defending an optimistic vision of the future. Sorely tested in these hard times, their faith in their cause need to be defended now more than ever. Fierce enemies of Chaos, their history is scarred by their breaking up with their genitor chapter, the Dark Angels. Unable to accept the sacrifices in human lives thought needed by their brothers, the Death’s Redeemers have cut their ties with them and became close followers of the Codex Astartes and the example given by the Ultramarines. ORGANIZATION The Death's Redeemers are a codex-adherant chapter. They follow the principles of the Codex Astartes and draw their tactical inspiration from the words of Roboute Guilliman rather than their original chapter, the Dark Angels. As such, they have abandoned the divergent organization of their genitor chapter and respect the rules edicted by the Primarch of the XIIIth Legion. The Death's Redeemers developed a taste for massive drop pods assaults. Albeit risky in the extreme, this mean to deliver Marines in the heat of battle had shown enough advantages for the Chapter to be adopted as the main assault technique. Therefore, every unit is training to this particular and dangerous way of fighting, even the Devastators. This choice is not only motivated by tactical considerations. It is also a way to answer the main demand the Death’s Redeemers imposed to themselves: to safeguard the planets they attack and the people living there as much as possible in order to bring them back as willingly as it is possible to the Imperial dominion. War is not an end in itself for the Chapter; it is the expression of the Emperor’s will and therefore must serve His design of a peaceful and united galaxy. The Death’s Redeemer also considers that following the precepts of the Codex Astartes is a key element to reach this goal. Not as dogmatic as the Ultramarines or their successors chapters can be regarding the edicts of Guilliman’s legacy, they will however respect it strictly, as long as it is not antagonist with their superior goal of restoring Imperial light in the galaxy. HOMEWORLD The Death's Redeemers’ fortress-monastery is based on Praxidika VII, a medieval and arid world. They are not the direct rulers of their planet but rather maintain a distant but constant watch over the population, not interfering in political matters, awed by their presence which is shrouded in mystery and legends. Praxidika VII is a planet with a harsh environment. Few could survive on its surface without the knowledge of advanced survival techniques in an arid world. SPECIFIC HISTORY The Death's Redeemers’ have a rather complicated history regarding to their origins and their evolution. Created from the Dark Angels gene seeds, they have developed similar characters traits: secretive, relentless and stubborn, they were designed for the hunt of the Fallen and embraced it willingly at the beginning. Dedicated to this task, they organized their newly-founded chapter in order to keep these secrets hidden to those unworthy. And behind their apparent dedication to the Imperial cause, they were relentlessly searching for any traces of their lost brothers, hunting them and everyone suspected to hold information regarding their whereabouts. However, this situation was not designed to endure. Having gathered information on a possible location of a Fallen angel plotting against the Imperial and Astartes dominance in relation with Eldars corsairs based close to the Maelstrom, the Death's Redeemers’ asked for help from their genitors. The plan, based on information gathered by the Ravenwing of both Chapters, was to lead a powerful strike, both by teleportation and ground assault, in order to destroy the Fallen’s fortress. But nothing went along as planned. The first problem to occur was that the people living on the planet were not as pacific as it seemed. As soon as the Death's Redeemers’ ground elements landed on a remote area, they were surrounded by frenzied humans, poorly equipped but relentless in their hatred of the Astartes. Forced to fight back, the spearhead couldn’t accomplish its objective in due time. This action showed something else: that the attack against the Fallen was known and surprise couldn’t be exploited. Both leaders wondered if the teleported assault should be carried out; the Death Redeemers’ chapter master, Caïn Ektes, voted against this option whereas the Dark Angels firmly asked their allies not to deny their secret oath. Unwillingly, Ektes agreed to follow his allies into battle under high pressure, startled by the aggressiveness they shown but not decided to break his word and show his honor as a Son of the Lion. Final preparations were made for the assault when an alert sounded in the Death's Redeemers’ battle barge’s strategium. Expecting an imminent attack at first, both Astartes leaders discovered that the fleet in approach belonged to the Adepta Sororita. The messages sent by this unexpected ally made things more complicated: suspecting a chaotic infestation on the planet, Sisters sent there had for mission to search for actual clues proving this assertion and, if needed, destroy subversive elements, if it wasn’t too late. The Dark Angels decided to use these allies as bait in order to create a new element of surprise. In conjunction with the Arbites forces on the ground, the Adepta Sororita organized an armed reconnaissance in the suburbs of the main city on the planet. During this time, the Astartes force withdrew, simulating a general fallback and abandoning the ground task force. However, they kept an eye on the Sororita’s action which functioned as planned: drawing the attention of the enemy, they were assailed by a large force, pushing them back from the city. This was the moment: the Dark Angels launched a surprise teleport assault on the fortress, destroying the command centre and capturing the Fallen. Withdrawing, they started an orbital bombardment in order to destroy the Ecclesiarchy’s forces, witness of their action. Ektes stood witness of all these actions in awe: he couldn’t believe anymore in the legitimacy of this hunt that was driving Astartes forces to fight and kill the very ones they were made to protect. Acting boldly, he rushed in order to retrieve his men stuck on the planet. Seeing this, the Dark Angels force stopped shooting. But this was a mere satisfaction: the Ecclesiarchy’s ships, believing the Death's Redeemers were the source of the attack against their forces started to shoot at them, while the Dark Angels were swiftly disappearing. In his anger, Ektes ordered to destroy the Ecclesiarchy’s ships that attacked them, retrieve their brothers on the ground and leave the planet. Since then, and after a very violent explanation with the Dark Angels, the Death's Redeemers have voluntarily forsaken their oath to hunt the Fallen and strive to earn forgiveness for their actions. http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q578/kydoimos2/Deaths%20Redeemers%20tactical%20marine_zpsdsvxcsxt.jpg Brother Rheto, 2nd tactical squad, 5th Company [http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q578/kydoimos2/Terminator%201ere%20Cie_zpsnuto6eal.jpg Veteran Brother Nedam, 1st Company ORGANIZATION The chapter organization is in keeping with the Codex Astartes. There are 10 companies: the first one regroup the Chapter’s veterans, either equipped with Terminator armor or classical power armor; the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th companies are battle companies led by captains and made of 6 tactical squads, 2 assaults squads and 2 devastator squad, each of them having their own armory and dedicated Dreadnoughts. 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th companies are reserve companies and the 10th squad is made of scouts. The Death's Redeemers have a high number of drop pods due to their tactical doctrine and assaults squads are also trained to excel in boarding actions. Their veteran in Terminator armor equally favors teleporting assault in these situations or planet fall attacks. The Chapter’s fleet is a reflection of their combat doctrine. The Death's Redeemers own few capital class ships compared to others chapters and focus rather on small, fast and aggressive ships. Their void combat doctrine is similar to their planetary engagements: they favor close quarters actions through the massive use of boarding torpedoes. Once on board, their assault squads, specifically equipped, are tasked with the destruction of the main propulsive elements of the enemy ships whereas their Terminators squads are looking for leaders in order to destroy them utterly, ending the fight as quickly as possible. The Death's Redeemers’ power armor is painted in black and ivory colors. They adhere strictly to the Codex Astartes’ principles regarding companies, squads and officers distinctive signs. SELECTED BATTLE HONORS The Occlusiad War [550.M37] Albeit far from Praxidika VII, the Death’s Redeemers took part to this conflict suspecting the presence of a Fallen behind the Blind King actions. The Death’s Redeemers distinguished themselves by leading several bold boarding operations in the numerous void battles that occurred during this conflict. Break-up with the Dark Angels [723.M38] The Death’s Redeemers, following the events on the planet of Merak, give up their hunt of the Fallen and publicly adhere to the Codex Astartes. They also develop their ties with the Ultramarines, which are now considered as their source of inspiration. The Redemption Crusades [131.M39] The Death’s Redeemers are a major force accompanying the global burst leading to the recovery of numerous worlds across the Imperium. The First Tyranic War [745.M41] Based on a world close to Ultramar, the Death’s Redeemers had to defend themselves against a tendril of the Hive Fleet Behemoth. However, the poor amount of biomass on Praxidika VII weakened the aliens that couldn’t get enough genetic material to renew their strength. However, the victory was hard-won and the chapter suffered important losses, until they could destroy the last Tyranids force disoriented after the victory of the Ultramarines in the battle for Macragge.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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)

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.

