Index Astartes: Azure Blades v 2.0

[Espada Azul]

Back from work, and some slight paint stripping on the models that the Tamiya matte varnish ruined, before returning them to their brake fluid bath.

 

And now, without further ado... I'm going to freely admit that I have many preconceived notions about the hows, whys, and wherefores on the Space Marines, and as it turns out, a lot of these are wildly inaccurate (as a friend, the same fellow who regularly kicks my army's arse with his IG force, very nicely pointed out). It is unfortunate then that these misconceptions influenced the composition of many of the article's aspects (*cough*Codex Astartes*cough*), but with the new comments (much thanks to the Commissar) hopefully I can rectify these mistakes before they can be displayed permanently for all to see (thankfully, the IA Librarium submission hasn't been moved to the IA section...yet). Now THAT would be embarrassing.

 

Many ideas will have to undergo rethinking, but I'm keeping the major aspects: it's history (the major figures introduced thus far will remain), its dichtonomy in tactics (which will probably turn into a contrast between the flexible nature espoused by the Codex versus the specialized stealth-tactics the chapter had gotten used to implementing post-massacre, instead of the Stealth vs. Assault theme it has now), and its more-than-awkward relationship with the AdMech.

 

And now, I must retire for the night, and begin meditating on the matter. ;)

[Commissar Molotov]

And now, without further ado... I'm going to freely admit that I have many preconceived notions about the hows, whys, and wherefores on the Space Marines, and as it turns out, a lot of these are wildly inaccurate (as a friend, the same fellow who regularly kicks my army's arse with his IG force, very nicely pointed out). It is unfortunate then that these misconceptions influenced the composition of many of the article's aspects (*cough*Codex Astartes*cough*), but with the new comments (much thanks to the Commissar) hopefully I can rectify these mistakes before they can be displayed permanently for all to see (thankfully, the IA Librarium submission hasn't been moved to the IA section...yet). Now THAT would be embarrassing.

 

Many ideas will have to undergo rethinking, but I'm keeping the major aspects: it's history (the major figures introduced thus far will remain), its dichtonomy in tactics (which will probably turn into a contrast between the flexible nature espoused by the Codex versus the specialized stealth-tactics the chapter had gotten used to implementing post-massacre, instead of the Stealth vs. Assault theme it has now), and its more-than-awkward relationship with the AdMech.

 

I think a lot of these misconceptions aren't wholly yours. A lot of people share them, and part of the problem is that how the Space Marines (typically) play on the tabletop and how they operate in the fluff are (on the whole) two very different things. On occasion you will get Chapters that line up for the slaughter...

 

http://fc.deviantart.com/fs15/i/2007/085/6/2/Black_Templars_Pencil_Panel_by_cronevald.jpg

 

... most Chapters aren't quite like that.

[Espada Azul]

Ara, but isn't that the Black...? (takes a look around)

 

Anyway, I should have something by tonight. It's a substantial edit, I hope, with more details on how some aspects of the Chapter came to be. And some background fixes too, especially with the stuff that mention the Codex directly. It's funny how people (like myself) seem to misunderstand the Codex as something that inhibits inventive tactical thinking as a take-all guide... In fact (as much as it's supposed to be a living document that subsequent chapter masters of the Ultramarines add to), it espouses flexibility instead of specialization (where it seems that chapters like my own take one aspect espoused by the Codex like "A Marine must be Courageous" and runs away with it).

[Commissar Molotov]

Well, that's something the most recent Codex: Space Marines shows, with the traits system. Tread too far down one particular path (or style of fighting), and you'll suffer detrimentally in some other way.

 

One of the IA articles, 'Beasts of Steel', discusses the work of an Imperial Fists Techmarine named Blane, who researched into the way that Iron Warriors were often cybernetically hooked up into their vehicles (much like the Iron Hands...)

 

Blane's work was to be integrated into the Codex Astartes, but upon reviewing the data the Iron Fathers of the Iron Hands Chapter objected strongly enough that the notion was set aside. Many point out that the Iron Hands share the Iron Warriors' practice of cybernetic enhancement, believing the Chapter was protecting its own interests in suppressing the information. The Iron Hands insisted they wished merely to protect the Adeptus Astartes from the consequences of the information falling into the wrong hands.

 

So that certainly shows that even now, Marines are still contributing to the Codex Astartes (Blane's work was in .M39, seven thousand years or so after the heresy). But still... which Codex Astartes?

 

The original Codex was compiled approximately ten thousand years ago... It is not known what format the original took: it may have been a manuscript or it may have been a compilation of holo-files or even some combination. The oldest surviving copy of the Codex is reputed to be the Apocrypha of Skaros. The Liber Arcanum of Grand Marshall Tolof and the Holo-Record 442/33508; Gant Manuscript V2 of the Ceris Archive have some claim to this honour as well. Over the millennia the copies have been copied and recopied many times in order to preserve them. Inevitably mistakes occur and so it is unlikely that any two copies of the Codex will be identical. Furthermore the work is constantly being reanalysed and reinterpreted. The original prose style of Roboute is at best archaic and in some cases almost unintelligible. This has led to many varied interpretations over the centuries and to many situations where two entirely different doctrines have been legitimately claimed as 'official Codex' at the same time.

 

It's a side-point, and also fairly irrelevant, but it shows the mysticism in the 41st Millennia. If you're confused, imagine how they feel! :)

 

I think when you mention the Codex as being something that 'inhibits' flexibility... it's really a case of interpreting the Codex in spirit or word. It's like following any scripture - you can be open-minded, or you can be incredibly narrow-minded. That's what leads to the variation in Chapters. Of course, those Chapters that follow the text zealously are always going to look down on those that encourage any variation, whether it be subtle or great.

[Espada Azul]

*ahem* Hopefully the first of edits I'd like to add to the final Librarium article.

