The Phantoms V3

[Hubernator]

[[Original post: 2nd March 2008]]

 

 

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Origins

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg17/Hubernator/Phantoms/PhantomMarine1.jpg

Phantom Astartes

New Chapters are created on accord to the Foundings that are decreed; some are created with large numbers, others small. No matter the size, each have their own tasks laid out ahead of them by their almighty Chapter-Master, which is followed with unfaltering determination by it’s Battle-Brothers until the day they die. This could not be truer for Marines of the Phantoms chapter. It was during the 40th Millennium that the High Lords of Terra declared the Twenty-Fifth Founding to help combat the ever-growing forces of the heretic and the rising Xeno threat. During such a time the White Scars, particularly the Third Brotherhood, were in combat against a rising Ork Waaagh that had materialised on an Imperial world within the Eastern Fringe. The Brotherhood, led by the Khan Juvieus Kaine, fought fiercely to contain this new threat on the planet. And though the battle was long and fierce, the Third Brotherhood claimed victory and defeated the Orks.

 

When the forces left the world they were hailed by the High Lords of Terra, who offered the Khan and his Brotherhood the opportunity to form their own Chapter, to which the Khan accepted with honour. Taking half the Brotherhood under his wing, the Khan left the rest of his men to return back to the Chapter, as he began the process of seeking new recruits and a new world to settle upon. During the newly formed Chapter’s search they received a distress call from the Kavious system nearing Ultramarine borders. The system was overridden with Orks from another Waaagh, so the Chapter mobilised. Using the speed of their bikes and the determination to show their possible might to the Imperium, they struck at the heart of the Waaagh and crushed the Orks before their numbers could grow out of control. The stealth and speed of their attack earnt them the name the Phantoms, which the Khan soon decided was to be the Chapter name.

 

For years onward the Phantoms continued to use familiar tactics to that of the parent Chapter to repeatedly beat back xenos from nearby systems, Ork and Eldar alike. Using the speed of their bikes they cut through many an enemy, striking where the most damage could be dealt and then purging what remains. This served the Chapter well until they encountered the forces of the Tau Empire. The war, soon named the Torrok War due to the system it was located in, that followed saw the Phantoms lose many battle-brothers, but victory was obtained overall. Were it not for the actions of First Company Veteran Viktor Kraw the Chapter would surely be doomed. As it was Khan Juvieus Kaine was killed in battle, dying while completing the task of eliminating a vehicle as his fellow Marines were extracted. Kraw had decided on a devastating deep-strike to break the foe, which worked to great effect unlike their normal reliance on bikes that they had used so often. As such Kraw was named as the new Khan and the Chapter begun it’s slow recovery.

 

 

Homeworld

The Phantoms have remained a fleet-based Chapter since their creation. The fleet that they own has effectively become their own fort, with the two great Battlebarges that they have under their control serving as their sanctuary, as well as their headquarters. These two great vessels have been named The Silent Strike and The Defender, each serving it's own purpose.

The Fleet

The Silent Strike was the first of the two vessels, first acquired right upon the Chapter's creation. The Battlebarge itself has been slowly customised to suit the Phantoms needs; outfitted with much fire-power to combat against most if not all types of craft, particularly that of Tau aspect, which has been proven on countless occasions to work to great effect.

The Defender is the newer of the two Battlebarges and has been adapted for a more defensive approach. The vessel has been fitted with thicker armour and a stronger hull to cope with higher rates of attack. The ship itself has become more of a sanctuary for the Chapter rather than a ship of war; due its reduced speed and pace it hasn't been used in battle as frequent as The Silent Strike, however it has proven to be an effective ship to draw fire away from a planet.

Along with the fleet is the few Strike Cruisers Certamen's Revenge, Jeriko's Carnage and The Bringer of Judgement; as well as the many Escorts that surround each of their large ships, providing protection and extra fire support at any and all times.

The fleet does have a sector which it regularly oversees. This area is kept under watch as it is constantly under threat from Chaos and Xenos, mainly that of the Tau Empire as the area is bordering the very age of Tau territory. The area is made up of four systems, each of some form of value.

The first system is the Harroh system, comprising of four planets and a dying Star, which has been said to be close to going supernova. This has raised fear for the inhabitants of two of the planets, causing a slow and large evacuation to the fourth system of the four. Currently the system is almost void of human life, leaving the planets to return to their once wild landscapes.