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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"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.*

"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] ++

HALLS OF THE BLIND: The Bronze Prophets They can see what you see not...vision milky then eyes rot...when you turn, they will be gone...whispering their hidden song... - Excerpt from the heretical ramblings of the 'prophet' Melchior Keb Long and strange is the saga of the Bronze Prophets of the Adeptus Astartes. Though once among the finest of marines, the calamities which afflict them have caused many to question their purity. There can be little doubt that their origins lie in that most benighted of times - the Cursed Founding. Origins Our wars are fought on the edge of Limbo, as its winds roar around us. The scars of our battles lie on the inside, not on our skin. The destruction those wounds wreak may leave nothing. We are the veterans of the wars of the mind, and we know no fear, for the Emperor is with us. - Inscription above the entrance to the Bronze Prophets' Fortress Monastery Bronze Prophet Like many Cursed Founding chapters, little or nothing is confirmed about the creation of the Bronze Prophets. Despite this, many horrific legends surround them, whispered in darkness by the fearful.. Whether these tales are created by the Prophets themselves or are whispers of truth that have slowly spread across the Imperium is impossible to say. These legends say that the Bronze Prophets, in the early years of their founding, were a mighty force. They were keen of eye, strong of limb, and sharp of intellect, even by the standards of Space Marines. The enemies of mankind fell before them, and each victory was cause for great rejoicing in the Auguria, their monastery on their home world of Pawrath. Many are the stories of their victories

FIRE IN THE SNOW: The Ice Lords A Space Marine's duty is to defend the Imperium. Though we are no longer men as they are, the people of the Imperium are our sacred trust, the people of our home world especially so. To forsake them is to forsake our honor and our right to serve the Emperor. Never forget this, or you forget yourselves. - from Chapter Master Taramant's Ascension Day address on the third year following the Ice Lords' mobilization The Ice Lords, though an obscure chapter of recent founding, have a proud history of service to the Imperium. Their just governance of Franklin's World is widely admired, and their reputation in combat is sterling. Tenacious, honorable, and dangerous, the Ice Lords are a credit to the Adeptus Astartes and to mankind. An Ice Lords Tactical Marine, Red Squad Origins Black were the first days of our history. But so are all days, until mankind is triumphant. - The Chronicle of the Ice Lords, III Canticle Formed as part of the 26th Founding, the Ice Lords have had a history spotted with misfortune. The chapter suffered a blow early in its lifetime when their training cadre, forced out of warp due to a drive malfunction, was ambushed by iniquitous traitors even as the cadre traveled to join their new charges. Though the enemy marines were repelled, the ferocity of the battle meant only three marines of the Angels of Absolution training cadre survived - Taramant, the senior Sergeant, Belicarius, a junior Chaplain, and Lahdemor, a Codicier. Undaunted, they continued on to join the Ice Lords, and pledged to do everything possible to ensure that the Chapter would be worthy of service to the Emperor. Their vessel, the Heart of Caliban, was ceremonially rededicated to the service of the Ice Lords, and remains a proud part of the chapter fleet today. Despite the loss of so many of their mentors, the Ice Lords performed admirably. It was remarked by observers how the remaining cadre made new use of seemingly archaic tactics, and on how they seemed to possess experience and capability far beyond their junior ranks. Soon the battle-brothers of the chapter were ready for active duty, and they proudly marched aboard their ships for transfer to their new home world. Chapter Master Taramant remained secluded throughout the journey, in consultation with the Emperor's Tarot, finally emerging just as the flagship left warp space. While the Chapter's new home world loomed, cold and white, in the viewport, he declared that they would henceforth be known as the Ice Lords. "For duty and honor are cold as ice. And when all else is gone, duty and honor will remain." Franklin's World is a cold and desolate planet on the northernmost rim of the Segmentum Obscurus. The harsh conditions do not matter, for settlement of the planet is confined to the large cities which float high above the surface. Arcane technology keeps the cities aloft, technology which has resisted the Adeptus Mechanicus' attempts to decipher it. Closer and simpler mysteries now command their attention, though the occasional enterprising team still returns for an exercise in frustration and disappointment. Geographical surveys of the planet below had been frequently thwarted by the raging winds and snows of the surface, making the workings of the world below as much of a mystery as those above. 798.M41 - Aboard the Angels of Absolution Rapid Strike Vessel Heart of Caliban The twisting currents of the Empyrean were whirling around the Heart of Caliban. Taramant could not see them, but he could feel them nonetheless, as he had been able to ever since the moment on Caliban when the planet fell to pieces around him and he and his opponents were ripped through time and space with it. Belicarius and Lahdemor - the three of them had spat curses at each other as their feet slipped across the nearly-molten surface of Caliban, but when the twisting currents of the Warp released them all they could do was collapse, sobbing with horror and pain. He remembered that day. In front of Taramant, at the Navigator's podium, Lahdemor's brow was knit with the effort of a duty that a Librarian never expected to perform. Belicarius was watching Lahdemor, drumming fingers on the pauldron of armor freshly painted with the white of the 'Angels of Absolution'. It was difficult to comprehend the magnitude of the blessing the Emperor had bestowed on them in the form of Prilbu Gossk and his training cadre, who had thought capturing three 'Fallen' a good start to their time with a new chapter. Taramant had briefly considered salvaging the armor of the training cadre, but holes of that size required the attention of proper artificers, not mere Marines. So Prilbu Gossk and his marines were drifting ever-closer to some half-forgotten moon, some day to reassure the inhabitants of the Emperor's favor as bright streaks in the sky, and Taramant and two men damned by the Lion as traitors were taking their place. Not that Taramant would have escaped such damnation - as he had watched Caliban burn, he had quickly realized that to the Lion, there could only be one treachery - betraying the Lion, surpassing the Lion, doing anything other than the Lion's will. While for Taramant the flames were burning honor, duty and home, all they burned for the Lion were those so bold as to cross their lord. The oaths they all had sworn to protect Caliban were meaningless, sacrificed to the Lion's pride, just like the people below. The honor of the Dark Angels had died with the people of Caliban. Taramant, Belicarius and Lahdemor would restore it, or die in the attempt. Death, Taramant admitted, seemed more likely. Three loyal Dark Angels were mighty, but they were not mighty enough. But then, soon there would be more than just three. The Heart of Caliban shuddered as it slipped into reality. Lahdemor opened his eyes, leaning against the podium in exhaustion. Belicarius weighed his Crozius in his hand. And Taramant smiled, cold as ice. The Ice Lords took Falconscott (the smallest and least populated of the cities) for their own, fortifying it and adding weapons emplacements across its hull and spires. They began inducting recruits from the population, whose adventurous pilot-knights and vicious tunnel-gangers proved excellent Space Marines. After the celebrations surrounding the Chapter's arrival on the world, Taramant promoted close association with the populace, exhorting the Space Marines to remember that these were the people of the Imperium, and their duty incarnate. The young marines took these lessons to heart, and the bonds between the Marines and their people grew. Small chapterhouses were established in the other cities, both to aid in recruitment and to promote the marines' association with the populace. The Fall of the Fortress Although I am not certain as to the cause, Sergeant, I think what may be far more important are the effects. - Techmarine Janos The Ascendant Festival on Falconscott marks the longest day of the year. The ice which typically covers the tips of city spires melts, and the cities are suffused with warmth and laughter. All Space Marines present on the planet are dispatched throughout the cities, to mingle with the population and observe those who might make good candidates for the Chapter. Games of strength and skill are common, and bloodless aerial battles between young pilots an entertaining diversion for the crowds. Although ordinarily a happy time, the hundred-and-twenty-eighth Festival after the Chapter's arrival on their home world was marked by calamity. As the revelers celebrated across the planet, the streets of Falconscott began to shudder. The strength of the spasms threw grown men from their feet, and even the Space Marines were hard pressed to keep their balance. Clouds whisked by, and the wind grew to a howling shriek as the mighty city began to plunge toward the surface of the planet below. Techmarines and officers raced into the bowels of the city, while the other marines attempted to contain the panic among the citizens. However, the arcane machinery which had confounded the best Techno-Magi of the Imperium was still loathe to give up its secrets, and the Marines remained ignorant of what might have caused the precipitous descent. They could only do their best to ensure that the city was not destroyed upon impact. Fortunately for the Chapter, ancient backup systems were functional. As the city approached the surface, its rate of descent began to slow. But impact was inevitable, and the population was thrown into confusion and panic as millions of tons of metal struck the ancient ice of the planetary surface. The buildings and lower tunnels of Falconscott were breached in dozens of locations, driven deep into the ice. Some were crushed, along with their inhabitants. Some were cut off from the rest of the city, the people within left to slowly starve with no chance of rescue. The regular, coherent levels of the lower city were gone, replaced with a crazed metal-and-ice warren of tunnels, chasms and precipices, while the upper city was a twisted wreck, shattered ice and building intermingled to form a strange and confusing new world. Master Taramant and many other marines were gone from Franklin's World, fighting the last of the Genestealers from the hulk Vociferous Abomination. The young Captain