==================

Insignia Capitulum Azureus Gladius

The Azure Blades are descended from the Ultramarines by way of the Novamarines, whose geneseed tithe was used for the fledgling chapter. The Blades owe much to the Novamarines, as the Successor chapter not only provided their geneseed, but a cadre of veterans from their own number to train the recruits. In some ways, they even owe the Novamarines their name -- it is said that Brother-Captain Antonius, then senior officer among the training cadre, looked upon the promising neophytes, and likened them to his favored power sword Azul, (which glowed a rich blue when activated), "...In as much as (Azul) clove through armor as easily as it destroyed flesh, so too will they become ideal weapons to smite the enemies of the Imperium."

When Antonius was elected among his fellows to become the inaugural Chapter Master, it in essence became his symbolic weapon for use. The chapter had become his Azure Blades, each battle-brother a sword that would cleave asunder those who would go against the will of the Emperor.

Antonius was a follower of the Codex Astartes much like his former chapter, and sought to train the battle-brothers under his command according to the tenets espoused by that holy tome, especially with regards to battlefield flexibility. Indeed the Azure Blades were organized along strict Codex lines, with a single Veteran company, three main Battle Companies, followed by the reserve companies made up of Tactical, Assault, and Devastator brethren, rounded off by the Scout company, which would house and train the neophytes.

It was inevitable however that some of the chapter master's personal preferences would begin to influence the development of the new chapter. As an accomplished swordsman, Antonius brought many of the dueling and swordsfighting practices of his homeworld, and integrated these into the Blades' training regimen. Although the initial intent was to use these to hone their hand-to-hand fighting skills, an unintended result of this was that the initiates took to this facet of training a little too enthusiastically. There was something inherently glorious in personal combat, where vanquishing one's enemies face-to-face was many times more satisfying and gave a better sense of achievement than simply crushing them with superior firepower. Though the chapter master sought to temper this with an equal emphasis on the other aspects of warfare, it soon became common for battle brothers to start rushing into melee after softening up the opposition with sustained bolter fire.

With the introduction of dueling came another subtle change, as the battle-brothers of the chapter began to associate themselves with the implements they used during sparring; devastators for example seemed to gravitate towards the claymore, a large and otherwise unwieldy weapon that could cleave an armored rider and its mount in twain in the hands of a trained wielder, while the rapier was favored by company veterans due to its capability to both cut an opponent open, at the same time being able to impale with a well-timed thrust. When Antonius' vocal comparison of each brother-marine to a symbolic sword spread through the ranks, many took the symbolism to heart, especially amongst the reserve companies and soon adopted their favored blade as both company name and emblem. Although officially each reserve company was still designated as Tactical, Assault, and Devastator, among themselves they were the Spathas, Scimitars, and Claymores. Battle companies, with their mix of battle-brethren, were called menageries, while the veterans of each company adopted the Rapier as their insignia. As for the 10th Company, their chosen badge was the Dagger, a blade that, although not a full sword, was still deadly enough in the hands of a beginner.

Although slightly displeased at the choice made by his brethren, Antonius let it slide, as it was a purely cultural change and did not affect their performance in battle. Indeed, the Azure Blades remained a Codex chapter for the duration of Antonius' term as Chapter Master, differing slightly only in ritual and not organization. However, which each successor, the Chapter began to deviate more and more from what Antonius had intended, as the dueling conventions he had introduced began to shape the Blades' rituals, symbolism and, most importantly, its tactics. By the ascension of the fifth chapter master, Tsurugi Kuro, the first to call himself High Blade, the Azure Blades had become a primarily assault-oriented chapter, where each battle-brother was expected to display their zeal by taking the fight directly to the enemy. As a fleet-based Chapter, this extended to ship-boarding actions as well, where the Blades proved their worth to Imperial commanders on many occassions, culminating in the capture of the dark eldar vessel codenamed Revenant.

This zeal for close combat would almost cause its downfall, however.

=============

Too much detail? Or too much of a morass to be understandable? :cuss

Edited February 3, 2008 by Espada Azul

[Commissar Molotov]

Honestly? I think your edit has made the piece worse - it suffers in places where it didn't before, and in places where you needed clarification, you've not really done so.

 

The first few lines really seem to be superfluous. You talk about the gene-seed tithe, and then go back to talk about the training cadre. You'd be better served just mentioning that the Chapter is descended from the Novamarines, whose Xth Company Captain, Antonius, became the first Master.

When Antonius was elected among his fellows to become the inaugural Chapter Master, it in essence became his symbolic weapon for use. The chapter had become his Azure Blades, each battle-brother a sword that would cleave asunder those who would go against the will of the Emperor.

 

'Inaugural' seems to strike me as an odd word, and there's a later reference ('let it slide') that doesn't strike me as fitting with the measured tone of the IA. Why would Antonius be elected? That suggests the Space Marines are a democracy, and that there were several Marines in the 'cadre' of equivalent rank. Just say that the Chapter Master of the Novamarines appointed him to the rank.

 

In removing the "His Azure Blades." you've left a little too much to inference, and damaged a little bit of the article's flow, I think. I liked that reference, and it reinforces that the Chapter is named the Azure Blades. Also consider that as a new paragraph, 'it' seems to refer to Antonius, or to the office of Chapter Master. It confuses the reader.

 

Antonius was a follower of the Codex Astartes much like his former chapter, and sought to train the battle-brothers under his command according to the tenets espoused by that holy tome, especially with regards to battlefield flexibility. Indeed the Azure Blades were organized along strict Codex lines, with a single Veteran company, three main Battle Companies, followed by the reserve companies made up of Tactical, Assault, and Devastator brethren, rounded off by the Scout company, which would house and train the neophytes.

 

'Much like'? Odd colloquialism, and one that either impugns Antonius or the Novamarines. :turned: Consider something like "continuing the legacy of the Novamarines" or somesuch. After all, it doesn't really fit with "along strict Codex lines" if he he's "much like". He needs to be of that same, strict, mindset, I think.

 

Also, Codex Chapters have four battle companies - Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Companies.