The second system is the Giddian system; three planets orbiting two small Stars near the centre. Because there are two stars the climates and environments of the three small planets changes frequently and in regular periods of time. During most of a planet's time period it suffers long periods of heat, enough to kill all life that cannot bear it within hours; taking up at least three quarters of a Terran year. Because of this all three planets have long since dried up and become deadworlds, with no possibility of terraforming any of them.

The third system is, or more accurately was, a fairly small system consisting of a few lightly-populated planets. However the system has been turned to rubble after the Star went Supernova, destroying everything within its path. The planets were broken up into nothing more than rubble, forming a very large asteroid field. It has been found after extensive research that this newly formed asteroid field contains high rates of valuable raw materials, sparking the initiative to begin a large excavation project in the field. So far the project has proved successful, with high amounts of Adamantium being mined and delivered directly to the Forgeworlds.

The fourth and final system is the Kavious system; the largest and most populated of the four systems. Within the Kavious system is seven planets and one giant Star known in the vicinity as Incendia. Out of the four systems Kavious has somewhat taken the highest of priority for a number of reasons:

- Around ninety percent of the population resides in Kavious alone, inhabiting six of the seven planets in the system.

- It is located closest to the Tau Boarders as well Ork territory. This has often been the cause for the frequent attack by Orks and Tau alike to rid of the system of the Imperium's grasp.

- The other three systems are soon becoming useless, meaning the populace has no other place to go except a far distance from the system.

Due to this the Phantoms have somewhat remained protecting the Kavious system from the xenos that try to launch attacks on it. Another noted fact is that the Chapter has been considering taking Kavious V as their homeworld. The planet itself is vast, with harsh conditions riddling the landscape. In the Highlands of the North there are large mountain ranges and a deep winding canyon that reaches from the North right down the most Southerly continent. Heading towards the South lies a dense forest, built up over many a millennia from tall thick trees and shrubs that cover the forest floor. In the Southern region lies the only source of water: a rather large lake, with its only supply deriving from the river that runs through the giant canyon from the mountain range in the North. During the "winter" periods the river would grow in size, sometimes even filling the canyon and flooding the plains that surround the lake. It is usually during this time that the planet's populace make a pilgrimage to this lake, to restock their water supply for the many months ahead. However "winter" is rare on the planet, due to the heat that Incendia beats down upon the surface moisture dries rapidly, so the populace has had to adapt to the lack of water in their bodies. This adaption has helped develop hardy recruits, hence why the Phantoms take so many from Kavious V.

 

Combat Doctrine

The Phantoms, upon creation, were under the same organisation of the White Scars; which was ten Brotherhoods consisting of varying numbers of Marines, from sixty to over one hundred. From the beginning there was only the one Brotherhood, which Kaine had named "The Shadows" for reasons that no-one understood, bar the first group of Brothers that Certamen took with him to lead the newfound Chapter onwards. After the first few centuries and some heavy recruiting the Chapter managed to obtain enough Marines to form another two Brotherhoods. Though they were small, it was a milestone in the growth of the Chapter. Before the Torrok War the Phantoms had managed to form ten Brotherhoods that would hold the foundation of their Chapter, or so they thought. However after the war The newly appointed Khan Viktor Kraw decided that the current Organisation of the Chapter was unfit for coping against the Tau forces in future battles, so he began to remould the Chapter into a more formal approach. For this he looked towards the Codex Astartes and moulded the Chapter into ten Companies, each consisting of around one hundred Marines. After this change Kraw decided that a few of these Companies should be designated with specific tasks, one that he planned would serve purpose in any situation.

 

 

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Phantoms First Company Terminator

These weren't the only changes. After the death of Kaine, the Chapter's ideology of their tactics began to change once again. Even though the original tactics of swift strikes and fast manoeuvres worked well they proved costly, so the Phantoms slowly began to experiment and incorporating new tactics. The main ones were mimics of the Tau's tactics, mainly that of their killer blow. The Chapter has formulated it's own version of a killer blow, known only as "Code Silent Strike", which has been used to great effect. This came in during the Torrok War, when a large deep-strike was planned to try to crush the Tau. The attack worked to a point, however after the battle the Chapter set out to perfect the tactic to great effect.

Another soon followed from a battle with the Raven Guard. During a small crusade alongside the Raven Guard Captain Rothgo took heavy note on their style of attack, mainly ambushes, infiltration and sabotage. After the crusade he tried these out in a battle against Orks and found it worked well. Said tactics have been used since.