Telemachus of the Sixth was the senior officer in the city. He notified Taramant of what had happened and began to search for survivors in the undercity, leaving a few of his sergeants to organize the citizens above. Despite the many lives Telemachus saved, the Marines and their people were trapped, out of reach of the other garrisons on-planet, who possessed no ships capable of penetrating the howling winds on the surface. The Knights and the Wolves Your thoughts do not show us a new way, Telemachus. All they show are my failings as a teacher. - Taramant of the Ice Lords By the time Master Taramant returned, with powerful landers that could penetrate the winds below, conflict had arisen. In the months Telemachus and his men had spent trapped within Falconscott, they had lost all respect for the people of the city and grown to despise them for their weakness, coming to believe that the fall of Falconscott had been punishment from the Emperor himself. When a mighty wolf had leapt from the driving snow into the city, slaying a dozens of the citizens before being brought down itself, Telemachus had taken this as the final proof of the Emperor's displeasure with Taramant's beliefs. Further attacks by the beasts only reinforced this conclusion. These wolves had been unknown before, overlooked by unambitious Mechanicus genetors who feared the planet's harsh environment, but they soon became a common sight in the snow outside the city. They were great, hulking beasts, long of fang and powerful of limb, solitary and dangerous, and Telemachus admired their power. Telemachus and his supporters insisted that the way of the wolves was the way to true greatness for the Ice Lords. The Ice Lords should concern themselves with the Ice Lords, first and foremost. Consorting with the people of Falconscott hurt the people, for they could not become strong enough to stand on their own, and it hurt the Ice Lords, who were weakened by the need to defend the people, instead of using all their might to strike against the enemies of man. Using less than their full strength was a betrayal of the Emperor, as was weakening his subjects by not allowing them to achieve strength on their own. Thus, said Telemachus, the best course of action for the Ice Lords was to leave Franklin's World and its people behind. Though the people would find it hard at first, it could only strengthen them in the long run. His supporters, who had christened themselves the Wolves, agreed. Taramant did not, and his wrath was terrible to behold. He rebuked Telemachus in a public Conclave of the Chapter, calling the Captain dishonorable and little better than a traitor. Telemachus had confused personal glory with honor, Taramant said, and deserved neither. Belicarius and Lahdemor supported Taramant wholeheartedly, as did the majority of the Chapter brethren, who were christened 'Knights' by the jeering Wolves. Further incensed by this behavior, Taramant stripped Telemachus and his supporters of their rank in the Chapter and of their place in the Chapter's Roll of Honor, declaring that they had abandoned their duty, and must earn their honor back or be forgotten. Humiliated, beset by the Knights, and with their influence within the chapter greatly eroded, the Wolves subsided, at least for a time. Home World I understand what it represents, Taramant. I just wonder if there were not warmer worlds which symbolized our duty to humanity. - Chaplain Belicarius of the Ice Lords Franklin's World is nearly as cold as the empty space which surrounds it. Howling winds lash the snow and ice into strange and twisted forms, and life is rare and dangerous. The people of Franklin's World, however, are isolated from this in their expansive floating cities. Constructed in the Dark Age of Technology, their presence on this desolate world on the edge of the galaxy has been a question of great debate among Imperial scholars. Whether it was once a military base, a research station, or something far stranger, Franklin's World is now an isolated planet which has little contact with other systems. Its people are relatively happy, and the floating cities are ruled by powerful noble families, each of which maintain their own fortified towers within the cities. These nobles pride themselves on the mastery of their ritualized forms of war, and duels upon gliders which soar on the shrieking winds between the towers are a popular form of entertainment and an equally popular method of settling dispute. The tunnels beneath the cities, meanwhile, are home to few other than criminals and those forced down from the surface due to mutation or heresy. The vicious tunnel gangs which breed in this dark environment are the source of some of the Ice Lords' fiercest recruits, but that practice has come into question due to the marked tendency of former gangers to become Wolf adherents. Falconscott, of course, is now much different than the other cities. Always the smallest city, its population is now even smaller than it was. The old social order has remained much the same, but the introduction of the former residents of the undercity has sapped the power of the nobles, who now face organized, dangerous groups unfamiliar with obedience. Some few of the city's areas still have fully functioning environment systems, and these have become havens for commerce and community. The remainder of the city is increasingly moving into newly excavated ice tunnels, preferring to build anew rather than attempt to salvage the chaotic wreckage that most of the city has become. The surface of Franklin's World itself has lately been discovered to be far different than previously thought. The mighty wolves discovered after the Fall of the Fortress are just one of the dozens of newly discovered creatures which seem to make their homes in the freezing wastes. Mechanicus Genetor teams have expressed a pronounced interest in the makeup of the monsters, and have taken several corpses for study. They remain loathe to actually explore the surface themselves. Excerpt from Anecdotes of the 41st Millennium, Volume MCXVI by Stanforth McGramman, junior archivist to the Library of Sycorax The Medea Incident has been all but forgotten in the massive campaigns and vast slaughter of the 41st Millennium When systems are laid waste in swift and terrible campaigns by equally terrible forces, it is easy to lose sight of the slow bleeding of a world by the lesser enemies of Man. Nonetheless, the Medea Incident deserves to be remembered. The world of Medea is an unimportant planet in the far north of the Imperium, and its plaintive calls for aid against raiders had been overlooked in a galaxy where the forces of Man are needed everywhere. Hope had been forsaken by the Medeans when a single rapid strike vessel slipped from the Warp above their world, containing Chaplain Belicarius and a tactical squad of the Ice Lords. The vulnerable planet had become a frequent target of Orkin, Human and Dark Eldar raiders, all eager to steal what they could from the planet, all delighting in bloodshed and destruction. Such delight was quickly stemmed by the Ice Lords, who undertook training and equipping of the Medean population for war. Where raiders had once been met with flight and frantic pleas for mercy, they were now met with a hail of bullets and cries of havoc and war. The raiders began to make larger and larger forays, seeking security and strength in numbers, only to be met with greater concentrations of Medeans, supported by marines. As the raiders were forced into larger and larger groups for their own protection, the Ice Lords were better able to bring their strength to bear, along with the new-found strength of the Medeans. Soon enough, the raiders who had once wreaked havoc across Medea were simply a nuisance - and soon after that, they were gone completely, and Medea prospered, stronger than it had been before. Where other chapters would have sent a front-line company, thus being forced to allow some other world to fall, the Ice Lords sent a minimal group from a Reserve Company. Where some chapters might have leapt to confront one enemy, and thus left the planet open to others, the Ice Lords remembered their duty, and instead prepared the planet so that even together its enemies could not prevail. It was not glorious, exciting, or a grandiose display of power and the Emperor's might. But it saved the planet just as well, and that was enough for the Ice Lords. Beliefs You are no longer men. You are to be Space Marines. You now serve mankind, in a way that you could not before, because you were of mankind. You must defend them, help them, and die for them. That is as it should be. - Chaplain Belicarius, addressing a group of new initiates The Ice Lords subscribe to the typical Astartes belief that the Emperor is the savior of humanity, but not a god, and they hold to it with a vehemence equaled only by that of First and Second Founding chapters. However, they maintain no veneration for their Primarch, Lion El'Jonson, a quirk which has astonished Imperial observers. Unsurprisingly, they are reticent about this facet of their beliefs, and also demonstrate a marked aversion to associating with those chapters that refer to themselves as the Unforgiven. The beliefs of the faction known as the Knights were for many years the beliefs of the chapter as a whole. Taramant and the Knights believe that the role of the Space Marines in the Imperium is to defend the people of the Chapter home world and the people of the Imperium. Concerns of the chapter and of individual marines are subordinate to the demands of that duty. To reinforce these beliefs, Taramant encourages communication with the people of Franklin's World, often making use of civilian artisans or laborers. There are relatively few chapter serfs - most of the chapter's servants are drawn from the general population and return there after a period of service. The few serfs are generally drawn from the pool of failed aspirants, and are encouraged to maintain bonds with their families outside the fortress monastery. Most serfs direct ordinary laborers or serve in relatively honorable positions in the fleet or monastery. Space Marine participation in public rituals and in the administration of the world is common. The Captain of whichever company is serving to garrison the planet at any particular time also serves as the Lord Commander of Falconscott. The Lord Commander is the final court of appeal on the world (though it would be a fool who requested his judgment in a trivial matter), and a Space Marine also serves as executioner to the courts. On holy days, Space Marines often judge tests of skill and strength, and occasionally participate in bloodless melees where one marine confronts several challengers from the people. In addition to this, the marines are expected to wander the streets of whatever city they may be in, visiting family or friends from their old lives. All this had produced a remarkably close bond between the marines and the people, but the advent of the Wolves has soured it. Although Taramant's efforts to force the Wolves into submission have been mostly successful, their silent