 

Regarding Antonius - You say 'inevitable' - that's disputable, I think. You could say that Antonius' influence over the Chapter in its formative years meant that he had a great effect on it, but it's arguable that a Chapter Master could serve without ever really having too much of an impact on a Chapter structurally, organisationally or culturally. It's a quibble, but 'inevitable' seems like too much of a generalisation.

 

Is 'swordsfighting' a word?

 

I find it odd that the Chapter's neophytes take to close-combat 'too enthusiastically'. Why so? It's also partly because at the moment the reader knows nothing about the Chapter's recruits, and because you recruit from a blend of worlds, there's no theme or justifiable reason why the Chapter would leap on, say, close combat when firing Lascannons could be equally enticing. Close combat is 'glorious', but I'd say orbital strikes are equally 'satisfying'. ;)

 

Again with 'rushing into melee' - it seems to make the Astartes seem ill-disciplined, especially when you give the impression that they effectively ignored Antonius.

 

I'm also unsure about the justification behind the Chapter adopting the symbolism of the blades. You say the Chapter spontaneously (and, seemingly, very oddly) picked up these comparisons, but it seems quite... contrived? Why on earth would a Devastator Marine train with a claymore - especially when he's never going to use it on the field of battle? Discussing armoured mounts and riders in the context of 40k seems a little odd, and it certainly seems odd to have a Space Marine favouring a blade because it can cut a rider and mount in half.

 

Again, it seems odd to have Antonius being "oddly displeased" by anything, or "letting" anything "slide". He's the Commander of a Space Marine Chapter - one of the most powerful individuals in the Imperium, primus inter pares - and making him 'slightly displeased' makes him seem so ineffectual - so impotent. If he wanted to ban something, he would. If he wanted to beat habits or tendencies out of his Marines, he could do so. You mention 'cultural change' - but as far as I can see your Chapter doesn't have a cultural influence. Typically, Chapters that recruit from multiple worlds don't - and rely on the Chapter to be the unifying, cohesive theme. Think of Azrael's "from this day on, you are only Dark Angels" speech.

 

Just some thoughts. :P

 

- Mol.

[Espada Azul]

*groans* Alright, let me go back and fix this. Hmm, first time that an edit was actually far worse than the initial iteration...

 

I'm seeing though that, where I left too little, here I gave out too much. Some of it could be fixed by just trimming out some parts of each paragraph, but some of the themes are going to be harder to reconcile.

 

Then there's the naming conventions for each Company, and the symbolism they adopt. Given the sword-related motiff I've been trying use, is there any sensible way for it to stick (They are his Blades, they are his Armory)? I'm running out of ideas here, I admit.

 

As for Antonius, though I kind of messed up with the wording, my initial thoughts were that the so-called changes began to occur after his watch was over. Much like the the misinterpretations chapters have of the Codex, the dueling practices he added for simply training started to, well, turn into something else entirely.

Edited February 4, 2008 by Espada Azul

[Espada Azul]

*coughs* After a marathon session of the full 24-episode season of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (or just simply Higurashi Kai), I'm in absolutely no condition to add or do any of the edits I promised. Sorry Commissar, but will have to take a raincheck, at least for a day so I can recover.

 

On the topic though, I was wondering about what your suggestions on properly integrating the sword-related theme to the Chapter's background? That, and the Codex to Assault to Stealth to Hybrid tactics shift I've wanted to portray, but haven't come up with the right words to describe yet? Humor an old archivist for a change (or rather, an archivist that happens to work for a cetain US trading firm with high work loads).

[Commissar Molotov]

Sorry Commissar...

 

Haha, there's really no need to apologise to me. ;) Ultimately it's your work, and you should feel free to work at your own piece. High workloads, yes... but there's no deadlines here!

 

I was wondering about what your suggestions on properly integrating the sword-related theme to the Chapter's background? That, and the Codex to Assault to Stealth to Hybrid tactics shift I've wanted to portray, but haven't come up with the right words to describe yet?

 

It's certainly difficult, and I don't think the fact that you're perhaps not portraying it well is any reflection upon you. It's a complicated theme at the best of times. I think that potentially one contributory factor is the fact that your Chapter doesn't have a homeworld. Fleet-based chapters suffer from that tie to a concrete place, and the themes that can suffuse a chapter. Take the Black Templars, the Imperial Fists or the Dark Angels as examples. The Dark Angels would be a primary example. They recruit from many, many worlds, but their over-riding theme compensates for that lack of generality. From the point of view of a chapter creator, if you were to focus on all of the 20+ worlds, it would drown out the Chapter. That's half the reason that the Chapter's theme is so strong. Here, your Chapter is the variable. There's not really a constant, because the Chapter changes - not just once, but several times, going from codex to assault to stealth to a more balanced rapid-attack doctrine.

 

Have a look into a homeworld, perhaps? It might give you some of that stability that you're lacking, potentially.

 

I personally think that the sword theme might be a little too strong. Perhaps consider incorporating it, but to a reduced degree? Does every single company and squad-type need an analogy to a blade? Ultimately, every Marine is a blade - an Azure Blade - and so quibbling about spathas and rapiers might seem a little odd. If you were to look at other sword themes, perhaps every Veteran must make his own power sword? That way you've got a hundred-strong unit of swordfighting veterans. I think if you consider how the duelling is incorporated to the Imperial Fists, it's something characterful that essentially doesn't dominate over the top of the other aspects that make them characterful.

[Espada Azul]

Mmm, how about this for a slight edit?

 

===

 

 

"...The Azure Blades are descended from the Ultramarines by way of the Novamarines, whose geneseed tithe was used for the fledgling chapter. The Blades owe much to the Novamarines, as the Successor chapter provided a cadre of veterans from their own number to train the recruits, as well as a modest donation of equipment from their own forges. In some ways, they even owe the Novamarines their name -- it is said that Brother-Captain Antonius, then senior officer among the training cadre, looked upon the promising neophytes, and likened them to his favored power sword Azul (whose surface glowed a rich blue when activated), stating that they were to be "... Blades that clove through the enemies of the Imperium." As Antonius ascended to the position of Chapter Master, the chapter in essence became his symbolic weapon for use.