 

Organisation

Up to the aftermath of the Torrok War, the Phantoms were organised a lot like the White Scars - arranged in Brotherhoods, each one with it's own speciality. However after the war the new Khan Viktor Kraw decided that the Phantoms should veer away from this and decided to "formalise" the Chapter to a more suitable style. The Chapter is now organised into the traditional ten Companies, however they are organised in a similar fashion throughout. Due it's reliance on speed as well as combating Tau to it's maximum ability, the Chapter makes good use of Assualt and Vanguard squads in their masses, rather than the traditional use of the bikers that the White Scars are more famed for. Reason behind this is that the Phantoms have found more effectiveness with the use of deep-striking units via jump-packs than risking bikes to charge the enemy down.

Heavy weapons are used on an infrequent basis however. Some Companies have opted for the use of Whirlwinds or Vindicators to create a barrage that can destroy enemies at long range. A more preferred tactic that has come to light is a rapid deployment of Devastator squads in vehicles - transporting them to allocated positions and providing cover fire long enough for the Brothers to set up positions and unleash firepower upon the foe. One such tactic, used in the Seventh Company, is that the devastator marines are carried inside a Landraider alongside the Captain and his squad. When all the squads disembark the Captain and his squad will launch an assault into the enemy closest while the Landraider provides cover fire for the devastators, who can then bring their weapons to bear.

Captains themselves always have their own retinue, mainly a command squad. In a few cases it is a Vanguard squad or, in the likes of the 1st Company, close-combat Terminators. These are often considered iconic in the battle and spark a renewed fury if they fall. The Battle for Croasor has evidence of this. Previous Captain Arcan Terridus was brought down by a Tomb Spider along with the Standard Bearer. At once the rest of the Company fought back with a newfound rage, an adamant mindset to avenge their fallen Captain and to rightfully let the Standard fly high again.

The First Company is exception to the organisation, being that it has all the Terminator suits within it, which is only a small amount compared to much earlier founded Chapters. Still, these units become the main assaulting force alongside the Vanguard squads, combined together to launch the famed Silent Strike attack. Landraiders are more readily availabe, allowing transport of the Terminators if needs be.

 

The Chapter are nearly up to full strength after recovering from the Torrok War, although the Fourth and Fifth Companies are currently non-existent. Plans to recreate the 4th Company have begun. It is planned that ten men from each Company still in working order shall be selected and made into the Fourth Company. However this hasn't been put into action due to the lack of recruits to fill the empty spaces.

 

 

Beliefs And Practises

The Beliefs of the Phantoms have changed many a time during their rather young history. These changes vary from the most subtle influences to a big historic event, each one adding something new to their ideas of the universe.

 

The Phantoms have taken up their own belief of the Emperor. They feel that he is a great warrior who has control over the universe. Such belief was derived from the mix of many recruits that the Phantoms had accepted, but mainly those from Kavion soil. This has contributed to their ideology of speed. They feel that the Empire that the Emperor rules is slowly slipping from his grasp, so they want him to have a good degree of control of the universe and fast, before he makes his valiant return to cleanse it from the ruinous powers of Chaos and the arising Xeno threats.

 

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Chapter Symbol

Most newer beliefs were set in just after the Torrok War. Much occurred during that war and much affected the Chapter to the core, in doing so setting new beliefs in place. One of those is of their Khan Juvieus Kaine. After his death the Chapter mourned him heavily as they all felt he was their great leader and that he was a big asset to their Chapter. They recovered his body, removed the armour from it and burned it as part of a ritual. The armour was arranged and placed inside a solid Adamantium sarcophagus and the Chapter has vowed never to open it. Those who knew Certamen well often consider him to be as great as a Primarch. These men often tell the new recruits of how good Kaine was. This has lead to the Phantoms almost worshipping their fallen Khan, honouring him for leading them and for what he had achieved. Such a belief has spawned an ideology that he will return in the time of greatest need, on the day that the Emperor rises again. The Chapter awaits this day, effectively calling it a prophecy.

 

Another was set in place after the failed defence of Torrok II and reinforced after Kaine's death. This was the true hatred of the Tau Empire and everything it stands for. Normally the Phantoms wouldn't develop such hatred for just one enemy - being the more respectful people that they are they tend not to show hatred of a set enemy. But this one was decided on the last day of the war. As an act of vengeance, Khan Viktor Kraw swore an oath that the Tau would pay for what they did to the Chapter, what they did to many lives and what they could of done to many more. Because of this the Phantoms regularly seek a Tau fight just to give them pay-back . They do know that just doing this alone won't succeed in much, but Kraw like many others have expressed that this is only a build-up to the final fight, the one where Letalis will lead them to the victory they all seek against the Tau.