defiance and all-too-public initial protestations have greatly hurt the chapter's relationship with the people. Although no overt conflict has arisen yet, the people of Falconscott are noticeably less welcoming toward the marines. This appears to greatly trouble Master Taramant, and what course of action he will take to try and mend this breach with the populace is unknown. Wolf-based iconography is growing common among some of the more vicious members of the Chapter, while those who hold to Taramant's ways have begun to adopt the sign of a broken sword to show their allegiance to his ideas (and, the more cynical adherents note, the probability that they will come to naught). Taramant, meanwhile, seems to hope that a schism within the chapter can somehow be avoided, and appears to be trying to contain the schismatic beliefs to their current holders, while ensuring that new recruits of the Scout Company are firmly indoctrinated in the thinking of the Knights. There is growing worry among high-ranking officers that the Wolves may resent the attempts at suppression of their views even more than they already seem to. Although combat operations have in no way suffered as yet, it is a sign of the depth of the problem that several officers are beginning to express concern about the possible loyalty of their troops. Civil war may be unavoidable. Combat Doctrine Your enemy's realization that he watched every direction but above is the most gratifying sight you can see in this life. - Captain Darius of the First Company The Vociferous Abomination Campaign The Space Hulk Vociferous Abomination had drifted through dozens of systems before the Ice Lords discovered it. Cleansing it cost the lives of dozens of marines, but that was necessary to determine just where the vile construct had been. No one could tell in how many of those systems it had released foul Genestealers to pollute the purity of Man. Nonetheless, the Ice Lords did not leave the matter to the Imperial Guard, and they did not annihilate the populations of those planets as a quick and simple solution. Working with the Inquisition, three companies undertook the monumental task of ensuring that every planet that might have been corrupted by the Hulk was pure. The forces of the Inquisition would labor tirelessly to determine whether a planetary population had been corrupted, while the forces of Ice Lords waited in orbit. When the darkest concerns of the Imperium were confirmed, as they were all too often, the Ice Lords would land and carefully ferret out and destroy the Cult, even when whole populations turned against them. Twenty-three years of tireless work and near-constant fighting still resulted in a death toll of millions dead, including many Ice Lords, but billions were saved who might otherwise have been slain in an attempt to save the lives of Space Marines and Inquisitors. And why should men die to save those who should die to defend them? Most Space Marine Chapters rely heavily on a crushing orbital or aerial assault in order to secure their victories. While the Ice Lords are not unwilling to make use of such tactics, they seem far more comfortable on the ground, using more conventional tactics of maneuvering armor and infantry to secure victory. The superlative skills of Ice Lords pilots will be put to use in providing close air support where conditions permit, whether that be with lighter bombers and fighters or with the powerful Thunderhawks. This likely stems from the Chapter's early difficulties with their training cadre - rather than cultivate the broader skillset of other Chapters, Taramant and his compatriots appear to have decided that it was best for them to focus their limited resources on the cultivation of a mastery of the most basic methods of Space Marine warfare. Though time has obviously allowed the Ice Lords to broaden their capabilities and acquire a familiarity with what are seen as standard Space Marine tactics, the Chapter seems to retain a marked preference for the methods of their initial instruction. The combat doctrine of the Ice Lords relies on the use of fast elements to support a heavily armed, but less flexible, force. Speeders and aerospace craft are the favored means of providing this support, likely due to the influence of recruits who possess remarkable facility with both. Their experiences with clearing Space Hulks and with the monsters beneath Falconscott have also begun to shape the chapter into formidable close-quarters specialists. The Ice Lords have often displayed the Dark Angels' legendary tenacity, especially when defending civilian populations. However, they display none of the Dark Angel intolerance towards abhumans and non-humans, and equally none of the standoffishness or inscrutable tendencies to desertion of a combat zone the Dark Angels are infamous for. These traits have combined to make the Ice Lords popular with Imperial commanders, who appreciate tenacious and capable allies, but appreciate them even more when they do not suddenly depart the field of battle without explanation. Organization Slavish adherence to formal ritual is a sign that one knows the wrong rituals - Lahdemor, Master of the Librarium The Ice Lords are generally a traditional codex chapter, with all that entails. In exception to the norm, the Ice Lords Scout Company is hardly ever assembled as a formation, and usually operates as individual squads attached to companies fighting offworld. Captains are given relative leeway in the structure of their companies, and the reserve companies are generally not the monolithic organizations of specialists that they are in many other chapters, though they are expected to maintain facility with particular areas of expertise. The Reserve Companies often engage in pirate-hunting and other such exercises, to keep their skills fully honed. The First Company is regarded similarly to a normal Battle Company, and often undertakes similar engagements and serves a normal rotation in garrison on Franklin's World. The First Company is almost always under the personal command of the Chapter Master, and the post of First Company Captain is thus usually held by the least experienced of the Captains. Geneseed It will be hard to defend the Imperium if we succumb to corruption from within, young initiate. Harder still if that corruption involves tentacles. - Tull, Master of the Apothecarion The Ice Lords recruit from every city on Franklin's World. The nobles of the upper cities are trained in warfare from early ages, as are many of their adherents, and these youths make fine Space Marines. The glider duels common among city spires have made piloting almost second-nature to a warrior of Franklin's World, and many Space Marines retain this aptitude. The vicious gangers of the undercities are excellent hunters and close-fighters, but their overwhelming tendency to follow the beliefs of the Wolves has lead to a noted decline in their recruitment. Among the gangers, recruitment by the Space Marines was seen as recognition of one's prowess as a fighter, while recruitment in the upper city is looked upon as one of the highest honors a family can receive. Many commoners have found their other children sought after as husbands or wives for nobles after a son is taken as a Space Marine, while a failing noble house can find its popularity restored with such a coup. Thanks and Acknowledgements Thanks go to Sigismund Himself, Strike Captain Lysimachus, Telveryon, and the many, many, many others who have provided insights, told me when I was wrong, and helped me turn this from a bad idea into a good one. The Ice Lords bear the geneseed of Lion'El Jonson. It appears pure and uncorrupted, which is of little surprise considering their relatively short history and the notable purity of the Dark Angel seed. Quite why the Ice Lords do not maintain many Dark Angel practices has not been determined, but it clearly cannot derive from the geneseed. No record has ever been found of the Ice Lords referring to themselves as Unforgiven, and the Chapter actually seems to actively shun the company of such Chapters. Much speculation has arisen among some Imperial scholastic communities as to why this might be so. Battlecry Roar your defiance to the enemy. Let them feel the chill of fear, and let them know that they face the true defenders of Humanity - Chaplain Belicarius Honor and duty remain!

Yes I am back yet again after another prolonged haitus. This time working and refining my Swords of Orion IA, with extra work on trying to forge a soul within the Chapter. So without further ado: Chapter's Symbol The gold sword represents the ever shining light of the Emperor and his divinity, whilst the star behind is known as the Star of Guilliman. The Swords of Orion have become a widely respected and feared chapter since their creation in the 12th great founding, within the 34th millennium. The chapter taken part in many notable crusades, including the cleansing of Halons Gate and defending the Imperium during a number of Black Crusades. The chapter were created from the seed of Guilliman from the Black Consuls chapter. Captain Achelon of the Second Company was given the honour of becoming the leader of the new chapter, his skill and unshakable faith in the Imperium and in honour making him the perfect candidate in the eyes of his chapter. Achelon decided to name his new chapter the Swords of Orion, representing themselves as the weapons of the mighty hunter of old mythology. Decreeing the Swords of Orion to become a fleet based chapter, so that they may crusade around the Imperium to counter any major threats, Achelon was given two blessings of faith by the Imperium. The Black Consuls donated a battle-barge, the Relentless Spirit and a battleship named the Herald of Justice, whilst the Mechanicum gifted a new battle-barge fresh from the shipyards of Hexon. Chapter Master Achelon named the battle barge the Valiant Sword, which became the chapters flagship. For over twenty Terran years the chapter were tutored by their parent chapter in the art of warfare and partially assisted the Black Consuls during the 7th Black Crusade, where the Swords of Orion gained the honour of slaying the crazed, corrupted governor of Tropolis. The chapter were finally declared a fully operational chapter in 777.M34, with over four hundred brothers in their ranks ready to ravage and cleanse the enemies of the Imperium. Success after success came to the chapter over the following decades and they became a great ally to the Imperial armies around the area of the Orion Belt and in the Ultima Segmentum. The chapter also became strong allies to the Inquisitor Felix Takato and his retinue, who assisted the chapter whilst defending Imperial space from the inhabitants of the daemon infested Forenaught sector. Phellenor Around 400 years after the chapters creation, they were tasked in destroying the ancient Eldar spaceship, Phellenor as it ravaged through the Galactic North of the Segmentum Obscurus. The chapter chased and fought the Eldar for over a decade but soon, after heavy losses had been taken by the Eldar after the assault on Fermax Prime, the ships engines were damaged