 

His Azure Blades.

 

Antonius was a follower of the Codex Astartes and sought to train the battle-brothers under his command according to the tenets espoused by that holy tome, especially with regards to battlefield flexibility. Indeed the Azure Blades were organized along strict Codex lines, with a single Veteran company, four main Battle Companies, followed by the reserve companies made up of Tactical, Assault, and Devastator brethren, rounded off by the Scout company, which would house and train the neophytes.

 

It was inevitable however that some of the chapter master's personal preferences would begin to influence the development of the new chapter. As an accomplished swordsman, Antonius brought many of the dueling and sword fighting practices of his homeworld, and integrated these into the Blades' training regimen. Although the initial intent was to use these to hone their hand-to-hand fighting skills, the introduction of these dueling conventions began to subtly shape the Chapter’s rituals and symbolism.

 

The Azure Blades remained a Codex chapter for the duration of Antonius' term as Chapter Master, but with each successor the Chapter began to deviate from what Antonius had intended...

 

===

 

Merely streamlining at this point. Still haven't quite figured out how to word the change of emphasis from the balanced warfare to a set of tactics that was half Codex and half Assault (displayed by the Trust Your Battle Brothers trait).

Edited February 5, 2008 by Espada Azul

[Commissar Molotov]

I've taken out the italics, because they hurt my eyes at six in the morning. :D

 

"...The Azure Blades are descended from the Ultramarines by way of the Novamarines, whose geneseed tithe was used for the fledgling chapter. The Blades owe much to the Novamarines, as the Successor chapter provided a cadre of veterans from their own number to train the recruits, as well as a modest donation of equipment from their own forges. In some ways, they even owe the Novamarines their name -- it is said that Brother-Captain Antonius, then senior officer among the training cadre, looked upon the promising neophytes, and likened them to his favored power sword Azul (whose surface glowed a rich blue when activated), stating that they were to be "... Blades that clove through the enemies of the Imperium." As Antonius ascended to the position of Chapter Master, the chapter in essence became his symbolic weapon for use.

 

His Azure Blades.

 

There's a few odd bits in here, and I'd suggest something like:

 

---

 

The Azure Blades are descended from the Ultramarines through the Novamarines, who provided the gene-seed for the fledgling chapter, along with was a modest donation of equipment from their own forges and a cadre of veterans to train the recruits. In some ways, they even owe the Novamarines their name -- it is said that Brother-Captain Antonius, senior among the training cadre, looked upon the promising neophytes, and likened them to his favored power sword Azul (whose surface glowed a rich blue when activated), stating that they were to be "... Blades that clove through the enemies of the Imperium." When Antonius ascended to the position of Chapter Master, the chapter in essence became his symbolic weapon for use.

 

His Azure Blades.

 

----

 

Antonius was a follower of the Codex Astartes and sought to train the battle-brothers under his command according to the tenets espoused by that holy tome, especially with regards to battlefield flexibility. Indeed the Azure Blades were organized along strict Codex lines, with a single Veteran company, four main Battle Companies, followed by the reserve companies made up of Tactical, Assault, and Devastator brethren, rounded off by the Scout company, which would house and train the neophytes.

 

Most of this section is superfluous and could really go into the organisation section. Try something like:

 

----

 

Antonius was an adherent of the Codex Astartes and organised the Chapter according to the doctrines of Roboute Guilliman. As an accomplished swordsman, Antonius encouraged formalised dueling to hone his warriors' hand-to-hand skills and foster competitive comraderie. The introduction of these dueling conventions began to subtly shape the Chapter’s rituals and symbolism.

 

The Azure Blades remained a Codex chapter for the duration of Antonius' term as Chapter Master, but with each successor the Chapter began to deviate from what Antonius had intended...

 

---

 

However, I'm still not happy with why the Chapter would shift to combat. Hrm. It's something that bears thinking about, certainly. I would say that you could look at Trust your Battle Brothers as a reactive (rather than proactive) skill. It's often used for counter-charges. Your Marines maintain full fire-power, and when they're charged, they can defend themselves to a degree. It emphasises the nature of the Space Marine as the rock upon which feeble attacks break.

[Espada Azul]

My, still awake? All the better then. :D

 

Point on Trust Your Battle Brothers. Maybe I really should replace the Assault bit in the original submission (Blessed Be The Warriors would make more sense, or any trait that gives Furious Charge), or take it out altogether, as it would make the transitioning to Stealth less iffy.

Edited February 5, 2008 by Espada Azul

[Commissar Molotov]

Hrm, interesting. If you were to do so, you could look at it as a divide between those who value balance, and those who favour speciality, perhaps. I'm not sure... it certainly bears thinking about.

[Espada Azul]

It was one of the alternatives I offered in an earlier post, in fact. I'm not sure if it will minimize complexity with regards to composition, but it will preserve the dichtonomy between opinions (originally I wanted a more severe Identity Crisis for them) of the battle-brethren with regards to tactics.

[Commissar Molotov]

Hrm, I hadn't examined this thread and I've not really been privy to your thought processes whilst you've been conceptualising the Chapter. I think the question to ask yourself is - what is disposable in your Chapter? What things do you absolutely have to preserve, and what things are more flexible? What do you want to keep a hold of?

 

I'll give it some thought today and see if I can present you with some ideas later.

[Espada Azul]

The Assault bit in the origins section is clunky, so I can honestly dispense with that bit. I do want to keep the shift to covert warfare (a major theme in how I actually play on the tabletop, as I do so love Infiltrating), the sword symbolism and dueling traditions (some issues already addressed by the exchanges we've had in the thread), and some dichtonomy between tactical opinion. And as much as I'd like to give the chapter a homeworld, I'd rather keep with the fleet-based origin (as I just recently noticed that most if not all of the DIYs on display on the Librarium either have homeworlds or permanent bases of operations). Besides, being fleet-based at the same time resource-strapped makes it more interesting, don't you think?