 

A practise that the Chapter undergoes is an event held every ten years on the anniversary of the Torrok War. This event is held over a two Terran week period, two weeks before the anniversary of the end of the war. The whole Chapter gathers on the base they hold on Kavion soil, entering the docking bay via Thunderhawks while the main fleet is left within the large asteroid field in the system. Most of the event is of celebration, marking the time when they had their victory over the Tau. During this time many trophies are paraded and many legends told, all keeping the Phantoms entertained. A certain wine has become part of the celebrations - this wine comes from the finest grapes on Kavion fields and is considered a delicacy, so some is issued out during the event. On the tenth day of the event the Chapter pays tribute to the few squads, led by Sergeant Hiro, that chose to stay behind while the rest of the Chapter got away to safety. These men are honoured throughout the day and small tributes are paid to them. On the last day the Chapter pays its respects to Kaine. This involves many prayers to the Emperor, asking him to look after their fallen Khan. It also involves blessing his sarcophagurised armour so that it remains 'pure' for his return.

 

Some beliefs have always remained with the Chapter right from their creation. The main one is a general hatred of Xenos in the universe, which was set in as part of their main purpose as a Chapter. As they were created to defend systems throughout the Eastern Fringe from the Xeno races, the Phantoms were fed a natural hatred of every single Xeno race and each Astartes is taught that the Xenos are foul creatures that should be eliminated at all costs. The hatred of Tau was reinforced after the Torrok War, so the Chapter focuses more on destroying the Tau than any other Xeno race.

 

Another belief is a rather peculiar one; one based on the Dreadnoughts. The Phantoms always honour a Chapter Ancient for his willingness to continue fighting for the Emperor. However the oddity is that the Phantoms aren't optimistic on becoming what they honour, much like their Parent Chapter. Most Phantoms feel that being encased in a Dreadnought removes what every Phantom relies on - speed and stealth. Because of this there are very few Chapter Ancients in the Chapter, although this may change. Requested development into the structure of a Dreadnought has begun, with enquiries from Kraw on making the Dreadnoughts more manoeuvrable in battle and over terrain. So far it has been suggested that Chapter Ancients have legs shaped like those of the Imperial Guard Sentinel, but the development is still in progress. It is only known that one Battle Brother has experienced such technilogy and is still in service.

 

 

Gene-seed

As their first Khan Kaine was from the White Scars along with his chosen men, the gene-seed heritage of the Phantoms is that of the White Scars. The geneseed has remained pure and untainted to date.

 

 

Battle-cry

Over time, the Phantoms' battlecry has changed. In the early years of their history, they usually preferred "For the Emperor!" or "For the Khan!". After the Torrok War they began to use the cry "We stand as one!". However, with their growing reliance on stealth, their battlecry is heard less and less often, being replaced with deadly silence.

 

---

 

 

OK guys, this is the final copy before I pitch it off to the Librarium. C&C as always :wacko:

[Hubernator]

Having a slight dilemma over the scheme (surprisingly). I'm stuck between 3 options:

 

1. The original

 

 

2. This:

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg17/Hubernator/Phantoms/PhantomMarine15.jpg

 

3. Or the 1st Company scheme.

 

Thoughts??

[GhostLegion]

I remember you posting this when I started posting my Shadow Lords... ::muttermuttergrumblegrumble::

 

What type of review you want here Hubernator? You want a grammar/spelling/word choice type edit? or are you more concerned with content and things not making sense?

 

If you want a full edit, I am willing to do it if you want...

 

Just on a rough thought, it might help you to crop down your images a touch...take them into powerpoint or something and just lop off the extra grid areas, then save the jpg and reload it into your article. That would help cosmetically...

 

 

...wonder if i should get my chapter smoothed for submission now...

[Wolfbiter]

I like paint scheme #2, Hube.

 

Good to see you breaking out the Phantoms again...I have always liked them. ;)

[Hubernator]

@GhostLegion: Yes I remember those guys. As for reviews, a content review would be nice ;) Although right now the scheme has taken priority at the moment, so I'd like thoughts on that. As for the images I can crop those down, so I'll get on that once I've sorted out which I want :)

 

@Wolfbiter: Cheers :)

[GhostLegion]

Ok then...content and substance only...

 

First, The color scheme in the article is ok, but the second suggestion looks better. Shoe color looks better on these boyos when it is the same as the leg.

 

Content and substance wise I think you have a lot of what you need in place. You could improve on your Homeworld, Organization and Gene-seed sections a touch though. These feel kind of half thought and sparse at the moment. Your Origins and Beliefs sections are nicely rounded though. In this however, I do not think the term "Gathering of Shadows" is the best one for your celebration. It does not seem to fit the event at all, and I think you could be better served by coming up with a different name for it.