by a lucky Nova Cannon shot leaving the mighty Eldar spacecraft vulnerable, the Swords of Orion prepared to board it. Seeing the opportunity to finally rid the Imperium of this Eldar menace, the Swords of Orion called for assistance, knowing that their chapter wouldnt be enough to take down the mighty ship and soon their brother chapter, the Falcons Sanguine answered the call. It was decided that a large boarding party from both chapters would be used, where the Falcons would start the initial assault with their Death Company striking first and then the Swords of Orion would follow and plant the vortex grenade charges in the engine bay. Captian Locus of the 3rd Comapny The Eldar are the most dishonourable warriors within our galaxy. They strike from behind like cowards and show no honour in their work. The incidents from the destruction of Phellenor have only tempered our hate for the xenos filth more and we shall never let them forget the cowardly acts they performed upon our brothers. The fierceness of the Blood Angel successors created a massacre as they headed towards the engine bays, following the source of heat created by them. All was going well and the charges were placed in the engine bay, but disaster struck for the marines as the timed detonator was damaged by a counterattack from the Eldar. Seeing that time was running out for victory, Veteran Ixion of the Swords of Orion declared that he would sacrifice himself and set it off manually as he took cover. With reluctance, Chapter Master Aliton agreed and blessed him before he led his brothers back to the boarding boats alongside the Falcons Sanguine. The two chapters then fought a bloody path back towards the boarding ships. As the chapters headed back towards their respective ships and pulled out, Veteran Ixion was given a psychic message by the Epistolary of the Swords of Orion and detonated the charges, splitting the mighty craft in two and killing all on board. After the battle, the chapter declared a week of praise and celebration in memory Veteran Ixions noble sacrifice and the chapter held a tight bond of brotherhood with the marines of the Falcons Sanguine. The battle brothers within the Swords of Orion now hold onto and attempt to exemplify Veteran Ixions example of sacrifice and heroism and they hope that their sacrifice to victory will be as great and as noble as Ixions. Craftworld Iannor As the two chapters split away and departed across the stars to Imperial docks to be refitted and repaired, the Craftworld Iannor came across the remains of Phellenor after receiving a distress signal from them. The Eldar vowed that punishment would be given to the two chapters that destroyed the members of Phellenor. As the Falcons Sanguine celebrated in their fleet from the victory, the Eldar Craftworld attacked without warning and decimated the chapter; all but three companies survived the terrible onslaught after retreating. The chapter have been a sombre one ever since that day of bloodshed and hold an intense hate for all Eldar. The Swords of Orion fared better for their actions and the chapters fleet split into their respective companies and moved onto their separate patrols around the Orion belt. Two days after the chapters fleet split apart, Craftworld Iannor suddenly attacked the small fleet of the second company and after destroying its communication arrays, the Eldar mercilessly annihilated every ship in its path before disappearing into the webway once more. A faint distress signal was given out by the flagship of the second company, Spirit of Justice and was picked up by the chapter masters fleet four days after the massacre. He called for the entire chapter to rally on his point and then search for any remnants from the second company, but all that was left was floating wrecks with no survivors. After seeing The Unknown Chapter Some of the chapters geneseed was taken by the High Lords of Terra during the 21st Cursed founding to create a new chapter. All records of this chapter seemed to be expunged after the cursed founding and the chapter declared destroyed for unknown reasons, but an image bearing their heraldry is still on records and it has been seen a number of times in battle upon Armageddon and during the 12th and 13th Black Crusade. The Swords of Orion see this a small stain upon their honour and try to discover who the chapter are and find out why they were deemed as destroyed. such terrible destruction and soon hearing of the plight of the Falcons Sanguine, chapter master Aliton declared that when the Craftworld would return to Imperial space again, he would crush it in the name of the Second Company and the Falcons Sanguine. Aftermath The losses taken by the Swords of Orion were deeply felt by the entire chapter, when the Mechanicum donated two new ships to the chapter after the damage caused by Iannor. They were named the Wrath of Ixion, as a reminder of the sacrifice made by the veteran and the Honour of Keyen as a mark of respect to the dead captain and brothers of the second company. A new banner was made for the Second Company when they were fully reformed in 201.M35 that bore the head of an Eldar in a ball of flame with a golden sword through it. The Wrath of Ixion became the flagship of the Second Company and remains so to this day. The Falcons Sanguine chapter took over 250 years to fully recover from the devastating blow given by Craftworld Idharae, they have remained a very sombre chapter since the incident but hold no blame to the Swords of Orion chapter for their destruction but their Chapter Master, Harad Bloodwing executed himself for believing that he had caused the losses in his chapter by answering the call from the Swords of Orion. The Falcons then went upon a vengeful crusade around the stars to avenge their losses, following every report of Eldar activity and extinguishing their existence. The chapter are now deemed the best-suited chapter within their sector for dealing with Eldar incursions. Since the Phellenor incident and its aftermath, the Falcons Sanguine and the Sword of Orion have aided each other on numerous occasions and when Craftworld Iannor reappeared in 593.M37, both chapters were the first to take arms and fight against the Eldar menace. The Black Crusades The Swords of Orion have taken part in many actions against the forces of chaos in a number of the Despoiler's Black Crusades. Their actions during the ninth crusade saved the vitally strategic defence system of the Bloodmoons from the clutches renegade chapter, the Legion of Hatred. The Swords of Orion also defended the Galina sub sector from the Word Bearers as they fought to capture the demonically possessed Warlord Titan Soulflayer. Such heroic defences arent without major sacrifices as the chapter has learnt. In the dying embers of the 12th Black Crusade, the Swords of Orion defended the planet of Theda Primus from the Legion of Hatred once more. The chaos chapter were mustering for a final assault to take the Hive City of Phalanx Prime. Daemon Prince Kharkonum, leader of the Legion of Hatred had rallied together a cohort of mechanized traitor guardsmen alongside the remnants of his chaos marines. The two armies met at Crescent Gorge and on those desert fields a titanic and apocalyptic battle took place but the heretics were creating massive losses with the heavy weaponry utilized by the guardsmen. All seemed loss as the banners and captains of the third and fifth company fell to a sudden incursion of vicious daemons. But as the Swords of Orion were being pushed back, a strange ally emerged from the smoke and began to cut through the chaos forces lines. It was the widely awed and fabled Legion of the Damned. The legendary warriors scythed through the lines of chaos filth, Black Consuls Annihilation When news reached the chapter of the annihilation of their parent chapter, a month of mourning was held throughout the Swords of Orion. A single black candle was lit within the main chapel aboard the flagship, the Valiant Sword. A black candle now always remains lit in remembrance of the chapters parents. In remembrance, the Black Consuls symbol was placed on the left kneepad of each marine in memory of the loss. Small contingents of marines from the Swords of Orion stand vigil over the Black Consuls homeworld and Fortress Monastery, in case the Black Consuls should one day return. cutting down swathes every second. Watching in wonder as his new allies cut hundreds of daemons down, Chapter Master Neptus rallied his men and charged towards the lines of the enemy, the fallen banners of the third and fifth were recovered and raised up by the second company as they charged with righteous hate and faith for victory. The charge pushed the chaos enemy back and soon Neptus challenged the Daemon Prince Khar'konum. The two fought tooth and nail but after an age of duelling, Neptus was struck down to the cries of despair from his brothers. But as Khar'konum brought down his final blow to end Neptus life, the marine released a vortex grenade at the Daemon's feet, sucking them both into the screaming warp. With their leader gone, the chaos force broke in strength and morale and began to retreat with the Swords of Orion cutting them down. In the blood tainted dust of the aftermath, the chapter searched for their commander and for the Legion of the Damned, but all that was found of Neptus was his sword, the Blade of Orion and his helmet that bore the Star of Guilliman. The Legion of the Damned was also nowhere to be seen. The wargear was taken and blessed in the cathedral at the Hive City by Master of Sanctity; Helios Sadar, a close friend of Neptus. The cathedral is now a sacred site for the chapter and a small detachment of marines attend a service every decade in remembrance of the losses taken that fateful day and to give praise their fallen Chapter Master. The Blade of Orion and helmet worn by Neptus are now sacred relics and are worn into battle by every Chapter Master who leads his brothers in battle. Recent Actions The chapter have taken part in a number of significant recent actions, including in the third War for Armageddon against the Orks and in destroying a number of Necron tomb worlds, however the chapter are still on the lookout for Craftworld Iannor to avenge the losses suffered by themselves and the Falcons Sanguine. The Swords of Orion have clashed with the Legion of Hatred many times since the battle for Crescent Gorge and every time, the Sword of Orion and Star of Guilliman have been brought into battle against them, wielded by the chapter master. The current chapter master, Krall Thorin has slain many leaders of the Legion of Hate in recent actions against them, including in the 12th Black Crusade and in the second defence of Fermax Prime. Craftworld Iannor still seeks revenge for the blood of those that the chapter and the Falcons Sanguine inflicted upon Phellenor, but none have been as devastating as the aftermath from destroying the Eldar battleship. Relations with the Falcons Sanguine since the aftermath have stayed strong and the Swords of Orion readily call to the aid of the Falcons Sanguine in thanks and remembrance for their service