[Commissar Molotov]

Well, I don't think that covert warfare is a problem. It's evidenced with chapters such as the Raven Guard that Space Marines can - and do - utilise covert elements to their strategies. Other Chapters, such as the Imperial Fists, are more wary of such tactics (the 'Camouflage is the colour of cowardice' quote springs to mind). I think what needs attention is the shift from Codex to Stealth. The Valencia massacre obviously plays a part towards this shift, and you could certainly let the Crimson Fists provide you with some inspiration here - the catastrophes at Rynn's World and their response in its wake are useful. You could look to their IA article for some ideas.

 

With regards to the sword symbolism - I personally don't have a problem with the sword symbolism, but I can't help feeling that it's a little too overt and heavy-handed. The five or six different sword names just strike me as a little obtrusive, and I can't help thinking that if you toned it down a little, you might be better off. Even if you had a term for scouts, a term for veterans and a term for everyone else.

 

I just recently noticed that most if not all of the DIYs on display on the Librarium either have homeworlds or permanent bases of operations.

 

That's fallacious, really. Just as, if not more, common is the tendency to have 'records missing' or 'none', for the homeworld, which more often than not displays a dismaying lack of creativity or attention to the themes. Not having a singular homeworld can work, but as I said before you then need a really very, very strong and cohesive theme that'll tie your chapter together and make them interesting. In a chapter where the brethren are split (or have been split) that becomes a little more difficult. It gives you another impetus to make the end result superior, I guess.

 

Besides, being fleet-based at the same time resource-strapped makes it more interesting, don't you think?

 

Quite.

 

 

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

 

So. We have a fairly orthodox chapter that gets massacred in an extended campaign against the Alpha Legion. This campaign brutalises the Chapter, diminishing their numbers to a handful of Marines and necessitating a shift in tactics to a stealth-based doctrine as the Chapter builds up its numbers. As the Chapter nears full-strength, questions are raised as to whether or not to return to the Codex, or to continue with the stealth-centred tactics that have been serving them well in its stead?

 

All that works, certainly. But then the twinned blade doctrine... I'm not sure just how that differs to the Raven Guard tactics.

 

I've quoted the Raven Guard IA before, and it would seem to work very well with the tactics you've suggested - the base of fire with the infiltrating assault units. I can't help wondering if the Hidden Blade is, ultimately, superfluous in your Chapter's history, and whether you could transition from the doctrines of Antonius to the Twinned Blade Doctrine. You talk of how being 'fleet-based and resource-strapped' is interesting, but to me the greatest story potential is part you've almost glossed over - the simmering tension between political (and philosophical) factions within the Chapter as they debate which tactics to use. I can't help wondering if severing your timeline and altering things would make the Chapter more interesting, from a storyline point of view. To write about the Chapter as it's recovering - both from the assault and the doctrinal changes. It could certainly add more meat to various sections in your IA - in organisation you could talk about the role apothecaries and techmarines would play, for example. In organisation you could talk about the efforts to rebuild the Chapters. I mean, there's plenty of food for thought for the aspiring writer. Think of the companies utterly eradicated by the Alpha Legion? Perhaps they weren't allowed to fly their standards until the companies returned to full-strength? The first battle with the standard unfurled would be a proud moment for any Chapter Master.

 

You could perhaps alter the role of Eugenio Burgos. You could write him as a relatively young Commander, a firebrand, someone that the old-guard, conservative elements within the Chapter disapprove of. I mean, seriously the Azure Blades are never going to tear themselves apart in bitter civil war - because at the heart of it the old guard will serve their superiors with dignity and honour. But it's certainly fun to play around with some of the tensions in the Chapter.

 

I think, ultimately, (and you ought to know this, as an editor) you just need to be merciless with cutting out the bits that don't contribute to your Chapter. It's painful, certainly, but these options might well vastly improve the IA - and your Chapter's character.

[Espada Azul]

Again, thank you for taking the time to give your observations; it'll help better realize the article in more ways than I initially hoped. :mellow:

 

Allow me some time to come up with something, mayhaps by this weekend? I'd like to post possible fixes tonight, but I'm worried that the team I'm part of might get hammered with work tomorrow, as today was an unusually low volume day -- VERY unexpected after the company's marketing push during the Super Bowl (my prediction: we're going to be swamped). So, some rest before the storm breaks would be nice.

 

Also, given the fact that I've been rewatching Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni and Higurashi Kai over the last few days, erm, I think I also need time to properly realign my thought processes back to PA-mode...

[Espada Azul]

Maybe it's just fatigue catching up on me, but I'm having some trouble finding the words to explain why the position of Chapter Master is called the High Blade (or rather how it came to be so). I'm planning on connecting it to Antonius again, given the amount of influence he had in shaping the Chapter's initial identity.

 

So, how does one go from a title given to a revered commander after his death to the name of the position held by his successors?

 

Blast, I need sleep. Pardon my rambling, hopefully more coherent thoughts in the morning.

[Commissar Molotov]

I think that's something that you could definitely link back to Antonius, especially if Azul is the traditional weapon of the office. Consider what I said before about Veterans in the Chapter having to forge their own power weapon. Upon ascending to the position of Chapter Master, perhaps they retire their weapon for Azul - it is, in effect, the High Blade. The highest in the Chapter, a badge of office, of power, of responsibility.

[Espada Azul]

*snip*

 

That's the idea general idea, though I'm still unsure on how to word it, and given the fact that I've been running on barely 15 hours of sleep for past week, there's a large chance that the composition will come out... Clunky (reflecting how I feel, certainly!). I have a feeling that two coherent paragraphs at this point would be a miracle of sorts.