 

Beyond this, I guess it looks ok...from a content and substance standpoint...

 

From a technical standpoint it could use some love.

 

OK guys, this is the final copy before I pitch it off to the Librarium. C&C as always :)

 

I hope not...from a technical standpoint anyway...

[Alkana]

Looks good to me. Like GhostLegion said, the homeworld, geneseed and organization could use a bit more attention, although personally I think you can drop the geneseed section entirely. It seemed kind of obvious, to me at least, that they were White Scars successors, so I don't really think you need to repeat it.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

One thing I might comment on for the moment is the chapter symbol. The Eye is typically associated with the Sons of Horus, Black Legion and Traitors in general, not to mention Tzeentch. It might seem superficial, and it is, but it would bring unwanted attention to the chapter from some of the more paranoid imperial agencies. I dont think I need to mention a name....

[Hubernator]

@GhostLegion: Umm, by technical you mean... what exactly? A review on that front would be helpful too :) As for the 3 sections stated, I see what you mean, although tis a little hard thinking up material for something that I didn't think needed much... I'll see what I can do.

 

@Alkana: The Geneseed section I did talk over with Mol when I was doing the almighty revamp, asking the same sorta question. I feel it should be there if a reader asked me "is the geneseed tainted? is it pure? are there any changes?" etc.

 

@Grey Hunter Ydalir: :) I get what you mean. Although, credit for the symbol goes to Fortknight who's helped me out a lot :) The symbol itself I think fits nicely, with the eye representing the fact that they're rarely seen because of the "speedy" aspect of them.

 

 

Ta for the comments guys :)

[GhostLegion]

By technical review I mean having someone take a big red pen and bleeding all over your article with grammar, spelling, word choice, and other editorial comments before returning it to you.

 

It might help, it might not...it would be up to you.

[Hubernator]

Well I wouldn't mind that. I'm not brilliant at grammar tbh :)

[Hubernator]

Double post. Decided to stick with the original scheme because I like it and I've grown to like it :rolleyes: Still after some C&C and I'm going to have a go at expanding on the sections that need some loving :P

[Hubernator]

Treble post. Homeworld has been updated heavily, so hopefully that should be good. A little stuck on expanding the organisation, so help there would be greatful :)

[Ferrus Manus]

Just a quick one, your original commander's name is Letalis Certamen, but I'm sure that since he is Commander of the 3rd Brotherhood then he would be known as Letalis Khan. Like for instance Kor'sarro Khan.

[Kihriban]

Just thought I'd weigh in that not only do I prefer the black colour scheme, it fits a little better with the whole "stealth" thing. .... and it's easier to paint.

[Hubernator]

Ferrus: Thanks for spotting that <_<

 

Kihriban: tbh I'm not interested in how easy it is to paint. Someone else managed to, and I'll get a chance soon myself. And yes I do like the black scheme and will have some of those painted up at some point.

[Hubernator]

*BUMP*

 

I still need some help guys. My organisation section looks too thin and I'm out of ideas.

[Alkana]

Maybe you could describe what Brotherhoods are for the people that aren't familiar with White Scars. That would add a few sentences. Other than that, I don't know what else you should put.

[Ferrus Manus]

Homeworld has been updated heavily, so hopefully that should be good. A little stuck on expanding the organisation, so help there would be greatful

I'd go back and write up a second version of the Organisation section, but this time re-answer the questions in the How to DIY thread. Go into greater than needed detail. Then when that's done go through it and delete anything you feel is unnecessary. Hopefully, that should turn out longer. But if it doesn't, don't try and cram things in just for the sake of length, it will ruin the peace, and we wouldn't want that :lol:

[Hubernator]

@Alkana: Yes that's one idea I can work on.

 

@Ferrus: Never thought of doing it that way. I'll have a go at doing that then :devil:

[Hubernator]

While I've been leaving the IA to simmer on half-baked ideas, I've been getting on with some models for the army that I'll have for them. Thread is here :blush:

[NemFX]

Sorry, it's not all formatted with colours, but here you go:

 

During the closing years of the 40th Millennium, the High Lords of Terra declared that the remaining chapters of the 25th Founding would help combat the ever-growing forces of the heretic and the rising Xeno threat.

 

At the time many of the chapters were already engaged in combat across the galaxy, trying to keep the Imperium of Man from falling into chaos. One such case was the White Scars' their 3rd Brotherhood, led by Letalis Certamen, was in the midst of a campaign against the vile forces of the Greenskins. The battles were long and fierce, but the 3rd Brotherhood eventually triumphed, though not unscathed.