all those millennia ago. From the chapters history of defence and sacrifice, the chapter keep the ethos that the sacrifice of one for victory is a noble end for any man. Thus the Astartes of the chapter are entirely fearless and will take greater risks for victory than other chapter might. The Orion Belt + Recruitment The chapter has operated around the Orion Belt sector within the Segmentum Solar since its inception in 777.M34. Often dealing with Ork incursions and Chaos assaults, the chapter are seen as the regions vengeful angels whom strike without warning to enact justice on the xenos and chaos menaces. The Orion Belt itself contains numerous planets that are tactically vital to the war effort of the Imperium, including three major forgeworlds and hundreds of agri-worlds to feed to ever growing Imperiums population and its armies. Warp storms do occasionally roar through the void of space and devour entire planets or release their horde of chaos warriors and demons upon the Imperial sectors. Thus the Swords of Orion have faced the traitors of the Imperium and the denizens of the warp many a time and hold a strong hate for the betrayal of the Chaos Marines. The chapter sees the coward and the traitor as the greatest enemies of humanity and the ultimate crimes, where no mercy can be given. It is true to say that the Swords of Orion fight the Chaos Marines with the greatest ferocity and show no mercy to anything or anyone associated with them, including planets where chaos incursions have occurred. Chapter Master Krall Seron Cowardice is heresy. Heresy is a crime only punishable by death. Never turn your back upon the enemy. To do so is to display you fear them. We are the Emperors chosen. We do not know of fear. Those who show fear are not worthy of His service and deserve only one punishment. Extermination. Being a fleet based chapter, The Swords of Orion use a number of planets for recruitment. They are mostly medieval feudal worlds, where young knights train in the clans and armies of the planet and hopefully join the ranks of the "Immortal Angels" (the chapter) if they are deemed worthy enough when the angels descend upon the planet to recruit more members through a series of trials. These trials include splitting the many hopefuls into groups of 25 and then, they all each duel against each other and the winner from the battle is chosen to go to the next stage of recruitment, which includes the climbing of the Unforgiving Mountain and defeating a combat servitor with only a small combat knife. When an initiate finally joins the rank of the chapter as a scout, he has a sword etched onto his left shoulder with a heated blade and on top of his primary heart, representing that even if they lose everything against the enemy their heart and soul will always stay with the chapter. The Scout is then presented with the blade that was used to etch the chapters symbol onto his body. If a marine was to turn from the chapter and Emperors light, hes found and executed, but before his execution the etchings are burnt away from his skin, representing that hes no longer a member of the chapter and they have lost the bond of brotherhood that resides in each Astartes of the Swords of Orion. Organisation + Combat Doctrine The Swords of Orion follow the codex's teachings to the letter as they see Guilliman as the saviour of mankind and the Imperium during the Scouring. Codex markings are used throughout the chapter and their shoulder-pad trims are coloured to represent each company. The only deviation in markings is the unique way a captain is represented in each company; every captains weapon is painted in the colour of his company, as is the Star of Guilliman in the chapters symbol. The heraldry of the captain is placed on a small shield thats attached to their left shoulder pad, in similar fashion to the Iron Knights. Festival of the Sword On the 77th year of every century, the Festival of the Sword is held celebrating the time when the chapter became fully independent. Many contests are held and the most prominent is the League of Orion. This is a great sporting event, where two champions are chosen from each of the four battle companies and they take part in a gruelling decathlon and the final round to decide the true champion, the top scoring two contestants joust each other using a bike with a metal lance and storm shield attached. The winner from that battle is then presented the Axe of Ixion by the chapter master and the champions company hold the honour of carrying it into battle until the next festival. The chapter rely heavily on fast, mechanised assaults, relying on Rhinos and Land Raiders to strike deep into the heart of the enemy, with Vindicators at the forefront of an assault. The chapter rarely use Drop Pods as their method of getting to the surface of a planet unless a severely rapid attack is required, so the chapter utilise squadrons of Thunderhawks instead, as a method of striking down on the enemy before they land. Pilots of the Swords of Orion have often been seconded to the Hawk Lords chapter, to learn further skill in their craft in the fabled Talons Wing. The Swords of Orion do not possess a fortress monastery like many other chapters. Being fleet based instead, their flagship, the Valiant Sword is used as the chapters headquarters. Keeps and small fortresses however are kept on strategic planets for recruitment, including Theda Primus and the Bloodmoons. The chapter fleet is normally split into five separate fleets, where each is led by a captain and with elements from the reserves, veteran and scout company. The smaller fleet is comprised normally of one battle barge and a dozen smaller cruisers with defence ships patrolling around them in tight formation. The small fleets always stay within ten light-years of each other to ensure that if one is attacked, the rest can come to their aid within a short time. The sword is regarded in the highest degree amongst the entire chapter and very rarely does a commander or veteran choose to use a different shape of blade as a weapon. To wield a power sword into battle is seen as a great honour and only the most experienced of veteran sergeants wield them. When a member of the chapter is indoctrinated into the 1st company, a golden sword is added onto their right shoulder pad, looking like its been struck through the pad. The veteran is also presented with a golden blade to be worn on their belt as decoration and the symbol of the chapter is etched into their right shoulder, to match the previous etching on their left that was made in their ascension to an Astartes. Plasma weapons are also regarded in the highest degree of respect and honour as well as it epitomises the ever-shining light of the Emperor and the fury that lies within them. The most sacred and venerated sword in the chapter is the fabled Blade of Orion that chapter master Neptus wielded when he fought with the Daemon Prince Kharkonum. It is only used in the direst of circumstances and when not used it is kept on the main altar of the chapel aboard the Valiant Sword inside a block of black obsidian. Beliefs The chapter hold many knightly virtues and hate and despise cowards in all forms. They have been known to publicly execute squads of Imperial Guardsmen whom have fled out of fear from battle. This was seen during the 12th Black Crusade when the hapless 21st Gregorian Guard regiment retreated from their lines as a mass of daemons attacked and their commanders were publicly executed in front of the other regiments as a warning of the punishment for cowardice. The chapter have gained a fearful reputation since with all of the Imperial Guard units that they fight with. The chapter however also values and praises heroism and the willing sacrifice of a small band of people or a single person to turn the course of battle. Whilst this is the sentiment of practically every Astartes, the chapter focus upon this belief further. Thus the newer recruits within the chapter can be reckless at times until they learn to control when duty truly calls for such a sacrifice. The chapter see the Emperor as the great all father of mankind and so they have an endless fury and are disgusted and shamed by their fallen brethren who betrayed humanity and its father. The chapter hold the belief that he who turns away from his brothers is a coward, deserving no mercy from anyone. The only way they could redeem themselves would be through death, to be judged by the Emperor himself. Thus if the chapter discovered any intelligence on a traitor being nearby in their systems, they would be the first to exact justice upon the traitors. Battlecry The battlecry of the chapter is traditionally For Orion and the Emperor! but deviations of it are often heard. The chapters motto is May the sword of golden justice strike through tainted hearts! This is often tattooed onto the right hand of a marine or across their backs above an Imperial Aquila. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And that is all, comments welcome! Cambrius

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN: THE STONE HEARTS "Throughout humanity's history, stone has served. Stone has been a weapon. Stone has been a fortress. Mankind has built with stone, and stone has built mankind. Let us remember this, and take it to our hearts. Let our hearts be like stone - ready to serve humanity, and the Imperium of Man. For when all else has failed, stone will still serve." - Chapter Master Cambrius Vulk, The Book of the First" Origins ”Men of Cathe, oh stand ye steady It cannot be ever said ye For the battle were not ready Stand and never yield.” -Cathian hymn The Stone Hearts are products of the Sixth Founding. Upon their formal activation as a Chapter they journeyed to the home world which had been assigned to them, the tiny planet of Cathe in the galactic north-west, on the border between Segmentum Obscurus and Segmentum Pacificus. Cathe was a grey, rocky world, whose hereditary Duke had recently died, leaving no legitimate heir. The planet was relatively underdeveloped, and it's only city of any size was the capital, which housed the planet's only space port (which consisted only of a well-packed dirt field and a Naval fuel depot). The Chapter took the ducal castle as their fortress monastery, expanding and refitting until it (and the dungeons beneath it) were a fortress worthy of the Space Marines. Most of Cathe's population were hardy clansmen, accustomed to fighting for goods, honor, and land, and these doughty warriors made excellent recruits for the Chapter. There was one small problem with Cathe. Much of Cathe's populace resented the transition to Space Marine rule, and a number of the local nobles had nursed this resentment in hopes of somehow rebelling and taking control of the planet for themselves. This resistance had coalesced behind the person of young Tyrion Cathek, the Duke's bastard son, despite his personal apathy toward the rebellion. His support among the population was significant enough to make planet-wide revolt a distinct possibility, and rebellion would mean that the Stone Hearts must either leave or suppress this challenge