[Espada Azul]

My third try at rewriting the beginning of the Chapter's origin section, thanks to contributions by the esteemed Commissar Molotov. Again, not quite as polished as I would like, but at least it's some progress.

 

 

===

 

 

 

The Azure Blades are descended from the Ultramarines through the Novamarines, who provided the gene-seed for the fledgling chapter, along with was a modest donation of equipment from their own forges and a cadre of veterans to train the recruits. In some ways, they even owe the Novamarines their name -- it is said that Brother-Captain Antonius, senior among the training cadre, looked upon the promising neophytes, and likened them to his favored power sword Azul (whose surface glowed a rich blue when activated), stating that they were to be "... Blades that clove through the enemies of the Imperium." When Antonius ascended to the position of Chapter Master, the chapter in essence became his symbolic weapon for use.

 

His Azure Blades.

 

Antonius was an adherent of the Codex Astartes and organised the Chapter according to the doctrines of Roboute Guilliman. As an accomplished swordsman, Antonius encouraged formalised dueling to hone his warriors' hand-to-hand skills and foster competitive comraderie. The introduction of these dueling conventions began to subtly shape the Chapter’s rituals and symbolism.

 

When the Chapter finally reached full strength, Antonius ordered the fleet eastward, to the far edge of Imperial space, where the worlds it was founded to protect awaited it. There, in one of the systems of the Eastern Fringe, the Azure Blades was involved in its first major engagement, as they engaged a force of orks threathening to overwhelm the colony of Genso Beta. It was a literal trial-by-fire, but the battle-brothers of the Azure Blades proved themselves admirably, as they aided the local PDF in driving off most the greenskins from the planet's important industrial and population centers, while Antonius led a force of his best warriors behind enemy lines to deal with Grognard Darkklaw, the warboss leading the invaders. In an encounter still celebrated in the Chapter's records, the greenskin commander was finally cornered and slain, with Antonius himself decapitating the brute with his power sword. With its leader gone, the invasion soon disintegrated.

 

Antonius steadfastly led his chapter for more than five centuries, before finally falling in battle against a kabal of dark eldar. The Azure Blades greatly mourned his passing, for the Chapter owed much of its identity to his influence. As a mark of respect he was forever immortalized in their history as the First Blade, the forger of the Chapter's destiny, while his power sword Azul, which had served him faithfully for so long, became the Chapter Master's symbol of office, the High Blade. In time, the position of Chapter Master became intimately associated with the relic, as each successor became the symbolic High Blade for the battle-brothers of the chapter -- the greatest among them, and inheritor of Antonius' will.

 

For more than a millenia afterwards the Azure Blades faithfully prosecuted the duty they had been assigned, assisting the forces of the Imperium on the Eastern Fringe against the dangers they constantly faced. Although it maintained the flexible way of warfare espoused by Antonius, as a fleet-based chapter the Azure Blades earned a reputation for rapidly answering calls for aid, as well as ship-to-ship combat and boarding actions, the latter culminating in the capture of the dark eldar vessel codenamed Revenant, which had been plaguing the shipping lanes of the Biscay sector for four decades.

 

The Azure Blades prospered under the guidance of Antonius' successors, but for all their foresight and planning, they could not prepare the chapter for the greatest trial it would face, one that would nearly break it completely.

 

 

===

 

 

Now, to wait for comments for editing purposes.

 

Edit: Will be doing quick edits via the boards instead of my usual method, since my main PC (which holds my Macromedia program) is currently decoding some video. It's one of the few times that I wish my extra PC had a two-screen configuration, so I could take a look at my original IA submission without having to resort to minimizing the windows I opened...

Edited February 10, 2008 by Espada Azul

[Espada Azul]

Another quick addition/edit, this time for the subsequent section, the Shattered Blade.

 

===

 

 

"...On 987.M40, the Azure Blades was part of an Imperial task force sent to quell an uprising on Siquijor Primus, the largest populated world in the Rahe system. While the world had a history of unrest, the discovery of Alpha Legion warbands active on the planet showed that the Great Enemy had a hand in fanning the flames of rebellion. Gerhardt Eisen, the chapter master of the time, pledged the entire strength of the Chapter to aid the Imperial Guard regiments sent to pacify the world, but that decision almost proved to be the its undoing. The traitor legionnaires, who had wreaked havoc on the Guard forces already present on-world, turned their baleful attention on the newly-arrived Azure Blades, and singled it out as the greater threat to their campaign.

 

The traitors were like phantoms, striking everywhere and nowhere at once, luring squads into devious traps and deadly ambushes, before fading back into the darkness, leaving only the injured and the dying as evidence of their passing. The veterans and commanders drew on all of their battlefield experience to counter the traitors' tactics, and in many instances drove the renegade legionnaires back, but the toll was mounting. As the campaign ground on, more of the Blades were lost in the conflict, and still the Alpha Legion struck, their numbers seemingly undiminished.

 

Things came to a head during the siege of Valencia, the largest hive city on the planet. When the Imperial Guard finally breached the city's defenses, the Azure Blades followed, aiding in the advance of the Guard companies by engaging traitor warbands where they were found. Fierce street-to-street fighting erupted amidst the ruins of the hive, but after three days the Alpha Legion appeared to be in full retreat, with most of the traitor legionnaires slain. With grim purpose battle-brothers of the chapter followed the traitors deep into the lower levels of Valencia, seeking to end the threat the renegades posed to the world, and eager to avenge the loss of so many of their brothers. Gerhardt however, as well as the surviving brother-captains of the battle and reserve companies, sensed even more subterfuge from their enemies. While they were confident of the abilities of the brothers under their command, the rout that had occured seemed far too easy, especially when one considered the tactical guile their enemies displayed. Contingencies were quickly formulated, and the advance reversed, but by then it was too late.

 

The trap was sprung, and reality tore apart as daemonkin and all sort of horrors spilled out from the Warp.