 

After the battle a representative of the High Lords approached the White Scars and offered them a chance to to guide and shape a new chapter of Space Marines. They accepted immediately and nominated Letalis to lead them, which he graciously accepted. He hand picked his most valuable men from the 3rd Brotherhood and was given a number of escort ships. Within days they departed from the rest of the White Scars fleet and set course for the Eastern Fringe.

 

On their journey, the new chapter encountered many enemies, notably the pirates of the Ork and Eldar races. During the voyage, Letalis tried to decide upon a name but none were forthcoming. He meditated on the matter in his private quarters and refused to come out until he had made his decision.

 

As the weeks and months passed, the chapter drew near to the outskirts of the Tau Empire. In this region they came across the Lintos system; which was under attack by the Orks. The unnamed chapter deployed its forces and set out to destroy the Ork incursion. After many battles, the chapter was forced to defend a ruined city on Lintos III, the 3rd planet in the system. During this defense, Letalis took a group of veterans and deep-struck from behind the Orks, crushing them mercilessly and scattering the remaining enemy forces from the planet.

 

The chapter was praised by the civilians of the system, who called them "The Phantoms of Space" as they had seemingly come from nowhere. Captain Letalis took a fondness to the system and favoured the name, and so he named his new chapter the Phantoms.

 

 

Chapter Symbol

 

 

Captain Letalis Certamen was a great leader and very intelligent with his tactics; often achieving what most would consider impossible. One of his cornerstone tactics has been for him to take a fairly large amount of marines into the fight and overrunning the enemy, even when said enemy outnumbered his own units.

 

This could be shown through key battles; like the cleansing of Brosch IX, where the Phantoms 2nd and 3rd Companies purged the hive cities of the overwhelming number of Tyranids. Or the Battle for Croarsor system, where the Phantoms 6th Company took on and destroyed the Necrons, despite the disadvantages they suffered after they lost two thunderhawks during their insertion. However, the chapters victories are not without cost; most of the actions often resulted in casualties. This was because Letalis was also an adamant man and often made sure that his side won the battle, whatever the circumstances. This lead to his downfall during the Torrok War.

 

The Torrok system was being overrun by a large Tau fleet which had been slowly taking over planet by planet. The Phantoms decided the Tau had to be stopped and met the foe in the Torrok system, where both sides fought hard to the deciding battle on Torrok Prime.

 

After a lengthy and costly battle, and nearing the point of defeat, the captains of the chapter conversed and agreed to try a new strategy. Letalis, however, thought it was an unwise choice and set about putting his own method into action. He took 60 of his most loyal men and deep-struck the Tau in a final attempt to crush them. The group landed via drop-pod in the heart of the Tau army, very close to the main command vehicles of the force. Letalis and his men assaulted the vehicles, hellbent on destroying them and hopefully ending the bloody stalemate.

 

His tactic worked well, up to the point where only one of the vehicles remained. Letalis decided to take out the vehicle himself, after tearing the side hatch clean off. The remaining marines that saw him dive inside, which had been whittled down to a mere 10, were recalled via teleporter to the battlebarge, mere seconds before the area was bombarded from a second wave of Sky Ray gunships. The battle waged on, though each marine feared their master was dead.

 

One of these marines was Viktor Kraw; a veteran from the 1st Company, who decided to lead the attack again but with more marines by his side and different tactics. This lead to a crushing victory against the Tau, scattering what was left of them. However the Phantoms paid dearly for this victory. They lost their valuable chapter master and had received over 60% casualties. They searched for his body after the battle for days and eventually found it within the wreckage of the lead vehicle that he had took upon himself to destroy. The Phantoms considered it a miracle from the Emperor that his body was saved, so they sealed his armour and burnt his body, marking the end of the war.

 

Homeworld

 

The Phantoms have remained a fleet-based chapter since their creation. The two great battlebarges that they own, The Silent Strike and The Defender, serve as the main base of operations as well as their homestead. The fleet also has many escorts and a few strike cruisers which help protect the great battlebarges from smaller attackers.

 

The fleet eventually settled on which sector which it oversees. This area is regularly patrolled as it is constantly under threat from Chaos and the Tau Empire as the region is bordering Tau territory. The area is made up of 4 systems, each possessing some form of value. One system is used mainly for recruiting purposes, while another is used heavily for agriculture and mining of valuable metals. The chapter have recently made action that suggests that they're claiming a homeworld, that of Jikovia. The planet is riddled with canyons, forests and open plains, however there is comparatively little surface water. Men on the planet are raised are tough and hard-trained and come in great numbers, hence why many marines of the Phantoms are made up of Jikovians. A starport has been created on the surface near the high mountainous region of Domos and is linked to a hidden fortress deep within the mountains themselves.