to their authority, greatly damaging the planet's capacity as a base. Neither option was acceptable to Chapter Master Cambrius Vulk, who chose a third course of action. Stone Hearts Marine in Standard Heraldry Vulk offered to use his influence within the Imperium to help Tyrion obtain a Rogue Trader license. The brash and foppish young Tyrion was more than willing to trade his claims at ducal office for the chance to explore new worlds and stars - especially when Vulk offered to provide a company of troops as a perpetual escort for Cathek and his heirs. Tyrion left Cathe for the stars, and the Third Company went with him as his bodyguards – and to watch him closely. Ever since, one of the Stone Heart Battle Companies has escorted whichever scion of the Cathek family currently holds the commission to trade in the region, each mustering out upon the death of their charge. The Catheks have only rarely returned to Cathe, though the population still holds the memory of the Dukes closely in their hearts. With Cathek gone and the Stone Hearts demonstrating their martial prowess through combat exercises across the planet, the murmurs of rebellion faded away. The Stone Hearts and the people of Cathe each settled into the routines of their lives, slowly becoming accustomed to the new order. Precious Stones ”Vulk, I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” – Tyrion Cathek Of course, a new order only ever lasts long enough for its collapse to be surprising. A few brief decades later, the Chapter was on the brink of disintegration. Relations with the Adeptus Mechanicus had become strained when an irate Vulk explained to a senior Magos that the Techmarines of the Stone Hearts would be Stone Hearts first, and Adepts of Mars second. While most members of the Chapter Armoury personally agreed, the Tech-Priests took the alarming step of refusing to train further Techmarines. In itself, this was only a minor problem as the Chapter’s own Techmarines were willing and able to train others in the technical arts. However, at the same time, shipments of supplies to the Chapter dwindled to nearly nothing, with bureaucratic entanglements, piratical activity and production defects being only a few of the myriad excuses provided by the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Stone Hearts were being slowly starved of needed materials, their limited manufactory facilities simply unable to keep up with the demands of a full chapter. Vulk concluded that the Stone Hearts would have to turn outside the traditional methods of the Adeptus Astartes in order to survive. He consulted with Tyrion Cathek, whose foppishness and brash nature had grown into an appreciation for the arts of trading and commerce and an equal willingness to enforce the dictates of the Emperor. Vulk had expected that Tyrion would recommend some alternate sources for materiel and equipment which would sustain the Chapter until Vulk could determine some method of restoring the Mechanicus' favor. What Vulk got was a prolonged dissertation on the commercial possibilities of the surrounding sectors, and an equally long list of potential sources for starship parts, weapons, munitions, cogitators, and the sort of goods that would be wanted in trade. The stunned Chapter Master could only watch as Cathek sketched out a comprehensive plan by which the existing resources and assets of the Stone Hearts could be parlayed into formidable wealth – wealth sufficient to ensure that the Stone Hearts could be ever-ready to enforce the Emperor's will. Cathek's advice well-reflected the character of a Rogue Trader, but Vulk felt that whatever it might lack in orthodoxy, it compensated for with sheer practicality. It also allowed him a chance to keep the Chapter free from the influence of Mars, which appealed both to Vulk's pride and to his sense of caution – any pretense of reconciliation the Tech-Priests might concede in the future could hardly be trusted when it came. Better for the Stone Hearts to seek their own way, even if it might be an unfamiliar one. With Tyrion by his side, Vulk set out to seize the Chapter's future. Reiving Master Vulk was not the only one to find methods of dealing with the Chapter's logistical difficulties. Fiach Welf, then Captain of the Third Company, found himself far from Cathe, low on supplies, and equally low on prospects. He settled these difficulties by finding the nearest Space Marine Chapter and asking politely for aid. When his request was declined, Welf challenged his opposite number to a duel for the equipment he had requested. He triumphed, and the Company finished their patrol and returned to Cathe. Though the practice was not institutionalized (both Vulk and Welf agreeing that adopting such practices on a large scale seemed a good way to bring down the ire of other Chapters upon the Stone Hearts), various other Captains through the Chapter's history have indulged in the practice when necessary (or when so inclined), though modern duels rely less on insulting the opponent until they consent to fight and more on the wagering of trade concessions, resources, or debts of honor. Few are the Space Marine Captains who would decline such a challenge, and even some Imperial Guard commanders have been more than willing to test a dozen of their finest Guardsmen against a Space Marine. Most duels are non-lethal, and even when the Chapter loses they gain in knowledge. Though only a few duels are fought every decade, each one is seen as a mark of the warrior spirit of the Stone Hearts. Over the next few months, Vulk and Cathek moved from system to system in the region – and on each world, Cathek whispered golden promises to all who would hear. On Drak-Dum, they made contact with a Brotherhood of the Demiurg – and in exchange for cleansing several nests of Orks as well as the concession of mineral rights on Cathe's barren antarctic continent, they secured a steady stream of processed ores, munitions, and technical advice from the Brotherhood's wisest craftsmen. Through the gilded, pirate-wracked worlds of the Faroe Nebula they spread word of the safety of the vaults of a Space Marine Chapter, and the reasonable price of that safety. At Este, they offered the Grand Duke shares in future properties seized from heretics and traitors in exchange for favorable trade status and export rights for the famous Estian smokewood. The High Archon of Blackmere gave a half-share of the stellar mines around the dying red dwarf Micturic in exchange for the promise of Space Marine protection for the delicate mining platforms. The wealth of dozens of worlds twisted around the words of Cathek and the imposing presence of Vulk, and soon a web of contracts, trade routes and commercial interests stretched across several sectors – with the Stone Hearts at its center. Home World ”Call them to account, you say? The Stone Hearts own this sector. Their men guard half the palaces, their merchants buy the output of nearly all the worlds, and their fleets keep the pirates in check. Their failure is no longer an option.” – Inquisitor Tesseract D’Apothete The domain of the Stone Hearts stretches widely now. Commercial routes, trading enclaves, mining concerns, exotic manufactoria, and Chapter bases dot the systems and sectors surrounding Cathe. Nonetheless, the core of their realm remains Cathe and its people. Cathe is a rocky world, peopled mostly by hardy feudal tribespeople. The hereditary Duke and his attendant nobles each controlled vast tracts of the planet, and most of the population were members of various clans and tribes – with many nobles being clansmen and many tribesmen being nobility. Cathian society was usually embroiled in some form of low-intensity warfare, with clan obligations and feudal duties conflicting and interweaving in such ways that only the individual Cathian knew where his loyalties could truly be said to lie. Vicious skirmishes over land, cattle, honor, women, gold, and weapons were all common, and the allies of one battle were the enemies of the next. ”Tancred and Tyria” Though the bond between the Cathek family and the Stone Hearts remained strong for many millenia, the most recent scion of the family strained the relationship nearly to its breaking point. In his later years, Tyrel Cathek was best described as a madman, even by the standards of the Imperium. While the targets of his wrath had always suffered consequences disproportionate to offenses, his growing tendency to indiscriminately slaughter those who opposed him offended the Stone Hearts' sense of restraint, as did his lamentable personal habits and tendency to jump at shadows. The Fourth Company was his bodyguard, and sworn to his service, but even the relatively hot-blooded Captain Tancred Kintyre had often felt his hackles rise at the measures used by Cathek. But the Stone Hearts were nothing if not patient, and were content to bide their time until Cathek died and was replaced by his far more reasonable daughter. Tyria had obviously been unaffected by her father's insanity, and was a shrewd and dangerous young woman, dedicated to the Imperium. Tancred, one of her childhoold friends, had discussed her father's obvious flaws with her, and they had both agreed that waiting was the only prudent thing to do – if only to avoid explaining what had happened to Tyrel to the Inquisition. Tyria, as her father's favorite retainer, would handle much of her father's business, so that his madness might affect the Imperium as little as possible, and Tancred would do his best to ensure that when Cathek did force his soldiers into action, their targets would be deserving. However, Tyrel's twisted mind had other ideas. In 993.M41 the world of Tyrhennius failed to provide an agreed upon cargo of Mandrovian dates. Tyrel declared this to be a sign of heresy and rebellion against the Imperium, and ordered the Stone Hearts to destroy planet. Tancred stepped forward, and declared in ringing tones that "The Emperor's subjects are the charges of the Adeptus Astartes and the High Lords of Terra. To strike them undeserving is to strike at the heart of the Imperium itself." Tyrel was even more surprised when Tyria announced her agreement with the Captain, and invoked her authority as commander of her father's ship to have him confined to his quarters, "for his own protection". It was seen as a great tragedy when Tyrel hung himself later that day (or so said the notification to the High Lords). Tyria Cathek contacted the recalcitrant world and explained the tragedy, and the catastrophe which had narrowly been averted. The shipment was delivered on time. It was an unusual break with tradition when Tyria requested the continued services of the Fourth Company, but Chapter Master Adhemar was happy to acquiesce. Ever since, relations between the Catheks and the Stone Hearts have continued in their old vein of friendship and respect. The Duke and his capital at Longford were the only truly civilized parts of the world, and even there Imperial influence was relatively weak. The arrival of the Stone Hearts did little to change that initially, but with the Chapter's ventures into commerce Cathe has been transformed. The