 

The Blades fought bravely, with all the strength and skill available to them, but it wasn't enough. With the path of retreat to the upper levels cut off, the chapter's forces were isolated, and soon its battle brothers fell, blasted apart by daemonic magiks, rent apart by daemon claws or the traitor's hand, or overwhelmed by masses of gibbering monstrocities. Facing total destruction Gerhardt gathered the surviving veterans and company commanders, and led a breakout against what looked like a weak point among the forces encircling them. Such was the fury of the attack that their enemies fell back against their onslaught, giving enough of an opening for their brothers to take advantage of.

 

The gambit suceeded, but at a terrible price; nearly all of the veterans that accompanied Gerhardt's last charge fell with their leader. Only Apothecary Alion, steadfast friend to the chapter master since their time as scouts, and Brother-Captain Diego Albark of 4th Company, whose normally stoic face was said to have been slick with tears that day, survived. Between them they bore their fallen commander's body, as well as Azul, nearly lost to the hands of the renegades.

 

Of the eight hundred or so battle brothers that walked into the ambush, less than a company remained, not counting the specialists that were left to oversee the Chapter's ships. It was a grievous blow, one that would take long to recover from..."

 

===

 

Hmm, hopefully more tonight, if not earlier.

[Espada Azul]

Again, comments and critique's welcome, as this is the most important part of the rewrite:

 

===

 

 

The Shattered Blade

 

On 987.M40, the Azure Blades was part of an Imperial task force sent to quell an uprising on Siquijor Primus, the largest populated world in the Rahe system. While the world had a history of unrest, the discovery of Alpha Legion warbands active on the planet showed that the Great Enemy had a hand in fanning the flames of rebellion. Gerhardt Eisen, the chapter master of the time, pledged the entire strength of the Chapter to aid the Imperial Guard regiments sent to pacify the world, but that decision almost proved to be the Azure Blades' undoing. The traitor legionnaires, who had wreaked havoc on the Guard forces already present on-world, turned their baleful attention on the newly-arrived chapter, and singled it out as the greater threat to their campaign.

 

The traitors were like phantoms, striking everywhere and nowhere at once, luring squads into devious traps and deadly ambushes, before fading back into the darkness, leaving only the injured and the dying as evidence of their passing. The veterans and commanders drew on all of their battlefield experience to counter the traitors' tactics, and in many instances drove the renegade legionnaires back, but the toll was mounting. As the campaign ground on, more of the Blades were lost in the conflict, and still the Alpha Legion struck, their numbers seemingly undiminished.

 

Things came to a head during the siege of Valencia, the largest hive city on the planet. When the Imperial Guard finally breached the city's defenses, the Azure Blades followed, aiding in the advance of the Guard companies by engaging traitor warbands where they were found. Fierce street-to-street fighting erupted amidst the ruins of the hive, but after three days the Alpha Legion appeared to be in full retreat, with most of the traitor legionnaires slain. With grim purpose battle-brothers of the chapter followed the traitors deep into the lower levels of Valencia, seeking to end the threat the renegades posed to the world, and eager to avenge the loss of so many of their brothers. Gerhardt however, as well as the surviving brother-captains of the battle and reserve companies, sensed even more subterfuge from their enemies. While they were confident of the abilities of the brothers under their command, the rout that had occured seemed far too easy, especially when one considered the tactical guile their enemies displayed. Contingencies were quickly formulated, and the advance reversed, but by then it was too late.

 

The trap was sprung, and reality tore apart as daemonkin and all sort of horrors spilled out from the Warp.

 

The Blades fought bravely, with all the strength and skill available to them, but it wasn't enough. With the path of retreat to the upper levels cut off, the chapter's forces were isolated, and soon its battle brothers fell, blasted apart by daemonic magiks, rent apart by daemon claws or the traitor's hand, or overwhelmed by masses of gibbering monstrocities. Facing total destruction Gerhardt gathered the surviving veterans and company commanders, and led a breakout against what looked like a weak point among the forces encircling them. Such was the fury of the attack that their enemies fell back against their onslaught, giving enough of an opening for their injured brothers to take advantage of.

 

The gambit suceeded, but at a terrible price; nearly all of the marines that accompanied Gerhardt's last charge fell with their leader. Only Apothecary Alion, steadfast friend to the chapter master since their time as scouts, and Brother-Captain Diego Albark of 4th Company, whose normally stoic face was said to have been slick with tears that day, survived. Between them they bore their fallen commander's body, as well as Azul, nearly lost to the hands of the renegades.

 

Of the eight hundred or so battle brothers that walked into the ambush, less than a company remained, not counting the specialists that were left to oversee the Chapter's ships. It was a grievous blow, one that would take long to recover from. With an apology to the Imperial commanders of the Siquijor campaign, Brother-Captain Diego withdrew the surviving battle-brothers of the Chapter back to their fleet, to mourn the fallen, and plan for an uncertain future.

 

Although the planet was eventually reclaimed in the name of the Holy Emperor, it would be without the support of the Azure Blades.

 

 

The Hidden Blade

 

As the highest-ranking non-specialist, Brother Diego ascended to the position of Chapter Master by default, and was faced with the difficult task of deciding the future of his Chapter. Although Rebuilding the Chapter's strength was clearly a high priority, withdrawing completely to do so was out of the question, as it would be tantamount to abandoning the duty entrusted to it. At the same time, given the losses sustained during the Siquijor campaign, the Azure Blades could no longer fight in manner it had followed for so long. Diego needed a compromise, that allowed the Azure Blades to recover its strength, at the same time allowing the Chapter to still lend its aid when it was required.

 

Eventually, it was to the Codex that Diego turned for inspiration. As the battle-brothers of the Chapter continued to mourn, Diego isolated himself for three days in the battle barge Joyeause's Reclusiam to study the Codex copy preserved there -- the same one that Antonius had brought with him during the founding of the chapter. During that period of seclusion he found his answer, but it was not the one he had initially expected.