 

 

Combat Doctrine

 

In the early days of their history, the Phantoms followed the tactics of the White Scars to the letter. However, as time passed, they slowly began to change their tactics as they experienced new situations. Slowly, an obsession with speed and swift strikes grew within the chapter, and they now attempt to refine the art of mobile warfare beyond even the great precepts of Jaghatai Khan.

 

One of the main changes if not somewhat subtle was their usage of landspeeders and bikes. After frequent encounters with Eldar and Tau forces the Phantoms began varying on how they used their lightweight vehicles. In a battle against the Eldar or the Tau they would change the attack plans so that they could counter and dominate the speed and mobility of either forces. This has lead to them being quite successful against both Eldar and Tau.

 

Another change is the increased use of devastator squads and heavy weapons. However this has only extended to as far as defensive stands and large battles. In such cases the few squads with heavy weapons will be transported to a designated area via drop pods or rhinos and rapidly deployed to cause mass havoc.

 

 

Phantoms Veteran, 1st Company

These weren't the only changes. After the death of Letalis the chapter's ideology of their tactics began to change once again. Even though the original tactics of swift strikes and fast maneuvers worked well, they proved costly.The Phantoms slowly began to experiment and incorporate new tactics, some of which mimic the tactics they observed when fighting the Tau, notably their 'Killing Blow' tactic. The chapter has formulated it's own version of a killing blow, known only as "Code Silent Strike", which has been used to great effect. This came in during the Torrok War, when a large deep-strike was planned to try to crush the Tau. The attack worked to a point, however after the battle the chapter set out to perfect this tactic further.

Another wave of changes to doctrine soon followed from a battle where the Phantoms assisted the Raven Guard. During a small crusade alongside the Raven Guard Captain Rothgo took heavy note on their style of attack, mainly ambushes, infiltration and sabotage. After the crusade he tried these out in a battle against Orks and found it worked well. Those tactics have been since become standard.

 

A more recent addition was attempting to utilize terror in their attacks. After many furious battles against the Tau; the Phantoms had collected plenty of data on them, one thing of particular note was their heavy use of comms and the usage of observational equipment. So during the opening attack, a small infiltration team cut the comms of the Tau and sabotaged valuable equipment, leaving the Tau with few means of coordinating an effective counter-attack. In quick succession the mainstay of the Phantoms army unleashed their version of a killer blow and defeated the bewildered Tau. These tactics are frequently used in battles today, however the chapter has been accused of mimicking the Night Lords for such tactics, and has received some scrutiny as a result.

 

Organization

 

Up to the aftermath of the Torrok War, the Phantoms were organized a lot like the White Scars - arranged in Brotherhoods, each one with it's own specialty. However after the war the newly appointed chapter master Viktor Kraw decided that the Phantoms should veer away from this and decided to "formalize" the Chapter to a more suitable style. The ideology of Brotherhoods was replaced with formal companies and has stuck ever since.

 

The chapter is nearly up to full strength after recovering from the Torrok War, although the 4th and 5th Companies are currently non-existent. Plans to recreate the 4th company have begun by reassigning 10 men from each of the companies that can spare them. However this hasn't yet been implemented due to the lack of recruits to fill the empty spaces.

 

 

Beliefs And Practices

 

The beliefs of the Phantoms have changed many times during their rather young history. These changes vary from the most subtle influences to a big historic event, each one adding something new to their ideas of the universe.

 

The Phantoms have taken up the belief that the Emperor is a great warrior who had managed to gain control over the universe. Such belief was derived from the mix of many recruits that the Phantoms had accepted, but mainly those from Jikovian soil. This has contributed to their ideology of speed; they feel that the empire that the Emperor rules is slowly slipping from his grasp, so they want to reclaim their part of the universe and fast, before the Emperor makes his valiant return to cleanse it from the ruinous powers of Chaos and the rising Xeno threats.