spaceport now hums with activity, the goods of dozens of worlds flowing in and out in the holds of ships from any number of ports. To facilitate mining and other undertakings in more remote regions of the planet, a system of roads now stretches across the glens and mountains, bringing all of Cathe into reach of the capital. Most clans, instead of spending their energies fighting each other, hire their men out as mercenaries offplanet, preferring a steady income and less risk to the cut and thrust of Cathian politics. Close to the capital clans have fallen away altogether, replaced by the far more important considerations of wealth and debt. Where once Cathe was barren, harsh and quiet, now it rumbles with the noise of commerce and trade. The Fortress-Monastery of the Stone Hearts, now known as the Golden Hall, serves as the center of the Chapter's extensive commercial empire in addition to its military duties. The original ducal castle has been much expanded to accommodate this, both above and below ground, and its counting houses, vaults, warehouses and offices now rival the fortress proper in size and scope. At any hour of the day or night, the clink of coins and the murmur of negotiations echo through the Chapter's halls. The people of Cathe, even as they revel in their new prosperity, long for the old ways. The loss of opportunity for raiding and skirmishing has been something of a disappointment to many, and it is common for young bravos to exhort each other with tales of the glorious golden age of warfare and honor which the crudities of trade and money have taken from the people. Though many on Cathe have come to rely more than they know on the peace and prosperity brought by the Stone Heart's commercial interests, this longing for conflict and honor still drives many Cathians to seek their fortunes off-planet as mercenaries, or even as pirates. The Stone Hearts view these tendencies as necessary to maintaining the population's viability as recruits, and so allow such excursions – though those foolish enough to turn to piracy are dealt with appropriately when they are encountered. The population’s military tendencies are also maintained by the various Chapter Keeps which dot the highlands of Cathe. There, grizzled veteran mercenaries and Battle-Brothers long past their prime teach those youths of Cathe who wish to learn skills at arms and the discipline needed to turn a warrior into a soldier. The cities of Cathe may smelt, mine and sell, but the people of Cathe’s uplands still know the ways of sword and axe. The fire of the Cathians may be less bright now, but it has not gone out, and it burns within the Stone Hearts as it always has. Beliefs "Cowardice is holding back when you could win. Practicality is holding back so they will lose." - Chaplain Duriel Hawker Above all, the Stone Hearts are practical. Their brush with starvation and dissolution early in their history has made them cautious in ways that most Space Marines are not – they are keenly aware that even Space Marines can be defeated, albeit not necessarily on the battlefield. They seldom take rash courses of action, and adopt well-balanced strategies which use the minimum force and equipment necessary to accomplish their objectives. This has on occasion resulted in disaster when an enemy or situation was underestimated, but it has generally served the Chapter well. Even the Chaplains of the Stone Hearts are relatively sedate compared to those of other chapters, and have somehow contrived to preach a more temperate zealotry. Of course, the headstrong character of the Cathian population still rears its head in the Chapter. Every Stone Heart, despite his practicality, dreams of glory and ferocious hand-to-hand battles like those of old. Every so often the Stone Hearts will give in to their natural ferocity and charge headlong into a frontal engagement with the foe. It is a testament to the abilities of Space Marines how rarely this results in disaster. ”We get up in the black, down the warrior's road And we hike along the track, as the dropships load And we'll kiss our wives and sons, though we never will look back For we'll not see them again, down the warrior's road We hear the Chapter call, down the warrior's road And we take our swords and all, as the dropships load In the pods we then will drop, 'til there's nowhere else to fall And we'll leave the stars behind us, down the warrior's road Around another sun, down the warrior's road We'll fight with sword and gun, as the dropships load When extraction finally comes, we're so thankful to be gone That we'll fight again tomorrow, down the warrior's road.” Cathian Ballad The Stone Hearts recognize that their embracement of trade and their dealings with the Demiurg might bring scrutiny upon them from some other, more orthodox, Imperial organizations. They are sure that any doubt that might be raised will be easily quashed by their record of service, and failing that, by pointed words and equally pointed blades. Combat Doctrine ”Conserve your resources. Hold back your forces. No one has ever won a war by spending his strength in the first battle.” – Captain Archimedes Frasier of the Third Company In the millennia since their arrival on Cathe, the Stone Hearts have continued to battle against the enemies of Mankind. On worlds across the Imperium they have faced down the ever-present threats of Orks, Eldar raiders, and heretical uprisings. The Chapter has also on occasion sent Battle Companies south to fight alongside their brother Astartes in the Chaos-wracked sectors around the Eye of Terror, and dispatched expeditions to the galactic north, along the rim of Imperial territory, where the light of the Astronomican can barely be felt. The Stone Hearts favor using the minimum force required in a situation – a legacy both of their lean early years and of their increasingly mercantile nature. They have even been known to attempt to find diplomatic solutions (though often only as a cover for military preparations), or to buy off enemy armies and turn them to the service of the Imperium. Often the Chapter will settle for a somewhat prolonged engagement which takes less casualties, using fortifications and terrain to limit their casualties and ensure the destruction of the enemy. This minimal approach has sometimes resulted in temporary defeat, but the Stone Hearts always simply reevaluate the situation and react accordingly. Like many Chapters, the Stone Hearts use equipment suited to the conditions on their home world – they favor rugged vehicles which can deal with a variety of terrain and the use of heavy firepower. They shy away from aerospace assets – in the mountains of Cathe, the only support you can trust is that on the ground with you. The Chapter's co-operation with the Drak-Dum Brotherhood has also brought them expertise in tunnel fighting and a penchant for some of the obscure artillery pieces often deployed by these aliens. This firepower is often emplaced in a strongpoint close to enemy positions, from which it rains down death until the enemy is either destroyed or moves to react – at which point more mobile Chapter forces move in. While the Chapter's commercial network has brought them impressive wealth, many of their purchased armaments are simply not equal in quality to those of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and their domestically produced weapons are generally simpler in nature – the Chapter Techmarines did not possess the skills to allow reverse-engineering and production of items such as plasma weaponry or assault cannons. The Stone Hearts thus favor easy-to-procure and easy-to-repair weaponry, and their stores of arcane items like plasma weapons and Terminator armor are quite limited compared to other Chapters of similar age and experience. Rogue Trader Tyria Cathek and Captain Tancred Kintyre of the Fourth Company Organisation "They made one mistake. They put their fortress where we could reach it." – Captain Tancred Kintyre The Stone Hearts adhere to the Codex Astartes, though each company is permitted to retain any unusual equipment they come across in their travels (after any necessary purification rituals have been undertaken). When combined with the Chapter's occasional practice of duelling for equipment with other forces, this has lead to some companies being rather eclectic in their armaments. However, the Chapter's formations remain entirely Codex, if only because (in keeping with their practical nature), there has not yet been any need to do otherwise. While the Chapter remains able to produce many minor items, and supplement their production with a variety of other sources, many Astartes products are simply unavailable to them. While this has somewhat restricted their equipment, their difficulties do not seem as pronounced as one might initially expect. It is suspected by several Inquisitors that the Stone Hearts maintain surreptitious trade links with several other Chapters, which are kept concealed through layers of middlemen and staged accidents or honor duels. Many Inquisitors have speculated that the Chapter’s occasional reivings are really artfully staged trade deals, and several Chapters which have ‘suffered’ a loss to the Stone Hearts have been noted to have been more than recompensed through fortunate discoveries of ‘lost cargo’ or ‘forgotten land grants’. Gene-seed "Those who say we have lost our way and compromised our security by allowing merchants to roam our halls have evidently never tried to reach our gene-seed vault." - Apothecary Taran Koga The Stone Hearts are scions of Guilleman's genetic line. Their geneseed remains pure and undegraded. The Chapter's seed is stored beneath even the banking vaults in their monastery, behind triple-secured passages which no visitor ever sees. The Stone Hearts take great care to ensure the purity of their tithes to the Adeptus Mechanicus – they will offer the Priests of Mars no excuse to cause them trouble. The Priesthood of Mars, conversely, simply cannot be bothered to return the Chapter's enmity - though they remain obdurate on the subject of Techmarines, the Stone Hearts stopped remitting their supply requests millenia ago, and it is very possible that the incident has faded from the Mechanicus' collective memory. This apathy has resulted in the Stone Hearts' tithes being accepted without complaint on every occasion. Battlecry Melior quam media. - Chapter Motto "Stone in heart! Stone in will!" * * * Opinions and criticism welcome. I think I've been moderately successful in updating in response to the last round of thoughts, but I'm not sure. smile.png Suggestions for quote subjects would be very welcome. Updated again to include revisions prompted by Shinzaren, Hrvat, Lysimachus, Ecritter and Cambrius. Edited one more time to add in Greyall's beautiful illustrations.

+++ Heralds of Light +++ 'Cut through the night!' + Lore + Index Astartes: Heralds of Light (Downloadable version) +Models+ Intercessor Intercessor Veteran Sergeant Firstborn Captain (by @jah-joshua, owned by @DarkKnightCuron) + Art + Chapter Heraldry Battle-Brothers (by @Aerion the Faithful) Vengeance (by @Aerion the Faithful)