 

Diego gathered the battle-brothers of the Azure Blades, including senior representatives of the Reclusiam, Librarius, Armorium, and Apothecarion, and put forward his plan for the Chapter. To conserve what remained of their brethren, he proposed that, until their numbers had sufficiently recovered, the warriors of the Azure Blades would be deployed as small units of infiltrators and saboteurs, relying on stealth and guerilla tactics to attack targets of opportunity. The irony of the suggestion was not lost on those in attendance, especially the battle-brothers who had survived the massacre; to continue the Chapter's duty, they would have to utilize the same tactics that had been used against them. The proposal was controversial, and many rejected the idea altogether. The change in tactics spoke of cowardice, some debated, and insulted the memory of those that came before them.

 

In his defense Diego quoted sections of the Codex that refered to the use of covert actions and its place in warfare, and pointed to the Raven Guard as an example of a chapter that used those tactics to full effect. The shift to a more specialized stealth-based doctrine was the only viable way for the chapter to continue fighting and still hope to recover, he argued; with the manpower it had left, open combat was not an option, and would only lead to the Chapter's eventual annihilation.

 

The debate continued for a few days, with honor duels fought between those who saw wisdom in the Chapter Master's words and the traditionalists, but ultimately even these die-hards relented. For all their misgivings, Diego's proposal was far more preferable than the alternative.

 

With the Chapter finally in agreement, Diego put the changes he suggested into motion. As he redirected the course of the chapter's fleet towards some of the Azure Blades' traditional recruiting worlds, the retraining of the brothers under his command begun in earnest. Despite the initial opposition to the idea, the transition to guerilla warfare went fairly smoothly -- after all, weren't most space marines scouts at one point? Small, squad-based tactics independent of armored support and readily-available supplies were re-emphasized, while strategies that favored open combat and assault, although maintained, were reserved as tools of the last resort, due to the low numbers of battle-brothers available to the Chapter.

 

The first test of this change in tactics came barely a century and a half after the Shattering (what the Azure Blades now call the Valencia Massacre). Despite still being under-strength, the chapter master Diego led half a company to the defense of Dynamis Three, a world besieged by a Waaagh led by a particularly belligerent warboss named Ugo Bonecrusher. As the Imperial Guard and brothers from the Aurora and Storm Lords chapters battled the Orks on the open field, the Azure Blades did their part to aid the Imperial forces there by undermining the warboss' supplies and communications. The battle-brothers of the Chapter infiltrated deep into enemy lines and struck hard at important targets, causing maximum disruption with precise applications of force; supply columns were ambushed, fuel and ammunition dumps were sabotaged, and many of the warboss' trusted underlings were systematically dealt with.

 

The Azure Blades wreaked havoc wherever they appeared, frustrating any attempt by the Bonecrusher to deal with them by quickly fading back into the shadows once their deeds were done, denying the Orks their numerical advantage. The harrassment continued for more than a year, diverting just enough of the Bonecrusher's attention -- and more importantly, the forces under the brute's command -- to allow the Imperial forces on the planet to consolidate and finally break the back of the greenskin horde.

 

With its effectiveness unquestioned at the end of the Dynamis campaign, the shift to a more covert way of war for the Chapter was complete. This set the tone for all engagements the Chapter participated in for the next three centuries. It was not long before the Azure Blades gained a reputation for being experts in stealth, subterfuge, and sabotage.

 

 

===

 

 

Would really love to hear some thoughts on the changes I made, since I'm essentially at the halfway point of the rewrite. ;)

Edited February 13, 2008 by Espada Azul

[Espada Azul]

Ugh, talk about having inspiration move at a glacial pace. I hate to admit it, but this is one of the hardest parts of the rewrite I've encountered so far. Prepare for unecessary redundancies brought about by a tired mind. ^^

 

Incidentally, I plan on renaming the 'Twinned Blade' section as 'In Light and in Shadow'...

 

===

 

"...The tactics Chapter Master Diego engendered served his chapter well, minimizing losses amongst battle-brothers and allowing the Chapter to focus much of its resources into reconstruction. The Azure Blades would slowly recover, although Diego himself would not live to witness it. By the third century of the 41st Millenium, the battle-ready brethren of the Chapter numbered five hundred strong, more if one included the specialists of the Armeria (the Chapter Master's household, which encompassed the Reclusiam, Librarius, Apothecarion, and Armorium) and scout-initiates. While nowhere near full strength, it was a milestone when one considered just how close to extinction the Chapter had come.

 

Still it would be decades, perhaps even centuries before the Chapter could be considered whole again. To that end, the stealth stratagems that Diego had implemented continued to be used, with squads of infiltrators dispatched to aid Imperial forces in warzones across the Eastern Fringe, instead the full battle companies expected of a Codex chapter.

 

There were some, however, who felt the Azure Blades had recovered sufficiently enough that it no longer required subterfuge to battle its enemies. A faction led by Sergeant Quintero, a firebrand who believed in a rather strict interpretation of the Codex Astartes, pointed to the fact that the Chapter possessed enough men for a veteran company and four full battle companies. Though it was barely above half the strength expected in a Codex chapter, it was more than enough to crush any opposition the Chapter might face, without resorting to the guerilla tactics it currently utilized.

 

For Quintero there was only one logical step for his Chapter to take, and that was a full return to the way of war prescribed by the Codex.

 

Many amongst the veterans, which included more than a few survivors of the Shattering, merely shook their heads at the sergeant's argument; most of them had already heard similar statements before. The fact of the matter was, it was far too early to even think of returning to Codex tactics. While it had the manpower to field battle companies, as Quintero suggested, what the Azure Blades did not have was a stable pool of reserves to draw replacements for the losses the Chapter would inevitably incur in open combat. Indeed, the reconstitution of the reserve companies had barely begun, and while there were technically the scout-initiates, they were certainly not full battle-brothers..."

 

===

 

What? That's IT? Bear in mind though, as with all rewrites connected to this IA, its a work in progress...