 

Most newer beliefs were set in just after the Torrok War. Much occurred during that war and certain events affected the chapter to the core, setting new beliefs in place. One of those pivotal events was the death of former chapter master Letalis Certamen. After his death, the chapter mourned him heavily as they all felt he was their great leader and that he was the biggest asset to their chapter. They recovered his body, removed him from his sacred armour and cremated him as per their rituals. The armour was repaired and placed inside a solid Adamantium sarcophagus and the chapter has vowed never to open it. Those who knew Letalis well often consider him to be as great as a Primarch. These men often tell the new recruits of how skilled Letalis was. This has lead to the Phantoms almost worshiping their first chapter master; honouring him for leading them and for what he had achieved. Such a belief has spawned an ideology that he will return in the time of greatest need, on the day that the Emperor rises again. The chapter awaits this day, calling it a prophecy, and essentially deifying Letalis.

 

Another belief was set in place after the failed defense of Torrok II and reinforced after Letalis' death on Torrok Prime; their true burning hatred of the Tau Empire and everything it stands for. Normally the Phantoms wouldn't develop such hatred for just one enemy - being the more respectful people that they are they tend not to show hatred of a set enemy. But this one was decided on the last day of the war. As a declaration of vengeance, Viktor Kraw swore an oath that the Tau would pay for what they did to the chapter, what they had done to many lives, and what they could of done to many more. Because of this the Phantoms actively seek out invading Tau forces, and attack any Tau installations they find. They are aware that just doing this alone won't succeed in much, but Viktor like many others have expressed that this is only a build-up to the final fight, the one where Letalis will lead them to the victory they all seek against the Tau.

 

A practice that the chapter upholds is an event held every 10 years to commemorate the anniversary of the Torrok War, known as "The Gathering of Shadows". This event is held over a two week period, two weeks before the anniversary of the end of the war. The whole Chapter gathers at the stronghold they hold on Jikovian soil, landing at the starport via Thunderhawks while the main fleet is concealed within the large asteroid field in the system. Most of the event is of celebration, marking the time when they had their victory over the Tau. During this time many trophies are paraded and many legends retold; ensuring that the Phantoms history is not forgotten, while entertaining the marines.

 

A certain wine has become part of the celebrations - this wine comes from the finest grapes on Jikovian fields and is considered a delicacy, so it is generally all reserved for the event, and other such occasions. On the 10th day of the event the Chapter pays tribute to the noble squads led by Sergeant Hiro, who chose to stay behind and cover the strategic retreat of the rest of the Chapter. These men are honoured throughout the day and tributes are paid to each. On the last day the chapter pays its respects to Letalis. This involves many prayers to the Emperor, asking him to look after their fallen chapter master. It also involves blessing his entombed armour so that it remains 'pure' for his return.

 

Some beliefs have always remained with the chapter right from their creation. The main one is a general hatred of Xenos in the universe, which was set in as part of their main purpose as a chapter. As they were created to defend systems throughout the Eastern Fringe from the Xeno races, the Phantoms were fed a natural hatred of every single Xeno race and each Astartes is taught that the Xenos are foul creatures that should be eliminated at all costs. The hatred of Tau was reinforced after the Torrok War, so the chapter focuses more on destroying the Tau than any other Xeno race.

 

Another belief is a rather peculiar one; one based on the dreadnoughts; the Phantoms have always honoured the ancient warriors for their willingness to continue fighting for the Emperor. However the oddity is that the Phantoms aren't optimistic on becoming what they honour. Most Phantoms feel that being encased in a dreadnought removes what every Phantom relies on - stealth and speed. Because of this there are very few dreadnaughts in the chapter, although this may change. Requested development into redesigning the structure of a dreadnought has begun; with inquiries from Viktor on making the dreadnoughts more maneuverable in battle and over terrain. So far it has been suggested that dreadnaughts have their robotic legs redesigned to resemble the legs on the standard Imperial Guard Sentinel scout units, but progress in implementing such changes has been slow, due to a lack of support.

 

 

Gene-seed

 

As their first chapter master Letalis was from the White Scars along with his chosen men, the gene-seed heritage of the Phantoms is that of the White Scars. The geneseed has remained pure and untainted so far.

 

 

Battle-cry

 

Over time, the Phantoms' battlecry has changed. In the early years of their history, they usually preferred "For the Emperor!" or "For the Khan!". After the Torrok War they began to use the cry "We stand as one!". However, with their growing reliance on stealth, their battlecry is heard less and less often, being replaced with deadly silence.

[Hubernator]

Well I do appreciate this, so thankyou. However it's from the wrong IA :) Doesn't mean I can;t nick bits and splat them in place like a weird jigsaw puzzle ;)

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

What do you mean it is from the wrong IA? Do you have a newer version?

[Hubernator]

This, the one right here, V3, is the latest version. The one NemFX rewrote is from V2.5 :)